North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 4

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 4

|

WWW.NSJONLINE.COM

|

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022

Audit: State failed to issue $438M in COVID unemployment claims in timely manner

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina State Auditor Beth Wood’s office has issued a new audit report showing that the first COVID-related unemployment claims were not handled in a timely manner by the Department of Commerce’s Division of Employment Security (DES).

“DES did not issue first unem-

ployment benefit payments timely during the period of January 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021,” the audit’s conclusion says. “As a result, $438 million of financial assistance was not received by unemployed North Carolinians during a time of tremendous need.”

The audit says the payments didn’t go out in a timely fashion because DES’ unemployment claim process isn’t designed that

way and that the division’s management didn’t monitor how fast or slow the payments were going out.

Additionally, the audit says that DES was “not prepared for economic downturns that will inevitably occur.”

In its response to the audit, Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders did not disagree See COVID CLAIMS page A2

RNC registering voters at gas stations Charlotte The Republican National Committee kicked off a nationwide voter registration initiative by registering voters at gas stations across Mecklenburg County.

The initiative in three states: North Carolina, Arizona, and Florida, comes as gas prices hit some of their highest levels ever recorded.

AAA Carolinas data shows the highest levels of a gallon of gas and diesel were recorded on March 11, 2022. The price of a gallon of regular unleaded gas was $4.19 and diesel was $5.12.

“Republicans know that every time North Carolinians are going to the gas station, they are reminded of Biden’s disastrous energy policies.

That’s why the RNC is meeting voters at the source of the pain — the gas pump — and offering them an alternative future by voting Republican this November,” said RNC spokeswoman Alex Nolley.

The Biden administration has attempted to pin the blame for higher gas prices and inflation on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

NSJ STAFF

Indianapolis Indiana’s governor on Monday vetoed a bill banning transgender females from participating in girls school sports.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb signaled support for the bill last month but said in his veto letter that the legislation “falls short” of providing a consistent statewide policy for what he called “fairness in K-12 sports.”

Republican sponsors of the bill said it was needed to protect the integrity of female sports and opportunities for girls to gain college athletic scholarships. Opponents of the transgender sports bill argued it was a response to a problem that doesn’t exist, with the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana saying it planned a lawsuit against what it called “hateful legislation.”

The Indiana law would prohibit K-12 students who were born male but who identify as female from participating in a sport or on an athletic team that is designated for women or girls. But it wouldn’t prevent students who identify as female or transgender men from playing on men’s sports teams.

Eleven other Republicanled states have adopted such laws.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

5

20177 52016 $0.50

Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson speaks during her confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Tuesday, March 22, 2022, in Washington, D.C. Brown Jackson faced questions regarding her past work with Guantanamo Bay detainees and what Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley called ‘a pattern of issuing lower sentences in child pornography cases’ during her time as a trial judge.

NC House sees less competition among parties than two years ago Some students have regressed multiple grade levels, particularly in language and reading skills

Indiana governor vetoes transgender girls sports ban

8

MANDEL NGAN/POOL VIA AP

SCOTUS

By A.P. Dillon and Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — In the 2020 election cycle, Democrats fielded candidates for 119 of the 120 House seats. In this year’s midterm filings, Democrats are competing for only 92 seats whereas Republicans are represented in 111 of the 120 seat races, nearly equaling their 2020 recruitment.

Following the end of candidate filing on Friday, March 4, the fields are set for the May 17 primary and Nov. 8 general election.

The General Assembly’s lower chamber consists of 120 seats across the state.

The number of Republicans running unopposed for House seats dwarfs that of Democrats by a count of 20 to four. The four Democrats running unopposed are Allison Dahle (HD-11), Vernetta Alston (HD-29), Pricey Harrison (HD-69) and John Autry (HD-100).

Seven former members of the House are running for seats this cycle and five of the seven are seeking seats that they previously

NCDHHS ends daily COVID reporting metrics

By Matt Mercer North State Journal RALEIGH — The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services released what it calls its new plan for the current stage of the coronavirus pandemic and announced it would end daily updates to its COVID-19 dashboard. The changes become effective on Wednesday, March 23.

Confirmed cases have bottomed out across the state, and state leaders say the situation looks much different now than two years ago.

“Over the last two years, we’ve written a history of hardship and resilience, setbacks and successes,” said Gov. Roy Cooper. “But now, we enter the next phase.

One of individual responsibility, preparedness and prosperity.

This virus will still be with us, but it won’t disrupt us.”

The state’s daily dashboard appears to be shutting down for public viewing and will now be updated weekly and highlight

“Now, we enter the next phase. One of individual responsibility, preparedness and prosperity. This virus will still be with us, but it won’t disrupt us.”

Gov. Roy Cooper

seven metrics. Those include wastewater testing in community wastewater systems, COVIDlike illness in hospital emergency departments as a percentage of total emergency visits, confirmed COVID-19 hospital admissions, positive tests for COVID-19, COVID vaccine booster rates, tracking of new variants, and reliance on the CDC’s COVID-19 community levels to monitor the

held: Republicans Marilyn Avila (HD-40); Bill Brawley (HD-103); Christy Clark (HD-98); and Stephen Ross (HD-63); and Democrat Elmer Floyd (HD-43).

Two of the seven are locked in a primary against one another: Democrats Tricia Cotham and Rodney Moore are both running for House District 112, which has no incumbent. There are also two additional candidates in the race.

There are 18 House incumbents who are not seeking reelection, which means at least 15% of the current members will not return to Raleigh in 2023. Eleven are Democrats and seven are Republicans. Eight of the 18 are retiring. The five Democrats re-

spread of the virus.

The state stopped reporting its own county transmission data, and the contact tracing page with data on the number of contact tracers will no longer be available. NCDHHS says weekly respiratory virus surveillance summaries will continue to be published on Thursdays and tabular data will continue to be provided on the Data Behind the Dashboards page.

Data on positive tests as a percentage of total tests will be available but does not include athome test results. This comes as the department says they are becoming more widely used. Case data will only be reported weekly by date of specimen collection.

“We have worked hard to get here. With a robust toolset, we are prepared now as individuals and as a state in ways we could have not been two years ago or even two months ago.” said NCDHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley in a statement. “As we move forward together, we will continue to ensure every North Carolinian has access to the tools and information they need to protect themselves and others.”

At the briefing, Cooper, NCDHHS Secretary Kinsley, and See NCDHHS, page A2

tiring are John Ager, Verla Insko, Evelyn Terry, Billy Richardson, and Brian Turner. The four retiring Republicans are Pat McElraft, Allen McNeill, Larry Pittman and John Szoka.

Richardson, who has served for five and a half terms, said he owes it to his immediate family to step down after sacrificing so much for him to serve.

“Serving Cumberland County means so much to me, but this is not my seat, this seat belongs to the people of this county,” he said last month.

Two sets of Republicans are facing off after the redrawn maps left them double-bunked.

In House District 52, longtime state Rep. Jamie Boles faces first-term state Rep. Ben Moss in a district that covers southern Moore County and all of Richmond County. The district makeup is nearly even with 49% in See N.C. HOUSE, page A2

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

A2 WEDNESDAY

3.23.22 #326

“Variety Vacationland” 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 Lauren Rose Design Editor Published each Wednesday

by North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 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

N.C. HOUSE from page A1 Moore County and 51% in Richmond County, but more Republicans are registered in Moore County than Richmond, which may favor Boles.

The other primary between incumbents is in the redrawn 113th House District, with state Rep. Jake Johnson facing off with state Rep. David Rogers. The new district makeup is slightly favored by Johnson’s current district, with 48% of the new district made up of Henderson and Polk counties and 43% of Rogers’ home county of Rutherford. Additionally, the new district takes in a small part of southern McDowell County.

In total, 15 Republicans have picked up a primary challenger whereas only five Democrats have primary challengers lined up. Of those 15 Republicans, three have picked up more than one primary opponent.

The race shaping up to be most competitive of those is House District 109, with appointed state Rep. Donnie Loftis facing three challengers. One of his primary challengers is Lauren Bumgardner Current, the daughter of the late Dana Bumgardner, who Loftis was appointed to replace following his death in October 2021. John Gouch and Ronnie Worley are also in the race.

One incumbent state Senator decided to switch chambers.

Democrat Sarah Crawford, who was elected in 2020 in Senate District 18, filed for a new N.C. House seat in Wake County. In an announcement, she claimed the new maps took most of her community out of the Senate District.

“Running for this House district allows me to focus closer to home and continue doing work in my community. Mary Wills Bode will run for Senate District 18.

As a native of Wake County with deep generational ties to Granville County, she is poised and ready to represent Granville and Wake Counties,” said Crawford.

COVID CLAIMS from page A1 with the findings. Sanders said the department will review its systems and claims processes, per the audit’s recommendations. She also said DES will be developing a “post pandemic strategic plan” modeled on response policies for federally declared disasters but “expanded to include lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The findings in the audit cite federal requirements that at least 87% of first benefit payments are issued to regular unemployment insurance (UI) claimants within 14 days in states with a waiting week, which North Carolina has. During the pandemic that requirement was waived

THE WORD: DOES GOD REALLY CARE FOR US?

“I am poor and needy — yet the Lord thinks upon me!” Psalm 40:17

Did God really care for him? And does God care for us, and think upon us — when we are poor and needy? Does God really care for us, as individuals? Does He give personal thought to any of us — to you, to me — according to our condition? Does pain or trouble in us — cause pity in His heart? Does God care? Does He see the individual in the crowd? When you are passing through some great trouble, enduring pain or adversity — does God know it, and does He care?

A daughter had a bitter sorrow, a sore disappointment.

The mother knew just what her daughter was passing through. Her love for her child, entered into and shared all the child’s experiences. The mother cared. Is there ever anything like this in the heart of God — as He looks upon His children and knows that they are suffering?

When we turn to the Bible, we find on every page the revelation — that God does care — and has personal interest in His people.

Christ assured His disciples, that the very hairs of their heads are all numbered; meaning that God personally cares for all the minutest affairs of our lives — He cares for us as individuals. His love is as personal and individual, as the love of a mother for each one of her children.

Paul took the love of Christ to himself — as if he were the only one Christ loved! “He loved me — and gave Himself up for me!” God’s love is personal. He cares for us — for me!

Whatever your need, your trial, your perplexity, your struggle may be — you may be sure that God knows and cares — and that when you come to Him with it, He will take time amid all His infinite affairs, to help you — as if He had nothing else in all the world to do!

God cares! His love for each one of His children is so deep, so personal, so tender — that He has compassion on our every pain, every distress, every struggle. “As a father has

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Saint Paul preaching” by Raphael (1515) is a painting in the Royal Collection of the United Kingdom on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.” Psalm 103:13. God is our Father, and His care is gentler than a human father’s — as His love exceeds human love.

Much human care has no power to help — but when God cares — He helps omnipotently. When human friendship can give no relief — then God will come. When no one in all the world cares — then God cares! “Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares about you!” 1 Peter 5:7 J.R. Miller was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain.

‘Leandro’ fast-tracked to Supreme Court as judge overseeing case removed North State Journal staff RALEIGH — The North Carolina Supreme Court granted a request backed by attorneys for the state, local school boards and guardians of current students to hear the matter in the coming months, rather than wait first for a ruling from the intermediate-level Court of Appeals.

The justices agreed to accelerate the process to determine whether a trial judge had authority to order $1.75 billion in taxpayer money be spent to address inequities in the public schools.

The order is the latest in school funding litigation that began nearly 30 years ago — known as “Leandro,” an original plaintiff’s name — and is now heading to a constitutional showdown between the three government branches.

The Supreme Court, in an order released Monday, did not give deadlines on when they would accept briefs or hear oral arguments.

The $1.75 billion, which was ordered to be spent from state coffers, never got moved.

A Court of Appeals panel on Nov. 30 blocked retired judge David Lee’s directive, stating the job of appropriating money is expressly left in the state constitution to the General Assembly.

Additionally, on Monday, Chief Justice Paul Newby moved Lee off the case according to court records.

Michael L. Robinson, one of the special judges of the Superior Court of North Carolina, will now hear all matters relating to the case.

Robinson was first sworn in as a Special Superior Court Judge for Complex Business Cases on

for the weeks between April 4, 2020, through Sept. 4, 2021, but the audit says the “requirement to ensure that at least 87% of first benefit payments were issued within 14/21 days was not waived.”

In matters of other consideration, the audit recommends that the state General Assembly should “consider enacting a law that requires state agencies to implement Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)” and implies that if DES had ERM policies in place, payments may have not been delayed.

The audit mentioned Gov. Roy Cooper’s statewide stay-at-home order, which went into effect on March 30, 2020, and extended through May 22 of the same year.

July 1, 2016, with chambers located at Wake Forest University School of Law in Winston-Salem.

Prior to joining the Business Court, Robinson worked in private practice for 35 years in Winston-Salem with Petree Stockton & Robinson and with Robinson & Lawing.

Cooper and fellow Democrats have said the budget falls short in complying with the remedial plan, which addresses, in part, teacher recruitment and salaries, pre-kindergarten expansion and more spending in low-wealth counties.

On Dec. 1, 2021, North State Journal reported that the majority opinion of the appellate judges stated that it is up to the “legislative and executive branches” to act and if those branches ignore it, then “the remedy lies not with the courts, but at the ballot box.”

“The people of North Carolina through their elected legislators, not an unelected county-level trial judge, decide how to spend tax dollars,” said Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) said at the time.

“Rather than accepting responsibility for lagging achievement and outright failure, the Leandro parties insist that the pathway to student improvement is always the simple application of more money.”

Lee’s order sought to go around the legislature to transfer the funds in violation of the North Carolina state constitution, that states in Article V, Section 7, “No money shall be drawn from the State treasury but in consequence of appropriations made by law.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

That order is cited by the audit as cause of the large increase in the volume of claims filed.

“North Carolina’s statewide unemployment rate rose from 3.6% in February 2020 to 13.5%

by April 2020,” the audit states, adding for context that unemployment rates were 11.4% in North Carolina during the Great Recession in 2009 and 2010.

Claims filed began to increase in March and April of 2020 and stayed at levels higher than that of 2009 and 2010.

“March 2020 through March 2021, DES reported that it received approximately 3.5 million unemployment assistance claims from approximately 1.5 million claimants,” reads the audit. “DES paid approximately $11.6 billion

FILE PHOTO

Special Superior Court Judge Michael Robinson is shown in this photo from the N.C. Judicial Branch.

in unemployment insurance benefits from January 2020 through March 2021.”

Even before the pandemic put a strain on the system, North Carolina was already one of the worst performing states related to issuing unemployment payments in a timely fashion, according to the U.S. Department of Labor statistics. For the first quarter of 2020, the state had a timely payment rate of 67.2%, whereas the national average for that quarter was 86.5%.

As reported by North State Journal in 2020, between March 15 and early April, DES had seen an unprecedented surge in claims coming in at just under 389,000. The unemployment rate rose in all 100 North Caroli-

na counties during April.

As of May 15, 2020, DES said, 528,511 claimants had received some payments totaling $1.9 billion for claims that were effective as of March 15, 2020. During that same month, unemployment claims in North Carolina passed 1 million.

Throughout the pandemic filing timeframe, those trying to file claims reported having to make numerous attempts to get a claim to go through, that the DES website kept crashing and other technical issues. The result was filers having to make multiple attempts to file over the course of several days or even weeks. Once claims were filed, claimants reported long lag times before any payments were received.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Wake County School Board proposes extending terms to four years, approves new maps Resolution bypasses voters with four-year, staggered district seat elections

Audit of Spring Lake finds more than $430K in taxpayer funds used for personal purposes Local government commission assumed control of the town’s finances last fall

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — On March 15, the Wake County Public Schools Board of Education voted 8-1 to approve new “Option B” maps to be used in their own upcoming elections in November.

The district maps are typically redrawn every 10 years when U.S. Census figures are updated.

The board presentation included a map to locate one’s new district: https://arcg.is/1PX0yr0 In addition to approving their own new district maps, the Wake County Public Schools (WCPSS) board also passed a resolution asking the Wake County Board of Elections to approve the school board returning to a fouryear, staggered term cycle instead of the current process of the entire board being elected every two years.

“WHEREAS, on March 9, 2022, the Board determined that ‘Option B4’ was the preferred plan of the Board and would satisfy the requirements of one-person/onevote,” the resolution reads in part.

The resolution proposes changing certain seats to four-year terms in the upcoming November election. Those seats, according to the resolution, are Districts 1, 2, 7, and 9.

The District 1 seat is currently held by Heather Scott, District 2 is Monika Johnson-Hostler, District 7 is Chris Heagarty, and District 9 is Karen Carter.

Raleigh Attorney Jacob Arthur has already announced he will be running to replace Chris Heagarty in District 7. Arthur battled WCPSS’ grievance process unsuccessfully for nearly half a year over medical mask exemptions for his two school-aged children.

The resolution also says the remaining Districts 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8 “could be elected for two-year (shorter) terms since they received five-year (longer) terms under Session Law 2013- 110” and that going forward “all elections would be for four-year terms.”

District 5 is currently held by Jim Martin, who has already indi-

RALEIGH — The office of the N.C. State Auditor has published a report showing more than $430,000 in taxpayer funds were spent for personal use in the town of Spring Lake.

Spring Lake is a community in Cumberland County of just under 12,000 residents. The town is located close to Fort Bragg and sits northwest of Fayetteville.

The State Auditor’s response portion of the report was highly critical of Spring Lake’s response to the audit, noting that the town agreed with the findings but did not provide the “required details” for corrective actions. The auditor’s response also accused Spring Lake’s response of making “several statements that tend to obscure an issue, mislead the reader, and minimize the importance of OSA’s findings and recommendations.”

State Auditor Beth Wood’s office has sent the findings of the audit to the Federal Bureau of Investigations as well as the State Bureau of Investigation for potential criminal investigation.

The main findings of the Mar. 17 audit include: The former accounting technician used at least $430,112 of Town funds for personal use.

There was at least $36,400 in cash missing from the Revenue Department and the Recreation Department daily deposits.

Town employees spent $102,877 of Town funds on questionable credit card purchases.

Town overpaid the former economic development director $9,900.

The accounting technician in the report is referred to as “she” and also served as finance director for a period of time, according to the audit. Town records indicate that the accounting technician cited in the report is likely a woman named Gay Tucker who held that position from mid-summer 2014 through March 2020. Tucker’s employment with the town ended in July 2021.

According to the audit, during the time period spanning July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2021, the former accounting technician “used at least $430,112 of Town funds for personal use.”

Tucker allegedly wrote 72 checks for personal use, including 32 checks totaling $166,082 payable to Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union (Bragg Mutual), and those checks were deposited into her personal bank account at that credit union.

There were also 27 checks totaling $151,015 made payable to Tucker directly, 24 of which were deposited into her personal bank account at Bragg Mutual and one was deposited into her husband’s personal account at the same credit union.

NCDHHS from page A1 N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Machelle Sanders said the new plan would focus on four principles: prioritizing “equity,” empowering individuals, maintaining health system capacity, and collaborating with local partners.

The term “equity” has been emphasized repeatedly by Cooper and his administration.

Rather than emphasizing equality, which gives all people the same opportunity and resources, “equity” seeks to deliver the same outcomes. Its use has been a prominent feature of Critical Race Theory, a Marxist-based

AP PHOTO

A poll worker removes an “I Voted” sticker to hand to a voter. cated he is not running for reelection this fall. District 3 is currently held by Roxie Cash, District 4 is the newly appointed Tara Waters, District 6 is Christine Kushner and District 8 is the current Chair, Lindsay Mahaffey.

Former WCPSS school board candidate Steve Bergstrom announced last year he would be running again. Under the new maps, Bergstrom will face Board Chair Lindsay Mahaffey for the District 8 seat.

Newcomer Wing Ng, a first-generation Chinese American, has announced he will run for the District 3 seat currently held by Roxie Cash.

In November 2021, the Wake County Board of Commissioners (WBOC) approved extending their own terms to four years and to staggering seat elections. Prior to the change, all seven WBOC members were elected every two years.

Officials with the Wake County Board of Elections indicated they don’t plan to act on the resolution, citing a lack of statutory authority to do so and that the board’s resolution is merely a request and not a directive.

Critics protested the WBOC changes, saying that the move bypasses voters by keeping some commissioners in office years longer than their original terms. The same situation is now unfolding with the WCPSS school board.

Prior to 2013, WCPSS school board member elections had been staggered, with members holding four-year terms, and the board altered their own district maps every 10 years to even out representation due to population shifts per U.S. Census data.

In 2013 that process changed, with the General Assembly redrawing the school board’s districts. The following year, in 2014, lawmakers also redrew county commissioner maps.

Both sets of maps came under legal fire, and the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the maps unconstitutional. A consent order following the ruling is responsible for the current non-staggered, two-year terms.

That order was valid until the 2020 Census, unless the General Assembly made new maps or took some type of action.

Lawmakers at the legislature did not address the matter this year, leaving both the WBOC and WCPSS school board essentially free to extend some of their own election cycle tickets by returning to four-year, staggered elections.

Similar to Wake County, the Charlotte City Council is also looking to extend their terms from two years to four. Council members in Charlotte have debated making that change as well as staggering the elections of members a number of times in the past but have yet to take action.

academic framework based on Critical Theory.

NCDHHS also touted the state’s pandemic response, highlighting what it says is the lowest per capita death rate in the Southeast and the fact that the state’s statewide hospital capacity has never exceeded 91%. Gov. Cooper’s office recently celebrated the state’s return to pre-pandemic levels of employment.

States such as Texas, Arizona, and Utah hit the milestone earlier than North Carolina according to a CNN article on pre-pandemic employment.

“The COVID-19 virus will be with us for the foreseeable future, and we will need to learn to

live with the virus,” said Dr. Elizabeth Cuervo Tilson, NCDHHS Chief Medical Officer and State Health Director. “I encourage you to speak with your trusted health care provider as you consider your own risk and the actions you can take now and in the future.”

On Tuesday, the department launched a campaign to increase COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for adults and children called “Spring into Summer.”

Among the campaign’s goals are to get children and adolescents vaccinated. NCDHHS says 27% of children ages 5-11 and 48% of adolescents ages 12-17 have received a first dose of the vaccine.

Lenoir Schools purchases $2M in portable air filter systems BOX Pure Air is supplying the district with portable HEPA units paid for by federal relief funds

that they don’t see Lenoir’s purchase so much of a COVID issue, but rather a general health issue that can help curb absenteeism.

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — Two months ago, the Lenoir County Public Schools System entered into a $2 million dollar agreement to purchase air filter systems from SinglePoint Inc.’s subsidiary, BOX Pure Air. Ryan Cowell, CEO for BOX Pure Air, tells North State Journal that Lenoir County Public Schools is the first school district that has plans to implement BOX Pure Air portable HEPA units in every single space within the district’s schools.

“Many schools have the added issues of age, which has made air quality a difficult task to tackle,” Cowell said in an August 2021 press release on air purification systems for schools, homes and offices. “COVID and schools taking extra precautions have

AP PHOTO

An air circulation system at Nina Otero Community School is seen, Monday, Feb. 8, 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. brought added attention to the issue, and the government is providing funding to help drive IAQ [Indoor Air Quality] improvement in schools.”

Cowell added, “Fleet Management is so important because it allows schools to regularly check

air quality and fix little problems before they become big problems.

Studies show that using Portable HEPA air cleaners can reduce risk of exposure by more than half.”

In a brief phone interview, Cowell told North State Journal

A3

In addition to Lenoir schools, Cowell said that they are in talks with Fayetteville State University, Pasquotank schools, and schools in Carteret County. He also indicated the company has had conversations with various community colleges in the state but also with Wake Forest, UNC Greensboro and Duke Hospitals in Raleigh.

“Regarding the Air Box system, we are excited to provide these air filtration systems for students, teachers, and stakeholders that enter our facilities,” Lenoir Schools Assistant Superintendent Nicholas Harvey told North State Journal in an email response.

“ESSER funding allows for purchases that are intended to improve the air quality in schools.

The Air Box units have been widely applauded by staff members and students,” wrote Harvey.

ESSER is the acronym for the

Additionally, Tucker wrote 13 checks totaling $113,015 payable to “Heritage Place Senior Living” to pay her husband’s monthly resident bills.

“Town employees used Town credit cards to make 602 questionable purchases totaling $102,877. This amount represents 45% of all credit card purchases for that time period, which totaled $228,871,” the audit says.

The audit also found the town failed to safeguard its vehicle fleet and a lack of overall monitoring of vehicles that could lead to misuse and theft. The audit cites town records show Spring Lake has 80 vehicles; however, DMV records show 138 vehicles and the financial auditor’s records show 92 vehicles.

Other findings include the former economic development director overpaying by $9,900 for his monthly cell phone stipend. That overpayment included the payroll technician incorrectly entering the stipend as $10,000 instead of $100 while processing the Town’s payroll.

“The Director did not inform the Town of the overpayment and claimed he did not realize he had received the extra funds in his pay,” according to the audit report. The director apparently said he “was expecting a tax return, so I really didn’t look into it.”

Spring Lake has been on the radar of multiple state offices since spring 2021, in particular the N.C. Local Government Commission (LGC) headed up

by State Treasurer Dale Folwell.

In June 2021, Folwell warned of Spring Lake’s impending fiscal issues, including an investigation into missing money.

On Oct. 5, 2021, the LGC unanimously voted to take over the finances of Spring Lake.

At the time of the vote, the town was close to defaulting on debt-service payments totaling $221,385.

As a result of the vote, LGC Secretary Sharon Edmundson was instructed to “impound the books and records of the Town, assume control of the finances of the Town and oversee and direct all its financial affairs as set out in N.C.G.S. Chapter 159 and the rules of the Commission.”

“There’s no logistical reason this town should be in the shape that it’s in,” Edmundson said in a June 2021 press release from Folwell’s office. “It has the highest municipal tax rate in Cumberland County at 70 cents per $100 valuation. This town cannot afford to continue spending the way they have been spending.”

State Auditor Beth Wood, who is also a member of the LGC, was cited in the June 2021 press release as defending the new town manager and pointing to lack of leadership from the board of aldermen. The current audit findings state a similar lack of oversight by the aldermen.

At that time, Wood urged the LGC to take control of the town’s finances and indicated her office was “investigating and looking for missing money.”

federal Elementary and Secondary Education Relief Fund.

In 2020, through the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Congress allotted roughly $13.2 billion to the Education Stabilization Fund for the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER Fund).

In January 2021, the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSA), added $54.3 billion to ESSER. In March of the same year, an additional $122 billion went to ESSER under President Biden’s American Rescue Plan (ARP).

An acceptable use for ESSER funds includes repairs or improvements to school facilities to keep them in operation but also to reduce possible risks of virus transmission or other factors that may impact the health of students or staff.

Related to repairs and improvements, the funds can also be used for projects to improve the indoor air quality in schools.

Projects can include upgrades to heating, cooling, ventilation, filtering, and a host of other possible projects related to air quality issues.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

A4

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Murphy to Manteo

Red-light camera programs in NC could end A recent North Carolina Court of Appeals decision ruled that Greenville’s redlight camera program is unconstitutional because too little of the money it generates through penalties ends up with the local school system, the state Court of Appeals ruled.

At issue was Greenville’s funding framework violates the state constitution’s directive that the “clear proceeds” of all fines collected must be “used exclusively for maintaining free public schools.”

The General Assembly has agreed that a local school board must receive at least 90% of the total fees and fines collected to meet the definition of “clear proceeds.” The law establishing the programs was passed the legislature in 1997.

“The clear purpose of the people in mandating that the clear proceeds of such fines be ‘faithfully appropriated’ to the public schools cannot be circumvented by the elaborate diversion of funds or cleverly drafted contracts,” Judge Jefferson Griffin wrote in reversing a lower court decision.

It’s possible the state Supreme Court could take up the case.

WEST Federal judge says ex-firefighter’s lawsuit can continue Buncombe County A federal judge has ruled a discrimination lawsuit filed by a former firefighter who was one of the highest-ranking females in the Asheville fire department can proceed. Exfirefighter Joy Ponder claimed she endured a hostile work environment and that Fire Chief Scott Burnette and others inflicted emotional distress. Claims against Burnette were dismissed. But the city, as the chief’s employer, could be held liable for his actions.

Ponder, who resigned from her post as Asheville division chief in September 2020, said she faced years of harassment and discrimination from Burnette.

7 10

14 8

WLOS

11. Rocky Mount 12. Wilmington 13. Chapel Hill 14. Cornelius 15. Huntersville 16. Matthews 17. Nags Head 18. Pineville 19. Spring Lake 20. Union County

9 12

Cooper, Regan celebrate electric school buses for Cherokees Jackson County Roy Cooper and his former environmental secretary — now EPA Administrator Michael Regan — were expected to join leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tuesday to highlight the first electric-vehicle school bus in the state. They ordered the school bus through a grant from the state Department of Environmental Quality. The Cherokee Boys Club received the bus this month.

Regan also planned to announce an EPA grant to help fund four additional electric school buses for the tribe’s K-12 schools. The tribe, boys club and Duke Energy also are helping pay for these buses.

EAST

2 insurance agents accused of fraud

Police: Missing man found dead in submerged car Wake County A man reported missing last week when he failed to arrive at work has been found dead in an overturned car submerged in water.

Raleigh police said Gregory Thomas, 30, of Wendell was found in the car Sunday near the intersection of New Bern Avenue and the Interstate 440 off-ramp. The car was found down a steep embankment, overturned and submerged in water, police said. Thomas was reported missing Thursday after he didn’t arrive at work. Relatives said Thomas was driving in heavy rain and they were worried that his car could have gone off the road.

AP

Richmond County Two insurance agents have been accused of submitting false insurance claims to collect more than $30,000. Christian LaFabian Ratliff, 34, of Rockingham, was charged with insurance fraud and obtaining property by false pretense, both felonies. Ratliff also was charged with two misdemeanor counts of making false statements in an application for insurance. Jamel Dante Buie, 43, of Hamlet, is facing similar charges. The Department of Insurance accuses Ratliff of obtaining $29,528 in commissions by submitting life insurance applications containing false information to two insurance companies. Buie obtained $4,758 in fraudulent commissions.

AP

Former deputy chief of staff to Senate Leader Berger forms public relations company

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

4

Operation Narcan results in eight arrests AP

17

11

19

20

PIEDMONT

Henderson County On Monday, March 21, Henderson County’s two hospitals hit a milestone. For the first time in two years, both AdventHealth and Pardee UNC Health System reported that they had zero admissions due to COVID-19.

Most counties in Western North Carolina, except for Yancey and Mitchell, have been moved to the “low” category of COVID spread. Yancey and Mitchell are both still considered medium.

3

1

16

18

Two hospitals report no COVID admissions

13

Jones & Blount

6

15 2 1. Albemarle 2. Charlotte 3. Durham 4. Fayetteville 5. Greensboro 6. Greenville 7. High Point 8. Locust 9. Lumberton 10. Newton

5

Suspended attorney sentenced for visa fraud

Marine Corps identifies 4 killed in NATO exercise crash Onslow County The Marine Corps identified the four Marines killed when their Osprey aircraft crashed in a Norwegian town in the Arctic Circle during a NATO exercise. The men, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing stationed on Marine Corps Air Station New River, were: — Capt. Matthew J. Tomkiewicz, 27, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

— Capt. Ross A. Reynolds, 27, of Leominster, Massachusetts.

— Gunnery Sgt. James W. Speedy, 30, of Cambridge, Ohio.

— Cpl. Jacob M. Moore, 24, of Catlettsburg, Kentucky.

