North State Journal Vol. 6, Issue 47

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 47 | WWW.NSJONLINE.COM | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2022

NC Senate Republicans will vote to move state primaries to June 7 Raleigh N.C. Senate Republicans on Monday said the legislative chamber will vote on Wednesday to move the state’s primary elections this year to Tuesday, June 7.

The move would be the third, following a state Supreme Court order that moved the date to May 17 in order to hear consolidated cases on the state’s new congressional and legislative boundaries.

“State law requires the legislature to have at least 14 days to draw new districts if existing ones are struck down by a court. The case schedule adopted by the state Supreme Court provides as little as 12 days for the court to decide, write a decision, and draw new districts if the Supreme Court strikes down the current ones,” the statement reads.

Any change in the election calendar must also be agreed to by the N.C. House of Representatives and signed by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper.

Ice covers holly near the 15th green of Pinehurst No. 3 in Pinehurst. Following the weekend winter storm, another winter weather event is expected to hit the state on Friday

Battle over recusals colors NC Supreme Court cases on redistricting, voter ID

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John Harris, son of Rev Mark Harris, running for state House Apex Attorney John Harris, the son of former U.S. Senate and U.S. House candidate Mark Harris, announced on Tuesday he is seeking election to a suburban Wake County state House seat.

Harris says his campaign is about serving his community, bringing conservative competence to state government and helping restore a political system that prioritizes the public good over personal or partisan interest.

His opponent is expected to be two-term Democratic state Rep. Julie von Haefen, who first won in 2018 over Republican Nelson Dollar.

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Tesla inks deal to get key battery component outside China London Tesla is turning to Mozambique for a key component in its electric car batteries, in what analysts believe is a first-of-its-kind deal designed to reduce its dependence on China for graphite.

Elon Musk’s company signed an agreement with Australia’s Syrah Resources, which operates one of the world’s largest graphite mines in the southern African country.

Tesla will buy the material from the company’s processing plant in Vidalia, Louisiana, which sources graphite from its mine in Balama, Mozambique.

The Austin, Texas-based electric automaker plans to buy up 80% of what the plant produces — 8,000 tons of graphite per year — starting in 2025, according to the agreement.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

State leaders applaud effort to expedite statue at US Capitol Washington, D.C. Efforts to install a statue honoring the late Billy Graham at the U.S. Capitol continue to receive support from state leaders.

U.S. Rep. Ted Budd issued an update on the effort, which included an update from Illinois U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis, who sits on the Joint Committee on the Library.

“It is inexcusable that the Joint Committee on the Library has delayed the approval process for over six years. I’m excited to support legislation that will put deadlines on the JCL to take action,” Davis said.

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DAVID SINCLAIR | FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Frozen on the green

By David Larson North State Journal

NC Commission for Public Health to take up requiring COVID vaccine for students 17 and up

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Students ages 17 and up could be required to get a COVID-19 vaccination in order to attend secondary schools in the state, depending on the actions of a state commission.

The N.C. Commission for Public Health (NCCPH) is the body considering such a move. The commission is housed under the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and is the only body other than the legislature that can amend vaccination laws for students in the state. It is a 13-member body, nine of which have been appointed Gov. Roy Cooper. The other four were appointed by the N.C. Medical Society.

During its meeting held on Nov. 3, 2021, the NCCPH addressed a “petition” that had been entered into the rulemaking process for NCCPH. Chairman Ronald May did not cite the topic of the petition but said they were reviewing it. At that meeting, May said they have 120 days before they would need to make any decisions and that “very likely at the next meeting” the commission would act.

North State Journal inquired with NCDHHS about the unnamed petition and discovered it was sent to State Health Director Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson last October.

The petition, submitted by four professors from Appalachian State University (ASU), requested that the “Commission for Public Health issue a COVID-19 vaccine requirement for all NC college students.”

The quartet’s petition proposes changing state immunization requirements to include COVID-19 vaccinations for “individuals 17 years of age or entering the 12th grade, whichever comes first, on or after July 1, 2022.”

The ASU professors who submitted the request include Stella Anderson, with the Department

of Management; Nancy Love, with the Department of Government and Justice Studies; Martha McCaughey, from the Sociology Department; and Emily Dakin, from the Department of Social Work.

Dakin was the first signatory on an open letter published on Aug. 23, 2021, pushing for remote instruction at the collegiate level until the county where ASU is located reached a less than 5% positivity rate and at least 70% of ASU students were vaccinated. The letter garnered 233 signatures from ASU staff and faculty.

Citing various Food and Drug Administration approvals for children 16 and up, the petition says, “the Commission should consider the COVID-19 vaccine age-based requirement with existing approval and, as additional approval is granted, expand the requirement for those ages.”

The petition goes on to say the “proposed implementation date (July 1, 2022) would accommodate the existing age-based FDA approval without requiring current high-school-aged students to comply.”

A letter attached to the petition is signed by 225 UNC system employees, the vast majority of which are affiliated with ASU. Both Cooper and then-NCDHHS Secretary Mandy Cohen were copied on the letter.

The letter cites state law and the authority of the NCCPH to alter vaccination requirements for students in North Carolina.

“In short, our call for the Commission to require COVID-19 vaccination among NC college and university students is supported by overwhelming evidence, precedence, law, and the authority of the Commission itself,” the letter to NCCPH reads. “Thus, we respectfully request that the Commission issue an order declaring that the COVID-19 vaccine be required of all college students attending NC colleges and universities.”

See VACCINE, page A3

RALEIGH — Republican leaders of the N.C. General Assembly filed motions on Jan. 6 calling for two state Supreme Court justices, Sam Ervin IV and Anita Earls, to recuse themselves from the court case deciding whether the redistricting maps created by the General Assembly can stand and be used in the 2022 elections. This motion came a day before two Republican justices announced they would not recuse themselves in a case over voter ID, after similar recusal demands from liberal groups.

In a series of press releases, from Jan. 7 through Jan. 18, Republican state House and Senate leaders made the case that Ervin and Earls have conflicts of interest that should disqualify them from hearing the redistricting case.

In regards to Ervin, Republi-

can leaders argued that because he is the only one currently running for office out of the justices, he may be unable to set aside campaign considerations as he decides. Ervin is running for reelection to his state Supreme Court seat, while the other six justices still have time in their terms or are not running again.

“Justice Ervin participated in a decision that halts candidates from filing for office against him, moves his opponents’ primary election back two months, and authorizes a truncated filing period for any more opponents when, and only when, this Court enters its final order on the proceedings,” the motion for Ervin to recuse read. “Accordingly, Justice Ervin should follow the examples of other jurists and recuse himself from consideration of these matters.”

Their complaint concerning See RECUSALS page A2

Burr, Tillis among senators questioning Biden ed chief over controversial letter

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina U.S. Sens. Richard Burr and Thom Tillis are among the two dozen Republican senators who want answers from Biden Education Secretary Miguel Cardona over his apparent solicitation of a letter from the National School Boards Association (NSBA) that compared school parents to domestic terrorists.

“Parents are not ‘domestic terrorists’ and it is appalling that anyone would suggest that exercising the constitutionally protected freedoms of speech and assembly would be characterized as a threat,” the senators’ letter to Cardona reads. “Parents across the country are outraged that their children’s education has been disrupted, delayed, even denied over the past two years.”

The letter to Cardona was announced in a press statement by U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), who is leading the effort.

“While we knew early on that White House staff were complicit in the creation of this letter, it is only recently that information See PARENTS, page A2

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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1.19.22 #317

THE WORD: HARDER TO TAME THAN WILD BEASTS

James 3:6-8

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

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The tongue is a very troublesome member! It is a very important member; however, and with it we can do great good.

Our words — if they are true and loving — carry blessings wherever they are heard. But the tongue is hard to control. When we have really gotten our tongue under control, we are almost perfect. One who can govern his speech can govern every other part of his life.

A small bit keeps a spirited horse in check, and a little rudder turns a great ship in its course. Just so, the tongue, though so small a member, controls the whole life!

The tongue is harder to tame than wild beasts! There has been but one Man who never spoke foolishly, rashly, bitterly. Jesus never did — His words were always pure, sweet, helpful and inspiring.

We ought to set ourselves the task of mastering our tongues, for then we can do untold good with them.

Only Christ can help us to do it. He mastered everything — demons, diseases, winds, waves, death itself.

He alone can help us to master the most unruly tongue!

“Liberty’s story” Visit us online nsjonline.com

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

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PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Galileo facing the Roman Inquisition” by Cristiano Banti (1857) is a painting in a private collection. While Galileo was labelled by the church as “vehemently suspect of heresy,” we know that he spoke truth even in the face of persecution.

Treasures from J.R. Miller, Christian pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911.

RECUSALS from page A1 Earls, on the other hand, is that she is too closely connected to the plaintiffs in the case, since former Obama administration Attorney General Eric Holder’s organization, National Democratic Redistricting Committee, which focuses its work on fighting for favorable redistricting maps for Democrats, was a major campaign contributor to Earls.

“Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls won her 2018 election with a $250,000 boost from Eric Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting Committee. Now she’s hearing a case brought before her by that same organization,” a Jan. 13 press release from Senate Redistricting and Elections Committee co-chair Warren Daniel (R-Burke) said. “Do the groups claiming to be defenders of democracy think it’s healthy for justices to hear cases brought by their largest campaign backers?

Or are they hypocrites, pretending to support noble causes until it threatens their political agenda?”

Notably, the motion for Earls to recuse ends with, “Conclusion: Justice Earls should recuse herself from this case,” and the motion for Ervin to recuse ends with, “Conclusion: Justice Ervin should recuse himself from these cases.”

The fact that they asked the justices to recuse themselves, rather than having recusal forced on them by the Court, is an acknowledgment of a decision by the Court, announced only days earlier, on Dec. 23, 2021, by clerk of the N.C. Supreme Court Amy Funderburk.

Funderburk said that in the event of a motion for recusal in a case before the Court, “The Court shall assign the motion to the Justice who is the subject of the motion for their determination. That determination shall be final.” If the justice does not want to decide on it themselves, the alternative is that they ask the other members of the court to make the decision for them. Historically, recusal decisions at the state Supreme Court have been made by the justice themselves, so this decision largely continues this precedent.

This decision on how recusal

PARENTS from page A1 has surfaced implicating you and your office in this shameful episode,” wrote the senators. “News reports indicate that the letter from the NSBA to President Joe Biden was actually initiated at your request. Accountability begins at the top, and as U.S. Secretary of Education you must explain your role, or your staff’s role, in the creation of this letter.”

Emails obtained by Parents

FILE PHOTO

The N.C. Supreme Court in Raleigh is shown in this undated file photo. will operate was determined in response to the NAACP of North Carolina’s motion that Republican Justices Phil Berger Jr and Tamara Barringer be removed from a case regarding photo ID, which has been delayed while the matter was worked out.

NAACP-NC argued Berger Jr couldn’t be impartial since his father, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden), is a key player in how the law in question was drafted and passed; and that Barringer couldn’t be impartial since she had been a state senator at the time the bill was passed, with Barringer personally voting for the measure, which approved

placing a referendum on voter ID on the ballot.

After Funderburk’s announcement that recusal remains up to the justices themselves, both Berger Jr and Barringer announced on Jan. 7 that they would not be recusing themselves from the voter ID case.

Berger Jr said that “More than 2.7 million North Carolinians, knowing or at least having information available to them concerning my father’s service in the Legislature, elected me to consider and resolve significant constitutional questions like the one here.”

In her announcement, Barrin-

ger said, “I am following a strong and firmly rooted tradition in reaching the conclusion not to recuse myself due to my prior legislative service.”

On the redistricting case, Earls and Ervin are expected to follow suit in not recusing themselves, which would mean the redistricting case and the photo ID case will both be heard from a court with a 4-3 Democratic leaning. The Wake County Superior Court panel that ruled on Jan. 11 that the maps could proceed, however, had a 2-1 Republican leaning yet still decided unanimously, evidence that party affiliation is not a definitive sign of how a judge will decide.

Defending Education published on Jan. 11, 2022, indicate the NSBA’s then-interim director Chip Slaven “told the [NSBA] officers he was writing a letter to provide information to the White House, from a request by Secretary Cardona.”

The NSBA’s letter to President Biden first surfaced Sept.

29, 2021. The letter suggested treating parent protests at school boards like “domestic terrorism” by applying the Patriot Act.

Based on the NSBA letter, on Oct. 4, 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland issued a memorandum directing the FBI and U.S. Attorneys to investigate parents across the country protesting at school board meetings.

House Republicans, including U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop (R- NC9), immediately issued a letter demanding answers from Garland.

On Oct. 22, 2021, the NSBA issued an apology for the letter to its members. As of late Decem-

ber 2021, 28 state chapters had distanced themselves from the organization, including 19 states dropping their membership, North Carolina’s state school board association among them.

By mid-November, documents provided to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee by a whistleblower showed the FBI had begun using counterterrorism measures with regard to school boards around the country through the use of a threat tag

“Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls won her 2018 election with a $250,000 boost from Eric Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting Committee.

Now she’s hearing a case brought before her by that same organization.”

Sen. Warren Daniel (R-Burke)

called “EDUOFFICIALS.” A spokesperson for the Department of Education denied the allegation, telling FOX News that “While the Secretary did not solicit a letter from NSBA, to understand the views and concerns of stakeholders, the Department routinely engages with students, teachers, parents, district leaders and education associations.”

Cardona himself also denied he asked for the letter in a CBS Mornings interview on Jan. 12.

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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NC 2022 teacher working conditions survey adds new questions

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

PHOTO VIA TRUIST PR

The Truist logo is shown on this building.

Truist cuts down overdraft fees, joining other big banks

By Ken Sweet The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Truist Bank said Tuesday it is reducing its overdraft fees, becoming the latest big bank to announce an overhaul of overdraft policies that often impact the most vulnerable customers.

The bank plans to roll out a new checking account this summer that will have a $100 buffer for customers who spend more than they have in their accounts.

It will also create a line of credit for those who need to go further into negative territory. There will no individual overdraft fees charged on the account.

The bank based in Charlotte, also plans to create a second bank-account product aimed primarily at unbanked or low-income individuals that will not allow customers to overdraw their accounts.

The bank is also getting rid of non-sufficient fund fees — more commonly known as bounced

check fees — as well as savings transfer fees, which are charged when a bank moves funds from a long-term savings account to a customer’s checking account to cover a potentially negative balance.

Truist expects the changes will result in customers paying $300 million less in fees annually by 2024.

“We realized there was a population that we were not serving well,” said Brant Standridge, Truist Financial Corp.’s chief retail community banking officer, in an interview. “We believe these changes achieve what our clients have been asking for.”

Truist, the sixth largest bank in the country and a dominant banking force in the South, is joining a growing number of banks that have eliminated overdraft fees entirely or have created new products to keep customers from racking up too many onetime fees.

They include Bank of America, which cut its overdraft fees to

$10 from $35 last week, and Wells Fargo, which announced plans to allow customers to access direct deposits early to avoid overdraft fees, among other changes. Capital One cut overdraft fees to zero in December, and Ally Bank eliminated overdraft early last year.

For years, the banking industry relied heavily on overdraft fees to increase profits. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that the industry charged $15.5 billion in overdraft fees in 2019, of which three banks — JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo and Bank of America — made up 44% of that revenue. Those banks have since announced changes in their fee policies.

Truist executives said the changes were in the works for some time and were not impacted by the announcements by rivals at Wells Fargo and BofA. Industry analysts have said they expect more banks to announce fee reductions this year due to the competitive clout the large banks have in the industry.

RALEIGH — The annual survey on teacher working conditions has new questions related to the pandemic this year and will be open for responses during the month of March.

The teacher working conditions survey (TWCS) measures responses from teacher statewide in the areas of school and teacher leadership, instructional practices, managing student conduct, professional learning, community support, use of time, school safety, equity, facilities and resources, and new teacher support.

In 2020 the TWCS response rate was 84.45% and included 102,545 North Carolina educators.

The TWCS is put together by a 26-member advisory committee overseen by the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction. The TWCS was addressed in a presentation during the January meeting of the State Board of Education.

The four new questions added this year are related to pandemic learning loss and the mental impact of COVID-19 restrictions on students.

One question asks teachers what percentage of their instructional time was spent reteaching the prior year’s academic standards.

A related new question asks teachers how far behind they estimate their students to be compared to progress during a typical school year. Answer choices for the question span a range of three-month increments as to whether a student is ahead, behind or performing at about the

same level.

Another new question also has ties to pandemic impact on student mental health. The question will read, “At this point in the 2021-22 school year, how do your students’ needs for social/emotional/mental health support compare to the same time in a typical school year?”

The state of student mental health during the pandemic has been of increasing concern. Apps that track student and school safety have cited increases in violent behavior, self-harm and suicide. One such app is called https://www.gaggle.net/ Gaggle produced a report covering the 2020-21 school year. The report documented a 104% increase in violence towards others and an 87% increase in suicide and selfharm over the previous school year. Anxiety, depression and behavioral disorders also saw marked increases.

Gaggle’s findings are similar to that reported by the Say Something app used in North Carolina.

Bullying/cyberbullying remained the top reported item between August and Oct. 31 of 2021, increasing by 132% over the same timeframe in 2020. For the same August to October time period, “planned school attack” reports rose 4,900%, school fight/assault increased 833%, “weapons” reported increased of 700%, sexual harassment was up 550%, general school complaints were up 525%, and drug use/distribution up 518%. Suicide/suicide ideation reports also rose from 48 reports to 87.

Finally, the fourth new question asks teachers to select the top five issues of “most” concern at this point in the 2021-22 school year.

Applications being accepted for 50th Annual Youth Legislative Assembly

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The General Assembly’s Legislative Services Office has announced it is accepting applications for the Youth Legislative Assembly (YLA) to take place in Raleigh. The assembly will run for three days, starting April 8 and concluding April 10.

YLA is a “mock legislative session where high school students voice their opinions and vote on issues concerning local, state and national government,” according to the event webpage hosted on the General Assembly’s website.

“The YLA gives high school students a unique opportunity to get an in-depth understanding of the laws governing North Carolina’s citizens and experience the

lawmaking process,” says a press release from state Sen. Chuck Edwards (R-Henderson).

According to the statement, “Students draft, debate, and vote on mock legislative bills while developing skills in research, interviewing, group facilitation, and policy writing. As bills are debated, students get a chance to practice communicating their ideas, opinions, and experiences in a team-building environment.”

The application period runs through Feb. 1, 2022. Any North Carolina high school student in good standing at a public, private, charter, or home school is eligible to participate in the program.

The application can be found online: https://www.ncleg.gov/ YLA.

ANDREW HARNIK | AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden speaks about the government’s COVID-19 response, in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House Campus in Washington, D.C., Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022.

Biden team regroups after court loss on COVID shots-or-test The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Concerned but not giving up, President Joe Biden is anxiously pushing ahead to prod people to get COVID-19 shots after the Supreme Court put a halt to the administration’s sweeping vaccinate-or-test plan for large employers.

While some in the business community cheered the defeat of the mandate, Biden insisted the administration effort has not been for naught. The high court’s ruling “does not stop me from using my voice as president to advocate for employers to do the right thing to protect Americans’ health and economy,” he said.

The court’s conservative majority all-but-struck down the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration’s requirement that employers with 100 or more employees require their workers to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or tested weekly. However, it did leave in place a vaccination requirement for health care workers.

The mandate was announced last September, accompanied by biting criticism from Biden for the roughly 80 million American adults who hadn’t yet gotten shots.

“We’ve been patient. But our patience is wearing thin, and your refusal has cost all of us,” he said.

The unvaccinated minority, he said, “can cause a lot of damage, and they are.”

While the court left open the possibility for the U.S. to pursue more targeted mandates, White House officials said there were no immediate plans to seek a redo of

the regulation.

“It’s now up to the states and individual employers to put in place vaccination requirements,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

Psaki said the White House would work with businesses to promote the benefits of vaccination-or-testing requirements and that Biden would highlight successful programs.

“The Court has ruled that my administration cannot use the authority granted to it by Congress to require this measure,” Biden said.

So “I call on business leaders to immediately join those who have already stepped up – including one third of Fortune 100 companies – and institute vaccination requirements to protect their workers, customers, and communities.”

MATT ROURKE | AP PHOTO

In this Sept. 14, 2021, file photo, a syringe is prepared with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic at the Reading Area Community College in Reading, Pa. VACCINE from page A1 One individual that signed the letter who did not list a college or university affiliation is Dante Strobino of “UE Local 150, NC Public Service Workers Union.”

He was one of several individuals linked to the Communist Workers World Party who were arrested in connection with the destruction of a Confederate statute in Durham during 2017. His case was dismissed but he had been charged with injury to real property, defacing a public building or monument, and conspiracy to deface a public building or monument.

This is not the first time the

NCCPH has discussed making COVID-19 vaccines a legal requirement to attend schools in the state.

In August of 2021, the NCCPH members had entertained, but then tabled, the idea of requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for K-12 students across the state.

The commission met again virtually on Oct. 15 at which time some members joked about what they referred to as anti-vax and mask “rhetoric,” which was captured on audio obtained exclusively by North State Journal.

The next meeting of the NCCPH is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2022.

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Murphy to Manteo 2

Wednesday, Jan. 19, is National Popcorn Day, and our state has no shortage of gourmet popcorn shops to enjoy the salty, buttery and sometimes sweet snack.

Annually, Americans consume 15 billion quarts of popcorn, whether at the movies, at home or at retail establishments.

Of note, a single kernel of popcorn can swell to become 40-50 times larger, delivering a big return on its small size.

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1 1. Tastebuds Popcorn Belmont 2. It’s Poppin! Gourmet Kettle Korn Charlotte 3. Munchees Popcorn Matthews 4. Asheboro Popcorn Co. Asheboro 5. Doc Popcorn Mebane 6. Hopper’s Poppers Roxboro 7. The Mad Popper Durham 8. The Big Popcorn Store Cary 9. Carolina Popcorn Shoppe Raleigh 10. Uncle Dave’s Kettle Korn NC Raleigh 11. Popcorn Pleasers Smithfield 12. Popcorn-Is-Us Fayetteville 13. HotSugarPop Fayetteville 14. Pirates Popcorn Greenville 15. Topsail Island Popcorn Factory Surf City

Caldwell County One man is in custody and another man is being sought in a shooting death. The Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office said Isaac McKinely Dixon, 22, is wanted on one count of murder in the shooting death of Jose David Martinez Aguilera, 25, of Lenoir. Law enforcement officers and first responders found Aguilera dead inside a car with several gunshot wounds.

Aguilera had been shot outside a home in Lenoir. Zachary Nathaniel Kersey, 22, of Lenoir, is charged with accessory after the fact to murder in connection with Aguilera’s death.

Kersey was arrested Tuesday morning at a Lenoir motel.

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RALEIGH — Musician Clay Aiken, who last week announced his intent to run for Congress in the new Trianglearea 6th District, has come under fire from other candidates and inf luential progressives for his late entry into the race.

Nida Allam, a Durham County commissioner also in the race, seized on a tweet congratulating Aiken on his second campaign from Meghan McCain, former co-host of The View and the daughter of the late U.S. Sen. John McCain.

Allam linked to her campaign donation page and said, “If you’re looking for a candidate in this strong Democratic seat who *isn’t* being backed by Republicans..” to attack Aiken for the apparent support of McCain.

That prompted a response by McCain to Allam, telling her to “grow up.”

“Clay and I are polar opposites politically. We disagree on almost everything except our friendship. The worst part of the rot in DC is politicians

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EAST

Officer shoots man in custody after emergency room scuffle

Woman charged with felony insurance fraud

Burke County Heavy snow during a winter storm Sunday caused part of a roof to collapse on a dorm at Brevard College, but all 50 students inside got out safely. Emergency crews responded to Jones Hall just after 3 p.m. Sunday. As soon as the roof collapsed, someone pulled the fire alarm to alert authorities. Brevard Fire Captain Adam Hughey said that quick thinking with the fire alarm made all the difference. Brevard College tweeted that the weight of heavy snow caused the partial roof collapse. Temporary accommodations are being made for those students who were impacted.

By Matt Mercer North State Journal

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PIEDMONT

Heavy snow causes partial roof collapse at Brevard College

Man sought in shooting death; 1 man charged

Jones & Blount Clay Aiken finds rough reception compared to ‘14 campaign

Celebrate National Popcorn Day

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Granville County Yolanda Taylor Edmonds, 40, of Oxford, was charged with felony insurance fraud last week. Edmonds allowed her insurance policy to lapse, then got into an accident. She then reinstated coverage and falsely claimed that the incident occurred while she was covered again. Edmonds’ policy lapsed due to nonpayment. She was involved in a December accident that resulted in her 2014 Malibu being a total loss.

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AP

Durham County A man in police custody was shot and killed in an emergency room after scuffling with an officer. The man was in the custody of Durham police and receiving treatment at Duke University Hospital. While receiving treatment, he began struggling with an officer and took his gun.

A Duke University officer responded and shot the man. Duke Health medical staff tended to the man, but he didn’t survive.

No one else was injured. Neither the man nor the officers involved were immediately identified. It was unclear why the man had been arrested and why he was receiving medical treatment.

AP

AP

Rutherford County The Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office asked the state to look into the death of an inmate at a county jail while an investigation is underway into what led to overdoses by four other inmates. A nurse and a detention officer found inmate Andrew Franklin Hodge unresponsive in his cell. Hodge was pronounced dead. Hodge was being held on multiple charges, including murder and discharging a weapon into an occupied dwelling, in connection with a fatal shooting last July. Jail officials also reported that four inmates had to be taken to a local hospital after suffering apparent overdoses.

Deputies shoot man suspected of killing relative Caldwell County Caldwell County Sheriff’s deputies shot and killed a man who held two women hostage after he allegedly killed his brother-in-law.

Troy Lee Carter, 56, attacked his brotherin-law, Timothy Lewis Davis, 46. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene after being found outside the home with gunshot and stab wounds. Carter was wanted for two counts of domestic criminal trespassing, injury to real property and second-degree arson. Deputies found Carter armed with a knife and gun and holding two women hostage. Deputies shot Carter after he failed to obey verbal commands. He died at the scene.

Richmond County Wayne Goodwin, a longtime leader in state government and Democratic Party politics, was named the next Division of Motor Vehicles commissioner. Goodwin, the elected state insurance commissioner from 2009 to 2017 and a former state House member, succeeds Torrie Jessup, who left in November to become chief operating officer at the Department of Information Technology. Goodwin, who starts his new duties on Tuesday, was chairman of the state Democratic Party from 2017 until early 2021.

Originally from Richmond County, Goodwin served in the General Assembly from 1997 to 2004. He joined the Department of Insurance in 2005.

AP

Edgecombe County A man wanted for murder has been taken into custody. The Edgecombe County Sheriff’s Office says deputies arrested Orlando McNair on Thursday, three weeks after the crime. Deputies said McNair was wanted for a murder at a Pinetops home on Dec. 25.

According to the sheriff’s office, he shot and killed a man and then abducted three children from the home. All three children were found safe the next day. McNair was taken into custody at a home in Conetoe. The woman who lived at the house, Brandan Jenkins, was arrested and charged with harboring a fugitive.

Wayne County The national Poor People’s Campaign hopes it will draw a huge crowd to march in the nation’s capital in June. Rev. William J. Barber II, of Greenleaf Christian Church in Goldsboro, led an online event Friday with Poor People’s Campaign co-founder, the Rev. Liz Theoharis. On the eve of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Barber, Theoharis and other activists quoted King and echoed the slain civil rights leader’s unrealized dreams. Barber plans to hold the Mass Poor People’s and Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and To the Polls on June 18.

PHOTO BY MATT SAYLES/INVISION/AP, FILE

Clay Aiken performs at the “American Idol” farewell season finale in Los Angeles on April 7, 2016.

NC Treasurer requests audit of Goldsboro finances AP

AP

Knife-wielding man shot by police officers dead

Woman pleads guilty to healthcare fraud conspiracy

Wake County A knife-wielding man shot and wounded by a police officer is dead. The Raleigh Police Department said the unidentified man died after he was taken to a local hospital.

Officers arrived to an accident on I-440.

They were alerted that a man was armed with a knife and walking away with a small child. The man refused multiple commands to drop the knife, and officers used a stun gun to subdue him. When the officers tried to take the man into custody, he swung the knife toward them and one of the officers shot him.

Robeson County A woman pleaded guilty to conspiring with the owner of a pharmacy and others to bill fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid and private health insurers. Melisha Oxendine West of Pembroke pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. West conspired with the owner of a pharmacy in Red Springs and others to bill fraudulent claims by reauthorizing previously existing prescriptions from licensed medical providers and billing health care benefit programs as though those drugs had been dispensed. West faces a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine up to twice the gross gain or loss.

AP

AP

AP

AP

The

Suspect kills 3 including child, shoots self at Food Lion New Hanover County Three people, including one child, are dead after a shooting outside a grocery store on Saturday. The shooting happened at the Food Lion grocery store in Wilmington around 4 p.m., police said. Officers found another person alive with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

That person is suspected of killing the others and is believed to have a personal relationship with the three victims, Wilmington Police Chief Donny Williams said. The suspect was transported to the hospital.

AP

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina Treasurer Dale Folwell has requested the state conduct an audit of the finances of the town of Goldsboro.

Folwell is asking State Auditor Beth Wood to conduct a thorough audit of the town, which is currently on the Local Government Commission’s (LGC) assistance list. The town has not submitted the required annual audit for the last two years. According to Folwell, Goldsboro’s 2019 audit showed signs there may be trouble with day-to-day fiscal management.

“It is troubling that the state’s 30th largest city, the county seat and home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, no less, has been unable to get its act together to conduct a basic but critical oversight function. Audits are necessary to assess financial well-being, to ensure bills are being paid and money is not missing,” said Folwell, following a Goldsboro City

98 % of ALL Farms Truth are Family Farms

About Ag

not being able to be civil and have relationships to work with the other side,” McCain wrote.

The Twitter spat wasn’t the only attack on Aiken.

The Raleigh News & Observer’s Sara Pequeno, formerly of the Indy Week, wrote an editorial criticizing Aiken, saying he was “another celebrity candidate who hasn’t done the work.”

“Aiken may be a nice enough guy.

The nicest thing to do — and perhaps the most progressive option — would have been for him to stay out of the race in the first place, and support someone with the background and resolve to get things done,” she added, alluding to the presence of Allam, state Sen. Valerie Foushee, and state Sen. Wiley Nickel in the race.

Eight years ago, Aiken was on the ballot in the 2nd Congressional district, having won the Democratic primary to take on then-Republican U.S. Rep. Renee Ellmers.

The race received some national attention and Aiken raised $1.1. million over the course of the campaign. He would go on to lose that race by 18 points to Ellmers.

Poor People’s Campaign hopes to draw big crowd to June march

Man wanted for December murder captured

Ex-Insurance Commissioner Goodwin is NC’s next DMV chief Investigation into death, overdoses at jail

A5

Council meeting on Jan. 10 attended by LGC staff.

LCG Deputy treasurer and director Sharon Edmundson addressed the Goldsboro City Council, saying that failure to provide timely audits can impact requests for debt approval and lead to an inability to borrow money.

Goldsboro Mayor David Ham said the city takes the audit request seriously, and, while the state auditor’s office has not yet contacted them, they will cooperate with Wood’s office when the time comes.

“Hardworking Goldsboro taxpayers deserve to know their elected and appointed officials uphold the highest standards as stewards of public funds,” Folwell said in a statement. “That confidence is lacking at this point, so I am asking State Auditor Beth Wood to investigate the city’s books and financial statements. We stand ready, willing and able to assist her staff, the city administration and elected officials in this process, and to make sure all records are properly preserved for examination.”

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North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

north STATEment Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

Vote like an Anti-Federalist this year

Everything the Anti-Federalists worried about in 1789 has come to pass.

ANTI-FEDERALISTS such as Patrick Henry, George Mason and Richard Henry Lee who fervently opposed the ratification of the Constitution have been proven right.

Their main concern was that an elite few would use the coercive power of the federal government in Washington to override the rights of citizens and the states.

Washington has won. Open your eyes to see what is happening all around us. There are progressive socialists in elective office who want to use the coercive power of the federal government to force you to think and believe as they do. They want to control what you say (cancel culture), what you do (mask mandates, school closures) and how you think (wokeism) every day.

Everything the Anti-Federalists worried about in 1789 has come to pass.

Progressive socialist liberal Democrats such as Chuck Schumer, Nancy Pelosi and Elizabeth Warren believe in their heart that only smart “enlightened” leaders such as themselves should make decisions for everyone, rather than leaving it up to each person to make for themselves.

In his great book, “James Madison: America’s First Politician,” scholar Jay Cost laid out many of the objections of the Anti-Federalists to giving any elected leader broad powers under the new Constitution sent to the states for ratification in 1787.

Anti-Federalists did not want to vote to set up a government that had any of the trappings of a monarchy in America. They were concerned a wealthy oligarchy would form to rubber-stamp presidential decisions. What they could not have imagined instead was the rise of a self-appointed socialist “aristocracy” hell-bent on undoing every personal freedom and check-and-balance principle established in the Constitution. Marx and Engels didn’t write The Communist Manifesto until 1848 during the Industrial Revolution, which gave rise to our current crop of socialist mindbenders.

Anti-Federalists worried that the president would appoint bureaucrats and judges on a partisan political basis instead of objectively following the rule of law. One only needs to look at the politicization of the FBI, CIA and the IRS under Presidents Obama and Biden to see the danger of having our national agencies run by people with political agendas to

agree that the Anti-Federalists were correct.

The Anti-Federalists at the Pennsylvania ratification convention called the dual sovereignty of the federal/state structure a “solecism [contradiction] in politics” where “one or the other would necessarily triumph in the fullness of dominion.” Again, one only needs to look at the enthusiastic Democratic support of the vast expansion of federal spending in BBB and federal expropriation of state election laws to see that Henry, Mason, Lee et.al. were once again right to be “concerned.”

The Anti-Federalists would be aghast at how liberal expansionists of the welfare state have abused the “necessary and proper” clause of the Constitution. New York Congressman Melancton Smith, writing as “Brutus,” said it gave the federal government “unlimited power,” which has been proven time and again. Brutus also worried about the expansive taxing authority of the Constitution to “provide for the common defense and general welfare,” which meant Congress could tax anything and everything “at their pleasure.” This also has been proven over and over in the past 233 years.

In their wildest nightmare, none of the founders — Anti-Federalist and Federalist alike — would have believed Americans of our generation would elect fiscally ignorant people to serve in Congress and the White House to pass legislation which would balloon our national debt to $29 trillion in peacetime. They spent the better part of their adult lives paying off the debts of the states and the new government accumulated during the Revolution, so the American dollar would be worth something instead of being worthless like the Continental currency.

Just like the Anti-Federalists who defeated Terry McAuliffe in Virginia when he said he didn’t want parents to have any say in their child’s education, Anti-Federalists across North Carolina and the nation must turn out in droves this fall to vote against anyone who campaigns on a platform of more spending, more regulation, more restrictions on free speech and more penalties on producers of economic growth.

Joe Biden thinks he is a Federalist like FDR or LBJ. He is ruling more like Mad King George III. We all are Anti-Federalists this year. We have to be.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

The real Joe Biden revealed himself during ugly Georgia speech last week

“Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace?

Do you want to be on the side of John Lewis or Bull Connor?”

ONE OF THE MAIN promises Joe Biden made as a candidate for president was that he was going to bring unity and healing to America, saying that his decades of experience in Washington, D.C. made him uniquely qualified to build bridges, to bring both Republicans and his Democratic party together in the spirit of harmony and bipartisanship and getting things done.

“To make progress, we have to stop treating our opponents as enemies. We are not enemies,” Biden said after the 2020 presidential election, echoing the “unity” theme he used throughout his campaign.

To those who supported President Biden’s campaign but who haven’t followed Biden’s long political career too closely, it probably sounded really good. But to those who have a working knowledge of not just Biden’s highlight reel but also his lowlight reel, the words rang hollow.

Plus, Republicans are well aware that any time a Democrat calls for “unity” and “healing,” what that usually means is they want Republicans to shut up while Democrats ram through all their pet projects unimpeded.

We’ve seen glimpses of the angry, combative Joe Biden since his inauguration — the Joe Biden who throughout his time in public office has used race as a political weapon when it suits his purposes.

But last week, the real Joe Biden revealed himself for the American voter to truly see, and what we saw was ugly.

Biden traveled to Georgia along with Vice President Kamala Harris to give a speech making it official that he was doing a complete flip flop on his previous support for the filibuster in the U.S. Senate.

The Democratic Party’s agenda, chiefly a bill that would be a massive power grab for Democrats and would federalize elections, is stalled because Republicans don’t support it, and two Democratic Senators — Joe Manchin from West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona — oppose making changes to the Senate’s filibuster rules, changes that would make it a lot easier for Senate Democrats to get the bill passed.

Biden and other top Democrats have been trying for months to get Sinema and Manchin to change their minds. But they won’t budge.

So during his speech last Tuesday, Joe Biden went for broke in an all-out effort to shame holdouts to come to his side.

“I ask every elected official in America: How do you want to be remembered?” Biden asked before engaging in some racial flame-throwing.

“Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace? Do you want to be on the side of John Lewis or Bull Connor? Do you want to be on the side of Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis? This is the moment to decide. To defend our elections. To defend our democracy.”

George Wallace, Bull Connor, and Jefferson Davis — all racist Democrats — were vile figures in American history who said horrible

things about and did horrible things to people who didn’t look like them. That is not remotely similar at all to disagreeing with Joe Biden (who in the past has bragged about breaking bread with segregationists) on changing the filibuster and federalizing elections.

Few people will be surprised to learn that his tactic didn’t work. Two days after his speech, both Sinema and Manchin reaffirmed their commitment to preserving the filibuster, virtually guaranteeing that the more radical elements of Joe Biden’s agenda will be going nowhere for the foreseeable future.

In fact, that Thursday afternoon after Manchin and Sinema spoke, Biden appeared very close to signaling defeat, telling reporters that “I don’t know that we can get it done.”

As it turns out, saying people who disagree with you on policy are no better than racists from days gone by isn’t a very effective tactic and has a tendency to backfire. Who knew?

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, January 19, 2022

COLUMN | ANDREW CAMPANELLA

Cultivating curiosity should be No. 1 goal for NC families next school year Choose a school that cultivates your child’s curiosity.

For kids, curiosity is the best bridge to learning. It’s also a bridge to happiness.

NORTH CAROLINA has more than 1.4 million K-12 students — which one is yours?

Is your child the rare student with a natural appreciation for Shakespeare’s literary prowess? Does your child feel trapped in her classroom, wishing to be working a job already, putting real-world skills into motion? Does your child shy away from classroom attention, live for it or feel most comfortable in the middle of the pack?

Each of the 1.4 million K-12 students in North Carolina has his or her own unique blend of talents, interests and challenges. What lights up one child’s mind and heart may leave another unmoved.

After more than 15 years of working in education and talking to thousands of parents and teachers, I’ve heard so many student stories with a common theme.

This School Choice Week, I want to share what I’ve learned, giving you one action item that can transform how much your child learns and who they become.

Here’s my tip: Choose a school that cultivates your child’s curiosity. For kids, curiosity is the best bridge to learning. It’s also a bridge to happiness.

North Carolina families who have tasted the benefits of customizing education to match their child’s curiosity and interests celebrate it and want more of it.

Giving families choices to customize education doesn’t mean building 1.4 million different schools in North Carolina.

Sometimes the biggest block to customizing education is simply not knowing about the school options and support groups for learning that already exist. The pandemic forced many parents to encounter new school options, but more knowledge-sharing needs to be done.

Currently, North Carolina families can choose from several free public school options, including traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools and full-time online schools.

Families can also choose from North Carolina private schools, and students below a certain income level or with disabilities are eligible for state-run

scholarship programs, which were recently expanded.

Homeschooling is also a flexible option for thousands of North Carolina families.

Within each of these six main types of options, there’s room for plenty of customization. Maybe it’s a public school partnering with businesses to create work opportunities for highschoolers who don’t thrive being in a classroom eight hours a day. Maybe, because of that partnership, highschoolers don’t drop out.

Instead, they walk across the graduation stage with valuable skills under their belt that they’re proud of.

Maybe it’s a teacher at a performing-arts magnet school who absolutely loves teaching in an artscentered environment. Her passion is contagious, inspiring a future generation of musicians.

Or, maybe it’s a private school mom who notices her seven-year-old’s interest in space and takes the time to watch SpaceX launches with him, after which he excitedly dreams of managing a spaceflight company, which he’ll name “Reach for the Stars.”

Customizing for curiosity can appear in many shapes; at heart, it’s pairing kids with the environment and learning conditions that help them flourish.

We personalize how we care for pets, our choice of cars, what we eat for dinner, and every other aspect of American life; how much more important is customization in our kids’ education?

This School Choice Week, I encourage you to think about little and large ways to cultivate your child’s curiosity. Wouldn’t it be incredible if each of the 1.4 million North Carolina kids were learning in environments where they were challenged and inspired? I’ve seen the success stories that happen when communities provide flexibility and families find the best fit for them. All North Carolina kids deserve that.

Andrew R. Campanella is the president of National School Choice Week and the author of The School Choice Roadmap: 7 Steps to Finding the Right School for Your Child.

COLUMN | ROBERT M. LEVY

Are we our own ‘domestic enemies’?

Democrats are demanding a voting reform package in the United States Senate that prohibits requiring photo ID to vote even as Democrats demand it to eat.

MY RECENT EXPERIENCE with a cold and sore throat left me with more than just an opinion on the rising cost of Robitussin. Contrary to the prayers of a few of my liberal friends, I tested negative for COVID and every other serious disease for which they salivated.

My time in bed allowed me the luxury of reading and watching some old movies. I watched Andy Griffith’s amazing performance in the 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd.” He played Larry “Lonesome” Rhodes, an egomaniacal country “bumpkin” who used his talent and his understanding of working-class rural voters — whom CNN calls Trump voters — to manipulate the electorate in favor of a corrupt senator seeking the presidency.

What is clear from the movie is not just that a comedian from North Carolina had an acting depth for which, even as his career progressed, few gave him credit. What is of greater interest is that, even in 1957, the sophisticated Hollywood class feared the working class — even as they claimed to champion its cause. The elitists were scared that “the people” might find a leader who would expose their sophisticated monopoly over politics and popular culture. It was a movie created to stoke the fire of fear in a nation already filled with the fantasy that war with the Soviets was either necessary or inevitable.

“A Face in the Crowd” portrayed Lonesome Rhodes as an evil charlatan with a familiar “down home” accent. His supporters were portrayed as simpletons.

The plot followed the simpletons’ affinity for the charlatan only when the latter praised their guns and Bibles. In short, this movie appeared to be the source from which the 21st Century Democratic Playbook was plagiarized.

Its message was that people who loved God and owned firearms were idiots ready to be exploited by colluding “confidence” men, “domestic enemies” who would subvert our fragile democracy. That is why, when it came to the important things like government, the working class should “defer to their betters.”

Those “betters” were the culture class found only in Hollywood, Manhattan and, now, at the Obama Estate on Martha’s Vineyard.

As it dehumanized the simpletons, “A Face in the Crowd” became a precursor to Hillary Clinton’s quest to

delegitimize the “deplorables.” It was the antecedent to Joe Biden’s war on “domestic enemies” — meaning, among other things, those with whom the “woke” disagreed.

Yet, is it all their fault? The era which created “A Face in the Crowd” also created America’s first peacetime concept that other Americans could be labeled “domestic enemies.” The concept of “war” had never before been activated for the purpose of “cancelling” a segment of citizens who were merely intellectually out of favor with the power elite. But, in the 1950’s, the concept took hold.

Today, we refer back to it as “McCarthyism.” Today, we call it “cancel culture.” What America witnessed then it witnesses now. It is and was the social disenfranchisement of a certain population, a process in support of cultural extermination.

Those who followed Lonesome Rhodes were supposedly the pawns of a demagogue. So, it made sense to exclude them in order to preserve democracy.

It was a virtue, not a sin, to fire an employee who supported Donald Trump, who was unvaccinated or who had the audacity to suggest that there were only two genders. The message was and is that these retrogrades were and are “domestic enemies.”

Maybe it is time to retire the term “enemies foreign AND DOMESTIC” from our pledges and our oaths.

In the 1950’s when pro-McCarthy director Elia Kazan created “A Face in the Crowd,” it was easy to differentiate friend from foe. Television, most movies and the way we discerned life was still predominantly black and white, good and evil, right and wrong. Some conservatives even cheered when Kazan and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) imprisoned Dalton Trumbo. But that only became its own antecedent for today’s Adam Schiff and his “new HUAC.” In truth, America has no “domestic enemies.” It has only people, who, on any given day, the power elite don’t like. The crucible of the enemy, if one exists, is neither in the politics of Charlie Chaplin nor the office of Donald Trump.

Shakespeare, Cassius and Edward R. Murrow were right. In our crowd, the enemy is “not in the stars, dear Brutus but, within ourselves.”

OPINION HAMED ABDUL QADIR

Where I’m from I was born in Afghanistan Born to a kind mom and a sacrificing dad I was taught kindness and love I am not a fighter But I am caring and unique I am from a distant and different place The smell of the grass And kababs I am from the toy pistols Mixed with music and Tom and Jerry I am from united and loud I am from births and blasts From scared but thankful I am from dreams of success I am from earnest and diligent From flavorful fruits And rowling rivers From destroyed lives But hopeful spirits I am from the wars which shaped my country and my point of view.

Hamed Abdul Qadir is a young refugee from Afghanistan who is in the Refugee Hope Partners program in Raleigh.

BE IN TOUCH

Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 3101 Industrial Dr. Suite 105. Raleigh, N.C. 27609. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

A7 COLUMN JUSTICE NEIL GORSUCH

Biden administration exceeded their authority in OSHA mandate THE CENTRAL QUESTION we face today is: Who decides?

No one doubts that the COVID–19 pandemic has posed challenges for every American. Or that our state, local, and national governments all have roles to play in combating the disease. The only question is whether an administrative agency in Washington, one charged with overseeing workplace safety, may mandate the vaccination or regular testing of 84 million people. Or whether, as 27 States before us submit, that work belongs to state and local governments across the country and the people’s elected representatives in Congress.

This Court is not a public health authority.

But it is charged with resolving disputes about which authorities possess the power to make the laws that govern us under the Constitution and the laws of the land.

I start with this Court’s precedents.

There is no question that state and local authorities possess considerable power to regulate public health. They enjoy the “general power of governing,” including all sovereign powers envisioned by the Constitution and not specifically vested in the federal government. And in fact, States have pursued a variety of measures in response to the current pandemic.

The federal government’s powers, however, are not general but limited and divided. See McCulloch v. Maryland, (1819).

Not only must the federal government properly invoke a constitutionally enumerated source of authority to regulate in this area or any other. It must also act consistently with the Constitution’s separation of powers. And when it comes to that obligation, this Court has established at least one firm rule: “We expect Congress to speak clearly” if it wishes to assign to an executive agency decisions “of vast economic and political significance.” We sometimes call this the major questions doctrine.

OSHA’s mandate fails that doctrine’s test.

The agency claims the power to force 84 million Americans to receive a vaccine or undergo regular testing. By any measure, that is a claim of power to resolve a question of vast national significance. Yet Congress has nowhere clearly assigned so much power to OSHA. Approximately two years have passed since this pandemic began; vaccines have been available for more than a year.

Over that span, Congress has adopted several major pieces of legislation aimed at combating COVID-19. But Congress has chosen not to afford OSHA — or any federal agency — the authority to issue a vaccine mandate. Indeed, a majority of the Senate even voted to disapprove OSHA’s regulation.

It seems, too, that the agency pursued its regulatory initiative only as a legislative “work-around.” Far less consequential agency rules have run afoul of the major questions doctrine. It is hard to see how this one does not.

What is OSHA’s reply? It directs us to 29 U. S. C. § 655(c)(1). In that subsection, Congress authorized OSHA to issue “emergency” regulations upon determining that “employees are exposed to grave danger from exposure to substances or agents determined to be toxic or physically harmful” and “that such emergency standard[s] [are] necessary to protect employees from such danger[s].” According to the agency, this provision supplies it with “almost unlimited discretion” to mandate new nationwide rules in response to the pandemic so long as those rules are “reasonably related” to workplace safety.

The Court rightly applies the major questions doctrine and concludes that this lone statutory subsection does not clearly authorize OSHA’s mandate. As the agency itself explained to a federal court less than two years ago, the statute does “not authorize OSHA to issue sweeping health standards” that affect workers’ lives outside the workplace.

Yet that is precisely what the agency seeks to do now — regulate not just what happens inside the workplace but induce individuals to undertake a medical procedure that affects their lives outside the workplace. Historically, such matters have been regulated at the state level by authorities who enjoy broader and more general governmental powers. Meanwhile, at the federal level, OSHA arguably is not even the agency most associated with public health regulation. And in the rare instances when Congress has sought to mandate vaccinations, it has done so expressly. We have nothing like that here.

The question before us is not how to respond to the pandemic, but who holds the power to do so. The answer is clear: Under the law as it stands today, that power rests with the States and Congress, not OSHA. In saying this much, we do not impugn the intentions behind the agency’s mandate.

Instead, we only discharge our duty to enforce the law’s demands when it comes to the question who may govern the lives of 84 million Americans. Respecting those demands may be trying in times of stress.

But if this Court were to abide them only in more tranquil conditions, declarations of emergencies would never end and the liberties our Constitution’s separation of powers seeks to preserve would amount to little.

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North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

NATION & WORLD DirecTV drops Trumpfriendly One America News

MAYA ALLERUZZO | AP PHOTO

N’amah Yetzhak Abohaikal, a volunteer with the women’s unit of United Hatzalah emergency service, prepares administer the COVID-19 vaccine to a teen girl as her brother and grandmother watch, at Clalit Health Services in Mevaseret Zion, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022.

Israel study: 4th vaccine shows limited results with omicron The Associated Press JERUSALEM — An Israeli hospital on Monday said preliminary research indicates a fourth dose of the coronavirus vaccine provides only limited defense against the omicron variant that is raging around the world.

Sheba Hospital last month began administering a fourth vaccine to more than 270 medical workers — 154 who received a Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine and 120 others who received Moderna’s.

All had previously been vaccinated three times with the Pfizer-BioNtech vaccine.

The clinical trial found that both groups showed increases in antibodies “slightly higher” than following the third vaccine last year. But it said the increased an-

tibodies did not prevent the spread of omicron.

“Despite increased antibody levels, the fourth vaccine only offers a partial defense against the virus,” said Dr. Gili Regev-Yochay, director of the hospital’s infection disease unit. “The vaccines, which were more effective against previous variants, offer less protection versus omicron.”

The preliminary results raised questions about Israel’s decision to offer a second booster shot — and fourth overall — to its over60 population. The government says over 500,000 people have received the second booster in recent weeks.

Dr. Nahman Ash, director of Israel’s Health Ministry, said the research did not mean the fourth vaccine effort was a mistake. “It

returns the level of antibodies to what it was at the beginning of the third booster. That has great importance, especially among the older population,” he told Channel 13 TV. But he said the research would be taken into account as authorities debate whether to expand the additional booster campaign to the broader population.

Israel was one of the first countries last year to widely vaccinate its population and last summer became the first to offer a booster shot. The latest booster campaign for older Israelis also is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.

Israel’s aggressive vaccination efforts have not been able to stop an omicron outbreak in recent weeks. The variant has caused record-setting infection levels and

sent a growing number of people to the hospital, though the numbers of seriously ill remain below previous waves.

It has also forced large numbers of Israelis into quarantine, straining schools and businesses.

Omicron is already dominant in many countries and can also infect those who have been vaccinated or had previously been infected by prior versions of the virus. Early studies, however, show it is less likely to cause severe illness than the previous delta variant. Vaccination and a booster still offer strong protection from serious illness, hospitalization and death.

On Tuesday, the Israeli government said it was shortening the mandatory quarantine period from seven days to five days in order to help keep the economy running.

“This decision will enable us to continue safeguarding public health on the one hand and to keep the economy going at this time on the other, even though it is difficult, so that we can get through this wave safely,” said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

UK says there is ‘deal to be done’ to resolve feud with EU The Associated Press LONDON — Britain’s foreign minister expressed optimism Friday that there is a “deal to be done” to resolve a Northern Ireland trade dispute that has soured the U.K.’s relations with the European Union.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss struck an upbeat tone after her first set of talks with European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič, the bloc’s chief Brexit negotiator.

“We have had constructive talks with the EU. We are now going to go into intensive negotiations to work towards a negotiated solution to sort out these very real issues for the people of Northern Ireland,” Truss told broadcasters.

In a brief joint statement, Truss and Sefcovic said their talks had been “cordial” and they had agreed to meet again on Jan. 24 after “intensified” talks between their officials next week.

Since Britain left the 27-nation bloc in 2020, relations have soured over Northern Ireland, the only part of the U.K. that shares sharing a border with an EU member. As part of the divorce deal, the two sides agreed to keep Northern Ireland inside the EU’s tariff-free single market for goods to maintain an open border on the island of Ireland — a key pillar of Northern Ireland’s peace process.

That created a new customs border in the Irish Sea for goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K. even though they are part of the same country.

The arrangement has brought red tape and supply problems for some businesses, and it has angered Northern Ireland’s British Unionists, who say the checks undermine Northern Ireland’s

Dallas DirecTV plans to drop One America News Network, significantly shrinking the reach of the right-wing TV channel friendly to Donald Trump. The satellite television provider said it has informed OAN’s owner, Herring Networks. Inc., that it will no longer carry its two channels when their contract expires.

The other, AWA, is a lifestyle channel. The decision is believed to remove OAN from millions of homes.

“We informed Herring Networks that, following a routine internal review, we do not plan to enter into a new contract when our current agreement expires,” a DirecTV spokesman said in an emailed statement.

The spokesman would not say when the contract expires, but Bloomberg News, which first reported development, said it expires in early April.

Bloomberg said DirecTV is OAN’s largest distributor. On its website, Herring says OAN is carried by Verizon FiOS and several smaller TV providers.

AT&T has a 70% stake in DirecTV, which has carried OAN since April 2017 after AT&T settled a lawsuit demanding it carry the channels. Herring Networks had claimed AT&T reneged on an agreement to carry OAN on DirecTV, which it acquired in 2015.

DirecTV does not provide a breakdown of its subscribers, but AT&T reported that as of the second quarter of 2021 it had a total of 15.4 million paid premium TV subscribers including DirecTV, AT&T U-verse and AT&T TV. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

First woman to command USS Constitution takes over on Friday Boston History is being made aboard the USS Constitution this week.

Cmdr. Billie J. Farrell is scheduled to become the first woman to lead the crew of the 224-year-old warship known as Old Ironsides during a change-of-command ceremony Friday. She takes over from Cmdr. John Benda, who has led the ship’s crew since February 2020.

Farrell is a native of Paducah, Kentucky, a 2004 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, and most recently served as the executive officer aboard USS Vicksburg, a guided missile cruiser, according to her Navy biography.

The Constitution, based at Boston’s Charlestown Navy Yard, is the world’s oldest commissioned warship still afloat. It played a crucial role in the Barbary Wars and the War of 1812 and defended sea lanes from 1797 until 1855. The ship was undefeated in battle and destroyed or captured 33 opposing vessels.

It earned the nickname Old Ironsides during the war of 1812, when British cannonballs were seen bouncing off its wooden hull.

It is crewed by active-duty sailors, about one-third of whom are women.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BEN STANSTALL/POOL PHOTO VIA AP

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, left, hosts EU post-Brexit negotiator Maros Sefcovic at Chevening in Kent, England, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. place in the U.K. and destabilize the delicate political balance on which peace rests.

Truss was appointed Britain’s lead EU negotiator last month after Brexit Minister David Frost quit, citing disillusionment with the Conservative government’s policies.

Brexit negotiations made limited progress under Frost, perceived by many EU officials as an intransigent hard-liner. Truss has struck a warmer tone, though she

has stuck to Britain’s insistence that the EU remove its top court from its role in resolving any disputes over the Brexit agreement — an idea the bloc flatly rejects.

The U.K. is seeking major changes to the arrangements and has threatened to use an emergency break clause to suspend parts of the legally binding Brexit divorce agreement if no solution is found. That would trigger EU retaliation and could spiral into a trade war between the U.K. and

the 27-nation bloc.

The EU has accused Britain of failing to respond positively to its “far-reaching proposals” to ease the burden on Northern Ireland businesses.

“I think there is a deal to be done. I do want to make progress,” Truss said. “Clearly if we don’t make sufficient progress, we will have to look at the alternatives, but my absolute desire is to get a deal that works for the people of Northern Ireland.”

Philippine dictator’s son defeats bid vs. presidential run Manila, Philippines The son of former Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos defeated a bid to disqualify him from the May 9 presidential race but still faces other petitions from human rights victims and others who have raised alarm over atrocities under his late father’s rule.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Red-hot Davidson making noise, B4

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Duke center Mark Williams dunks the ball against NC State during Duke’s win Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Duke’s bigs giving opponents fits TENNIS

Mark Williams and Paolo Banchero are dominating the paint for the Blue Devils

John Isner upset in 1st round of Australian Open Melbourne, Australia John Isner’s return to Australia didn’t last long. The Greensboro native, who was seeded 22nd for the first Grand Slam tournament of the 2022 season, was upset by fellow American Maxime Cressy in five sets, 7-6 (2), 7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-7 (4), 6-4. Isner, 36, skipped last year’s tournament amid the coronavirus pandemic. Isner has now lost in the opening round of the last three Grand Slam tournaments he has competed.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Duke up to No. 6; Davidson, UNC get votes in AP men’s poll Indianapolis Duke climbed to No. 6 in The Associated Press men’s basketball poll, one spot behind previous No. 1 Baylor whose two losses last week dropped the Bears to No. 5. Gonzaga returned to No. 1 despite getting 11 fewer first-place votes than No. 2 Auburn, which was on top of 36 ballots. Arizona was No. 3, followed by fourthranked Purdue. Davidson received 34 votes — 28th most —after extending its winning streak to 13 games with two wins last week. UNC received two votes, the first time the Tar Heels appeared on a ballot in more than a month.

NC State women still 4th in AP poll; UNC 20th, Duke 21st Indianapolis The top six teams in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll remained the same, with South Carolina still No. 1 and NC State holding steady at fourth after wins over Virginia and Duke last week. The Wolfpack host No. 3 Louisville on Thursday. The Blue Devils’ loss to NC State dropped them five spots to No. 21, one below rival UNC. The Tar Heels, who have lost two of three, climbed one spot to 20th.

GERRY BROOME | AP PHOTO

Gene Chizik has returned to Chapel Hill for a second tour of duty running the Tar Heels’ defense, this time under coach Mack Brown.

Chizik returns to rebuild UNC defense again The former national champion is back in Chapel Hill — and on Mack Brown’s staff

as Brown’s was three years ago.

The Tar Heels parted ways with coordinator Jay Bateman, who had served in that role for the first three seasons of Brown’s return, following a disappointing performance by the unit in 2021.

By Shawn Krest The call went out to Chizik, and North State Journal this time he was willing to end his IT TOOK three years longer pseudo-retirement and return to than expected, but Mack has his the sidelines with the Tar Heels.

That creates an interesting staff man on defense.

When Mack Brown returned to in Chapel Hill, something football Chapel Hill, replacing Larry Fedo- hasn’t seen in nearly a century.

Chizik coached Auburn to ra as Tar Heels football coach after the 2010 national title. the 2018 season, there Brown was head coach was speculation that he of the 2005 Texas Longwas bringing an all-star horns title team — with staff with him.

“I want Chizik serving as his deKliff Kingsbury would to enjoy fensive coordinator with be the UNC offensive cothe Longhorns. That ordinator in 2019, with myself. I gives UNC a staff feaGene Chizik serving as want to turing two coaches who defensive coordinator.

Kingsbury had better have a blast. have won national titles, just the second time things to do, however — I want to that’s happened in collike taking an NFL head lege football history. coaching job with the Ar- put a great In 1925, Harvard was izona Cardinals. Chizik defense on coached by Bob Fishdecided to remain home the field … er, who won the 1919 with his family, where title with the Crimson. he’d been since leaving and that’s Charles Daly, who won a the coaching ranks in all I care title in 1914 with Army, 2016. was his assistant.

Fast forward to Tues- about.”

In fact, Chizik is just day. Kingsbury’s season the seventh man to win a just ended after taking Gene Chizik title as a head coach and the Cardinals to the NFL go on to serve as an asplayoffs. He doesn’t seem destined for Chapel Hill any time sistant anywhere afterward. Densoon, and Phil Longo, hired by nis Erickson (Utah, 2013-16 after Brown as offensive coordinator in winning a title at Miami in 1991) is place of Kingsbury, appears en- the only other coach to do it in the last 60 years. trenched in the position.

And Chizik has now done it Chizik, however, has found his way back to Chapel Hill in a return that seems almost as improbable See CHIZIK, page B3

Duke has plenty of firepower on the perimeter with AJ Griffin, Wendell Moore and Trevor Keels able to knock down outside shots or drive to the rim.

What potentially could separate this year’s Blue Devils

By Shawn Krest from the pack and push them North State Journal into the realm of great teams IN THE LAST game of Jan- is the damage they can inf lict uary 2010, Duke senior center next to the basket.

Sophomore Mark Williams, Brian Zoubek played a total of two minutes in a loss to George- who played sparingly in his town. The defeat dropped the first year before a late-seaBlue Devils to 17-4 on the year, son run of success, has been the team’s starting center all 5-2 in the ACC. Zoubek saw his minutes season long and is picking up climb after that scoreless out- steam as Duke enters the heart ing, playing 13 in the next game of the ACC season.

Williams feasted on an unand 24 in the game after that.

By Valentine’s Day, he was in dersized NC State team last weekend, finishing with 19 the starting lineup.

With the 7-footer in the ro- points on 9-of-12 shooting. He tation, Duke went on to win 18 added 11 rebounds and eight blocked shots — the of its next 19 games, most by a Blue Devsweeping to an ACC il since Shelden WilTournament title and liams had eight in cutting down the 2006. nets at the Final Four “Our big Williams leads the for the Blue Dev- guys were ACC in blocks and ils’ fourth national terrific.” has averaged 5.0 in championship. his last four games — Zoubek had nine all against ACC foes. double-figure re- Mike Among power conferbound games and ence players, Williams three double-doubles Krzyzewski, is second nationally down the stretch, av- Duke coach in blocks per 40 mineraging more than 11 utes, behind only forrebounds per game in mer Tar Heels big man the last five games of Walker Kessler. He’s fifth in the NCAA Tournament.

In 2015, Duke returned the NCAA in blocks per game.

As a team, Duke leads the to Indianapolis for the Final Four and once again cut down ACC in blocks and is No. 10 nathe nets, this time for the Blue tionally.

Williams also has more than Devils’ fifth title. Duke’s leading scorer that season was half of Duke’s dunks this sea6-foot-11 center Jahlil Okafor. son, including 15 in the last The freshman averaged 17.3 four games.

“Our big guys were terrific,” points to go with 8.5 rebounds Krzyzewski said after the NC and 1.4 blocks.

Over the years, Duke has State win. “Mark almost had a been known as a shooting triple-double. Theo [John] reteam, but over the last quarter ally contributed well in the first of Mike Krzyzewski’s Hall of half when we got a little lead.

Fame coaching career, the Blue We got 29 points, 13 rebounds Devils have been at their best and nine blocks from our bigs. when they have a dominant Let’s get that every game.”

John, a grad transfer from presence in the post to go with Marquette, hasn’t seen much the outside sharpshooters.

For all the JJ Redicks, time but makes the most of his Grayson Allens and Luke Ken- minutes. He hit all four shots nards lighting things up from against the Wolfpack for 11 outside, it’s the Shelden Wil- points. He also provides an inliamses in the post who help timidating physical presence in the post. the Blue Devils hang banners.

Duke also has another As Duke prepares to send off Coach K, who will be retiring 6-foot-11 presence inside in after the season, the Blue Dev- freshman Paolo Banchero. He ils once again have the formula is the leading freshman scorer to finish off his legendary career with a bang. Yes, as always, See DUKE, page B4

B2

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

WEDNESDAY

1.19.22

TRENDING

Sterling Lucas: The former NC State linebacker and graduate assistant has been hired as South Carolina’s outside linebackers and defensive ends coach. Lucas, a South Carolina native, has worked in the NFL since 2015. He served a variety of roles for the Baltimore Ravens through 2020 before becoming an assistant defensive line coach for the Jaguars. Lucas got his start in coaching at his alma mater as a graduate strength and conditioning coach and defensive graduate assistant.

Joe B. Hall: The basketball coach who succeeded Adolph Rupp and guided Kentucky to a national championship in 1978, has died. He was 93.

Hall, a former UK player and longtime assistant to Rupp, went 297‑100 in 13 years with Kentucky after taking over for Rupp in 1972. Hall lost the 1975 championship game to UCLA in John Wooden’s final game with the Bruins. Three years later, Kentucky beat Duke for its fifth title and first in 20 years.

Chris Evert: The former tennis star says she was diagnosed with an early stage of ovarian cancer.

The 67-year-old Evert revealed the illness Friday in an ESPN.com article; she is an on-air announcer for network.

She learned of the cancer last month and began chemotherapy treatments last week.

Evert won 18 Grand Slam singles titles, reached No. 1 in the WTA rankings and was inducted into the International Hall of Fame in 1995. Her sister, Jeanne Evert Dubin, died from ovarian cancer in February 2020 at age 62.

Beyond the box score POTENT QUOTABLES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Wake Forest linebacker Luke Masterson was named Defensive MVP of Saturday’s Hula Bowl in Orlando, Florida. The annual all-star game is a showcase of college seniors for NFL talent evaluators. Masterson was joined on Team AINA by Demon Deacons kicker Nick Sciba, East Carolina safety Warren Saba, and App State defensive tackle Demetrius Taylor and wide receiver Jalen Virgil. NC State linebacker Vi Jones and UNC defensive end Tomon Fox were on the winning side of a 21-20 game with Team KAI.

JOHN MINCHILLO | AP PHOTO

“I’m happy to represent him.”

Hornets forward Miles Bridges after he scored a career-high 38 points on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to lead Charlotte to a 97‑87 win over the Knicks in New York.

PHELAN M. EBENHACK | AP PHOTO

TENNIS

NHL

MARK BAKER | AP PHOTO DERICK HINGLE | AP PHOTO

“Yeah, I can’t say that.”

Panthers coach Matt Rhule when asked during a radio interview if quarterback Sam Darnold would be Carolina’s Week 1 starter in 2022.

PRIME NUMBER

Nine-time Australian Open men’s singles champion Novak Djokovic was deported Monday after he lost an appeal of his visa cancellation for being unvaccinated against COVID-19. The 34-year-old Serbian is currently tied with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the most career men’s Grand Slam titles with 20.

KARL B. DEBLAKER | AP PHOTO

Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho and goaltender Frederik Andersen were both named Metropolitan Division All-Stars last Thursday. Coach Rod Brind’Amour will also head to Las Vegas for the two-day event Feb. 4-5 after he was named the Metro Division’s coach for the second day’s 3-on-3 tournament.

NBA

31 Years between playoff wins for the Cincinnati Bengals, who defeated the Raiders 26-19 Saturday for their first postseason victory since a Jan. 6, 1991, win over the Houston Oilers. The Detroit Lions now have the longest active playoff win drought at 30 years.

CHRIS SZAGOLA | AP PHOTO

Former Duke standout Cam Reddish was traded from Atlanta to the Knicks last Thursday. The Hawks received a protected 2022 first-round draft pick from New York, originally Charlotte’s pick, and Kevin Knox. The Hawks also sent forward Solomon Hill and a 2025 second-round pick to the Knicks. Reddish, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2019 draft, will be reunited with former Duke teammate RJ Barrett.

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B3

With work still to be done, no tourney talk yet for Wake The Demon Deacons have been the ACC’s pleasant surprise, led by second-year coach Steve Forbes and newcomer Alondes Williams

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal JOE LUNARDI, the most prominent NCAA Tournament bracket guesser on the internet, had Wake Forest as one of the last four teams into the field of 68 in his projection last week.

It’s a position that he upgraded solidly to the right side of the bubble after Saturday’s road win at Virginia.

At 14-4 overall, 4-3 in the ACC with four wins against Quad 1 or 2 opponents and no bad losses, there is no denying that coach Steve Forbes’ team is trending in the right direction in hopes of breaking a five-year postseason drought.

But it’s a subject the usually talkative Forbes would just as soon avoid.

At least for the time being.

“I don’t really talk about that, especially right now. I don’t even look at it,” he said when asked Monday about his team’s NCAA chances. “I understand the excitement behind it for fans, but for me personally and the team, I think you have those conversations more as you get into February, close to March.”

Regardless of when the conversation takes place, Wake can enhance its position in it significantly over the next few days with a road test at Georgia Tech on Wednesday before returning home Saturday for a rivalry game against North Carolina.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Wake Forest guard Alondes Williams, pictured going in for a dunk against Charlotte in December, has ereged as a surprise candidate for ACC Player of the Year.

The matchup with the Tar Heels promises to be especially telling.

Not only does it have the potential to eventually become a Quad 1 opportunity — UNC is currently ranked just outside the top 30 in the NCAA’s NET rankings — but it will also give the Deacons another chance to shine on the big stage after last week’s disappointing performance against Duke.

Like most coaches, Forbes has never been one to look past the next game on his team’s schedule.

But because of a quirk that had Wake’s next two opponents playing one another in Chapel Hill on Saturday, he’s been able to get

a head start on scouting the Tar Heels while at the same time preparing for Tech.

“I don’t ever look ahead, but obviously you’re watching,” Forbes said. “You can see what’s going on.

“I’ve been impressed with Carolina. We talk about rankings and seriously, they’re not ranked?

They’re good. They’re really good.”

In many respects, the Tar Heels and Deacons are cut from a similar cloth.

Both have formed their success this season around a group of talented, veteran transfers that have meshed seamlessly with their returning cores. Both are among the

highest-scoring teams in the ACC, led by conference Player of the Year frontrunners in UNC’s Armando Bacot and Wake’s Alondes Williams.

But while the Tar Heels were expected to be among the league’s best teams under first-year coach Hubert Davis, the surprising Deacons have come out of nowhere to become one of the ACC’s few feelgood stories this season.

The key to their success has been their ability to overcome adversity and win close games, including two in overtime.

Both those qualities were on display Saturday when Wake bat-

tled back from a seven-point second-half deficit for a 63-55 win that broke a 12-year losing streak in Charlottesville.

“The players have to trust each other, and the more they go through those things the more they do,” said Forbes of his team’s formula for success. “As a staff, we’ve got to give them confidence to make those plays.

“On Saturday, we talk a lot about a next-play mentality.

You’ve got to have a short memory and you’ve got to keep playing.

Nobody was down when it was 4740. Nobody was unconfident that we weren’t going to win. We just had to make the right plays and we did, got on a roll and won the game.”

As good as the Deacons have been thus far, their chances of staying on the right side of the NCAA bubble could get even better from here on out with the addition of transfer Damari Monsanto.

The 6-foot-6 guard was recruited to East Tennessee State

by Forbes and was the Southern Conference Rookie of the Year last season. The skilled perimeter shooter was thought to be out for the year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon over the summer.

But after a quicker-than-expected recovery, he is scheduled to make his Wake debut at Tech on Wednesday.

“We’ll ease him in and hopefully he can help the team,” Forbes said, adding that expectations for his contribution should be tempered because of his lengthy absence. “He’s been practicing, so it’s not like he’s just all of a sudden going to get in there. We’re looking forward to him joining the team and helping us become a better team.”

CHIZIK from page B1

KAREN PULFER FOCHT | AP PHOTO

For the second straight season, NC Central coach LeVelle Moton has had to navigate his team through a prolonged shutdown due to COVID-19.

Deja vu: Like last year, NC Central’s season derailed by COVID The Eagles are scheduled to return to the court on Saturday, their first game since Dec. 22

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal FEB. 2 IS STILL a couple of weeks away, but you can’t blame LeVelle Moton for feeling as if it’s already Groundhog Day. That’s because, like Bill Murray in the movie of the same name, Moton and his NC Central basketball team are reliving the same recurring nightmare.

For the second year in a row, the Eagles have been forced to put their season on hold for a full month while dealing with an outbreak of positive COVID-19 cases.

“Last year we were really the poster child for COVID,” Moton said in a video to his team’s fans posted on social media this week.

“We had to sit out 60-some days.

That was a difficult and challenging year.

“Right before the Christmas break, it swept through our team at a rapid rate once again. Many guys were not allowed to return to campus while only a couple were. We’re

just now getting everyone back up to speed.”

NCCU hasn’t played a game since losing to UTEP and Sam Houston State on consecutive nights at the Don Haskins Sun Bowl Invitational in El Paso, Texas, on Dec. 21-22.

It has since had four games either canceled or postponed, including the first three contests on its Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference schedule. The Eagles are the only MEAC team yet to play a league game.

Barring any further setbacks, for either team, they are set to return to the court Saturday for a game at Delaware State. They are also scheduled to play at Maryland-Eastern Shore next Monday before finally returning home to play Howard on Jan. 29, their first game at McDougald-McLendon Arena since Dec. 15.

“We’re looking forward to putting a great product on the floor,” Moton, who was not made available for an interview, said in his video. “Obviously, it’s going to be really challenging and difficult.

But I just wanted you guys to hear from the horse’s mouth that our guys are back. We’re trying to practice, working extremely hard and

“Basketball is a game of repetition and redundancy, and we’re looking forward to getting back on the floor.”

LeVelle Moton, NC Central coach they’re anxious to compete.”

If there’s any positive to the Eagles’ situation it’s that they’ve been through this before.

A year ago, they endured a 53day pause around this same time of year, from Dec. 7 to Jan. 29. Then after winning three of their first five games after their return, their momentum was stunted again with a 15-day shutdown.

They finished the season playing only 14 games, going 5-9 and missing out on the NCAA Tournament for the first time in four years.

NCCU is currently 6-9, but that record is deceiving since — like many MEAC schools — it uses its nonconference schedule as a means of generating revenue.

Among its losses are road games at

Memphis and Iowa, in addition to the two in El Paso.

The Eagles were picked to finish third behind Norfolk State and Morgan State in their conference’s preseason poll.

While Moton and the team’s returning players know what to expect because of the experience, it doesn’t make the task of starting back and jumping right into conference play any easier.

The most difficult obstacle will be conditioning. No matter how hard the team practices, the only way to get back into game shape is by playing.

That will leave NCCU at a severe disadvantage at least for its first few times out.

“We haven’t played basketball in a month while other teams are out here playing,” he said. “Basketball is a game of repetition and redundancy, and we’re looking forward to getting back on the floor.”

The NCCU coach asked his fans to keep his players in their “well wishes and healthy mind, spirits and bodies, because these young men are trying to prepare themselves after being faced with COVID several times. And it’s really a difficult thing.”

No makeup dates have been announced for any of the postponed conference games.

The Eagles’ women’s team has also had to deal with a lengthy COVID pause, missing out on a trip to Oregon State while going from Dec. 20 through Jan. 10 without playing.

twice with the same team.

He joined Fedora in Chapel Hill for the 2015 season, taking over a Tar Heels defense that had allowed 497 yards per game — fourth worst in Power Five. Chizik improved the defense by 24 spots in the national rankings in his first year with Carolina and another 33 spots the following season.

There was speculation at the time that Chizik may have been UNC’s coach-in-waiting, with Fedora struggling as the Tar Heels head man. With Chizik rebuilding the defense, however, Fedora and the Heels won the ACC Coastal Division, and he kept his job. Chizik eventually stepped down to spend time with his family.

“I left because there were some family dynamics going on that I wanted to make sure I was able to look back on my career and make sure that I did everything right by my family as well,” he said. “So I decided to take a step out of college coaching not really knowing whether I would get back in or not, to be fair.”

Now, with Brown turning 70 and the Tar Heels having a 2021 season far below expectations, the speculation that Chizik is again looking to inherit a head coaching job has returned.

Chizik, 60, put those rumors to rest in his re-introductory press conference.

“Zero discussion about that,” Chizik said. “I’ve got this one mindset. And this mindset is I want to come back to the University of North Carolina. I want to enjoy myself. I want to have a blast. I want to put a great defense on the field for the University of North Carolina and Mack Brown. And that’s all I care about. That’s all I focus on.”

His rebuild isn’t quite as daunting as when Fedora brought him in. The Tar Heel defense was No. 120 nationally back then. This year, it was “only” 105th, allowing 32.1 points per game and 6.1 yards per play.

Just like last time, however, he plans to focus on fundamentals.

“This game is about tackling,” Chizik said. “This game is about attacking. This game is about execution. Limiting the catastrophic and big plays, right? So that’s going to be the nuts and bolts of everything we talked about. … If you’re not good at a combat attack mindset, if you’re not good at tackling, if you’re not disciplined and accountable to where and how you fit in the defense, you have no defense.”

The Tar Heels should have a defense in 2021, and it will be led by somebody no one saw coming a year ago.

Who knows, maybe someday, Brown will get the “Kingsbury” nameplate out of storage too.

B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Charlotte FC takes 3 players in MLS SuperDraft Ben Bender was selected first overall, and the incoming expansion team also drafted a player from Wake Forest and a Raleigh native

By Shawn Krest North State Journal THE STATE’S NEWEST team — MLS expansion club Charlotte FC — continued to take shape last week in the MLS SuperDraft.

Charlotte had three selections, including the top overall pick, which was announced by NASCAR legend Jimmie Johnson.

The first draft pick in franchise history resulted in University of Maryland midfielder Ben Bender. A sophomore this past season, Bender had seven goals and five assists and was named a firstteam All-American and the Big Ten Midfielder of the Year. The year before, he was All-Freshman and second-team All-Big Ten, scoring two goals in 11 games.

“It’s amazing,” Bender said. “I just can’t wait to get started, and I know that the football down there is going to be a good brand and ... I just want to be a part of that.”

Bender gave a self-scout in his first meeting with the Charlotte FC media.

“My best attributes as a player, and I think what you can expect, is my vision and my passing, putting attacking players into really good positions,” he said. “So putting really dynamic strikers or wingers into goal-scoring positions and getting on the end of those. … I think that I’m best when seeing the whole field and linking the play, linking the backline, midline and the front guys.”

Charlotte already had six other midfielders on the roster, most notably veteran Sergio Ruiz. So Bender can be brought along slowly behind him or Ruiz can move to the right back to allow the two to play together.

“I’ve heard from some of the

STEVE RUARK | THE BALTIMORE SUN VIA AP

Ben Bender, a midfielder out of Maryland, was the first overall pick by Charlotte FC in last Tuesday’s MLS SuperDraft. coaches that the players are really, really good,” Bender said. “I know the midfield is really good, that’s something specific they’ve said. So if I’m not going to play in the beginning, I’m certainly going to be learning and taking it all in from them. So, it’s a really good learning opportunity and development opportunity.”

Charlotte quickly made room for Bender by selling midfielder Riley McGree to Middlesbrough FC. “We knew Riley was being tracked by a lot of clubs across

“I just can’t wait to get started, and I know that the football down there is going to be a good brand.”

Ben Bender Europe after his successful spell at Birmingham, and we finally fielded an offer that was too good to turn down. To sell a player

for profit that has never played a game for your Club is a testament to our incredible scouting department who identified Riley as a player with a bright future,” Sporting Director Zoran Krneta said. “We will invest this transfer fee back into our inaugural roster as we continue to build towards the start of 2022. Everyone at the Club wishes Riley the best of luck at Middlesbrough and throughout the rest of his career.”

In the second round, Charlotte chose a player from within the state, selecting Wake Forest

Davidson succeeding with selfless team play

transfer Loyer, and a returning core of players that have bought into a selfless team concept.

The Wildcats have had a different player lead the team in scoring in each of their three previous games prior to Tuesday.

Loyer finished with 19 against Rhode Island on Jan. 8. Luka Brajkovic, a 6-foot-10 senior from Austria, hit for 25 against UMass three days later, while redshirt junior guard Michael Jones put up 29 in the win at Richmond — including the decisive 3-pointer from 27 feet out with just three seconds remaining.

It was Jones’ eighth trey of the game on nine attempts.

A fourth player, South Korean-born forward Hyunjung Lee, currently ranks second in the A10 at 17.5 points per game. Sam Mennenga, a 6-foot-9 Australian and the team’s fifth starter, is the

team’s best defender.

“This is a special team we’ve got here,” Jones, who has increased his scoring average from just over five per game last season to 13.3, said in a postgame interview following the Richmond win. “It’s something I’ve never felt before while playing on a team like this, and it all comes back really and truly to the brotherhood we have in this locker room.”

It’s a togetherness that has impressed even McKillop, who has seen just about everything there is to see during his 33 seasons and 621 wins as Davidson’s coach.

“I think a lot of coaches are wrestling with the culture of today where players want to play their game instead of playing our game,” McKillop said. “I watch our guys work and it’s extraordinary how we do drill after drill, repetition after repetition. And our guys do that every day. It’s pretty impressive.”

Equally impressive has been the Wildcats’ ability to shoot from the perimeter.

Led by Loyer, who ranks among the top 10 nationally in 3-point accuracy, Davidson is shooting 41.9% as a team from beyond the arc. Only South Dakota State at 44.5% has a better percentage nationally.

But the Wildcats aren’t solely dependent on their perimeter offense.

They’re also the best overall shooting team in the A10 at an even 50%, rank second in the league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 1.67 and are among the top five in both rebounding margin and scoring defense.

Those numbers, if they continue, are bound to start catching people’s attention. If not nationally, then certainly among their future conference opponents.

“People are coming at us now,” Mennenga said. “We’ve got a target on our back. We’ve won however many straight.

“It’s a journey. We’re kind of in the middle of the season. Now we’re in conference play and we’re doing things together. We just have to stay together, fight together and win together.”

this season and was using a Euro step to score on drives against the Wolfpack the last time out.

Despite being nearly 7-feet tall, Banchero can also handle the ball for the Blue Devils.

“Paolo played his normally

solid game,” Coach K said after the State game. “At the end, I thought we tried something that we haven’t worked on much with five guards and Paolo being a point center.”

As the Wolfpack learned,

Duke will be a tough matchup problem inside for most ACC teams, and that will open things up for the perimeter.

It’s certainly a recipe that the Hall of Fame coach has seen produce in the past.

The Wildcats have won 13 straight and are off to their best start in more than a half-century

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal THE LONGEST current winning streak in college basketball heading into play on Tuesday didn’t belong to defending national champion Baylor, which has been ranked No. 1 for much of this season.

It didn’t belong to Duke, Kentucky or any of the other brand names that dominate the headlines as well as the hardwood.

Rather, it was Davidson, which shared the distinction with Auburn at 13 straight victories heading into its game Tuesday at VCU. Unlike the Tigers of the SEC, who are ranked No. 2 in the latest polls, coach Bob McKillop’s Wildcats still find themselves flying below the radar nationally while buried among the “others receiving votes.”

Being overlooked is a position they should be used to by now considering they were picked to finish sixth in their conference before the season began.

At 14-2 with an upset of thenNo. 10 Alabama to its credit and 4-0 in the Atlantic 10 after Friday’s buzzer-beating 87-84 victory at Richmond, Davidson is off to its best start since the 1969-70 season.

But as junior point guard Foster Loyer was quick to point out after a recent win against Rhode Island, it’s still only a start.

“We’re not content where we’re at,” Loyer said. “There’s still so much of the season left that a loss here, a loss there and we’re right back where people wanted to project us. We don’t focus on the outside world, we focus on ourselves, our teammates within that locker room.”

DUKE from page B1 in the nation at 17.9 points per game and has topped 20 points in each of the last three.

After hitting 8 of 11 from the field for 21 points and eight re-

VASHA HUNT | AP PHOTO

Davidson forward Luka Brajkovic is one of four players averaging double-digit scoring for the Wildcats this season.

Davidson has a rich basketball history that includes 14 NCAA Tournament appearances, two of which have come since it entered the A10 in 2014. It has produced one of the winningest coaches in history in McKillop, as well as one of the best players in college and NBA ever in Steph Curry.

But this year’s team didn’t figure to be up to the Wildcats’ usually high standards.

Not after losing 2,000 career point scorer Kellan Grady to Kentucky, as well as two other key players — Bates Jones to Duke and Carter Collins to Murray State — to the NCAA’s new relaxed transfer rules.

McKillop was able to offset those losses with a valuable portal pickup of his own, Michigan State

bounds against the Wolfpack, Banchero won his fourth ACC Freshman of the Week award of the season.

Banchero is far from the classic post player, however. He is hitting .340 from 3-point range

forward Kyle Holcomb. In four years with the Demon Deacons, Holcomb scored 33 goals, seventh-most in Wake Forest history.

He was also ninth in school history with 74 total points for Wake.

This past season, he was All-ACC and second-team All-American.

His 12 goals in his senior season were the most by a Demon Deacon in three years. Wake was 101-0 when he scored.

Holcomb is just the fourth forward on the roster, joining McKinze Gaines, Vinicius Mello and Yordy Reyna.

Charlotte went with another local product in the third round, choosing goalkeeper George Marks. He played collegiately for Clemson, but Marks is a Raleigh native. Marks attended two U-20 U.S. National Team Camps and was a member of the North Carolina FC Youth Academy.

Marks started three years for the Tigers, leading them to the 2021 national title as a senior.

He’s third in Clemson history in wins (47), shutouts (21) and minutes played (6,031). He’s also in the school’s all-time top 10 in goals allowed average (seventh at 0.90) and saves (ninth at 174).

Marks was a second-team All-ACC player twice and a third-teamer once. He was selected as the Most Outstanding Defensive Player in this year’s College Cup. He was also a leader at Clemson, serving as the vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) in 2019 and 2020 and as president of SAAC in his senior year.

Marks joins a pair of goalies already on the roster in Kristijan Kahlina and Pablo Sisniega.

Since the draft, the team has added a fourth goalkeeper, signing free agent Adrian Zendejas.

“We wanted to provide goalkeeper coach Andy Quy with a strong, well-rounded group of four goalkeepers,” Krneta said, “and this signing, along with the drafting of George Marks, will help provide that healthy competition as we start preseason this week.”

“This is a special team we’ve got here. It’s something I’ve never felt before while playing on a team like this, and it all comes back really and truly to the brotherhood we have in this locker room.”

Michael Jones, Davidson guard

The 3 big questions nob

A7

normal

WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home hina lied about the origin of the ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after thisthanks COVID-19 virus cavalierofmanner in which C orders to local ordissipates state governments,The a majority Americans THIS WEEK, virus, according to members ofTHE theand fede ed 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 tr are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.” and state and local governments, Americans have ldwide panic, economic collapse and in it” (Psalm 118:24). catastrophe one way or another.

3,341 related deaths has led to wo 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 e eing thrown out of work.

I know that during Inand order put the crisis causedVirginia’s

by Chinastay-at-home in perspective, zero millions of Americans needlessly orders go into June. ty of Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask muted — after all, trends can easily reverse — but ayer at least $2.4 trillion in added working from home worldwide pandemics can trace their source to theCarolina, United States over Gov.The has cost the U.S. taxp Here in North Democratic Roycrisis Cooper stated during normal.” questions about the data, and when things can start getting back to have abided by recommendations and orders.

The Reserve backup liquidity to the be glad” the Bible our 231-year history. At least fourainrecent the 20th century alone be that “we debt plus trillions more Federa coronavirus press can briefing just don’t know yet”asifin the of this month. are treated in some circles with contempt. to flu,” stay 1977 at home; they’ve practiced socialthe distancing hed 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 th 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. und 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 toa Perhaps If he it, questions should be asked as to the Wedoes needdecide to extend 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 hospitalizati Lenten and of rampant inflation and currency pandemic.