A5

Craven County A suspended attorney was sentenced to prison for continuing to submit documents for immigration benefits by impersonating another attorney. Roydera Hackworth, 63, was sentenced to a year and one day and two years of supervised release for fraud in connection with visas. Hackworth was suspended in 2012 by the N.C. State Bar. Two years later, she was suspended by the Board of Immigration Appeals from practicing in immigration matters. In 2019, Hackworth continued to practice, prepare, and submit petitions and applications on behalf of 24 client petitioners and applicants for immigration benefits under the name of another attorney.

RALEIGH — In mid-March, Senate Leader Phil Berger’s (R-Eden) Deputy Chief of Staff Pat Ryan departed the legislature to strike out on his own by forming his own company, Ryan Public Relations.

“What I do is pretty varied,” Ryan told North State Journal in an interview, “But I help them [clients] craft a public-facing message that’s clear, that’s understandable, and that people can grasp. And, you know, certainly, in terms of advocacy-related clients, to help them craft arguments that accomplish their goals.”

Ryan says the wide range of concepts covered in public relations and communications keep the work exciting and rewarding. He added that he helps clients create arguments that are “grounded in fact, and to the extent possible grounded in data,” as well as just to try to explain whatever it is a client wishes to explain in a way that that is “accessible and effective.”

Berger has since replaced Ryan with Lauren Horsch, who previously served as deputy communications director.

Ryan spoke highly of his former boss, calling Berger a “rare political figure.”

“Senator Berger is, I think, an extremely rare political figure in that he has a philosophy and a vision that’s consistent, that’s grounded in logic and in reality,” said Ryan. “And it’s, in my opinion, a vision that works.”

“If you look at the trajectory of the state from 2010 to now, our economy is booming. People are moving here in droves,” Ryan said. “Our tax structure has been completely reconfigured so that we are among the most attractive states in the country for employers and for families.

Our regulatory environment is such that the state has a role in protecting things like clean water, making sure that the different Industries are operating fairly and how they’re supposed to.”

Ryan went on to praise Berger as someone “grounded in his principles and convictions,” but who also knows when to compromise.

In Ryan’s view, the political divide in North Carolina and the competing visions of each side make his work so critical.

“When you talk about the communications landscape out there, you know, we’re a politically divided state,” said Ryan. “There are strikingly different visions for our future when you compare the legislature or Senator Berger to say Gov. Cooper. And so being able to understand that and to be able to explain and argue for different concepts or different paths forward I think is critically important.”

Ryan added that with so many different competing interests, one has to be able to argue clearly and effectively for one’s position. If you can’t do that “you’re going to lose and the other side’s vision or goal is going to have a leg up.”

Making the move from Berger’s office to his own firm was a matter of both personal timing, having just welcomed a new son to the family, and needing to expand his earning ability. It was also about seeing what he could do on his own.

“I really loved my time there,” Ryan said.

“But at some point, you know, it’s either work for government my whole life, which is okay, or try to go out on my own and see what I can create myself.”

The 32-year-old Ryan grew up in the Lake George region of the southern Adirondacks in New York state. He attended UNC Chapel Hill as an undergraduate and had worked for Berger since moving back in 2018.

At the time of Ryan’s hiring for Berger’s office, Jim Blaine was Berger’s chief of staff.

Ryan told North State Journal it was Blaine who reached out to him to hire him. Blaine left the legislature in 2019 to form his own company, a political strategy group called “The Differentiators.”

Prior to returning to North Carolina, Ryan worked on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., for a few years before landing in New York City to work on the Hurricane Sandy Recovery Program for the mayor’s office.

Ryan currently lives in the Raleigh area with his wife, Katie, whom he met in college, and his two young children: a daughter who is 4 and a five-week old son.

Pat Ryan created Ryan Public Relations following his departure from the office of Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden).

AP

Cherokee County Last month, police raided four different homes in Cherokee County as part of a drug sting operation named Operation Narcan.

Police seized 13 grams of heroin and a small amount of meth. Arrested were Kayla Renee Stroud, 39, of Marble, Eric Michael Stephens, 32, of Hayesville, Michael Dewayne Young, 32, of Marble, Royce Martin Pouncey, 34, of Blairsville, Georgia, Tracey Leveane Dockery, 50, of Murphy, Barron Jermel Sudderth, 42, of Murphy, Mohammed Saeed Munshi, 31, of Murphy and Samantha Lynn Bailey, 36, of Murphy.

WLOS

AP

Man sought in shooting that that left teens dead Durham County Police are looking for a suspect in a shooting that killed two teenagers and left four others injured in December. Keon Rayquan Beal was indicted on two counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. Police are asking the public to come forward with any information on where Beal might be. The shooting occurred on Dec. 13. Officers found a black Hyundai SUV crashed into a utility pole with six shooting victims inside. Isaiah Carrington, 19, and Ariuna Cotton, 15, died.

Four others, including a 13-year-old boy and three girls, ages 17, 13 and 12, were injured in the shooting.

AP

AP

Red-light camera program struck down

Superintendent apologizes after mock slave auction Chatham County School superintendent Anthony Jackson apologized for a mock “slave auction” in which white middle-schoolers pretended to sell Black classmates. The school board adopted policy changes and will review the student code of conduct and discipline policies involving acts of racism. The mock auction happened in the presence of staff and faculty and was recorded on video. The K-8 school has 195 students, 68% white. The school board unanimously approved Jackson’s proposed policy changes and regulations as part of a comprehensive plan for accountability for racist incidents in schools, support services for students and training for staff.

AP

Wildlife officials confirm avian flu cases Hyde County Wildlife experts confirmed birds in four counties have died of avian flu. A snow goose in Hyde County, a redhead duck in Carteret County, a red-shouldered hawk in Wake County, and a bald eagle in Dare County, have all died from the flu. The snow goose was collected at Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge by refuge staff. The other birds were collected by N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission staff. Both the snow goose and redhead duck were observed with neurological signs consistent with avian flu prior to being euthanized. The hawk and eagle were found dead.

AP

98% of ALL Farms are Family Farms

ncfb.org

Pitt County Greenville’s red-light camera program is unconstitutional because too little of the fine money goes to the school system, the state Court of Appeals ruled. The panel decided unanimously Greenville violates the state constitution’s directive that the “clear proceeds” of all fines collected must be “used exclusively for maintaining free public schools.”

The city contracted in 2017 to install red-light cameras to give drivers $100 penalties. Two motorists sued. The General Assembly agreed a local school board must receive at least 90% of the total fees and fines collected.

AP

FILE PHOTO

A6

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

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

VISUAL VOICES

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The LIFO-ification of the American economy

Higher inflation has the perverse effect of reducing tax payments by big corporations through LIFO accounting.

EVER SINCE Millennials and college-educated liberals flocked to defeat President Trump and replace him with a man they hardly knew, older folks who lived through the disastrous President Jimmy Carter years from 19771981 have been saying: “You don’t know what you have done. You are going to learn some painful lessons.”

Lesson #1 is what happens with a feckless and weak foreign policy such as Biden’s, starting with the botched Afghanistan troop withdrawal last year and continuing with Russia invading Ukraine today and probably with China invading Taiwan in the near future.

Lesson #2 is 7% annual inflation. In 1981, inflation peaked at 12%; interest rates reached 21%; and unemployment hit 12%. All were a direct result of the inane and reckless fiscal and monetary policies under President Carter. On top of Carter’s failures domestically, his lead-fromnowhere foreign policy resulted in the capture of 52 American hostages in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran, by Muslim fundamentalist Ayatollah Khomeni. They were held for 444 days until twenty minutes before President Ronald Reagan was inaugurated on January 20, 1981.

The Ayatollah and Iranian leaders knew Reagan would not put up with their intimidation of America as Carter had done.

If the past is any prologue, then Jimmy Carter’s presidency is coming home again to roost in Joe Biden’s White House.

I entered the newly-named Fuqua School of Business at Duke University in the summer of 1981 in their 24-month evening MBA program. Right off the bat, we took an accounting course which focused on how businesses should account for rapidly rising prices in a high-inflation economic environment.

The professor started talking in the first class about “FIFO” ― “firstin, first-out” ― and “LIFO” ― “last-in, first-out” ― accounting and never stopped the entire semester. At the time, no one could foresee when, if ever, America was going to exit the high inflation environment, so making the right accounting decisions was crucial to the survival of any business at the time.

In times of rising inflation, businesses can deduct the higher cost of making their product from their sales price, even if they use the lower cost earlier inventory on hand. If a product sold for $200 in 2021 and cost $100 to make, the company made a profit of $100. If inflation drove the cost of

making the same product up to $150 in 2022, the profit would be reduced to $50 solely due to inflation.

The end result is that business owners will report smaller profits not only to their shareholders but also to the IRS in 2022. Their tax bill could be reduced by 50% or more.

At the same time liberal Democrats want to soak corporations and rich people to pay for their government programs, higher inflation has the perverse effect of reducing tax payments by big corporations through LIFO accounting.

You can’t make this stuff up. At a time when liberal Democrats say they want wealthy people to pay more taxes, they are supporting policies that will lower their tax bill, not raise them.

America is the only country where accounting for inventory can be done under LIFO according to GAAP or “generally accepted accounting principles.” Smart accountants and tax lawyers can always out-smart elected politicians who pass tax laws, especially ones who have never worked a day in the private sector in their lives.

No self-respecting private company or public-traded corporation has hired the last three Democratic presidents (Biden, Obama, Bill Clinton) before or after their terms to run their business. They don’t have the economic or business background and skills to do so ― even though the American people elected them to run the largest financial organization the world has ever known. Any board of directors which hired them as CEO would be committing financial malfeasance if they hired an executive who did not understand anything at all about economics, business or accounting.

Inflation is the most regressive and dangerous “tax” on moderate-tolower income Americans that can ever be imposed. The damage inflation does to average American family households is the worst part of the LIFOification of our economy since Biden took office.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

America would be a much better place if people just stopped watching ‘The View’

They used to arrest people for doing stuff like this.

EVERY TIME I WATCH even the shortest clip of ABC’s “The View” show, I feel a little dumber.

It doesn’t matter what the subject matter is, whether it’s about politics, entertainment, or something as mundane as food commentary, you just feel like America is a much worse place because of that program.

That may sound a bit dramatic, and perhaps it is. But if you’re not a regular viewer of “The View” or not even someone who sees the random clip pop up on social media, you’ll probably know what I mean.

It’s like the television version of leftist Twitter, where the dumbest, most inane things are said and the audience treats it like something profound and claps like seals approvingly.

One recent example that comes to mind is a segment they did earlier this month essentially accusing popular Fox News host Tucker Carlson and former Democratic presidential candidate and ex-Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard of being traitors to the country all for the apparent crime of raising questions about the level of America’s involvement in the Ukraine/ Russia crisis and if we even should be at all.

To the co-hosts of the show, especially Whoopi Goldberg and Republican-in-name-only Ana Navarro, Carlson’s and Gabbard’s comments were grounds for calling in President Biden’s Dept. of Justice to actually investigate both Carlson and Gabbard on alleged “propaganda” grounds.

“I think the DOJ, in the same way that it is setting up a task force to investigate oligarchs, should look into people who are Russian propagandists and shilling for Putin,” Navarro proclaimed. “If you are a foreign asset to a dictator it should be investigated, and, in fact, I remember when Tulsi Gabbard, and I hate that we’re discussing it because I think to myself, who is this woman? She’s a, you know, she’s no longer in Congress. She’s a failed presidential candidate.”

Goldberg went even further.

“They used to arrest people for doing stuff like this,” Goldberg stated in response to Navarro. “If they thought you were colluding with a Russian agent or putting out information or taking information and handing over to Russia, they used to investigate stuff like this, and I guess now, you know, there seems to be no bars, and people are not being told to hate

Putin. Putin doesn’t need a reason to be hated.”

The discerning reader will note that both Navarro’s and Goldberg’s positions on the matter of what boils down to dissidents speaking out were ironically, in reality, very Putinesque.

In another recent segment, Goldberg and guest co-host Eboni K. Williams whined about Republican Senators criticizing President Biden’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Williams trotted out the race card, with Navarro advising Jackson to stay strong because she wouldn’t be able “to get away” with having a “crying meltdown” like Brett Kavanaugh did. Goldberg emphatically declared Jackson to be “outstanding,” especially in comparison to Republican nominees like Amy Coney Barrett and Kavanaugh.

Left out of the conversation was the fact that then Sen. Joe Biden led the charge against two well-qualified black Republican nominees to higher courts, including Judge Janice Rogers Brown and more notably eventual Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Also left unsaid was that Jackson would be unlikely to cry during her hearings because, unlike Kavanaugh, Jackson won’t be accused of being a gang rapist.

I could go on and on but I think the point has been made. People could do this country a world of good by simply doing one thing: stop watching “The View.”

If I didn’t have to watch it occasionally because it was part of my job, I wouldn’t. Those ladies are poisonous to our nation’s discourse, adding nothing to it but more toxicity — oftentimes of the dangerous variety — that it doesn’t need.

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, March 23, 2022 COLUMN ROBERT A. TAFT

COLUMN | JORDAN MCGILLIS

EV geopolitical and environmental benefits are not all they’re cracked up to be WITH GASOLINE PRICES AT DECADE-HIGHS, President Joe Biden is on the defensive — for good reason.

On the campaign trail, Biden proclaimed, “We’re going to end fossil fuels.” Now, given just one year in the White House, he has already cancelled a major international oil pipeline, blocked energy development in Alaska, reversed key reforms to the meddlesome Waters of the United States rule, and appealed for a sky high “social cost of carbon.”

Along with deflecting blame to Russia, OPEC, oil companies, and Wall Street, one particularly concerning parry from President Biden is his argument that Americans can buy electric vehicles and, supposedly, insulate themselves from commodity shocks.

This claim merits special scrutiny. Electric vehicles — specifically, the batteries and motor technologies that power them ― rely on a global supply chain that is geopolitically thornier than the fuels that power most of our cars now.

Just last year the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned of the risks posed by going all-in on EVs. As IEA explains, a typical electric car requires over 400 pounds of critical minerals — including cobalt, copper, nickel, and manganese. That’s six times more the mineral inputs required than for a normal car.

The problem isn’t simply the need for minerals, however, it’s where we would need to get them. Put bluntly, the supply chains for the cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements that EVs need are controlled by China. According to IER, Chinese entities process more than half of the world’s lithium and cobalt, and nearly 90 percent of its rare earth elements.

The United States, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) noted in 2019, “is not a major battery mineral producer.” With Biden’s goals, logic would suggest a major push to become a mineral powerhouse. Instead, little has changed. In fact, the Biden administration is exacerbating this problem with decisions like its January 2022 rescission of mining leases in Minnesota.

The political back-and-forth over mining is of particular interest to North Carolina, which one mining company has called America’s “cradle of lithium.” While development of this domestic resource would avert some of the EV supply chain issues, many North Carolinians are reluctant to see dramatic changes to the regional landscape.

Geopolitics aside, the Biden administration’s primary

motivation is the alleged environmental benefits of EVs. These claims, too, need a closer look.

Because the U.S. electric grid is powered mostly by natural gas and coal, electric vehicles don’t cut greenhouse gas emissions nearly as deep as is often assumed. According to environmental economist Nader Sobhani, the existing $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit for new EV buyers is about $5,000 too high if we judge by the emissions that EVs actually eliminate.

North Carolina’s electricity mix consists mostly of natural gas and nuclear energy, making EV emissions better in the Tar Heel State than most other U.S. locations. According to DOE, a North Carolina EV generates 73-percent lower greenhouse gas emissions than a gasoline vehicle annually. The benefits are tempered, however, when taking into account a vehicle’s entire lifecycle. According to IEA’s global estimates, when accounting for battery production, vehicle manufacturing, and battery recharging via electricity, the emissions from an electric vehicle are just 50-percent lower than the greenhouse gas emissions of a normal car over a standard ownership period.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, the claim that electric vehicles eliminate local air pollution is false. Tailpipe emissions are indeed eliminated, but cars generate more than just tailpipe emissions. A University of Edinburgh research team found in 2016 that non-tailpipe sources —think: brakes and tires — account for more than 85 percent of traffic-generated particulate matter. Because EV batteries are so heavy, EVs actually weigh more than comparable cars and, therefore, could make this issue even worse.

As of this writing, the national average for a gallon of gasoline is at more than $4.25. The shock to the global oil market caused

by Russia’s Ukraine invasion is a big part of that, but well before Vladimir Putin initiated his attack, Joe Biden began executing his own plans, which have included driving up the price of reliable energy from Day 1 in the White House.

Biden’s defense that our energy situation is the product of malign foreign forces is disingenuous. Furthermore, if the U.S. pursues Biden’s stated goals to the letter, we’ll be in a far worse position geopolitically than we are today, with very little to show for it environmentally.

Jordan McGillis is Deputy Director of Policy for the Institute for Energy Research in Washington, DC

COLUMN | ROBERT LEVY

Natural Law: Military Conquests Fail JEFFERSON WROTE that God, by the “Laws of Nature,” gave the People the right to organize their government in a form “most likely to effect (sic) their Safety and Happiness.”

Riddle me this. What do Antiochus IV, the Hellenistic Syrian King, England’s King George III, American Presidents Lyndon Johnson and George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin all have in common? None of them understood the limits of military power.

Antiochus thought he could change the Jews of Syria into good body-worshiping Greeks. King George expected Americans would remain his loyal subjects just as Lyndon Johnson expected to rapidly pacify what he called the “pissant” country of Vietnam. George W. Bush thought that by expending young lives and dismembering young limbs the overwhelmingly advanced American army could create mini-Western Democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan. Just a few weeks ago, Vladimir Putin expected to quickly unite the Slavic Peoples and Orthodox Church congregations of Ukraine and Russia.

All were wrong. With the most modern weapons and bestequipped militaries of their time, they ultimately failed. It took thousands of bodies multiplied by more thousands of dismembered body parts to prove their folly. To this day, the leaders, at least those who are alive, won’t admit it.

Thomas Jefferson understood it. In his Declaration of Independence, he wrote that “Governments… [derive] their just powers from the consent of the governed.” In other words, selfgovernment is a God-given right which is granted directly to the People. The governmental theory popular from the ancient times of Antiochus until 1776, from the polytheism of Greece to the Christianity of Rome, was that the right to govern was given by the Creator directly to the king. Whether it was given by personal coronation as Jesus granted St. Peter, or indirectly as it was received by Henry VIII, the deity gave the right to govern to the temporal ruler. To disobey a king was to disobey God. Jefferson understood the falsity of that assumption.

At some point, whether in their initial resistance or decades later, the People will rise up and will chant, to paraphrase Patrick Henry. “Give me [self-government] or give me death!”

When that happens, no army from the legions assembled

by Antiochus to occupy Judea to the Russians and later the

Americans assembled to occupy Afghanistan, can remain in control of land they conquered.

The same is true in today’s Ukraine. That government has been criticized as being “corrupt” and even hedonistic. It is even described by a few conservatives as a nation which does not deserve to be saved. While that is a description with which I disagree, it is nonetheless irrelevant. Jefferson wrote that God, by the “Laws of Nature,” gave the People the right to organize their government in a form “most likely to effect (sic) their Safety and Happiness.”

In other words, the people of Vietnam got the government the people wanted and, by their popular uprising, they demanded.

The same was true in Afghanistan. Although these were autocracies we cannot politically support, in the view of their people, it was the type of government to which they attach their hopes for “safety and happiness.” Therefore, no army, no matter how powerful, will be able to “pacify” such a nation. They cannot be permanently conquered.

Why must someone always try?

So it is with Ukraine. It is what Putin fails to understand.

Conquest ultimately fails. It does not matter whether it is the United States ruling Afghanistan or Russia ruling Ukraine. It can only be a momentary abnormality in the Natural Law that no government can survive without the consent of those placed under its rule.

That is why, no matter the power of his artillery or vacuum bombs, eventually, Putin will lose his war to conquer Ukraine.

It is why Antiochus lost his war to turn Judea into Greece.

It is why people were falling from helicopters in Saigon and why they dropped from cargo planes in Afghanistan. Too few leaders understand that government, like math, has natural and immutable laws which govern reality. No matter how powerful the conquering military, invasions such as Putin’s in Ukraine will eventually fail. American arms will help, but will, at best, only speed up the process. This is not just a lesson for Russia. It is a lesson for the United States and China too.

Conquest is contrary to natural law. That may ultimately give Taiwan some comfort.

Robert M. Levy is a resident of Southern Pines

COLUMN | VIRGINIA FOXX

The participation trophy administration FOR OVER A YEAR, Americans have been asking one simple question that has gone unanswered: Why does the Biden Administration hate energy freedom in America?

It’s a legitimate concern, and one that will continue to grow in the coming days and weeks. However, we’re now seeing an answer come in a form that is purely unpalatable: a nuclear deal with Iran.

This administration’s ongoing negotiations to revive the Iran deal, and reports of related concessions by the U.S. government, signal that this great country is willing to fall to its knees and beg for oil — even if it’s coming from our adversaries. The calculus in this decision is clearly not in our favor. A heedless pursuit of a nuclear deal with Iran to quell our dependence on Russian oil is the epitome of incompetence.

Why is it so difficult to pursue energy freedom on our own terms?

When asking that question, it’s important to remember the domino effect that led us here in the first place. On day one, President Biden kneecapped American energy production by redlining the Keystone XL pipeline and the thousands of goodpaying American jobs it created. By revoking its long-awaited permit, energy freedom suffered a right hook to the jaw. Soon after, President Biden decided to waive sanctions on a Putin crony who leads the firm responsible for the development of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline in Europe.

It’s as if he wanted the West to be dependent on Russia indefinitely.

Let’s not forget about how our own energy exports have been hamstrung by this administration as of late. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) recently revised its approval policy for natural gas pipelines and export terminals to include a nebulous analysis of how emissions could affect the “public

A7

interest” — a killing stroke that will cripple our liquid natural gas (LNG) exports. Even as America is poised to be the top exporter of LNG this year, it’s evident that we can’t stop tripping over our own feet.

According to the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, the United States imported an average of 209,000 barrels per day of crude oil and 500,000 barrels per day of other petroleum products from Russia. Juxtapose those numbers to the capabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline. It was projected that the Keystone XL pipeline would transport 830,000 barrels of crude oil per day — far exceeding what we buy from Russia.

While those facts are undeniable, the Administration turns up its nose. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki doubled down on the administration’s policy agenda of promoting green energy.

She claimed that America must reduce its reliance on oil entirely — a solution that’s completely removed from the reality of the catastrophes we are facing.

The Biden Administration might as well be the “Participation Trophy Administration.” They treat every threat we face as a little league game — with the end-goal of not clinching a victory, but rather collecting a participation trophy and expecting a pat on the back for even the slightest exertion of effort. By negotiating with Iran and leaving our own energy production capabilities to die on the vine, we’ve been led into a minefield where our geopolitical leverage is under siege.

Shame on this administration for sacrificing our own footing at a time that demands uncompromising leadership.

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District and is the Republican Leader of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

The educational establishment rejects a positive alternative to CRT and transgenderism OVER THE PAST MONTH, the educational establishment in North Carolina has had a proposal for a Positive Alternative to Critical Race Theory and transgenderism.

The group consists of Gov. Roy Cooper, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, Catherine Truitt and members of the State Board of Education.

Concerned parents have fought local school boards over Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Transgender Dysphoria (TD) but with little success. Unfortunately, the boards are fronts for a much larger problem as they protect the real perpetrators of CRT-TD: the educational establishment led by teacher unions.

Teacher unions lobbied hard for COVID relief funds overtly to transform schools into remote learning centers, but covertly to secure funding for CRT-TD. Of the total federal COVID funds, North Carolina received $6 billion.

With teacher unions and his appointed state school board to guide him, Gov. Cooper doled out funds to school districts with millions of dollars earmarked for CRT and TD training.

The State School Board set the curricula standards which incorporated CRTTD. The local boards worked with school administrators and unions to determine how the money would be spent. Local boards, which should ref lect the desires of the community but don’t, listened indifferently behind Plexiglas barriers to parents who protested against CRT-TD. How has this process worked? Student performance has declined. CRT conditions teachers to look upon African American students as academically inferior and disadvantaged. Consequently, these teachers project to their black students that they are inferior and give assignments and teaching directed at below-grade levels. The Opportunity Myth report found that four of 10 classrooms with a majority of students of color never received a single grade-level assignment. This makes it impossible for these students to excel; they can only decline in performance.

The state’s reading proficiency and math skills are below the national average, and North Carolina ranks 33rd of the 50 states in quality of education. While SAT and ACT scores needed for college have slipped over the past few years, North Carolina students still rank fourth from last in ACT scoring.

According to Truitt, only 31 percent of high school graduates “obtain a post-secondary credential of marketplace value by the time they are 24.”

How has the educational establishment addressed these shortfalls? By spending millions of dollars on CRT and TD. The State Board of Education expanded CRT in its updated social studies standards for K-12. Pouring salt in the wounds, it just approved millions of dollars for teaching disabled preschoolers about the problems of whiteness.

Last year Lt. Gov. Robinson released a report on CRT that revealed a “way bigger problem than we thought.” Both houses of North Carolina’s legislature passed a bill to ban CRT in public education. But the governor vetoed it and the legislature didn’t override his veto.

Left on their own, many parents have had enough. Enrollment in public schools has dropped by five percent (70,000 students).

Homeschoolers soared by over 20 percent while private school and charters grew by over 10 percent. Unfortunately, most public school students are African American.

Proponents of CRT would probably claim that Black students are disadvantaged and cannot move to other schools. The real question is, “Why are students f leeing the North Carolina public schools?”

CRT makes white students feel guilty about being white and black students feel oppressed and hopeless. CRT polarizes the races and transgender dysphoria strips them of their sexual identities. Teaching kids whose minds are not nearly mature enough to grasp what they are being taught is a deliberate crime against children. This type of teaching counters positive education which is supposed to nurture students, not degrade them.

The positive alternative presented to the educational establishment focused on actual facts that would motivate students, build up their confidence and self-respect.

It’s time that North Carolina public schools focus on positives, not negatives. It’s time to incentivize, not disincentivize, students. Isn’t this what schools are supposed to do?

To a person they rejected it. In early February, board member Todd Chasteen quit his post, claiming the Board had shifted away from education towards activism.

Parents had high hopes for Catherine Truitt when she became Superintendent of Public Schools. But her main goal was to get along with the progressive board members and now she has a record of surrendering to them.

Eric Davis, Chairman of the Board, Truitt and Robinson all refused to even discuss the Positive Alternative.

This rejection by all parties demonstrates how insulated the Educational Establishment feels and how arrogant they are to dismiss the will of North Carolina parents.

Robert Taft is a resident of Moore County

A8

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

NATION & WORLD Ketanji Brown Jackson’s Guantanamo clients an issue during hearings The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Joe Biden’s Supreme Court nominee faces sharp questions from Republican lawmakers about the work she did as a public defender representing four Guantanamo Bay detainees.

Some Republicans say Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson has a record of “defending terrorists” and raised questions about it at Senate hearings on her nomination that began Monday.

Jackson was nominated to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, and her selection fulfills a campaign promise by President Joe Biden to name the first black woman to the Supreme Court.

The Republican Party has branded Jackson as a “radical, leftwing activist” and suggested her representation of Guantanamo detainees was “’zealous,’ going beALEX BRANDON | AP PHOTO yond just giving them a competent defense.”

In this photo reviewed by U.S. military officials, the Office of Military Commissions building used for Jackson has written that un- Periodic Review Board hearings is seen, April 18, 2019, in Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. der “the ethics rules that apply to lawyers, an attorney has a duty to represent her clients zealously,” no was chosen, he said, for her experi- 9/11 attacks. But charges brought an attorney. Gul, described in docmatter their own views. That in- ence working on appeals court cas- against him were dismissed, and uments as a Taliban intelligence ofcludes the men she represented, es, a skill that helped round out the he was released to Bosnia and Her- ficer, was also allegedly involved in the planning of an attack in which zegovina in 2016. men alleged to have been an al-Qa- team of lawyers.

Jackson represented Jabran al six rockets were fired at a U.S. base Unlike colleagues, she never ida bomb expert, a Taliban intelligence officer, a man who trained to went to Guantanamo to visit her Qahtani, who traveled from his in Afghanistan.

Jackson has said that she repfight American forces in Afghani- clients. Her work was legal research home in Saudi Arabia to train and stan and a farmer associated with and writing, and the assignments fight against American forces and resented him from 2005 to 2007, were not her main ones while in the others in Afghanistan. While Re- including writing a brief challengthe Taliban. publican talking points say Jack- ing his classification as an enemy None of the men, however, was office, a former colleague said.

At the time, the Guantanamo son “worked as a lawyer for several combatant and his detention at ever convicted by the military comdetention center was still new. terrorists,” that’s too strong a word Guantanamo. He was sent back to missions created to try detainees.

Jackson was assigned all four Jackson’s assignments came after a to use for Qahtani, according to Afghanistan in 2014.

In a questionnaire prepared cases while working as a federal 2004 Supreme Court decision that another lawyer who worked on his ahead of her Senate hearings, Jackpublic defender from 2005 to 2007. those held at Guantanamo, which case.

John Kolakowski said Qahtani son listed Gul’s case as one of the 10 She continued some of the work had opened two years earlier, had a when she moved on to private prac- right to challenge their detention in was “young and foolish,” traveling most significant cases she handled tice. In 2010, she joined the U.S. court. At the time Jackson’s brother to undertake what he thought was a as a lawyer. She also included the Sentencing Commission. She be- was also an Army infantryman de- religious calling. He quickly regret- case twice before — when she was ployed in Iraq, she has said, making ted his decision and then “tried to nominated to serve as a federal came a federal judge in 2013.

Earlier this month U.S. Sen. Josh her “keenly and personally mind- get out of Dodge,” Kolakowski said. judge in the District of Columbia Hawley, R-Mo., said after meeting ful” of the circumstances that led to But he was in the wrong place at the and then as a federal appeals court wrong time, Kolakowski said. He judge. with Jackson that it was “interest- the men’s detention.

Still, her representation came In one case, Jackson’s repre- was captured in a raid on the Pakiing” and in his view “a little concerning” that she had continued sentation did not last long. Court stan home of a man then thought to up only briefly at her appeals court to represent the men after going records say she was assigned Khu- be a high-ranking al-Qaida mem- confirmation last year.

Democrats have rushed to her into private practice. Hawley also dai Dad’s case in November 2005, ber, Abu Zubaydah. The governpraised Jackson for “substantive but he was sent back to Afghani- ment ultimately dropped charges defense. “Capable advocates willing stan within three months. Jackson against Qahtan, and he was sent to defend the most reviled in socianswers” in her meeting with him. ety, without endorsing the crime, is A.J. Kramer, Jackson’s former also represented Tariq Mahmoud back to Saudi Arabia in 2017.

Jackson has written that she a pillar of our system,” members of boss at the public defenders’ office, Ahmed Al Sawah, whom the U.S. confirmed that she was assigned government has described as an considers the work she did on be- former President Barack Obama’s the Guantanamo cases and had not explosives expert for al-Qaida, the half of a different detainee, Khi Ali administration wrote the commitspecifically sought them out. She terrorist group that carried out the Gul, some of her most significant as tee.

Ukraine war is backdrop in US push for hypersonic weapons The Associated Press PORTLAND, Maine — Lagging behind Russia in developing hypersonic weapons, the U.S. Navy is rushing to field its first, with installation on a warship starting as soon as late next year.

The United States is in a race with Russia and China to develop these weapons, which travel at speeds akin to ballistic missiles but are difficult to shoot down because of their maneuverability.