1918 “Spanish flu” pandemic also had its origins in China. measures immediate fear justification for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like “we COVID-19 know yet” if the process of returning back to normalcy.

According to theseasons University of Washington Institu For me, my faith is government 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 completely China has to pay for their aberr provide a all levels It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state who sked as to the And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over and the unsanitary wet markets. administration, theand expected need for hosp plomacy has obviouslyquestions. not worked Corinthians 1:4, whi Chernobyl. unregulated believe it Trump came of at a home economic financial means.

D fromSome our to are being told remain joblessout and message offor an undetermined become a ue ones like “we country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, peak outbreak was revised down by over 120,000, orld of 21st century health, hygiene affliction, so that we biowarfare lab run by the communist Chinese army. to bring China into the civilized scientific amount of timeexperts why models predicting hundreds of cases w hope that we13,000 willof thousands bad thing? thethe more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about ventilators by nearly and the number of ov unist regimes never take blame affliction, withcomm the co Until China adopts rigorous verifiable policing and regulation of and fair trade.

Totalitarian are reliable.

— we need to once again enjoy of this state who when they can get back to providing for their families, will demand August by nearly 12,000. rse, because that is not what God.” That is what their food safety and health protocols, American business has no other or express sincere regret and rem To know date, what I’ve gone what the state has asked and then they along with ndetermined answers.

Here’s the problem: We still don’t know the answ sporting events, take advantage of every weakness If you are celebrat choice than tofree build redundant manufacturing totalitarian do. They citizens mandated thatplants we do,elsewhere but alongpurely the way I’ve also had governments questions about housands of cases Leaders 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 or the reflect on this concerts, family for national security safety reasons as well supply andleaders delivery they find in adversaries andmessa 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 and rate?c God’s example don’t and when reliability adversaries push back. gatherings, Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with society edhappens and then with details that give their statements believability. important because That it determines whether certain nt such asThe the Chernobyl this difficult Th The most direct waywere to make China “pay”hope for this is to offer is, unless an exogenous they to disaster corruption. financial squeeze resulting sometimes a disturbing tendency among people to treat thosetime. ev church some services questions about We should all continue to do what we can to keep our families, be open or closed, whether we ought to pursue — S elieve that event, not the Staropportunities Wars confident we will em supposed from COVID-19 offers for a U.S. tax credits to companies who will source at least half of their meltdown in 1986.

Some experts The Associated Press know what theythe data and asking simply questioning when we can start getting back and many more Sponsored by ourselves, and our communities safe.

But we should also still continue more liberalized society that presumes wide sprea Sponsored by the dissolution of the Soviet In thisled same spiritt bit of remediation.

Let’sUnion first examine what production back in the States.

There is though approximately programor of are Reagan, directly to do, lastUnited I to normal they are$120 conspiracy theorists people who don’t.as afterdown our own asked, there to of ask questions about the data, because reasonable stay-at-home ought to lock further. neighbors helping ne mightisbe the root academic corruption, Biltmore United while Methodist billion worth checked. of American direct investment in plants and equipment in 1989. otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick. title of a recent study,Church of they to treatsuggested those by the measures are understandable, should alsoCarohave an date. direct investment in the U.S. is about $65We’ve seen rates — Concord, the number of Cd temporary Asheville, North hernobyl.

In a high inexpiration China. Chinese billion by case fatality Perhaps COVID-19 China’s Since when did questioning government at all levels become aisbad “Academic Grievance Studies and the North State Journal for Wednesday, April 15, 2020 lina, is for sale. start getting back This is all new to Americans, and it is not normal.

Not in any way, the number of identified COVID-19 cases — but bp ady talking about the possibility to buy aare 3-D sacrifices are society comparison.

Senators inmoney Washington alr thing? That is what free citizens living in a free were supposed Corruption of Scholarship.”

The study was Already financially strapped are people who shape, or form.

So while we should remain vigilant and stay safe, at and the denominator are likely wrong.

We don’t kn debt we owe as one way to get health$1.2 caretrillion workers An investment tax credit of 30% U.S. investment in China ino over. of China forgiving toon do,half lastof I checked. done by Areo, an opinion and analysis because of shrinking membership NCthem business same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “newbillion, applied to repatriated American manufacturing people have actually died of coronavirus.

Some the sou yick. have caused US. the Don’t hold your today, or $60 China to “pay” for the damage digitalthe magazine.

By the way, Areo is short My first concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m and a struggling preschool, the group recognize see” become aAreopagitica, badbutto normal.” number beenbreath overestimated, given that classifi to happen ask your elected for a speech delivered bycongregation was dealt a crush- investment to the U.S. would costworried the U.S.about Treasury billion in has waiting Ifor a Chinese them$18 catching the virus, and I’m worried will.

After “Jubi y were supposed Not one little bit. of death, particularly among elderly patients, untableJohn in tangible financial Milton in defense ways of freefor speech. ing blow by the coronavirus. At- tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion lost revenue hold Chinacan acc employer wellness suffering fromin the H1N1 virusis(swine flu) representatives during the 2009topandemic, Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. tendance plummeted, with many decimal dust compared to the $6 trillion+ Marshall Plan we sources suggest the number is dramatically under are now this disaster.

I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up programs Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say has thatstaying e, is my family.

Stacey Matthews also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah manyas people are dying home. home or switching to oth- undertaking d to operate as I’m responsible citizens of to save our own economy, notmany of defeated enemies in the It is at about timenot they expect way too memories of a painful experience I’d prefer to are repeat. something has gone drastically wrong er churches that stayed open the ed I will.

After and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.

Even more importantly, we have no clue how ma ation. past. the world like any other modern n But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has in academia, especially within certainwhole time. Gone, too, is the reveCHARLOTTE — North 2009 pandemic, actually have coronavirus. Some scientists suggest China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. They callnue the church formerly got from Carolina of this brings upemployers can of identified that theycases could be an order of magnitude these fields “grievance studies,” where renting its space for events and business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill,coronavirus senior opinion now apply is fornot first annual efer notscholarship to repeat. number of people who have had and n so much based uponmeetings. intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and Culture of Wellness st everyone has finding truth but upon attending to “Our maintenance costs are replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi. social grievances.

Grievance Awards, presented by the scholars just exorbitant,” said the Rev. bully students, administrators and other Lucy Robbins, senior pastor. “And North Carolina Business departments into adhering to their we just don’t have the resources fiGroup on Health (NCBGH). worldview. The worldview they promote is Jason nancially that we used to have to The awards recognize the Grievance neither scientific nor rigorous. be able to do the kind of ministry| STACEY MATTHEWS EDITORIAL studies consist ofwellbeing disciplines such as work that we would like.” best employer sociology, anthropology, gender studies, Biltmore is just one of an untold programs across the state COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, sexuality and critical race number of congregations across and are open to employers studies. the country that have struggled to ofIn all2017 sizes.

Winners will bePluckrose, and 2018, authors stay afloat financially and minisannounced at NCBGH’s Lindsay and Boghossian started ter to their flocks during the pansubmitting bogus academic annual Spring Forum in papers to demic, though others have manacademic journals in cultural, queer, aged to weather the storm, often May. race, gender, fat and sexuality studies with help from the federal govThrough these to determine if theyawards, would pass peer ernment’s Paycheck Protection NCBGH will recognize “THIS IS THEfallen DAYinto the lord has made, let usthe re seriousness of and the be virus and the review accepted for need publication.Program, or PPP, and sustained WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home place.

I understand Acceptance ofcommitted dubious in it” (Psalm 118:24). y with how people who simplyresearch ask that levels of member donations. companies orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneas editors found sympathetic to their The coronavirus hit at a time are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”I know that during this challenging time of soc n thingsjournal can start getting back to to improving the health questions about the data, and whe intersectional or postmodern leftist vision when already fewer Americans working from home or losing a job, it may becircle diffi with contempt. and well-being of their Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. normal are treated in some of the world would prove the problem of were going to worship services LUCY ROBBINS VIA AP be glad” as the Bible tellsREV. us to do.

However, as aasC a societylow simply muststandards. accept without They’re treated as though we employees. academicResearch — with at least half of the nearly Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June. and dad, the Easter holiday has reminded me oftelj s us about when it’s safe to begin the Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during question what the government Several of the fake research papers suggests that a healthy 15,300 congregations surveyed in This photo provided by the Rev. Lucy Robbins shows a “For Sale” sign in front of the Biltmore United have to be thankful and hopeful for, even in the m alcy. were accepted for publication. The Fata 2020 report by Faith Commu- aMethodist recent coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t know yet” if the process of returning back to norm Church in Asheville, in July 2021. workforce is tied to greater and pandemic. s, and we have journal the right to ask those Studies published a hoax papernities Today reporting weekly at- state’s stay-at-home orders will extendLenten into May. No. The government works for Since when did employee engagement, that argued the term wastendance of 65 or less — and exme, my faith is an important part ofstay-atmy dai home orders are in place all bodybuilding over the Easter seasons If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked asFor to the questions.

And the longer business productivity, andas should be replaced acerbated the questioning Friendship Baptist Church problems at smaller justification for it. And the answersutilities. making.

Astion, I celebrated my family, hem get exclusionary in states, such Michigan, should notabe vague ones like “we country,Easter and thewith stricter some ofI tr provide with bodybuilding, a fat-inclusive and “fat overall economic Baltimore, is essentially “We wouldn’t have survived if in 1:4, churches where increasingly lean government Corinthians which reminds ourlivLord “comf eling isolated and/or anxious as about do this out of an abundance of caution.” the more people,us sitting at home message of politicized performance.”

One reviewerbudgets often hindered them must ing week to week.

The predom“We’re surviving. …

But we we’d had all that,” said the Rev. prosperity.

The Culture affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those ng for their families, will demand at all levels It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state who when they can get back to providi said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this inantly Black church received a Kevin Riggs, pastor. from things like hiring full-time have felt the hurt.” hope thatthe we church’s will of Wellness Awards were affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves ar are being told to remain jobless and atStill, home forbeen an undetermined answers. article and believe it has an importantclergy.

PPP loan of more than $55,000, it has a battle.

During become a once again enjoy established, partnership God.”ofatcases vels should be as forthcoming contribution toinmake to as thethey field and this“The pandemic didn’t change amount of time why models predicting hundreds ofthat thousands Leaders at the local but that barely made a dent in and ex- state le the 15 months services bad thing? sporting events, you are celebrating theAlvin Easter season, again, not vague answers, journal.” with health servicebut answer Rev. Kevin Riggs, Franklin penses.

ThebeRev. Gwynn Sr. I—urge Franklin went online-only,Ifsome those patterns, it only made are reliable. can with those answers and “Our Struggle Isto My Struggle: Solidarity That is what reflect and comforted, that ents believability. has message given his be pastor’s salary members left forasked other and congregathem a little bit worse,” said Scott Community concerts, family company Cigna, honor To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has thenon this withup details that give theirso statem Church Feminism as anfamilies, Intersectional Reply to and for now isshould living offthose Social or gotalso out had of the habit of givThumma, director of the Hart- mandated that we do, but along thetions God’s example and comfort allall inSeneed arou at we can to keepfounding our free citizens NCBGH member way I’ve questions about We continue to do wh gatherings, Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was curity checks and his other job in ing, according to Riggs.

Weekly ford Institute for Religion Rethis difficult time.

Through faith and by helping o fe. But we should alsochampion still continue the data.

State Republican leaders have, too. ourselves, and our communities s and wellness church services livingofinFaith a free accepted for publication by Affilia, a search and co-chair construction. is down fromconfident around we Com- two-building campus perched on attendance will emerge out of this pandemic str cause while reasonable stay-at-home Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is to ask questions about the data, b Chris Cote. feminist journal for social workers. The Slumping attendance has hurt to less than 40, and the omia verdant knoll just off Interstate 100and munities Today. many more society were this same spirit, Iline continue toasbeelseinspired the by y shouldpaper also have an expiration a disturbing tendency some people toforced treatInthose measures are understandable, consisted in part of adate. rewritten Attendance has been a per- sometimes the bottom there, cronafter spike recently the 40, on the market, church leaders among NCBGH worked with our own supposed neighbors helping neighbors. d it is not normal.

Not in any way,Two other sistent challenge. passage from Mein Kampf. simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back This is all new to Americans, an where.

Friendship Baptist counts church to go virtual again.

As faith lead- are still figuring out what comes global health service temporary In Concord, a shape, high senior named remainhoax vigilant and stay safe, at includingers moved to to papers were published, around 900school active members butweTanner The impact is or feltare in people the collecnext, including wherethey the congrereturn to in-person do, last I to normal as though are conspiracy theorists who or form.

So while shoul company develop “Rape andtoQueer Performativity moneyinto buy 3-D printer andwe plastic to make fa mfortable withCulture thisCigna so-called “new onlyaabout 150 oftime them are showtionsacrifices plate: money gation will callcare home.

But get they worship, first the highly transmis- otherwise are don’t if they themselves or The others sick.coming the same shouldn’t get co checked. the Culture Wellness at Urban Dogof Parks.”

This paper’s subject up, making their donations nowover. is just about a third of what to when use some the proceeds sible delta variant and now the hope health careing workers out of his own home.

Since did of questioning government at all levels become a bad normal.” was dog-on-dog rape.

But the dog rapeeven faster-spreading omicron from the property sale to support it was before the pandemic, the especially crucial. awards program, modeled That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed Not one little bit. paper forced Boghossian, have thrown a wrench into such thing?

The church is “surviving bemarginalized communities and pastor said. The church has cut on theeventually Cigna Well-Being to do, last I checked.

Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurelyefforts, out spending where it could, turned cause of the sacrificial giving of with some churches going causes like affordable housing.

Awards that under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah My first concern as weFranklin go along in this,tooftry course, is up mythe family.

Stacey Matthews also written themselves.

A recognize Wall Street Journal writer the 150,” said Gwynn, whohas doesn’t toall grants to make dif- I’m Unlike Biltmore, back online and others still open dState and Legal Insurrection. clients with innovative had figured out what they were doing. reporting fewer souls in the pews. worried aboutChurch, them catching and I’mworked worried will.more After intendand a regular contributor to Re to is start drawing a payference and to Iraise Community about the 20 virus, Some papers accepted for publication At Biltmore, for example, atten- suffering and successful workplace money community miles outside Tenfrom of theNashville, H1N1 virus (swine flu) from during the 2009members pandemic,check again until the church is in academic journals advocated training stable. “They give way, way more who don’t attendall butofsupport the up nessee, its own sancdance at weekly services are down I’ve wellness programs.

Cigna beendoesn’t tryinghave to take extra precautions, because this brings men like dogs and punishing white male than a normal offering each Sunministries, suchnot as servtuary, holding services instead at church’s from around 70 pre-pandemic to way too many memories of a painful experience I’ d prefer to repeat. will partner with NCBGH to college students for historical slavery by just about 25 today, counting both a public school. That turned out to ing homeless people.

But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone hasday individually.” selectthem award asking towinners. sit in silence on the floor in During the pandemic, experts “We’re surviving. … But we be a blessing during the pandemin-person and online worship. chains to be expected toAfter congregants voted last ic, with no need to worry about a have felt the hurt,” Riggs said.

“Weduring know class manyand North learn fromemployers the discomfort.

Another struggling congrega- See CHURCHES, page B6 May to put the church property, a mortgage, upkeep, insurance or Carolina haveOther papers celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life developed remarkable choice and advocated treating privately programsmasturbation for the overall conducted as a form of sexual violence against women. Typically, wellbeing of their academic journal editors send submitted One positive thing for banks, if workforce and families,” papers out to referees for review. In inflation continues, is rising intersaid Jon Rankin, CEO of recommending acceptance for publication, est rates. The Federal Reserve has Northreviewers Carolinagave Business many these papers glowing already telegraphed to investors Group on Health. “We look praise. that the central bank is considPoliticaltoscientist Zach Goldberg ran forward recognizing ering at least three interest rate certain grievance studies hikes this year to keep inflation in their organization and concepts through the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often check. Higher interest rates mean achievement asour a shining they appeared in press over the years. banks can charge more to borThe Associated Press example of excellence He found huge increases in in the usages rowers for loans. of “whiteand privilege,” “unconscious bias,” NEW YORK — Three of the health wellness.”

What worries bankers is that “critical raceproud theory” inflation could get out of control “We are toand “whiteness.” nation’s biggest banks reportAll of this is being taught to college ed blowout profits for 2021 on and the Fed would have to act partner with students, manyNCBGH of whomon become primary more aggressively to tame it.

Friday, helped by the improvthissecondary awards program that who then and school teachers “The big concern is whether ing economy and consumers and indoctrinate people. encouragesour andyoung recognizes this inflation turns into a wagebusinesses willing to spend and I doubt whether the coronavirusprice spiral,” Mason told reporttake on loans. workplace wellness,” said caused financial crunch will give college But Inflation is clouding the ers, referring to the economCharles Pitts,administrators, Cigna market who are a and university ic phenomenon where employees outlook for 2022, based on compresident between for the Carolinas. crossbreed a parrot and jellyfish, demand higher wages to cover ments from bank executives to the guts andour backbone to restore academic “Through longtime their rising cost of living, which reporters and industry analysts. respectability.

Far too often, they get much causes companies to raise pricThey foresee higher inflation this partnership with NCBGH, of their political support from campusyear and are faced with highes on items to cover higher wages. we’re focused improving grievance peopleon who are members of the It can lead to years of high inflaer costs for compensation as the the health, wellbeing faculty and diversity and multiculturalbanks compete for talent and emtion, with the most notable examSTEVE HELBER | AP PHOTO administrative offices.of the and peace of mind ple being the rampant inflation in ployees. Wall Street could hear The best hope lies with the 1970s. people, businesses andboards of similar comments in the next A Chase bank sign is shown in Richmond, Va., Wednesday, trustees, though many serve as yes-men In a call with investors, JPfew weeks as the rest of CorpoJune 2, 2021. communities we serve in for the university president. I think that a America releases results and Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon said rate North Carolina.” good start would be to find 1950s or 1960s it could take “six or seven” rate shares its outlook for the upcomFounded inat 2011, catalogs.

Look the course offerings at conglomerate significantly larger there’s a little bit of labor infla- hikes this year to get inflation uning year. aNCBGH time when graduates knew how“We spent a good deal of 2021 than what it is today. is acollege non-profit tion, and it’s important for us to der control. to read, write and compute, and maketalking about inflation and I sus“This whole notion that someattract and retain the best talent Wells Fargo’s full-year profits coalition of employers them today’s curricula. Another helpful pect we are going to spend even were $21.55 billion, slightly be- and pay competitively,” said Jer- how it’s going to be sweet and genandwould otherbe key tool tohealthcare give careful consideration more time in 2022 talking about low previous records but multi- emy Barnum, JPMorgan’s CFO, tle and no one is ever going to be stakeholders across the to eliminating all classes/majors/minors it,” said Mark Mason, the chief fi- ples better than where they were in a call with reporters. Barnum surprised (is a) mistake,” Dimon containing word “studies,” such as nancial officer at Citigroup, in a a year earlier. Wells’ operations said he expects the bank will face said. state usingthe their collective women, blackdecisions or queer studies. Friday call with journalists.

Investors will get quarterly recontinue to be restrained by the “headwinds” this year, including voice toAsian, influence I’d bet that by restoring the traditional While JPMorgan reported a Federal Reserve, which capped higher wages, that could impact sults from Bank of America, Goldand impact the quality and they would academic mission to colleges, man Sachs and Morgan Stanley 14% decline in fourth quarter the bank from getting larger after its profitability. cost of healthcare delivery put a serious dent into the COVID-19 earnings, the bank still brought its sales practices problems and Wells was able to keep expenses next week. There will be signifibudget shortfall. systems across North relatively managed in the fourth cant attention on the investment in nearly $50 billion in profits for other scandals.

Both JPMorgan and Citi re- quarter quarter, but also expects banks — Goldman and Morgan the full year 2021, up significantCarolina.

Walter E. Williams is a professor of ly from a profit of $36.4 billion in ported higher expenses last quar- wage inflation to hit this year.

— since both banks typically have Applications may economics at George Mason University.

“We expect approximately some of the highest compensation ter, much more than what ana2019, before the pandemic hit. be submitted through Citi brought in $21.95 billion lysts’ had expected. Both banks $500 million of wage-and-bene- costs in the industry.

February 14, 2022 Bloomberg News reported Frilast year. That exceeds what Citi- said it was partially due to the fits-related inflationary increasgroup made in 2006, when the need to recruit new employees es in 2022 above and beyond the day that Goldman plans to pay at https://ncbgh.org/ bank earned $21.2 billion at the and pay them the higher wages normal level of merit and pay in- out one-time bonuses to its highwellness.

business & economy

Fixingn.c. college corruption FAST

FACTS

At many churches, pandemic hits collection plates, budgets A6

Approved Logos

north STA

VISUAL VOICES

It’s okay to ask questions about when The we begin to get back to comfort normal and hope

Bank profits soared in 2021, but inflation is front of mind

height of the mortgage bubble and when Citigroup was a financial

they were now asking for.

“Labor markets are tight, that

creases,” Mike Santomassimo, the bank’s CFO, told investors.

est-paid employees in order to keep them at the firm.

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B6

December retail sales slip after a record holiday season The Associated Press

For the week ending 1/14

Total Cash & Bond Proceeds

$2,591,527,933 Add Receipts

$40,902,597 Less Disbursements

$103,974,033 Reserved Cash

$125,000,000 Unreserved Cash Balance Total

$5,725,106,274 Loan Balance:

$440.3M

CHURCHES from page B5 said many congregations embraced online giving, which could boost contributions by $300 per person annually, according to The Faith Communities Today report.

More broadly, various other surveys and reports show a mixed picture on congregational giving nationwide.

Gifts to religious organizations grew by 1% to just over $131 billion in 2020, a year when Americans also donated a record $471 billion overall to charity, according to an annual report by GivingUSA. Separately, a September survey of 1,000 protestant pastors by the evangelical firm Lifeway Research found about half of congregations received roughly what they budgeted for last year, with 27% getting less than anticipated and 22% getting more.

Hope Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas, a largely upper-middle-class congregation of about 400, is among those that have enjoyed relative stability despite the pandemic.

The Rev. Josh Robinson had expected contributions to drop off when in-person services paused for more than a year, but they remained steady. So have member pledges for upcoming gifts in 2022. Some in the congregation even donated their government stimulus checks to the church, which used them to set up a fund to provide direct financial assistance to those who lost income due to the pandemic.

It all prompted the pastor to reexamine his own approach to the pandemic.

“I needed to step back and think, what did it mean for me as a spiritual leader to not have the same faith mindset, since I was anticipating a downturn?” Robinson said. “Here were the members of the church stepping up — I had to lean into that. And rightfully, I was able to do so with great joy.”

Even before, the church had embraced frugality in order to pay down its debt, which has fallen from $2 million in 2013 to less than $300,000 today.

When services went virtual, savings on utilities and other costs helped keep the budget balanced. PPP loans of some $290,000 were also key to maintaining employees on the payroll and offsetting lost revenue from renting out space and other services.

At West Harpeth Primitive Baptist Church, another church in Franklin, giving is down but only slightly. Hewitt Sawyers, the pastor, attributes that to the scant turnover among the more than 150-year-old historically Black congregation’s members, many of whom are committed to financially supporting the church and work in sectors that were less damaged by the pandemic than others.

“We’ve just been wonderfully, wonderfully blessed,” Sawyers said.

Budget projections for this year are rosy enough that West Harpeth leaders are hopeful they can tackle a needed building renovation.

“We are extremely optimistic about it,” Sawyers said. “We’re planning on trying to do that in ‘22, and we feel very, very, very comfortable about trying to get that done.”

NEW YORK — Americans overlooked shortages, spiking prices and uncertainty over the omicron variant to break spending records during the critical holiday shopping season. But figures released Friday show that after spending robustly early in the holiday season, consumers sharply slowed their purchases from November to December.

The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, said that sales surged by a record 14.1% from November and December 2020 to the same months in 2021. Those figures blew away the federation’s projections for growth of between 8.5% to 10.5%, and more than tripled the average gain over the past five years of 4.4%.

“After a dispiriting holiday season in 2020, most shoppers were absolutely determined to enjoy themselves come what may,” said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData.

Yet data issued by the Commerce Department showed that by the end of December, spending had trailed off sharply enough to catch economists off guard and raise doubts about the sustainability of retail sales in the face of omicron, inflation and persistent shortages of labor and supplies.

Retail sales fell a seasonally adjusted 1.9% from November to December.

Spending fell broadly across numerous sectors: Department store sales fell 7%, restaurant 0.8% and online purchases 8.7% compared with November.

Many economists expect the caution that consumers displayed last month to carry over into this year and potentially slow the economy. Still, with average hourly pay

BRITTAINY NEWMAN | AP PHOTO

Shoppers walk through Macy’s on Nov. 26, 2021, in New York. rising and unemployment rate steadily dropping, analysts say spending and growth could pick up, at least modestly, once omicron fades.

“American consumers closed 2021 on a very sour note,” said Sal Guatieri, senior economist at BMO Capital Markets. “That said, high household savings, strong job growth, and improved confidence once the latest COVID wave crests should put consumers back on a high-spending track in the second quarter.”

Retailers warned for months that their supply chains had become snarled as the nation swiftly emerged from the pandemic recession, and they urged consumers to shop early for their holiday purchases. It appears that many Americans took heed and, in effect, moved up the usual holiday shopping period by a month or so.

Commerce Department figure show retail sales jumped 1.8% in October, and on Friday it reported that year-over-year numbers show that retail sales surged 16.9% last month compared with December 2020. For all of 2021, sales spiked

19.3% compared with the previous year.

Some economists caution that the seasonal adjustment of retail sales has been thrown off by the pandemic. Seasonal adjustment is intended to account for the normal spike in shopping in December for the holiday season. This year, though, because many Americans started shopping so early, the seasonal adjustment might have exaggerated any December spending retreat.

Some analysts also suspect that shoppers who waited until the end of the holiday season and didn’t find what they wanted and took a pass or they bought gift cards.

That spending won’t show up in retail data until those cards are redeemed.

All told, Americans appear to be spending their money differently — and spending more, not less, collectively.

Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards, reported late last month that holiday sales surged 8.5% from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 from a year earli-

er. That was the fastest such pace in 17 years.

“Consumer spending will remain the cornerstone of economic growth this year, but the nearterm path will be choppy amid surging omicron cases,” said Lydia Boussour, lead U.S. economist at Oxford Economics. Boussour said she thinks that after a soft patch in the first quarter, spending should rebound in the spring on the strength of strong wage growth and savings.

Stephen Stanley, chief economist at Amherst Pierpoint, agreed, pointing to a robust job market, pent-up demand and “a mountainous pile of extra cash to spend.”

“People will spend again once the omicron wave fades,” Stanley predicted.

The omicron variant has led to widespread worker shortages with many people calling out sick.

And supply shortages have curtailed what goods make it to store shelves. Stores and restaurants have slashed operating hours or remained closed on days when they had previously been open.

This week, Lululemon warned that fourth-quarter sales and profits will likely come in at the low end of its expectations as it grapples with the variant’s fallout.

“We started the holiday season in a strong position but have since experienced several consequences of the omicron variant, including increased capacity constraints, more limited staff availability and reduced operating hours in certain locations,” said CEO Calvin McDonald.

And inflation has settled in across almost every level of the economy, forcing the Federal Reserve to no longer characterize rising prices as “transitory.”

Last month, inflation jumped at its fastest pace in nearly 40 years, a 7% spike from a year earlier that is increasing household expenses and biting into wage gains. And the largest price spikes are hitting where Americans canmost feel it, with the cost of homes, cars, clothes and food racing higher.

In this Aug 2, 2007 file photo, an alligator hangs around the canoes at Okefenokee Adventures at the entrance to the Okefenokee Swamp in Charlton County, Ga.

CHRIS VIOLA/THE FLORIDA TIMES-UNION VIA AP, FILE

Tightened federal water protections won’t slow some projects The Associated Press ST. LOUIS — The Biden administration is moving to tighten oversight of projects that benefitted from Trump-era loosened water protections, but some projects including a controversial Georgia mine will likely be able to escape new scrutiny.

It’s the latest twist in a long-running dispute over the scope of the Clean Water Act, with each new administration aiming to shift which waterways require federal protections. The new guidance aims to diminish the impact of Trump-era environmental rollbacks, which included eliminating federal protections for numerous small streams, wetlands and other waterways.

In a recently posted policy, the Biden administration said many developers would not be able to rely on favorable assessments they got under Trump. But the change will likely allow some projects — including a proposed titanium mine in Georgia — to escape the clampdown.

The new guidance generally does not apply to developers if they were told that none of the waters on their property site were subject to federal oversight under Trump and could advance without a federal permit — even if the same waters are now protected under the tightened rules currently in place.

It’s not clear how many projects could bypass stricter scrutiny. Among them is the 600-acre (243-hectare) Twin Pine Minerals project which would mine titanium and other minerals a few miles outside the Okefenokee Swamp, home to the largest U.S. wildlife refuge east of the Mississippi River. Environmental advocates have long opposed the project, arguing that it threatens hundreds of acres of critical wetlands.

“The Corps’ interpretation of its policy causes an absurd result for sites like Twin Pines,” said Kelly Moser, an attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center that has fought the project.

The project still needs permits from state regulators.

In December, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service official wrote to the Army Corps and Environmental Protection Agency seeking more oversight for Twin Pines.

Leopoldo Miranda-Castro, a regional director for the service, expressed concern that the project could affect wetlands that are federally regulated under tighter rules.

Mirando-Castro said the mining project could dry out vegetation and increase the risk of fires, a potential threat to animals such as the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker.

Twin Pines President Steve Ingle said this week that the mine

would have a “negligible effect” on Okefenokee’s water levels. If the company sought to expand the mine, it would need to show that it had acted in an environmentally responsible way and go through a permitting process.

“Protecting the Okefenokee is not just the right thing to do from an environmental perspective, it is the only reasonable course of action from a business standpoint,” Ingle said in a statement.

Twin Pines’ original proposed plan would have required a permit under stricter, previous regulations. It faced an easier path forward under Trump’s rollback, and was able to modify its proposal so the property site would not touch any federally regulated waters, according to the letters provided to the Associated Press by the Southern Environmental Law Center.

The company then withdrew its permit.

Developers that apply for a federal water permit could now have their projects assessed under the interim rules.

Environmentalists are pushing federal agencies to revisit their findings on Twin Pines.

The company could face a lawsuit alleging it violated the Clean Water Act, according to Ann D. Navaro, an attorney who represents developers and a former assistant chief counsel for litigation at the Army Corps.

The federal permitting process allows the public to comment on projects and it can force builders to reduce the harm that construction causes to waterways.

Last August, an Arizona federal judge who struck down the Trump-rule cited federal efforts that identified more than 300 projects that advanced under Trump that would have needed a permit under previous rules.

The Trump water rule was considered a victory for builders, oil and gas developers, farmers and others who expressed frustrations about the Obama administration’s rule and said protections of waterways are better left to states.

Those groups often say that broad federal protections make it difficult to do their work, in part because of lengthy permitting processes.

But in November, the Biden administration restored on an interim basis a 1986 rule that is broader in scope than the Trump rule, but narrower than the Obama administration’s. The move formalized the earlier scrapping of Trump’s rule in federal courts.

Biden administration officials have said its rewrite of the rule will be made sometime this year.

Before the Biden administration issued its recent interim guidance, Army Corps determinations were generally valid for five years, providing a level of certainty for developers, Navaro said.

The new guidance undercuts that certainty and will force other developers to deal with current water protections if they want a Clean Water Act permit, she said.

“This policy will have significant timing and expense implications.”

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B7

2021 Volvo V60 Polestar

PHOTOS COURTESY VOLVO

The ultimate wagon becomes even ultimater A practicality-infused sports car

By Jordan Golson North State Journal SAN DIEGO — Americans may be obsessed with crossovers, SUVs, and enormous pickup trucks, but our European friends are not so easily convinced.

It may have something to do with the size of roads in European cities dating back to Medieval times or the eye-watering price of fuel, but smaller cars are preferred over there. Perhaps that’s why the Euros love wagons so much. You get all the practicality of a crossover with a more efficient ride.

It’s also easier (not to mention less absurd) to crank out a performance variant of a wagon than a top-heavy SUV, though that hasn’t stopped BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and, well, everyone, it seems, from releasing performance SUVs. But Volvo has gone a step further, handing its terrific V60 wagon over to the talented engineers at Polestar for a reworking. The result is the Volvo V60 Polestar Engineered, and it’s a 400-horsepower speed demon that looks more suited to the drop-off line at a track meet than the back-stretch of a racetrack.

Before it became a standalone EV company, Polestar was a racing team with a side business as a Volvo tuning shop. A few years back, Volvo bought the tuning division (the race team continues as Cyan Racing), which promptly started cranking out Polestar-transformed versions of its road cars.

Eventually, Polestar was spun off to build electric cars, but it still reworks those Volvo road cars into Polestar Engineered models. It’s not just a badge with some nice cosmetic upgrades, either.

Polestar’s engineers took the already-excellent Volvo V60 T8 plugin hybrid to its Swedish secret lair and stuffed it full of upgrades. It gets Brembo brakes, adjustable Öhlins dampers, a new front strut bar, and gorgeous 19-inch Polestar wheels.

All those are great (especially the Öhlins shocks), and they really up the sportiness and handling of the V60. But, it’s the subtle gold accents fitted to all those components that make the Polestar Engineered V60 special.

They’re the golden cherry on top that signals to those in the know that there’s something special here.

The V60 Polestar doesn’t shout about its performance chops. It’s

the automotive equivalent of an understated luxury wristwatch. If you know, you know.

Subtle but tasteful golden design touches have been added to the brake calipers, the shocks (including a golden knob under the hood used to adjust the damping force!), the seatbelts, and even the screw-on cap for the valve stem on the tires.

I particularly love the golden seatbelts. I’m a fan of any interesting-colored belts since it seems like they only ever come in black or tan, but the golden ones remind you every time you get in that you purchased a unique automobile.

The front seats also get upgraded, with blissfully comfortable (and bolstering) sport seats to the Polestar to keep you in place and relaxed on long highway journeys.

The rest of the V60 Polestar is standard Volvo fare, and the Polestar Engineered has every option box checked for its $68,940 sticker price (as well it should). A similarly priced Volvo XC60 plug-in hybrid that I reviewed last year was $71,340, so we’re in rarefied luxury air here.

There is a little help on the price front, thanks to a federal electric vehicle tax credit of $5,419 on the 2021 V60 plug-in. That doesn’t help the V60’s affordability much, but this is a luxury vehicle with a luxury price tag.

There aren’t very many sporty wagons available in the US, so it’s not like there are many other options here. Audi has the RS 6 Avant, which is significantly faster (591 horsepower versus 415 in the Volvo) and substantially more expensive (starts at nearly $120,000). The gloriously absurd Mercedes E63 wagon is gone, and the Porsche Taycan 4 Cross Turismo might be wickedly fast (and electric), but it occupies the same stratospheric price range as the RS 6 Avant.

So what’s the true automotive enthusiast to do? Get thee to a Volvo dealer and snap up a Polestar Engineered V60, of course. Not only is it the most affordable sporty wagon, but it’s also the best looking and the only one with golden seatbelts.

And if a wagon isn’t your scene, Volvo still has you covered. Polestar Engineered versions of its XC60 crossover and the S60 sedan exist and are built on the same platform as the V60 and sport similar specs, performance upgrades, and prices.

But it’s the wagon that has my heart, and I hope that people keep buying them so Volvo will keep making them. A world without performance wagons is a world that’s slightly less fun.

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B8

New this week: Mellencamp, Hilary Duff and ‘Fraggle Rock’ The Associated Press HERE’S A COLLECTION curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

MOVIES — Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi latest masterpiece, “A Hero,” comes to Amazon Prime Video on Jan. 21. AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote in his review that this saga about a good deed gone wrong, in which a man imprisoned for a debt returns a bag of gold to its owner, is, “ one of the most labyrinthine moral tales you’re likely to encounter... Farhadi’s film grows increasingly knotty with fictions to cover truths, and vice-versa.”

— The Sundance Film Festival kicks off Thursday night and, like last year, it is entirely virtual and movie lovers from around the world can buy tickets to see the films when they premiere from the comfort of their homes. Opening night offerings on Jan. 20 include “La Guerra Civil,” a documentary about the rivalry between Oscar De La Hoya and Julio César Chávez in the 1990s directed by

Eva Longoria, Jesse Eisenberg’s directorial debut “When You Finish Saving the World,” starring Julianne Moore, and “The Princess,” a documentary about Princess Diana that turns the lens on the audience. Or if you can’t score tickets to any of the Sundance films this year, MUBI is programming some breakouts and underseen gems of years past, like “But I’m a Cheerleader” (Jan. 23), “Tarnation” (Jan. 20) and “Whirlybird” (Jan. 22).

— It’s the fall of 1938 and tensions are boiling over as Hitler readies to invade Czechoslovakia and Britain seeks peace in “Munich: The Edge of War,” coming to Netflix on Friday, Jan. 21. Based on the book by Robert Harris, this fictional tale directed by German filmmaker Christian Schwochow centers on two old Oxford classmates, one British (George MacKay) and one German (Jannis Niewöhner), who are sent to the Munich Conference for negotiations. Jeremy Irons plays Neville Chamberlain and Ulrich Matthes is Hitler.

MUSIC — In the fall of 2021, two quintessentially American singer-song-

writers got together for a song about making the most of the time we’ve got left. John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen’s “Wasted Days” is just one highlight of Mellencamp’s upcoming album, “Strictly a One-Eyed Jack,” set for release Friday, Jan. 21, on Republic Records. Mellencamp’s gravely voice and rootsy rock are all over the 12-track collection, the sound of an artist looking back with some regret and at the present with a critical eye. “Worries occupy my brain,” he sings in one song. It’s not all gloomy, though: In the single “Chasing Rainbows,” Mellencamp says our search should end: “At the end of the rainbow/Turns out it’s not somewhere/Look around it’s everywhere/For anyone who cares.”

— Norwegian pop star Aurora album is back with a divine new album, “The Gods We Can Touch,” out Friday, Jan. 21, via Decca. This time she leans into religion and Greek myths, like the track “Giving In to the Love,” which was inspired

by Prometheus stealing fire for humans and has the line: “I want to live my life, be all of its pages/And underline that I am not an angel.”

The lead single, “Cure For Me,” is a radical jaunty pop affirmation that

dismisses the need for outside approval.

— Keb’ Mo’ releases the 13-track album “Good To Be” on Friday, Jan. 21 via Rounder Records. Darius Rucker, Kristin Chenoweth and Old Crow Medicine Show all make guest appearances and Vince Gill produced three cuts. Some of the singles include “Good Strong Woman,” “Sunny and Warm,” “The Medicine Man” and a cover of Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.” The album was written between Nashville and his childhood home in Compton, California. The sunny, welcoming “Good To Be (Home Again),” the musician says, “feels like the title track to my life.”

TELEVISION — When a title is as catchy as “How I Met Your Mother,” there’s reason to think it will be recycled.

Say hello to Hulu’s iteration, “How I Met Your Father,” with Hilary Duff as the woman searching for love and a tale for future offspring.

Kim Cattrall, who skipped the sequel to “Sex and the City,” is Sophie circa 2050, filling her son in on his origin story and her frisky salad days. Co-stars Christopher Lowell, Francia Raisa, Tom Ainsley,

Tien Tran and Suraj Sharma play friends and others in Sophie’s circle. The series debuts Tuesday.

— Writer-producer Jason Katims, who gifted TV with “Friday Night Lights” and “Parenthood,” is steering Amazon’s “As We See It,” an adaptation of an Israeli series about 20-something roommates navigating the road to adulthood. Jack (Rick Glassman), Harrison (Albert Rutecki), and Violet (Sue Ann Pien) share something else: They are all on the autism spectrum. (The actors playing them also identify as being on the spectrum). The eight-episode comedic drama, which also stars Sosie Bacon, Chris Pang and Joe Mantegna, is out Friday, Jan. 21.

— It’s party time again for Gobo, Red, Mokey, Wembley and Boober on the Apple TV+ reboot “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock,” debuting Friday, Jan. 21. New friends are also promised in the 13 puppet-populated episodes with roots in the 1983 series created by Muppets mastermind Jim Henson. Signature elements: Bouncy tunes, silly jokes and good will.

The streaming service also is home to the original show’s 88 episodes, along with “Fraggle Rock” shorts and specials.

TAKE NOTICE

CABARRUS NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 498

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Daniel D. Bowman and Alexandria M. Orcutt (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Daniel D. Bowman and Alexandria M. Orcutt) to AmTrust Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated April 25, 2019, and recorded in Book No. 13474, at Page 4 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 that the Deed of Trust be

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 18 SP 522

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Paul L. Christenbury and Stacey M. Christenbury (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Paul L. Christenbury and Stacey M. Christenbury) to PRLAP, Inc., Trustee(s), dated June 29, 2007, and recorded in Book No. 7641, at Page 132 in Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on April 9, 2008, in Book No. 8170, at Page 143, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cabarrus County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Concord in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: TRACT #1:Lying and Being in a Number 2 Township, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being located on the east side of Untz Road (S.R. No. 1444), adjoining Carter B. Fisher, George E. Mantooth, Carl S. Barnhardt, and others

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION FILE NO. 21-CVS-1664 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CABARRUS WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, AS OWNER TRUSTEE OF THE RESIDENTIAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES TRUST VII-A, Plaintiff, v.

SHELLY BROWN, BRIDGET ROBINSON, TIMOTHY ROBINSON, TONY ROBINSON, THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF MARGUETRITE ROBINSON, THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF ROSA J. MANCLE, THE UNKNOWN HEIRS OF RICKY HEMPHILL and SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. Defendants.

AMENDED NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY UNDER AND BY VIRTUE of the power and authority

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CABARRUS COUNTY 20SP158 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JORDAN L. GADDY AND EDWARD B. GADDY DATED OCTOBER 2, 2018 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 13211 AT PAGE 222 IN THE CABARRUS 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

19 SP 454 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Clairesa L. Scales to Investors Title Insurance, Trustee(s), which was dated July 7, 2015 and recorded on July 8, 2015 in Book 11488 at Page 0124, Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina.

Defaulthavingbeenmadeofthenotetherebysecuredbythe 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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 21SP502 NOTICE OF SALE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY CABARRUS IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ARLENE L. FROEMMING DATED OCTOBER 8, 2015 RECORDED IN BOOK 11629 AT PAGE 142 IN THE CABARRUS COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA

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 January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Concord in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and Being in the City of Concord, Number Twelve (12) Township of Cabarrus County, North Carolina on the Northeast side of Spring Street, Northwest, and Being the “W. Scott Frieze Residence Property”, and being more fully described as follows: OLD DESCRIPTION BEGINNING at a stone, E. W. G. Fisher’s lot and the lot known as the Hurley lot, and runs thence South 47-30 West 214.5 feet to a stone on Spring Street; thence with Spring Street South 42-30 East 64.0 feet to a stone on Spring Street; thence North 47-30 East 214.5 feet to a stone on Fisher’s line; thence North 42-30 West 64.0 feet to the point of BEGINNING. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 84 Spring Street Northwest, Concord, North Carolina.