The Russian military says it already deployed hypersonic missiles, claiming on both Saturday and Sunday to have deployed them against targets in Ukraine marking the weapon’s first use in combat. The Pentagon couldn’t confirm a hypersonic weapon was used in the attacks.

The American military is accelerating development to catch up.

The U.S. weapon would launch like a ballistic missile and would release a hypersonic glide vehicle that would reach speeds seven to eight times faster than the speed of sound before hitting the target.

In Maine, General Dynamics subsidiary Bath Iron Works has begun engineering and design work on changes necessary to install the weapon system on three Zumwalt-class destroyers.

The work would begin at a yetto-be-named shipyard sometime in the fiscal year that begins in October 2023, the Navy said.

Hypersonic weapons are defined as anything traveling beyond Mach 5, or five times faster than the speed of sound. That’s

LUKE LAMBORN/U.S. NAVY VIA AP

This handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy shows a common hypersonic glide body (C-HGB) launching from the Pacific Missile Range Facility, in Kauai, Hawaii, March 19, 2020, during a Department of Defense flight experiment. about 3,800 mph. Intercontinental ballistic missiles far exceed that threshold but travel in a predictable path, making it possible to intercept them.

The new weapons are maneuverable.

Existing missile defense systems, including the Navy’s Aegis system, would have trouble intercepting such objects because maneuverability makes their movement unpredictable and speed leaves little time to react.

Russia says it has ballistic missiles that can deploy hypersonic glide vehicles as well as a hypersonic cruise missile.

The U.S. is “straining just to catch up” because it failed to invest in the new technology, with

only a fraction of the 10,000 people who were working on the program in the 1980s, said U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, a Tennessee Democrat who’s chair of a subcommittee that monitors the program.

“If we want to pursue parity, we will need to back this effort with more money, time, and talent than we are now,” he said.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine serves as a backdrop as the Pentagon releases its budget proposal that lays out its goals for hypersonics and other weapon systems later this month.

The three stealthy Zumwalt-class destroyers to be equipped with the new weapons have plenty of space to accommodate them — thanks to a design

failure that works to the Navy’s advantage in this instance.

The ships were built around a gun system that was supposed to use GPS-guided, rocket-boosted projectiles to pound targets 90 miles away. But those projectiles proved to be too expensive, and the Navy canceled the system, leaving each of the ships with a useless loading system and a pair of 155-mm guns hidden in angular turrets.

The retrofit of all three ships will likely cost more than $1 billion but will give a new capability to the tech-laden, electric-drive ships that already cost the Navy $23.5 billion to design and build, said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst at the Hudson Institute.

“The engineering is not that hard. It’ll just take time and money to make it happen,” Clark said.

The Navy intends to field the weapons on the destroyers in the 2025 fiscal year and on Virginia-class nuclear-powered attack submarines in the 2028 fiscal year, the Navy said.

The destroyers would be based in the Pacific Ocean, where they would be a deterrent to China, should it become emboldened by Russia’s attack on Ukraine and consider attacking Taiwan, Clark said.

The U.S. focus on hypersonic weapons represents a pivot after hesitating in the past because of technological hurdles. Adversaries, meanwhile, continued research and development.

Russia fired off a salvo of Zircon hypersonic cruise missiles in late December, heralding the completion of weapon testing.

But Russia may be exaggerating the capability of such super weapons to compensate for weakness in other areas, said Loren Thompson, a defense analyst at the Lexington Institute.

Rep. Don Young, longtime Alaska congressman, dies at 88 Juneau, Alaska Alaska Rep. Don Young, who was the longestserving Republican in the history of the U.S. House, died Friday night.

Young’s office said details about plans for a celebration of Young’s life were expected in the coming days.

Young, who was first elected to the U.S. House in 1973, was known for his brusque style. In his later years in office, his offcolor comments and gaffes sometimes overshadowed his work.

In March 1973, Young won a special election and held the seat until his death.

In 2013, Young became the longest-serving member of Alaska’s congressional delegation, surpassing the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, who served for 40 years.

The often-gruff Young had a sense of humor and a camaraderie with colleagues from both sides of the aisle.

As the House member with the longest service, Young swore in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, when the 117th Congress convened on Jan. 3, 2021.

Before administering the oath of office, Young expressed dismay about the period’s intense partisanship.

“When you do have a problem or if there’s something so contentious, let’s sit down and have a drink, and solve those problems,” he said, drawing laughter and applause.

Pelosi, in a statement, said Young’s “reverence and devotion to the House shone through in everything that he did.” She called him “an institution in the hallowed halls of Congress.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

US official: Biden fortified Saudi’s Patriot missile supply Washington, D.C. The U.S. has transferred a significant number of Patriot antimissile interceptors to Saudi Arabia in recent weeks as the Biden administration looks to ease what has been a point of tension in the increasingly complicated U.S.-Saudi relationship.

A senior administration official confirmed Sunday night that the interceptors have been sent to Saudi Arabia. The official said the decision was in line with President Joe Biden’s promise that “America will have the backs of our friends in the region.”

The Associated Press reported in September that the U.S. had moved its own Patriot defense system from Prince Sultan Air Base outside of Riyadh even as the kingdom continued to face air attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels.

The kingdom has insisted that the interceptors are critical to their defense against Houthi attacks. The Saudis have been locked in a stalemate war with the Houthis since March 2015.

The U.S.-Saudi relationship has been strained since Biden took office. The president has refused to deal directly with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and removed the Houthis from a list of designated terrorist groups.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Hurricanes acquire Max Domi, B4

AP PHOTOS

The UNC men’s and women’s teams both reached the Sweet 16, while Mike Krzyzewski and Duke look for one last run at glory and NC State eyes the women’s Final Four.

Which way will Duke Overlooked Heels go after comeback win crash Sweet 16 NHL

Hurricanes sign Kotkaniemi to 8-year extension Raleigh The Carolina Hurricanes agreed to an eight‑year contract extension with center Jesperi Kotkaniemi on Monday, a deal that will pay the 21‑year‑old an average of $4.82 million a season.

Carolina acquired Kotkaniemi last offseason by executing a successful offer sheet on the 2018 third overall pick.

The offer sheet, for one year at just over $6.1 million, was not matched by the Montreal Canadians, who received the Hurricanes’ first- and third‑round picks in the 2022 NHL Draft as compensation.

Kotkaniemi has matched a career high with 11 goals this season and has 23 points through 59 games despite averaging just 12:01 ice time per game. Kotkaniemi, in his fourth NHL season, has 33 goals and 85 points in 230 career NHL games. His new deal will start with next season and runs through the 2029‑30 campaign.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Queens University’s Lundy headed to Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee hired Bart Lundy from Division II Queens University as its coach on Saturday. Lundy posted a combined 333‑103 record in two stints at Queens, located in Charlotte. His overall head coaching record of 429‑190 includes a six-year tenure at High Point from 2003-09.

Lundy replaces Pat Baldwin, who was fired after going 57‑92 in five seasons. Milwaukee went 10-22 this season, its sixth consecutive losing record.

Lundy has ties to the area from working as an assistant at Marquette from 2009‑12 under Buzz Williams. He went 115‑40 at Queens from 1998-2003. He then moved on to High Point and went 96‑87 from 2003‑09.

He has spent the last nine seasons back at Queens and went 218‑63, including a 30‑4 mark this season.

An emotional victory over Michigan State puts the team at a crossroads

By Shawn Krest North State Journal DUKE SAW the end of its season and didn’t blink.

The Blue Devils blew a ninepoint lead in the second half and saw Michigan State pull ahead by five in the waning minutes.

The Spartans ended Duke’s last best shot to make the Final Four, knocking out the Zion Williamson team in 2019’s Elite Eight, and it appeared that Tom Izzo was going to spoil another party and end Mike Krzyzewski’s career.

Facing the end of the run — both for this season’s team and for Coach K, retiring once Duke plays its last game of the season — Duke fought back, with each player on the floor making key plays to mount a furious comeback and give Krzyzewski at least another few days — and 40 more minutes — on the bench.

“I knew we had a chance, and once we got our foot in the door, there was going to be no looking back from there,” said Duke forward Wendell Moore Jr. “Losing

didn’t come up one time. In the huddle, we looked in each other’s eyes, and we knew we weren’t going to lose.”

Jeremy Roach made a series of drives to the basket that Coach K called among the best he’s seen in all his time at Duke. He also hit a 3-pointer to extend a one-point lead to four. Paolo Banchero had a gutty baseline drive and layup to give Duke the one-point lead to begin with. Trevor Keels hit a game-tying 3-pointer, and Mark Williams and Banchero both had key blocks on the other end of the floor.

“It’s the NCAA Tournament,” said Banchero. “The season’s on the line every single game. That’s all that needs to be said. We knew we could either lay down or we turn it up. “ “My guys were so tough,” Krzyzewski said. “The last four to five minutes, the defense was incredible. Jeremy hit a huge 3 for us, and his drives — he willed that ball in.”

While Coach K has won more games than anyone else, he didn’t take credit for the comeback.

“It had nothing to do with coaching in the last four to five minutes,” See DUKE MEN, page B3

UNC and first-year coach Hubert Davis have already knocked out one top seed and face UCLA on Friday in Philadelphia

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal

NORTH CAROLINA was scheduled to play UCLA as part of the CBS Sports Classic in Las Vegas on Dec. 18, but the game was called off due to an extraordinary set of circumstances.

The Tar Heels ended up playing Kentucky in a hastily rescheduled matchup, losing 98-69 in one of several early low points of Hubert Davis’ first season as coach.

Friday night in Philadelphia, thanks to a different set of extraordinary circumstances, UNC and the Bruins will finally get to have their showdown.

It was the Tar Heels’ roller coaster of an upset of top-seeded Baylor, rather than a COVID outbreak, to get the teams onto the same basketball court at the same time. And because of the stakes involved as part of the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16, See UNC MEN, page B4

Wolfpack women confidently cruise into hostile Bridgeport NC State took care of business and will next face the only ACC team to beat the team this year, Notre Dame

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal RALEIGH — Five months, 34 games and two championships later, the NC State women’s basketball team is about to start its 2021-22 season.

The opening game will be played against ACC rival Notre Dame in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on Saturday.

It’s actually the regional semifinal round of the NCAA Tournament, the Wolfpack’s school-record fourth straight trip to the Sweet 16. But for the four seniors in the team’s starting lineup — especially graduates Kayla Jones, Kai Crutchfield and Raina Perez — it’s the moment they’ve been waiting an entire year to embrace.

“We’ve gone to the Sweet 16 three years in a row, now four, and they are not satisfied with that,” coach Wes Moore said Monday after State’s impressive 89-57 second round rout of Kansas State at Reynolds Coliseum.

“They didn’t come back to do that again. So

the game is already a high point for Davis and his surging team.

Regardless of the outcome.

“The thing that brings me such great joy is the thing I desperately wanted for all of these guys the entire season, for them to have their own stories and testimonies and memories of playing in big-time games and coming up big in that Carolina uniform,” Davis said after Saturday’s 93-86 overtime victory that dethroned the defending national champion Bears in Fort Worth, Texas.

“To see their smiles and how happy they are, and the enjoyment that they’re having being together brings me great joy as a coach.”

Saturday’s upset of Baylor marked the third time UNC has beaten a No. 1 seed in the second round.

Davis was a player on the team the first time it happened, against Oklahoma in 1990. A year earlier, he was also in uniform the last time the Tar Heels played UCLA in an NCAA Tournament, a game UNC won.

The Tar Heels (26-9) will have their hands full against this

I think they’re still going to be hungry. And we know we’re going to go into a hostile environment now. Now it’s our turn.”

Jones, Crutchfield and Perez all could have moved on after last season but chose to use the extra year of eligibility granted to them by the NCAA because of the COVID pandemic to get one more shot at helping State get over its recent stumbling block and reach a Final Four.

Along with senior center Elissa Cunane and an enhanced bench, they’ve put themselves in a position to do that by compiling a 31-3 record, winning the ACC regular season and tournament championships and earning a No. 1 NCAA regional seed.

Unlike last year, when a knee injury to Jones helped derail their chances in an upset loss to Indiana, the Wolfpack enter the second week of this year’s tournament healthy and in a position of strength after cruising through their first two opponents — Longwood and Kansas State — by an average margin of 30 points.

That’s not to say the road to the Final Four will be an easy one.

Before it can start thinking about a trip See NC STATE WOMEN, page B3

Banghart’s upstart UNC squad readies for South Carolina The Heels looked like world‑beaters in Arizona, but the top-seeded Gamecocks will present a whole different challenge when the teams meet in Greensboro

By Brett Friedlander North State Journal THINGS DIDN’T GO WELL for the North Carolina women’s basketball team the last time it played a postseason game at Greensboro Coliseum.

That was two weeks ago at the ACC Tournament when the higher-seeded Tar Heels surrendered a season-high 87 points in a quarterfinal overtime loss to Virginia Tech.

The result likely cost coach Courtney Banghart’s team an opportunity to host the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament in Chapel Hill. Instead, UNC was sent across the country to play in Tucson, Arizona.

It’s a disadvantage the fifth-seeded Tar Heels were able to overcome by winning twice, including Monday’s impressive 63-45 beatdown of host Arizona — a win that earned them a second chance at See UNC WOMEN, page B3

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B3 UNC WOMEN from page B1

GERRY BROOME | AP PHOTO

Duke forward Paolo Banchero and UNC’s Armando Bacot could see their teams meet for a third time this season if both the Blue Devils and Tar Heels make it through this weekend’s NCAA Tournament games.

Collision course? Duke, Carolina and the rivalry game to end them all The sport’s biggest rivals have never played during the Big Dance

By Shawn Krest North State Journal WE’RE HALFWAY THERE. When the brackets were released, it would have taken eight wins to get there. Four of those victories are now in the books.

North Carolina wasn’t expected to be there, but the Tar Heels upset No. 1 seed Baylor to advance to the Sweet 16. Duke didn’t look like it would make it, but the Blue Devils came back CHRIS SEWARD | AP PHOTO late to knock off Michigan State and secure a berth in the second UNC’s RJ Davis and Duke’s Theo John could potentially be part of weekend. Each team needs two the first NCAA Tournament meeting between the two schools in the more wins. history of their storied rivalry.

Is this the year for Carolina-Duke in the NCAA Tournabeen 47 tournaments with the Duke and Carolina were put in ment?

Duke and Carolina have met in potential of the two teams meet- regions on the same side of the the postseason before — but usu- ing. Out of them, both Duke and bracket, meaning they could meet ally it’s the ACC Tournament. The Carolina have made the field in in the national semifinals for a spot in the title game. Duke did best rivalry in sports has gotten 36 of them.

The NCAA Selection Commit- its part, making the Final Four a third go-around in the conference tourney a total of 24 times. tee takes steps to prevent teams in 1990 and 1994, while Carolina The two blues also battled in the from the same conference from was left looking for Duke in 1993, 1971 postseason NIT, back when meeting in the tournament too 1997, 2000, 2005 and 2009.

Twice, the teams were in the only the ACC champion could go early. So while four of the six to the NCAAs. Carolina won that Louisville-Kentucky games have same region and could have met matchup, 73-69, in the semifi- come in the Sweet 16, Duke and in the Elite Eight. The first time nals, then went on to win the NIT. Carolina are never going to meet was 1979, when neither team won a game, getting eliminatBoth teams are perennial na- that early.

In fact, 24 of the 36 times ed in Raleigh on what’s become tional championship contenders, meaning they enter just about ev- they’ve both made the Big Dance, known as Black Friday. The othery NCAA Tournament on a po- Duke and Carolina couldn’t have er time was in 2004, when Duke tential collision course. It’s bound met until the national cham- made the regional final but Roy to happen eventually. Louisville pionship game. Nine of those Williams’ first UNC tournament and Kentucky have met six times times, one of the two teams made team managed just one win, leavin the tournament, but Duke and it there, but the other did not. ing the teams two wins short of a Shouts of “We’re here, where’s meeting.

Carolina never have.

Carolina?” could be heard from Duke fans in 1978, 1986, 1991, Close calls Wait until the end 1992, 1999, 2001 and 2015. “We’re The teams usually get relaThe NCAA started giving bids here, where’s Duke?” was chanted tively close to meeting. In the 36 to multiple teams from each con- in 2016 and 2017.

This year is the 10th time that appearances, Duke and Carolina ference in 1975. So there have

NC STATE WOMEN from page B1

to Minneapolis, State must first survive a challenging journey to Connecticut and a rematch with the only ACC team to beat it this season. If all goes well against Notre Dame (24-8), the Wolfpack would then face the prospect of playing perennial power UConn in an arena filled with Huskies fans.

Not that Jones and her teammates are looking that far ahead.

DUKE from page B1 he said. “It had to do with heart.”

Teams that mount a comeback like that can go one of two ways the next time they take the floor in the tournament. Duke said all the right things, about how the team learned from the experience and has grown up along the way. Sometimes, a gritty comeback can be a jumping-off point to trigger a run that ends in a Final Four or title.

“I love these kids,” Krzyzewski

have produced more than half of the wins they needed to collide in the bracket. Not counting this year — when four of the eight necessary wins have been recorded already with potentially more to come — the Blue Devils and Tar Heels have needed a total of 316 NCAA wins to meet and produced 167 of them for a 53% rate.

The 2004 tournament was one of five times the teams fell two wins short of meeting. In 1990, Duke got its four wins for a Final Four meeting, but UNC fell to Arkansas in the Sweet 16. In 2000 (loss to Florida), 2005 (Michigan State) and 2009 (Villanova), Duke lost in the Sweet 16 while UNC made the Final Four.

The closest call Only once have both teams been in the same building with a chance to meet. That was in the 1991 Final Four. Carolina and Duke both made it to Indianapolis, producing eight of the 10 combined wins it would take to meet in the national championship game.

Duke, expected by most to be the team to spoil the rivalry game to end them all by losing to UNLV, instead knocked off the Runnin’ Rebels in one of the biggest upsets in tournament history. UNC lost to Roy Williams-coached Kansas, however, leaving the teams one game away from each other.

Hope springs eternal It’s bound to happen, maybe this year. For the fifth time since 2015, they’re at least halfway there. For the fourth time since 2015, they’re four wins away.

They keep knocking on the door, and when it finally opens, batten down the hatches.

playing close to home in Greensboro, site of Sweet 16 in the NCAA’s South Region.

“I remember we were doing our celebration when we figured out where we were playing for the tournament and all of our fans were like, ‘Oh, Tucson,’” Banghart said during a postgame press conference on Monday. “Then we figured out that it was Greensboro if we advance, and they all said just please come home.

“I had, I think, 181 unread text messages, so I can’t even keep up.

People saying come on, one more so you can come home. I think we will draw well. The environment will be great.”

The environment might be great, but the task won’t be easy.

And the large crowd that’s expected won’t all be rooting for the same Carolina.

That’s because the Tar Heels’ opponent on Friday will be No. 1 ranked South Carolina, the tournament’s top overall seed and a team located close enough that a large contingent of its fans will also be in attendance.

To have a shot at beating the Gamecocks and advancing to its first Elite Eight since 2014, UNC will have to play with the same kind of energy it had in Arizona — especially on the defensive end of the court, where it limited the Wildcats to 45 points and 28.8% shooting from the floor.

“Our guys were just really disciplined, and you have to be,” Banghart said. “We said you’re going to have to beat a really good team on the road, a really good team, and you’re going to have to go through them. You can’t go around them. You can’t ask them nicely to move. You’re going to have to go right through them, and I thought they did that.”

In addition to the stout defensive effort, the Tar Heels (25-6) also got an offensive lift from sophomore guard Kennedy Todd-Williams.

The team’s third-leading scorer this season behind stars Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby, Todd-Williams led UNC with a season-high 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the floor and seven rebounds in the win against Arizona. She also pulled down seven rebounds while adding a career-best five assists.

“She came out gunning from the jump,” Kelly, who finished with 15 points, said of Todd-Williams. “She was defending, running the floor, getting steals and she was doing a little bit of everything, which is what we needed her to do. She was our X-factor tonight, and she is probably the biggest reason why we won this game by a lot.”

UNC will probably need more of that — and perhaps a Y- and a Z-factor as well — to knock off South Carolina, which, led by its national Player of the Year candidate Aliyah Boston, has compiled an impressive 31-2 record.

“South Carolina is one of the very best teams in the country and they have some of the very best players in the country,” Banghart said. “They are incredibly dominant inside. You’re playing the No. 1 seed overall. That challenge will be formidable.

“I know it’s a very quick turnaround because we are on the other side of the earth right now and we have to get back home.

But we have played them. We’ve recruited those players, so we know them well. Our guys are going to give what we got and that’s a very, very good basketball team, and it will be exciting to be playing them in Greensboro.”

“We always take it one game at a time,” the 6-foot-1 forward said. “Then we’re going to listen to Coach Moore’s game plan. Whoever we have next, we’re going to listen to him, know the scout and just be ready to play ball. It’s not going to be easy, so we’re going to go out there throwing the first punch and being aggressive.”

State did just that in its first two NCAA games, rolling up big enough early leads so that Moore

could rest his regulars and give reserves such as freshman Aziaha James — who came in and produced a SportsCenter Top 10 highlight against Longwood — a chance to shine for much of the fourth quarter in both games.

Getting off to strong starts, however, was much easier with the energy provided by large, supportive crowds at Reynolds.

That won’t be the case from here on out. In fact, the opposite will be

true — even though State is seeded higher than the team that will enjoy a decided homecourt advantage through the next two rounds.

If there’s a saving grace to the unfavorable situation, it’s that the Wolfpack have played and thrived in enemy territory before, winning at South Carolina and Louisville last season when both were ranked No. 1 in the nation and this season at Indiana as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

“We know we’re going to go into a hostile environment now. Now it’s our turn,” Moore said. “You know, these kids, they’ve got a lot of confidence, a lot of experience. They have won big games on the road.

Last year beating South Carolina and Louisville, both ranked No. 1 in the country. We beat both of them on the road. I’m confident they will handle it better this time, and we’ve got the depth to hopefully overcome any adversity we might face.”

said. “They’re becoming men.”

While there are certainly signs that the win will do that for Duke, there are also signs that it will go the other way. The team spent a great deal of emotion to reach the Sweet 16, and it could be tough to refuel the tank to do it all over again.

Krzyzewski often says that coaches can’t look back or too far ahead during the season, or they’ll trip over the next game. The team saw a textbook example of that in

Coach K’s final game at Cameron Indoor. With 96 former players in attendance and a weekend-long celebration of Krzyzewski’s career, the Blue Devils stumbled and suffered an embarrassing loss to the hated Tar Heels.

The team certainly sounded like they were reflecting on a successful season immediately after the Michigan State game.

“I’m incredibly proud of my guys,” Krzyzewski said, getting choked up. “You guys were terrific,

man. I’m so … I’m really proud to be your coach.”

Also, after refusing to comment on the end of the line all season long, he seemed to be ready to reminisce a little. In addition to comparing Roach’s drive to others he’s seen at Duke — a line of questioning that Coach K usually slaps down, refusing to compare players or teams he’s seen — he talked about his five decades at Duke, his five championships and his Sweet 16s.

“I’m 75,” he added. “To have moments like that, you’ve got to be kidding me. How damn lucky can you be? I want to share it. I don’t want to sit down and say you guys enjoy it. I want to be in the party a little bit. I’ve had 47 years. Today was one of the really good days.”

Toughened by fire or mission accomplished? Thursday’s game against a Texas Tech team that features the nation’s toughest defense will determine which way the team goes.

B4

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Active Panthers fill needs in free agency Carolina didn’t land Deshaun Watson but made plenty of signings

By Shawn Krest North State Journal THE PANTHERS didn’t get their man, but they’ve been busy.

Just over a week into NFL free agency, few teams have been as active as the Panthers. Carolina has locked up some of its own key players, brought in veterans to fill holes, and were in the mix in one of the biggest offseason transactions so far, even if things didn’t quite work out.

For the second straight year, the NFL rumor mill had the Panthers targeting former Clemson star Deshaun Watson as the answer to their quarterback needs.

Last offseason, Carolina’s pursuit of Watson was cut short when nearly two dozen women came forward accusing him of sexual assault. Those charges kept Watson from suiting up for anyone this past season.

In early March, a grand jury declined to indict Watson, meaning no criminal charges will be filed against him. Setting aside the very legitimate question of whether Carolina should have been trying to trade for Watson, given his history, it became clear that the Panthers did take a run at swinging a trade for him.

Plan A didn’t work out for the Panthers, as the Houston Texans instead dealt Watson to the

RICK SCUTERI | AP PHOTO

The Panthers took a step toward rebuilding their offensive line by signing guard Austin Corbett to a three-year, $29.5 million contract.

Cleveland Browns. Last year, when Watson didn’t come to Carolina, the Panthers turned to Sam Darnold. At the moment, it appears Darnold will again be the team’s answer at quarterback, although a veteran pickup — Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield is reportedly available — or a draft pick could certainly change that picture.

Quarterback aside, the Panthers have gotten a lot of good work done so far in free agency.

The first goal in free agency is to keep it from making you worse, and the Panthers accomplished that by signing one of their key

566 Rushing yards for new Panthers running back D’Onta Foreman last season with the Titans

unrestricted players in cornerback Donte Jackson, who returns to the team on a new contract. Carolina also kept backup quarterback PJ Walker, snapper J.J. Jansen, linebackers Frankie

Luvu and Julian Stanford, tight end Ian Thomas and defensive end Marquis Haynes, among others. The Panthers also extended receiver DJ Moore, who still had a year left on his rookie contract, locking him down with a long-term deal.

The only losses so far in free agency are defensive tackle DaQuan Jones and linebacker Haason Reddick, who both signed elsewhere. Linebacker Jermaine Carter and offensive linemen John Miller and Matt Paradis are the biggest Panther free agents still on the unrestricted market.

One of Carolina’s biggest needs was the offensive line, and their lack of haste in securing their own unrestricted free agents in that unit may reflect the team’s lack of satisfaction with the line play. The Panthers have signed a pair of offensive linemen to help shore up the front.

Guard Austin Corbett signed a three-year deal, joining the Panthers from the Super Bowl champion Rams. The 26-year-old is a former second-round draft pick and started every game for the Rams last season.

The Panthers also preemptively replaced Paradis at center, signing Bradley Bozeman away from the Ravens. Bozeman signed a one-year deal at what appears to be a large discount.

He started 16 games last year after starting 32 straight at left guard the previous two seasons.

The team has also been busy

bolstering the defense.

The Panthers upgraded the secondary, signing former Cowboys and Vikings safety Xavier Woods, who will likely start alongside Jeremy Chinn. He had three interceptions last year for Minnesota and has eight on his career.

Carolina also replaced the departed Jones at defensive tackle with Matt Ioannidis. He was productive in 2018 and 2019 before battling injuries, and Washington released him after six seasons. Ioannidis played for coach Matt Rhule at Temple.

In addition to re-signing two of its own linebacker free agents, Carolina added Damien Wilson and Cory Littleton. Wilson had 106 tackles for Jacksonville last season, while Littleton started 27 games for the Raiders the last two years.

The Panthers also added role players, including signing punter Johnny Hekker after the Super Bowl champs released him. Hekker is a four-time Pro Bowl player and holds the Super Bowl record for longest punt.

On offense, Carolina added a running back insurance policy behind Christian McCaffrey, signing D’Onta Foreman, who rushed for a career-high 566 yards and three scores while filling in for injured Titans running back Derrick Henry last season.

There are still other needs that will need to be filled as free agency continues. In addition to quarterback, the team would like to add an offensive tackle. The Panthers have reportedly been looking at free agent Duane Brown, and there are plenty of tackle options in the draft.

Beat the horn: Hurricanes land Domi right before trade deadline Carolina added the skilled forward with snarl at a bargain price, hoping to kickstart his nomadic career

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — When word leaked at 2:56 p.m. Monday that Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s long-rumored eight-year contract extension had been signed, it looked like that would be the news Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell would share on NHL trade deadline day.

“Do you want to always go down to two minutes to 3?” Waddell said. “No, it adds more stress to your life. But that’s just the way a lot of these deals happen.”

So just inside the final whistle for trades this season, Waddell and the Hurricanes made a last-minute addition, acquiring forward Max Domi from Columbus in a three-team trade that also included Florida to get Domi’s $5.3 million average annual pay under the salary cap.

“We’ve been looking for somebody to complement our forward group into our top nine and felt that this was a perfect fit for us,” Waddell said.

The Blue Jackets retained half of Domi’s salary, and the main piece heading to Columbus is Aidan Hreshuck, the Boston College defenseman who was selected 94th overall in last summer’s draft by the Hurricanes. But to stay under the salary cap, the Panthers were also involved in the trade.

Carolina also received defensive prospect Tyler Inamoto from Florida while sending Egor Korshkov to the Panthers. Florida then got Toronto’s 2022 sixth-round pick from Columbus and retained 25% of Domi’s contract. Carolina will be responsible for $1.325 million of Domi’s cap hit.

Korshkov, a 2016 second-round pick of the Maple Leafs who Carolina acquired last February in the trade that sent Alex Galchenyuk to Toronto, had 11 goals and 11 as-

UNC MEN from page B1 group of Bruins, who return every player that saw action in their run to the Final Four a year ago.

UCLA (27-7) advanced with wins against Akron and St. Mary’s and is led by the foursome of wing Johnny Juzang (15.7 points per game), forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (14.0 points, 5.7 rebounds), guard Jules Bernard (12.7 points) and point guard Tyger Campbell (11.8 points, 135 assists/41 turnovers).

While it’s no surprise the Bruins are still playing, UNC wasn’t even sure it would make the NCAA field after a home loss to lowly Pittsburgh on Feb. 16. But it quickly regrouped to win the

JAY LAPRETE | AP PHOTO

The Hurricanes added to their forward mix by acquiring Max Domi from Columbus just ahead of Monday’s trade deadline. sists in 44 games this past season with the KHL’s Yaroslav Lokomotiv.

The 27-year-old Domi, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season, is now with his fourth team. The son of famed Maple Leafs enforcer Tie Domi has nine goals and 23 assists in 53 games this season but is mired in a 15game goal drought.

Domi’s best season came in Montreal in 2018-19 when he had 28 goals and 44 assists for 72 points in 82 games.

“He’s put up a lot of goals and a lot of points,” Waddell said.

“I think he’s on a 50-point pace again this year. … He can score, but he’s also a pretty good play-

maker, good down low, plays with an edge. There’s some things that we certainly were looking for.”

He was drafted 12th overall by the Coyotes in 2013 and played his first three seasons in Arizona, overlapping with four former Coyotes on the Hurricanes’ roster: Antti Raanta, Jordan Martinook, Derek Stepan and Tony DeAngelo.

Raanta called Domi “one of the greatest guys who I’ve met. When I got dealt to Arizona, he was the first guy who texted me and welcomed me. He’s a super nice guy, really competitive.”

Kotkaniemi, whose new deal kicks in next season and will pay him an average of $4.82 million

annually, also played with Domi in Montreal and sang the forward’s praises after Tuesday’s practice.

“He’s a really speedy, super-skilled guy,” Kotkaniemi said.

“He can play tough. I would say you’re gonna see him on the ice when he’s there. He’s that kind of guy.”

Domi was set to arrive in Raleigh on Tuesday but would not play in Carolina’s game that night against the visiting Lightning.

Having help added to the NHL roster without subtracting from it had coach Rod Brind’Amour praising the move.

“It was obviously last minute there, kind of snuck it in,” Brind’Amour said of the buzz-

er-beating trade. “I think it’s great. I think when you can add a player — we always talk about what you have to give up to get stuff, and we’re not giving anyone off our roster.

“That’s just adding depth and a quality player, I think that can only help you. … I’ll see where his game’s at with our system, and I know he’s capable. He can definitely play in the top roles.