Parcel # 5620-78-8514-0000

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

and being more particularly described as follows:Beginning, at an iron in Untz Road (S.R. No. 1444), a common corner with Carter B. Fisher, George E. Mantooth, and others and runs through Untz Road, North 20-00-48 West (through an iron at 169.95 feet) for a total distance of 174.44 feet to an iron a common corner with George E. Mantooth, William Rankin, Carl S. Barnhardt, North 69-11-30 East 277.35 feet to an iron; thence a new line South 20-44-20 East (through an iron at 136.24 feet) for a total distance of 162.21 feet to an iron in the line of Carter B. Fisher, a new corner; thence South 66-41-30 West (through an iron at 229.01 feet) for a total distance of 279.84 feet to an iron in Untz Road, the Point of Beginning, containing 1.075 acres (including overlap and right of way areas for Untz Road and a 25 foot right of way easement), as surveyed and platted by James E. Craddock, RLS, of Concord Engineering and Surveying, Inc. on 3/20/1989.Being the same parcel of land conveyed to Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall, tenants by the entirety from Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall by that Deed dated 12/06/1993 and recorded 12/20/1993 in Deed Book 1159 at Page 281 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.Tract #2:Beginning at a iron found, located on the property lines between the Kermit H. Marshall and Lois Marshall 1.00 acre tract and the Kenneth H. Marshall and Leta P. Marshall 1.08 acre tract as shown on the attached survey and thence S. 22-49-16 E. 90.95 feet to an iron set, thence S. 14-10-45 E. 24.27 feet to a point, thence N. 21-00-16 West, 115.00 feet to the place and point of beginning, being approximately 166 square feet as shown on the attached survey drawn by Medlin Surveying Co. dated 9/6/06.Being the same parcel of land conveyed to Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall from Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall by that Deed dated

10/18/2006 and recorded 10/19/2006 in Deed Book 7093 at Page 138 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.

Tract #3:Beginning at an iron set along the property line of Lot 52 of Rollingwood Forest and the Kenneth H. Marshall and Leta P. Marshall Parcel and thence N. 25-48-53 E. 10.40 feet to a point; thence N. 58-38-13 E. 30.50 feet to an iron set; thence N. 65-39-20 W. 17.47 feet to a point; thence S. 68-47-59 W. 49.86 feet to the place and point of Beginning, being approximately 397 square feet more or less, as shown on the survey drawn by Medlin Surveying Co. dated 9/6/06 as shown on the attached plat.Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 7506 Untz Road, Concord, North CarolinaBeing the same parcel of land conveyed to Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall from Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall by that Deed dated 9/8/2006 and recorded 9/21/2006 in Deed Book 7032 at Page 308 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.Being all of the above referenced property less and except the property beginning at an iron set, said iron located N. 66-41-30 E. from an iron found on the property line of Kenneth H. Marshall and Leta P. Marshall and Charter B. Fisher, thence from this point of beginning N. 14-10-45 W. 47.61 feet to a point, thence S. 21-00-16 E. to a point, thence S. 66-51-50 W. 5.66 feet to the point and place of beginning, being approximately 133 square feet as shown on the attached survey labeled exhibit drawn by Medlin Surveying Company, dated 9/6/2006. Being the same parcel of land conveyed to Kermit H. Marshall and wife, Lois Marshall from Kenneth H. Marshall and wife, Leta P. Marshall by that Deed dated 9/08/2006 and recorded 9/21/2006 in Deed Book 7032 at Page 311 in the Cabarrus County Public Registry.

contained in that certain Order filed on November 11, 2021, in the above-captioned matter and pursuant to applicable law, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. as Commissioner (the “Commissioner”) will place for sale, at public auction, to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the CABARRUS COUNTY COURTHOUSE, 77 Union Street S. Concord, North Carolina on January 31, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. that certain parcel of land, including improvements thereon, situated, lying and being in the County of Cabarrus, State of North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The following described property, to wit: Lying and being in the City of Kannapolis, No. 4 Township, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, on the west side of McLain Road and being a part of Lots No. 68 of Lake View, a map of said property being on file in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cabarrus County, North Carolina, in Map Book 4, Page 79, adjoining the property of Howard V. Wyrick (Book 1869, Page 353, and Book 2445, Page 342), Stephen Q. Volgraff (Book 1470, Page 198), and McLain Heights, LLC (Book 1649, Page 89), and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a computed point on the west side of McLain Road, the front common corner of Lots Nos. 67 and 68 and

a corner of Wyrick (Book 1969, Page 353), and runs thence with the line of Lot No. 67 and the line of Wyrick, N. 73-0402 W. (passing a 1/2 inch found iron pin on line at 1.15 feet) 184.00 feet to a 1 1/2 inch iron pipe (found), a corner of Wyrick (Book 1869, Page 353 and Book 2445, Page 342) and Volgraff, thence with the line of Volgraff, N. 26-00-00 E. 99.64 feet to a 1 1/2 inch iron pipe (found) in the line of Lot No. 69 and McLain Heights, LLC; thence with the line of Lot No. 69 and McLain Heights, LLC, S. 73-42-41 E. (passing a 1/2 inch found iron rod on line at 175.84 feet) 184.00 feet to a computed point on the west side of McLain Road, the front common corner of Lots Nos. 68 and 69; thence with the west side of McLain Road, S. 25-59-11 W. 99.78 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, containing 0.415 acre, more or less, as surveyed by Billy B. Long, Jr., P.L.S., dated January 24, 2001.

Address of property: 1017 McLain Road Kannapolis, NC 28083 Parcel Number: 56231465980000 Present Record Owners: Rosa J. Mancle (Deceased)

Marguerite G. Robinson (Estate of/ Deceased) The terms of the sale are that the real property hereinbefore described will be sold to the highest bidder. The

holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will expose for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 10:00AM on January 26, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Jordan L. Gaddy and Edward B. Gaddy, dated October 2, 2018 to secure the original principal amount of $184,594.00, and recorded in Book 13211 at Page 222 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 1408 Lane St, Kannapolis, NC 28083 Tax Parcel ID:

56243142930000 Present Record Owners: J o r d a n Gaddy and spouse, Edward Gaddy And Being more commonly known as: 1408 Lane St, Kannapolis, NC 28083 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Jordan Gaddy and spouse, Edward Gaddy.

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

the county courthouse for conducting the sale on January 25, 2022 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to wit:

($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.

Being Lot No. 100 of PORTERS LANDING, Phase 4, a map of said property being on file in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cabarrus County, North Carolina in Map Book 40, at Page 91, specific reference thereto being hereby made for a more complete description thereof by metes and bounds.

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

Said property is commonly known as 11623 BAYSTONE PLACE, CONCORD, NC 28025.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements therein contained and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cabarrus County courthouse at 2:00 PM on January 31, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Arlene L. Froemming, dated October 8, 2015 to secure the original principal amount of $206,654.00, and recorded in Book 11629 at Page 142 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale

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 Clairesa L. Scales.

record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended. Address of property: 124 Ridge Drive, Harrisburg, NC 28075 Tax Parcel ID: 5507-48-4131-0000 Present Record Owners: Heirs of Arlene Louise Froemming; The Froemming Living Trust The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Heirs of Arlene Louise Froemming and The Froemming Living Trust. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions

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.

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.

Commissioner reserves the right to require certified funds not to exceed the greater of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00). The successful bidder shall also be required to pay revenue stamps on the Commissioner’s Deed, any Land Transfer Tax, and the tax required by N.C.G.S. Section 7A-308(a) (1) unless the person entitled to enforce the instrument is exempt from paying these sums.

The real property hereinabove described is being offered for sale “AS IS, WHERE IS” and will be sold subject to all superior liens, unpaid taxes, and special assessments. The Commissioner reserves the right to sell the real property either as a group or on an individual basis whichever will bring the highest bid(s). Other conditions will be announced at the sale. The sale will be held open for ten (10) days for upset bids as by law required.

its sole discretion, if he believes the challenge to have merit, may declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 1-339.29 against the party or parties to the proceeding in possession by the presiding judge or clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

Respectfully submitted this the 4th day of January, 2022.

HUTCHENS LAW FIRM LLP Attorneys for Commissioner Substitute Trustee Services, Inc.

If the Commissioner is unable to convey title to this property foranyreason,thesoleremedyofthepurchaseristhereturn 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 Commissioner. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Commissioner, in

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 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.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS: If you are

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

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

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,

existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale.

Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed.

This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser

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: 2990 - 7228

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

Jeffrey A. Bunda, Esq. N.C. Bar No. 34432 Post Office Box 12497 Charlotte, NC 28220 Telephone: (704) 362-9255 ext. 2359 Facsimile: (704) 357-6233

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 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 January 6, 2022.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 20-109618

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.

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.: 19-08557-FC01

shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing. SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

The date of this Notice is 5th day of January, 2022. Grady I. Ingle, Attorney for Substitute Trustee Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717 I ngle Case Number: 4528-5135

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B9

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 704

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Jolynn M. Quinn and Frank P. Quinn (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Jolynn M. Quinn, Heirs of Jolynn M. Quinn a/k/a Jolynn Major Quinn: Frank P. Quinn, Larry D. Quinn, Amelia Irene Quinn, Frank James Quinn, Zachary Quinn, Nicolas Luke Quinn) to PRLAP, Inc., Trustee(s), dated March 20, 2008, and recorded in Book No. 7852, at Page 0103 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 721

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Carol F. Lowery (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Carol F. Lowery, Heirs of Carol F. Lowery: Corey French Lowery, Clint Edward Lowery, Willie Dustin Lowery) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated September 23, 2013, and recorded in Book No. 09300, at Page 0514 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina,

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 667

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Paul Russell Jones, III (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Paul Russell Jones, III) to National Title Network, Trustee(s), dated March 7, 2011, and recorded in Book No. 08606, at Page 0610 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 655

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Conrad O. Martin, III and Crystal G. Martin (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Conrad O. Martin, III and Crystal G. Martin) to David W. Allred, Trustee(s), dated August 5, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 6969, at Page 781 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 20 SP 210

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Anthony L. Whorley (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Anthony L. Whorley) to CTC Real Estate Services, Trustee(s), dated June 27, 2002, and recorded in Book No. 5783, at Page 302 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 20 SP 330

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Veronica Valerie Eaglin and Michael J. Eaglin, Jr. (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Michael Joseph Eaglin, Jr.) to National Title Network, Trustee(s), dated July 19, 2012, and recorded in Book No. 8954, at Page 673 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 24, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 248

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Wilfredo Viruet, Sr. to Jennifer R. Cooney, Trustee(s), dated the 17th day of December, 2008, and recorded in Book 8040, Page 085, and Additional Deed of Trust in Book 8040, Page 094, in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the note thereby 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 of Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in the City

21 CVS 1550 PUBLICATION DATES: January 12, 2022 and January 19, 2022 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained

20 SP 599 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by William Nobles, Jr. to The Law Offices of H.C. Stevens, Trustee(s), which was dated February 23, 2006 and recorded on February 24, 2006 in Book 7156 at Page 759, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lots 407 and 414, in a subdivision known as Crystal Park, Subdivision, Section Four, according to a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 51, Page 13, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 5005 New Moon Drive and 1728 Crystal Springs Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

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.

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),

or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Tax Id Number(s): 0416-41-5028Land situated in the City of Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland in the State of NC Land situated in the Township of Seventy First in the County of Cumberland in the State of NC Being all of Lot 58 of Lake Frances Subdivision, Section One as shown on a plat of same duly recorded in Book of Plats 65, Page 94, Cumberland County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4517 Park Knoll Lane, Fayetteville, north Carolina.

Commonly known as: 4517 Park Knoll Lane, Fayetteville, NC 28304 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court

costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. 7A-308(a)(1).

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

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00),

whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 5289 - 20626

bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Hope Mills in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land referred to herein below is situated in the County of Cumberland, State of North Carolina, and is described as follows:

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.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE

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.

situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Beginning at an iron pipe on the eastern right of way of Hornbeam Road, said pipe being located South 04 degrees 25 minutes West 122.11 feet from the P.C. of the curve at the intersection of the southern right of way margin of Butternut Drive and the eastern right of way margin of Hornbeam Road, also being the northwest corner of Lot #23, Block “H”, of Lafayette Village, Section Fifteen, recorded in Plat Book 29, Page 78, and runs thence with the dividing line between Lots #21, #22, and #23, South 85 degrees 35 minutes east 147.56 feet to an iron pipe; thence a new line, South 04 degrees 06 minutes West 80.0 feet to an iron pipe; thence with the dividing line between Lots #23 and #24, North 85 degrees 35 minutes West 148.0 feet to an iron pipe on the eastern right of way margin of Hornbeam Road; thence with said margin, North 04 degrees 25 minutes East 80.0 feet to the beginning, and being the major portion of Lot #23, Block “H” of Lafayette Village, Section Fifteen, recorded in Plat Book 29, Page 78, in the Cumberland County Registry, and being a portion of the property described in Deed Book 2600, Page 620, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Being the same property conveyed in Deed Book

2695, Page 386, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 5307 Hornbeam Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred 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.

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: 4686 - 17437

January 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Lying and being situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and more particularly described as follows:

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.

($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.

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 expressly are 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 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.

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice

of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE

highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING, all of Lot 13 in a subdivision known as DALTONS RIDGE, SECTION ONE, according to a plat of the same recorded in Plat Book 113, Page 155, Cumberland County Registry.

releases. Any assessments, costs or fees resulting from the sale will be due and payable from the purchaser at the sale.

A cash deposit or certified check (no personal check) in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the high bid will be required at the time of the sale.

The sale will be held open for ten days for upset bids as required by law.

This the ____ day of _______________, 20____.

Being all of Lot 4 in a subdivision known as redivision of Earl E. Hart Property, the same being duly recorded in Book of Plat 26, Page 78, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4112 Legion Road, Hope Mills, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 0424-19-1585 Commonly known as 4112 Legion Road, Hope Mills, NC 28348 However, by showing this address no additional coverage is provided

Being all of Lot(s) 81, in a subdivision known as Hillendale, Section 3, according to a plat duly recorded in Plat Book 46, Page 22, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 711 Brougham Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

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

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

The property to be offered pursuant to

Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land referred to herein below is situated in the County of Cumberland, State of North Carolina, and is described as follows: Being all of Lot 1 & 6, in a subdivision known as Callaway Construction, according to a plat of the same being duly recorded in Book of Plats 118, Page 179, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 330 Rachel Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Parcel ID; 0542-25-4310Commonly known as 330 Rachel Road, Fayetteville, NC 28311 However, by showing this address no additional coverage is provided 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

of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 24, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 8 according to a plat entitled Recombination and Zero Lot Line Subdivision for Fayetteville Area Habitat For Humanity, duly recorded in Book of Plats 116, Page 165, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 404 Vanstory Street, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in NCGS 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 NCGS 7A-308(a)(1).

The property to be offered pursuant to

in a judgment bearing the caption “COMMUNITY LOAN SERVICING, LLC, Plaintiff vs. ASHLEY N. FANNON, Heir of Marsha Lewis Fannon; ALEXIS S. FANNON, Heir of Marsha Lewis Fannon. and SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC., Substitute Trustee, Defendants” 21 CVS 1550 Cumberland County and pursuant to the terms of the judgment, the undersigned Commissioner will offer for sale that certain property as described below. Said sale will be held in the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, January 24, 2022 at the Cumberland County Courthouse door and will sell to the

The property is being sold “as is”, without warranties, subject to all taxes, special assessments and prior liens or encumbrances of record and any recorded

courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on February 2, 2022 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit:

($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.

BEING ALL OF LOT 2, IN A SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS WELMAR HEIGHTS, SECTION 5, BLOCK A, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF THE SAME DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 25, PAGE 16, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY.

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 NC K-9 Land Trust 1.

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

Said property is commonly known as 4206 Atlantic Ave, Fayetteville, NC 28306.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars

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

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

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,

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: 5291 - 20638

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: 5161 - 19857

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: 2433 - 5574

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: 2216 - 4939

c/o Hutchens Law Firm LLP P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Case No: 1322744 (FC.FAY)

BY: _____________________________

Susan R. Benoit, Commissioner Post Office Box 2505 Fayetteville, NC 28302 (910) 864-6888

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.

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.: 19-10043-FC01

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B10 TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 732

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Daniel J. Kidd and Renata Kidd (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Renata Kidd and Daniel J. Kidd) to F. Stuart Clarke, Trustee(s), dated May 20, 2003, and recorded in Book No. 6102, at Page 573 in Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cumberland County, North Carolina and the holder

21 SP 515 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Henry D. Geigerman to NETCO, Inc., Trustee(s), which was dated March 27, 2015 and recorded on April 2, 2015 in Book 09622 at Page 0823, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on February 2, 2022 at 01:30 PM, and

19 SP 1329 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Patrice L. Butler and Dennaris L. Butler a/k/a Dennaris K. Butler to Bridgetrust Title Group, Trustee(s), which was dated March 3, 2017 and recorded on March 3, 2017 in Book 10048 at Page 0344, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 19SP935 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY PAUL W. ROLLIZO, SR. AND MELISSA L. ROLLIZO DATED DECEMBER 31, 2004 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 6763 AT PAGE 242 AND MODIFIED

BY AGREEMENT RECORDED DECEMBER 27, 2012 IN BOOK 9074, PAGE 346 AND FURTHER MODIFIED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED MAY 4, 2018 IN BOOK 10299, AT PAGE 62 AND FURTHER MODIFIED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED DECEMBER 20, 2018 IN BOOK 10422, PAGE 788 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE

19 SP 1637 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Rodrigo A. Suarez and Melissa D. Suarez to Kenneth C. Praschan, Trustee(s), which was dated June 26, 1997 and recorded on June 27, 1997 in Book 4682 at Page 0112, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 19SP1323 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY TERRY J. CARREIA AND GWENDOLYN F. CARREIA DATED MARCH 20, 2003 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 6037 AT PAGE 064 IN THE CUMBERLAND 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

DAVIDSON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DAVIDSON COUNTY 21SP353 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ERNEST DALE SMITH DATED JUNE 8, 2016 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2225 AT PAGE 1451 IN THE DAVIDSON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in

FORSYTH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 1281

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Vernie Damenor (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Vernie S. Damenor) to , Trustee(s), dated December 13, 1999, and recorded in Book No. 2098, at Page 104 in Forsyth 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 Forsyth County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed

JOHNSTON 20 SP 148 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, JOHNSTON COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jonah Keith Johnson and Sheila G. Johnson to Gayle N. Price, Trustee(s), which was dated May 21, 2007 and recorded on May 22, 2007 in Book 3348 at Page 331, Johnston County Registry, North Carolina.

Defaulthavingbeenmadeofthenotetherebysecuredbythe 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

of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on January 24, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 17, Block “I” in a subdivision known as Lagrange, Section Five, according to a plat of the same duly recorded in Book of Plats 28, Page 66, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 7557 Decatur Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars

will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of Unit 3, Building 9, Phase X, King’s Grant Condominiums, as recorded in Condominium Book 5, Page 69, Cumberland County Registry with the ownership interests, privileges, appurtenances, conditions and restrictions contained and described in the Declaration of King’s Grant Condominiums recorded Book 4468, Page 0271, and amended in Book 4759, Page 0345, Cumberland County Registry.

Being the same property or a portion of the same property conveyed to Henry D. Giegerman, separated by Instrument dated May 01, 1998 from King’s Grant Condominiums LLC filed on May 06, 1998 in Book 4857; at Page 0025; in the Cumberland County records.

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

Said property is commonly known as 390 Bubble Creek Court, Unit 3, Fayetteville, NC 28311-1481.

conducting the sale on February 2, 2022 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit:

($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.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are All Lawful Heirs of Henry D. Geigerman.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued

pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

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

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.

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.: 19-18631-FC01

and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b) (2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE

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

Said property is commonly known as 1649 Carl Freeman Road, Stedman, NC 28391.

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 Dennaris K. Butler and wife, Patrice L. Butler.

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

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

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.

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 to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 10:30AM on January 24, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Paul W. Rollizo, Sr. and Melissa L. Rollizo, dated December 31, 2004 to secure the original principal amount of $95,615.00, and recorded in Book 6763 at Page 242 of the Cumberland County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate,

but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 5304 Blanco Dr, Parkton, NC 28371 Tax Parcel ID: 0 4 03-247463Present Record Owners: Paul W. Rollizo and Melissa L. Rollizo And Being more commonly known as: 5304 Blanco Dr, Parkton, NC 28371 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Paul W. Rollizo and Melissa L. Rollizo.

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 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.

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 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 January 4, 2022.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 17-095040

and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on January 26, 2022 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit:

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.

superior court of the county in which the property is sold.

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

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.

BEING all of Lot Number 2, containing 8.01 acres, more or less as shown on a plat entitled, “PROPERTY OF BILLY D. HORNE AND HAROLD D. DOWNING” and recorded in Plat Book 81, Page 106, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

BEING all of Lot 84 in a Subdivision known as LAFAYETTE VILLAGE, Section 16, according to a plat of the same duly recorded in Book of Plats 33, Page 64, Cumberland County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 1935 Aspen Cir, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

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 Rodrigo A. Suarez and wife, Melissa D. Suarez.

File No.: 18-00764-FC02

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

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

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

and, pursuant to demand of the owner and holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will expose for sale at public auction to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 11:00AM on January 28, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Terry J. Carreia and Gwendolyn F. Carreia, dated March 20, 2003 to secure the original principal amount of $78,260.00, and recorded in Book 6037 at Page 064 of the Cumberland 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.

512 Jennings Address of property: Farm Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28314 Tax Parcel ID: 0 4 07-3 5 -

0955 Present Record Owners: Gwendolyn F. Carreia And Being more commonly known as: 512 Jennings Farm Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28314 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Gwendolyn F. Carreia.

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 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.

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 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 November 22, 2021.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 19-107439

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 to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 10:00AM on January 31, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Ernest Dale Smith, dated June 8, 2016 to secure the original principal amount of $132,750.00, and recorded in Book 2225 at Page 1451 of the Davidson County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 531 Frye Bridge Rd, Clemmons, NC 27012 Tax Parcel ID: 0301500000022C Present Record Owners: The Heirs of Ernest Dale Smith And Being more commonly known as: 531 Frye Bridge Rd, Clemmons, NC 27012 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of Ernest Dale Smith.

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 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.

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 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 January 11, 2022.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 21-111924

that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:15 PM on January 26, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Forsyth, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING KNOWN AND DESIGNATED as Lot No. 56, as shown on the Map of Broadbay Heights, recorded in Plat Book 25 at page 123 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina, reference to which is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2350 Blecker Drive, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred 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.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE

property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on February 1, 2022 at 12:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Johnston County, North Carolina, to wit: ALL THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF LAND SITUATED IN ELEVATION TOWNSHIP, JOHNSTON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA AND MORE PARTICULARLY DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEGINNING AT AN EXISTING IRON PIPE IN THE CENTER OF UNPAVED NCSR 1353, BEING THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THOMAS E. AND JACKIE LARVE BENSONS 1.00 ACRE LOT (D.B. 725-164) IN THE M. G. JOHNSON, JR. LINE AND RUNS AS SAID JOHNSON LINE S 83 DEGREES 01 MINUTES E 222.42 FEET TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE IN THE RUN OF A SMALL BRANCH, R. C. CANADAYS LINE; THENCE UP THE RUN OF SAID BRANCH AND THE R. C. CANADAY LINE N 09 DEGREES 33 MINUTES 06 SECONDS W 172.56 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE; THENCE N 11 DEGREES 49 MINUTES 48 SECONDS E 217.17 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE AT THE BRANCH; THENCE A NEW LINE WITH MARY ELENA PARKER S 73 DEGREES 34 MINUTES 06 SECONDS W 375.47 FEET TO AN IRON STAKE IN THE ROAD; THENCE AS SAID ROAD S 26 DEGREES 20 MINUTES E 37.45 FEET

TO AN EXISTING IRON PIPE, THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF THE BENSON LOT; THENCE S 26 DEG. 20 MIN. E 240.00 FEET TO THE BEGINNING, CONTAINING 2.00 ACRES IN TRAVERSE AND BEING A PORTION OR TRACT NO. 1A OF THE MARY E. PARKER LANDS, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY W. STANTON MASSENGILL, R.L.S., L-2472, ON FEBRUARY 21, 1986. BEING THE SAME FEE SIMPLE PROPERTY CONVEYED BY DEED FROM MARY H. (HARGIS) PARKER WIDOWED TO JONAH KEITH JOHNSON, DATED 03/06/1986 RECORDED ON 03/18/1986 IN BOOK 1007, PAGE 729 IN JOHNSTON COUNTY RECORDS, STATE OF NC. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 927 Olivers Grove Road, Four Oaks, NC 27524.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. 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 Jonah Keith Johnson.

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant

provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b) (2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

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.

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.: 18-08238-FC02

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

File No.: 19-19048-FC01

Attorney at Law Hutchens Law Firm LLP Attorneys for Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. PO Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 Telephone: (910) 864-6888 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: 1274064 - 10295

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

B11

TAKE NOTICE

JOHNSTON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 16SP234 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY IVAN BERNABE AND MISTY BERNABE DATED JULY 26, 2006 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 3180 AT PAGE 559 IN THE JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 21SP13 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY FRANCIS CHARLES COATS AND TINA ELIZABETH COATS DATED APRIL 19, 2006 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 3105 AT PAGE 371 IN THE JOHNSTON 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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 18SP90 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY REBECCA HORTON DATED OCTOBER 19, 2016 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 4850 AT PAGE 719 AND CORRECTED BY AFFIDAVIT RECORDED NOVEMBER 10, 2020 IN BOOK 5751, PAGE 912 IN THE JOHNSTON 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

ONSLOW NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 605

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Mary Frances D. Murphy and Garland L. Murphy (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Ivey M. Murphy) to Karen Lamm, Trustee(s), dated August 26, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 2513, at Page 44 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,

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 722

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Regina H. Cooley and David A. Babbert (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Regina H. Cooley and David A. Babbert) to Esther Santos, Trustee(s), dated September 15, 2008, and recorded in Book No. 3127, at Page 977 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on March 2, 2015, in Book No. 4267, at Page 834, 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 February 3, 2022 and will

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 492

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Tranquilino V. Costillo and Sylvia S. Costillo (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Tranquilino V. Costillo and Sylvia S. Costillo) to Pamela S. Cox, Trustee(s), dated November 2, 2017, and recorded in Book No. 4696, at Page 382 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,

UNION A

GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 21 CVS 1015

NOTICE OF JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF UNION Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Plaintiff, vs.

Jason E. Fout a/k/a Jason Edward Fout; Any Spouse of Jason E. Fout a/k/a Jason Edward Fout; Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC,

Defendant(s).

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Jeremy B.

WAKE 20 SP 685 NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, WAKE COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jack H. Alexander, Jr. to First American Title Insurance Agency, Trustee(s), which was dated June 4, 2007 and recorded on June 8, 2007 in Book 012594 at Page 01191, Wake County Registry, North Carolina.

Default having been made of the note thereby secured

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 370

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by David Johnston and Jonan Johnston (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): David Johnston and Jonan K. Johnston) to Ragsdale Liggett PLLC, Trustee(s), dated May 25, 2018, and recorded in Book No. 017138, at Page 00200 in Wake 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 Wake 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 Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street

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 to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 1:00PM on February 4, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Johnston County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Ivan Bernabe and Misty Bernabe, dated July 26, 2006 to secure the original principal amount of $90,000.00, and recorded in Book 3180 at Page 559 of the Johnston County Public Registry.

The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record.

Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: Clear 198 Water Dr, Smithfield, NC 27577 Tax Parcel ID: 17K08029H Present Record Owners: H a n a s i Development, LLC And Being more commonly known as: 198 Clear Water Dr, Smithfield, NC 27577 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Hanasi Development, LLC. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either 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 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.

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 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 December 28, 2021.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 16-078656

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 to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 11:00AM on February 1, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Johnston County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Francis Charles Coats and Tina Elizabeth Coats, dated April 19, 2006 to secure the original principal amount of $102,927.65, and recorded in Book 3105 at Page 371 of the Johnston 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.

1 Address of property: 0 5

Southgate Dr, Garner, NC 27529 Tax Parcel ID: 06E03009E Francis Present Record Owners: Charles Coats and Tina Elizabeth Coats And Being more commonly known as: 105 Southgate Dr, Garner, NC 27529 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Francis Charles Coats and Tina Elizabeth Coats.

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 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.

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 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 December 8, 2021.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 20-110723

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 to the highest bidder for cash at the usual place of sale at the county courthouse of said county at 10:00AM on February 2, 2022 the following described real estate and any other improvements which may be situated thereon, in Johnston County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Rebecca Horton, dated October 19, 2016 to secure the original principal amount of $113,898.00, and recorded in Book 4850 at Page 719 of the Johnston 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.

118 W Silver Address of property:

Belle Dr, Zebulon, NC 27597 11M01003J Tax Parcel ID: Rebecca Present Record Owners: Horton And Being more commonly known as: 118 W Silver Belle Dr, Zebulon, NC 27597 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Rebecca Horton.

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 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.

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 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 December 1, 2021.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 17-096349

at 10:00 AM on February 3, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Hubert in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land referred to is described as follows: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in the Township of White Oak, Onslow County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: Commencing at a point where the centerline of Elizabeth Street Extension (60 foot right of way) intersects the centerline of NCSR 1778; thence continuing along the centerline of Elizabeth Street Extension as measured in a General southeastern direction approximately 61307 feet to a point; South 33 degrees 54 minutes 15 seconds West 32.78 feet to an iron stake located on the southwestern right of way of Elizabeth Street Extension, said iron stake being the true point of beginning; thence continuing along said right of way south 38 degrees 10 minutes 36 seconds East 146.38 feet to an iron stake; thence leaving said right of way and running along an agreed line South 48 degrees 11 minutes 42 seconds West 130.10 feet to an iron stake located in the center of an old abandoned dirt road; thence running along an agreed line and along said dirt road North 35 degrees 10 minutes 04 seconds West 131.08 feet to an iron stake; thence cornering and running North 40 degrees 54 minutes 32 seconds East 125.22 feet to the point and

place of Beginning. Containing 0.40 acres and being a portion of the property described in Deed Book 614, Page 669, Onslow County Registry, as shown on a Survey by John L. Pierce, Registered Land Surveyor, dated June 18, 1987. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 126 Elizabeth Drive, East, Hubert, North Carolina.

Tax ID# 1128-54-2 Property Address: 126 Elizabeth Drive East, Hubert, NC 28539 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23.

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

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

sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

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

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

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

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

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1277933 - 12845

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: In Onslow County: Being all of Tract Two containing 1.00 acre as described on that plat entitled “Boundary Survey for Johnny Ray Brinson” prepared by Dennis L. Manning, Land Surveyor and recorded in Map Book 37, Page 49, Slide K-36, Onslow County Registry. Together with that 20 foot ingress and egress easement described as Easement A on the aforesaid map. Together with 1998 OAKW Size 24X46 VIN Number HONCO5528729AB Title Number 771005011554016. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2064 Blue Creek Road, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

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 of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior

at 10:00 AM on February 3, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Sneads Ferry in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 65, as shown and described on a map entitled, “Final Plat Showing The Townhomes of Justice Farms, Section I, Prepared for Diversified Investors, Inc., Stump Sound Township, Onslow County, NC”, dated September 10, 2015, prepared by John L. Pierce & Associates, P.A. and recorded in Map Book 71, Page 89, Cabinet N, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Onslow County, North Carolina. Including the Unit located thereon; said unit being located at 102 Justice farm Drive, Sneads Ferry, North Carolina.

Subject to Restrictive and Protective Covenants recorded in Book 4500, Page 425, Onslow County Registry.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars

($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

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

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

the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

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

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice

of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 3295 - 8205

Wilkins, Commissioner, pursuant to the Order/Judgment entered in the above-captioned case on November 2, 2021 (“Order”), and by virtue of the appointment, power and authority contained in that Order, has been authorized and ordered to sell the property commonly known as 7133 Stoney Ridge Road, Matthews, NC 28104 (“Property”).

Said Property is secured by the Deed of Trust executed by Jason E. Fout and Amanda Fout, dated September 1, 2006 and recorded on September 6, 2006 in Book 04292 at Page 0416 of the Union County, North Carolina Registry.

The Property shall be sold together with improvements located thereon, towards satisfaction of the debt due by JASON E. FOUT, and secured by the lien against such property in favor of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A..

The Commissioner will offer for sale to the highest bidder at a public auction at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on January 25, 2022 at 12:30 PM the following described real property (including all improvements thereon) located in Union County, North Carolina and described as follows: BEING ALL OF LOT 4 IN BLOCK 3 FOR FAIRFIELD PLANTATION, SECTION 1, AS SHOWN ON A MAP THEREOF RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 6 AT PAGE 142 OF

THE UNION COUNTY REGISTRY. The above described property will be sold, transferred and conveyed “AS IS, WHERE IS” subject to liens or encumbrances of record which are superior to such Deed of Trust, together with all unpaid taxes and assessments and any recorded releases. Neither the Commissioner nor the holder of the debt secured by such Deed of Trust, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Commissioner or the holder of the debt make any representation of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health, or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such conditions expressly are disclaimed.

The Commissioner shall convey title to the property by non-warranty deed, without any covenants or warranties, express or implied.

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 1-339.29 (c) in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the judge or clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies 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.

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.

To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current record owners of the property as reflected on the records of the UNION COUNTY Register of Deeds’ office not more than ten (10) days prior to the date hereof are Jason E. Fout.

A cash deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchasing price will be required at the time of the sale. Any successful bidder shall be required to tender the full balance of the purchase price of bid in cash or certified check at the time the Commissioner tenders a deed for the Property or attempts to tender such deed, and should said successful bidder fail to pay the full balance purchase price of bid at that time, said bidder shall remain liable on said bid as provided for under North Carolina law.

The sale will be reported to the court and will remain open for advance or upset bids for a period of ten (10) days as

required by law. If the Commissioner 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 Commissioner. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the Commissioner, 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.

JEREMY B. WILKINS, Commissioner 5431 Oleander Drive, Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 (910) 202-2800 Phone (888) 207-9353 Facsimile File No.: 09-04070-JUD01

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 February 2, 2022 at 10:00 AM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Wake County, North Carolina, to wit: BEING all of Lot 395, Windsor Ridge at Greystone Village, a part of Greystone Village, as shown on map recorded in Book of Maps 1988, Page 755, Wake County Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 7909 Rooksley Court, Raleigh, NC 27615.

A certified check only (no personal checks) of five percent

(5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED. Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. 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 Jack H. Alexander, Jr.

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

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

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.

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.: 16-05749-FC02

entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on January 24, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fuquay Varina in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 50, Brookside Subdivision, Phase 3A, as shown on that plat recorded in Plat Book 2016, Pages 19261927, Wake County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 281 Rhonda Lilley Drive, Fuquay Varina, North Carolina.

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.

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE By: ___________________________________ Attorney at Law Hutchens Law Firm LLP Attorneys for Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. PO Box 1028 Fayetteville, NC 28302 Telephone: (910) 864-6888 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: 1278463 - 9731

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: 1265719 - 10274

B12

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

pen & paper pursuits

sudoku

solutions From January 12, 2022

VOLUME 6 ISSUE 47 | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2022 | RANDOLPHRECORD.COM

THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Randolph record

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Snow fell on Virginia Avenue in Asheboro during the weekend. The storm created concerns about power and travel conditions in Randolph County.

COUNTY NEWS Chatham County hopes Toyota lures more business Chatham County officials hope that Toyota’s announcement of a more than $1 billion investment in Randolph County helps lure other tech companies to their county. A site, about 10 minutes from the planned Toyota plant, is attempting to lure companies that also have ties to the electric vehicle industry. The county has a pair of 2,000-acre sites and was under consideration by a semiconductor company, before being eliminated from consideration in favor of other locations.

Robin Sage set to begin Jan 22 Special Forces candidates will participate in a two-week training exercise across 25 North Carolina counties this week, a news release from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School says.

The participants are students at Fort Bragg.

“We appreciate the support and consideration the citizens of North Carolina extend to the soldiers participating in the exercise and thank them for their understanding of any inconveniences the training may cause,” the news release states.

The exercise is the final test for soldiers going through the Special Forces Qualification Course.

County to receive grants for parks and recreation upgrades The N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF) Authority has approved $28.6 million in capital improvement projects and land acquisitions for state parks and an additional $13.6 million in grants to fund 41 local parks and recreation projects including three projects in Randolph County.

Among the grants are $500,000 for the Zoo City Sportsplex in Asheboro, $128,922 for the Deep River State Trail and Blueway in Ramseur, and $354,991 for Stout Street Park improvements in Randleman.

Power restored after storm blows through North State Journal staff ASHEBORO — Winter Storm Izzy struck Randolph County during the weekend, but power outages were mostly limited and crews worked to restore service quickly in many instances.

By mid-morning Monday, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation reported that things were in good shape for its customers.

“Crews worked into the late evening to restore damage from Winter Storm Izzy,” Randolph EMC said in a statement. “We’re happy to report no remaining outages at this time. We’ll continue to closely monitor conditions until the remnants of Izzy are long gone.”

Across Randolph EMC’s five-county area, there were 1,865

members reported with outages.

The peak came at about 3 p.m. Sunday with 1,600 customers impacted.

At 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Randolph Electric reported fewer than 300 members affected by outages in its five-county service territory.

“So far, members in Montgomery, Moore, and Randolph Counties have experienced the most outages, due to the freezing rain and ice build-up on trees,” said Dale Lambert, Randolph Electric CEO. Temperatures remained at or below freezing for much of Sunday.

“We are very pleased that the storm did not materialize to the level of ice and wind predicted for our area,” Lambert said. “I’m proud of our employee and contractor team for working quickly to get the lights

White House soft-launches COVID-19 test request website

By Zeke Miller The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden administration on Tuesday quietly launched its website for Americans to request free athome COVID-19 tests, a day before the site was scheduled to officially go online.

The website, COVIDTests.gov, now includes a link for Americans to access an order form run by the U.S. Postal Service. People can order four at-home tests per residential address, to be delivered by the Postal Service. It marks the latest step by President Joe Biden to address criticism of low inventory and long lines for testing during a nationwide surge in COVID-19 cases due to the omicron variant.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the website was in “beta testing” and operating at a “limited capacity” ahead of its

official launch. The website will officially launch mid-morning Wednesday, Psaki said.

There were isolated reports Tuesday afternoon of issues relating to the website’s address verification tool erroneously enforcing the four-per-household cap on apartment buildings and other multi-unit dwellings, but it was not immediately clear how widespread the issue was.

At points Tuesday more than 750,000 people were accessing the website at the same time, according to public government tracking data, but it was not immediately known how many orders were placed.

She added that the administration was anticipating a “bug or two,” but had IT experts from across the government working to get the site ready.

Biden announced last month that the U.S. would purchase 500

“We are very pleased that the storm did not materialize to the level of ice and wind predicted for our area. ... I’m proud of our employee and contractor team for working quickly to get the lights back on for our members.”

Dale Lambert, Randolph Electric CEO. back on for our members.”

The massive storm moved up the East Coast and impacted power, roads and travel across multiple states.

In advance of the storm, Duke Energy staged more than 11,000 workers – power line technicians, damage assessors and vegetation workers – across the Carolinas.

As of 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Duke Energy reported fewer than 70 outages in its Randolph County service area. The state’s largest utility reported more than 16,000 customers without power.

million at-home tests to launch the program and on Thursday the president announced that he was doubling the order to 1 billion tests.

But Americans shouldn’t expect a rapid turnaround on the orders and they will have to plan ahead and request the tests well before they meet federal guidelines for when to use a test.

The White House said “tests will typically ship within 7- 12 days of ordering” through USPS, which reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States.

Officials emphasized that the federal website is just one way for people to procure COVID-19 tests, and shortages of at-home test kits have shown signs of easing as more supply has hit the market.

Since Saturday, private insurance companies have been required to cover the cost of at-home rapid tests, allowing Americans to be reimbursed for tests they purchase at pharmacies and online retailers. That covers up to eight tests per month.

Randolph EMC enacted its storm response plan on Thursday and prepared for potential multiday outages.

Randolph EMC released crews on Monday morning to aid the members of their sister cooperative, Pee Dee Electric Membership Corporation, headquartered in Lilesville. Trucks rolled out early to assist Pee Dee technicians just south of the Randolph Electric service area, where freezing rain accumulated in heavier concentrations.

North Carolina Department of Transportation officials continue to warn of black ice and hazardous driving conditions on roads.

The Randolph County School System wasn’t impacted right away by the storm in terms of instructional days. The schools were closed Monday for the Martin Luther King holiday, then teacher workdays were scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday.

There was a similar arrangement for Asheboro City Schools. An optional teach workday was in place for Tuesday, with another teacher workday Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Randolph Community College was closed Tuesday, citing “hazardous ice conditions on campus and roads.”

5

20177 52016 $1.00

8

Randolph Record for Wednesday, July 21, 2021

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Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022 Randolph Record for Wednesday, July 7, 2021

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY

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conversation” Stanly County Journal ISSN: 2575-2278 North NorthState State Journal Journal (USPS 20451) (USPS 20451) Publisher (ISSN 2471-1365) (ISSN 2471-1365) Neal Robbins

Editor

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Neal NealRobbins Robbins Sports Editor Cory Lavalette Editor Editor

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DEATH NOTICES

♦ Christopher Enos Burris, WEEKLY FORECAST 40, of Oakboro,X DEATH NOTICES SPONSORED BY ♦ Georgia Bernice Siler, 89, of Siler City, died July 15, 2021, at her home. ♦ Harold Eugene “Gene” Anderson, 82, died at his home on Monday, July 12, 2021 in a tragic house fire.

CALL OR TEXT 336-629-7588 ♦ Addie Mae Hunt McLeod, age 79, died July 11, 2021, at Autumn Care in Biscoe.

WEDNESDAY JAN 19

♦ Jonathan Edward Ferree, 50, of Black Mountain, formerly of Asheboro, died July 11, 2021.

HI 53

♦ Mildred Mae Cozart Poole, LOW 40 age 85, of Asheboro, died July PRECIP 7% See OBITS, page 7 9, 2021.

THURSDAY JAN 20 See OBITS, page 7

HI 43 LOW 21 PRECIP 80%

WEEKLY FORECAST

Fruit trees and berries require planning

WEEKLY FORECAST

Randolph

Guide

the correct range for that particu- be eliminated from the beds well

By Annie Mills lar plant by using lime. If you are before planting to ensure that they For the Randolph Record FRIDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY SUNDAY do not compete with your crop as growing blueberries however, you SATURDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY SUNDAY JULY 23 JULY is getting established.JULY likely 2need to lower the 3soil it GROWING fruit and 22will JULY JULY 24 JULY JULY 27 JULY 25 5 JULY JULY 26 6 JUNE 30 21 TREEJULY 1JULY JULY 4 The beds should be in close berries is a long-term relationship pH with sulfur. Adjusting the pH The Randolph HI78°take several to a84°water or 86° HI 87° GuideHIis 88° ofHIthe soil can work HI and 91° care- 88° HI takes 88° HI HI source, 86° HI89°months, 81°HI proximity HI 88° HI 89° HI that 91° some HI a quick look at what’s set up with drip irrigation system or up to a year in some cases and ful planning.

Some fruits require LO 66° LO68° 62°LO 65° LO 67° LO LO 70° 67° LO LO 69° 62° LO LO LO LO 69° LO 69° LO 70° 67° 69° if you are planting any type32% of17% going this mustPRECIP be done PRECIP well before more care than others and others PRECIP 57% 43% PRECIP PRECIP on in24% Randolph PRECIP 15% PRECIP 24% at 20% PRECIP 24% PRECIP 24% PRECIP 24% PRECIP15% 13% PRECIPPRECIP 5% PRECIP are more reliable producers. Gar- planting. Frost and air drainage scale. Regular watering is essenCounty. deners know that there are certain should be considered when choos- tial for high yields and fruits need conditions under which plants ing a growing site as well. Avoid one inch of water per week during thrive, but prioritizing a few basics planting in the coldest parts of the the growing season. With some for fruit production is especial- yard and frost pockets to avoid in- fruits, like apples, you will need RANDOLPH COMMUNITY COLLEGE ly important because it often can jury to your fruit as it is develop- more than one variety for pollination, so don’t forget to plan your take years before tree fruit and ing.

The Isaacs in Concert Drainage is important as soil spacing with that in mind. Anberries even begin to bear fruit. In other words, the right conditions that is too wet promotes an envi- other common mistake can be not 7pm from the start and careful plan- ronment for root rot diseases. For carefully considering the size of ning will increase your chanc- example, peach trees in stand- the plant at maturity. Lastly, select The Liberty Showcase es of getting a nutritious and edi- ing water at any point in the sea- varieties that are adapted to this Theater presents the ble product and most of us would son can die in as little as three geographic region. This is particBy Bob Sutton there’s before those classes important for enrollment longer lived of 915.

An inexpensive andstart. easy fix ularly sion, agree that is typically the goal days. multi-award winning Randolph Record That’s slightly from ef- like treeoff fruit.

In most cas-the usual issue is to said build there’s up raisedan fruit, when growing fruit! Several pri- for thisWilliams family group based out number that ranges upofto 1,000, “There has never been a to bolster enrollment. es, there are specific varieties before planting.

For fruitHe citmary considerations when plan- bedsfort of Hendersonville, TN. each type of fruitsaid. that have been Williams edmound the RCC Commitment up the soil 18 to 24Grant, — your Enrollment ningASHEBORO to grow fruit in home trees, opportunity to attend The better vocalists are mother, researched and bred toenrollment be specif- numhigh anddesigned four to eight landscape include:Community site selection,Col-inches Traditional a program as afeet funding at Randolph RCC and not have to worry ically suited to thisflattened, particular but cli- it’s the to create your beds. soil preparation, variety selecLily Isaacs and siblings bers have to fill theSimigap that’s lege isn’t likelyand to bounce back towidemechanism bestschool variet- students forcovered berries, by thefederal site preparation. number ofthe high or state mate. aid Sometimes pre-pandemic levels right awaylarly,not Ben about Isaacs, Sonya Isaacs how to pay for it.” ourprograms area takedesigned a little extra should include creating raised ies for in When aselecting site take a tionto for dual enstudents. despite school aofficial pointing Yeary and Rebecca work and shopping around to find, to twelve anda betclose at the sun, soil and cold in-beds six rollment that has dropped, “There hasinches neverhigh been out look unprecedented financial Isaacs The RCCBowman. president Dr. Robert but it will“We’re be worth dueseeing to the the level feet wide. Two to four RCC air drainage, soil pH, students. access to around justitnot ter four opportunity to attend centives for potential long-term investment in expenses, inches of compost should be inwater, weed population, and the Isaacs have a unique Chad Williams, vice president and not have to worry about how of engagement that we had seen,” Shackleford Jr. labor. said. the RCC top six to ten time available space.

Just about all fruit style that blends tight Williams to pay into for it,” president Dr. and for student services at RCC, said acorporated of theShackleford bed and mixed be- “We need at least eight hoursstudents of sun. ininches RCC held a one-week break Robert Jr.insaid. decline in high school family harmony with Annie Mills is a Horticulture planting.

Typically, the where high- they The soil pH in this area also tends earlier this month amid the sumstudents exactly dual enrollment has been the big-foremeet contemporary acoustic to be too acidic for most fruits, so er you can mound the soil the bet- Extension Agent with the N.C. are and help them go as far as they mer semester, which began May gest reason for a dip. instrumentation that getting a soil test from our office ter, since the beds will settle over State Cooperative Extension 24 and concludes July 26. Late “Overall, we’re still seeing a de- can possibly go.” will help you bring the pH up to time. Weeds and grass also should Service. appeals to a variety of Beginning with the fall semes- registration for the fall semester cline in enrollment comparing to audiences. Tickets start previous years prior to the pan- ter, qualifying full-time students runs through Aug. 10, with classdemic,” Williams said. “I don’t will be eligible for up to $1,000 es beginning Aug. 16. at $25.

Still dealing with adjustments know if we’ll get to numbers we’ve per semester.

That makes attending RCC made because of the coronavirus seen in previous fall semesters. …

We’re reaching out to every stu- the most enticing from a finan- pandemic, not all 2021 fall semesdent we can in every way we can.” cial standpoint in the 16 years ter classes will be in person. Some A fall semester at the two-year Williams has been at the school, will use a hybrid model with a school in Asheboro would often he said. He previously worked in mixture of face-to-faces sessions Liberty Town Council and virtual sessions. Many classhave 2,600 to 3,000 students en- RCC’s financial aid office.

Meeting “There’s never a better time to es provide students with options rolled. At the beginning of this on how to attend and participate, week, that number stood at about go back to college,” he said.

5:30pm For the current summer ses- Williams said.

1,900 with about a month to go

Jan. 22

RCC pushes more MEETfor THE STAFFstudents as numbers lag PJ Ward-Brown Matt Lauren Frank Cory Who is “Editor?”

Jan. 24

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

Liberty Town Hall

♦ Williams, Denishia Lorren (B /F/30) Arrest on chrg of WEEKLY CRIME 1) Pwimsd Marijuana (F), 2) LOG Maintain Veh/dwell/place Cs (f) (F), 3) Possess X

Jan. 25

♦ Boggs, Matthew Harrison (M, 39), Arrest on charge of Misdemeanor Larceny, at 2587 Wayne White Rd, Pleasant Garden, on 07/14/2021. ♦ Bolton McKee, James Henry (M, 47), Arrest on charge of Possession of Stolen Goods, at 6469 Clyde King Rd, Seagrove, on 07/15/2021. ♦ Pugh, Robert Daniel (M, 39), Arrest on charge of Simple Assault (M), at 139 Drum St, Asheboro, on 07/14/2021.

♦ Richardson, Erwin Quint Jr (M, 31), Arrest on charges of Felony Larceny and Possession of Stolen Goods, at 5471 Needhams Trail, DEATH NOTICES Seagrove, on 07/14/2021.

Arrest on charge of Resisting Public Officer, 321 Kings Ridge Rd, Randleman, on 07/14/2021. ♦ Hazelwood, Elizabeth (F, 44), Arrest on chage of Misdemeanor Larceny, at Hoover Hill Rd/Slick Rodk Mtn, on 07/14/2021. ♦ Lynch, Detrick Lamont (M, 40), Arrest on charge of Misdemeanor Possession of Schedule VI CS, Possessiong of Stolen Motor Vehicle, at I-85 Exit 111, on 07/13/2021. ♦ McQueen, James Allen Jr (M, 35), Arrest on charge of Possession of Marijuana up to 1/2 oz., Possession of drug paraphernalia, Failure to appeal on felony, failure to appear on misdemeanor, at

♦♦Mary LeeSarah James, age 93,(F, died Seibert, Elizabeth 32), ♦ Barbara Lee Spinks, 75, on Tuesday, January 11, 2022, of Robbins, formerly of at her home.

Asheboro, died Tuesday, January 11, 2022, at ♦ Josephine Smith Coleman, FirstHealth Hospice & 89, died Friday, January Palliative Care in West End. 14, 2022 at North Pointe of Asheboro. ♦ Brenda Marie Lillard, 59, died Thursday, January 13, 2022, ♦ Peggy Alice Purvis Joyce, at Randolph Hospital.

80, of Asheboro, NC, died Thursday, January 13, 2022 at Lynda Hawkins Mizell, 73, died High Point Medical Center.

Tuesday, January 11, 2022.

of George Motown ♦ Whitehead, Alan (M, 52), 176 E. Salisbury St, Asheboro, onAn Evening Arrest on charge of Misdemeanor 07/13/2021.

6pm Possession of Schedule IV CS, ♦ Millikan, Bobby Wayne (M, 33), The Moore Possession of Stolen motor County Arrest on charge of Assault on a vehicle, imporoper use of a dealer Republican Women and Female, at 8300 Curtis Power Rd, tag, failure to deliver title, failure to Conservative Bennett, NC, on 07/14/2021. N.C. Black appear on felony, at I-85 Exit 111, Voices present an on 07/13/2021. ♦ Passmore, Casey Lynn, Arrest on evening of Motown’s charge of possession of marijuana ♦ Cheek, Helenia Spinks (F, 64), greatest hits.

Featuring up to 1/2 oz., at Randolph Arrest on chargeby of Assault by a live performance Courthouse, on 7/13/2021. pointing a gun, Discharging a Gabriel Bello, the event firearm to cause fear, Reckless ♦ Roark, Justin Steven (M, 30), benefits the Frederick driving to endanger, Seagrove, on Arrest on charge of Possession Douglas Foundation.

07/12/2021. of Meth, Possession with intent More information and FILE PHOTO to manufacture, sell or distributetickets ♦ Helms, Chad Lee available at (M, 37), Arrest heroin, Simple possession of on charge of Felony Sexual mrwnc.org.

Schedule II, III, IV CS, Maintaining Place, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, at 1029 High Point Rd, on 7/13/2021.

♦ Michael Daniel St Germain, 61, died Saturday, January 9, 2022 at his home.

Exploitation of a minor in the second degree (10 counts), 727 McDowell Rd, Asheboro, NC, on 07/12/2021.

Jan. 28 — Feb. 13

♦ Patricia Eaton Gooch, 65, died Saturday, January 8, 2022 at her home.

“Driving Miss Daisy”

♦ Janie Ruth Baldwin Poole, age 88 of Troy died on Monday, January 10, 2022, at Alpine Health & Rehabilitation Center in Asheboro, NC.

RhinoLeap presented “Driving Miss Daisy” the story of Daisy, a ple cheering over him, or booing widowed, 72-year-old overwoman him or living going in into different Jewish directions over him,” have benefitAtlanta, who is deemed ed, Levesque said. “But that’s the too old to drive. sonto go be enbeauty of whatHer we do, hirestertained, Hoke, anhowever Africanyou want to be entertained.

As her a performer, American man, to be sometimes that’s difficult.” chauffeur. What begins WWE’s July “RAW” on USA as a troubled and 5hostile Network hit 1.472 million viewers, pairing, soon in blossoms the lowest the 28-plus year hisinto tory a profound, lifeof the show. altering friendship.

Levesque, WWE EVP of global talent strategyatand developWeekend matinees ment, All said the company would 2:30pm. shows at “take a hard look” at how it can Asheboro’s historic attract more fans to the product Sunset eachTheater. week. WWE can only hope

WWE leaves virtual reality behind in 1st tour since 2020 FRIDAY JAN 21

By Dan Gelston The Associated Press

HI 26 ♦ Robert “Bob” Henry LOW 19— Triple H Widholm, Jr., 95, of Asheboro, PHILADELPHIA walked with his arms crossed PRECIP 77% like died Wednesday, January

♦ Katie Elizabeth Jameson died peacefully at Moses Cone Hospital surrounded by loved ones

♦ Tony Lee Letson, age 67, of High Point died Sunday, January 9, 2022, at Randolph Hospice House, Asheboro.

2:30pm & 7:30pm

12, 2022 at The Randolph an X — his signature DegeneraHospice House in Asheboro. tion X symbol — with his 7-foot tag-team partner, Joel Embiid, to SATURDAY 22 month ring a ceremonial JAN bell last before a Philadelphia 76ers playoff game.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG His theme music blared HI 37 through the arena, and near15 from the ♦ On January 12, 2022, Misdemeanor Possession While License Revokedly 19,000 fansLOW hanging 41% Randoph County Sheriff’s of Marijuana, and Not Impaired Revoked, rafters roaredPRECIP when the wrestler deputies arrested Erwin Misdemeanor Possession of Fictitious/Altered Title/ hoisted his bad-guy weapon-ofQuint Richardson, Jr. (31) Drug Paraphernalia and was Registration Card/Tag, and choice sledgehammer and struck who was charged with Felony given a $5,000 unsecured Light Bar Lighting Device, the bell.

SUNDAY JAN 23 Conversion; Felony Larceny bond and a court date was Felony Obtain Property by the combination of live crowds Sure, the setting wasn’t Wresand Felony Possession of set for January 31, 2022, in False Pretense, two counts and the return of box office attractleMania — though Triple H lost a Stolen Goods; Felony Break Randolph County District Misdemeanor Larceny tions such as Becky Lynch, Goldmatch in the same building when or Enter a Motor Vehicle, Court. of Motor Vehicle and two HI 40 berg, and Cena can ignite interest the event was held there in 1999 — Felony Larceny, and Felony counts Misdemeanor and grow ratings during the build but for the superstar-turned-exLOW 18 Possession of Stolen Goods/ Possession of Stolen Goods/ Seagrove Town Council to the marquee Aug. 21 Summerecutive, the frenzied atmosphere Property; Felony Breaking Property. A first appearance PRECIP 7% ♦ On January 11, 2022, Slam at the home of the Las Vewas a reminder of what WWE and/or Entering, Felony was set for January 18, 6pmgas Raiders.

Randoph County Sheriff’s lost during the 16 months it ran Larceny After Break/Enter, 2022, in Randolph County deputies arrested Anthony “It never is one thing,” Levesque without live events and raucous Felony Possession of Stolen District Court.

798 N.C. Highway 705, Luther Proffitt (69) who was MONDAY JAN 24 said.

“We see this as a moment in crowds.

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A HI 41

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Court. nothing like it.”

Tour in Pasadena, Calif.

Do you have a birthday, wedding, Possession of Heroin A lot of that comes from the time WWE hasn’t been the same engagement or other milestone to and Felony Possession of we had to experiment inside the without its “Yes!” chants or “This Methamphetamine. He was celebrate? Contact us at TUESDAY JAN 25 ♦ On January 15, 2022, ThunderDome.”

WWE then moved to its in-house former,” Reigns said.

“As a live Sunday in Texas and is Awe-some!” singsongs once the ♦pay-per-view On January 11, 2022, issued a $5,000 secured celebrations@randolphrecord.com.

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Feb. 1

Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON

The filibuster is not the problem

[T]he president said anyone who disagrees with the legislation was comparable to segregationists George Wallace and Bull Connor.

This rhetoric is divisive and extremely shameful.

“DOOMSDAY FOR DEMOCRACY.” “Rubber stamp of dictatorship.”

“Arrogance of power.”

These are how politicians have described ending the Senate’s filibuster in recent years. Another leader said, “If the majority chooses to end the filibuster, if they choose to change the rules and put an end to Democratic debate, then the fighting and the bitterness and the gridlock will only get worse.”

Those quotes came not from Republicans, but from Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Like a majority of Americans, all three Democratic leaders once supported maintaining the long-standing filibuster as a check and balance that ensures the voices of millions of Americans are represented. In fact, in 2020 alone, Democrats used the filibuster 327 times to block Republicans.

Unfortunately, it appears now-President Joe Biden and Democratic leadership have changed their tune. Last week, Biden and Schumer pushed to end the filibuster in order to pass more of their radical agenda, beginning with a federal takeover of elections.

Their so-called voting rights bill would scrap any state voter ID laws, give more power to the IRS and direct billions of your tax dollars to political campaigns. Under the proposal, Chuck Schumer would receive up to $44.1 million for his reelection, while Nancy Pelosi would receive up to $22.7 million.

While President Biden campaigned on being a moderate and unifying the country, in Atlanta last week, the president said anyone who disagrees with the legislation was comparable to segregationists George Wallace and Bull Connor. This rhetoric is divisive and extremely shameful.

I have long supported reforming our voting laws to strengthen the integrity of our elections. However, Washington Democrats have created a false narrative to justify a federal election takeover that strips rights from states and gives politicians more power.

I voted against this bill in the House and will continue to oppose it. Yet, instead of changing the rules and pushing their radical agenda, the president, Sen. Schumer, and Speaker Pelosi should be focused on the pressing issues mounting in our nation.

COVID cases are at an all-time high. Migrants and deadly fentanyl illegally crossing our southern border are at record levels.

December recorded the worst jobs numbers of Biden’s presidency.

And just last week, inflation reached its highest rate in 40 years. I am sure you are feeling the effects of this at the gas pump, grocery store, and in your utility bills.

This inflation also means wages are not keeping up with the increased demand. According to the New York Times, just 17% of workers say their pay has kept pace with inflation. There is a crisis in our economy, at our border and in our communities dealing with increased crime and the pandemic. Washington Democrats ignored these issues and spent December focused on their $4 trillion Build Back Broke agenda, which stalled. Now they risk spending January focused on nationalizing elections and once again ignoring our challenges This is unacceptable and why I am focused on the issues impacting you and your family every day. We must keep our schools open. We need to slow government spending and get Americans back to work. It’s time to secure our border once and for all. And we need common sense solutions to end the pandemic that respect science and freedom.

Ultimately, we must work toward expanding opportunities and prosperity in our nation. While addressing these issues, this weekend we also commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. His life’s work and guiding principles continue to impact our nation and inspire all those seeking freedom and justice. As we confront the challenges facing our nation, I hope we can all recall his words and strive to create a better nation for every American.

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Biden’s big elections lie These were little more than the mendacious ravings of a demagogue.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN finally delivered his “voting rights” speech in Atlanta, telling a crowd: “The next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation’s history. Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadows, justice over injustice? I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend your right to vote, our democracy against all enemies foreign and domestic. And the question is: Where will the institution of the United States Senate stand?”

These were little more than the mendacious ravings of a demagogue.

Biden’s argument is predicated on the idea that anyone who continues to support the legislative filibuster — a Senate rule the president defended for nearly 50 years — or voter ID laws, or time restrictions on mail-in ballots, or consistent hours for early voting, or bans on ballot harvesting, is no better than Bull Connor. “Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace?” was the false choice offered by a man who repeatedly praised Wallace, and other segregationists, early in his career.

The president suggested that anyone opposing the Democrats’ “voting rights” bill was not only a bigot but a seditious “domestic” enemy of the United States — a designation that now probably includes six Democratic senators, if not more. The president pronounced the Senate a “shell of its former self,” lamenting that the GOP had used the filibuster over 100 times in the past year, skipping the inconvenient fact that Democrats had done so over 300 times the preceding four years. Biden, “the institutionalist,” then unloaded a litany of completely misleading contentions about voting laws to justify his abandonment of principle.

And the reason Biden is compelled to lie about virtually every aspect of the Georgia voting law is that the specifics are actually quite popular and do not inhibit a citizen from casting a ballot.

Most of the requirements Biden contends are now compulsory for democracy to properly function had only been instituted in the past few years — many of them only during the last election.

Biden’s comparing Jim Crow to contemporary voter integrity laws is detestable. One was a violent suppression of the minority vote; the other was giving voters only 11 weeks before an election to request a ballot and declining to keep expanding voting into the weekend.

At this pace, Democrats will be arguing that disenfranchisement of illegal immigrants is the manifestation of the Dixiecrat agenda

by 2024.

ID requirements are what the left detests most, yet this is the provision they talk about least. Why? Most polls find overwhelming majority support for limiting early voting hours and requiring photo IDs to vote. Fascists in Colorado and Connecticut and most other states, not only Georgia, still demand a person provide governmentissued ID to vote. They, just like Georgia, allow voters without ID to provide the last four digits of their Social Security number, a bank statement or utility bill, a paycheck or any other government document with their name and address. (Maybe if states allowed vaccine passports to suffice, Democrats would be up for it.)

But most Americans — most people in the free world — have believed it eminently reasonable to expect voters to identify themselves before participating in democracy. If Democrats believed the vote was sacred, so would they. It’s the Democrats who are advocating overturning the will of voters in Georgia and elsewhere. Let’s remember that H.R. 1 “voting rights” bill would have compelled states to allow ballot harvesting, to ban voter ID laws, to allow felons to vote and to count mail-in votes that arrive up to 10 days after Election Day. The president sprinkled his speech with feigned indignation and lots of podium pounding. Unable to contain his penchant for fabulism, he seemed to joke about being arrested (“the first time”) during a civil rights march. Maybe Biden was confusing that incident with the time he wasn’t arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandela or didn’t defend the Black Panthers in court or never participated in a sit-in.

But one can suspect most Democrats understand well that this is all a nasty bit of cynical political theater since there is little chance of nuking the filibuster. Biden’s attempt to launch his entire agenda in a single reconciliation moonshot stuffed with progressive extravagances failed to get a simple majority. Stymied, the president has decided to preemptively undermine confidence in the 2022 and 2024 elections, smearing half the country as racists while cosplaying as a civil rights hero. “The Big Lie,” indeed.

The consequences of this will be the further deterioration of trust in elections. More division. More anger.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at National Review and author of “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

3

Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

4

SPORTS SIDELINE REPORT COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Graham resigns as Hawaii football coach amid controversy Honolulu Todd Graham resigned as the University of Hawaii’s football coach Friday, stepping down amid controversy after completing the second-year of a five-year contract. Graham resigned a week after former players and some parents testified before a state legislative hearing, criticizing the coach’s management style and relationships with players. More than a dozen players have entered the transfer portal. The 57-yearold Graham was 11-11 in two seasons at Hawaii. He previously was a head coach at Rice, Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State.

NFL

Former Chiefs player Siavii found dead in Kansas federal prison Leavenworth, Kan. A former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle was found dead in a Kansas federal prison where he was being held on charges of illegal firearms possession, a prison official said. Saousoalii Siavii Jr., 43, was found unresponsive at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth on Thursday afternoon. Siavii was treated by prison staff and taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. From American Samoa, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound former Oregon lineman was drafted by Kansas City in the second round in 2004 and spent two seasons with the Chiefs. He played for Dallas in 2009 and Seattle in 2010.

HOCKEY

Conn. lawmaker proposes mandatory neck guards after hockey death Hartford, Conn.

A Connecticut state lawmaker says she plans to introduce legislation requiring all hockey players to wear a neck guard or a similar protective device during practice or games following the death last week of a 10th-grade player whose neck was cut by a skate.

Benjamin Edward “Teddy” Balkind, 16, a member of the hockey team at the private coeducational St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, died Jan. 6 following a game at the Brunswick School, a college preparatory school in Greenwich for boys. It is unclear whether Balkind was wearing a neck guard.

SOCCER

Lewandowski wins FIFA best player vote Zurich Robert Lewandowski was voted the best men’s player in the world on Monday, retaining the FIFA award he won last year despite being left off the ballot paper filed by runner-up Lionel Messi.

The Bayern Munich forward overturned the result last month of the Ballon d’Or prize where he placed second behind Messi, who finally led Argentina to a senior title at the 2021 Copa América.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool placed third. Lewandowski broke two Bundesliga records by scoring 41 goals for Bayern in its title-winning 2020-21 season and 43 in the calendar year of 2021. Both marks were held since 1972 by another Bayern great, Gerd Müller.

CHARLES REX ARBOGAST | AP PHOTO

Nets guard Kyrie Irving said his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine would not change despite the injury to teammate Kevin Durant.

Irving can only play in Brooklyn's road games because of New York City regulations that require players to be vaccinated.

Nets’ star Irving steadfast on vaccine despite Durant injury The former Duke guard can only play in road games because he’s not vaccinated

By Tom Withers The Associated Press CLEVELAND — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving insists an injury to teammate Kevin Durant won’t change his stance on not getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Irving, who only recently returned to action after a drawn-out stalemate over getting vaccinated, said Monday following a loss to the Cavaliers that he has no intention of getting the shot — and nothing will sway him.

“That’s my decision already, and I’m standing on it,” Irving said.

The seven-time All-Star point guard has become a lightning rod

of sorts for his decision not to get the vaccine. And due to COVID-19 mandates in New York City concerning public arenas, Irving is not permitted to play in home games.

His decision to remain unvaccinated is having a dramatic impact on the Nets and their ability to contend for an NBA championship, something that almost seemed assured when the team landed Irving, Durant and James Harden.

With Durant potentially sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury suffered Saturday, Irving was asked if he’s feeling more pressure to get vaccinated.

Irving made it clear he’s not been moved to act.

“That’s what I think comes into a lot of this culture and basketball and sport and entertainment,” Irving said in his strongest com-

ments on the sensitive subject.

“You bring in teams and you bring in situations. Kev’s going to heal.

Kev’s going to be OK, and we’re going to have to deal with that as his teammates.

“But in terms of where I am with my life outside of this, I stay rooted in my decision and that’s just what it is. It’s not going to be swayed just because of one thing is this NBA life that somehow it’s brought to my attention to being more important than what’s going on in the real world.

“It’s just not happening for me.”

Irving scored a team-high 27 points in Brooklyn’s 114-107 loss to the Cavaliers. It was just his fourth game back this season with the Nets, who have been dealing with injuries — and other distractions — since acquiring Harden to play with Irving and Durant.

During his postgame interview, Irving said he’s bothered that his decision is being questioned and that it’s almost always framed in the context of his profession — not his personal life.

“I respect everyone else’s decision,” he said. “I’m not going to try to convince anyone of anything or anything like that. And though we’re dealing with this right now with Kev, I just know that I’m protected by the organization. I’m protected by my teammates. I’m protected by all the doctors I’ve talked to and I’m just staying rooted.”

The 29-year-old Irving has never shied away from speaking his mind on any subject, and that openness has often led to criticism, and in his view, being misunderstood.

Irving took offense at being asked if there was anything that would make him reconsider the vaccine.

“I live my life the majority of the time when I’m away from this, so when I say I’m not getting vaccinated, I’m making a choice with my life and somehow it gets mixed into, ‘What about the basketball?’

Like no, bro,” he said.

China aims for ‘Zero COVID’ Olympics The Winter Games in Beijing will have strict rules to try and control the spread of the coronavirus

The Associated Press Athletes will need to be vaccinated — or face a long quarantine — take tests daily and wear masks when not competing or training.

Clapping is OK to cheer on teammates, not chanting. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be sent into isolation and unable to compete until cleared for discharge.

Welcome to the Beijing Olympics, where strict containment measures will aim to create a virus-proof ‘bubble” for thousands of international visitors at a time when omicron is fueling infections globally.

The prevention protocols will be like those at the Tokyo Games this summer but much tighter.

That won’t be a stretch in Beijing, with China having maintained a “Zero COVID” policy since early in the pandemic.

Still, China’s ability to stick to its zero-tolerance approach nationally is already being tested by the highly transmissible omicron variant, which is more contagious

than earlier variants of the virus and better able to evade protection from vaccines.

With just weeks to go before the Feb. 4 start of the Games, the rules are in place.

Athletes and other participants, including team staff and news media, need to be fully vaccinated to be allowed in the designated Olympic areas without completing a 21-day quarantine.

Upon arrival at the airport in Beijing, participants will have their temperatures taken and be tested with throat and nasal swabs. An Olympics official who recently arrived on site said at a press briefing the process took him 45 minutes, though organizers note times might vary.

A bus will then take people to their designated lodging, where they’ll wait up to six hours for test results to clear them to move about in approved areas. Restrictions on movement within that “closed loop” are intended to seal off any potential contact between Olympic participants and the local population.

Throat swabs for testing will be required daily for all participants.

If an athlete or other participant tests positive but doesn’t have symptoms, they’ll need to go into isolation in a dedicated hotel.

They’ll be provided with meals

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN | AP PHOTO

As the Winter Olympics loom, Beijing is stepping measures to keep the coronavirus at bay with its "zero-tolerance" COVID-19 policy.

2/4 Day of Opening Ceremonies for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

and can open their windows for fresh air but won’t be able to leave their rooms, which organizers say will be about 270 square feet.

Athletes can request fitness equipment for training.

People with no symptoms can leave isolation after two days of negative tests. Organizers say

those testing positive will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but it might still be too late for athletes to compete.

Those who test positive and have symptoms must go into isolation in a hospital. They’ll also need to two days of negative tests to be let loose, as well as three days of normal temperatures and symptoms subsiding.

Spectators from overseas won’t be allowed. As for local fans, Beijing organizers say they’re finalizing rules for their attendance.

Even if some fans are allowed in Beijing, their presence will be muted. Everyone is being asked to clap instead of shouting or singing, as had been the plan in Tokyo.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

5

BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Trace Moffitt

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Asheboro’s Sion Murrain shoots the ball against Providence Grove Patriots during a game in the Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic at Providence Grove.

Asheboro girls work through growing pains Coming off spot in state final, Blue Comets endure challenges

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record ASHEBORO – It’s a learning season for the Asheboro girls’ basketball team.

Last year at about this time, the team was embarking on a shortened season that resulted on a spot in the Class 3-A state championship game.

Now the Blue Comets are in a different situation.

“We’re working on things and we’re improving and getting better,” coach Don Corry said.

It’s not a huge surprise to Corry that there are growing pains this season. The Blue Comets lost personnel that accounted for about 85 percent of the offensive production off last season’s team.

This Asheboro team has four freshmen and four sophomores.

It’s a different type of group for Corry.

“Not this young,” he said in comparing to past teams. “They’re inexperienced. Just getting them

playing time so they realize what they’re doing in practice (and how it relates to games). It’s slow, but we expect that.”

The Blue Comets, who had four senior starters, played on the final day of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association season last year. That came in the title game contested at Providence Grove, where they fell 51-40 to Carson in the team’s only defeat of the season.

For all the rewards that came that season for the Blue Comets, there were challenges for the program. There was no junior varsity team because of limited participation.

Now, there’s a JV team this season, something Corry said could prove beneficial, though the lack of available opponents is likely to mean that squad plays fewer than a dozen games.

The varsity team has had difficulty scoring at times, something that Corry connects to the experience level and a roster without a lot of height.

“It’s overwhelming for our girls,” he said.

The team’s record is 2-12, though there have been breakthroughs af-

ter losses in the first nine games of the season.

Sion Murrain was a starter last season as a freshman, so she has been a key player. But in the second game of the Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic, she went out with an ankle injury and hasn’t returned to game action. Through 11 games, Murrain averaged a teambest 13.7 points and 12.5 rebounds per game.

But Corry said contributions are coming from across the roster. For instance, he said, sophomore center Ellen Long has turned in strong rebounding outings. She has 8.5 rebounds per game to go with 5.4 points per game.

“We just don’t have that one person who can come in and score 18, 20 points for us,” he said.

Asheboro is scoring 36.4 points per game.

Because of a positive COVID-19 test for a member of the JV team and resulting close contacts, the Blue Comets had their season paused earlier this month. They’re expected back in action Friday night for the first time in about two weeks. That begins a stretch that could involve four games in eight nights.

This all goes into building the Blue Comets back to a contender, Corry said.

“We’re eager and they’re trying and we look forward to what’s coming,” he said. “We’re going to get back to that (level of a state contender). Maybe not this year.”

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Trinity’s Trace Moffitt shoots a 3-pointer against East Davidson during a non-conference game Dec. 21 at Trinity.

Trinity, boys’ basketball

Moffitt, a sophomore, racked up 35 points in the team’s lone game of the week. That nearly matched the total scored by the opponent in the Bulldogs’ 73-44 victory against host Eastern Randolph.

Trinity also received 16 points from Dominic Payne and 12 points from Brandon Campbell in the game. The outcome means the Bulldogs improved their record to 12-3. It put the team at 4-1 in true road games.

PREP BASKETBALL

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Clockwise from top left: Asheboro’s DJ Headen hits a 3-pointer from the corner against Central Davidson at the Asheboro City Recreation Center last week in Asheboro. A high-flying move in the Central Davidson-Asheboro game. Asheboro coach Brain Nance looks up at the scoreboard in the second half against the Central Davidson Spartans. Asheboro’s Hakeeme Butler lays the ball up for two against Central Davidson’s Cory Casilac. Asheboro won, 69-39.

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Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

6

Raising rabbits in Randolph County

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LAUREN ROSE | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

When the topic of endangered animal breeds comes up, folks don’t often think of livestock animals like rabbits. One breed of rabbit in particular, the Silver Fox meat rabbit, is considered “recovering,” with some help from the Randolph County Center of the NC Cooperative Extension.

A barrier to raising an animal often is land or outdoor space, and this was the part of the motivation to start the conservancy program. Started last year, the rabbit chain aims to provide an “opportunity for youth to raise and show an animal all while learning important life skills,” says Extension Agent for 4-H Youth Development Allison Walker. “[The program] also brings awareness to the importance of preserving heritage breeds of livestock. Showing livestock teaches youth responsibility, time management, good work ethic, record keeping, compassion, good sportsmanship, public speaking and many other important skills.”

The first in-person meeting of the year was held last week - rabbits included - where participants learned about rabbit anatomy and proper handling of the animals.

With the help of Sarah Moore, Agriculture teacher at Uwharrie Ridge 6-12, intern Rachel Davis and resources from the Livestock Conservancy, families are learning about the accessibility of raising livestock and are participating in the conservation of species while also having fun.

When asked about the program at a meeting learning about rabbit anatomy and the handling of rabbits, program participant Dallyn said she enjoys the program and the opportunity to raise her rabbit, Bonnie.

“She’s really sweet!”

The rabbit chain program is ongoing, and spaces are still available to participate in the project. The cost to adopt a rabbit is $25. Interested participants can reach out to Allison Walker at allison_walker@ncsu.edu or (336) 467-2927.

Above, pictured are Dallyn and her rabbit, Bonnie.

Participants of all ages interact with their rabbits while learning about rabbit anatomy and proper handling of rabbits at a meeting hosted by Randolph County Center of the NC Cooperative Extension, on Jan. 10, 2022.

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Kenny J Kidd

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Financial Advisor 211 Worth St Asheboro, NC 27203-5557 336-328-0416

edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

7

obituaries

Howard Lee Marks, Jr

1967 – 2022 Howard Lee Marks, Jr., 54, of Sanford, passed suddenly, surrounded by his family on Wednesday, January 5th at the Central Carolina Hospital.

Born in Sanford on March 8, 1967, he was the son of Mary Lee Fallen Marks and the late Howard Lee Marks. Howard grew up in Harnett County and graduated from West Harnett High School, class of 1985. He had a love for cars and as a young man, started a career as a mechanic. Howard started in the Automotive department at K – Mart before working for Penske. In 2003, he opened his own shop, “Car Pros”.

He enjoyed drag racing or just watching the races on tv, but his love was his family and friends.

Those that didn’t know him, saw a calm and modest man, but he was fiercely protective of those he loved and could cut up with the best of them.

Howard is survived by his wife, Melinda Moore Marks. He was the father of Cody Lee Marks, Ryan Owen Marks, Anna Bree Marks and Devon Giles (Amber). He was the brother of Brenda Bettis (Allen), Chris Marks (Jody), Selena Marks, Danielle Bond and Bob Bond. Howard is also survived by his mother, Mrs. Mary Lee Fallen Marks, 3 grandchildren: Makayla, Andy and Logan, and his step – mother Scottie (Ellen) Marks.

Beverly Doerr

1937 – 2022 Beverly Gaye Traudt Doerr, 84, of Pinehurst, passed unexpectedly at her home on Sunday, January 9th.

Born in Buffalo, NY on Oct. 27, 1937, she was the daughter of the late William F. and Sylvia Pattenden Traudt, Jr. Beverly grew up in Kenmore New York and married Robert S. Bober on May 12, 1957. Beverly was a devoted and loving mother of three children.

She was very involved in all of their activities including; sports, Scouts and the local PTA. Beverly later became a successful Real Estate Agent who often formed great and lasting friendships with newcomers. Beverly spent the last half of her working career at The American Red Cross of Western New York coordinating blood donations with major corporations.

Beverly retired in Pinehurst, NC in 1990 where she enjoyed playing golf, tennis and socializing with friends. She was a warm and giving person, an animal lover and a great conversationalist who very much valued all of her friends and family.

Beverly is survived by her three children, Wendy Avery and husband Preston of Conway, SC; John Bober and wife Ramona of Viera Fl; Jill Yang and husband Harold Soer of Pinehurst, NC; six grandchildren, Joshua Avery and wife Cassey; Grayson Avery; Kelsey Avery; Shelby Avery and partner Zack Kruis; Evan Yang and wife Sierra; Myles Yang and their father Frank Yang. Beverly is also the great grandmother of Benjamin and Samuel Kruis.

A celebration of Beverly’s life will be announced at a later date.

Betty Gray Hilliard Lyndon

1931 - 2022 Betty Gray Hilliard Lyndon, age 90, of Asheboro passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at the Randolph Hospice House.

Mrs. Lyndon was born in Vass, NC on April 15, 1931 to Atlas and Lillie Morrison Hilliard and was a 1950 graduate of Farmer High School. Betty was employed at Asheboro High School in the cafeteria and later with AcmeMcCrary and Kayser-Roth before retirement. She was a long-time member of Back Creek Friends Meeting, where she formerly served as an Elder and Sunday School teacher. In addition to her parents, Betty was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Richard Lyndon, sisters, Ruth Stinson and Pat Luther, and her beloved 3-legged Cocker Spaniel, Rusty. Betty enjoyed doing women’s water aerobics at the YMCA, gardening, and working in her flowers. Betty loved animals and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren.

She is survived by her daughters, Amy L. Allen (Eric) of Troy and Ann York (Randy) of Asheboro; grandchildren, Lyndon Shaw (Jo Beth), Emily Taylor (Spencer), and Sarah York; great grandson, Parker James Taylor; brothers, James W. Hilliard of Greensboro and Louis A. Hilliard, Jr. (Ethel) of Asheboro; and sister, Hazel Ridge of Asheboro.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 2:00 pm at Back Creek Friends Meeting with Mike Thompson officiating. The family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall.

Ella Mae Anderson Champ

1935 - 2022 Ella Mae Anderson Champ, died Monday, January 10, 2022, at her caregiver’s home in Asheboro, NC. Ella was born February13, 1935 to Charles J. and Hilda Baker Anderson.

She spent her early life in New Castle, PA and after marriage raised her family in the Lewiston, NY area and later moved to Raleigh/Cary, NC. She had a great love for children and cared for many in her home over the years.

She was a longtime member of Cary Alliance Church. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband: Samuel Champ and siblings: Marian Ketzel and Ronald Anderson.

Ella is survived by son: Michael (Melissa) Champ of Fuquay-Varina, NC, and their sons: Sam and Aiden; and son: Patrick (Cheryl) Champ of New York City, NY; and special friend and caregiver: Marcie Hunt of Asheboro, NC.

Linda Lucas StoutTesh

1950 - 2022 Linda Lucas Stout-Tesh, age 71, of Asheboro passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at her home.

Linda was born in Randolph County on August 5, 1950 to John and Ottie Glasgow Lucas, who preceded her in death. She was employed as a driver for RCATS for 13 years. Linda loved her church family at Whitehall Evangelical Methodist Church.

She is survived by her daughter, Misty Rodriguez (Armando) of Randleman; sisters, Janet Tysor (James) of Siler City and Betty Fipps (Larry) of Wilmington; 1 niece and 3 nephews.

Daniel Lopez Vences

2001 - 2022 Daniel Lopez Vences, age 20, of Asheboro passed away on Sunday, January 9, 2022.

Daniel was born in Randolph County on October 4, 2001. Daniel had a contagious smile and had a great sense of humor, making everyone laugh. He was a great brother, son, and friend. He was protector for all the ones he loved. He will be missed by all.

He is survived by his mother, Maria Luisa Vences Flores and husband Ever Ramirez; sisters, Jazmin Lopez Vences and Melissa Ramirez; grandmother, Florentina Flores; aunts, Dalia Flores, Janet Vences Flores, Yarisbet Vences Flores (Jose Imperial), and Neli Torres (Gabriel Torres), and uncle, Elmer Vences Flores.

James Darrell Lamonds

1969 - 2022 James Darrell Lamonds, age 52 of Star passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at his home.

Mr. Lamonds was born December 5, 1969, in Moore County to James Calvin Lamonds and Mary Lois Kizar. He was employed in the meat department of Food Lion for 20 years.

James is survived by his mother Mary K. Vandevander and brother Rodney Vandevander both of Star, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Montgomery County Humane Society, 1150 Okeeweemee Rd., Troy, NC 27371, Attn: Sally Morris.

Services for James will be held at a later date.

Brenda Sue Boyd

1948 - 2022 Brenda Sue Ritter Boyd, 73, passed away on January 14, 2022.

She was born on March 2nd, 1948 in Asheboro, NC to the late Lloyd and Maggie Ritter. She was the youngest of 12 children with one surviving brother, Archie Ritter of Asheboro. She was employed at Clapp’s Nursing Home until her retirement in 2010. Brenda loved her family, flowers and her pets. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, loved the annual fishing trip to the beach and travelling to Ohio to visit with family.

She is survived by her husband of 41 years, Robert Boyd and her three children, 12 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren; Scott Stanley and daughter Ashley Jones, wife Colleen and their children Hunter and Logan of Asheboro, Howard Hall of Dayton, OH and children Kimmie and Jack, Saunya Munro (John) of Rome, OH and their children John Michael (Autum), Michaela Haley (Arie), Miranda, Luke, Miriah, Milina and Miriana; great grandchildren Braxton, Waylon, Rowan, Sage, Knox and Norie.

She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

The family will receive friends at Pugh Funeral Home on Saturday, January 22 at noon with a service to follow at 1:00pm.

The burial will be at Randolph Memorial Park.

Thomas Eilert

1936 – 2022 Thomas David Eilert, 85, of Apex, NC, and a long-time resident of Seven Lakes, passed away Saturday, January 8th, 2022.

Born in 1936 in Teaneck, NJ to Joseph Floyd Eilert and Eleanor Ripley, he was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers, Joe and Bob, and his wife of 45 years, Judith.

He is survived by his daughters, Donna Lyons of Warwick RI and Cathy Eilert (Doreen) of Norcross, GA, and his sons David (Michelle) of Cary NC, Jamie (Beth) of Southern Pines, NC, and Harry (April) of Pinehurst, NC plus his granddaughter Angela Eilert, his grandsons Dan and Wil Lyons, Sam and Owen Eilert, and his greatgranddaughter, Everleigh Lyons plus his brothers and sisters-in -laws, cousins, and many nieces and nephews Tom was the youngest of 3 brothers. At age 5, the family moved to Oakland where he grew up. As a boy, he took woodshop and built a car for the soap box derby and won 2nd place. He took over “the Eilert paper route” from his brothers, later worked as a lifeguard, and at a fruit stand in Pompton Lakes. He taught us that if you have nothing to do at work, pick up a broom and sweep.

He married Judith Riley in 1958, and they built a life together in Kinnelon. A skilled craftsman, Tom worked as a carpenter and started his business doing home remodeling. He worked side-byside with Judy building the business and raising their 5 children. He coached all his sons little league baseball teams, and he made sure every kid got to play.

Claude Benjamin Harmon

1927 – 2022 Claude Benjamin Harmon, age 94, went home to be with his Savior and Lord, on Monday, January 10, 2022, at High Point Regional Hospital.

Claude was born June 30, 1927, to Thadius and Florence Tester Harmon.

Claude was a native of Boone, NC, and a Veteran on the US Air Force. He was a retired truck driver and loved to work in landscaping and mow yards. He was a wonderful, giving father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

He will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by daughters: Dinah Burrows, Jeanette Harmon, Judy (Mitchell) Coble, all of Randleman, NC; daughter: Claudette Tooley of Sandwich, IL; son: Jerry (Angie) Harmon of Randleman; 14 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, 1 greatgreat grandchild and nephews: Jimmie (Dare) Goble of Lenoir, NC, Billy Flannery of Randleman and Gale (Nancy) Glenn of Boone, NC. In addition to his parents, Claude is preceded in death by his wife of 65 years: Ruby Ann Craven Harmon, son: James Harmon, grandchildren: Taylor, Zane and Ezra Mae and siblings: Margaret, Maude, Clint, Grover, Paul, Everette, and Carl Harmon, Anna Mae Goble, and Helen Glenn.

Charles Henry Miller, Sr.

1927 - 2022 Charles Henry Miller, Sr., age 94, died Thursday, January 13, 2022 at Spring Arbor Assisted Living in Kill Devil Hills, NC Mr. Miller was born May 10, 1927, the son of Claude Heath Brown Miller and Ada Mae Bell Miller of Troy NC. Mr. Miller was a native of Stanley County, NC and a longtime resident of Troy. He was a veteran of World War II who enlisted at age 17 and served in the United States Navy until the war ended. He was active in Trinity United Methodist Church, Troy.

He worked at the Ford Motor Company in Norfolk, Virginia for over 40 years before retiring in 1994, returning to his home in Troy. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his son: Charles “Buddy” (Alma) Miller, Jr. of Kill Devil Hills, NC; Ruth Miller McElroy of Leesburg, VA; grandchildren: Charles H. Miller III, Jarred W. Miller, Lt. Michael J. Miller, USAF, Charles W. McElroy, James Harrison McElroy and four great-grand daughters.