It also helped that those already in the locker room who had played with Domi thought he would be an ideal fit.

“Before we even got him, we got a lot of push from some guys that really wanted to get him,” Brind’Amour said, “so that helps.”

final five regular season games, including a defeat of rival Duke in coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Despite going out in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament with a loss to Virginia Tech and receiving a less-than-favorable No. 8 seed in the NCAA’s East Region, the Tar Heels quickly regained their momentum by blowing out Marquette before overcoming a mountain of adversity to beat Baylor.

As much of a reality check as that loss to Pittsburgh was for the Tar Heels, Davis and his players credit a defeat a few weeks earlier at Wake Forest as the spring-

board that catapulted them from the bubble to the Sweet 16.

“After the Wake Forest game, we were all thinking we were going to get chewed out, but (Davis) came in super positive, saying we could accomplish all our goals. I feel like that was a turning point in our season, seeing how positive he was,” senior forward Leaky Black said.

“We still had a lot of games left, so he didn’t want us to get too down on ourselves,” added sophomore guard R.J. Davis, who followed a career-high 12-assist performance against Marquette with a career-high 30 points in the Baylor game. “It was just more about locking in and focus-

ing on what we had to accomplish, not what everyone else was saying about us.”

It’s a mindset that served the Tar Heels well against the Bears.

UNC was cruising with a 6742 lead with 10:08 remaining when forward Brady Manek — who had already scored 26 points — was ejected for hitting Baylor’s Jeremy Sochan with a wayward elbow. Four minutes later, point guard Caleb Love fouled out during a closing run that saw Baylor erase the entire 25-point deficit and send the game into overtime.

Instead of folding, as virtually everyone expected, the Tar Heels continued to battle in the extra

period, getting meaningful contributions from reserves Dontrez Styles and Justin McKoy to pull out a 93-86 victory.

“I always say that you will always get an opportunity with me,” Hubert Davis said. “I can’t guarantee when, where, how and the manner in which it will come.

The only thing that you are required to do is, when that opportunity comes, to be ready. Justin and Dontrez were ready. In a bigtime moment, big-time situation, they stepped up.”

And because they did, the Tar Heels will get another big-time moment and big-time situation.

In a matchup they’ve been waiting since December to play.

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 whosimply willknow source at least half of their meltdown in 1986.

Some experts what theythe data and asking 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 while reasonable stay-at-home ought to lock further. neighbors helping ne mightisbe the root academic corruption, 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, to treatsuggested those by the measures are understandable, they should also have an date. direct investment in the U.S. is about $65We’ve seen rates — Concord, the number of Cd temporary 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 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 we should remain vigilant and are people who shape, or form.

So while stay safe, at and the denominator are likely wrong.

We don’t kn debt we owe them 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 SURVEY: Inflation, the 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. 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 see” become aAreopagitica, badbut number beenbreath overestimated, given that classifi to happen ask normal.” your elected for a speech delivered by labor shortage remain 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. tax revenue spread over a few years. $18 billion lost revenue hold Chinacan acc suffering fromin the H1N1 virusis(swine flu) representatives during the 2009topandemic, obstacles for small Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. sources suggest the number is dramatically under decimal dust compared to the $6 I’ve trillion+ Marshall Plan we are now this disaster. been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say has that also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah businesses e, is my family.

Stacey Matthews manyas people are dying home. d to operate as I’m responsible citizens of undertaking 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 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 RALEIGH – NFIBwithin certain 2009 pandemic, actually have coronavirus. Some scientists suggest China has been cheating, stealing, pirating and pillaging American fields within the humanities. They call of this brings up Statefields Director Gregg of identified business now for the past 30 years. They have made no secret that theycases could be an order of magnitude these “grievance studies,” where Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill,coronavirus senior opinion efer notscholarship to repeat. number of people who have had and n Thompson latest is said not sothe much based upon intend to replace the U.S. as the premier superpower in the world and st everyone has finding truth but upon attending to NFIB Research Center replace the dollar as the reserve currency with their renminbi. social grievances.

Grievance survey assessing the scholars bully students, administrators and other impact of the COVID-19 departments into adhering to their pandemicThe onworldview small they promote is worldview.

Jason businesses nationwide neither scientific nor rigorous. Grievance EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS studies of disciplines such as showsconsist that inflation sociology, anthropology, gender studies, and a lack of qualified COLUMN | REP. RICHARD HUDSON queer studies, sexuality and critical race job applications remain studies. key to their In obstacles 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, Lindsay and recovery.

Boghossian started economic submitting academic papers to “[Last] bogus Tuesday marked academic journals in cultural, queer, the second anniversary race, gender, fat and sexualityofstudies RYAN REMIORZ/THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP when Northif Carolina to determine they wouldand pass peer “THIS in IS Montreal THEfallen DAYon the lord made, let usthe re seriousness of and the be virus and the review accepted for need publication.A Canadian Pacific Railway worker walks other states began to WITHthe MOST STATES under eitheratshelter-in-place or stay-at-home into place.

I understand picket line while on strike the Cote Saint-Luc railyard Feb. 16,has 2015.

Acceptance ofand dubious research in it” (Psalm 118:24). y with how people who simply ask orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans to take precautions, but I’m uneas scale back close down that editors found sympathetic to their this challenging time of soc n thingsjournal can start getting back to are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”I know that during questions about the data, and whe temporarily topostmodern slow the intersectional or leftist vision working from home or losing a job, it may be diffi with contempt.

Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. normal are treated in some circle spread of the coronavirus,” of the world would prove the problem of be glad” as the Bible tells us to do. as However, as aasC a societylow simply muststandards. accept without Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.

They’re treated though we academic said.

Thompson “And while and dad, the Easter holiday hasthe reminded me oftelj s us about Several when it’s safefake to begin thepapers Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during question what government of the research we›re doing a lot better and of hopeful for, even m alcy. were accepted for publication. The Fat a recent coronavirus press briefing that “we just don’t knowhave yet”to if be thethankful process returning back in to the norm than were intothe Lenten and pandemic. s, and we havewe the right askspring those Studies journal published a hoax paper state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May. No. The government works for Since when did andargued summer ofall 2020, that the term bodybuilding was me, my faith is an important part ofstay-atmy dai home orders are in place over the Easter seasons If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked asFor to the questions.

And the longer questioning andas should be replaced this nationwide survey making.

As I celebrated my family, hem get exclusionary in states, such Michigan, justification for it. And the answers should notabe vague ones like “we country,Easter and thewith stricter some ofI tr provide with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive underscores the challenges government Corinthians 1:4, the which reminds our Lord “comf eling isolated and/or anxious about must do this out of an abundance of caution.” more people,us sitting at home message of politicized performance.” One reviewer North Carolina’s small 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 Canadian Pacific rail said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this hope that we will ed by the work stoppage, but the lobbied for the elimination of the affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves ar businesses continue to importantstoppage interrupts are being told to remainmandate jobless and at home for an undetermined answers. article and believe it has an become a railroad cannot make shipments cross-border vaccine once again enjoy God.” vels should be as forthcoming face.” contribution to make to as thethey field and this “We are writing to amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases Leaders the local and state le between the two atnations, Walfor transporters of essential comfertilizer shipments to bad thing? sporting events, If you are celebrating the Easter season, I—urge again, not vague answers,ofbut journal.” are reliable. dron said. can be with those answers and merce.

Key findings theanswer NFIB the U.S. days after N.C. express our serious concern “Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity That is what reflect on this message and be comforted, so that ents believability. concerts, family On Saturday, the Teamsters Canadian Pacific covers much To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then with details that give their statem COVID-19 survey include: Senator Thom Tillis and record-highGod’s example Feminism anfamilies, Intersectional Reply to a We statement that the comof the U.S. that Midwest andbut is aalong large theregarding and comfort in need arou at we can to keep as our free likelihood citizens mandated we do, way I’ve also had questions aboutsaid in shouldall allthose continue to do wh gatherings, others of strike Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was pany had locked the workers out,helping o shipper of potash and fertilizfertilizer prices impacting this difficult time.

Through faith and by fe. But we should also still continue the data.

State Republican leaders have, too. ourselves, and our communities s concerns church services living in a freein (35%) of • Over one-third accepted for publication

by Affilia, a and additional butwill later issuedout another stateer for agriculture. It also carries confident we emerge of this pandemic str cause while reasonable stay-at-home American farmers going into Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is to ask questions about the data, b letter to President feminist journal for social The small businesses areworkers. at and many more ment saying the workers were grain from the U.S. to its northsociety Biden were Inthose this same spirit, I continue to be inspired by y shouldpaper also have an expiration date. sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat consisted in part of a rewritten the spring planting season. also onmeasures strike. are understandable, the ern neighbor for domestic use or aboveNot pre-crisis sales after our own supposed neighbors helping neighbors. d it is not normal. in any way, passage from Mein Kampf.

Two other simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back This is all new to Americans, an The original statement postand exports. The railroad serves Fertilizer is a primary levels, a nine-percentage temporary In Concord, high school senior named remainhoax vigilant and stay safe, at includingThe AssociatedtoPress papers were published, do, last I Teamsters Canada RailweTanner to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who ed toathe shape, or form.

So while shoul the Dakotas, Minnesota, Iowa, point increase from early “Rape Culture and Queer Performativity input and major expense money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic to make fa mfortable with this so-called “new sacrifices are sick.

Conference website late Saturday Illinois, Wisconsin, andthemselves otherwise don’t careMissouri if they get or others the same time we shouldn’t get co checked. at September, Urban Dog Parks.” paper’s whileThis 24% of subjectAPPROXIMATELY the union wanted to continother states, according to a map 3,000 health caresaid workers out of his own home. for producers across the Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad normal.” over. was dog-on-dog rape. But ue bargainingone butlittle the bit. company investor website.

CP also living in a free society were supposed owners reported thatthe dog rapeCanadian Pacific Railway con- on its That is what free citizens country, and price increases “chose toNot paper eventually forced Boghossian, ductors, engineers, train and thing? put the Canadian supoperates in New England and upeconomic are do, New last IYork, checked.

Pluckrose and conditions Lindsay to prematurely out workers represented by the to ply chain and tens of thousands state spokesman Pat- will have a significant effect yard under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah back to normal now in MyWaldron first concern themselves.

A Wall Street Journal writer of jobsStacey at risk.”Matthews has also written said. as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m Teamsters Canada Rail Confer- rick on farm profitability and the dState and Legal Insurrection. had figured out what they were doing.ence returned to work Tuesday worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will.

After and is a regular contributor to Re their area.

“As Canadians grapple with a CP says it’s the leading carSome papers accepted for publication prices of foodthe and consumer from the H1N1nutrient virus (swine flu) during 2009 pandemic,never-ending pandemic, explodrier of potash, a plant after an agreement was reached suffering in academic journals advocated training ing commodity prices and the usedbeen in the production multibetween the railroad operator I’ve trying to take of extra precautions, because all of this brings up • About three-quarters products.” men like dogs and punishing white male war in Ukraine, the rail carrier ple crops.

The company says in and union after a work stoppage way too many memories of a painful experience I’ d prefer not to repeat.

(73%) of small businessslavery by college students for historical documents that it carbrought trains to a halt across investor But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone hasis adding an unnecessary layer owners asking themhave to sitincreased in silence on the floor in of insecurity, especially for those Canada and interrupted fertil- ries 70% of the potash produced Senate letter to President Biden chains classselling and to be expectedizer to and other shipments to and in North America, all from mines theirduring average who depend on the rail network,” learn fromdue the discomfort. the statement said. in Saskatchewan. from the U.S. prices to supply Other papers celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life CP Rail, Canada’s second-largada, its investor website said.

The railroad says it also carries Canadian Teamsters and CP chain disruptions and/orprivately choice and advocated treating A lengthy interruption of fer- est railroad operator, said it was Rail had blamed each other in a fertilizers, including phosphate, increased compensation conducted masturbation as a form of standoff that U.S. senators urged urea, ammonium sulfate, am- tilizer shipments could hurt U.S. the company that wanted to keep sexual against women. Typically, due violence to staffing shortages. the Biden administration to pre- monium nitrate and anhydrous farmers, who are nearing the talking, and the union that pulled academic journal vent by engaging the Canadian ammonia. About half its fertiliz- spring planting season. The work its employees off the job.

Of those who editors raisedsend submitted papers out to referees for review. In stakeholders. The senators, in- er shipments originate from pro- stoppage could also exacerbate CP President Keith Creel prices, 44% have raised recommending acceptance for publication, existing supply chain bottlenecks said in a news release the union cluding Senator Thom Tillis (R- cessing plants in Alberta. prices by 10% orthese more, many reviewers gave papers glowing CP got 29% of its 2020 freight in the U.S. and Canada that stem “failed to respond” to a new ofNC), raised concerns over rising praise. another 30% have raised fertilizer and fuel prices during revenue from cross-border ship- from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Politicalby scientist Goldberg ran U.S. trains were not affect- See U.S. AG page B6 the spring planting season and ments between the U.S. and Canprices 5% – Zach 9.9%.

business & economy

Fixingn.c. college corruption FAST

FACTS

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

Concerns grow over US agriculture impacts, fertilizer and fuel prices

certain grievance studies concepts through the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often • Over half (51%) of they appeared in our press over the years. owners Hesmall foundbusiness huge increases in the usages of reported “white privilege,” bias,” supply“unconscious chain “critical race theory” disruptions had and a “whiteness.”

All of this is being taught to college significant impact on students, many of whom become primary their business.

Another and secondary school teachers who then 30% of owners reported indoctrinate our young people. the coronavirusitI doubt had awhether moderate impact caused financial crunchawill give college and 14% reported mild and university administrators, who are a impact.between Eighty percent crossbreed a parrot and jellyfish, small theofguts andbusiness backbone owners to restore academic respectability.

Farsupply too often, they get much experiencing chain of disruptions their politicalreported support from campusBy Scott McFetridge that grievance people who are members of The the Associated Press the disruption isand causing faculty and diversity multicultural lost sales opportunities to administrative offices.

DES MOINES, Iowa — For The best hope lies with boards of years Americans have been told some degree. trustees, though many serve as yes-men autonomous technology was imfor the universitypercent president.ofI think that a proving and that driverless vehi• Twenty-four good start would be to find 1950s or 1960s cles were just around the corner. owners are currently catalogs. Look at the course offerings at Finally they’re here, but to catch experiencing a significant a time when college graduates knew how a glimpse of them, you’ll need to go to staffing read, write and compute, shortage and and maketo a farm rather than look along them today’s18% curricula.

Another helpful city streets. another are currently tool would be to give careful consideration Beginning this fall, green 14experiencing a moderate to eliminating all classes/majors/minors ton tractors that can plow day or staffing the shortage. containing word “studies,” such as night with no one sitting in the women, Asian, black or queer studies.cab, or even watching nearby, will I’d bet by restoring Thethat survey didn’t the looktraditionalcome off the John Deere factory academic mission to colleges, they would assembly line in Waterloo, Iowa, specifically at North put a serious dent into the COVID-19 harkening the age of autonomous Carolina, but Thompson budget shortfall. farming. said despite the state’s The development follows more Walter Williams is a professor 3.9% E. unemployment rate, of than a decade-long effort by the economics at George Mason world’s largest farm equipment “Small businesses and University. manufacturer, and marks a mileother employers are still stone for automation advocates, having a tough time finding who for years have been explainpeople to fill the positions ing why driverless cars aren’t quite ready for prime time. that are available.”

“I’m glad to see they’re coming

Tired of waiting for driverless vehicles?

Head to a farm “You aren’t going to see a crosswalk in most cornfields in Iowa or Nebraska.”

Joel Dawson, a John Deere production director out and will stimulate the other technologies,” said Raj Rajkumar, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University and an expert in autonomous cars.

Deere isn’t saying yet how much the autonomous tractors will cost but the new technology will be added onto tractors that sell for about $500,000, said Ben Haber, a company spokesman. The company plans to operate the autonomous tractors on 10 to 50 farms by this fall before significantly increasing the number in following years.

For the past decade, the sup-

posedly imminent debut of autonomous vehicles on city streets and freeways has been repeatedly pushed off as companies struggled to guarantee their safety.

But, Rajkumar notes, tractors have it easier because they don’t need to contend with other vehicles, pedestrians or the complexities of an urban scene. Tractors can make use of consistent GPS data, unlike cars that can lose contact traveling through tunnels or amid tall buildings.

Or as Joel Dawson, a Deere production director, put it, “You aren’t going to see a crosswalk in most cornfields in Iowa or Nebraska.”

Modern tractors already have GPS guides that handle steering and turning to ensure optimum plowing, seeding and harvesting.

They also use real-time streams of data to make changes if needed because of soil conditions, the amount of fertilizer applied or other factors.

The autonomous tractor will now let farmers hook up a plow behind a tractor, start the machine with a swipe of a smart phone and then leave it to rumble up and down a field on its own.

The driverless tractors are equipped with six pairs of cameras that work like human eyes and can provide a 360-degree image.

When filtered through computer algorithms, the tractor is able to determine where it is in the field

and will abruptly stop if there is anything unfamiliar in its path.

Farmers often grow crops on different parcels of land that are miles apart, so while the tractor plows in one field a farmer can work at another, drive into town for supplies or spend time with their families at home. Given that less than 2% of Americans work on farms and rural populations have dwindled for decades, the autonomous tractors also are expected to help with chronic labor shortages.

The shift to ever-more sophisticated tractors is part of a movement that emphasizes planting, fertilizing and harvesting during narrow windows of time when conditions are perfect. If new technology can help farmers complete a job when soil and air temperatures are just right ahead of approaching wet weather, for example, it can mean more plentiful crops months later.

“If I don’t get this field tilled today and it rains tonight, that could mean we don’t get the field planted for another week and that has real cost implications in a lot of operations,” said Ryan Berman, who works on agricultural technology issues at Iowa State University. “If you can move an extra 80 or 100 acres into that optimal window, that can be worth thousands of dollars every year, probably tens of thousands.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B6

US markets point higher after tough inflation talk from Fed The Associated Press For the week ending 3/18

Total Cash & Bond Proceeds

$2,867,824,233 Add Receipts

$73,291,348 Less Disbursements

$113,744,052 Reserved Cash

$125,000,000 Unreserved Cash Balance Total

$6,451,804,180 Loan Balance:

$340.3M

U.S. AG from page B5 fer presented by mediators before the midnight deadline.

“Instead, the TCRC opted to withdraw their services before the deadline for a strike or lockout could legally take place,” he said. “The TCRC is well aware of the damage this reckless action will cause to the Canadian supply chain.”

Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan urged the two sides to keep bargaining.

The Canadian and U.S. supply chains also were hit by trucker convoy protests blocking border crossings in February, and now are dealing with the effects, particularly on global fuel supplies, of the Russian invasion in Ukraine and sanctions imposed by the U.S. and its allies.

All the disruptions pushed inflation to its highest level since the early 1980s, with essentials such as food and fuel facing some of the sharpest price hikes.

Earlier this month, Senator Thom Tillis and 18 of his Senate colleagues wrote a letter to President Joe Biden regarding record increases in fertilizer prices approaching the spring planting season.

The group referenced the ongoing supply-chain bottlenecks and the rising cost of energy, among other factors that have sent fertilizer and fuel prices soaring, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The senators are urged the Biden administration to immediately take all necessary steps to curtail the rising costs impacting American farmers and consumers.

“We are writing to express our serious concern regarding record-high fertilizer prices impacting American farmers going into the spring planting season. Fertilizer is a primary input and major expense for producers across the country, and price increases will have a significant effect on farm profitability and the prices of food and consumer products,” the senators wrote.

The letter pointed to Russia’s role as a key producer of fertilizer and necessary inputs of fertilizer, its invasion of Ukraine and sanctions imposed on the country as the likely causes of shortages and price increases of fertilizer. These potential disruptions, coupled with skyrocketing energy prices, characterized by the senators as “President Biden’s war on the American oil and gas industry,” will “harm American farmers and in turn, American consumers,” the senators argued.

“We are therefore urging your administration to review all available options to lower the cost of fertilizer, including but not limited to: eliminating the cross-border vaccine mandate for transporters of essential commerce; engaging stakeholders to prevent a Canadian Pacific Railway strike; ensuring agricultural minerals like phosphate and potash are part of the Department of the Interior’s List of Critical Minerals; increasing U.S. gas production; and approving pending export permits at the Department of Energy for Liquefied Natural Gas,” the senators concluded.

NSJ staff contributed to this report.

NEW YORK — Wall Street pointed toward a higher open on Tuesday, one day after Chairman Jerome Powell said the Federal Reserve was prepared to raise its benchmark short-term interest rate by a half-point multiple times, if necessary, to battle inflation.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials rose 0.4% and the S&P 500 rose 0.2%. Shares in Europe and Asia also ticked higher, while oil prices slipped.

Powell’s remarks Monday at the National Association of Business Economists came less than a week after the U.S. central bank announced a quarter-point rate hike, its first interest rate increase since 2018. Stocks rallied after the announcement for the best weekly performance in more than a year.

The Fed is expected to raise rates several more times this year, but it hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in one swoop since May 2000.

Powell’s message was more hawkish than his comments were after last week’s Fed meeting, when officials raised their key rate a quarter-point from near zero to a range of 0.25% to 0.5%. (“Hawks” typically support higher rates to stave off inflation, while “doves” generally prefer lower rates to bolster hiring).

He added, too, that the policymakers could go so far as to send rates into “restrictive” ter-

AP PHOTO

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell testifies before the Senate Banking Committee hearing, on March 3, 2022 on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. ritory that would slow economic growth and possibly raise the unemployment rate, if needed to tame high inflation.

“We will take the necessary steps to ensure a return to price stability,” the Fed chair said in his speech to the NABE’s annual economic policy conference. “In particular, if we conclude that it is appropriate to move more aggressively by raising the federal funds rate by more than (a quarter-point) at a meeting or meetings, we will do so.”

The Fed is under pressure from widespread criticism that it has reacted too slowly to a price spike that has catapulted inflation to

four-decade highs. When they met last week, Fed officials forecast that they would raise rates six more times this year and four times in 2023. They also projected that inflation would slow to 2.7% by the end of next year.

Powell cautioned Monday that those projections of future interest rates and inflation “can become outdated quickly at times like these, when events are developing rapidly.”

According to an NABE survey of its member economists, 77% think the Fed’s interest rate policy remains too low. Nearly the same proportion said they believed inflation would remain

above 3% next year, suggesting that the Fed’s inflation expectations are too optimistic. NABE members mostly work for large businesses, consulting firms, and trade associations.

Last week, the Fed’s policymakers projected that the economy would remain resilient enough to keep growing and that the unemployment rate would fall from its current level of 3.8% to 3.5% by year’s end, matching a 50-year low reached before the pandemic.

He acknowledged that higher oil and commodity prices serve as a reminder of the oil price spikes of the 1970s, which fed soaring inflation in that decade.

It wasn’t until the early 1980s, after Chairman Paul Volcker had sent the Fed’s rate to nearly 20%, that inflation was tamed.

“Not a happy” experience, Powell acknowledged.

But he argued that the U.S. economy was less sensitive to oil prices now, in part because it is more fuel-efficient.

Powell pointed to a near-record-high level of open jobs, which topped 11 million in January. That is equivalent to 1.7 available positions for every unemployed person.

He suggested that higher rates from the Fed could slow consumer spending enough to reduce that outsize demand for workers, which would, in turn, reduce wage growth to a level that wouldn’t boost inflation.

“This is a labor market that is out of balance,” Powell said, which he acknowledged was good for workers, because it has meant higher pay for many. But those wage gains can also lead companies to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs.

“We need the labor market to be sustainably tight,” he said.

AUTO: 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY

A best-seller for good reason The roadside assistance is pretty solid too

The Associated Press STURBRIDGE, Mass. — The last thing you want to see at 9:30 PM, two hours from your destination, is a low tire pressure warning light.

But that’s what happened in my 2021 Toyota Camry XSE on a rainy night in southern New England. It wasn’t much of a worry at the beginning, low tire pressure isn’t unusual, and when it was at 29, I wasn’t too worried.

The recommended pressure is 35, and I could fix it when I arrived at my destination.

But then it dropped again, and again. 28... 27... 25... I slowed down and started looking for a well-lit place to pull off and change the tire. I wasn’t looking forward to this. It had been years since I’d changed a tire, and it was raining.

I found a well-lit new gas station just off the highway, parked well out of the way, under a street light, and considered my options.

Then I remembered I was driving a Toyota Camry that comes with a 2-year/unlimited-mile roadside assistance plan that covers jumpstarts, lockouts, towing, winching, fuel delivery, and, luckily for me, tire changing.

I called the ToyotaCare 800-number and was texted a link to a website where I could fill out all the relevant information about what was wrong and where

PHOTOS COURTESY TOYOTA

I was, and it even used my phone’s GPS to get an address. This was excellent because I had no clue where I was.

The app then gave me updates about the status of my request, and once a tow truck was dispatched, I got real-time updates about the truck’s location.

A tow truck pulled up in less than 45 minutes, and my tire was changed less than ten minutes after that.

Now, I certainly could change the tire, but the tow truck had a floor jack that was considerably easier to use than the little jack included in the car. The driver also had an impact wrench that made easy work of the lug nuts.

After an hour and a $20 tip, my tire was changed, and I was back on the road, albeit at a much slower pace thanks to the donut now affixed to the back wheel. I’d

picked up a screw on the highway at some point, and the rear tire was shot — but that’s a story for another day.

I was impressed with my 2021 Camry, a loaded XSE trim with all-wheel drive and almost every option, priced at just $38,274.

For 2022, the Camry starts at $26,420, so there’s a lot of wiggle room on price, depending on how many options you want to load up.

The Camry is a wildly popular car, selling 313,795 units in the US in 2021. That’s more sedans than all of Lexus combined.

There are front-wheel and allwheel-drive variants, and hybrid powertrains that get a ridiculous 52 mpg (my 2.5L four-cylinder Camry rated a decidedly less impressive 28 mpg combined).

The outside was reworked a few years ago, and it’s quite a

looker these days. Gone is the boring Camry I grew up with in favor of something that, I’m convinced, could have badging from a German luxury brand affixed, and no one would be any the wiser. That’s especially true with the sporty XSE trim I had.

The Wind Chill Pearl paint was matched with some all-black trim pieces and a black roof for a twotone appearance that looked terrific. Toss in all-black 19-inch wheels (albeit with tires that a screw can take out), and it looked Seriously Cool. When did the Toyota Camry become cool? I’m not sure. Maybe I’m just getting old.

The beauty continued inside with a sports-car red interior, though the amount of gloss black plastic was a bit of a turn-off.

Still, everything I could touch felt quality, and the nine-inch touchscreen was prominently mounted and easily visible.

Wired Apple CarPlay and Android auto are a must-use until the next-generation Toyota infotainment (it debuted in the new Tundra and is coming to everything else over the next few years) comes along. Everything is well-designed and placed, from the cupholders and the phone charger in the middle of the console to the door pockets and glovebox.

You don’t sell 300,000 cars a year without knowing a thing or two about how to build and design a car people want to buy. The Camry is the best-selling car in the US, beating the Honda Civic by some 50,000 units. And it’s the best for a reason.

If you’re on the hunt for a trustworthy sedan that doesn’t break the bank and looks surprisingly good inside and out, you won’t regret picking the Toyota Camry.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B7

features Women’s History Month | Raleigh’s Andrea Peet brings awareness to ALS

By Lindsay Morris North State Journal Throughout the month of March the NSJ will be celebrating the remarkable contributions of North Carolina women for Women’s History Month FOR ANDREA LYTLE PEET, a native of Raleigh, bravery is not an option; it is a daily imperative to experience life to the fullest. And for Peet it is not just her life that she feels called to live fully, but she strives to inspire others to find their own form of “brave.”

At the age of 33, Peet was given the devastating news that she had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or what is more commonly known as ALS. Now nearly eight years later, not only is Andrea still moving and thriving, but she has raised over three quarters of a million dollars to help in the fight to end ALS through her foundation, Team Drea. She has attracted the interests of filmmakers and the media along the way, all toward the goal of raising awareness around ALS and money for research. Peet’s courageous journey is why we celebrate her as a North Carolina heroine this Women’s History month.

For anyone who has ever met Peet, two phrases that could be easily used to describe her are “exceptionally positive” and “goal driven.” Prior to her diagnosis in 2009, Peet, a city planner by trade, had become an avid runner as a newlywed living in Washington, D.C. According to her husband, David “what started out as four miles turned into ten miles turned into competing in races and marathons. Andrea is an incremental overachiever.”

Peet decided that through the use of a trike she would continue with her love of racing despite her diagnosis. After what she once thought was her last race, she now races all over the country to raise money and awareness for ALS. With the motto of “Go on, be brave,” she and David established the Team Drea Foundation.

“When I was diagnosed with ALS I thought I might only have two years to live, I wanted to leave a legacy that would prevent other families from going through this awful disease. So I challenged friends to do a race that would be outside their comfort zone — I wanted them to have that experience of crossing the finish line of a race they weren’t sure they could complete — and use the experience to raise money for ALS research. So far 200 people have taken the “Team Drea Challenge,” said Peet.

Peet’s personal goal is to com-

plete marathon races in all 50 of the United States. Earlier this month Peet competed in her 48th race in California, which will be followed by her 49th in Brooklyn, N.Y. in April and her 50th in Alaska in May. This final race will celebrate eight years of courage in the fight against ALS. To commemorate these final races, Team Drea is hosting a 50 for 50 challenge in honor of Peet’s 50th race.

The goal is to reach $50,000 before May by encouraging people to take on a physical or personal challenge of their own, incorporating the number 50.

Peete explains “this could be anything from walking 50 miles to doing 50 pushups per day to doing 50 random acts of kindness.

My college roommate is a picky eater and is challenging herself to eating 50 new foods! The point is to be brave in your own way. For a $50 donation, we will send a keepsake gift reminder to people to ask themselves, ‘What’s your brave?’”

Along the journey, Peet has made countless friends and inspired many with her positivity, purpose and drive. Peet shared prior to her California race the following: “A woman saw my story a year after being diagnosed with ALS herself. She had run the Chicago Marathon for 20 years straight and wanted to stay alive.

So she bought a trike. We’re actually meeting this weekend for the first time in California — she is going to do the 10K while I finish my 48th marathon. She’s planning to come to Alaska to do her first marathon while I finish my 50th. I’m so excited for her! It’s not a cure for ALS, but it’s the next best thing — Hope!”

Peet has strong and hopeful advice for anyone facing ALS or anyone struggling with any major diagnosis or life altering circumstance: “Your story is not yet written — only YOU can write it. I do not believe that I am the only person with ALS capable of doing marathons. Regardless if that is your path or passion, now is the time to start living, to make memories, to make a difference in the world. You can do this or be depressed, time will pass either way. We are all on this earth for a short time, and tomorrow is not promised.”

Peet is quick to remind her audience that ALS is not an incurable disease, just underfunded. While there were once only a handful of trials, now there are hundreds, and her choice to be brave has other ALS advocates now leading the charge for a cure.

To support the Team Drea Foundation, visit www.teamdrea. org/donate.

PHOTO COURTESY WFU

Andrea Peet trains for her next marathon to raise awareness for ALS.

Olde Raleigh Whiskey Society finding a new way to reach NC sippers Up and coming distillery has an intriguing blend for fifth batch

By Shawn Krest North State Journal THE BOX from Olde Raleigh Whiskey Society contained an etched glass tumbler, a tasting card and a small, unlabeled bottle filled with powerful brown liquid. The Zoom link would be emailed in a few days.

Online bourbon tastings isn’t the only way that Brandon McCraney’s distillery does things a little differently. Since opening in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic last year, Olde Raleigh has had to find new ways to establish itself as an up and comer in the North Carolina whiskey and bourbon market.

Among the innovations are a special-release honey bourbon, made in collaboration with local beekeeper Baxter’s Bees.

The online tastings, where participants are sent a sample early, then video conference with McCraney, so he can walk them through the aromas and flavors they should be able to pick up, are a nod to COVID, but also a way to deal with the distillery’s location.

“I know it’s hard for people to come out to Zebulon, try some bourbon and then have to drive all the way home,” he joked at the start of his latest virtual tasting, to unveil Olde Raleigh’s new fifth batch release, “Westside Story.”

The journey that led him to Zebulon is another hurdle McCraney

SHAWN KREST | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Olde Raleigh Distillery’s fifth batch release is called “Westside Story.” had to cope with while trying to start his distillery in the middle of a global pandemic.

“It took me four years to the month to get up and running in Zebulon,” he said. “We live in Raleigh and spent two years trying to find the right location in Raleigh.

Most of the large distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee are located in the middle of nowhere. We wanted to have one where people can come in on the way home or have a date night in our tasting room. We wanted to be a part of the community.”

Since distilleries, by necessity, are packed with large barrels of high-

ly flammable alcohol, the city had some concerns about letting McCraney place it in the middle of the community.

“They had a conniption,” he said.

“They kept pushing me toward industrial parks.”

So McCraney went to Zebulon, where he’s got his community location in what he calls, “the next suburb that’s going to pop.”

McCraney wants to produce small-batch bourbon. Batch five is available in six North Carolina counties: Wake, Chatham, Orange, Franklin, Cumberland and Arnett.

It demonstrates McCraney’s com-

mitment to the craft of blending.

“Whiskey and bourbon is my passion,” he said. “I just became fascinated with how you make bourbon—the art of it. It’s a true art.

There’s so many nuances to it. It took me down this path—I spent years immersing myself in the craft in my spare time. I had a corporate career, until I decided to take the plunge and to this. Luckily, I had a wife that didn’t kick me out!”

Westside story is made from hand-selected barrels from around the country and combines three different mash builds. The bourbon features barrels aged from four to

17 years from states as far away as Wyoming and Colorado, in addition to North Carolina. The mash builds contain grains of corn, barley, rye and wheat.

“My canvas for creating bourbon is the United States,” he said.

“I pull barrels from multiple states.

I expand on that as I find product that adds to the bouquet.” The fifth batch also includes product from Tennessee and Indiana.

The result is a bourbon that has scents of vanilla, spice and oak as well as tastes of black pepper and spicy molasses.

The first flavor to hit the nose and tongue, however, is caramel.

“It’s very heavy on the caramel,” McCraney admits. “That has a lot to do with the four-year wheated bourbon I found. When I dumped it into the tank, it was like this emotional teenager. It jumped in and was like, ‘Arrgh!’ Very overpowering with the caramel. It took me four weeks to pull it back. Still, it was able to overtake the eight and 17-year product, which is very rare.”

McCraney has released a new batch every two months or so, a pace he hopes to keep up going forward. And each new batch will be another step in his learning process and another new taste and nose direction for sippers.

“This batch is very different from previous batches,” he said. “All batches are destined to taste a little different.”

Nestled in the community that accepted him, McCraney and Olde Raleigh promises to find new ways to thrill bourbon afficionados, either in person or using any technology available.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B8 TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 22sp45 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ANISHKA CALDER AKA ANISHKA J. CALDER AND LEAFORD D. CALDER DATED JUNE 12, 2013 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 9238 AT PAGE 579 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.21-111362.FC01.202* 21-111362 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 22sp45

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21SP714 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY RUSTY L. BAGGETT DATED JULY 8, 2020 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 10817 AT PAGE 810 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.21-112103.FC01.202* 21-112103 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21SP714 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY RUSTY L. BAGGETT DATED JULY 8, 2020 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 10817 AT PAGE 810

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 20SP354 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY PAUL C. CORNELIUS AND PHYLLIS T. CORNELIUS DATED NOVEMBER 22, 2011 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 8769 AT PAGE 898 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.20-109780.FC01.202* 20-109780 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 20SP354 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21sp633 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY AMY N SSAAKA AND SIMON P SSAAKA DATED SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 8276 AT PAGE 109 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.17-091108.FC02.202* 17-091108 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21sp633 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21 SP 775 Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Margaret Lurie Reep and Charles Reep, in the original amount of $75,370.00, payable to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. as nominee for Mortgage Investors Corporation, dated April 17, 2003 and recorded on April 25, 2003 in Book 6072, Page 215, Cumberland County Registry.

Default having been made in the payment of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Anchor Trustee Services, LLC having been substitutedasTrusteeinsaidDeedofTrustbyaninstrument 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 or other

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 21SP738 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY CUMBERLAND 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 Cumberland County courthouse at 1:30 on April 6, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Joanna P. Gilmore, dated February 17, 2012 to secure the original principal amount of $66,104.00,

21 SP 387 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 Stacie Duvall and David Duvall to Joel S. Jenkins, Jr., Trustee(s), which was dated September 4, 2008 and recorded on September 9, 2008 in Book 07980 at Page 0323 and rerecorded/modified/ corrected on September 29, 2008 in Book 07992, Page 0835, 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 SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 21 SP 723 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of a default and failure to perform the agreements contained therein, and pursuant to the demand of the holder of the secured debt, the Substitute Trustee will expose for sale, at public auction, at the usual place of sale, at the CUMBERLAND COUNTY COURTHOUSE on APRIL 6, 2022 at 11:00 AM, all of that certain parcel of land and all improvements thereon, as secured by the above-referenced Deed of Trust, recorded in Book 9104 at Page 25, of the CUMBERLAND County Register of Deeds, and as situated in CUMBERLAND

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ANISHKA CALDER AKA ANISHKA J. CALDER AND LEAFORD D. CALDER DATED JUNE 12, 2013 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 9238 AT PAGE 579 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA A M H J H J G KG M H J B L F P G O C I G K ALMCPKOMPNIOLEHANCINJK AMOJODMHGAAJDMHDILMGCK ALIPDLJGPHIAAHFACOPOBK ALPGACGPMNDLDJLHMILICK DLLDLLLLLDLDLLDLLLLDDL NOTICE OF SALE

described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Anishka Calder aka Anishka J. Calder and Leaford D. Calder, dated June 12, 2013 to secure the original principal amount of $150,400.00, and recorded in Book 9238 at Page 579 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: 5 5 2 7 Thackeray Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28306 Tax Parcel ID: 0415-542556 Present Record Owners: Anishka Calder aka Anishka J. Calder and Leaford D. Calder

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:30AM on March 28, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Anishka Calder aka Anishka J. Calder and Leaford D. Calder.

IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA A M H J H J G K H M H J B L FO G J B KG K ALMCPKMKPJIOLEHEPEIBJK AMOJODMHGAAJBMLDHDGHCK ALIPDLJGMEMLLHIDMGOOFK ALPGAAONAPIPHEIFABHICK DLLDLDDLLDLDLLDLLLLDDL

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.

NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:30AM on March 28, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Rusty L. Baggett, dated July 8, 2020 to secure the original principal amount of $259,600.00, and recorded in Book 10817 at Page 810 of the Cumberland County Public Registry. The terms of the

OF TRUST EXECUTED BY PAUL C. CORNELIUS AND PHYLLIS T. CORNELIUS DATED NOVEMBER 22, 2011 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 8769 AT PAGE 898 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA A M H J H J G KG M H J B L F P G P F KG K ALMCPJKODNIOLEHEIAMBLK AMOJOHMHGAAJAOHJEJOFCK APIPDLJGOHPBMADFPHEKBK ALPGDBPNKMHPDKBLMEAJCK DLLDLLDLLDLDDLLLLLLDDL NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:30AM on March 28, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County,

TRUST EXECUTED BY AMY N SSAAKA AND SIMON P SSAAKA DATED SEPTEMBER 23, 2009 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 8276 AT PAGE 109 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA A M H J H J G K H M H J B L FO H M B J G K ALMCPKPMLFIODMPMGFPNNK AMONKDMHGAAJANBMOAIECK ALIPDLJGOHOELCKIMBEGBK ALPGDBHBEEDCJMIDOLFMCK DLLDLDDLLDLDLDLLLLLDDL NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:30AM on March 28, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in

usual place of sale in Cumberland County, North Carolina, at 2:00 P.M. on March 29, 2022, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property, to wit: BEING ALL OF LOT 97 IN A SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS BAYFIELD, REVISION OF SECTION 3B ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF SAME DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 93, PAGE 31, CUMBERLAND COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA REGISTRY Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 416 Cabrini Court, Fayetteville, NC 28312.

Tax ID: 0477-02-0596 Third party purchasers must pay the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00).

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred

and recorded in Book 8837 at Page 862 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: Madison Dr, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax Parcel ID: 8460 Present Record Owners: Joanna P. Gilmore

4

7

6

8

0 4 1 3 -7 5 Heirs

of

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Heirs of Joanna P. Gilmore.

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

conducting the sale on March 30, 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: Being all of Lot 37 in a subdivision known as KING’S MILL and the same being duly recorded in Book 56, Page 69, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

Said property is commonly known as 1141 Paddington Place, Fayetteville, NC 28314.

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.

COUNTY, with said parcel being more particularly described therein, and with said legal description being made a part hereof and incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein, and being briefly described as BEING ALL OF LOT 23 IN THE SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS ACORN RIDGE, SECTION FIVE, PART ONE, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF THE SAME DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 116, PAGE 91, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA. ADDRESS SHOWN AS SECURITY ON THE NOTE AND DEED OF TRUST: 2257 CHASEWATER ROAD, FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA 28306 TAX ID: 0415-76-8214 PRESENT RECORD OWNERS as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds: DARYLL L. LAWRENCE. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the tax of forty-five cents per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S § 7A-308(a)(1), up to a maximum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). The property to be offered pursuant to this NOTICE OF SALE is being offered for sale AS IS, WHERE

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

Address of property: Reagan Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Tax Parcel ID: 9306 Present Record Owners: Rusty L. Baggett

944 Ronald 0 5 31- 0 0 The Estate of

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Rusty L. Baggett.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property

North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Paul C. Cornelius and Phyllis T. Cornelius, dated November 22, 2011 to secure the original principal amount of $146,074.00, and recorded in Book 8769 at Page 898 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: Ballentine St, Hope Mills, NC 28348 Tax Parcel ID: 3507 Present Record Owners: Paul C. Cornelius

5

5

1

2

0414-00The Estate of

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Paul C. Cornelius.

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

that certain Deed of Trust executed Amy N Ssaaka and Simon P Ssaaka, dated September 23, 2009 to secure the original principal amount of $89,400.00, and recorded in Book 8276 at Page 109 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: Rd Ext, Fayetteville, NC 28311 Tax Parcel ID: 9040 Present Record Owners: Ssaaka and husband, Simon P. Ssaaka

2179

Shaw

0429-39Amy

N.

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Amy N. Ssaaka and husband, Simon P. Ssaaka.

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

of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in 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 officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

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 makes any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health, or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property offered for sale.

Any and all liabilities or responsibilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed by the Trustee and/or the holder of the note herein. This sale is subject to all prior liens, encumbrances, and unpaid taxes and assessments, including any transfer tax associated with foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid, or $750, whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds or cash at the time of sale. This sale will be held open for ten (10) 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 paid 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

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 Posted: By:

Suite

400

21-111362

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 March 8, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 Posted: By:

Suite

400

21-112103

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 entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is 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 Substitute 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.

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

The date of this Notice is March 8, 2022.

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

Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owners of the property are Heirs/Devisees of Margaret Lurie Reep a/k/a Margaret Welch Reep.

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental

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 Stacie Duvall.

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.

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 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 March 8, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 Posted: By:

Suite

400

20-109780

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 March 8, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 Posted: By:

Suite

400

17-091108

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: ________________________________________ January N. Taylor, Bar #33512 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) jtaylor@mtglaw.com

Substitute Trustee Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717 Posted: __________________ By: __________________ Ingle Case Number: 4526-5131

The date of this Notice is 3rd day of March, 2022.

Posted: By:

__________________ __________________

Ingle Case Number: 4526-513 Grady I. Ingle, Attorney for

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.

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.: 20-02305-FC01

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC

Trustee, or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

In the event the property which is the subject of this NOTICE OF SALE is residential real property with less than fifteen (15) rental units, 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 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. The notice shall also state 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.

ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, PARTNERS, PLLC Attorney for the Substitute Trustee

CRANE

&

10700 Abbott’s Duluth, GA 30097 Telephone: (470) 321-7112 Facsimile: (404) 393-1425

Bridge

Road

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B9

TAKE NOTICE

CUMBERLAND 19 SP 1125 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 Jaharii D. Collier and Kendra L. Collier to Steve Bunce, Trustee(s), which was dated February 23, 2005 and recorded on February 25, 2005 in Book 6800 at Page 597 and rerecorded/modified/ corrected on November 18, 2019 in Book 10631, Page 0157, 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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 17SP479 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JEANETTE O. SCHOENBRUNN AND LARS SCHOENBRUNN DATED MAY 31, 2011 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 08659 AT PAGE 0828 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 and, pursuant to demand of the owner and holder of the secured debt, the undersigned substitute trustee will

21 SP 806 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 Luis Fernando Molina Rosales to Law Office of Miranda R McCoy, Trustee(s), which was dated June 11, 2018 and recorded on June 13, 2018 in Book 10322 at Page 0322, 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 21SP791

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAMES R. BUTLER AND ROSA WILLIAMS DATED DECEMBER 22, 1998 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 5009 AT PAGE 201 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.21-111662.FC01.202* 21-111662 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CUMBERLAND COUNTY 21SP791 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAMES R. BUTLER AND ROSA

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 639

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Flossie Sue Ivey (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Flossie Sue Ivey, Heirs of Flossie Sue Ivey: Steven Ivey a/k/a Stevie Ivey, Roddie Hancock) to K. Smith, Trustee(s), dated July 16, 2009, and recorded in Book No. 8205, at Page 0653 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 331

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Edith S. Griffith and James B. Griffith (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Edith S. Griffith and James B. Griffith) to Commonwealth Land Title Company, Trustee(s), dated October 2, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 09735, at Page 0897 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 March 28, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 22 SP 63

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Angel Cabrera and Maricela Cabrera (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Angel Cabrera and Maricela Cabrera) to Kathryn Richards & Jerry B. Flowers, III, Trustee(s), dated October 16, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 09742, at Page 0507 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 March 28, 2022 and will

DAVIDSON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DAVIDSON COUNTY 20sp313

IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY LUTHER JAMES NEWBY, III AND AMY D. NEWBY DATED APRIL 29, 1999 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1132 AT PAGE 886 IN THE DAVIDSON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.20-110495.FC01.202* 20-110495 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 235

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Millard Monroe Pendry and Jacqueline C. Pendry aka Jackie C. Pendry (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Millard Monroe Pendry and Jacqueline C. Pendry) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated May 10, 2012, and recorded in Book No. 2057, at Page 1584 in Davidson 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 Davidson 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 Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:30 AM on April 6, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder

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 April 6, 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: BEING ALL OF LOT 219 IN A SUBDIVISION KNOWN AS ACORN RIDGE, SECTION TWO, ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF THE SAME DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 112, PAGE 11, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record.

Said property is commonly known as 1462 Oldstead Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28306.

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

Jaharii D Collier and Kendra L. Collier.

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.: 17-20124-FC01

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 March 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 Jeanette O. Schoenbrunn and Lars Schoenbrunn, dated May 31, 2011 to secure the original principal amount of $274,586.00, and recorded in Book 08659 at Page 0828 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.

And Being more commonly known as: 7712 Gaelic Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28306

($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.

is provided. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

Address of property: Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28306 Tax Parcel ID: 2954Present Record Owners: Schoenbrunn

7712

Gaelic

94 85-35Jeanette

O.

conducting the sale on April 6, 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: Being all of Lot 38 in a Subdivision Known as Oakland, According to a Plat of the Same Duly Recorded in Plat Book 55, Page 49, Cumberland County, North Carolina, Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 512 Andover Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28311.

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

WILLIAMS DATED DECEMBER 22, 1998 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 5009 AT PAGE 201 IN THE CUMBERLAND COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA A M H J H J G KG M H J B L F P G N E J G K ALMCPLMPPNIOLEHMLFNBLK AMOJODMHGAAJDNDALFFECK ALIPDLJGNGAPIBAGHNKABK ALPGCBMFCEDFDKEJMJCKCK DLLDDLLLLDLDLLLLLLLDDL

The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Jeanette O. Schoenbrunn.

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

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 Luis Fernando Molina Rosales.

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

The date of this Notice is January 27, 2022.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 17-090174

Parkway,

Suite

400

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

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

NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 10:30AM on April 4, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cumberland County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed James R. Butler and

Rosa Williams, dated December 22, 1998 to secure the original principal amount of $64,368.00, and recorded in Book 5009 at Page 201 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: 1 5 3 1 Edgecombe Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28301 Tax Parcel ID: 0 4 3 8-244452.000 Present Record Owners: The Heirs of James R. Butler The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of James R. Butler.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or

authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

April 4, 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: All that certain parcel of land in Cumberland County, State of NC, as more fully described in Book 2702 Page 338 ID#0415-79-2223, being known and designated as Lot 29 Woodlea, Section II, recorded in Plat Book 32, Page 26. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4512 Dominion Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Being the same fee simple property conveyed by deed from Max Cleland, as Administrator of Veteran Affairs to Charles Walton Ivey and wife Flossie Sue Ivey, dated 03/16/1979 in Book 2702 Page 338 in Cumberland County Records, State of NC. The said Charles Walton Ivey having departed this life on 02/7/07 thereby vesting fee simple to Flossie Sue Ivey.

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

Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: The land referred to is situated in the City of Fayetteville, County of Cumberland, State of North Carolina and is described as follows: All that certain lot or parcel of land situated in the City of Fayetteville, Township, certain lot or parcel of land situated in the City of Fayetteville, Township, County, North Carolina and more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 30 Block “A” Section V Part I, Greenwood Home Subdivision, according to plat of same, Plat Book 19, Page 73 Cumberland County, Registry, NC. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1106 Mohawk Avenue, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Being the same property conveyed to James B. Griffith and wife Edith S. Griffith from Helen G. Davis by Deed dated 17-Oct-2001 and recorded on 24-Oct-2001 in Book 5587 Page 0063 in the County Recorder’s Office of Cumberland County, NC. APN: 0428-44-4512 Sometimes known as: 1106 Mohawk Ave., Fayetteville, North Carolina 28303 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

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 99, in a subdivision known as a revised plat Hawthorne, Section Two, Phase, and the same being duly recorded in Book 73, Page 16. Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1290 Caribou Court, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The property hereinabove described was acquired by Grantor by instrument recorded in Book 9566 page 737.

All or a portion of the property herein conveyed does not include the primary residence of a Grantor.

A map showing the above described property is recorded in Plat Book 73 page 16.

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

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION DAVIDSON COUNTY 20sp313 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY LUTHER JAMES NEWBY, III AND AMY D. NEWBY DATED APRIL 29, 1999 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1132 AT PAGE 886 IN THE DAVIDSON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Davidson County courthouse at 10:00AM on April 6, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Davidson County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Luther James Newby, III and Amy D. Newby, dated April 29, 1999 to secure the original principal amount

of $77,688.60, and recorded in Book 1132 at Page 886 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: 119 Hettie Dr, Lexington, NC 27295 Tax Parcel ID: 1801600000001R Present Record Owners: Luther James Newby, III The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Luther James Newby, III. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or

authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

for cash the following real estate situated in Winston Salem in the County of Davidson, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Tax Id Number(s): 0102300000011 Land situated in the Township of Abbotts Creek in the County of Davidson in the State of NC BEGINNING: at a point in the center of the public road leading from Canaan Church to Highway 109 at Shady Grove Church the southeast corner of the tract in E.F. Smith’s line at Robert F. Smith’s corner; thence about N. with Robert F. Smith’s line 217 feet to an iron stake, Welter Craven’s corner; thence a new line about West 143 feet to an iron stake; thence a new line about South 217 feet to the center of the above named road in E.F. Smith’s line, thence with E.F. Smith’s line East 143 feet to the beginning.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1236 Shady Grove Church Road, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Commonly known as: 1236 Shady Grove Church Road, Winston Salem, NC 27107 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

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.: 21-08551-FC01

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 March 15, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 Posted: By: 21-111662

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: 2924 - 7083

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: 2939 - 7110

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: 5272 - 20481

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 February 23, 2022.

20-110495 Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 20-110495

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: 4689 - 17467

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B10 TAKE NOTICE

FORSYTH AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 265 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Mary Schambron (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Mary Schambron) to First American Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated August 27, 2007, and recorded in Book No. RE 2780, at Page 3345 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

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 22 SP 37 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Alana M. Anthe and Willard E. Anthe, Jr. (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Willard E. Anthe, Jr. and Alana M. Anthe) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated December 23, 2015, and recorded in Book No. RE 3265, at Page 2233 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 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 April 6, 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

JOHNSTON IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 18SP160 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY GERTRUDE DUNN DATED MARCH 15, 2004 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2653 AT PAGE 91 AND MODIFIED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED OCTOBER 1, 2012 IN BOOK 4182 AT PAGE 983 IN THE JOHNSTON COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 20 SP 53 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Barry J. Smith (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Barry J. Smith) to Investors Title Insurance Company, Trustee(s), dated May 5, 2017, and recorded in Book No. 4955, at Page 768 in Johnston 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 Johnston 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 Smithfield, Johnston County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on April 5, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Princeton in the County of Johnston, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION JOHNSTON COUNTY 19SP619 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY BARBARA H. BELLO AND XAVIER C. BELLO DATED AUGUST 27, 2002 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 2280 AT PAGE 174 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 perform the stipulation and agreements therein contained

ONSLOW NOTICE OF FORECOSURE SALE 21 SP 349 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by David Robert Brown (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): David Robert Brown) to Teresa Nixon, Trustee(s), dated October 5, 2011, and recorded in Book No. 3663, at Page 313 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,

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 22 SP 42 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Teresa Ann Mason and Laurence F. Mason (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Laurence F. Mason and Teresa Ann Mason) to Fidelity National Title, Trustee(s), dated December 30, 2020, and recorded in Book No. 5353, at Page 442 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

RANDOLPH IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RANDOLPH COUNTY 19sp339 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAMES I. WENTZ AKA JAMES WENTZ DATED AUGUST 3, 2004 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1880 AT PAGE 1623 IN THE RANDOLPH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.16-084728.FC01.202* 16-084728 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 236 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Michael A. Hornyak (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Michael A. Hornyak)toNeuse,Incorporated,Trustee(s),datedJanuary 27, 2016, and recorded in Book No. 2478, at Page 686 in Randolph 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 Randolph 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 Asheboro, Randolph County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for

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 March 30, 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 all of Lot 3, as shown on the map or plat of SILVER CHALICE, SECTION 2, which is duly recorded in Plat Book 35, Page 142, Register of Deeds for Forsyth County, North Carolina, to which plan reference is hereby made for a more particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 3845 Crusade Drive, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

BEING INFORMALLY known as Tax Lot 003, Block 3216D, Forsyth County Tax Records.

Parcel ID Number: 6856-06-4188 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

follows: Tax Id Number(s): 5895-93-7259.00 Land Situated in the County of Forsyth in the State of NC Tract #1: All of that Condominium Unit 111 as referred to in that instrument entitled “Declaration of Condominium” (Hereinafter called “Declaration”) recorded in Book 1239 at Page 1792 on June of Cedar Lake Condominiums, Section 1, which are recorded in Condominium Book 1 at Page 18 in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Forsyth County, North Carolina.

Tract #2: An undivided 3.1250% interest in and to the “common areas and facilities” as defined in paragraph E of said “Declaration”, to which reference is made for a more particular description of “common areas and facilities”.

Including the Unit located thereon; said Unit being located at 111 Cedar Lake Trail, Winston Salem, North Carolina.

Also conveyed is a membership in “Cedar Lake Recreational Corporation”, as defined in said “Declaration”.

Provided, the aforesaid Condominium Unit shall be used for residential purpose only, and the party of the second part and 111 Unit shall be subject to the regular monthly assessments, duties, obligations, limitations, and rules specified in said Declaration and the by-laws of Cedar Lake Condominiums, Section 1, hereinafter called “by-laws” which were recorded simultaneously with the Declarations

and both of which documents are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set out herein.

The property address and tax parcel identification number listed are provided solely for informational purposes.

Commonly Known as: 111 Cedar Lake Trail, Winston Salem, NC 27104 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.

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: 4340 - 15758

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: 6073 - 23408

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 10:00AM on March 29, 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 Gertrude Dunn, dated March 15, 2004 to secure the original principal amount of $91,464.00, and recorded in Book 2653 at Page 91 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: 2 0 0 4 Magnolia Ct, Clayton, NC 27520 Tax Parcel ID: 05F01006O Present Record Owners: The Estate of Gertrude S. Dunn And Being more commonly known as: 2004 Magnolia Ct, Clayton, NC 27520 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Estate of Gertrude S. Dunn.

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 27, 2022.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 17-088451

That lot in the Town of Princeton, situated on the northwest corner formed by the intersection of East Street and South Pearl Street, and bounded on the north by the lot of Andrew Brewer (formerly H.M. Fitzgerald); on the East by First Street; on the South by Pearl Street; and on the West

by Robert Glenn Watson’s (formerly H.A. Watson) lot; and more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at the northwest corner of East First and South Pearl Streets, and runs thence with the line of Pearl Street South 58 degrees West 150 feet to a stake, Robert Glenn Watson’s (formerly H.J. Watson) line; thence North 32 degrees West 150 feet to a stake, Andrew Brewer’s (formerly H.M. Fitzgerald) corner; thence with said line North 58 degrees East 150 feet to East First Street; thence with the line of said East First Street South 32 degrees East 150 feet to the BEGINNING and containing a fractional part of an acre according to survey and plat made by C.B. Fulgham, Surveyor, June 11 1934; and being that identical lot conveyed to W. J. Massey by S.S. Holt and James A. Wellons, Commissioners, by deed dated December 14, 1914, and recorded December 17, 1914, in Book 0-13, page 7, Johnston County Registry; and being the same lot (designated as Tract #6) conveyed by deed October 14, 1930 from W.J. Massey and wife, Millie Massey, to Henry M. Fitzgerald and wife, Agnes Fitzgerald and recorded in Book

275, page 68, Johnston County Registry. Being also the same property conveyed to Smithfield Savings and Loan Association by Trustee’s Deed from James A. Wellons, Jr., Trustee, dated June 5, 1979, and recorded at 4:50 P.M. on 7 June 1979 in Book 857, page 241, Registry of Johnston County. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 108 East 1st Street, Princeton, 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.

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 March 28, 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 Barbara H. Bello and Xavier C. Bello, dated August 27, 2002 to secure the original principal amount of $87,071.00, and recorded in Book 2280 at Page 174 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: High 2104 Chaparral Dr, Clayton, NC 27527

Tax Parcel ID: 05J05200X Present Record Owners: The Heirs of Barbara H. Bello And Being more commonly known as: 2104 High Chaparral Dr, Clayton, NC 27527 The record owner(s) of the property, as reflected on the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are The Heirs of Barbara H. Bello.

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 27, 2022.

LLG Trustee LLC Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 19-107902

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 April 7, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 11, Block E, according to plat entitled, “Subdivision Map No. 1 of Northwoods II, Jacksonville, NC dated March 1958, prepared by Herndon Edgerton, Engineer, and recorded in Map Book 5, Page 68, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 411 Woodhaven Drive, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

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.

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 customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on April 7, 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 herein below is situated in the County of Onslow, State of North Carolina, and is described as follows: Being all of Lot 49 and 10 feet off the North side of Lot 50, as shown on Map of Quail Point. Part III, as recorded in Map Book 13, Page 73, Onslow County, North Carolina, to which Map reference is hereby made for a more particular description of said Lot. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 402 Prince Drive, Hubert, North Carolina.

Also being the 0.328 Tract as shown on that boundary survey for L.F. Mason and Wife, T.A. Mason as recorded in Deed Book 2760 Page 160 of the Onslow County Registry.

Parcel ID: 005208 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.

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION RANDOLPH COUNTY 19sp339 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY JAMES I. WENTZ AKA JAMES WENTZ DATED AUGUST 3, 2004 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 1880 AT PAGE 1623 IN THE RANDOLPH COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Randolph County courthouse at 1:00PM on March 30, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed James I. Wentz aka James Wentz, dated August 3, 2004 to secure the original principal amount of $136,000.00, and recorded in Book

1880 at Page 1623 of the Randolph 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: 1 0 9 2 2 Randleman Rd, Randleman, NC 27317 Tax Parcel ID: 7758946778 Present Record Owners: James I. Wentz The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are James I. Wentz.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property

offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS residing at the property: be advised that an Order for Possession of

foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on March 29, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Trinity in the County of Randolph, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being known and designated as Lot 29 of Forest Manor Subdivision, as recorded in Plat Book 17 at Page 72 in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Randolph County, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4302 Forest Manor Drive, Trinity, 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

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.

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: 2042 - 4347

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: 4913 - 18601

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: 5345 - 21106

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 February 14, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 16-084728

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: 5397 - 21278

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

B11

TAKE NOTICE

RANDOLPH STANLY NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 21 SP 142 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Kendra Whitley fka Kendra Lyn T. Todd (Deceased) and Donald Whitley (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Kendra Whitley, Heirs of Kendra Whitley f/k/a Kendra Lyn T. Todd: Megan Todd Depasquale, Seth Turner Todd) to Alexis Alan, Trustee(s), dated November 13, 2017, and recorded in Book No. 1631, at Page 94 in Stanly 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 Stanly 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 Albemarle, Stanly County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 11:00 AM on March 30, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Norwood

UNION NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 414 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Silvino Ramirez (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Silvino Ramirez) to Angela Greenberg, Trustee(s), dated March 7, 2007, and recorded in Book No. 4482, at Page 692 in Union County Registry, North Carolina. The Deed of Trust was modified by the following: A Loan Modification recorded on October 9, 2018, in Book No. 7249, at Page 0090 , 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 Union County, North Carolina and the holder of the

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 649 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Amanda C. Tarlton (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Amanda C. Tarlton) to Jason Throckmorton, Trustee(s), dated June 17, 2003, and recorded in Book No. 3105, at Page 400 in Union 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 Union 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 Judicial Center in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales,

12 SP 1003 AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE NORTH CAROLINA, UNION COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Edward J. Harty and Margaret L. Harty to James R. Manion, III, Trustee(s), which was dated August 13, 2002 and recorded on August 16, 2002 in Book 1890 at Page 170, Union 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

WAKE Notice to Creditors

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 21SP2133 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ROBERT D. HIBBARD AND MICHELLE A. HIBBARD DATED AUGUST 24, 2013 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 15421 AT PAGE 1202 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.21-111758.FC01.202* 21-111758 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 21SP2133 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 20 SP 250 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Nancy W. Crabtree (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Nancy W. Crabtree, Heirs of Nancy W. Crabtree: Andy Learon Crabtree, Tina Crabtree; Heirs of Tina Crabtree: Jonathan Earl Lazenby, Alex Raeford Lazenby) to William R. Echols, Trustee(s), dated February 6, 2006, and recorded in Book No. 011808, at Page 01683 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 entrance in Raleigh,

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE 19 SP 553 Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Joan D. Silvey (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Joan D. Silvey, Heirs of Joan D. Silvey: Adrienne Silvey, Marc Silvey, Sr.) to John B. Whitley, Trustee(s), dated October 12, 1999, and recorded in Book No. 008441, at Page 02121 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 entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on March 28, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION WAKE COUNTY 10SP701 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY VIVIAN C. SAMUEL DATED MARCH 29, 2006 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 11882 AT PAGE 1114 AND MODIFIED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED DECEMBER 3, 2007 IN BOOK 12859, PAGE 1022 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA *102.10-000550.FC01.202* 10-000550 IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE OF NORTH CAROLINA SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

Having qualified as (executor(administrator) on the estate of Linda Fay Parker, aka Linda Church Parker, deceased, late of Randolph County, North Carolina, 2021 E 001342 this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate

of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of June, 2022, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment.