Mr. Miller will lie in repose at the church one hour prior to the funeral service, which will be held Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 2:00 PM at Trinity United Methodist Church, 239 Russell Street, Troy, with Rev. Vanlene Nelson officiating. A private burial will be held at Shiloh Church Cemetery 151 Shiloh Road, Troy.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

8

STATE & NATION

Army ups bonuses for recruits to $50K, as COVID takes toll

By Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Army, for the first time, is offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to highly skilled recruits who join for six years as the service struggles to lure soldiers into certain critical jobs during the continuing pandemic.

Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, head of Army Recruiting Command, told AP that shuttered schools and the competitive job market over the past year have posed significant challenges for recruiters. So heading into the most difficult months of the year for recruiting, the Army is hoping that some extra cash and a few other changes will entice qualified young people to sign up.

“We are still living the implications of 2020 and the onset of COVID, when the school systems basically shut down,” said Vereen.

“We lost a full class of young men and women that we didn’t have contact with, face-to-face.”

Two years of the pandemic has made it more difficult to recruit in schools and at public events, and the competition for quality work-

CHARLES DHARAPAK | AP PHOTO

This March 27, 2008, file photo, shows the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. ers has intensified as young people weigh their options.

Some, said Vereen, are taking what he calls a gap year, and “are making the decision that they don’t necessarily need to work right now.”

To entice recruits, those who sign up for a six-year enlistment in one of several high-demand career fields can get bonuses that total as

much as $50,000. Given the high standards, it will be difficult for many to qualify for the top bonus.

The final figure depends on when they agree to ship out for training, if they already have critical skills and if they choose airborne or ranger posts. Certain careers — such as missile defense crew, special forces, signals intelligence and fire control specialists who coordinate bat-

tlefield weapons operations — can often come with the maximum bonuses. But other key jobs include infantry, intelligence analyst, combat medic specialist, military police, combat engineer and several others. And those may change every month, based on available spots in the training pipeline and other service needs.

Until now, the Army has offered a maximum bonus of $40,000.

“We’re in a competitive market,” said Vereen. “How we incentivize is absolutely essential, and that is absolutely something that we know that is important to trying to get somebody to come and join the military.’

Sgt. 1st Class Mary James has been working as a recruiter in Ohio since November 2020, and she said the early months — when COVID-19 was surging and there were no vaccines — were challenging. It’s gotten better, and she said the higher bonuses will help her.

“Money isn’t always the first thing that they talk about, but it does come into play,” said James, who’s been in the Army for 15 years.

“It will be exciting to see what the return is on that. You know, I think

it does put us in one of the top tier levels of competitive businesses.”

James, who previously worked as a signals intelligence analyst, can also talk to recruits about deploying to war zones, and the exciting opportunities the military offers. And she said she hears a lot of questions and worries about stability, leaving home and a career that may have them moving from place to place every few years.

Vereen said the Army is doing more to address those types of concerns. Last fall the Army significantly increased the option to enlist for two years, expanding it to a total of 84 different career fields. And some will be able to choose where they will initially be assigned — a benefit Army leaders approved in an effort to be more family friendly and bolster the recruiting effort, particularly in the pandemic.

“We want to promote the value of serving your country first,” said Vereen. “But we also know that, this generation and I guess human nature, you know, it’s all about compensation, too.”

For James, the money may help her meet her recruiting goal as the Army heads into what it calls the “bathtub” months of February to May, when recruiting is historically at its low point. During the spring, the Army’s more than 9,400 recruiters have to seek out and sign up people who have already graduated from high school and college.

Recruiting traditionally spikes as students graduate in the spring and start looking for jobs.

Republican Glenn Youngkin sworn in as Virginia 74th governor

By Sarah Rankin The Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — Striking a tone of bipartisanship and optimism, Virginia’s new governor, Glenn Youngkin, pledged to “restore trust in government and to restore power to the people” after he was sworn into office Saturday.

“Today we stand together on behalf of Virginians who’ve never lost faith, even when they suffered loss. Of Virginians who have not stopped dreaming of a better life, even in the midst of trials and tribulation,” he said in front of the historic state Capitol to thousands of enthusiastic spectators.

“My fellow Virginians, the spirit of Virginia is alive and well. And together we will strengthen it.”

“No matter who you voted for, I pledge to be your advocate, your voice, your governor,” said the Republican, a former private equity executive and newcomer to politics.

Youngkin’s inaugural speech was part of a weekend of pomp and circumstance in Richmond as Virginia’s newly elected GOP leaders took office. Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears also were sworn in during the outdoor ceremony.

The moment opened a new chapter of governance in a state where Democrats had spent the past two years in full control of government and occupied the governor’s mansion for the past eight.

Youngkin acknowledged the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including the more than 15,000 Virginians who have died, and pledged to lead the state to a “new and better day.” While Youngkin encourages those eligible to get vaccinated,

JULIO CORTEZ | AP PHOTO

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, with wife Suzanne Youngkin takes the oath of office during an inauguration ceremony, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Richmond, Va. among his first acts as governor was ending a vaccine requirement for state workers.

He also sounded his campaign themes, pledging to cut taxes, “remove politics from the classroom,” raise teacher and law enforcement pay, and boost the economy. He vowed to keep children in schools, emphasizing the importance of in-person education and acknowledging the toll virtual schooling has taken on working parents, especially mothers.

“We know that when our children don’t go to school it harms their learning and development.

So let me be clear — we must

keep our children in school five days a week,” he said.

References to Virginia’s long history and America’s Founding Fathers were woven through the address, but Youngkin also acknowledged the country’s “chapters of great injustice.”

He credited “barrier-breakers” like former Gov. Doug Wilder, the nation’s first elected black governor, with leading the way for the inauguration of Miyares and Sears, who both made history themselves. Miyares is first Latino to serve in the position and Earle-Sears is the first woman of color to serve in a statewide office.

Youngkin said their election showed that “Virginia is big enough for the hopes and dreams of a diverse people.”

Shortly before the ceremony began, Virginia’s former governors met with Youngkin and outgoing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam inside the Capitol. Every living governor but Youngkin’s opponent in last year’s election, Terry McAuliffe, was in attendance. McAuliffe tweeted that he and his wife were “quarantining due to a close COVID contact in the interest of health and safety” and wished Youngkin well.

Youngkin, Northam and their

wives — Suzanne Youngkin and Pam Northam — also participated in a cordial Executive Mansion key exchange ceremony. Northam, who like all Virginia governors was prohibited from seeking a second consecutive term, assured Youngkin that the key card he handed over still worked, despite having been chewed up by the family’s dog, Pearl.

Youngkin is the state’s 74th governor and the first Republican to hold the office since Bob McDonnell left it in 2014.

The 55-year-old former collegiate basketball player, who accumulated a personal fortune during a career at the Carlyle Group, defeated McAuliffe last year in part by seizing on parental frustrations about school closures and references to race in classrooms.

Voters also elected a GOP majority to the House of Delegates, leaving the Democrats with just a narrow 21-19 majority in the state Senate as a check on Republican ambitions. Earle-Sears will preside over that chamber, with the ability to cast tie-breaking votes.

Senate Democrats congratulated the governor and said they look forward to working with him but signaled their willingness to fight to protect their party’s achievements.

“Let me be clear: Senate Democrats have no intention rolling back two years of tremendous progress for all Virginians — not only a select few,” caucus chair Mamie Locke said in a statement.

The appointments of his cabinet secretaries, who took their oaths of office at the Executive Mansion, remain contingent on legislative approval, with at least one opposed by many Senate Democrats.

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VOLUME 5 ISSUE 16 | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2022 | STANLYJOURNAL.COM

Stanly County Journal

PHOTO COURTESY STANLY COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Ready to serve

Graduates of Stanly Community College’s Basic Law Enforcement Training, spring 2021 and fall 2021 classes, are pictured here after their graduation ceremony on Jan. 12, 2022. Graduates of BLET are able to apply for law enforcement jobs in North Carolina. The program is designed and run by the state Department of Justice.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Some Stanly schools announce remote learning amid omicron outbreak

Albemarle homicides returns to typical rate in 2021 In 2020, Albemarle’s homicide rate spiked, coinciding with a nationwide trend, but it has now returned to more-typical rates.

While the city tends to see three or fewer homicides, that number jumped from one homicide in 2019 to six in 2020. The Albemarle Police Department reported to SCJ, though, that the 2021 homicide total was three, more in line with prior years and half of what was seen the year before. The CDC said 2020’s nationwide 30% jump in homicides was a record increase.

But many cities saw some relief in 2021, including nearby Greensboro and Charlotte, both of which had slightly reduced homicide in 2021 after both had record numbers in 2020.

SCJ

Man accused of multiple sex offenses Davidson County A man has been charged with multiple sex offenses after he was accused of having sex with a girl younger than 13, authorities said.

Thomasville police said Jeffrey Phillip Lackey, 49, is charged with statutory rape, statutory sex offense and taking indecent liberties with a child. Detectives said they began their investigation Dec. 1. Police said the juvenile victim disclosed years of sexual abuse during a forensic interview. Investigators executed a search warrant last Friday at Lackey’s home.

AP

American Red Cross makes plea for donations in Carolinas Mecklenburg County American Red Cross chapters in North Carolina and South Carolina are issuing a plea for donations, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and the typical post-holiday decline in the winter. At times, the Greater Carolinas Region had less than a one-day supply of critical blood types. Through January, about 75% of donation appointments remain unfilled, compared to 56% during this time last year.

The current blood shortage is the worst in more than a decade. The Red Cross has experienced a 10% decline in the number of blood donors since the beginning of the pandemic.

AP

By David Larson Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE — On Jan. 13, Stanly County Schools announced that a spike in COVID cases and quarantines has made operating district schools nearly impossible, and that in response, many of these schools will be going remote.

“Be Advised: Some of our schools are moving to a remote learning schedule due to the current rising rate of absenteeism and quarantining requirements for our staff and students,” the announcement said.

The massive spike in omicron LAURENT CIPRIANI | AP PHOTO cases can be seen on the district’s COVID-19 dashboard. For the Suzanne, 5 years old, is tested for COVID-19. week of Nov. 21 to 27, only nine students and three staff tested positive for the illness. A little 19 staff were quarantined, but in cal point for operational effecover a month later, there are 192 the early January numbers, that tiveness for face-to-face instrucstudents and 40 staff positive for was up to 988 students and 139 tion,” the SCS press release said.

“We are monitoring this situastaff quarantined.

COVID-19.

Staffing for bus drivers, caf- tion and decisions may be made The positive tests by themselves are not what is causing eteria workers and substitute in response to the overall welthe district’s problems keeping teachers, which was already ex- fare of our staff and students.”

On Monday, Jan. 17, reports the schools running, though. periencing severe strain this Many more staff are out due to school year, is now at a breaking by parents on social media indicate that some of these schools quarantines. In the late Novem- point.

“We are approaching a criti- have begun notifying them that ber numbers, 237 students and

Locust Police Dept lauds city’s safety in latest crime report

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE — The city of Locust has seen major growth due to its status as a bedroom community of Charlotte, but according to a 2021 crime report, it has avoided having a rise in crime accompany the rise in population.

On Jan. 14, the Locust Police Department provided its annual statistics and department clearance report for the past year, which are both available to view on the department’s website.

Within the reports, Locust Police Chief Jeff Shew provided his written analysis on the positive

data and results for the previous year, concluding that there was less overall criminal activity in Locust in 2021 than in 2020.

“Numbers continued to show an overall low daily incidence of larceny, fraud, and assault activity and near zero incidents of violent crime year to year,” Shew said. “The final numbers do indicate that in 2021 despite a rapidly growing city, Locust remained a very safe city with an overall low volume of crime and criminal activities.”

Locust has shown a consistent population growth over the past decade, with the 2020 census reporting a total of 4,537 citizens —

a 35% increase from the 2010 census total of 2,930 citizens.

In a comparison to 2020, the city reported an 8.3% decrease in reported offenses (from 2,148 to 1,969) as well as a 5.9% decrease in recorded incident reports (from 1,904 to 1,790); the 320 arrest charges in 2021 were a 14.2% decrease from the 373 arrests in 2020. The report also showed that alcohol- and drug-related offenses showed a significant decrease (31.7%) for the year, going from 161 in 2020 to 110 in 2021.

Shew continued in his analysis: “There was an overall decrease in property crime offenses for the year for the first time in seven years and the overall reported number was the lowest recorded since 2017. Overall, there was a sizable 25.3% decrease in call types related to theft or fraud.

Breaking this down further, there was a 25.8% decrease in business related larcenies and fraud related incidents decreased by 16.4%.”

While the majority of the city’s statistics showed a decrease in charges compared to 2020, that

they would be in remote learning or taking teacher work days.

West Stanly Middle School, North Stanly High School and Albemarle High School were among these schools.

Due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. federal holiday, those schools announcing no in-person classes for the week would not have to account for Monday.

Albemarle Middle School had the highest number of students quarantined for the week of Jan. 2 to 8, at 111, and also the most staff quarantined, with 12. Of those, 18 students and two staff tested positive.

On the Albemarle Middle Facebook page, they announced that they would not be having in-person instruction for the rest of the week, with Tuesday and Wednesday being teacher work days and Thursday and Friday remote-learning days.

The district press release had indicated these announcements from schools would be likely this week, ending their statement by saying, “If school schedules change, parents and students will be notified by email and phone messages.

wasn’t the case for every category — citation charges issued increased by 40.6% in 2021 (from 910 to 1,279), including a 59.4% increase in speeding charges issued. Additionally, 202 traffic crashes were reported (an increase of 3.1%), a total that was still less than the number reported in 2016 (220), 2017 (212) and 2018 (214).

In total, 5,771 calls were either dispatched to, initiated by, or attended in 2021.

“The 2021 statistics, as well as a comparison to past years, show that although crime is low, the tremendous growth that has occurred and is ongoing in Locust has resulted in a continuously elevated call volume for our agency that was down from the number in 2020 but significantly greater than five years ago in 2017,” Shew said in his report.

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We stand corrected In last week’s story on the Gray Stone School Board meeting, county commission candidate Patty Crump was incorrectly identified as a school board candidate.

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Stanly County Journal

Carolyn Jean Troutman

March 5, 1937 – January 14, 2022 Carolyn Jeanette Troutman, 84, of New London passed away on Friday, January 14, 2022 in the Taylor House.

Born March 5, 1937 in Stanly County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Millard Whitley and Lois Daniels Whitley.

Mrs. Troutman was preceded in death by her husband, Ronald Troutman and a son Steve Troutman. Mrs. Troutman is survived by her daughter-inlaw Laura Troutman of New London, grandchildren Candi Reed (Jeremy) of Hawaii, Brandy Frick (Dustin) of New London, and Chris Troutman (Hillary) of Reidsville, and five great-grandchildren, Riley Cable, Anna Grace Frick, Samuel Troutman, Emily Frick, and Julianna Troutman. Mrs. Troutman was also preceded in death by a brother, Donald Whitley.

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Thieves raiding rail cargo containers in Los Angeles The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Thieves have been raiding cargo containers aboard trains nearing downtown Los Angeles for months, taking packages belonging to people across the U.S. and leaving the tracks blanketed with discarded boxes.

The packages are from retailers, including Amazon, REI and others, CBS-LA reported Thursday. The sea of debris left behind includes items that the thieves apparently didn’t think were valuable enough to take.

While CBS-LA cameras were on the scene, one person was spotted running off with a container used to hold small packages, and a Union Pacific railroad police officer was spotted pursuing two other people who were apparently going through packages.

The scene was the same in November, when NBC-4 showed thousands of boxes discarded along the tracks lined with homeless encampments northeast of downtown in the Lincoln Park area.

Passing trains carried containers with doors wide open and packages tumbling out, NBC-4 reported.

Video showed two men, one holding what looked like bolt cutters, walking along the tracks, the station said.

Union Pacific said in a statement to CBS-LA that the railroad was concerned about increased cargo thefts in California.

RINGO H.W. CHIU | AP PHOTO

Shredded boxes and packages are seen at a section of the Union Pacific train tracks in downtown Los Angeles Friday, Jan. 14, 2022.

“We have increased the number of Union Pacific special agents on patrol, and we have utilized and explored additional technologies to help us combat this criminal activity. We also will continue to work with our local law enforcement partners and elected leaders,” the railroad said.

Amazon said it was directing inquiries to police. The United Parcel Service, UPS, declined to comment on investigations into the cargo thefts but said it was cooperating

with authorities.

“The safety of our customers’ goods and our employees is our highest priority,” UPS said in a statement.

Luis Rosas, who makes about $20 an hour working for a company subcontracted by Union Pacific to salvage items from the tracks in the Los Angeles area, says he’s encountered the brazen thieves in action before. Using bolt cutters, they break locks on the containers and load up vans or trucks with the sto-

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Hartsell, Dillon Wayne (W /M/22) Arrest on chrg of 1) Driving While Impaired (M), 2) Dwlr Impaired Rev (M), and 3) Reckless Driving To Endanger (M), at Mountain Creek Rd, New London, NC, on 1/16/2022 ♦ Thomas, Douglas Ray (W /M/60) Arrest on chrg of 1) Felony Possession Of Cocaine (F) and 2) Possession Of Firearm

By Felon (F), at 32060 Bethlehem Church Rd, Norwood, NC, on 1/15/2022 ♦ Efird, Jeremy Lee (W /M/36) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault

By Strangulation (F), 2) Assault Inf Ser Inj Minor Present (M), and 3) Injury To Personal Property (M), at 16374 Old Aquadale Rd, Albemarle, NC, on 1/15/2022 ♦ Moody, Robert Randall (W /M/40) Arrest on chrg of 1) Larceny From Construction Site (F), 2) Obtain Property False Pret >=$100,000 (F), and 3) Poss Stolen Goods/prop (f) (F), at Scj, Albemarle, NC, on 1/13/2022 ♦ Myers, Joseph Lee (W /M/28) Arrest on chrg of Fta - Release Order (M), at 126 South 3rd Street, Albemarle, NC, on 1/13/2022 ♦ Swaringen, Don Basil (W /M/33) Arrest on chrg of Misdemeanor Larceny (M), at Courthouse, Albemarle, NC, on 1/12/2022 ♦ Skidmore, Bobby Joe (W /M/34) Arrest on chrg

len merchandise.

Rosas has been doing this work almost daily for about six months, and while he’s been told not to engage in confrontations, he still feels afraid.

“They don’t even run off anymore. They do it right in front of us,” he told The Associated Press on Friday, before he headed to work to pick up car tires along the tracks wearing a bright yellow vest. “At first I was shocked. I was amazed by it.”

DEATH NOTICES

of Warrant Service For Other Agency, F (F), at 400 S Main St, Norwood, NC, on 1/12/2022 ♦ Bullard, Charles Edward (I /M/43) Arrest on chrg of 1) Misdemeanor Larceny (M) and 2) Misdemeanor Larceny (M), at 126 South 3rd Street, Albemarle, NC, on 1/12/2022 ♦ Mcadoo, Mckenzie Lynn (W /F/19) Arrest on chrg of Nonsupport Child (M), at 126 South Third, Albemarle, NC, on 1/12/2022 ♦ Staley, Shelia Marie (W /F/46) Arrest on chrg of First Deg Tresp Enter/ remain (M), at Frog Pond Rd, on 1/12/2022 ♦ Ward, Lisa Carol (W /F/46) Arrest on chrg of First Deg Tresp Enter/ remain (M), at Frog Pond Rd, on 1/12/2022 ♦ Efird-williams, Crystal Dawn (W /F/48) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking And Or Entering (f) (F), 2) Larceny After Break/ enter (F), 3) Possess Methamphetamine (F), and 4) Felony Conspiracy (F), at 4033 Old Davis Rd, Norwood, NC, on 1/11/2022 ♦ Johnson, Keenan Damarcus (W /M/26) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking And Or Entering (f) (F), 2) Larceny After Break/enter (F), and 3) Felony Conspiracy (F), at 4033 Old Davis Rd, Norwood, NC, on 1/11/2022 ♦ Myers, Austin-lee Lee C (W /M/25) Arrest on chrg of Breaking And Or Entering (f) (F), at

4586 Gaddys Ferry Rd, Norwood, NC, on 1/11/2022

♦ Charlene Eloise Salyers, 80, of Albemarle, died Jan. 10.

♦ Dennis, Clyde Dale (W /M/23) Arrest on chrg of Breaking And Or Entering (f) (F), at 4586 Gaddys Ferry Rd, Norwood, NC, on 1/11/2022

♦ Betty Lou Bowman Notor, 86, of Stanfield, died Jan. 10.

♦ Salley, Trevor (B M, 46) Arrest on chrg of False Fire Alarm, M (M), at 500 Leonard Av, Albemarle, on 01/11/2022.

Dewell A. Cook, 77, of Albemarle, died Jan. 12.

♦ Caldwell, William James (B M, 55) Arrest on chrg of Obtain Property False Pretense(F), at 781 Leonard Av, Albemarle, on 01/13/2022 ♦ Caldwell, William James (B M, 55) Arrest on chrg of Obtain Property False Pretense(F), at 781 Leonard Ave, Albemarle, on 01/13/2022 ♦ Jones, Christie Louise (W F, 49) Arrest on chrg of Possess Methamphetamine (F), at781 Leonard Av, Albemarle, on 01/15/202 ♦ Cody, Seneca Robert (B M, 25) Arrest on chrg of Possess Marijuana Up To 1/2Ounce, M (M), at 543 W Main St/us 52 North, Albemarle, on 01/16/2022 ♦ Ryan, Angela Kathlene (W F, 40) Arrest on chrg of Felony Larceny, F (F), at 126 SThird St, Albemarle, on 01/14/2022 ♦ Cahoon, Corey Oneal (W M, 41) Arrest on chrg of Simple Assault (M), at 126 S ThirdSt, Albemarle, on 01/14/2022

♦ Patsy Jolene Davis Speights, 72, of Albemarle, died Jan. 11.

♦ Virginia Haywood Skidmore, 83, of Albemarle, died Jan. 12. ♦ Dedria Williams Hatley, 69, of Locust, died Jan. 12. ♦ Lisa Lynn Helms Green, 56, of Oakboro, died Jan. 13. ♦ Myrtie Aleene Hicks, 92, of Badin, died Jan. 13. ♦ Joe Lee Ferguson, 91, of Stanfield, died Jan. 13. ♦ June Rose Morgan, 88, of Stanfield, died Jan. 13. ♦ George Olin Lord, 86, of Albemarle, died Jan. 13. ♦ Rebecca Havner Tucker, 80, of Albemarle, died Jan. 14. ♦ Carolyn Whitley Bullock, 84, of Albemarle, died Jan. 14. ♦ Larry Wayne Carpenter, 69, of Albemarle died Jan. 14. ♦ John Gordon Hudson, 74, of Albemarle, died Jan. 14. ♦ Carolyn Jeanette Troutman, 84, of New London, died Jan. 14.

Sandra Poplin Talent, 60, of Albemarle, died Jan. 14. ♦ Brenda Sue Burris, 70, of Albemarle, died Jan. 14.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON

The filibuster is not the problem

[T]he president said anyone who disagrees with the legislation was comparable to segregationists George Wallace and Bull Connor.

This rhetoric is divisive and extremely shameful.

“DOOMSDAY FOR DEMOCRACY.” “Rubber stamp of dictatorship.”

“Arrogance of power.”

These are how politicians have described ending the Senate’s filibuster in recent years. Another leader said, “If the majority chooses to end the filibuster, if they choose to change the rules and put an end to Democratic debate, then the fighting and the bitterness and the gridlock will only get worse.”

Those quotes came not from Republicans, but from Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Like a majority of Americans, all three Democratic leaders once supported maintaining the long-standing filibuster as a check and balance that ensures the voices of millions of Americans are represented. In fact, in 2020 alone, Democrats used the filibuster 327 times to block Republicans.

Unfortunately, it appears now-President Joe Biden and Democratic leadership have changed their tune. Last week, Biden and Schumer pushed to end the filibuster in order to pass more of their radical agenda, beginning with a federal takeover of elections.

Their so-called voting rights bill would scrap any state voter ID laws, give more power to the IRS and direct billions of your tax dollars to political campaigns. Under the proposal, Chuck Schumer would receive up to $44.1 million for his reelection, while Nancy Pelosi would receive up to $22.7 million.

While President Biden campaigned on being a moderate and unifying the country, in Atlanta last week, the president said anyone who disagrees with the legislation was comparable to segregationists George Wallace and Bull Connor. This rhetoric is divisive and extremely shameful.

I have long supported reforming our voting laws to strengthen the integrity of our elections. However, Washington Democrats have created a false narrative to justify a federal election takeover that strips rights from states and gives politicians more power.

I voted against this bill in the House and will continue to oppose it. Yet, instead of changing the rules and pushing their radical agenda, the president, Sen. Schumer, and Speaker Pelosi should be focused on the pressing issues mounting in our nation.

COVID cases are at an all-time high. Migrants and deadly fentanyl illegally crossing our southern border are at record levels.

December recorded the worst jobs numbers of Biden’s presidency.

And just last week, inflation reached its highest rate in 40 years. I am sure you are feeling the effects of this at the gas pump, grocery store, and in your utility bills.

This inflation also means wages are not keeping up with the increased demand. According to the New York Times, just 17% of workers say their pay has kept pace with inflation. There is a crisis in our economy, at our border and in our communities dealing with increased crime and the pandemic. Washington Democrats ignored these issues and spent December focused on their $4 trillion Build Back Broke agenda, which stalled. Now they risk spending January focused on nationalizing elections and once again ignoring our challenges This is unacceptable and why I am focused on the issues impacting you and your family every day. We must keep our schools open. We need to slow government spending and get Americans back to work. It’s time to secure our border once and for all. And we need common sense solutions to end the pandemic that respect science and freedom.

Ultimately, we must work toward expanding opportunities and prosperity in our nation. While addressing these issues, this weekend we also commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. His life’s work and guiding principles continue to impact our nation and inspire all those seeking freedom and justice. As we confront the challenges facing our nation, I hope we can all recall his words and strive to create a better nation for every American.

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Biden’s big elections lie These were little more than the mendacious ravings of a demagogue.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN finally delivered his “voting rights” speech in Atlanta, telling a crowd: “The next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation’s history. Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadows, justice over injustice? I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend your right to vote, our democracy against all enemies foreign and domestic. And the question is: Where will the institution of the United States Senate stand?”

These were little more than the mendacious ravings of a demagogue.

Biden’s argument is predicated on the idea that anyone who continues to support the legislative filibuster — a Senate rule the president defended for nearly 50 years — or voter ID laws, or time restrictions on mail-in ballots, or consistent hours for early voting, or bans on ballot harvesting, is no better than Bull Connor. “Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace?” was the false choice offered by a man who repeatedly praised Wallace, and other segregationists, early in his career.

The president suggested that anyone opposing the Democrats’ “voting rights” bill was not only a bigot but a seditious “domestic” enemy of the United States — a designation that now probably includes six Democratic senators, if not more. The president pronounced the Senate a “shell of its former self,” lamenting that the GOP had used the filibuster over 100 times in the past year, skipping the inconvenient fact that Democrats had done so over 300 times the preceding four years. Biden, “the institutionalist,” then unloaded a litany of completely misleading contentions about voting laws to justify his abandonment of principle.

And the reason Biden is compelled to lie about virtually every aspect of the Georgia voting law is that the specifics are actually quite popular and do not inhibit a citizen from casting a ballot.

Most of the requirements Biden contends are now compulsory for democracy to properly function had only been instituted in the past few years — many of them only during the last election.

Biden’s comparing Jim Crow to contemporary voter integrity laws is detestable. One was a violent suppression of the minority vote; the other was giving voters only 11 weeks before an election to request a ballot and declining to keep expanding voting into the weekend.

At this pace, Democrats will be arguing that disenfranchisement of illegal immigrants is the manifestation of the Dixiecrat agenda

by 2024.

ID requirements are what the left detests most, yet this is the provision they talk about least. Why? Most polls find overwhelming majority support for limiting early voting hours and requiring photo IDs to vote. Fascists in Colorado and Connecticut and most other states, not only Georgia, still demand a person provide governmentissued ID to vote. They, just like Georgia, allow voters without ID to provide the last four digits of their Social Security number, a bank statement or utility bill, a paycheck or any other government document with their name and address. (Maybe if states allowed vaccine passports to suffice, Democrats would be up for it.)

But most Americans — most people in the free world — have believed it eminently reasonable to expect voters to identify themselves before participating in democracy. If Democrats believed the vote was sacred, so would they. It’s the Democrats who are advocating overturning the will of voters in Georgia and elsewhere. Let’s remember that H.R. 1 “voting rights” bill would have compelled states to allow ballot harvesting, to ban voter ID laws, to allow felons to vote and to count mail-in votes that arrive up to 10 days after Election Day. The president sprinkled his speech with feigned indignation and lots of podium pounding. Unable to contain his penchant for fabulism, he seemed to joke about being arrested (“the first time”) during a civil rights march. Maybe Biden was confusing that incident with the time he wasn’t arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandela or didn’t defend the Black Panthers in court or never participated in a sit-in.

But one can suspect most Democrats understand well that this is all a nasty bit of cynical political theater since there is little chance of nuking the filibuster. Biden’s attempt to launch his entire agenda in a single reconciliation moonshot stuffed with progressive extravagances failed to get a simple majority. Stymied, the president has decided to preemptively undermine confidence in the 2022 and 2024 elections, smearing half the country as racists while cosplaying as a civil rights hero. “The Big Lie,” indeed.

The consequences of this will be the further deterioration of trust in elections. More division. More anger.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at National Review and author of “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

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Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

4

SPORTS SIDELINE REPORT COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Graham resigns as Hawaii football coach amid controversy Honolulu Todd Graham resigned as the University of Hawaii’s football coach Friday, stepping down amid controversy after completing the second-year of a five-year contract. Graham resigned a week after former players and some parents testified before a state legislative hearing, criticizing the coach’s management style and relationships with players. More than a dozen players have entered the transfer portal. The 57-yearold Graham was 11-11 in two seasons at Hawaii. He previously was a head coach at Rice, Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State.

NFL

Former Chiefs player Siavii found dead in Kansas federal prison Leavenworth, Kan. A former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle was found dead in a Kansas federal prison where he was being held on charges of illegal firearms possession, a prison official said. Saousoalii Siavii Jr., 43, was found unresponsive at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth on Thursday afternoon. Siavii was treated by prison staff and taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. From American Samoa, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound former Oregon lineman was drafted by Kansas City in the second round in 2004 and spent two seasons with the Chiefs. He played for Dallas in 2009 and Seattle in 2010.

HOCKEY

Conn. lawmaker proposes mandatory neck guards after hockey death Hartford, Conn.

A Connecticut state lawmaker says she plans to introduce legislation requiring all hockey players to wear a neck guard or a similar protective device during practice or games following the death last week of a 10th-grade player whose neck was cut by a skate.

Benjamin Edward “Teddy” Balkind, 16, a member of the hockey team at the private coeducational St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, died Jan. 6 following a game at the Brunswick School, a college preparatory school in Greenwich for boys. It is unclear whether Balkind was wearing a neck guard.

SOCCER

Lewandowski wins FIFA best player vote Zurich Robert Lewandowski was voted the best men’s player in the world on Monday, retaining the FIFA award he won last year despite being left off the ballot paper filed by runner-up Lionel Messi.

The Bayern Munich forward overturned the result last month of the Ballon d’Or prize where he placed second behind Messi, who finally led Argentina to a senior title at the 2021 Copa América.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool placed third. Lewandowski broke two Bundesliga records by scoring 41 goals for Bayern in its title-winning 2020-21 season and 43 in the calendar year of 2021. Both marks were held since 1972 by another Bayern great, Gerd Müller.

CHARLES REX ARBOGAST | AP PHOTO

Nets guard Kyrie Irving said his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine would not change despite the injury to teammate Kevin Durant.

Irving can only play in Brooklyn's road games because of New York City regulations that require players to be vaccinated.

Nets’ star Irving steadfast on vaccine despite Durant injury The former Duke guard can only play in road games because he’s not vaccinated

By Tom Withers The Associated Press CLEVELAND — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving insists an injury to teammate Kevin Durant won’t change his stance on not getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Irving, who only recently returned to action after a drawn-out stalemate over getting vaccinated, said Monday following a loss to the Cavaliers that he has no intention of getting the shot — and nothing will sway him.

“That’s my decision already, and I’m standing on it,” Irving said.

The seven-time All-Star point guard has become a lightning rod

of sorts for his decision not to get the vaccine. And due to COVID-19 mandates in New York City concerning public arenas, Irving is not permitted to play in home games.

His decision to remain unvaccinated is having a dramatic impact on the Nets and their ability to contend for an NBA championship, something that almost seemed assured when the team landed Irving, Durant and James Harden.

With Durant potentially sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury suffered Saturday, Irving was asked if he’s feeling more pressure to get vaccinated.

Irving made it clear he’s not been moved to act.

“That’s what I think comes into a lot of this culture and basketball and sport and entertainment,” Irving said in his strongest com-

ments on the sensitive subject.

“You bring in teams and you bring in situations. Kev’s going to heal.

Kev’s going to be OK, and we’re going to have to deal with that as his teammates.

“But in terms of where I am with my life outside of this, I stay rooted in my decision and that’s just what it is. It’s not going to be swayed just because of one thing is this NBA life that somehow it’s brought to my attention to being more important than what’s going on in the real world.

“It’s just not happening for me.”

Irving scored a team-high 27 points in Brooklyn’s 114-107 loss to the Cavaliers. It was just his fourth game back this season with the Nets, who have been dealing with injuries — and other distractions — since acquiring Harden to play with Irving and Durant.

During his postgame interview, Irving said he’s bothered that his decision is being questioned and that it’s almost always framed in the context of his profession — not his personal life.

“I respect everyone else’s decision,” he said. “I’m not going to try to convince anyone of anything or anything like that. And though we’re dealing with this right now with Kev, I just know that I’m protected by the organization. I’m protected by my teammates. I’m protected by all the doctors I’ve talked to and I’m just staying rooted.”

The 29-year-old Irving has never shied away from speaking his mind on any subject, and that openness has often led to criticism, and in his view, being misunderstood.

Irving took offense at being asked if there was anything that would make him reconsider the vaccine.

“I live my life the majority of the time when I’m away from this, so when I say I’m not getting vaccinated, I’m making a choice with my life and somehow it gets mixed into, ‘What about the basketball?’

Like no, bro,” he said.

China aims for ‘Zero COVID’ Olympics The Winter Games in Beijing will have strict rules to try and control the spread of the coronavirus

The Associated Press Athletes will need to be vaccinated — or face a long quarantine — take tests daily and wear masks when not competing or training.

Clapping is OK to cheer on teammates, not chanting. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be sent into isolation and unable to compete until cleared for discharge.

Welcome to the Beijing Olympics, where strict containment measures will aim to create a virus-proof ‘bubble” for thousands of international visitors at a time when omicron is fueling infections globally.

The prevention protocols will be like those at the Tokyo Games this summer but much tighter.

That won’t be a stretch in Beijing, with China having maintained a “Zero COVID” policy since early in the pandemic.

Still, China’s ability to stick to its zero-tolerance approach nationally is already being tested by the highly transmissible omicron variant, which is more contagious

than earlier variants of the virus and better able to evade protection from vaccines.

With just weeks to go before the Feb. 4 start of the Games, the rules are in place.

Athletes and other participants, including team staff and news media, need to be fully vaccinated to be allowed in the designated Olympic areas without completing a 21-day quarantine.

Upon arrival at the airport in Beijing, participants will have their temperatures taken and be tested with throat and nasal swabs. An Olympics official who recently arrived on site said at a press briefing the process took him 45 minutes, though organizers note times might vary.

A bus will then take people to their designated lodging, where they’ll wait up to six hours for test results to clear them to move about in approved areas. Restrictions on movement within that “closed loop” are intended to seal off any potential contact between Olympic participants and the local population.

Throat swabs for testing will be required daily for all participants.

If an athlete or other participant tests positive but doesn’t have symptoms, they’ll need to go into isolation in a dedicated hotel.

They’ll be provided with meals

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN | AP PHOTO

As the Winter Olympics loom, Beijing is stepping up measures to keep the coronavirus at bay with its "zero-tolerance" COVID-19 policy.

2/4 Day of Opening Ceremonies for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

and can open their windows for fresh air but won’t be able to leave their rooms, which organizers say will be about 270 square feet.

Athletes can request fitness equipment for training.

People with no symptoms can leave isolation after two days of negative tests. Organizers say

those testing positive will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but it might still be too late for athletes to compete.

Those who test positive and have symptoms must go into isolation in a hospital. They’ll also need to two days of negative tests to be let loose, as well as three days of normal temperatures and symptoms subsiding.

Spectators from overseas won’t be allowed. As for local fans, Beijing organizers say they’re finalizing rules for their attendance.

Even if some fans are allowed in Beijing, their presence will be muted. Everyone is being asked to clap instead of shouting or singing, as had been the plan in Tokyo.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

5

No title defense for No. 1: West Stanly boys Djokovic deported from Australia pick up conference

win at Forest Hills

The Serbian lost his appeal to have his visa revocation overturned

The Colts have won two of three to move into a tie for second place in the Rocky River Conference

The Associated Press MELBOURNE, Australia — Instead of starting the defense of his Australian Open title on Monday, Novak Djokovic was on his way home, a stunning and unprecedented end to his run of success at Melbourne Park.

Djokovic has won nine of his 20 Grand Slam trophies at the Australian Open — including three in a row — and was scheduled to play in the main stadium to conclude Day 1 of the tournament.

But the No. 1-ranked player in men’s tennis had to be deported from Australia after three Federal Court judges decided unanimously Sunday to affirm the immigration minister’s right to cancel Djokovic’s visa. The ruling was made less than 18 hours before the first Grand Slam matches of 2022 were scheduled to begin.

Djokovic said he was “extremely disappointed” by the legal outcome but respected the decision and would cooperate in his “departure from the country.” He also said he planned “to rest and to recuperate.”

The 34-year-old from Serbia was trying to use a medical exemption approved by two independent medical panels and Tennis Australia to get around the requirements that everyone at the Australian Open — players, their support teams, spectators and others — be inoculated against COVID-19.

Djokovic is not vaccinated, and the government said his presence could stir up anti-vaccine sentiments.

The saga started on Jan. 5, when Djokovic’s flight landed at a Melbourne airport.

“I am uncomfortable that the focus of the past weeks has been on me,” he said Sunday, “and I hope that we can all now focus on

ANDY BROWNBILL | AP PHOTO

Novak Djokovic holds the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the 2021 Australian Open. On Monday, an Australian judge reinstated the Serbian tennis star’s visa, which was canceled last week because he is unvaccinated.

27-1 Novak Djokovic’s combined record at the four Grand Slam tournaments last year. the game and tournament I love.”

Tennis Australia issued a statement saying it “respects the decision of the Federal Court” and added: “We look forward to a competitive and exciting Australian Open 2022 and wish all players the best of luck.”

Djokovic’s absence means just one past champion is in the men’s bracket: 2009 winner Rafael Nadal. And that also means now it is only Nadal who will have a chance to claim a 21st Grand Slam title and break a tie with Djokovic and Roger Federer (who is sidelined after a series of knee operations).

Djokovic’s dominance in Grand Slam play of late has been particularly impressive, winning four of the last seven major tournaments

and finishing as the runner-up at two others. The only time he did not get at least to the final in that span was at the 2020 U.S. Open, where he was disqualified in the fourth round for hitting a ball that inadvertently hit a line judge in the throat after a game.

Last season, Djokovic went 27-1 at majors, coming within a victory in the U.S. Open final of becoming the first man since 1969 to win a calendar-year Grand Slam.

After the ruling, Vasek Pospisil, a Canadian who won the 2014 Wimbledon men’s doubles title and has worked with Djokovic to form an association to represent players, tweeted: “There was a political agenda at play here with the (Australian) elections coming up which couldn’t be more obvious.”

Pospisil also wrote: “This is not his fault. He did not force his way into the country and did not ‘make his own rules.’”

Pospisil said Djokovic wouldn’t have traveled to Australia and would have “been home with his family” had he not received the medical exemption that turned out to be so contentious.

ing able to notch a big win on the road was a great accomplishment for his team. The Colts have beaten the Yellow Jackets in three of their past four meetings despite Forest Hills going four years without a conference loss prior to

By Jesse Deal last season.

Stanly County Journal Junior Matthew Parker led the ALBEMARLE — After losing Colts in scoring with 16 points four out of five games last month, and added four rebounds, four the West Stanly boys’ basketball assists and four steals. Senior team has now won two of their Charlie Carpenter had 14 points and a team-high six relast three games with bounds, while juniors Rocky River ConferCamden Nahrgang and ence play now in full Jesse Boone each recordswing.

“We feel ed 10 points for West The Colts (7-6, Stanly.

2-1 RRC) traveled to pretty good Thompson said his longtime rival Forest that if we team is growing and Hills (6-9, 2-1 RRC) learning on the court folon Friday and came can stay lowing a tough stretch away with a 70-63 healthy and of games in December victory over the Yel- get a couple when his players were low Jackets, putting affected by injuries, both teams in a tie of practice COVID-19 quarantines for second place in days, we and other illnesses. the RRC standings “At one point, we probbehind Monroe (6-5, can make ably went two weeks 3-0 RRC). a run to be without having enough West Stanly trailed guys to practice,” he said.

30-25 at halftime be- right there “So I think the biggest fore it surged back right where thing has been the fact into the lead during we need to that we’ve actually been a fourth quarter in healthy and we’ve been which it outscored the be at the able to practice. We feel Yellow Jackets 27-17. top of this pretty good that if we “I was pretty disappointed with how conference.” can stay healthy and get a couple of practice days, we played in the first we can make a run to be quarter. We just made John right there right where a lot of mental misThompson, we need to be at the top takes,” West Stanly of this conference.” coach John Thomp- West Stanly With Monday’s home son said. “We played boys’ matchup against North really well after that basketball Stanly (9-5, 4-1 Yadkin and I had a couple of Valley) canceled due to kids to step up. We coach inclement weather contook good care of the cerns (and rescheduled ball — we only had 10 turnovers for the game and only for Feb. 8), West Stanly was set to three in the second half — which play at Monroe on Tuesday night. has been one of our weaknesses.” The Redhawks have won three Thompson added that he has consecutive games, including an “a ton of respect” for Forest Hills’ overtime victory over Parkwood basketball program and that be- on Friday.

NHL pioneer O’Ree says having Bruins retire jersey an honor The NHL’s first black player was set to have his No. 22 raised to the rafters Tuesday night against Carolina

By Kyle Hightower The Associated Press BOSTON — Willie O’Ree has experienced many honors during his lifetime, from becoming the NHL’s first black player in 1958 with the Boston Bruins to being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018.

But the 86-year-old says having his No. 22 jersey retired in Boston on Tuesday will rank right up there near the top.

“It was something that I’ve never dreamed of,” O’Ree said in a phone interview Monday. “I was very fortunate to be called up to the Bruins in 1958 and played with them ’60 and ’61.

And then all of a sudden, to find out that my jersey is going to be retired and to hang in the rafters there with the local icons and legends that are up there at the present time — it’s just simply amazing.”

O’Ree had his pioneering moment on Jan. 18, 1958, when he suited up against the Montreal Canadiens. He’ll be the 12th player in Bruins history to have his number raised to the rafters.

He had planned to be in attendance for Boston’s game against Carolina on Tuesday but persisting concerns about the pandemic changed those plans. He will now participate virtually from his home in San Diego.

“I was disappointed,” he said.

“I have a lot of friends in the Boston area and fans that I’ve known over the years. … With the virus are going on, we just felt that for our own safety that we were not going to make the trip.”

O’Ree, who is originally from

Fredericton, New Brunswick, played two games for the Bruins during the 1957-58 season, spent the next two seasons in the minors, and came back to Boston for 43 more during the 196061 season, notching four goals and 10 assists over his 45 total games. He was traded to the Canadiens in 1961 but never made it back to the NHL level.