This 23rd day of March, 2022,

in the County of Stanly, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Tax Id Number(s): 655501069928 Land situated in the Township of West Center in the County of Stanly in the State of NC Lying and being on the west side of U.S. Highway 52 and lying approximately 0.2 mile north of State Road 1908, and beginning at an old axle located in the west right-of-way line of U.S. Highway 52, which old axle is the southeast corner of property now or formerly owned by Roy Mills; and runs thence North 82 degrees 55 minutes 31 seconds West 525.00 feet to an existing iron rod; thence South 01 degrees 55 minutes 55 seconds West 100.00 feet to a new iron pipe; thence South 82 degrees 55 minutes 31 seconds East 525.00 feet to an existing iron rod located in the west rightof-way line of U.S. Highway 52; thence with said right-of-way line North 01 degrees 55 minutes 55 seconds East 100.00 feet to an old axle, the point of beginning, and containing 1.20 acres, according to plat entitled “Physical Survey for Steven L. Todd and Wife”, dated December 2, 1985 and prepared by T.W. Harris and Associates, Inc. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 16641 Highway 52 South, Norwood, North Carolina.

NOTE: The Company is prohibited from insuring the area or quantity of the land. The Company does not represent that any acreage or footage calculations are correct.

References to quantity are for identification purposes only.

Commonly known as: 16641 Highway 52 South, Norwood,

NC 28128-6518 The property address and tax parcel identification number listed are provided solely for informational purposes.

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

note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Judicial Center in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:00 PM on March 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Marshville in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Beginning at a point in the center line of Water Plant Road, a corner of Tommy B. Stegall (345/031) and goes thence S. 78-24-01 W. 447.70 feet to a found iron; thence N. 18-0626 W. 100.54 feet to a found iron; thence N. 77-50-00 E. 458.62 feet to a point in the center line of Water Plant Road; thence along and with said road S. 11-52-24 E. 104.43 feet to the point and place of beginning of this description and containing 1.063 acres, more or less, according to a survey

by Carroll L. Rushing, NCRLS, dated October 24, 1996, to which survey reference is hereby made for a more complete description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 212 Marshville Waterplant Road, Marshville, North Carolina.

Being the identical property as conveyed to Joan M. Vargas and wife, Maria Valdes on 6/7/2006, in Book 4188, Page

312 in the Union County Public Registry. PIN: 02052004 212 Marshville Waterplant Rd Marshville NC 28103 Being the identical property as conveyed to Randall A. Horne and wife, Iris B. Horne on 4/7/2003 in Book 3021, Page 134 in the Union County Public 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.

at 1:00 PM on March 31, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Waxhaw in the County of Union, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot #6, Shannon Ranchettes, as shown on plat recorded in Plat Book 6, Page 74 Union County Registry.

Subject, however, to restrictions on such property recorded in Book 236, Page 770, of the Union County Registry.

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1823 Shannon Road, Waxhaw, 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.

courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on April 5, 2022 at 12:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Union 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.

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.

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.

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,

File No.: 12-05849-FC01

Being all of Lot 50 in the Potters Trace Subdivision (The Subdivision), Phase II, as shown on a map thereof recorded in Plat Cabinet G, File 842, of the Union County, North Carolina Public Registry, Reference to which maps are hereby made and incorporated herein.

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

Said property is commonly known as 818 Circle Trace Road, Monroe, NC 28112.

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

Having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of June N. Thompson (Wake 22-E-1124), late of Wake County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on

OF TRUST EXECUTED BY ROBERT D. HIBBARD AND MICHELLE A. HIBBARD DATED AUGUST 24, 2013 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 15421 AT PAGE 1202 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA A M H J H J G K H M H J B L F P H L B J G K ALMCPLMCHFIOLEHMLHPHNK AMOJODMHGAAJDMDBLJPGCK ALIPDLJGPFLNPFDFHCLODK ALPGAAHNGKIIFAIJCAFICK DLLDLLDLLDLDLLDLLLLDDL NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on April 8, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of

Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on April 4, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a new iron pipe set in the northern right of way line of Marsh Creek Road, said pipe being North 54 deg.

15 min. 48 sec. East 139.4 feet from the centerline junction of Marsh Creek Road and Field Street; runs thence North 02 deg. 53 min. 54 sec. East 239.9 feet to an existing iron pipe; runs thence South 89 deg. 07 min. 08 sec. East 102.67 feet to an existing iron pipe; runs thence South 01 deg. 25 min. 51 sec. West 203.60 feet to a new iron pipe set in the northern right of way line of Marsh Creek Road; runs thence along said right of way line South 72 deg. 33 min. 05 sec. West 115.00 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, and being all of that 0.537 acre parcel as shown on map prepared

by Robert G. Williams, RLS, entitled “House Location for Harvey E. Crabtree and wife, Nancy W. Crabtree, City of Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina” dated 7-1097. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 4003 Marsh Creek Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.

real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNINGatastakeinthesoutheasternlineofSanderford Road, said stake being distant in a northeastern direction as measured along the southeastern line of Sanderford Road 105 feet from the point where the southeastern line of Sanderford Road begins to curve into Fox Trot Road, said stake also marking a common corner of Lots 158 and 159 as shown on map to which reference is hereinafter made; runs thence along the southeastern line of Sanderford Road North 22 degrees 46’ East 90 feet to a stake, a common corner of Lots 159 and 160; runs thence along the dividing line between Lots 159 and 160 South 67 degrees 14’ East 135 feet to a stake; runs thence South 22 degrees 46’ West 90 feet to a stake; runs thence North 67 degrees 14’ West 135 feet to the point of Beginning; and being Lot 159 of Foxfire Subdivision, Section 1, according to map recorded in Book of Maps 1969, Page 337, Wake County Registry. See survey by Triangle Engineering Assoc., Inc., dated March 20 1970. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2209 Sanderford Road, Raleigh, North Carolina.

WAKE COUNTY 10SP701 IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY VIVIAN C. SAMUEL DATED MARCH 29, 2006 AND RECORDED IN BOOK 11882 AT PAGE 1114 AND MODIFIED BY AGREEMENT RECORDED DECEMBER 3, 2007 IN BOOK 12859, PAGE 1022 IN THE WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Wake County courthouse at 11:00AM on April 1, 2022, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Wake County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed Vivian C. Samuel, dated March 29, 2006 to

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 Edward J. Harty and wife, Margaret L Harty.

or before the 25th day of June 2022 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This the 23rd day of March 2022.

Linda Faye Parker aka Linda Church Parker

Michael Ray Parker Executor/Administrator of the Estate of

Ford O. Arnett Jr. Executor of the Estate of June N. Thompson c/o Lisa M. Schreiner P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street

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: 3759 - 22253

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: 1277583 - 10756

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: 1263214 - 10618

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Aaron B. Anderson Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5710 Oleander Drive, Ste. 204 Wilmington, NC 28403 Phone: (910) 202-2940 Fax: (910) 202 2941

Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 3/23/2022, 3/30/2022, 4/6/2022 and 4/13/2022)

Trust executed Robert D. Hibbard and Michelle A. Hibbard, dated August 24, 2013 to secure the original principal amount of $143,775.00, and recorded in Book 15421 at Page 1202 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 816 Laurens Way, Knightdale, NC 27545 Tax Parcel ID: 0314348 Present Record Owners: D. Robert Hibbard and Michelle A. Hibbard The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Robert D. Hibbard and Michelle A. Hibbard.

The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or

authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

Property Address: 4003 Marsh Creek Road, Raleigh, NC 27604

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 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

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

secure the original principal amount of $301,500.00, and recorded in Book 11882 at Page 1114 of the Wake County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.

Address of property: 10313 Ray Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613 Tax Parcel ID: 0110314 Present Record Owners: Vivian C. Samuel The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Vivian C. Samuel.

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

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

of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure.

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

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 March 7, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 Posted: By: 21-111758

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: 1679 - 3088

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: 1237101 - 15779

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 February 18, 2022.

Attorney for the Substitute Trustee 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 10-000550

B12

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

pen & paper pursuits

sudoku

solutions From March 16, 2022

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 4 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 | RANDOLPHRECORD.COM

THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF THE NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Randolph record

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Tag out

Asheboro’s Gage Miller applies a tag on Randleman’s Bryson Sweatt at third base during last week’s baseball game in Asheboro. Randleman won, 9-1.

COUNTY NEWS New York Times confirms legitimacy of Hunter Biden laptop After dismissing the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020 a “Russian disinformation,” the New York Times has confirmed the authenticity of the laptop and the communications contained in it. The newspaper examined emails between Biden, Devon Archer, and others which the Times said “appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Mr. Biden in a Delaware repair shop.”

The New York Post, which broke the laptop story, saw its Twitter account suspended in October 2020 shortly after it published the story. Twitter lifted the ban after weeks-long battle.

County saw 70 COVID cases in last week Randolph County continues to see low levels of COVID-19 cases with just 70 positive cases last week, according to CDC data.

Over 2,700 people were tested for COVID during that same period yielding a positivity rate of 2.55%.

Counties across North Carolina and the national are seeing low numbers of cases. Over 52% of the adult population in Randolph County is fully vaccinated. As the number of cases wanes, many cities across the U.S. are dropping vaccine mandates. The Randolph County Health Department has open availability at its vaccine clinics. The health department is not offering the Johnson & Johnson vaccine but is offering Pfizer and Moderna options.

Asheboro baby gets heart transplant Duke University doctors say a baby is thriving after a first-ofits-kind heart transplant — one that came with a bonus technique to try to help prevent rejection of the new organ. Easton Sinnamon of Asheboro, received his unique transplant last summer when he was 6 months old. But Duke waited to announce it until this month after doctors learned the specially processed thymus implants appear to be functioning like they’d hoped — producing immune cells that don’t treat the tot’s new heart like foreign tissue. The thymus plays a critical role in building the immune system. Doctors have wondered if implanting some thymus tissue that matched a donated organ might help it survive without the recipient needing toxic antirejection medicines.

A menu for success Restaurant neighbors feed need to help each other

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record ASHEBORO — A couple of Sunset Avenue eateries have bonded rather than competed.

It’s working out well.

When The Bun Hut was to open earlier this month, staffing shortages were a concern. Just down the street, Nannie Mae’s Café & Bakery owner Katherine Stroud was ready to help.

On the day of the Bun Hut’s opening, Stroud closed her business to lend a hand.

“We know how stressful it is when you’re just opening and we wanted them to be able to get going,” Stroud said. “Everything always goes slower than anticipated. He said things were ready, but we knew they needed some help.”

Kermit Raymond Mackey of The Bun Hut appreciated that.

“It was a good help for the first day because we needed that push,” Mackey said.

Days after his restaurant began serving, Mackey was spending some time in the mid-afternoon sipping coffee at Nannie Mae’s.

“Everybody lends a hand,” Mackey said. “That’s the important thing.”

Stroud got to know Mackey, who’s known as “Chef Ray,” in

the weeks before The Bun Hut opened because he frequented her café as a stop for coffee.

So she was aware of the staffing concerns that persisted for the soon-to-open restaurant.

“We moved here (from New Bern) because we wanted to be part of a community,” Stroud said. “They desperately needed to open.”

Stroud had been a chef at a golf course for a dozen years before relocating. She had gone through the anxiety of starting something new when her establishment opened in November.

At first, she intended to close Nannie’s Café early on March 5 to assist The Bun Hut. Eventually, she decided to not open the café at all that day. Five of her employees went to help their new neighbors, taking along coffee.

“We decided to close up and come on over,” Stroud said. “I saw their menu and everything looked amazing.”

The Bun Hut, which offers food and cocktails while specializing in Caribbean-Asian dishes, is open five days a week – closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Finding enough staff remains an ongoing challenge.

“You have a lot of people just looking for a second job, but if they have a (full-time) job they can’t be flexible,” Mackey said.

The Bun Hut is encouraging reservations to help anticipate the busy times and to guide din-

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

The Bun Hut has received some assistance from a neighboring eatery as it opened for business this month. ers on when might be best times to visit, particularly as the staffing has been uneven.

“We don’t want to have issues with service,” Mackey said.

He said Stroud has “always got a smile on” and been encouraging, so it’s more than providing the extra manpower.

“We want everyone to succeed

and thrive,” Stroud said. “We want to make our part of the world a little better.”

And if diners experienced a longer-than-expected wait on an initial visit to The Bun Hut, it might be worth going for another meal.

“Please go back and try it again,” Stroud said.

Joint investigation yields fentanyl, meth charges Chatham and Randolph sheriffs’ offices worked together on major bust

Randolph Record staff ARCHDALE — An investigation by the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office resulted in a sizeable drug bust last week. Deputies who were part of the Vice and Narcotics Division collected “a trafficking amount” of fentanyl and methamphetamine from a Spencer Road home. Firearms and drug paraphernalia were also seized.

The haul of drugs included: 1.7 pounds of Fentanyl and nearly a pound of methamphetamine.

Deputies also seized bath salts and steroids.

The investigation began at the home of Donald Robert Lynch lo-

cated on Spencer Rd. in Archdale.

After Randolph County deputies executed a search warrant at the home, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a business in Bennett that was operated by Lynch.

Lynch was arrested and charged with felony possession of a firearm by a felon, trafficking in heroin, felony possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a scheduled II substance and several misdemeanors. He also was charged with various drug-related offenses in Chatham County.

He was initially taken to the Randolph County Jail and given a $150,000 secured bond plus electronic house arrest.

Lynch’s next court date is March 23 in Randolph County and he is scheduled for an appearance on March 30 in Chatham County District Court.

RANDOLPH COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Donald Robert Lynch.

5

20177 52016 $1.00

8

Randolph Record for Wednesday, July 21, 2021

2 22

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022 Randolph Record for Wednesday, July 7, 2021

WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY

7.21.21 7.7.21 3.23.22 #3

WEEKLY FORECAST WEEKLY FORECAST

Randolph

#1

WEDNESDAY

WEDNESDAY

JULY JUNE 30 21

HI HI

88° HI 70° 67° LO 91°

THURSDAY

THURSDAY

JULY 1JULY 22 HI 91° LO 70°

LO LO PRECIP 15% PRECIP15% 13% PRECIPPRECIP

“Join the “Join the “Join the conversation” conversation”

conversation”

FRIDAY

JULY 2

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

JULY 23 JULY 3

88° HI LO 67°

HI78° 66° LO

HI89° LO68°

PRECIP 5%

57% PRECIP

PRECIP 20%

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

JULY 24 JULY 4

81°HI 62°LO

HI

86° 84° 69° 62°

SUNDAY

MONDAY

JULY 25 5 JULY

HI HI LO LO

86° 88° 65° 69°

LO 43% PRECIP 32% 17% PRECIPPRECIP 24% 24% PRECIP

RANDOLPH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Guide MONDAY TUESDAY

JULY JULY 26 6

TUESDAY

JULY 27

The Randolph HI 87° GuideHIis HI 89° a LO quick look at what’s LO 67° 69° LO PRECIP going on in24% Randolph PRECIP 24% PRECIP County.

88° 69° 24%

March 25 Lincoln Day Dinner

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

Publisher Publisher Xxx

Neal NealRobbins Robbins Sports Editor Cory Lavalette Editor Editor

Matt Mercer Matt Mercer Senior Opinion Editor Frank Hill Sports Editor Sports Editor

Design Editor Cory Lavalette Cory Lavalette Lauren Rose

Senior Opinion Opinion Editor Editor Senior

Published Frank Hill each Wednesday by Frank Hill North State Media LLC

Design Editor 1550 N.C. Hwy 24/27 W, Design Editor

Lauren Rose Albemarle, Lauren RoseN.C. 28001 Published each Wednesday Published each Wednesday by(704) North State Media, LLC 269-8461

by North State Media, LLC 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. INFO@STANLYJOURNAL.COM 3101 Industrial Dr., Suite 105 Suite 300 STANLYJOURNAL.COM Raleigh, 27609 Raleigh,N.C. NC 27607 TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461 orSUBSCRIBE: online at nsjonline.com TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461 TO 704-269-8461 oronline online at at nsjonline.com nsjonline.com or Annual Subscription Price: $50.00

Annual Subscription Price: $50.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, Annual Subscription Price: $50.00N.C. and at additional mailing offices.

PeriodicalsPostage Postage Paid Paid at Periodicals at Raleigh, Raleigh,N.C. N.C. POSTMASTER: and atadditional additional mailing mailing offices. and at Stanly County Journal offices.

1550 N.C. Hwy 24/27 W, POSTMASTER: POSTMASTER: Albemarle, N.C. 28001.

Send address changes Send address changes to: North State Journal to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. 3101 Industrial Dr., Suite 105 Suite 300 Raleigh, N.C. 27609 Raleigh, NC 27607

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 MAR 23

♦ Jonathan Edward Ferree, 50, of Black Mountain, formerly of Asheboro, died July 11, 2021.

HI 70

♦ Mildred Mae Cozart Poole, LOW 59 age 85, of Asheboro, died July PRECIP 87% See OBITS, page 7 9, 2021.

THURSDAY MAR 24 See OBITS, page 7

HI 66 LOW 43 PRECIP 49%

RCC pushes more MEETfor THE STAFFstudents as numbers lag 6pm

The annual Republican fundraising dinner will

By Bob Sutton be held at AVS Banquet sion, there’s enrollment of 915. before those classes start.

Randolph Record Williams said there’s an ef- That’s off slightly from the usual Center in Asheboro.

“There fort to bolster enrollment. He cit- number that ranges up to 1,000, Tickets canhas be never been a PHOTO COURTESY MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER ASHEBORO — Enrollment ed the RCC Commitment Grant, Williams said. better opportunity purchased at the GOP to attend Children participate in an escape event at UNC during N.C. ScienceTraditional Festival enrollment numa program designed as the a funding at Randolph Community Col-room headquarters on have Sunset to worry on April 2018. lege isn’t15, likely to bounce back to mechanism to fill the gap that’s bers have flattened, but it’s the RCC and not Avenue in Asheboro. pre-pandemic levels right away not covered by federal or state aid number of high school students about how to pay for it.”

PJ Ward-Brown Matt Lauren Frank Coryto students. in programs designed for dual endespite a school official pointing lege will host anthat eventhas titled “Derollment dropped, “There has never been a betout unprecedented financial insigner Genes” on Wednesday, “We’re just not seeing the level RCC president Dr. Robert ter opportunity to attend RCC centives for potential students.

Who is “Editor?”

April 6, from 11am to 1pm in the Chad Williams, vice president and not have to worry about how of engagement that we had seen,” March Shackleford26 Jr.

Zoo will host threeday science festival

Student Center on the said.

Dr. Williams for student services at RCC, said a to pay for it,” RCC president Dempsey PinehurstRCC campus.

Kristin Chenoweth: For held Participants a one-week break decline in high school students in Robert Shackleford Jr. said. “We will experience multiple earlier this month handsamid the sumdual enrollment has been the big- meet students exactly where they the Girls on activity stations to engage are and help them go as far as they mer semester, which began May gest reason for a dip. in learning about DNA, cellular 7pm 24 and concludes July 26. Late “Overall, we’re still seeing a de- can possibly go.” um, the festival is celebrating its components, organismal genetRandolph Record staff registration for the fall semester Beginning in with the fall semescline in enrollment comparing to12th anniversary 2022. With a ic make-up, viruses, gene editing Emmy and Tony runs through Aug. organ10, with classter, focus qualifying full-time students previous years—prior to the pan-strong and genetically modified on science, technolASHEBORO A month-long Award winning actress es beginningmay Aug.post 16. rebe eligible up tothe $1,000 demic,” Williams said. don’togy,will isms. Participants engineering andformath, celebration of science will“I inStill dealing with adjustments per semester. knowan if we’ll to numbers we’vefestival and singer Kristin what they learned on showcases the economic, flections on clude eventget at the North Carbecause theeach coronavirus That and makes attending seen in previous fallThe semesters. a Genemade Graffiti Boardofand cultural impact RCC olina Zoo in April.

North …educational, Chenoweth’s career pandemic, all 2021 fall semesthe most enticing from a finanWe’re reaching to every will receive a Genenot Passport. in North Carolina.

Carolina Science out Festival pres-stu-of science spans film, television, terCreek classes will be in person. cialtheme standpoint in thefesti16 yearsTown dentevents we canacross in every can.” The Indian Mound is Some of this year’s ents theway stateweand voiceover and stage. a hybrid has been at the school, fall Asheboro semester at two-year hostingwill the use “Statewide Starmodel Par- with a is “Engineering Tomorrow”— thisAyear willthe host the val Williams Chenoweth has been mixture of happen face-to-faces he said. He previously workedty.” inThis school in“Tinkering Asheborofor would oftena celebration event will in two sessions of the “E” in STEM three-day Tomorandevents virtual Many classfinancial aid office. have experience 2,600 to 3,000 nominated for two onsessions.

April 9. The chance to explore how sci- separate row” at thestudents Kidzoneen-andRCC’s provide with — students from 10am to options “There’s never better timedaytime to es event help solve thea challengrolled.

At the beginning of thisence can at the zoo.

Emmy Awards and for a 3pm — activities The event runs April 1 through onincludes how to attend andthat participate, go back to college,” he said. week, that number stood at aboutes ahead.

People’s Choice Award help participants better undercontinue be amazed by sesApril from 10am to 2pm.

Williams said. the current summer 1,900 3with about a month to go “WeFor for her role on “Glee.”

During the festival, theLOG zoo will the incredible work our partners stand the University and celeWEEKLY CRIME In 2009, she wrote provide fun places where craft are doing to celebrate science,” brates the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

The says Jonathan Frederick, the supplies, and recycled items are an upliftingly candid, ♦ Williams, Denishia Lorren available create solutions to Festival’s Director. “From story- nighttime event starts at 7:30pm (B /F/30) to Arrest on chrg of comedic chronicle of WEEKLY CRIME science problems.

There is no telling at events at local libraries and provides a guided tour of the 1) Pwimsd Marijuana (F), 2) LOG her life so far, “A Little additional charge for theCsactivi- to nighttime skywatching extrav- night sky, including sky lore from Maintain Veh/dwell/place Bit Wicked,” which cultures around the world.

Paraganzas, there really is someties. (f) (F), 3) Possess X ♦ Whitehead, Salisbury St, ondebuted on charge of Resisting ticipants176 ♦ The Boggs, Matthew Harrison (M, 39),thing Arrest areE. encouraged to Asheboro, bring for everyone. festival features hundreds on the George New Alan (M, 52), lawn chairs and binoculars.

Arrest on charge of Misdemeanor Other nearby events include 07/13/2021.

Public Officer, 321 Kings Ridge Rd, of Arrest community events and is the on charge of Misdemeanor York Times Hardcover There is no cost to participate events based on other first statewide science Possession of Schedule IV CS, Randleman, on 07/14/2021.

Larceny, at 2587 Waynefestival White Rd,hands-on Best Seller ♦ Millikan, Wayne (M, 33), Non-Fiction in the event and Bobby the public is inin Pleasant the United States.

Founded science themes.

Possession of Stolen motor Garden, on 07/14/2021. availableuse at of a dealer Arrest on charge of Assault on a List. Tickets ♦ Hazelwood, Elizabeth (F,Col44), vited to attend.

Sandhills Community in 2010 by Morehead Planetarivehicle, imporoper ♦ Bolton McKee, James Henry (M, 47), Arrest on charge of Possession of Stolen Goods, at 6469 Clyde King Rd, Seagrove, WEEKLY CRIME LOGon 07/15/2021.

Arrest on chage of Misdemeanor Larceny, at Hoover Hill Rd/Slick Rodk Mtn, on 07/14/2021.

Female, at 8300 Curtis Power Rd, sandhillsbpac.com. tag, failure to deliver title, failure to Bennett, NC, on 07/14/2021. appear on felony, at I-85 Exit 111,

on 07/13/2021. ♦ Passmore, Casey Lynn, Arrest on charge of possession of marijuana ♦ Cheek, Helenia Spinks (F, 64), ♦ Lynch, Detrick Lamont (M, 40), up to 1/2 oz., at Randolph Arrest on charge of Misdemeanor Arrest on charge of Assault by 13. counts), on 3/16/22, at 353 VI CS, Rd Lot Courthouse, ♦♦Beane, Dylan on 7/13/2021.

Possession of Schedule Pugh, Christopher Robert Daniel (M, 39), GOP Primary pointing a gun, Discharging a Hoover Hill Rd. of Stolen Motor (M, 23), on Arrested Possessiong Arrest chargeon ofcharge Simple Candidate firearmDebate to cause fear, Reckless ♦ Fields, Mary Star (F, 41), of Breaking or Entering, on ♦ Roark, Justin Steven (M, 30), Vehicle, at I-85 Exit(M, 111, on Assault (M), at 139 Drum St, driving to endanger, Seagrove, on Arrested on charge of Assault ♦ Stanley, Ethan Wayne 3/16/22, at 2662 Bethel Lucas Arrest on charge of Possession 7pm 07/13/2021.

Asheboro, on 07/14/2021. and Battery, Injury to Personal 31), Arrested on charge 07/12/2021.

Rd. of Meth, Possession with intent Property, on 3/15/22, at 9249 of Misdemeanor Larceny, to manufacture, sell or distributeThe North Journal ♦ McQueen, James Allen Jr (M, 35), ♦ Richardson, Erwin Quint Jr (M, ♦ Helms,State Chad Lee (M, 37), Arrest Archdale Rd. Possession of Stolen Goods, ♦ Hiatt, Tony Eugene (M, 35), heroin, Simple possession of Arrest on charge of Possession 31), Arrest on charges of Felony will host a candidate on charge of Felony Sexual Second Degree Trespass, on Arrested on charge of Felony Schedule II, III, IV(M, CS, Maintainingdebate of Marijuana up to 1/2 oz., Larceny(2and Possession of Stolen 3/16/22, ♦ Hussey, Tommy Colon for the GOP Exploitation of a minor in the at Beckerdite/Sawyer.

Larceny counts), Possession Place, Possession of Drug Possession of drug paraphernalia, Goods, at 5471 Needhams Trail, 45), Arrested on charge of second degree (10 counts), 727 of Stolen Goods (2 counts), on primary candidates Paraphernalia, at 1029on High Point Failure to appeal on felony, failurePossession Seagrove, 07/14/2021. of Stolen Goods, ♦ Williamson, Hailey Nicole (F, 19), McDowellCounty Rd, Asheboro, NC, on 3/16/22, at on 1035 Macon St. for Randolph Arrested on charge of Simple at 3/15/22, Rd,at onRCJ. 7/13/2021. to appear on misdemeanor, 07/12/2021.

Sheriff and Randolph Seibert, Michael Sarah Elizabeth Assault, on 3/16/22, at 1748 ♦♦Kennedy, Allen (M,(F, 32), ♦ Lynch, Donald Robert (M, County Commissioners.

Back Creek Ct. 73), Arrested on charge of 36), Arrested on charge Assault on a Female, Assault by The event will take of Possession of Firearm ♦ Craven, Justin O’Neil (M, 38), Pointing a Gun, on 3/16/22, at place at the Sunset

by Felon, Trafficking in Arrested on charge of Larceny 3595 Meadowbrook Dr. Avenue Church of God. Methamphetamine, Trafficking of Motor Vehicle, Possession Tickets are available Opium or Heroin (2 counts), Stolen Motor Vehicle, on ♦ Ortiz, Leobardo Rodriguez PWIMSD Schedule II CS (2 3/15/22, at 905 Kenmore Dr. (M, 37), Arrested on charge free of charge at www. counts), Maintain Place CS, of Assault on a Female, on randolphrecord.com/ ♦ Duncan, Charles Dwayne PWISD Marijuana, Simple 3/16/22, at RCJ. debate.

(M, 40), Arrested on charge Possession Schedule III ple cheering over him, or booing of Misdemeanor Larceny, ♦ Ramirez, Corina (F, 34), CS, Possessiong of Drug over him or going into different Possession of Stolen Goods, on Arrested on charge of False Paraphernalia, on 3/15/22, at directions over him,” have benefit3/15/22, at 615 Mr Sheppard Report to Police Station (2 2960 Spencer Rd.

March 28

WWE leaves virtual reality behind in 1st tour since 2020 FRIDAY MAR 25

By Dan Gelston The Associated Press

HI 63 LOW 35 PHILADELPHIA — Triple H walked with his arms crossed PRECIP 10% like

ed, Levesque April 2 said. “But that’s the beauty of what we do, to go be en-

Randolph Freedom tertained, however you want to an X — his signature Degenerabe entertained.

As a performer, tion X symbol — with his 7-foot Rally sometimes that’s difficult.” tag-team partner, Joel Embiid, to DEATH NOTICES SATURDAY 26month 6pm WWE’s July 5 “RAW” on USA ring a ceremonialMAR bell last Network hit 1.472 million viewers, before a Philadelphia 76ers play- ♦ Ann Kirkman Dowdy, 82, of ♦ Seth Ray Foy, 29, of Asheboro, Pinehurst.

A fundraiser by year histhe lowest hosted in the 28-plus off game. died Sunday, March 13, 2022.

Sanford, died peacefully on the Randolph Young tory of the show. ♦ Michael Jefferson Hanes, 62, of His theme music blared Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at HI 58 Levesque, WWE EVP of glob♦ Denise Johnson, 65, of Seagrove, died Friday, March 18, through the arena, and nearRepublicans.

More Universal Healthcare in Ramesur.

LOW 35 al talent and strategy and developFayetteville, NC died at 2022, at Hinkle Hospice House in ly 19,000 fans hanging from the information tickets 10% ment, said the company would FirstHealth Hospice House in Lexington. rafters roaredPRECIP when the wrestler ♦ Marie Brady Cockman, 94, of at randolphrecord.com/ “take a hard look” at how it can West End, NC on Tuesday, March Silk Hope, died Monday March hoisted his bad-guy weapon-ofryrevent. ♦ Rev. Robert Elwood Garren, 87, attract more fans to the product 15, 2022. choice sledgehammer and struck 14, 2022. of Asheboro, died on Thursday, each week. WWE can only hope the bell.

SUNDAY MAR 27 ♦ Danny Creed Dunn, 54, died, March 17, 2022, after passing the combination of live crowds Sure, the setting wasn’t Wres- ♦ Betty Jean Wicker Cockman Friday, March 11, 2022. away at home, surrounded by died on Monday, March 14, 2022 and the return of box office attractleMania — though Triple H lost a family and friends that loved him. at the age of 85, at The Greens at tions such as Becky Lynch, Goldmatch in the same building when HI 58 berg, and Cena can ignite interest the event was held there in 1999 — Asheboro Easter and grow ratings Egg during the build but for the superstar-turned-exLOW 37 to the marquee Aug. 21 SummerHunt ecutive, the frenzied atmosphere PRECIP 1% Slam at the home of the Las Vewas a reminder of what WWE 10am-1pm gas Raiders. lost during the 16 months it ran “It never is one thing,” Levesque without live events and raucous The said. city “We of Asheboro MONDAY MAR 28 see this aswill a moment in crowds. host its annual Easter time to shift everything. I think “It was a fun opportunity to get in just the layout of evback into an arena packed full of Egg you’ll Huntsee at itBicentennial erything, the set designs, the way fans and have them go nuts,” said Park in downtown HI 28 PHOTO BY WILLY SANJUAN/INVISION/AP it’s presented.

There’s a greater Triple H, known these days as The egg LOW 43Levesque. In this Jan. 9, 2018, file photo, Paul “Triple H” Levesque participates in the “WWE Monday Night Asheboro. emphasis on utilizing the spacWWE executive Paul divided into age you have a birthday, wedding, engagement or other milestoneWinter Press huntesisthat PRECIP 1%there’s Raw:Do we have and the TV aspect “That adrenaline rush, 25th Anniversary” panel during the NBCUniversal Television Critics Association groups with 1-2 yearof it while still engaging the fans. nothing like it.”

Tourto in Pasadena, Calif. celebrate? Contact us at celebrations@randolphrecord.com. oldsAand 3-4 year-olds lot of that comes from the time WWE hasn’t been the same we had to experiment inside the without its “Yes!” chants or “This starting at 10am, 5-7 TUESDAY MAR 29 ThunderDome.” is Awe-some!” singsongs once the pay-per-view Sunday in Texas and former,” Reigns said. “As a live WWE then moved to its in-house year-olds at 11:30am and The first start is putting fans pandemic relegated the company Dallas on Monday for the flagship performer, that simultaneous re- performance center in Florida on 8-10 year-olds at 1pm. to running empty arena match- “Raw” TV show on USA. WWE sponse keeps you sharp. We had March 13, before setting up what — holding their homemade signs a HI with 69 a piped-in spruced up sets, brought back old to adjust and adapt to the times it dubbed The ThunderDome All and wearing receive their catchphrase -- participants es every week goody bag in addition to T-shirts — back in the seats. where fans registered for spots that were in front of us.” stars and hit the reset button on soundtrack and virtual fans.

LOW 54 “When have that live crowd, With Hulk Hogan in the house, on LED digital videoboards — for TV programming humbled with No more. PRECIP 23% the eggs theywefind.

With most American sports record-low ratings and a strong WWE held their only Wrestle- stretches in Florida at the Amway sometimes they almost become Mania with fans this past April Center, Tropicana Field and the the cameras for a lot of the perleagues settled in to their old rou- need for new stars. formers,” Reigns said. “But when “I do think if we were doing this 10 and 11 at Raymond James Sta- Yuengling Center. tines, WWE ditched its stopgap “People like Roman have been you don’t have that real-time, flesh home in Florida and resumed in front of the live crowd, it would dium. WWE last ran a weeknight touring last Friday night with have been a situation that would televised event with a paid crowd able to emotionally bring a per- interaction, the red light becomes “Smackdown” from Houston, a have made me an even better per- on March 9, 2020, in Washington. formance that, maybe with peo- the focal point for the performer.”

4” Ad

April 9

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

OPINION

3

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation

One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine underscores the vital importance of our own border security, energy security, and national security.

PRESIDENT REAGAN gave us this warning about the importance of protecting our homeland. Just last week, we heard a moving and passionate speech from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke before a joint session of Congress on the dire situation facing his own country’s security. In his remarks, this bold and courageous leader repeated his call for increased military aid.

While I do not support sending US troops into Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s harrowing speech reinforced my belief that we must do more to support Ukraine’s fight against Putin. The American Ammo in Defense of Ukraine Act, which I introduced earlier this month, will play an important part in this effort by cutting government red tape so that munitions donations from private citizens and manufacturers in the US can reach Ukraine faster.

Similarly, we should take steps to ensure that Ukraine is able to stop Russia’s heinous carpet bombing of civilian targets like churches, schools, and hospitals. We should provide Ukraine with every available defensive weapon possible, including anti-aircraft weaponry, as well as MiG fighter jets from our NATO partners. Replacing these jets with American F-16’s will not only strengthen our NATO allies, but also create jobs in America.

Ukraine should have every tool available to defend itself. However, I firmly believe our support should not include the enforcement of a nofly zone. This would require that American pilots confront and, in all likelihood, shoot down Russian aircraft. This would quickly escalate the conflict, leading to disastrous results, including possibly a nuclear war.

One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine underscores the vital importance of our own border security, energy security, and national security. Americans are being devastated by record fuel prices, yet Washington Democrats have continued to block efforts to promote energy independence. Just last week, they blocked for a third time my American Energy Independence from Russia Act that would boost our domestic energy production.

Instead, Democrats last week proposed numerous “alternative” solutions to addressing America’s energy crisis. These included shortterm gas rebates and “use it or lose it” regulations on American energy producers. These are Band-Aid solutions that would fail to address the root cause of the problem: the Left’s handicapping of the American

energy sector.

This is simply an issue of supply and demand. When demand is high and supply is low - in this case as a direct result of Biden’s policies - then prices go up. Washington Democrats must reverse their agenda and work to increase our supply with American sources of energy. This will help ensure American security, as well as end our dependence on foreign oil.

This ties into to another critical step for safeguarding our security: avoiding deals with the devil.

Last week, President Biden moved closer to finishing a new nuclear deal with Iran. It would be even more dangerous than President’s Obama’s Iran deal that President Trump rightly withdrew from in 2018. Under Biden’s new deal, numerous sanctions would be lifted and Iran would receive billions of dollars to better arm itself – all of this in exchange for fewer and shorter nuclear restrictions. What’s more – this deal would also increase China and Russia’s leverage in the region at our expense.

That’s why I co-sponsored the Maximum Pressure Act that will expand sanctions on Iran, restrict the President from unilaterally lifting these sanctions, and increase congressional oversight over them. Biden’s potential Iran deal severely undermines our security and congress must prevent it from being certified at all costs.

Finally, our national security depends on us securing our borders. Like inflation rates and record gas prices, the crisis at our border was created

by Biden’s policies and shows no signs of stopping. In total, over 2 million illegal migrants have already crossed our border in the last year. Officials predict this number could grow exponentially this year, as last month was the highest February on record in over two decades.

We need proven solutions to secure our border, including reinstating President Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy, maintaining Title 42 authority to protect our public health, and finishing the wall. We must also send a clear message around the globe: do not come to the United States illegally.

National security can never be taken for granted. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown the world this sad reality. Rest assured I will continue working to defend our allies while doing everything possible to protect our homeland.

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

The end of the climate change legend A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia.

For many years now, there has been a spirited debate about whether climate change is science, religion or even perhaps a secret route to socialism. That question remains unanswered, but we’ve now discovered with certainty that climate change is a political albatross around the neck of the Democratic Party.

The Left’s spiritual devotion to climate change has been speeding the Democrats over a political cliff this fall with likely unprecedented losses this November. The zero fossil fuels suicide pact was always an economic and political loser. More than 70% of all the energy we produce and consume in America derives from oil, gas and coal. President Joe Biden’s war on these fuel sources was sure to cause severe shortages and $5 a gallon gasoline at the pump. Didn’t Democrats learn their lesson in 1980 when Ronald Reagan won a landslide election against Jimmy Carter that surging inflation and gas prices is a surefire way to infuriate voters?

While Biden keeps saying he is doing “everything I can to lower gas prices,” he’s speaking out of both sides of his mouth — because if your goal is to get people to stop using something, raising its price is a pretty good way to accomplish that. If prices go to $10 or $15 a gallon, you can clear the highways of trucks and cars altogether ― and what a wonderful world it will be.

Democrats were so enamored with their Green New Deal delusion that they failed to understand that most people aren’t as hyperobsessed with climate change as they are. A new poll sponsored by my group, Committee to Unleash Prosperity, found that people are much more concerned about inflation and high gas prices than climate change. Moreover, the poll found that respondents’ average amount they would be willing to pay for the climate change agenda was $55 a year. Sorry, that’s the extra cost we are already spending with two fillups at the gas station.

Then there is the increasingly unavoidable reality that the green energy sources they fantasize about are decades away from being technologically feasible to replace old-fashioned oil, gas and coal.

Even the Energy Department predicts that even with the trend toward renewable energy, by 2035, we will still be heavily reliant on oil, gas and coal for electricity production, home heating and transportation fuels.

Elon Musk, the leading champion of electric cars, reminded Biden in a recent tweet that in the real world rather than in la-la land, we are going to need oil and gas for many years to come. Today 3% of cars on the road are electric, and 95% use gas or diesel.

This brings us to yet another fatal flaw of the climate change movement. The Biden administration and its radical green allies can’t explain why getting our energy from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia makes more sense than Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska.

This strategy is especially pinheaded because the war on oil, gas and coal production is a big loser for the environment and increases global greenhouse gas emissions. That is because America has the strictest environmental standards. Shifting oil and gas production to Russia or Iran and shifting coal production to China and India is causing far more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Chinese President Xi Jinping is busy trying to take over the world economy, and the last thing he or the ruling class in Beijing cares about is climate change.

Finally, Democrats should have learned from the green energy catastrophe of Western Europe. A decade ago, the French, Germans, Italians and others in the European Union moved to a renewable energy future. They slashed much of their oil, gas and coal production, shut down nuclear plants (why?) and subsidized the building of wind turbines and solar panels. It nearly bankrupted Germany as energy prices soared and factories left Europe for America and Asia. A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia. Europe recently redefined natural gas and nuclear power as “clean energy.”

Going green wrecked their economies and submerged these countries deeper into the red. Unfortunately, Americans weren’t paying any attention to that failed experiment. So now Biden is repeating it. The result is likely to be the same. The Democrats’ radical climate change agenda isn’t greening the planet, and it is bankrupting our country. Voters know exactly whom to blame.

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at Freedom Works. He is also author of the new book: “Govzilla: How The Relentless Growth of Government Is Devouring Our Economy.”

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

4

SPORTS SIDELINE REPORT MLS

Swiderski’s 2 goals helps Charlotte FC to first win Charlotte Charlotte FC, led by two goals from Karol Swiderski, beat the New England Revolution on Saturday by a score of 3-1 for the first win in franchise history.

Swiderski scored his first goal for Charlotte (1-3-0) in the sixth minute, assisted

by Alan Franco. He added a goal in the 57th minute, assisted by Benjamin Bender.

Charlotte also got one goal from Bender. Kristijan Kahlina saved five of the six shots he faced for Charlotte.

Charlotte hosts Cincinnati at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday.

NFL

Report: Winston agrees to return to Saints on 2-year deal New Orleans Free agent quarterback Jameis Winston has agreed to return to the New Orleans Saints, according to reports on Monday. Winston, who started seven games for New Orleans in 2021 before a season-ending knee injury, has agreed to a two-year contract. NFL Network first reported Winston’s deal, which is reportedly worth about $28 million.

The Saints went 5-2 in the games Winston, 28, started in 2021, although he played just two series in his seventh game before tearing knee ligaments when he was brought down by Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White during scramble.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Kansas State hires Baylor assistant Tang Kansas City, Mo. Kansas State hired Jerome Tang to be its next basketball coach Monday, entrusting a program that’s had plenty of recent success but fallen on hard times to one of the architects of Baylor’s rise to national prominence.

The Wildcats hired Tang to replace Bruce Weber two days after the top-seeded Bears were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by North Carolina in overtime.

Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor flew to Texas to meet with Tang on Sunday and the two sides finalized a six-year contract that will pay more than $14 million.

TENNIS

Boris Becker accused of hiding tennis trophies during trial London Former tennis champion Boris Becker went on trial Monday in London for allegedly concealing property — including nine trophies — from bankruptcy trustees and dodging his obligation to disclose financial information to settle his debts. Prosecutors said Becker, 54, “acted dishonestly” when he hid or failed to hand over assets before and after he was declared bankrupt in June 2017. He is on trial charged with 24 counts under insolvency laws. The assets include Grand Slam trophies and his 1992 Olympic gold medal. Becker is accused of concealing 1.13 million euros ($1.25 million) from the sale of a car dealership. He also allegedly failed to declare two German properties and hid a 825,000-euro bank loan.

JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO

William Byron beats Ross Chastain to the line to win Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta.

Byron wins wild race at remodeled Atlanta Five different drivers have won races to start the season

The Associated Press HAMPTON, Ga. — William Byron had a freight train in his rearview mirror. He was a sitting duck, it seemed. Fortunately for him, all those challengers started jostling against each other rather than working together to take down the leader.

While Byron cruised to the checkered flag for the third victory of his NASCAR Cup career, one last crash unfolded behind him Sunday in an appropriate finish to a chaotic, thrilling race at remodeled Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“Pretty wild,” the 24-year-old Byron said. “I’m out of breath. It was crazy.”

The track makeover — with new pavement and steeper banking — lived up to predictions of

frenzied pack racing at blistering speeds approaching those seen at Talladega and Daytona.

It was like a short-track race at a superspeedway.

There were 46 lead changes among an Atlanta-record 20 drivers, a traffic jam of tightly bunched cars that never got too far away from each other in a more than four-hour race, nine wrecks that took out several top contenders, and a bunch of smashed-up race cars to lug home.

“It’s difficult, it’s stressful, it’s a different type of racing,” said Rudy Fugle, the winner’s crew chief.

Bryon was leading off the final restart with 13 laps to go. Bubba Wallace briefly grabbed the top spot, only to have the No. 24 Rick Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet pass him right back.

Going for his second career victory, Wallace still seemed to be in the most enviable position, especially if he could get a helpful push for a slingshot on the final lap. But

“Everyone is kind of hanging on for dear life.”

Ryan Blaney on the tight racing at the new-look Atlanta everyone behind Byron started dueling for position, all of them wanting to put themselves in position to make the winning move.

That worked out perfectly for Byron, who pulled away to win by 0.145 seconds over Ross Chastain while the final wreck of the day sent four cars — including Wallace — spinning across the line.

“It’s tough to be the leader,” Fugle said. “We just had a lot of things go right for us.”

Wallace finished 13th. The remainder of the top five was Kurt Busch, Daniel Suárez, and Corey LaJoie in his best career showing.

In one last twist, Christopher Bell actually crossed the line sec-

ond, but NASCAR penalized him for dipping below the double white line on the backstretch of the last lap to get past Chastain.

Bell was dropped to 23rd.

Chastain made quite a comeback after blowing a tire early in the race while leading. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also blew a tire while running up front. Reigning series champion Kyle Larson, the front of his No. 5 Chevrolet patched with tape, had just surrendered the top spot when Denny Hamlin bumped him from behind, looking to give him a helpful push — only to send him into a spin that knocked them both out of the race.

“Everyone is kind of hanging on for dear life,” Ryan Blaney said during a caution period.

That summed things up perfectly.

The Cup Series heads to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for the first of six road races this season. Chase Elliott won the inaugural COTA race a year ago.

Rejuvenated Trubisky hoping for restart in Pittsburgh The former UNC quarterback will compete to be the Steelers’ starter

“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better.”

The Associated Press PITTSBURGH — When Mitch Trubisky hit the open market earlier this week, the former UNC quarterback had two simple requests: find a place where he’ll have a chance to start, preferably a team where “culture” isn’t an empty catchphrase but an entrenched part of the club’s firmament.

Enter Pittsburgh, which rushed to sign the 2017 second overall pick to a two-year contract this week, giving the 27-year-old a shot at replacing Ben Roethlisberger in the process.

There was no selling. Trubisky didn’t have to be sold.

“My goal throughout free agency was to find a way to get back on the field,” Trubisky said Thursday, just minutes after his deal with the Steelers became official.

“When an opportunity arose to play for coach (Mike) Tomlin and wear a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform, I was so excited. Now I’m ready to roll and get to it.”

More like, get back to it. Trubisky arrived in Chicago five years ago with the burden of massive expectations he struggled to shoulder during four wildly uneven seasons.

The Bears won games with him under center — his career record is a respectable 29-21 — but it was difficult to decipher at times

Mitch Trubisky

ADRIAN KRAUS | AP PHOTO

Former UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky signed a two-year contract with the Steelers that will give him a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement in January. whether Chicago succeeded because of him or in spite of him. A seemingly turbulent relationship with then-head coach Matt Nagy didn’t help.

Trubisky declined to get into specifics about his time with the Bears, describing it as a “learning experience.”

“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better,” he said. “So that’s what I’m hoping to do.”

Trubisky spent 2021 serving as the primary backup behind Josh Allen in Buffalo, which he called “a blessing in disguise,” and his description of his time with the Bills is telling of how things disintegrated in Chicago.

“I think I learned a lot,” he said.

“I was in a great organization, and the first thing that I really learned when (I got) to Buffalo is what a great culture feels like and I already feel like that here.”

Trubisky steps into the first true open quarterback competition in

Pittsburgh in a generation after Roethlisberger retired in January following an 18-year career that included a pair of Super Bowl titles, an appearance in another and a bust in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, all but assured.

Mason Rudolph is the most experienced incumbent, and outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert — who is stepping down after the draft — has made it a point to repeatedly stress the team is comfortable with Rudolph serving as the full-time starter.

Whether that happens likely depends on how quickly or how well Trubisky gets a grasp of Matt Canada’s offense.

The Steelers were average at best during Canada’s first season as offensive coordinator in 2021.

They are bringing him back for a second look and Trubisky’s mobility could give Canada the kind of flexibility the offense lacked with the stationary Roethlisberger.

“I’m looking forward to utilizing my dual-threat abilities ... using my legs running to buying more time or running for first downs,” Trubisky said.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

5 BEST OVERALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Emma Mazzarone Providence Grove, softball Mazzarone dominated in three games, notching the pitching victory in each of those games for Providence Grove.

She was extremely productive at the plate as well.

It began in a 10-0 whipping of host COURTESY PHOTO Jordan-Matthews, when the left-handed pitcher struck out 14 batters for her second nohitter in a row. She ripped two triples in that game.

In a 5-1 non-league victory against Chatham Central, Mazzarone fanned 17 from the circle.

At the plate, she homered.

She capped the week with nine strikeouts in three perfect innings of a 15-0 pounding of visiting Trinity in a game shortened by the mercy rule.

Mazzarone also contributed three runs batted in and a triple on offense in the Piedmont Athletic Conference game.

Through three weeks of the season, the Patriots held an 8-0 record, including a 3-0 PAC mark.

They had notched six shutouts.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Under control Southwestern Randolph’s Sadie Mabe controls the ball during Monday night’s 3-1 girls’ soccer victory at Providence Grove. Caroline Duvall (No. 10) and Rori Luther (No. 17) of Providence Grove wait for the next move.

Ward claims Late Models win in Caraway opener Randolph Record staff SOPHIA – There was a different driver in a certain Late Models car but a familiar name behind the wheel when Caraway Speedway’s points season opened Sunday. It began the 57th season at the track.

Third-generation driver Trevor Ward guided a car owned by former track champion Jay Hedgecock to the victory in the 60-lap race.

Ward led for about the last 40 laps after getting around pole sit-

ter Coy Beard, the 2020 champion who finished as the runner-up.

Tony Black was third, and reigning track champion Blaise Brinkley took fourth ahead of Daniel Schadt in the nine-car field.

On the Modifieds, the winner was Josh Lowder, who ended up ahead of Carson Loftin, Lee Jeffreys and Paul Hartwig Jr. In Mini Stocks, Chuck Wall prevailed after trading the lead with Tyler Bush during a riveting span. Adam Thomas ended up in third.

Enoch McNeil claimed the sea-

son-opening triumph in the Challenger class, topping a field of 17 entrants. Toby Layne was second and Jacob Brooks placed third.

There were also 17 cars in the UCARs event, with Josh Phillips finishing first ahead of Daniel Hughes, Steven Collins, Cory Rose and Troy Ring.

The Legends victory went to Landon Lewis ahead of Daniel Wilk.

Bryson Brinkley, a younger brother of Blaise Brinkley and son of multi-time track champion Brad Brinkley, was the Bandoleros winner, speeding ahead of Phoenyx Kimball, a Raleigh girl, and Bobby Gossett.

This week, the racing shifts to the normal slot on Saturday night. The main event is a 99-lap feature as the SMART Modified Tour visits.

MID-PIEDMONT WINTER ALL-STARS

Mid-Piedmont Conference all-conference Randolph Record staff

Here’s a list of the MidPiedmont Conference’s major award winners plus Asheboro’s all-conference selections for winter sports: BOYS’ BASKETBALL Player of the Year: Alex Reece (Ledford) Coach of the Year: Jason Anderson (Ledford) Asheboro: Hakeeme Butler, Tramir Martin

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL Player of the Year: Emily Hege (North Davidson) Coach of the Year: Kaitlyn Frazier (North Davidson)

BOYS’ SWIMMING PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Randleman’s Ryan White watches the ball as he strokes a hit in last week’s 9-1 baseball victory at Asheboro.

Swimmer of the Year: Connor Cayer (Central Davidson) Coach of the Year: Rachel Greene (Oak Grove)

County teams starting strong

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record WITH THE spring regular seasons about one-third of the way complete in many cases, several Randolph County teams began this week with unblemished records.

The group includes the Randleman baseball team, the Providence Grove softball team and the Wheatmore girls’ soccer team.

Randleman moved to 8-0 with some dominating baseball results. The Tigers have outscored opponents by a combined 87-7 score.

Providence Grove has had

similar success in softball. The Patriots rolled to 8-0 with a cumulative margin of 80-3.

Providence Grove could receive a stiff challenge in a home game Friday night against Eastern Randolph, which racked up 85 runs across its first eight games (going 6-2 during that stretch).

In soccer, Wheatmore was off to a 6-0-0 start. In those games, the Warriors scored a total of 48 goals without allowing a goal. The team’s leading goal scorer was Ellie Garrison with 17 goals.

Wheatmore’s closest game so far came in its second contest of the season in a 4-0 non-confer-

ence decision at Asheboro.

In boys’ tennis, Uwharrie Charter Academy prevailed in its first four Piedmont Athletic Conference matches.

Trinity’s Hodges jumps to record Dylan Hodges of Trinity set a meet record with a high jump of 6 feet, 4 inches in the 12th edition of the Mighty Viking Invitational at North Stokes.

Hodges, a junior, ended up with a 4-inch victory on runner-up Demaree Clark of Fayetteville Christian School in Saturday’s meet.

Hodges was in an elite cate-

gory. His effort resulted in one of only two records set Saturday in competition that included entrants from 13 boys’ teams and 18 girls’ teams.

Trinity placed third in the boys’ standings with 69 points, behind only Greensboro Dudley (130) and Winston-Salem Reynolds (87).

Former football coach dies Paul Gay, a member of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association’s Hall of Fame, died last week at age 90.

He’s a former football coach at Sanford Central (now called Lee County).

Gay’s teams racked up a 17775-10 record with Sanford from 1960-85. The team won a state championship in 1977. The stadium at Lee County is named after Gay.

GIRLS’ SWIMMING Swimmer of the Year: Jenna Koh (Ledford) Coach of the Year: Rachel Greene (Oak Grove) Asheboro: Maci Columbia, Flona Wolfe-Roberts.

WRESTLING Wrestler of the Year: Ian Murdock (North Davidson) Coach of the Year: Wes Berrier (Asheboro) Asheboro: Michael Brady, Yu Chen, Diego Gutierrez, Logan Lambeth, Luke Lambeth, Alex Patino, Xavier Santos, Eduardo Soto-Canas, Arhman Tyson.

e l t e -

e h o t k h d t o d

r

s s -

f a -

d t s y f

n a n d p d s -

’

e e , a s e

t n e s -

s e d e e -

h -

e d s -

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

6

Farming and food prices

By Blake Szilvay For the Randolph Record ASHEBORO — American consumers have noticed the impact of inflation at checkout counters over the past few months. The current inflationary trend is expected to continue in the coming months. A war in Ukraine has been blamed recently for the rise in prices for many items, including groceries, which are impacted by skyrocketing fuel prices.

Farmers were predicting these inflated prices well before they were seen in grocery stores. Looking back to October 2021, farmers were starting to wrap up a record crop and had already begun shopping for inputs for their 2022 crop.

That year’s success was quickly met with the reality that many of the critical supplies they need

for the next crop were either significantly more expensive, or not available at all.

Nitrogen fertilizer is one of the agricultural inputs seeing high demand coupled with high prices. Nitrogen is needed on most crops, hay fields and pastures at quantities anywhere around 50200 pounds per acre, depending on what is being grown. China is a major source of U.S. fertilizer, so when they shut down exports of fertilizer in 2021, the prices skyrocketed overnight.

The process of making nitrogen fertilizer uses a lot of energy and fuel, so any increase in natural gas affects nitrogen significantly. Struggling to find any other options, many farmers were left with fertilizer bills that were double what they were in the past, and for a crop they wouldn’t harvest for

another year in some cases.

On a global scale, despite decent yields in the U.S. last year, many countries are lacking the supply of grain they need to keep up with their current demand, causing the price of grain to increase.

Over 1,300 farmers call Randolph County home and they provide over $2 million in direct-to-consumer sales each year.

Buying directly from local farmers is great way to put money back into our local economy and to support local agriculture. With so many factors working against them, farmers are continuing to take on the financial risk in order to make sure the U.S. continues to be self-sufficient for its food.

Blake Szilvay is a Field Crops and Forestry extension agent with the N.C. State Cooperative Extension Service.

AP PHOTO

Ray Carter, left, and Bobbie Carter right, shop at the new Homeland grocery store, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021, in Oklahoma City.

City announces Starbucks likely coming to Albemarle

By David Larson Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE — On Friday, March 18, the City of Albemarle announced via its social media pages that Starbucks could be coming to the area soon. The post was shared almost 450 times just on Facebook, showing a lot of interest in the possibility of a new location for the coffee giant in Stanly County’s biggest city.

“A new Starbucks location could be coming soon to Albemarle!” the city’s announcement said.

According to the statement, they are still reviewing the proposed plans, but the enthusiastic announcement suggests they are likely to approve the plans if there are no major issues. The proposal for the Seattle, Washington-based coffee chain’s shop would include a “2,505 square foot stand-alone building.”

As far as the location, the city said it will be located next to Biscuitville on N.C. Highway 24.

There are already a lot of national chains along the strip, including Zaxby’s, Applebee’s, Hardee’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Dunkin, Bojangle’s, Arby’s and KFC. In fact, among the morethan-400 comments on the post were many concerns about there being too much traffic already along that stretch of highway southeast of town. Others suggested there was not enough activity in other areas, especially along Highway 52 just west of town and that more needed to be built there.

The city also made clear in the

FILE PHOTO

announcement that “Commercial retail development is just one part of the City’s economic development strategy,” adding that their development strat-

egy also includes “Encouraging entrepreneurial opportunities in the downtown (small businesses)” and “Recruiting commercial industrial development (Albe-

marle Business Center).”

Just over a year ago, in January 2021, there was similar buzz about a Starbucks coming to Locust, which would have been the

s .

Kenny J Kidd

IRT-1948J-A

Financial Advisor 211 Worth St Asheboro, NC 27203-5557 336-328-0416

edwardjones.com

Member SIPC

county’s first location for the coffee chain. Assuming both locations get completed, the county could soon have two Starbucks for residents to enjoy.

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

7

obituaries

Tony Leo Asbill

1940 - 2022 Tony Leo Asbill, age 81, of Asheboro passed away on Thursday, March 17, 2022 at the Randolph Hospice House.

Mr. Asbill was born in Montgomery County on March 24, 1940 to Charles and Josie Yarboro Asbill. Tony served his country in the U.S. Army. He was formerly employed with AVS and retired as a salesman with the Lance Corporation after 34 years of service. Following his retirement, Tony returned to work at AVS. Tony was a former member of Rushwood Park Wesleyan Church. In addition to his parents, Tony was preceded in death by his sisters, Joyce Allen and Gay Faulkner. In his spare time, he enjoyed working on cars, fishing, and collecting Lance memorabilia.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Evelyn Owens Asbill; sons, Brian Asbill (Tracey) of Cary and Craig Asbill of Charlotte; grandchildren, Matthew, Katie, and Eleri; and brother, Marion Asbill (Ann) of Asheboro.

William “Bill” Ballentine

2

1934 - 2022 Nancy Hilda Pickrel Ward, 87, of Asheboro, passed away on March 17, 2022.

She was born on October 27, 1934 in Washington, DC to R. W. and Roxie Pickrel. Mrs. Ward married James Lewis Ward on June 18, 1954. He preceded her in death on September 22, 2020. She lived most of her life in High Point where she attended school and graduated from High Point Central High in 1952. Mrs. Ward retired after 32 years of working in accounting with furniture manufacturers and CPA firms.

She served on the Randolph County Board of Election for six years and volunteered for several organizations.

Mrs. Ward is survived by her son, Dale Ward and wife Angie of Denton; grandsons, Chase L. Ward and wife Canaan of Myrtle Beach, SC, Taylor M. Ward and wife Rachel of High Point; brother, Willard J. Pickrel and wife Jeanne of Inverness, FL; great grandchildren, Aidan S. Ward of Myrtle Beach, SC, Isla Anne Ward and Fisher R. Ward of High Point.

Judy Dail Bulla Garner

1948 - 2022 Mrs. Judy Dail Bulla Garner, 74, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2022 at Randolph Hospice Home.

Judy was born February 28, 1948 in Randolph County to J.D. and Lois Bulla. A 1966 graduate of Asheboro High School, she worked for several years for Moore-Gardner and Associates. Although she faced many challenges after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1987, she continued to keep an upbeat attitude and sense of humor.

In addition to her parents, Judy was preceded in death by her brother, Joseph Douglas Bulla.

Judy is survived by her beloved husband of 49 years, Jimmy R. Garner; daughters, Kasey Beal and husband Mickey and Kelly Garner and fiancé Jeff Hogan; bonus daughter, Lisa Newton; grandchildren, Ainsley Hancock and Ava Hancock, Riley Newton, Reggie Anne Haynes, Cecily Beal, Nicholas Beal and wife Brodie, Trinity Hogan and Alex Hogan; sister, Barbara Heavner and husband David; brother, Steve Bulla; and several other extended family members and friends.

Larry Wayne Nelson

1951 - 2022 Larry Wayne Nelson, age 71, of Trinity passed away on Wednesday, March 16, 2022 at High Point Medical Center.

Mr. Nelson was born in Moore County on March 11, 1951 to Paul Matthew and Thelma Smith Nelson. Larry was formerly employed with Ramseur Interlock and worked with Environmental Services at Randolph Health. In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by his brother, Paul Nelson. Larry was a very sweet, loving, and funny man who loved his family. He loved watching NASCAR, John Wayne movies, and westerns. He loved the Duke Blue Devils.

He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Sonya Deese Nelson and his son, Adam Wayne Nelson and wife Elizabeth of Randleman.

A celebration of Larry’s life will be held at a later date.

Janis Babcock Johnston Mason

Bruce Butler Hollingsworth

1925 - 2022 Bruce Butler Hollingsworth, age 96, of Franklinville passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at Moses Cone Hospital.

Mr. Hollingsworth was born in Clinton, NC on July 24, 1925 to Thomas and Winnie Hare Holllingsworth. He was formerly employed with G.E. and Klaussner Furniture, and was a farmer. Bruce was a member of Lakeside Church of God. In addition to his parents, Bruce was preceded in death by his wife, Mozelle Bell Hollingsworth, son, Tommy Hollingsworth, grandsons, Ray and Tony Hollingsworth, great-grandchild, Dalton Williams, brother, Jeff Hollingsworth, sister, Nellie Strickland, and half-sister, Mildred Plazak. Bruce enjoyed going walking at Randolph Mall twice a day. He loved working in his garden and being with his family.