Coinciding with Tuesday’s ceremony, the NHL’s Black Hockey History museum is in Boston this week. It’ll make its way to 28 cities in the U.S. and O’Ree’s native Canada this season — the most cities it’s visited yet. It was at the Bruins’ training facility Sunday and will stop at TD Garden before Tuesday night’s game.

The 525-square-foot museum highlights trailblazers and history makers like O’Ree, along with the league’s founders and Stanley Cup champions. It also looks ahead to the next generation of young stars, NHL officials, broadcasters and women in the game.

O’Ree has focused on the future of the NHL since his retirement from the sport. And since 1998, he has worked for the NHL as a diversity ambassador, working to foster more inclusion and combat the racism that still exists in the league.

O’Ree said he’s proud of the work he’s done speaking with young people at hockey clinics in the hopes of diversifying the sport he loves.

“I just want to be remembered as not only as the first black player to play in the NHL, but just an individual that wanted to be involved with boys and girls and help them set goals for themselves and help them work toward their goals and feel good about themselves and like themselves,” he said. “I think that’s very important.”

“To find out that my jersey is going to be retired and to hang in the rafters there with the local icons and legends that are up there at the present time — it’s just simply amazing.”

Willie O’Ree

AP PHOTO

Willie O’Ree , pictured with the Bruins in 1960, was set to have his No. 22 jersey retired by the Bruins on Tuesday.

6

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Garbage and recyclables pile up as omicron takes its toll The Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The omicron variant is sickening so many sanitation workers around the U.S. that some cities have had to delay or suspend garbage or recycling pickup, angering residents shocked that governments can’t perform this most basic of functions.

The slowdowns have caused recycling bins full of Christmas gift boxes and wrapping paper to languish on Nashville curbs, trash bags to pile up on Philadelphia streets, and uncollected yard waste — grass clippings, leaves, branches — to block sidewalks in Atlanta.

“It’s just a shame,” said Madelyn Rubin, who lives in Jacksonville, Florida, where officials have halted recycling.

“You know that they could find the money to do it if they wanted to,” she said. “If it was a business that wanted to come in here, they would dump money in to make it happen.”

Cities including Atlanta, Nashville and Louisville are so shorthanded they have temporarily stopped collecting things like recyclable bottles, cans, paper, plastic, yard waste and oversized junk to focus on the grosser, smellier stuff.

The delays are more than an annoyance to residents, creating problems such as clogged storm drains and blocked sidewalks.

Nashville City Council member

MATT ROURKE | AP PHOTO

Trash sits out for collection in Philadelphia, Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022.

Freddie O’Connell was just as surprised as his constituents when he received notice before Christmas that the city was halting curbside recycling.

“I was just stunned there wasn’t an alternative or a back-up plan,” he said. “No hotline for people who are mobility impaired or don’t have reliable access to a car” to carry their recyclables to a central drop-off site.

In Nashville, staffing shortages exacerbated a problem that includes not enough working garbage trucks and a contract with a bankrupt private trash collector.

“It feels like a failure of governance,” he added.

This is actually the third garbage crisis of the pandemic. The first happened in the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 took hold in the U.S. Problems arose again as the delta variant spiked over the summer.

The Solid Waste Association of North America warned government officials and trash haulers in December to “plan now for staffing shortages.”

The highly contagious variant hit just when Americans were generat-

ing a lot of trash — over the Christmas holidays. Combine that with a relatively low vaccination level among front-line sanitation workers and you have a “perfect storm for delayed collection,” the association’s executive director, David Biderman, said this week.

In some communities, up to a quarter of the waste-collection workforce is calling in sick, Biderman said.

Garbage collection has become just another of the many basic services disrupted by omicron. Around the U.S., teachers, firefighters, police officers and transit workers have been out sick in large numbers.

“We’re getting calls, emails, everything. People are understandably frustrated,” said Atlanta City Council member Liliana Bakhtiari.

Atlanta officials said Monday that because of the worker shortage, recycling and yard waste will be picked up “as staffing allows.”

Los Angeles said delays in the collection of recyclables could continue through the month.

In Louisville, Kentucky, sanitation workers stopped picking up yard waste in early January until further notice. Residents can drop off branches and clippings at Christmas tree collection sites.

New York City, which boasts the largest municipal sanitation force in the world, had around 2,000 of its 7,000 workers out because of the

latest round of the coronavirus, but the rest are working long hours to clear a backlog of waste. The city has not suspended any services.

Harry Nespoli, president of the union local representing the city’s sanitation workers, said some are coming back after quarantining, while others are testing positive for the virus: “Right now it’s a swinging door.”

In Philadelphia, sometimes called Filthadelphia because of the condition of its streets, around 10% to 15% of the 900-person sanitation workforce is out on any given day, leading to delays in waste collection, according to Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams.

“When people are out, we can’t just hire to replace them,” he said.

“We have to give them time to get well.”

To keep the trash from piling up, some municipalities are hiring temporary workers or contracting with private haulers. Some are offering signing or retention bonuses or pay raises.

Chattanooga, Tennessee, increased starting wages for drivers by more than 40%, from just over $31,500 to $45,000.

That allowed the city to restore recycling collection in November after halting it in July and continue routine pickups despite the omicron surge, said spokesperson Mary Beth Ikard.

Bill would require Senate confirmation for US prison chief

By Michael R. Sisak The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Days after the head of the troubled federal Bureau of Prisons said he was resigning amid increased scrutiny over his leadership, lawmakers have introduced a bill to require Senate confirmation for future bureau directors — the same process used to vet leaders of the FBI and other federal agencies.

The bill, introduced late Thursday by the chairman of the House’s Bureau of Prisons Reform Caucus, seeks to strengthen congressional oversight over the crisis-plagued bureau by adding checks and balances to how its director is chosen.

Currently, the attorney general can just appoint someone to the position.

U.S. Rep. Fred Keller’s bill would shift the responsibility of picking a director to the White House, authorizing the president to nominate someone to the post, with that person then facing questioning at a Senate hearing before a confirmation vote. It would also limit the director to one 10-year term.

The Bureau of Prisons is the Justice Department’s largest agency, with about 37,500 budgeted positions, an annual budget of nearly $8 billion and more than 150,000 inmates. Yet, it’s the only Justice Department agency whose director isn’t subject to Senate confirmation.

Keller, R-Pa., wrote in a letter asking colleagues to support the bill that the director of the Bureau of Prisons “oversees a massive government agency without sufficient congressional oversight” and that changing how the position is filled would bring “further accountability” to the agency.

In nominating a federal prisons director, instead of relying on the attorney general to choose one, the White House would gain greater control over the Bureau of Prisons, which advocates have been urging President Joe Biden to overhaul after he pledged in his campaign to focus on criminal justice reforms.

In requiring Senate confirmation,

MICHAEL CONROY | AP PHOTO

The federal prison complex in Terre Haute, Ind., Aug. 28, 2020.

Congress would gain power to better screen candidates and could expose potential problems before they take office.

Current Director Michael Carvajal told Attorney General Merrick Garland last week that he is resigning. The decision came after Associated Press reporting that uncovered widespread problems at the agency, including a recent story detailing serious misconduct involving correctional officers.

Carvajal will stay on for an interim period until a successor is in place while the agency’s No. 2, Deputy Director Gene Beasley, plans to retire effective May 31.

If the bill is approved and signed into law after a Carvajal replacement is appointed, that person

could still end up being subject to Senate confirmation. According to the text of the bill, dubbed the Federal Prisons Accountability Act, a sitting director would be able to stay in office for three months after it becomes law. The president could then nominate that person to the position, pending Senate confirmation.

Several congressional committees currently have oversight over the Bureau of Prisons, with the director occasionally summoned to answer questions at Capitol Hill hearings. But without a confirmation process, the legislative branch has been effectively excluded from having any say in who gets to lead the agency.

Lawmakers have failed in previous efforts to give the Senate a say

in who leads the Bureau of Prisons.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., proposed similar measures in the Senate four times since 2012, and Keller did the same in the House in 2020, but none of those got a debate, let alone a vote.

Carvajal’s exit is a prime time to give it another try, with Senate leaders giving extra attention to the agency after the AP published a story late last year that revealed that more than 100 Bureau of Prisons workers have been arrested, convicted or sentenced for crimes since the start of 2019. Those workers included a warden charged with sexually abusing an inmate.

Carvajal’s tumultuous tenure included the rampant spread of the coronavirus inside federal prisons,

a failed response to the pandemic, dozens of escapes, deaths and critically low staffing levels that have hampered responses to emergencies.

The AP’s reporting exposing those problems compelled Congress to investigate and prompted increased calls from lawmakers for Carvajal to resign, including from the chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. An agency insider who started as a correctional officer and worked his way up the ranks, Carvajal took over just before the COVID-19 pandemic began raging in federal prisons nationwide. Tens of thousands of inmates have been infected with the virus, and at least 277 have died.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

7

obituaries

Patsy Jolene Davis Speights July 1, 1949 – January 11, 2022

Patsy Jolene Davis Speights, 72, of Albemarle passed Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at her home.

She was born July 1, 1949 in Stanly County and was the daughter of the late William A. Davis and Ruth Inez Helms Davis.

Patsy is survived by her husband, Alvin D. Speights and her children. Her sons Tony Biggers (Rosario Ramirez) of Albemarle NC, Ronnie Biggers (Virginia “Traci”) of Norwood NC, daughter, Jennifer Ruth Beachum (Brandon) of Albemarle NC. One sisters, Elaine Harris (Larry) of Granite Falls NC and two brothers, Lavern Davis (Ethel) of Oakboro NC and Jimmy Davis (Emily) of Albemarle NC. Four grandchildren Taylor Biggers, Tristin Biggers, Keely Beachum and Keigan Beachum.

Larry Wayne Carpenter

June 26, 1952 – January 14, 2022 Larry Wayne Carpenter, 69, of Albemarle passed away January 14, 2022 in Atrium Health Stanly.

His funeral service will be held at 11 AM on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Steve Jackson officiating. Burial will follow in Anderson Grove Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle from 10 until 11 AM prior to the hour of the service.

Born June 26, 1952 in Stanly County, NC he was the son of Helen Carpenter Williams and the late Bennie Carpenter Jr. Mr. Carpenter is survived by his wife of 45 years, Anita Fowler Carpenter of the home. Other survivors include sons Jake Wayne Carpenter (Jenny) of Apex and Matthew Garrett Carpenter (Katie) of Albemarle, brother Rev. Tim Carpenter of Indian Trail and sister Kathy Carpenter of Troy, five grandchildren, Graydon Carpenter, Hugh Carpenter, Brody Carpenter, Russ Carpenter, and Nora Carpenter. In addition to his father, a sister, Sandy Allen, preceded him in death.

Dewell A. Cook

George Olin Lord

August 17, 1944 – January 12, 2022

December 3, 1935 – January 13, 2022

Dewell A. Cook, 77, of Albemarle passed away Wednesday, January 12, 2022 in Atrium Health Stanly.

Born August 17, 1944 in Stanly County, NC he was the son of the late Robert Vance Cook Sr. and Zula Burleson Cook.

He is survived by Rhonda Smith (Ronnie) of New London and Wyannette Caudle (Greg) of Albemarle, a nephew who was more like a son James “Buck” Cook of Salisbury, the lady that he loved, Shirley Medlin, special friends, Rick Culp, Alex Hopkins, N.P. and Burrell Maner, brothers Darrell Cook of Seagrove and Mitchell Cook of Albemarle, four grandchildren Brandy Eppenauer, Cody Caudle, Hannah Caudle, and Kirstie Earl, and five great-grandchildren J. P. Porter, Brianna Watson, Josiah and Ryan Watson, and Alynn Caudle. He was preceded in death by two sisters and five brothers.

George Olin Lord, 86, of Albemarle passed away January 13, 2022 in Atrium Health Cabarrus.

Born December 3, 1935 in Charleston, SC, he was the son of the late George Washington “G.W.” Lord and Catherine Louise Meadows Lord.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years Becky Hathcock Lord of the home. Other survivors Greg Lord (Susan) of Jacksonville, FL, David Lord (Valarie) of Albemarle, and Kelly Smith of Albemarle, seven grandchildren, Lauren Dynesius, Benjamin Lord, Justin Neal, Jonathan Lord, Kathryn Lovette Yow, Joshua Smith, Jeremy Smith, and eleven greatgrandchildren. He was preceded in death by daughter Stacy Ann Lord and by a grandson Chris Lord.

Carolyn Whitley Bullock November 9, 1937 – January 14, 2022

Carolyn Whitley Bullock, 84, of Albemarle passed away on Friday, January 14, 2022 in her home.

Her funeral service will be held 2 PM on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Rick Miller officiating. Burial will follow in the Prospect Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle from 12:30 until 1:30 prior to the service.

Born November 9, 1937 in Stanly County, she was the daughter of the late Leroy Whitley and Ruby Hartsell Whitley.

She is survived by daughters Dawn Bullock Beaman (Rusty) of Albemarle, Joan Bullock Hussey (Joseph) of Concord, brother Jerry Wayne Whitley (Cindy) of Greensboro, four grandchildren Jaclyn Robinson, Jayme Gordon, Jolyn Brown, and Blair Morrow, four great-grandchildren Jonah, Aubree, Oliver, and Leighton and soon to be Charlotte Morrow. A brother Sherrill Whitley preceded her in death.

Virginia Haywood “Ginny” Skidmore December 24, 1938 – January 12, 2022

Virginia Haywood “Ginny” Skidmore, 83, of Park Ridge Rd in Albemarle, died Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at Atrium HealthStanly from complications due to Covid.

Born December 24, 1938 in Mt. Gilead, NC, she is the daughter of the late Johnie and Ina Haywood. Ginny is survived by her sons Eric Skidmore (Trina) of Albemarle and Kevin Skidmore (Ann) of Norwood; daughter, Lisa Rhyne (David) of Clinton, TN; six grandchildren, Lauren Dermody (Robby) of Chapel Hill, Doug Skidmore (fiancé Victoria) of Maiden, Chris Skidmore (Rebecca) of Fleetwood, Cameron Skidmore of Durham, Elizabeth and Charlie Rhyne of Clinton, TN, and step-grandson David Rhyne, Jr of Clinton, TN. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Emerson and Rhodes Dermody of Chapel Hill, her brothers, Dr. Jerry Haywood (Jean) of Williamsburg, VA, Kent Haywood of Winston Salem, and her sister, Donna Burleson (Terry) of Mt. Gilead.

Lisa Lynn Helms Green

May 11, 1965 – January 13, 2022 Lisa Lynn Helms Green, 56, of Oakboro, passed away Thursday, January 13, 2022 at Novant Health - Mint Hill in Charlotte.

Lisa was born May 11, 1965 in Stanly County to the late Ray Franklin Helms and the late Dorothy Pauline Starnes Helms.

She was also preceded in death by her sister, Shirley Ann Helms Hartsell.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm, Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at Red Cross Baptist Church in Oakboro. The funeral service to celebrate her life will follow at 1:00 pm, officiated by Pastor Jesse Herring. She will be laid to rest in the church cemetery.

She is survived by her beloved husband of 23 years, Rick Green; son, Michael Ray Williams; daughter, Kelly (Zack) Fraychineaud; step-daughter, Reva Green; four grandchildren, Adam and Brailyn Green, Adaline and Luna Fraychineaud; brother, Keith Helms; and sisters, Brenda Carpenter, Linda Rushing, Sheila Allen; numerous nieces and nephews; and her fur baby, Daisy.

Myrtle Aleene Hicks

May 29, 1929 – January 13, 2022 Myrtie Aleene Hicks, 92, of Badin, passed away Thursday, January 13, 2022 at Woodhaven Court Assisted Living Facility.

She was born May 29, 1929 in Rowan County, NC to the late E.D. Crook and the late Myrtie Carter Crook.

She was also preceded in death by her loving husband of 68 years, Joe G. Hicks, as well as brothers Hubert Crook, Tommy Crook, and grandson-in-law Gregg Mahaffey.

Due to Covid protocol and colder weather, there will be a brief graveside service on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Stanly Gardens of Memory 2001 East Main St., Albemarle, NC. Survivors include daughter, Brenda Humphries (Wallace); son, Joey Hicks (Cheryl); grandchildren, Jenny Bellini (Frank), Kim Mahaffey, Cam Humphries, Ken Humphries (Janet); and great-grandchildren, Atticus Humphries, Christian Aldridge (fiancée Erin Lewis), Frank W. Bellini, Rose Bellini, and Mike Mahaffey (Misty).

Brenda Sue Burris August 29, 1951 – January 14, 2022

Brenda Sue Burris, 70, of Albemarle, passed away Friday, January 14, 2022 at her caregiver’s home in New London.

Sue was born August 29, 1951 in Stanly County to the late George Curtis Burris and Frances Pauline Tarlton Burris. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Jimmy Burris.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 am - 11:00 am, Thursday, January 20, 2022 at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service to celebrate her life will follow at 11:00 am in Hartsell Funeral Home’s Lefler Memorial Chapel.

She will be laid to rest at Fairview Memorial Park in Albemarle.

She is survived by her friend and caregiver, Saundra Edwards of New London; niece, Tammy Helms of Albemarle; nephew, Brian Burris of Rockwell; sisterin-law, Jane Burris of Albemarle; and her beloved dog, Buddy.

John Gordon Hudson March 30, 1947 – January 14, 2022

John Gordon Hudson, 74, of Albemarle passed away Friday, January 14, 2022 in his home. His funeral will be Friday, January 21 at 2 PM in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Keith Walters officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 till 2 prior to the service. Burial will follow the service in Fairview Memorial Park in Albemarle.

Born March 30, 1947 in Stanly County, he was the son of the late Kepler Zane Hudson and Oda Mae Sides Hudson.

He was married to the late Bonnie Hartsell Hudson who passed in 2012. Survivors include his son John Adam Hudson (Jennifer) of Albemarle, daughter, Caroline Angelica Hudson of Albemarle, and grandchildren, Natalie Hudson, John Hudson II, Tyler Hudson, Shawn Hudson, and Wyatt and Matthew Johns.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

8

STATE & NATION

Army ups bonuses for recruits to $50K, as COVID takes toll

By Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Army, for the first time, is offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to highly skilled recruits who join for six years as the service struggles to lure soldiers into certain critical jobs during the continuing pandemic.

Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, head of Army Recruiting Command, told AP that shuttered schools and the competitive job market over the past year have posed significant challenges for recruiters. So heading into the most difficult months of the year for recruiting, the Army is hoping that some extra cash and a few other changes will entice qualified young people to sign up.

“We are still living the implications of 2020 and the onset of COVID, when the school systems basically shut down,” said Vereen.

“We lost a full class of young men and women that we didn’t have contact with, face-to-face.”

Two years of the pandemic has made it more difficult to recruit in schools and at public events, and the competition for quality work-

CHARLES DHARAPAK | AP PHOTO

This March 27, 2008, file photo, shows the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. ers has intensified as young people weigh their options.

Some, said Vereen, are taking what he calls a gap year, and “are making the decision that they don’t necessarily need to work right now.”

To entice recruits, those who sign up for a six-year enlistment in one of several high-demand career fields can get bonuses that total as

much as $50,000. Given the high standards, it will be difficult for many to qualify for the top bonus.

The final figure depends on when they agree to ship out for training, if they already have critical skills and if they choose airborne or ranger posts. Certain careers — such as missile defense crew, special forces, signals intelligence and fire control specialists who coordinate bat-

tlefield weapons operations — can often come with the maximum bonuses. But other key jobs include infantry, intelligence analyst, combat medic specialist, military police, combat engineer and several others. And those may change every month, based on available spots in the training pipeline and other service needs.

Until now, the Army has offered a maximum bonus of $40,000.

“We’re in a competitive market,” said Vereen. “How we incentivize is absolutely essential, and that is absolutely something that we know that is important to trying to get somebody to come and join the military.’

Sgt. 1st Class Mary James has been working as a recruiter in Ohio since November 2020, and she said the early months — when COVID-19 was surging and there were no vaccines — were challenging. It’s gotten better, and she said the higher bonuses will help her.

“Money isn’t always the first thing that they talk about, but it does come into play,” said James, who’s been in the Army for 15 years.

“It will be exciting to see what the return is on that. You know, I think

it does put us in one of the top tier levels of competitive businesses.”

James, who previously worked as a signals intelligence analyst, can also talk to recruits about deploying to war zones, and the exciting opportunities the military offers. And she said she hears a lot of questions and worries about stability, leaving home and a career that may have them moving from place to place every few years.

Vereen said the Army is doing more to address those types of concerns. Last fall the Army significantly increased the option to enlist for two years, expanding it to a total of 84 different career fields. And some will be able to choose where they will initially be assigned — a benefit Army leaders approved in an effort to be more family friendly and bolster the recruiting effort, particularly in the pandemic.

“We want to promote the value of serving your country first,” said Vereen. “But we also know that, this generation and I guess human nature, you know, it’s all about compensation, too.”

For James, the money may help her meet her recruiting goal as the Army heads into what it calls the “bathtub” months of February to May, when recruiting is historically at its low point. During the spring, the Army’s more than 9,400 recruiters have to seek out and sign up people who have already graduated from high school and college.

Recruiting traditionally spikes as students graduate in the spring and start looking for jobs.

Republican Glenn Youngkin sworn in as Virginia’s 74th governor

By Sarah Rankin The Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — Striking a tone of bipartisanship and optimism, Virginia’s new governor, Glenn Youngkin, pledged to “restore trust in government and to restore power to the people” after he was sworn into office Saturday.

“Today we stand together on behalf of Virginians who’ve never lost faith, even when they suffered loss. Of Virginians who have not stopped dreaming of a better life, even in the midst of trials and tribulation,” he said in front of the historic state Capitol to thousands of enthusiastic spectators.

“My fellow Virginians, the spirit of Virginia is alive and well. And together we will strengthen it.”

“No matter who you voted for, I pledge to be your advocate, your voice, your governor,” said the Republican, a former private equity executive and newcomer to politics.

Youngkin’s inaugural speech was part of a weekend of pomp and circumstance in Richmond as Virginia’s newly elected GOP leaders took office. Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears also were sworn in during the outdoor ceremony.

The moment opened a new chapter of governance in a state where Democrats had spent the past two years in full control of government and occupied the governor’s mansion for the past eight.

Youngkin acknowledged the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including the more than 15,000 Virginians who have died, and pledged to lead the state to a “new and better day.” While Youngkin encourages those eligible to get vaccinated,

JULIO CORTEZ | AP PHOTO

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, with wife Suzanne Youngkin takes the oath of office during an inauguration ceremony, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Richmond, Va. among his first acts as governor was ending a vaccine requirement for state workers.

He also sounded his campaign themes, pledging to cut taxes, “remove politics from the classroom,” raise teacher and law enforcement pay, and boost the economy. He vowed to keep children in schools, emphasizing the importance of in-person education and acknowledging the toll virtual schooling has taken on working parents, especially mothers.

“We know that when our children don’t go to school it harms their learning and development.

So let me be clear — we must

keep our children in school five days a week,” he said.

References to Virginia’s long history and America’s Founding Fathers were woven through the address, but Youngkin also acknowledged the country’s “chapters of great injustice.”

He credited “barrier-breakers” like former Gov. Doug Wilder, the nation’s first elected black governor, with leading the way for the inauguration of Miyares and Sears, who both made history themselves. Miyares is first Latino to serve in the position and Earle-Sears is the first woman of color to serve in a statewide office.

Youngkin said their election showed that “Virginia is big enough for the hopes and dreams of a diverse people.”

Shortly before the ceremony began, Virginia’s former governors met with Youngkin and outgoing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam inside the Capitol. Every living governor but Youngkin’s opponent in last year’s election, Terry McAuliffe, was in attendance. McAuliffe tweeted that he and his wife were “quarantining due to a close COVID contact in the interest of health and safety” and wished Youngkin well.

Youngkin, Northam and their

wives — Suzanne Youngkin and Pam Northam — also participated in a cordial Executive Mansion key exchange ceremony. Northam, who like all Virginia governors was prohibited from seeking a second consecutive term, assured Youngkin that the key card he handed over still worked, despite having been chewed up by the family’s dog, Pearl.

Youngkin is the state’s 74th governor and the first Republican to hold the office since Bob McDonnell left it in 2014.

The 55-year-old former collegiate basketball player, who accumulated a personal fortune during a career at the Carlyle Group, defeated McAuliffe last year in part by seizing on parental frustrations about school closures and references to race in classrooms.

Voters also elected a GOP majority to the House of Delegates, leaving the Democrats with just a narrow 21-19 majority in the state Senate as a check on Republican ambitions. Earle-Sears will preside over that chamber, with the ability to cast tie-breaking votes.

Senate Democrats congratulated the governor and said they look forward to working with him but signaled their willingness to fight to protect their party’s achievements.

“Let me be clear: Senate Democrats have no intention rolling back two years of tremendous progress for all Virginians — not only a select few,” caucus chair Mamie Locke said in a statement.

The appointments of his cabinet secretaries, who took their oaths of office at the Executive Mansion, remain contingent on legislative approval, with at least one opposed by many Senate Democrats.

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VOLUME 4 ISSUE 17 | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 19, 2022

Twin City Herald

KATHY KMONICEK | AP PHOTO

Let it snow

Jim Long uses his snow blower to clear a pile of snow from his driveway during a winter storm, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Morganton.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Winston-Salem area rated one of top housing markets in state

Man accused in girlfriend’s death

Seven of N.C.’s top eight markets are in area

Forsyth County A man who told police his girlfriend killed herself is charged in her shooting death, a sheriff’s office said. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office said that on Nov. 10, Michael Anthony McBride, 61, of Kernersville called 911 and said that his girlfriend, Tammy Denise Jester, 52, shot herself in the head, news outlets reported. Jester died at a local hospital. After examining on-scene evidence and receiving the medical examiner’s report, investigators determined that Jester did not shoot herself, the sheriff’s office said. McBride was arrested Thursday night and charged with first-degree murder.

AP

Man cited for hunting violations after accident Forsyth County A man is charged with multiple hunting offenses after a woman was shot in the chest with an arrow as he was handing her a bow. Noah Foster Herrin, 19, and Kaitlin Marie Jones, 18, were coming down from a tree stand near Lewisville when Herrin handed her a crossbow loaded with an arrow. It released and struck Jones in the chest.

She remains hospitalized. The Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office ruled the shooting accidental and will file no charges. N.C. Wildlife charged Herrin with hunting deer out of season and four other hunting offenses, including hunting without a license.

AP

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Twin City Herald staff HOMEOWNERS in the Winston-Salem area are beneficiaries of one of the healthiest housing markets in the state, according to a report by SmartAsset.

“A healthy housing market is both stable and affordable,” the SmartAsset report stated. “Homeowners in a healthy market should easily be able to sell their homes, with a low risk of losing money over the long run.”

The organization considered four factors when evaluating the

health of a market: stability, affordability, fluidity and risk of loss.

Seven of the top eight markets in the state of North Carolina are located in the Twin Cities area.

Lewisville topped the list in the state and was No. 11 in the nation. It performed well on stability. The average Lewisville homeowner has been in their home for 14.3 years, one year higher than the state average and 1.2 years above the national average. That gave Lewisville the third-best stability rating in the state.

Only 5.3% of homes in Lewisville have negative equity, which is half of the state mark of 11.1% and far below the national average of

13.1%.

Lewisville also offers low risk to homeowners. Only 12.1% of homes have decreased in value, tied for lowest in the state, compared to 30.0% across the state and 27.8% nationally.

Lewisville has a very fluid housing market. Homes spend an average of 55.7 days on the market, compared to 168.3 days across the state and 145.1 days nationally.

It’s also an affordable market.

Lewisville homeowners spent 18.1% of their income on housing costs, compared to 23.1% in North Carolina and 20.1% nationally.

Trinity was the second-healthiest market in North Carolina and No. 12 nationally. Homeowners

Obesity harms brain health throughout life – yet scientists don’t know why The Associated Press Anyone who has put on a few too many pounds knows they can slow you down. Over time, if those pounds grow into obesity, they may do serious harm, putting you at risk for a wide range of illnesses.

But too much weight on the body also can harm the brain.

Research shows obesity impacts brain health from childhood well into adulthood, affecting everything from executive function skills – the complex ability to initiate, plan and carry out tasks – to substantially raising dementia risk. By middle age, the consequences of excess weight are substantial. Several studies have shown middle-aged adults who have a body mass index (BMI) at or above 30, which qualifies as obesity, are more likely to get dementia than their healthy-weight peers.

Yet, researchers are still teasing out how and why the extra pounds harm the brain, and whether the higher dementia risk is cumulative over a lifetime or if obesity af-

fects the body differently at different stages of life.

It’s also possible cognitive challenges come first, contributing to poor eating behaviors beginning in childhood, said Alexis Wood, an assistant professor of pediatric nutrition at the Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. The center is operated in partnership with the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“There is pretty robust and substantial evidence that goes across the whole of childhood, from toddlerhood to adolescence, that shows a higher weight status is associated with lower cognitive functioning, particularly in the area of executive function,” she said. “Why that is, is the subject of much debate.”

With obesity steadily rising in the United States, it also is a subject of much concern.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 42% of adults qualified as obese in 2018 – and nearly 45% of them were 40 to 59 years old.

“It’s fairly clear that being obese in midlife is bad for the brain.”

Wake Forest School of Medicine’s Mark Espeland Among children and teens, obesity rates rose with age: more than 13% of children under 5; 20% of 6to 11-year-olds and 21% of those 12 to 19.

And the pandemic hasn’t helped slow those statistics.

The CDC said in September 2021 that the rate at which BMI was increasing roughly doubled during the pandemic compared with the period preceding it. The greatest jumps were seen in children aged 6-11 and in those already overweight before the pandemic.

While gaining weight, especially in midlife, increases dementia risk, the opposite does not appear to hold true: A large, federally funded, long-

have been in their homes for 15.6 years, 5.9% of homes have negative equity, 12.2% have decreased in value, homes spend 56.6 days on the market, and housing costs are 18.5% of income.

Clemmons was third in the state and No. 27 in the country.

Archdale came in fourth in the state and No. 46 in the U.S. Kernersville finished fifth among healthy markets in the state and No. 122 nationally.

Winston-Salem was seventh, behind the only member of the top eight not in the area—Cary. Winston-Salem was No. 168 in the nation.

Thomasville finished eighth in the state and No. 181, nationally.

Winston-Salem, Thomasville, Kernersville, Clemmons, Lewisville and King tied with Lexington and Mocksville for the lowest risk markets in the state.

Forsyth County was No. 134 in the country in market health, up from No. 586 in 2020.

term study of a weight loss intervention found no associated cognitive benefit.

“Frankly, we don’t know why that is,” said Mark Espeland, an author on that long-term study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. It randomly assigned middle-aged and older adults with Type 2 diabetes who were categorized as overweight or obese into two groups, one of which engaged in an intensive weight loss program while the other did not. After 10 years, there was no difference in cognitive performance between the two groups.

It’s possible no brain health benefit was seen because all of the study participants had Type 2 diabetes, “which can be disruptive to brain function,” said Espeland, a professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. “Diabetes is a disease that accelerates aging.”

Whether weight loss can prevent cognitive impairment or not, there are numerous reasons to strive to maintain a healthy weight, Espeland said.

“It’s fairly clear that being obese in midlife is bad for the brain and much of the rest of the body, too,” he said. “Preventing that from occurring is so very important.”

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

2 WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

1.19.22 #173

WEDNESDAY

JAN 19

HI LO PRECIP

“Join the conversation” Twin City Herald Publisher Neal Robbins

Editor Shawn Krest

Sports Editor Cory Lavalette

Senior Opinion Editor Frank Hill

Design Editor Lauren Rose Published each Wednesday as part of the North State Journal.

(704) 269-8461 INFO@TWINCITYHERALD.COM TWINCITYHERALD.COM TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461 or online at nsjonline.com Annual Subscription Price: $50.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal

1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

DEATH NOTICES ♦ Michael Dean Anderson, 56, of Winston-Salem, died Jan. 12, 2022. ♦ John Allen Andrew, Sr., 85, of Winston-Salem, died Jan. 14, 2022. ♦ Louise Lee Jarvis Beeson, 96, of Kernersville, died Jan. 13, 2022. ♦ Tommie Morgan Dalton, 85, of Winston-Salem, died Jan. 12, 2022.

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MANY OF OUR YOUNG people today are intrigued and somewhat supportive of Communism. Obviously, they have no idea what it is or there could be no support from anyone.

Communism began more than a century ago as a political and economic ideology. It was introduced by German economist Karl Marx and Frederich Engels in The Communist Manifesto.

It called for a classless, governmentcontrolled society in which everything is shared equally and encouraged a revolt against Capitalism.

It caught on in Russia, under Lenin, and then spread to China and Cuba. It has been a complete failure and has been responsible for millions of deaths.

The movement was known as evil by most of the world. But it appears now that there is an effort to revive this ideology.

Unfortunately, there seems to be too many who are falling prey to this trap.

The Communist Party established long term goals to infiltrate the United States many years ago. They were printed in The Naked Communist. In 1963, the list of these communists’ goals was read into the Congressional Record. Let me just list some of them. Tell me if they have made progress. These are in no particular order.

Discredit the American Founding Fathers as selfish aristocrats.

Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching of American history.

Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate and old fashioned.

Get control of the schools and teachers’ associations. Soften the curriculum.

Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography and obscenity in the media.

Infiltrate the press.

Capture one or both of the political

♦ ABDUSSALAAM, NAIM was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-POINT GUN at 204 OLDE VINEYARD CT on 1/16/2022

♦ Martha Blevins Jennings, 83, of Lewisville, died Jan. 12, 2022. ♦ Dell Conrad Johnson, 82, of Forsyth County, died Jan. 13, 2022. ♦ Mericle Crowell Johnson, 85, of Winston-Salem, died Jan. 12, 2022. ♦ Ernest Leslie Kiger, 88, of Rural Hall, died Jan. 14, 2022. ♦ Douglas Ray Long, 82, of Advance, died Jan. 15, 2022. ♦ Debra “Debbie” Sue Reavis Morris, 66, of Winston Salem, died Jan. 13, 2022. ♦ Evelyn Loven Ochs, 89, of Winston-Salem, died Jan. 14, 2022. ♦ Violet Marion Simmons, 92, of Rural Hall, died Jan. 13, 2022. ♦ Ima Jean Smith, 82, of Advance, died Jan. 16, 2022. ♦ Patricia “Patsy” Ann Hicks Taylor, 76, of Lewisville, died Jan. 14, 2022. ♦ William Wayne Todd, 75, of Yadkinville, died Jan. 16, 2022.

Carol Elizabeth “Beth” Wilson Tsiolkas, 61, of Clemmons, died Jan. 12, 2022. ♦ Juanita Hampton Warren, 75, of Winston-Salem, died Jan. 13, 2022. ♦ James Matheson Wise, 97, of Clemmons, died Jan. 14, 2022.

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Do people really understand communism?

♦ Samuel Andrew Freeman, 80, of Forsyth County, died Jan. 14, 2022.

♦ Dorothy Smith Huff, 78, of Davie County, died Jan. 12, 2022.

HI LO PRECIP

JAN 22

COLUMN | JOYCE KRAWIEC

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Bernice “Tommye” Gengo, 89, of Forsyth County, died Jan. 13, 2022.

SATURDAY

JAN21

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♦ Darrell Dennis, 69, of Kernersville, died Jan. 15, 2022.

♦ Marguerite Fulton, 56, of Clemmons, died Jan. 12, 2022.

FRIDAY

JAN 20

♦ Atkins, Joshua Michael (M/31) Arrest on chrg of 1) Adw - Inflict Injury (M), 2) Assault On Female (M), 3) Breaking/enter-misd (F), 4) Weap-poss By Felon (F), 5) Weap-poss By Felon (F), and 6) Weap-poss By Felon (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/13/2022 09:00. ♦ ATKINS, JOSHUA MICHAEL was arrested on a charge of MURDER-FIRST DEG at 201 N CHURCH ST on 1/14/2022 ♦ BARBER, WALTER JAMES was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 4116 INDIANA AV on 1/14/2022 ♦ BLACKWELL, HOPE ANIYAH was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE at 514 E CLEMMONSVILLE RD on 1/16/2022 ♦ Bostick, Antoine Roche (M/37) Arrest on chrg of Larcenyfelony (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/12/2022 10:29. ♦ BOWMAN, JAMES EDWARD was arrested on a charge of PROBATION VIOLATION at 201 N CHURCH ST on 1/15/2022 ♦ CASEY, ROBERT CORY was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 5034 RAVEN RD on 1/15/2022

parties in the United States.

Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the grounds that it violates the principal of “separation of church and state.”

Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as “normal, natural, and healthy.”

Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them “censorship” and a violation of free speech and press.

Discredit the family as an institution.

Encourage promiscuity and divorce.

Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative influence of parents.

Gain control of key positions in radio, TV and pictures.

There is a total of forty-five of these goals. I won’t list them all, but you get the picture. I’m still puzzled as to how so many young people have been fooled by this movement.

Kudos to the NBA basketball player Enes Kanter for standing up against Lebron James and others as well as the NBA itself. Kanter, a Muslim from Turkey, became a proud U.S. citizen in November. He changed his last name to Freedom. How is that for being proud to be American?

Enes has been very vocal in calling out Lebron, Nike and the NBA for their hypocrisy. Lebron is very mouthy when it comes to complaining about any injustice in this country, no matter how trivial. It’s crickets when it comes to denouncing a totalitarian regime with a dictator who is the biggest violator of human rights on the planet.

It’s all about the money. It usually is.

Nike and its’ biggest name spokesperson, Lebron James, is silent on the treatment of citizens in China. It’s not about injustice at all, it’s about who the perpetrator might

Statutory Rape / Sex Offense (F), and 3) Statutory Rape / Sex Offense (F), at 4458 Old Hollow Rd/ches Ln, Kernersville, NC, on 1/14/2022 14:54. ♦ Draughn, Steven Wayne (M/41) Arrest on chrg of B&e-vehicle (F), at 4900 Pine Hall Rd, Walkertown, NC, on 1/16/2022 18:05. ♦ Haren, Dorene Lee (F/34) Arrest on chrg of 1) Child Abuse (M), 2) Drugs-poss Sched Ii (F), 3) Resisting Arrest (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 5) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 6) Fail To Appear/compl (M), at 4906 Thronbrook Ln, Walkertown, NC, on 1/14/2022 16:09. ♦ Hendrickson, Meshelemiah Naa (F/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Disorderly Conduct (M) and 2) 2nd Degree Trespass (M), at 1009 Bethania-rural Hall Rd, Rural Hall, NC, on 1/13/2022 15:46. ♦ Holmes, Alexander Jasminer (M/28) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault On Female (M) and 2) Indecent Exposure (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/13/2022 18:50. ♦ HOLT, DONNIE LEE was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 2008 S HAWTHORNE RD on 1/16/2022 ♦ JORDAN, STEPHON BERNARD was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 2900 TROY DR on 1/15/2022

♦ CARTER, DQUA ASHOD was arrested on a charge of STALKING at 625 W SIXTH ST on 1/14/2022

♦ JARVIS, BRIAN TENNYSON was arrested on a charge of ADW - INFLICT INJURY at 301 MEDICAL CENTER on 1/15/2022

♦ DAVIS, TAYSHON DANGELO was arrested on a charge of OFAFTA F-FELONY PROBATION VIOLATION at 201 N CHURCH ST on 1/14/2022

♦ JOHNSON, CLARENCE DAVID was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 201 N CHURCH ST on 1/15/2022

♦ Doss, Mason Blake (M/20) Arrest on chrg of 1) Statutory Rape / Sex Offense (F), 2)

♦ LLOYD, DANIELLE DENAELICOLE was arrested on a charge of ADW - INFLICT INJURY at 5601 UNIVERSITY

be and how much money is at stake.

The slightest perceived injustice in this country is paramount, but in China there are no limits.

Human Rights Watch has reported worsening persecutions of ethnic minorities. “This has been the darkest period for human rights in China since the 1989 massacre that ended the Tiananmen Square Democracy movement,” the report said. The organization points out that China punished whistleblower doctors who spoke out and reported on the Wuhan lockdown and the harassment of Covid victims’ families.

Chinese people are limited to the information that they are allowed to hear and see. Reporters Without Borders ranked China 177 out of 180 countries on its’ Press Freedom Index 2020.

The NBA won’t stand up against China, but Thank Heavens the Womens Tennis Association did. After a Chinese tennis star announced that she had been sexually abused by a high ranking official, she went missing. The WTA spoke out loudly on the issue and many women players came to the Chinese players defense.

The Chinese tennis player has apparently shown up and is now denying the accusations that she made. I am thankful that she’s okay but it should be no surprise that she has silenced herself now.

Wouldn’t you know it. Only a lone NBA player, who is a new citizen, has the nerve to stand up to Chinese dictators and an entire organization of women are loudly complaining.

Yep, we are women. Hear us Roar.

Joyce Krawiec has served in the North Carolina Senate from the 31st district since 2014.

PW on 1/14/2022 ♦ Mabe, Clyde Jamesbenton (M/38) Arrest on chrg of 1) Rec/poss Stole Mv (F), 2) Poss Stolen Goods (M), 3) Resisting Arrest (M), and 4) Ndl - Suspended / Revoked (M), at 6320 Amp Dr, Clemmons, NC, on 1/14/2022 15:52. ♦ Mcbride, Michael Anthony (M/61) Arrest on chrg of Murder-first Deg (F), at 912 Piney Grove Rd, Kernersville, NC, on 1/13/2022 16:50. ♦ Miller, Grayson Thor (M/34) Arrest on chrg of Breaking/larcfelony (F), at 700 Peters Creek Pw, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/14/2022 09:58. ♦ MOORE, DANIEL MARQUIS was arrested on a charge of AWIK/ SERIOUS INJURY at 1320 THURMOND ST on 1/15/2022 ♦ Natt, Mia Tyree (F/26) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault-simple (M), 2) Resisting Arrest (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 5) Fail To Appear/compl (M), at 2795 Lewisville-clemmons Rd, Clemmons, NC, on 1/12/2022 17:06. ♦ PEMBERTON, DATARIUS KNAJAWAN was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT STRANGULATION at 339 AKRON DR on 1/15/2022 ♦ RAZOZUNIGA, RICARDO ULISES was arrested on a charge of VAND-PERSONAL PROP at 4920 MILTON DR on 1/17/2022 ♦ RIVADENEYRADINA, CARLOS MIGUEL was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 3890 OLD VINEYARD RD on 1/15/2022 ♦ Rutledge, Zachary Taylor (M/39) Arrest on chrg of Impaired Driving Dwi (M), at Sb 421/williams Rd, Lewi, NC, on 1/16/2022 01:34.

♦ SAKR, OMAR MUHAMMED was arrested on a charge of WEAPON -POSSESSION & DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS at 1599 N LIBERTY ST/E SIXTEENTH ST on 1/14/2022 ♦ SALAZARCANO, HECTOR ENRIQUE was arrested on a charge of STALKING at 201 N CHURCH ST on 1/15/2022 ♦ SCOTT, CHRISTOPHER DELEON was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at812 S BROAD ST on 1/15/2022 ♦ Sewell, Joseph Byron (M/38) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fraudobt Property (F) and 2) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/13/2022 11:57. ♦ SIDDLE, SHAQUITA JALISA was arrested on a charge of AFFRAY at 910 DELMONTE DR on 1/16/2022 ♦ Stovall, Robert Brant (M/38) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 6700 Andes St, Germanton, NC, on 1/16/2022 02:01. ♦ THOMAS, VICTOR ANTOINE was arrested on a charge of COMMUNICATE THREATS at 200 N MAIN ST on 1/14/2022 ♦ THOMAS, VICTOR ANTOINE was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at 299 E SECOND ST/N CHESTNUT ST on 1/14/2022 ♦ WATKINS, ROMELLE RAEKWON was arrested on a charge of FELON ADW/SER INJURY at 3260 ZUIDER ZEE DR on 1/16/2022 ♦ WEST, MATTHEW LOGAN was arrested on a charge of MURDER-FIRST DEG at 201 N CHURCH ST on 1/14/2022 ♦ WILLIAMS, DOMONICK ALEXANDER was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 3RD STREET/5TH STREET on 1/17/2022

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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Graham resigns as Hawaii football coach amid controversy Honolulu Todd Graham resigned as the University of Hawaii’s football coach Friday, stepping down amid controversy after completing the second-year of a five-year contract. Graham resigned a week after former players and some parents testified before a state legislative hearing, criticizing the coach’s management style and relationships with players. More than a dozen players have entered the transfer portal. The 57-yearold Graham was 11-11 in two seasons at Hawaii. He previously was a head coach at Rice, Tulsa, Pittsburgh and Arizona State.

NFL

Former Chiefs player Siavii found dead in Kansas federal prison Leavenworth, Kan. A former Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle was found dead in a Kansas federal prison where he was being held on charges of illegal firearms possession, a prison official said. Saousoalii Siavii Jr., 43, was found unresponsive at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth on Thursday afternoon. Siavii was treated by prison staff and taken to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. From American Samoa, the 6-foot-5, 315-pound former Oregon lineman was drafted by Kansas City in the second round in 2004 and spent two seasons with the Chiefs. He played for Dallas in 2009 and Seattle in 2010.

HOCKEY

Conn. lawmaker proposes mandatory neck guards after hockey death Hartford, Conn.

A Connecticut state lawmaker says she plans to introduce legislation requiring all hockey players to wear a neck guard or a similar protective device during practice or games following the death last week of a 10th-grade player whose neck was cut by a skate.

Benjamin Edward “Teddy” Balkind, 16, a member of the hockey team at the private coeducational St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, died Jan. 6 following a game at the Brunswick School, a college preparatory school in Greenwich for boys. It is unclear whether Balkind was wearing a neck guard.

SOCCER

Lewandowski wins FIFA best player vote Zurich Robert Lewandowski was voted the best men’s player in the world on Monday, retaining the FIFA award he won last year despite being left off the ballot paper filed by runner-up Lionel Messi.

The Bayern Munich forward overturned the result last month of the Ballon d’Or prize where he placed second behind Messi, who finally led Argentina to a senior title at the 2021 Copa América.

Mohamed Salah of Liverpool placed third. Lewandowski broke two Bundesliga records by scoring 41 goals for Bayern in its title-winning 2020-21 season and 43 in the calendar year of 2021. Both marks were held since 1972 by another Bayern great, Gerd Müller.

CHARLES REX ARBOGAST | AP PHOTO

Nets guard Kyrie Irving said his stance on the COVID-19 vaccine would not change despite the injury to teammate Kevin Durant.

Irving can only play in Brooklyn's road games because of New York City regulations that require players to be vaccinated.

Nets’ star Irving steadfast on vaccine despite Durant injury The former Duke guard can only play in road games because he’s not vaccinated

By Tom Withers The Associated Press CLEVELAND — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving insists an injury to teammate Kevin Durant won’t change his stance on not getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Irving, who only recently returned to action after a drawn-out stalemate over getting vaccinated, said Monday following a loss to the Cavaliers that he has no intention of getting the shot — and nothing will sway him.

“That’s my decision already, and I’m standing on it,” Irving said.

The seven-time All-Star point guard has become a lightning rod

of sorts for his decision not to get the vaccine. And due to COVID-19 mandates in New York City concerning public arenas, Irving is not permitted to play in home games.

His decision to remain unvaccinated is having a dramatic impact on the Nets and their ability to contend for an NBA championship, something that almost seemed assured when the team landed Irving, Durant and James Harden.

With Durant potentially sidelined for six weeks with a knee injury suffered Saturday, Irving was asked if he’s feeling more pressure to get vaccinated.

Irving made it clear he’s not been moved to act.

“That’s what I think comes into a lot of this culture and basketball and sport and entertainment,” Irving said in his strongest com-

ments on the sensitive subject.

“You bring in teams and you bring in situations. Kev’s going to heal.

Kev’s going to be OK, and we’re going to have to deal with that as his teammates.

“But in terms of where I am with my life outside of this, I stay rooted in my decision and that’s just what it is. It’s not going to be swayed just because of one thing is this NBA life that somehow it’s brought to my attention to being more important than what’s going on in the real world.

“It’s just not happening for me.”

Irving scored a team-high 27 points in Brooklyn’s 114-107 loss to the Cavaliers. It was just his fourth game back this season with the Nets, who have been dealing with injuries — and other distractions — since acquiring Harden to play with Irving and Durant.

During his postgame interview, Irving said he’s bothered that his decision is being questioned and that it’s almost always framed in the context of his profession — not his personal life.

“I respect everyone else’s decision,” he said. “I’m not going to try to convince anyone of anything or anything like that. And though we’re dealing with this right now with Kev, I just know that I’m protected by the organization. I’m protected by my teammates. I’m protected by all the doctors I’ve talked to and I’m just staying rooted.”

The 29-year-old Irving has never shied away from speaking his mind on any subject, and that openness has often led to criticism, and in his view, being misunderstood.

Irving took offense at being asked if there was anything that would make him reconsider the vaccine.

“I live my life the majority of the time when I’m away from this, so when I say I’m not getting vaccinated, I’m making a choice with my life and somehow it gets mixed into, ‘What about the basketball?’

Like no, bro,” he said.

China aims for ‘Zero COVID’ Olympics The Winter Games in Beijing will have strict rules to try and control the spread of the coronavirus

The Associated Press Athletes will need to be vaccinated — or face a long quarantine — take tests daily and wear masks when not competing or training.

Clapping is OK to cheer on teammates, not chanting. Anyone who tests positive for COVID-19 will be sent into isolation and unable to compete until cleared for discharge.

Welcome to the Beijing Olympics, where strict containment measures will aim to create a virus-proof ‘bubble” for thousands of international visitors at a time when omicron is fueling infections globally.

The prevention protocols will be like those at the Tokyo Games this summer but much tighter.

That won’t be a stretch in Beijing, with China having maintained a “Zero COVID” policy since early in the pandemic.

Still, China’s ability to stick to its zero-tolerance approach nationally is already being tested by the highly transmissible omicron variant, which is more contagious

than earlier variants of the virus and better able to evade protection from vaccines.

With just weeks to go before the Feb. 4 start of the Games, the rules are in place.

Athletes and other participants, including team staff and news media, need to be fully vaccinated to be allowed in the designated Olympic areas without completing a 21-day quarantine.

Upon arrival at the airport in Beijing, participants will have their temperatures taken and be tested with throat and nasal swabs. An Olympics official who recently arrived on site said at a press briefing the process took him 45 minutes, though organizers note times might vary.

A bus will then take people to their designated lodging, where they’ll wait up to six hours for test results to clear them to move about in approved areas. Restrictions on movement within that “closed loop” are intended to seal off any potential contact between Olympic participants and the local population.

Throat swabs for testing will be required daily for all participants.

If an athlete or other participant tests positive but doesn’t have symptoms, they’ll need to go into isolation in a dedicated hotel.

They’ll be provided with meals

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN | AP PHOTO

As the Winter Olympics loom, Beijing is stepping measures to keep the coronavirus at bay with its "zero-tolerance" COVID-19 policy.

2/4 Day of Opening Ceremonies for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing

and can open their windows for fresh air but won’t be able to leave their rooms, which organizers say will be about 270 square feet.

Athletes can request fitness equipment for training.

People with no symptoms can leave isolation after two days of negative tests. Organizers say

those testing positive will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but it might still be too late for athletes to compete.

Those who test positive and have symptoms must go into isolation in a hospital. They’ll also need to two days of negative tests to be let loose, as well as three days of normal temperatures and symptoms subsiding.

Spectators from overseas won’t be allowed. As for local fans, Beijing organizers say they’re finalizing rules for their attendance.

Even if some fans are allowed in Beijing, their presence will be muted. Everyone is being asked to clap instead of shouting or singing, as had been the plan in Tokyo.

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Twin City Herald for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

4

STATE & NATION

Army ups bonuses for recruits to $50K, as COVID takes toll

By Lolita C. Baldor The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Army, for the first time, is offering a maximum enlistment bonus of $50,000 to highly skilled recruits who join for six years as the service struggles to lure soldiers into certain critical jobs during the continuing pandemic.

Maj. Gen. Kevin Vereen, head of Army Recruiting Command, told AP that shuttered schools and the competitive job market over the past year have posed significant challenges for recruiters. So heading into the most difficult months of the year for recruiting, the Army is hoping that some extra cash and a few other changes will entice qualified young people to sign up.

“We are still living the implications of 2020 and the onset of COVID, when the school systems basically shut down,” said Vereen.

“We lost a full class of young men and women that we didn’t have contact with, face-to-face.”

Two years of the pandemic has made it more difficult to recruit in schools and at public events, and the competition for quality work-

CHARLES DHARAPAK | AP PHOTO

This March 27, 2008, file photo, shows the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. ers has intensified as young people weigh their options.

Some, said Vereen, are taking what he calls a gap year, and “are making the decision that they don’t necessarily need to work right now.”

To entice recruits, those who sign up for a six-year enlistment in one of several high-demand career fields can get bonuses that total as

much as $50,000. Given the high standards, it will be difficult for many to qualify for the top bonus.

The final figure depends on when they agree to ship out for training, if they already have critical skills and if they choose airborne or ranger posts. Certain careers — such as missile defense crew, special forces, signals intelligence and fire control specialists who coordinate bat-

tlefield weapons operations — can often come with the maximum bonuses. But other key jobs include infantry, intelligence analyst, combat medic specialist, military police, combat engineer and several others. And those may change every month, based on available spots in the training pipeline and other service needs.

Until now, the Army has offered a maximum bonus of $40,000.

“We’re in a competitive market,” said Vereen. “How we incentivize is absolutely essential, and that is absolutely something that we know that is important to trying to get somebody to come and join the military.’

Sgt. 1st Class Mary James has been working as a recruiter in Ohio since November 2020, and she said the early months — when COVID-19 was surging and there were no vaccines — were challenging. It’s gotten better, and she said the higher bonuses will help her.

“Money isn’t always the first thing that they talk about, but it does come into play,” said James, who’s been in the Army for 15 years.

“It will be exciting to see what the return is on that. You know, I think

it does put us in one of the top tier levels of competitive businesses.”

James, who previously worked as a signals intelligence analyst, can also talk to recruits about deploying to war zones, and the exciting opportunities the military offers. And she said she hears a lot of questions and worries about stability, leaving home and a career that may have them moving from place to place every few years.

Vereen said the Army is doing more to address those types of concerns. Last fall the Army significantly increased the option to enlist for two years, expanding it to a total of 84 different career fields. And some will be able to choose where they will initially be assigned — a benefit Army leaders approved in an effort to be more family friendly and bolster the recruiting effort, particularly in the pandemic.

“We want to promote the value of serving your country first,” said Vereen. “But we also know that, this generation and I guess human nature, you know, it’s all about compensation, too.”

For James, the money may help her meet her recruiting goal as the Army heads into what it calls the “bathtub” months of February to May, when recruiting is historically at its low point. During the spring, the Army’s more than 9,400 recruiters have to seek out and sign up people who have already graduated from high school and college.

Recruiting traditionally spikes as students graduate in the spring and start looking for jobs.

Republican Glenn Youngkin sworn in as Virginia 74th governor

By Sarah Rankin The Associated Press RICHMOND, Va. — Striking a tone of bipartisanship and optimism, Virginia’s new governor, Glenn Youngkin, pledged to “restore trust in government and to restore power to the people” after he was sworn into office Saturday.

“Today we stand together on behalf of Virginians who’ve never lost faith, even when they suffered loss. Of Virginians who have not stopped dreaming of a better life, even in the midst of trials and tribulation,” he said in front of the historic state Capitol to thousands of enthusiastic spectators.

“My fellow Virginians, the spirit of Virginia is alive and well. And together we will strengthen it.”

“No matter who you voted for, I pledge to be your advocate, your voice, your governor,” said the Republican, a former private equity executive and newcomer to politics.

Youngkin’s inaugural speech was part of a weekend of pomp and circumstance in Richmond as Virginia’s newly elected GOP leaders took office. Attorney General Jason Miyares and Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears also were sworn in during the outdoor ceremony.

The moment opened a new chapter of governance in a state where Democrats had spent the past two years in full control of government and occupied the governor’s mansion for the past eight.

Youngkin acknowledged the devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic, including the more than 15,000 Virginians who have died, and pledged to lead the state to a “new and better day.” While Youngkin encourages those eligible to get vaccinated,

JULIO CORTEZ | AP PHOTO

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, with wife Suzanne Youngkin takes the oath of office during an inauguration ceremony, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Richmond, Va. among his first acts as governor was ending a vaccine requirement for state workers.

He also sounded his campaign themes, pledging to cut taxes, “remove politics from the classroom,” raise teacher and law enforcement pay, and boost the economy. He vowed to keep children in schools, emphasizing the importance of in-person education and acknowledging the toll virtual schooling has taken on working parents, especially mothers.

“We know that when our children don’t go to school it harms their learning and development.

So let me be clear — we must

keep our children in school five days a week,” he said.

References to Virginia’s long history and America’s Founding Fathers were woven through the address, but Youngkin also acknowledged the country’s “chapters of great injustice.”

He credited “barrier-breakers” like former Gov. Doug Wilder, the nation’s first elected black governor, with leading the way for the inauguration of Miyares and Sears, who both made history themselves. Miyares is first Latino to serve in the position and Earle-Sears is the first woman of color to serve in a statewide office.

Youngkin said their election showed that “Virginia is big enough for the hopes and dreams of a diverse people.”

Shortly before the ceremony began, Virginia’s former governors met with Youngkin and outgoing Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam inside the Capitol. Every living governor but Youngkin’s opponent in last year’s election, Terry McAuliffe, was in attendance. McAuliffe tweeted that he and his wife were “quarantining due to a close COVID contact in the interest of health and safety” and wished Youngkin well.

Youngkin, Northam and their

wives — Suzanne Youngkin and Pam Northam — also participated in a cordial Executive Mansion key exchange ceremony. Northam, who like all Virginia governors was prohibited from seeking a second consecutive term, assured Youngkin that the key card he handed over still worked, despite having been chewed up by the family’s dog, Pearl.

Youngkin is the state’s 74th governor and the first Republican to hold the office since Bob McDonnell left it in 2014.

The 55-year-old former collegiate basketball player, who accumulated a personal fortune during a career at the Carlyle Group, defeated McAuliffe last year in part by seizing on parental frustrations about school closures and references to race in classrooms.

Voters also elected a GOP majority to the House of Delegates, leaving the Democrats with just a narrow 21-19 majority in the state Senate as a check on Republican ambitions. Earle-Sears will preside over that chamber, with the ability to cast tie-breaking votes.

Senate Democrats congratulated the governor and said they look forward to working with him but signaled their willingness to fight to protect their party’s achievements.

“Let me be clear: Senate Democrats have no intention rolling back two years of tremendous progress for all Virginians — not only a select few,” caucus chair Mamie Locke said in a statement.

The appointments of his cabinet secretaries, who took their oaths of office at the Executive Mansion, remain contingent on legislative approval, with at least one opposed by many Senate Democrats.

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MOORE COUNTY Pinecrest win over Hoke County Pinecrest Patriots JD Scarbrough goes up for the dunk against Hoke County Bucks Da’Vion Leggett in a 72-41 win during a conference match up at Pinecrest high school in Southern Pines on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022.

DAVID SINCLAIR FOR THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

COUNTY NEWS Weekend winter storm left thousands without power The weekend’s winter storm left over 16,000 across Moore County without power, according to N.C. Emergency Management totals from Duke Energy.

Moore County officials opened a shelter anticipating power outages, however by Sunday night no residents were there to seek help, Moore County Emergency Management officials said.

Eddins is new Pinecrest football coach Nick Eddins, a native of Anson County, was named the new head football coach at Pinecrest High School last week. Eddins was previously the head coach of the Crest High School Chargers in Cleveland County.

While at Crest, Eddins compiled a 43-15 record while guiding the Chargers to the state 3A playoffs each of his five years at the helm. He was named Big South 3A coach of the year in 2021 after Crest won the conference championship and advanced to the fourth round of the 3A playoffs.

Robin Sage set to begin Jan 22 Special Forces candidates will participate in a two-week training exercise across 25 North Carolina counties this week, a news release from the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School says. The participants are students at Fort Bragg.

“We appreciate the support and consideration the citizens of North Carolina extend to the soldiers participating in the exercise and thank them for their understanding of any inconveniences the training may cause,” the news release states.

The exercise is the final test for soldiers going through the Special Forces Qualification Course.

Southern Pines considers development proposals, ordinance amendments North State Journal staff SOUTHERN PINES – The Southern Pines town council meeting had a packed agenda and a packed room last week for the regular town business meeting.

Mayor Carol Haney announced before the meeting kicked off that the council would be holding three quasi-judicial hearings as well as two legislative hearings.

The quasi-judicial hearings included a multi-family residential development known as Patrick’s Pointe along U.S. Hwy 1 N., the Pinehurst Surgical Center location and a townhome development.

After approximately seven hours of testimony at their December meeting on Patrick’s Pointe, the council heard an additional two hours of testimony last

Tuesday before deciding to continue the hearing to their Feb. 8 meeting. The developer will provide documentation of the site plan prior to the meeting so neighbors and other parties can review the plan before the council votes on the 226-unit development. The initial proposal was for 288 units but was changed after input from the neighboring Village Green community.

In the second quasi-judicial hearing of the night, the council approved a request for an additional 252 parking spaces for the proposed Pinehurst Surgical Center medical office. The council also approved annexation of the site once completed. The proposed development is a 60,000-68,000 square foot building located on 5.19 acres along S. Carlisle Street

on the western side of Patriot Boulevard.

In the third and final hearing regarding developments in Southern Pines, the council approved a special use permit for the development of 20 townhomes on S. Bennett Street between W. Wisconsin Avenue and W. Morganton Road.

Sitting in legislative session, the council approved various technical amendments to the Southern Pines Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) with a variety of text amendments. The Planning Division of the town’s Community Development Department proposed the amendments. Amendments included clarification of landscape measurements, building height rules and other clarifying changes. The council also approved an amendment to the development

plan for the Waterworks site on the East side of Central Drive/N.C. Hwy 22 between Warrior Woods Rd. and Aiken Rd. The council also set hearing dates for two developments. On Feb. 8, the council will hear two voluntary annexation requests.

Robert & Julie Van Camp, Trustees, Thomas Van Camp, Trustee, and Morganton Road Enterprises, LLC have petitioned the Town for voluntary annexation of a parcel totaling +54.94 acres.

The parcels are identified as PIN 857100575720 and 857100572972 and are located between US 15501 and W. Morganton Rd. Benjamin Stout is requesting voluntary annexation of five parcels totaling +4.10 acres, collectively known as Blue Farm, Section Three and located on N.C. Hwy 22.

Pinehurst outdoor dining ban at odds with businesses North State Journal staff PINEHURST – The Village of Pinehurst has enacted a ban on outdoor street dining, running counter to policy goals pushed by the General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Expanded outdoor dining has been a rare area of bipartisan agreement between Republican legislative leaders and the Democratic governor, with outdoor options first executed by via executive order from Cooper and later codified into state law.

A memo written by Assistant Village Manager Jeff Batton circulated during the Village of Pinehurst’s Jan. 11 work session following the regularly scheduled council meeting that brought into question the legality of restaurants continuing to serve food and alcohol outdoors on property adjacent to their businesses. The memo said that the Village Council needed to take action as required by state law.

“For approximately 18 months, the Village has allowed Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) on-premise permit holders to serve food and alcohol on property that is not part of the permittee’s licensed premises. The intended purpose of the legislation was to help restaurants make up lost indoor seating capacity due to COVID social distancing

requirements,” part of the memo read.

“The temporary statute left the determination of whether to allow the extension of the ABC permit up to the local government having jurisdiction.”

The memo outlined three options, which included a full ban, an extension of the current policy, or not permitting the use of “public property” for the outdoor seating.

The memo also said that the adjacent street was only being used by three establishments, one of which is no longer in business.

The Village Council appears to have chosen to enact the ban on street dining based on an email the Dugan’s Pub owner posted to the restaurant’s Facebook page.

The posted email posted reads, “The Village Council has elected to end the on-street dining and beverage provision on April 1, 2022.

You may continue to use the street on nights and Sundays for food and service until that time.”

“I was looking for a glimmer of hope on regaining business this year. However, an email from Pinehurst Village Council is not helping by doing away with outdoor dining April 1st. Why exactly? It’s not fair to other retailers being the reason.

They close at 5, close weekends,” Dugan’s Pub owner Alan Riley said in a Jan. 13 post.

A day later, he added, “We are not

supposed to profit off the outdoor parking spots. Let me say this, I haven’t turned a profit in 2 years. Part of my owning a restaurant allows us to support the Food Bank and the 800 or so kids of Back Pack Pals. If we are not here anymore then our community work won’t be either,” he added.

Also affected by the decision is Drum & Quill, owned by former council member Kevin Drum, which has been temporarily closed during January to make improvements such as sanding outdoor tables, redesigning the kitchen space, and adding sneeze guards on the bar area.

The addition of outdoor dining options has helped businesses stay alive as over 110,000 restaurants have closed nationwide since 2020, according to the National Restaurant Association.

A Dec. 2021 WRAL story says that outdoor dining has been critical to helping establishments survive and adapt to consumer demands.

And in the winter, many restaurants across the state added heaters, fire pits, and other measures to keep outdoor dining an option in cold weather.

The memo also appears to blame the affected restaurants for their location.

See DINING BAN, page 2

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North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

2 WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

1.19.22 #317

WEDNESDAY

JAN 19

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“Join the conversation” North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365) Publisher Neal Robbins

Editor Matt Mercer

Sports Editor Cory Lavalette

Senior Opinion Editor Frank Hill

Design Editor Lauren Rose Published each Wednesday

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WEEKLY CRIME LOG ♦ On Thursday, January 13, 2022 Sheriff’s investigators arrested David Trey Sims , age 37, of Carthage, North Carolina. Sims was charged with one count of Larceny by Employee, one count of Obtaining Property

by False Pretense, and was issued a $2,500 unsecured bond pending a first court appearance in Moore County District Court on Thursday, February 3, 2022.

♦ On January 13th, 2022, Deputies with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office arrested Franzy Deshanon Wilson 55, Southern Pines, N. C. Wilson was charged with Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Marijuana, Maintaining a Vehicle/Dwelling Place for Controlled Substances, Possession of Marijuana greater than 1/2 to 1 ½ ounce, Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond: $25,000.00 Secured. District Court Date: February 10, 2022.

♦ On January 12th, 2022, Deputies with the Moore County Sheriff’s arrested Tommy Matt Locklear 59, Eagle Springs, N. C. Locklear was charged with Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Methamphetamine, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Cocaine, Felony Possession of Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Heroin, Possession of Heroin, Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Schedule II Controlled Substance, Simple Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substance, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond: $15,000.00 Secured District Court Date: February 23, 2022.

♦ On January 12th, 2022, Deputies with the Moore County Sheriff’s arrested Stephanie Renee Floyd 30, Eagle Springs, N. C. Floyd was charged with Possession of Methamphetamine and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Bond: $2,500.00 Unsecured. District Court Date: February 23, 2022.

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Fruit trees and berries require planning

DINING BAN from page 1 “Fairness as a consideration recognizes a current imbalance in business utilization of public property. Some restaurants, like Lisi, Villagio, and Villager Deli have selected locations and invested in spaces in order to have outdoor seating options without relying on public space,” one section reads.

Also during the Village Council’s work session, the council members elected to not pursue a “social district” option where alcoholic beverages could be possessed and consumed within a defined

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moore

happening

By Annie Mills For the Randolph Record GROWING TREE fruit and berries is a long-term relationship that takes some work and careful planning. Some fruits require more care than others and others are more reliable producers. Gardeners know that there are certain conditions under which plants thrive, but prioritizing a few basics for fruit production is especially important because it often can take years before tree fruit and berries even begin to bear fruit.

In other words, the right conditions from the start and careful planning will increase your chances of getting a nutritious and edible product and most of us would agree that is typically the goal when growing fruit! Several primary considerations when planning to grow fruit in your home landscape include: site selection, soil preparation, and variety selection.

When selecting a site take a close look at the sun, soil and cold air drainage, soil pH, access to water, weed population, and the available space. Just about all fruit need at least eight hours of sun. The soil pH in this area also tends to be too acidic for most fruits, so getting a soil test from our office will help you bring the pH up to the correct range for that particular plant by using lime. If you are growing blueberries however, you will likely need to lower the soil pH with sulfur. Adjusting the pH of the soil can take several months, or up to a year in some cases and this must be done well before planting. Frost and air drainage should be considered when choosing a growing site as well. Avoid planting in the coldest parts of the yard and frost

MONDAY

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County: WEDNESDAYS IN JANUARY Curry Nights at The Sly Fox Pub FILE PHOTO

pockets to avoid injury to your fruit as it is developing.

Drainage is important as soil that is too wet promotes an environment for root rot diseases. For example, peach trees in standing water at any point in the season can die in as little as three days.

An inexpensive and easy fix for this issue is to build up raised beds before planting. For fruit trees, mound up the soil 18 to 24 inches high and four to eight feet wide to create your beds. Similarly, for berries, the site preparation should include creating raised beds six to twelve inches high and around four feet wide. Two to four inches of compost should be incorporated into the top six to ten inches of the bed and mixed in before planting. Typically, the higher you can mound the soil the better, since the beds will settle over time. Weeds and grass also should be eliminated from the beds well before planting to ensure that they do not compete with your crop as it is getting established.

The beds should be in close proximity to a water source, or

set up with drip irrigation system if you are planting at any type of scale. Regular watering is essential for high yields and fruits need one inch of water per week during the growing season. With some fruits, like apples, you will need more than one variety for pollination, so don’t forget to plan your spacing with that in mind. Another common mistake can be not carefully considering the size of the plant at maturity. Lastly, select varieties that are adapted to this geographic region. This is particularly important for longer lived fruit, like tree fruit. In most cases, there are specific varieties of each type of fruit that have been researched and bred to be specifically suited to this particular climate. Sometimes the best varieties for our area take a little extra work and shopping around to find, but it will be worth it due to the long-term investment in expenses, time and labor.

geographic area.

The reasoning, according to staff, is that after checking with Southern Pines and Aberdeen, neither of them are considering establishing a social district, so the village of Pinehurst should not either.

The staff memo said a similar measure was enacted on a temporary basis during the 2014 Men’s and Women’s U.S. Opens.

The regularly scheduled meeting did not include discussion of either item that was part of the work session.

During the meeting, Mayor Jeff Strickland delivered a lengthy

COVID-19 update and said a determination would be made if the council meetings needed to be made virtual again due to the pandemic, and council member Lydia Boesch updated the council on the status of a Donald Ross statue that is currently on display downtown.

Miriam Chu, a Pinehurst resident, volunteered to fix several knicks and cuts, and made new glasses for the statue. Boesch called it a “miracle makeover” and said the statue would be in great shape for the next 30 years.

The next scheduled meeting of the Village Council is set for Jan. 25.

TUNE INTO The John and Maureen show

Sundays

1 - 2PM WEEB 990 AM 104.1 and 97.3 FM

Annie Mills is a Horticulture Extension Agent with the N.C. State Cooperative Extension Service.

4:30pm-9pm Each Wednesday in Jan., the Sly Fox will host a “Curry Night” featuring curry appetizers and entrees.

Jan. 21 Whiskey Pines at Pinehurst Brewing Co. 8pm Local band Whiskey Pines will perform at Pinehurst Brewing.

Jan. 21-23 Guys and Dolls Jr. 7:30pm The Encore Performing Arts Center presents a musical based on the legendary musical comedy classic about rolling the dice and falling in love under the Broadway lights.

Tickets start at $13.50 and can be purchased at encorecenter.net or by calling 910-7250758.

Jan. 25 An Evening of Motown 6pm The Moore County Republican Women and N.C. Black Conservative Voices present an evening of Motown’s greatest hits. Featuring a live performance by Gabriel Bella, the event benefits the Frederick Douglas Foundation.

More information and tickets available at mrwnc.org.

Feb. 8 Chocolate Making 11am-noon Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Scott Hasemeir, owner of V Form Chocolate in Pinehurst will demonstrate how he makes his delectable creations. He will also have chocolates to purchase for your Valentines’ gifts. The free event is hosted by the Sandhills Horticultural Gardens.

More information at sandhills.edu.

North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

OPINION Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON

The filibuster is not the problem

[T]he president said anyone who disagrees with the legislation was comparable to segregationists George Wallace and Bull Connor.

This rhetoric is divisive and extremely shameful.

“DOOMSDAY FOR DEMOCRACY.” “Rubber stamp of dictatorship.”

“Arrogance of power.”

These are how politicians have described ending the Senate’s filibuster in recent years. Another leader said, “If the majority chooses to end the filibuster, if they choose to change the rules and put an end to Democratic debate, then the fighting and the bitterness and the gridlock will only get worse.”

Those quotes came not from Republicans, but from Chuck Schumer, Joe Biden and Barack Obama.

Like a majority of Americans, all three Democratic leaders once supported maintaining the long-standing filibuster as a check and balance that ensures the voices of millions of Americans are represented. In fact, in 2020 alone, Democrats used the filibuster 327 times to block Republicans.

Unfortunately, it appears now-President Joe Biden and Democratic leadership have changed their tune. Last week, Biden and Schumer pushed to end the filibuster in order to pass more of their radical agenda, beginning with a federal takeover of elections.

Their so-called voting rights bill would scrap any state voter ID laws, give more power to the IRS and direct billions of your tax dollars to political campaigns. Under the proposal, Chuck Schumer would receive up to $44.1 million for his reelection, while Nancy Pelosi would receive up to $22.7 million.

While President Biden campaigned on being a moderate and unifying the country, in Atlanta last week, the president said anyone who disagrees with the legislation was comparable to segregationists George Wallace and Bull Connor. This rhetoric is divisive and extremely shameful.

I have long supported reforming our voting laws to strengthen the integrity of our elections. However, Washington Democrats have created a false narrative to justify a federal election takeover that strips rights from states and gives politicians more power.

I voted against this bill in the House and will continue to oppose it. Yet, instead of changing the rules and pushing their radical agenda, the president, Sen. Schumer, and Speaker Pelosi should be focused on the pressing issues mounting in our nation.

COVID cases are at an all-time high. Migrants and deadly fentanyl illegally crossing our southern border are at record levels.

December recorded the worst jobs numbers of Biden’s presidency.

And just last week, inflation reached its highest rate in 40 years. I am sure you are feeling the effects of this at the gas pump, grocery store, and in your utility bills.

This inflation also means wages are not keeping up with the increased demand. According to the New York Times, just 17% of workers say their pay has kept pace with inflation. There is a crisis in our economy, at our border and in our communities dealing with increased crime and the pandemic. Washington Democrats ignored these issues and spent December focused on their $4 trillion Build Back Broke agenda, which stalled. Now they risk spending January focused on nationalizing elections and once again ignoring our challenges This is unacceptable and why I am focused on the issues impacting you and your family every day. We must keep our schools open. We need to slow government spending and get Americans back to work. It’s time to secure our border once and for all. And we need common sense solutions to end the pandemic that respect science and freedom.

Ultimately, we must work toward expanding opportunities and prosperity in our nation. While addressing these issues, this weekend we also commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. His life’s work and guiding principles continue to impact our nation and inspire all those seeking freedom and justice. As we confront the challenges facing our nation, I hope we can all recall his words and strive to create a better nation for every American.

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Biden’s big elections lie These were little more than the mendacious ravings of a demagogue.

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN finally delivered his “voting rights” speech in Atlanta, telling a crowd: “The next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation’s history. Will we choose democracy over autocracy, light over shadows, justice over injustice? I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend your right to vote, our democracy against all enemies foreign and domestic. And the question is: Where will the institution of the United States Senate stand?”

These were little more than the mendacious ravings of a demagogue.

Biden’s argument is predicated on the idea that anyone who continues to support the legislative filibuster — a Senate rule the president defended for nearly 50 years — or voter ID laws, or time restrictions on mail-in ballots, or consistent hours for early voting, or bans on ballot harvesting, is no better than Bull Connor. “Do you want to be on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace?” was the false choice offered by a man who repeatedly praised Wallace, and other segregationists, early in his career.

The president suggested that anyone opposing the Democrats’ “voting rights” bill was not only a bigot but a seditious “domestic” enemy of the United States — a designation that now probably includes six Democratic senators, if not more. The president pronounced the Senate a “shell of its former self,” lamenting that the GOP had used the filibuster over 100 times in the past year, skipping the inconvenient fact that Democrats had done so over 300 times the preceding four years. Biden, “the institutionalist,” then unloaded a litany of completely misleading contentions about voting laws to justify his abandonment of principle.

And the reason Biden is compelled to lie about virtually every aspect of the Georgia voting law is that the specifics are actually quite popular and do not inhibit a citizen from casting a ballot.

Most of the requirements Biden contends are now compulsory for democracy to properly function had only been instituted in the past few years — many of them only during the last election.

Biden’s comparing Jim Crow to contemporary voter integrity laws is detestable. One was a violent suppression of the minority vote; the other was giving voters only 11 weeks before an election to request a ballot and declining to keep expanding voting into the weekend.

At this pace, Democrats will be arguing that disenfranchisement of illegal immigrants is the manifestation of the Dixiecrat agenda

by 2024.

ID requirements are what the left detests most, yet this is the provision they talk about least. Why? Most polls find overwhelming majority support for limiting early voting hours and requiring photo IDs to vote. Fascists in Colorado and Connecticut and most other states, not only Georgia, still demand a person provide governmentissued ID to vote. They, just like Georgia, allow voters without ID to provide the last four digits of their Social Security number, a bank statement or utility bill, a paycheck or any other government document with their name and address. (Maybe if states allowed vaccine passports to suffice, Democrats would be up for it.)

But most Americans — most people in the free world — have believed it eminently reasonable to expect voters to identify themselves before participating in democracy. If Democrats believed the vote was sacred, so would they. It’s the Democrats who are advocating overturning the will of voters in Georgia and elsewhere. Let’s remember that H.R. 1 “voting rights” bill would have compelled states to allow ballot harvesting, to ban voter ID laws, to allow felons to vote and to count mail-in votes that arrive up to 10 days after Election Day. The president sprinkled his speech with feigned indignation and lots of podium pounding. Unable to contain his penchant for fabulism, he seemed to joke about being arrested (“the first time”) during a civil rights march. Maybe Biden was confusing that incident with the time he wasn’t arrested in South Africa for trying to see Nelson Mandela or didn’t defend the Black Panthers in court or never participated in a sit-in.

But one can suspect most Democrats understand well that this is all a nasty bit of cynical political theater since there is little chance of nuking the filibuster. Biden’s attempt to launch his entire agenda in a single reconciliation moonshot stuffed with progressive extravagances failed to get a simple majority. Stymied, the president has decided to preemptively undermine confidence in the 2022 and 2024 elections, smearing half the country as racists while cosplaying as a civil rights hero. “The Big Lie,” indeed.

The consequences of this will be the further deterioration of trust in elections. More division. More anger.

David Harsanyi is a senior writer at National Review and author of “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

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North State Journal for Wednesday, January 19, 2022

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obituaries

Lois Regina McAuliffe

Ralph Franklin Harris, Jr.

James “Jim” Sidney Carter, Jr.

March 18, 1954 - January 13, 2022

James “Jim” Sidney Carter Jr., 88, Seven Lakes, NC finished his time here on Earth at home, on January 10, 2022, his departure fulfilling what he’d always said, that he’d only leave there feet first.

Jim was born in Nash County, NC to parents James and Frances.

They, along with siblings William Ronald Carter and Frances “Toots” Holmes preceded him in passing.

His pack of sassy granddaughters-Jessica, Jill, Joan, and Ann Catherine; his two long legged grandsons Daniel and Jared; along with his two great grandchildren will miss sharing his after-dinner cookies, though hopefully he was able to impart the value of chocolate (and possibly Jack Daniels) to them before he left them.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Seven Lakes.

Ralph Franklin Harris, Jr., (Frank), died on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at his home.

He was preceded in death by his father Ralph Franklin Harris., Sr. and his brother Steven Keith Harris.

He is survived by his mother Mary Harris of Aberdeen; his sisters Catherine Harris Sides (Glenn) of Aberdeen and Karen Harris McSwain (Jimmy) of Foxfire; nephews, Matthew Sides (Jennifer) of Greenville, NC, Keith McSwain (Megan) of Charleston, SC; niece Emily Sides of Aberdeen; great-niece and special friend Evelyn Sides, great-nephews Thomas McSwain and Gibson McSwain.

The family will hold a private graveside service.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to a charity of your choice.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

February 22, 1933 - January 10, 2022

Kathleen Ann Priest

January 31, 1936 - January 9, 2022 Kathleen George Priest, 85, of Carthage, NC passed away on Sunday, January 9, 2022, at Peak Resources/Pinelake Assisted Living in Carthage. She is finally reunited with the love of her life, Richard Priest who’s untimely passing occurred just sixteen years after they married.

Kathleen was born January 31, 1936, in Hamlet, NC to the late Lewis and Annie Frye George.

Kathleen was a long-time resident of Carthage. She worked as the Manager of Housekeeping for Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, retiring after 38 years.

She is survived by her son Rick Priest; daughters Kathy Cardona and Amanda “Mandy” Blackburn (Ray); grandchildren, Ashley Love (Jason), Justin Blackburn (Lauren) and Jordan Blackburn; great-grandchildren Aiden Blackburn and Barrett Blackburn.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her siblings Lewis, Alberta and Jack George.

Raymond Eugene Jarvis

March 16, 1946 - January 9, 2022 Raymond Eugene Jarvis age 75 of Carthage, NC passed on January 9th, 2022.

Ray was born March 16th, 1946 in Washington, DC to the late Jack Dean Jarvis and Gustava Bransford Jarvis. Ray worked as a carpenter his entire life starting out in Maryland before moving here to Carthage, NC in 1979 where he continued his career in carpentry.

Ray is survived by his loving wife Brenda of which they celebrated 49 years of marriage.

Sister Jackie Cole of West End, NC. Daughters Jennifer Barnett of Sanford, NC; Jill Hartsell (Robert) of Aberdeen, NC; Renee Grant (Chad) of Pinehurst, NC; Deanna Vest (Jason) of Seven Lakes, NC as well as 9 Grandchildren and 9 Great Grandchildren.

Celebration of Life Ceremony to be held at a later date.

Service arrangements have be entrusted to Boles Funeral Home.

November 23, 1934 - January 8, 2022 Lois Regina McAuliffe, 87, of Pinehurst, NC, passed away on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at the First Health Hospice House surrounded by loved ones. She was born on November 23, 1934, in Pittsburgh, PA, to the late Eileen and Louis Baldizar.

She grew up in Sharpsburg and Mt. Lebanon. She put herself through college, graduating with a BS in Education from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, which led to her lifelong career as a teacher and her first job in the City of Pittsburgh School System.

Lois was predeceased by her soulmate, Jack, with whom she celebrated 61 years of marriage.

Her passion for continued education, history, and the arts took her, Jack, and her family to many places, near and far.

It was important for her to share this love with children and expose them to a world outside their own. She enjoyed the companionship of dogs, gardening, playing tennis and golf, volunteering, and playing cards, especially bridge. She was involved in bridge groups both in Newtown and Pinehurst. She was an avid reader who could finish a book in one sitting, knew all the rules for Grammar and English, and was a master at solving complex crossword puzzles. Lois is remembered as a woman of integrity, strength, compassion, honesty, unwavering faith, a sense of humor, a deep love for family, and passion for the arts and an array of music. She was an educator to the end and was insistent that all her children graduate from institutions of higher learning. She could diagram any sentence and tell you about any Civil War battle.

In addition to her parents and husband, Lois was preceded in death by her sisters Eileen Baldizar and Madeline Mozzoni.

She is survived by five children, Gary McAuliffe, Jean Hawkins and husband Joseph, Jill McAuliffe, Kathleen Young and husband Michael, and Suzie McAuliffe as well as seven grandchildren, Brenna, John, Grace, Joy, Jack, Caitlin, and Sean. Other surviving members of the family are brother-in-law Thomas McAuliffe and family (Mary, Mark, and Karen) and Mrs. Jan Marie Johnson and family as well as several cousins and nephews.

A service and burial will be held at later date at Arlington National Cemetery, where she will reunite her husband, Jack.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.

Theodore William Kenny September 23, 1939 - January 9, 2022

Theodore W. Kenny, 82, of Pinehurst, NC passed away unexpectedly at home on Sunday, January 9, 2022.

Ted was born in Whitestone, NY and grew up in Demarest, NJ. In addition to his parents, he was pre-deceased by his brothers Thomas and Terrence. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, to whom he was devoted for 59 years. Ted is also survived by his brother Timothy; sisters Carole and JoAnn; his son Ted Jr. and his wife Catherine; his daughter Debra and her husband John; his grandchildren: Nathan and his wife Morgan, Teddy III and his wife Kristy, and Andrew; his great-granddaughter Leighton; numerous nieces and nephews; cousins; and so many great friends.

Ted began his career at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, while working tirelessly to put himself through many years of night school to earn his BS degree. After moving to Byram Township, NJ, he continued his career with New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance company, working there for close to 40 years and retiring as a Vice President.

In his spare time, Ted dedicated himself to his children, Ted Jr. and Debra, coaching them in Little League and softball, while also participating in many camping trips with the Boy Scouts. Ted adored his family and enjoyed creating many cherished memories of different vacations, especially camping trips up and down the East coast. Ted was a man of integrity, guiding his children throughout their lives, leading by example, instilling respect, and doing so with compassion. His children and grandchildren adored him.

Ted, a proud American, served in the Army National Guard and applied his commitment to service and honor in all aspects of his life. Ted was a man of action, always willing to help out his friends and neighbors.

After retiring from NJM, Ted and Barbara escaped the New Jersey winters by relocating to Pinehurst, where he was truly in his element, surrounded by a wonderful golf community. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed his Mulligans Golf group. He was a huge fan of the NY Football Giants and the NY Mets; with both franchises having truly tried his patience.

The family requests that remembrances be made in the form of contributions to Patriot Foundation at www. patriotfoundation.org http:// www.patriotfoundation.org or via mail to Patriot Foundation, P.O Box 5069 Pinehurst, NC 28374.

Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

James “Jimmy” Smith January 10, 2022

Jimmy Smith of Aberdeen went to be with his Lord and Saviour on January 10, 2022, at the age of 67.

Jimmy worked for 32 years at Burney Hardware in Aberdeen leaving a legacy of a good name, and a service to God & humanity.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, January 14, 2022, at Ashley Heights Baptist Church. The family will receive friends following the service at the church.

John Edward Morrison

July 11, 1942 - January 9, 2022 Rev. John Edward “Ed” Morrison, 79, of Woodlake, passed peacefully at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital on Sunday, January 9th.

Born in Roanoke Rapids, July 11, 1942, he was the son of the late John and Tempie Morrison. Ed attended William R. Davie School and graduated in the class of 1960.

He went on to do his undergraduate at NC Wesleyan College and earned his Masters of Divinity from Duke University. On February 2nd, 1964, he married his high school sweetheart, Norma Ivey. After his ordination, the family served many communities in eastern and central North Carolina as a minister in the United Methodist Church. One of Ed’s favorite assignments was serving as the Youth Director for the North Carolina Conference.

He also was the pastor at the Southern Pines UMC from 1994 -1998 and the Rockingham District Superintendent up until his retirement in 2005. Ed was a natural “people person”. He greeted everyone with a warm smile and was known for his wonderful sense of humor. Ed was also known as a great storyteller, making the Word relatable to many. He will be remembered as a strong, but gentle leader and mentor.

Ed was the loving husband of Norma Ivey Morrison. He is also survived by their daughter Laura Morrison Giles, her husband Rick, granddaughter Bailey, and grandson Ryder. In addition, he is survived by his brothers Charles Morrison and Larry Morrison.

Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.

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