He is survived by his sons, James Hollingsworth and wife Kathy of Asheboro and Eugene Hollingsworth and wife Clara Lou of Franklinville; daughter, Patricia Ann Hollingsworth of Franklinville; granddaughters, Sherry Williams and husband Don, and Wendy Owens; grandsons, Ricky Hollingsworth and wife Kellie, and Thomas Hollingsworth; greatgrandchildren, Brandi Truesdell and husband Jake, Justin Williams and wife Briana, Savana, Ty, and Zane Hollingsworth, Destiny, Madison, Alex, Kevin, and Bryan Blue, Reid Jones, Gwen Johnson, Terri Dickerson and husband Sean, Taylor, Tracy, and Todd Cole, Kaleb and Kane Blue, Vanessa, Jake, Reid, and Chloe Jones, Fox and Milo Truesdell, Waylon and Tate Hollingsworth, and Violet Lucas; and sisters, Florence Burden of Chicago, IL and Jean Westbrook of Surf City.

1917 - 2022 Janis Mason, 104, passed away on March 12, 2022. Born 1938 – 2022 on November 11, 1917, in Des John Henry Hoots, age 83, of Moines, Iowa (her father was Troy, NC, passed away on Thursday, temporarily working there), she March 17, 2022 at Montgomery was raised in Omaha. A graduate 1967 - 2022 Village Assisted Living in Star, NC. of the University of Nebraska at Timothy “Tim” Michael Billings, John was born in Yadkinville, NC 54 of Albemarle NC, passed away Omaha, she had a lifelong passion to the late Sanford Augustine Hoots unexpectedly at his residence on for art. Her family understood and Eva Belle Reavis Hoots. she had phases: Her oil Saturday, March 12, 2022.

John was preceded in death by painting phase, ceramics phase, Tim was born in Wilkes County his daughter Julie at a young age, needlework phase. When she hit NC. He currently was the Manager his sister Addie Hoots and his three of Cook Out in Albemarle. He loved the needlework phase, she stayed brothers, Carl Hoots, Gerald Hoots with it until macular degeneration being outdoors, going camping and Herbert Hoots. set in. She traveled the country and hiking, and playing golf. He He is survived by his brother teaching and developed a national was a loving Pop-Pop to his Jim Hoots, special niece Wanda reputation, particularly with granddaughter, Claire Allison.

Harrington and special nephew metal work and petit point.

Tim is survived by his wife, Tommy Poindexter, and 4 estranged Diane Coleman Billings; daughters: She married Robert E. Mason children. just five months before Pearl Mackenzie Latham (Jacob) of Troy John has numerous nieces and Harbor, who preceded her in and Morgan Billings of the home; nephews and a lot of family and death in 1993. After Bob’s death granddaughter: Claire Allison friends that loved him and will miss Latham; sisters: Sandi Paye of GA, she moved to Asheboro in 2001 him. and spent the next 21 years Toni Billings (Kenneth Elmore) John was a dairy farmer in his collecting friends and charming of NC; numerous nieces and younger days and went on to be a nephews. He was preceded in death folks. She was also preceded truck driver. in death by her parents, Mabel by his father: Steven Billings and Arrangements are incomplete at Hirtes Johnston and Albert brother, David Johnston.

1961 - 2022 this time.

George Johnston of Omaha.

Lisa René Phillips, 60, of A special thank you to the facility She is survived by her children Goldston, passed away on Saturday, of Montgomery Village Assisted Judi Mason Stohlmann (John) March 19, 2022.

Living for the special care they gave of Benbrook, Texas, Robert A. Ms. Phillips was born in Lee our uncle during his time with them.

Mason (Ann) of Asheboro, North WEDNESDAY County on October 25, 1961, the WEEKLY FORECAST Carolina, and Debra Mason daughter of the late Burnice “B.F.” Gardner (Ken) of Thousand Oaks, and Hazel Beal Phillips.

California, as well as grandsons, Lisa was a member of Antioch Erik Stohlmann (Paulette), Rob Baptist Church. She spent her Stohlmann (Suzanne), and Scott working years with the Lee County Stohlmann (Cindy) four great Department of Social Services. Lisa grandsons, Austin, Andrew, adored her family, enjoyed watching Zakary, and Ethan Stohlmann, Carolina basketball, and made the and one great granddaughter, best pecan pies.

Cameron Stohlmann, and about brothers, five million friends.

FRIDAYShe is survived by her SATURDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY Larry F. Phillips and Jerry L. Her grandson, Bobby Mason, JULY Phillips 2 and wife Mistie, both JULY JUNE 30 JULY of 3 wrote1from his heart and it tells Goldston; nieces, Lorie Johnson it all: and husband Jeremiah of Goldston; Arrangements are88° pending at HI78° Matt Phillips HI HI HI89° HI HI 91° 88° HI 91° Home inHI nephews, of Siler City, 81° Pugh Funeral Asheboro. and Caleb and Seth Phillips There will in LO 66° LO LO LO 70° 67° LO 70°be a service67° LO 68° both of 62°LO LO Goldston; great niece and nephew, Asheboro at Church of the Good Kristen Garner.

PRECIP 57%and CarsonPRECIP Shepherd and interment at the 43% PRECIP 15% PRECIP 20% PRE PRECIP15% 13% PRECIPPRECIP 5% United States Naval Academy.

1956 - 2022 William “Bill” Thomas Ballentine, 65, of Asheboro, passed away on March 12, 2022.

Bill was born on July 23, 1956.

He was a member of Cedar Falls Baptist Church and a member of the Randolph County Republican Party. Mr. Ballentine was formerly employed with the Asheboro Police Department, Randolph County Sheriffs Office and retired from the DMV License & Theft Bureau.

Bill is survived by his wife, Jane Ballentine; sons, Clayton Ballentine, Matthew Ballentine; daughters, Ashley McNeill, Mandy Ballentine; step-son, Alex Huang and wife Frannie Wang; grandchildren, Lillie Ballentine, Rachel Beasley, Hannah Beasley, Yu Luo Huang and Turbo the goat.

2

Hilda Ward

John Henry Hoots

Timothy Michael “Tim” Billings

Randolph Record for Wednesday

Randolph Record Lisa for Wednesday, July 7, 2 René Phillips

WEDNESDAY

7.21.21

WEEKLY FORECAST

7.7.21 #3 #1

WEDNESDAY

JULY 21 Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Randolph Record at

THURSDAY

JULY 22

FRIDAY

JULY 23

obits@randolphrecord.com

“Join the “Join the conversation” conversation” Stanly County Journal

RANDOLPH COMMUNITY COLLEGE

S

Randolph Record for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

8

STATE & NATION

Afghan refugees in US to receive temporary protected status

By Ben Fox The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Afghan refugees in the United States will be allowed to stay for at least 18 months under temporary protected status, the government said last week, a move that will help some of the thousands who arrived following the chaotic American withdrawal from their country.

The Afghans must already be in the U.S. and pass a background check to qualify for the program, which is intended to help thousands who were evacuated to the U.S. under a short-term status known as humanitarian parole as their country fell to the Taliban.

For many, however, time is running out because they have not yet received permanent residency through backlogged programs such as the special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. and its allies during the 20-year war.

AP PHOTO

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly, Va., on Aug. 27, 2021.

In the meantime, their country has spiraled into a deep economic crisis under Taliban rule, and millions of them are at risk of starvation.

“This TPS designation will help

to protect Afghan nationals who have already been living in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a

statement announcing the move.

More than 76,000 Afghans were admitted to the U.S. following the U.S. withdrawal in August. Homeland Security has said that about 40% will eventually qualify for a special immigrant visa, a lengthy and complex process that ultimately provides permanent legal residency and a path to citizenship.

Most have now settled in communities around the U.S., with the largest numbers moving to Northern Virginia and the surrounding Washington, D.C., area; Northern California; and Texas.

Refugee advocates have been urging the Biden administration to designate Afghanistan for temporary protected status to prevent Afghans from becoming stranded without legal residency status when their two years of humanitarian parole expires.

The temporary protected status, which enables non-citizens to legally work in the U.S., also benefits about 2,000 Afghans who were in the country as students or in some other capacity before the evacuation and have not left.

“We welcome this designation as an important affirmation that Afghans already in the United States cannot return safely to their homeland,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Ref-

ugee Service. “In resettling thousands of Afghan families since the evacuation, we have heard heartbreaking testimonials of devastating and devolving conditions in Afghanistan. Many of their loved ones remain in-country and still desperately need our help to reach safety.”

The refugee advocates also have pressed Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would grant the Afghans permanent residency and enable them to apply for U.S. citizenship, as was done for refugees in the past, including for people from Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq.

The AfghanEvac coalition, which includes about 100 organizations and has been calling on the U.S. government to help get more Afghans out of their country, welcomed the temporary protected status decision as “an appreciated bandaid.” But the group said Congress needs to act on the legislation.

“You were with us in August,” it said in a pointed message on Twitter. “Stay with us now.”

The U.S. has granted temporary protected status to people from about a dozen countries, most recently Ukraine. Repeated extensions of the 18-month status have left tens of thousands of people in a kind of immigration limbo for years.

Democratic gains in legislative maps might not last long

By Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press DENVER — The advantage Democrats gained during the torturous process of rewriting the nation’s congressional maps may be short-lived, creating the potential for more frequent clashes over how political power should be distributed across the United States.

As the once-a-decade scramble to draw new legislative lines nears its conclusion, Democrats have succeeded in shifting the congressional map to the left. The typical U.S. House district now comes close to matching President Joe Biden’s 4 percentage point win in 2020. Though the impact may not be seen in this year’s voting, as Democrats face uphill odds to maintain their House majority, party leaders believe the new maps would make it easier to take the chamber in more favorable elections.

But all that could change.

Two major states — North Carolina and Ohio — are already poised to redraw their maps in the next few years. Several cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, meanwhile, could dramatically alter the rules that govern mapmaking nationwide.

“This is the end of Act I, but there’s a lot more to come in the play,” said Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks redistricting.

The uncertainty leaves a significant asterisk over one of the biggest political twists of the past few years.

Many Democrats began the redistricting cycle haunted by what happened after the Republican wave in 2010. The following year, after the U.S. Census Bureau released its new population count, the GOP had control of drawing new legislative lines in a large number of states, shifting the national congressional map to the

PHOTO VIA AP

Top state redistricting legislators, Sen. Paul Hise, top left, and Rep. Destin Hall, top right, listen as several dozen members of the public address state lawmakers during a public comment hearing on Senate and House legislative redistricting maps Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, at the Legislative Building in Raleigh. right. Democrats worried the same thing would happen in 2021, after the once-a-decade population update.

Democrats controlled more states than in 2011 and drew aggressive maps to maximize the number of seats they could win.

Republicans and many analysts note that, in doing so, Democrats effectively spread out their voters, making themselves vulnerable to shifts in political coalitions or bad election cycles, as 2022 is expected to be for the party. Still, Democrats say they’re satisfied.

Republicans say they are also happy with how they did. Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, said the party has so far shifted 16 GOP-held seats from being in competitive districts to safely Republican ones. That, he

“This is the end of Act I, but there’s a lot more to come in the play."

Michael Li argues, will free up millions of dollars to go after vulnerable Democrats.

“We are exactly in most states where we thought we would be,” Kincaid said. The biggest surprise, he added, is that “Democrats, where they had control, they went wild.”

A couple of significant wild cards remain, with five states lacking official maps.

The GOP is fuming over court

intervention in places like Ohio that have helped Democrats, and that’s one reason there could be a decadelong redistricting cycle.

Complex litigation over redistricting often drags on for years, sometimes leading to courts ordering new maps. Last decade, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas all had GOPdrawn maps thrown out by courts and new ones ordered. But legal experts say this cycle may be shaping up to be even more tumultuous and far-reaching.

That’s because the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its interest in changing some longtime standards that have governed redistricting.

“Their holdings may impact all 50 states in ways that holdings in 2011 didn’t,” Doug Spencer, a law

professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, said of the high court.

The first case the Supreme Court took was a challenge to Alabama’s Republican-drawn maps last month. A lower court panel cited the Voting Rights Act in ruling that the GOP had to make a second district with enough Democratic-leaning black voters that they could pick their own representatives without being blocked by whites who vote for the other party. The high court’s conservative majority put that ruling on hold, saying it may revise its longtime rules for handling majority-minority districts next year.

Then, last week, the court rejected a GOP appeal of rulings by North Carolina and Pennsylvania’s state Supreme Courts that adopted maps Republicans disliked.

But four conservative justices — the minimum number required to hear a case — signaled they wanted to rule on the legal theory underlying the challenges, which holds that state legislatures have supreme power in making rules for congressional elections.

In North Carolina, after a Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court struck down the GOP maps in a 4-3 vote, Republicans vowed to flip the court to their control in November. Indeed, when a lower court panel sketched out a new map for November’s election, the judges labeled it “interim.”

In Ohio, the term-limited GOP chief justice of the state’s high court joined Democrats to become the deciding vote to strike down repeated GOP maps as illegal gerrymanders.

If coalitions shift — say, Latino voters continue to trend toward the GOP, or Democrats make further inroads in the suburbs — mid-decade redistricting allows lawmakers to adjust lines to defend their districts.

Need Ammo?

.223  .45  .40 .308  9mm 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461

VOLUME 5 ISSUE 25 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 | STANLYJOURNAL.COM

Stanly County Journal

COURTESY PHOTO

Pfeiffer University’s Center for Health Sciences in Albemarle is shown in this courtesy photo from the N.C. Main Street awards.

Albemarle Mayor Ronnie Michael named ‘Main Street Champion’ by NC Commerce Dept

WHAT’S HAPPENING

By David Larson Stanly County Journal

New York Times confirms legitimacy of Hunter Biden laptop After dismissing the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020 a “Russian disinformation,” the New York Times has confirmed the authenticity of the laptop and the communications contained in it.

The newspaper examined emails between Biden, Devon Archer, and others which the Times said “appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Mr. Biden in a Delaware repair shop.” The New York Post, which broke the laptop story, saw its Twitter account suspended in October 2020 shortly after it published the story. Twitter lifted the ban after weeks-long battle.

Federal jury convicts father, son over virus business aid A father and son await sentencing after a federal jury convicted them of charges involving $1.7 million in pandemic business relief received by the father’s businesses the government says was obtained fraudulently. Jurors convicted Tarik Freitekh of bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and falsifying and concealing material facts. His father, Izzat Freitekh, 55, of Waxhaw, was found guilty of money laundering, money laundering conspiracy and making false statements. But he was not guilty of several serious charges tied to the conspiracy. They obtained $1.7 million by submitting fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, misrepresenting the number of workers and payroll expenses, while the defendants made unlawful payments to family members from the proceeds.

The government has reclaimed $1.3 million of the money.

AP

5

20177 52016 $0.50

8

ALBEMARLE — The City of Albemarle’s mayor, Ronnie Michael, was honored by the N.C. Department of Commerce as a 2021 North Carolina Main Street Champion.

“I’m humbled to receive this award,” said Michael in the midMarch announcement. “I’ve lived here my entire life and it brings me great joy to work on behalf of our City every day. It’s personally gratifying to see the development happening in our downtown area. Our downtown and the entire City of Albemarle has a bright future ahead of it. Everything we do is due to the great volunteers and city employees that make this award possible.”

The N.C. Department of Commerce and its N.C. Main Street & Rural Planning Center give out “N.C. Main Street” awards each year. They base the awards on whether nominees are pursuing the “four points of Main Street Approach to downtown revitalization,” which are economic vitality, design, promotion and organization.

“Main Street Champions are the key to success in downtown revitalization,” said Liz Parham, director of the N.C. Main Street

“On behalf of my fellow members of City Council I want to congratulate our colleague, Mayor Ronnie Michael, on this welldeserved award.”

Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Sue Hall.

COURTESY PHOTO

Albemarle Mayor Ronnie Michael. and Rural Planning Center, in the press release. “They possess courage to move downtown forward; they fight for positive change and do that with creativity and innovation; and they actively get things done, while stay-

ing focused on the downtown’s economic development strategies.”

The release pointed towards Michael’s three decades of service in Albemarle, including as police chief, on the city council and then

North Stanly hosts community forum to address student race relations

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal NEW LONDON — In light of a recent controversy that led to a student walkout protest last week, North Stanly High School hosted a community forum inside its auditorium on March 18.

Stanly County Schools Superintendent Dr. Jarrod Dennis had announced on March 17 that the following day would be a virtual day for all NSHS students so that members of the local community could come together to “engage in

dialogue concerning events that transpired this week.”

Those referenced events were spurred by a brief video leaked to social media platforms that contained the audio of multiple NSHS students using a racial slur as they sang along to the lyrics of a song by 1960s country singer Johnny Rebel; an organized student response to the resurfaced video led to an anti-racist walkout protest in the NSHS parking lot on March 15.

Dennis, along with Director of Community Engagement Me-

lissa Smith and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Amy Blake-Lewis, moderated the community forum where SCS officials, NSHS staff, parents and local religious leaders provided their input on how to move forward from the controversy while acknowledging the gravity of the current racial tensions within the school.

“There is a sense of urgency,” Dennis said. “This is a real issue that we’ve been dealing with all this week. It’s a complex issue and I’m going on record to say that there’s no manual for this, so that’s

as mayor since 2013. They also noted that in 2013 he became a board member on the Albemarle Downtown Development Corporation and “has worked diligently behind the scenes to cultivate the continued downtown development happening now in Albemarle.”

“On behalf of my fellow members of City Council I want to congratulate our colleague, Mayor Ronnie Michael, on this well-deserved award,” said Mayor Pro-Tem Martha Sue Hall.

“We’re grateful for Ronnie’s years of dedication to our City going back to his time with the Albemarle Police Department. This council looks forward to continuing its work with Ronnie on finding ways to help our City grow and develop and improve the future for its residents.”

why we need your input.”

With more than 100 people in attendance at the forum, Blake-Lewis introduced an online survey where attendees could highlight their fears and hopes regarding the issues at the school, with each category including around 10 different choices to pick from.

The most common “fear” (with a 79% vote rate) was that “miscommunication and a lack of understanding causes barriers between school and community.”

The verbalized consensus among the speakers was that the individuals on video who sparked the protest were wrongfully using racist language and that the students involved in the walkout were justified in responding See FORUM, page 2

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

2 WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

3.23.22 #229

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

MAR 23

HI LO PRECIP

“Join the conversation” Stanly County Journal ISSN: 2575-2278

Publisher Neal Robbins

Editor Matt Mercer

Sports Editor Cory Lavalette

Senior Opinion Editor Frank Hill

Design Editor Lauren Rose Published each Wednesday by North State Media LLC 1550 N.C. Hwy 24/27 W, Albemarle, N.C. 28001 (704) 269-8461 INFO@STANLYJOURNAL.COM STANLYJOURNAL.COM

TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461

or online at nsjonline.com

Annual Subscription Price: $25.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, N.C. and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Stanly County Journal 1550 N.C. Hwy 24/27 W. Albemarle, N.C. 28001

70° 59° 92%

MAR 24

HI LO PRECIP

69° 43° 42%

FRIDAY

MAR 25 HI LO PRECIP

63° 42° 7%

SUNDAY

SATURDAY HI LO PRECIP

56° 36° 16%

MONDAY

MAR 27

MAR 26

HI LO PRECIP

58° 37° 1%

MAR 28

HI LO PRECIP

Town Creek Indian Mound to host stargazing event Stanly County Journal staff ALBEMARLE — A monthlong celebration of science will include an event at Town Creek Indian Mound in April. The North Carolina Science Festival presents events across the state and this year Mt. Gilead will host an all-day Statewide Star Party.

Town Creek Indian Mound is hosting the stargazing event that will happen in two separate events on April 9. The daytime event — from 10am to 3pm — includes activities that help participants better understand the University and celebrates the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. The nighttime event starts at 7:30pm and provides a guided tour of the night sky, including sky lore from cultures around the world. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and binoculars.

The festival features hundreds of community events and is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Found-

PHOTO COURTESY MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER

Children participate in an escape room event at UNC during the N.C. Science Festival on April 15, 2018. ed in 2010 by Morehead Planetarium, the festival is celebrating its 12th anniversary in 2022. With a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and math, the festival showcases the economic, ed-

ucational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Engineering Tomorrow”— a celebration of the “E” in STEM and chance to explore how sci-

63° 43° 1%

TUESDAY

MAR 29

HI LO PRECIP

67° 54° 20%

ence can help solve the challenges ahead.

“We continue be amazed by the incredible work our partners are doing to celebrate science,” says Jonathan Frederick, the Festival’s Director. “From storytelling at events at local libraries to nighttime skywatching extravaganzas, there really is something for everyone.

Other nearby events include hands-on events based on other science themes.

Sandhills Community College will host an event titled “Designer Genes” on Wednesday, April 6, from 11am to 1pm in the Dempsey Student Center on the Pinehurst campus. Participants will experience multiple hands-on activity stations to engage in learning about DNA, cellular components, organismal genetic make-up, viruses, gene editing and genetically modified organisms. Participants may post reflections on what they learned on a Gene Graffiti Board and each will receive a Gene Passport.

The N.C. Zoo in Asheboro is hosting “Tinkering for Tomorrow” — an exploration of recycling, reuse and conservation. The zoo event will take place April 1-3 from 10am to 2pm for zoo visitors.

There is no cost to participate in the event and the public is invited to attend.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG ♦ MCGIRT, DAMANI KNYCHE S (B /F/21), arrested 3/21/2022 on the primary charge of FORGERY OF INSTRUMENT by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ MORRIS, MICHAEL THOMAS (W /M/44), arrested 3/21/2022 on the primary charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ MOUA, YOUNG TENG (A /M/29), arrested 3/21/2022 on the primary charge of BREAKING OR ENTERING (M) by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ SIDES, MARSHALL WILLIAM (W /M/25), arrested 3/21/2022 on the primar charge of CIVIL ORDER FOR ARREST - CHILD SUPPORT by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ STIREWALT, MICHAEL JEFFREY (W /M/32), arrested 3/20/2022 on the primary charge of RESISTING PUBLIC OFFICER by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ BRITT, DANIEL LONNIE (W /M/28), arrested 3/18/2022 on the primary charge of POSSESSION OF FIREARM

BY FELON by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ MISENHEIMER, ELLIS COLE (W /F/32), arrested 3/18/2022 on the primary charge of POSSESS METHAMPHETAMINE by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ TALBERT, DEREK RYAN (W /M/32), arrested 3/18/2022 on the primary charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ BARLOW, DWAYNE SCOTT (W /M/51), arrested 3/17/2022 on the primary charge of SIMPLE ASSAULT by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ WHITLEY, JOSEPH ROBERT (W /M/19), arrested 3/17/2022 on the primary charge of FELONY LARCENY by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ BENNETT, KEESHON DEMONTA (B /M/24), arrested 3/16/2022 on the primary charge of LARCENY OF MOTOR VEHICLE (F) by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ GONZALEZ, JORGE (W /M/49), arrested 3/16/2022 on the primary charge of INDECENT LIBERTIES WITH A CHILD by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ ZAGADA, DOLORES NMN (W /M/27), arrested 3/16/2022 on the primary charge of INDECENT LIBERTIES WITH A CHILD by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office. ♦ MCKINNEY, MICHEAL JOSEPH (W /M/36), arrested 3/15/2022 on the primary charge of CONTEMPT OF COURT by Stanly County Sheriff`S Office.

FILE PHOTO

City announces Starbucks likely coming to Albemarle

By David Larson Stanly County Journal ALBEMARLE — On Friday, March 18, the City of Albemarle announced via its social media pages that Starbucks could be coming to the area soon. The post was shared almost 450 times just on Facebook, showing a lot of interest in the possibility of a new location for the coffee giant in Stanly County’s biggest city.

“A new Starbucks location could

FORUM from page 1 through a peaceful method — the underlying topic that was vaguely hinted at was whether or not the students should be disciplined by the school system for their objectionable language.

Because the incident in question occurred off campus, some in attendance pointed out that this wasn’t a race issue but instead a free speech issue.

“In my opinion, she (the student) was on her own time in her own

be coming soon to Albemarle!” the city’s announcement said.

According to the statement, they are still reviewing the proposed plans, but the enthusiastic announcement suggests they are likely to approve the plans if there are no major issues. The proposal for the Seattle, Washington-based coffee chain’s shop would include a “2,505 square foot stand-alone building.”

As far as the location, the city said it will be located next to Bis-

cuitville on N.C. Highway 24.

There are already a lot of national chains along the strip, including Zaxby’s, Applebee’s, Hardee’s, Pizza Hut, Papa John’s, Dunkin, Bojangle’s, Arby’s and KFC. In fact, among the morethan-400 comments on the post were many concerns about there being too much traffic already along that stretch of highway southeast of town. Others suggested there was not enough activity in other areas, especially along

Highway 52 just west of town and that more needed to be built there.

The city also made clear in the announcement that “Commercial retail development is just one part of the City’s economic development strategy,” adding that their development strategy also includes “Encouraging entrepreneurial opportunities in the downtown (small businesses)” and “Recruiting commercial industrial development (Albemarle Business Center).”

Just over a year ago, in January 2021, there was similar buzz about a Starbucks coming to Locust, which would have been the county’s first location for the coffee chain. Assuming both locations get completed, the county could soon have two Starbucks for residents to enjoy.

space and she had every right to say what she wanted to say,” said Victoria Ramos, a former educator and current North Carolina Black Conservative Voices board member. “It wasn’t on school grounds and the school is not responsible for her mouth. That’s her parents’ problem but we’re making it our problem.”

Others in attendance claimed that the recent civil unrest was not a call to retaliation or punishment in response to the viral video but instead a tipping point based on a perceived injustice within the SCS

system against minority students.

“These children feel like they are being treated unfairly,” NSHS parent Sasha Williams said. “If your children were forced to go to a school where the demographics in that school system was 100% black staff and 100% black administration, how would you as a parent feel?”

Later in the forum, Blake-Lewis presented the “NSHS Action Steps” developed by the district that included the following goals for the school: hire more diversity

in school teachers and staff; develop a support system for those staff members; provide effective cultural and diversity sensitivity training for teachers and students; give students an outlet to report concerns without being identified or ostracized; and top-down transparent accountability.

Due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), SCS is unable to publicly comment on whether or not the students involved in the social media post will face disciplinary action.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

OPINION

3

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation

One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine underscores the vital importance of our own border security, energy security, and national security.

PRESIDENT REAGAN gave us this warning about the importance of protecting our homeland. Just last week, we heard a moving and passionate speech from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke before a joint session of Congress on the dire situation facing his own country’s security. In his remarks, this bold and courageous leader repeated his call for increased military aid.

While I do not support sending US troops into Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s harrowing speech reinforced my belief that we must do more to support Ukraine’s fight against Putin. The American Ammo in Defense of Ukraine Act, which I introduced earlier this month, will play an important part in this effort by cutting government red tape so that munitions donations from private citizens and manufacturers in the US can reach Ukraine faster.

Similarly, we should take steps to ensure that Ukraine is able to stop Russia’s heinous carpet bombing of civilian targets like churches, schools, and hospitals. We should provide Ukraine with every available defensive weapon possible, including anti-aircraft weaponry, as well as MiG fighter jets from our NATO partners. Replacing these jets with American F-16’s will not only strengthen our NATO allies, but also create jobs in America.

Ukraine should have every tool available to defend itself. However, I firmly believe our support should not include the enforcement of a nofly zone. This would require that American pilots confront and, in all likelihood, shoot down Russian aircraft. This would quickly escalate the conflict, leading to disastrous results, including possibly a nuclear war.

One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine underscores the vital importance of our own border security, energy security, and national security. Americans are being devastated by record fuel prices, yet Washington Democrats have continued to block efforts to promote energy independence. Just last week, they blocked for a third time my American Energy Independence from Russia Act that would boost our domestic energy production.

Instead, Democrats last week proposed numerous “alternative” solutions to addressing America’s energy crisis. These included short-term gas rebates and “use it or lose it” regulations on American energy producers.

These are Band-Aid solutions that would fail to address the root cause of

the problem: the Left’s handicapping of the American energy sector.

This is simply an issue of supply and demand. When demand is high and supply is low - in this case as a direct result of Biden’s policies - then prices go up. Washington Democrats must reverse their agenda and work to increase our supply with American sources of energy. This will help ensure American security, as well as end our dependence on foreign oil.

This ties into to another critical step for safeguarding our security: avoiding deals with the devil.

Last week, President Biden moved closer to finishing a new nuclear deal with Iran. It would be even more dangerous than President’s Obama’s Iran deal that President Trump rightly withdrew from in 2018. Under Biden’s new deal, numerous sanctions would be lifted and Iran would receive billions of dollars to better arm itself – all of this in exchange for fewer and shorter nuclear restrictions. What’s more – this deal would also increase China and Russia’s leverage in the region at our expense.

That’s why I co-sponsored the Maximum Pressure Act that will expand sanctions on Iran, restrict the President from unilaterally lifting these sanctions, and increase congressional oversight over them. Biden’s potential Iran deal severely undermines our security and congress must prevent it from being certified at all costs.

Finally, our national security depends on us securing our borders. Like inflation rates and record gas prices, the crisis at our border was created

by Biden’s policies and shows no signs of stopping. In total, over 2 million illegal migrants have already crossed our border in the last year. Officials predict this number could grow exponentially this year, as last month was the highest February on record in over two decades.

We need proven solutions to secure our border, including reinstating President Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy, maintaining Title 42 authority to protect our public health, and finishing the wall. We must also send a clear message around the globe: do not come to the United States illegally.

National security can never be taken for granted. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown the world this sad reality. Rest assured I will continue working to defend our allies while doing everything possible to protect our homeland.

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

The end of the climate change legend A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia.

FOR MANY YEARS NOW, there has been a spirited debate about whether climate change is science, religion or even perhaps a secret route to socialism. That question remains unanswered, but we’ve now discovered with certainty that climate change is a political albatross around the neck of the Democratic Party.

The Left’s spiritual devotion to climate change has been speeding the Democrats over a political cliff this fall with likely unprecedented losses this November. The zero fossil fuels suicide pact was always an economic and political loser. More than 70% of all the energy we produce and consume in America derives from oil, gas and coal.

President Joe Biden’s war on these fuel sources was sure to cause severe shortages and $5 a gallon gasoline at the pump. Didn’t Democrats learn their lesson in 1980 when Ronald Reagan won a landslide election against Jimmy Carter that surging inflation and gas prices is a surefire way to infuriate voters?

While Biden keeps saying he is doing “everything I can to lower gas prices,” he’s speaking out of both sides of his mouth — because if your goal is to get people to stop using something, raising its price is a pretty good way to accomplish that. If prices go to $10 or $15 a gallon, you can clear the highways of trucks and cars altogether ― and what a wonderful world it will be.

Democrats were so enamored with their Green New Deal delusion that they failed to understand that most people aren’t as hyperobsessed with climate change as they are. A new poll sponsored by my group, Committee to Unleash Prosperity, found that people are much more concerned about inflation and high gas prices than climate change. Moreover, the poll found that respondents’ average amount they would be willing to pay for the climate change agenda was $55 a year. Sorry, that’s the extra cost we are already spending with two fillups at the gas station.

Then there is the increasingly unavoidable reality that the green energy sources they fantasize about are decades away from being technologically feasible to replace old-fashioned oil, gas and coal.

Even the Energy Department predicts that even with the trend toward renewable energy, by 2035, we will still be heavily reliant on oil, gas and coal for electricity production, home heating and transportation fuels.

Elon Musk, the leading champion of electric cars, reminded Biden in a recent tweet that in the real world rather than in la-la land, we are going to need oil and gas for many years to come. Today 3% of cars on the road are electric, and 95% use gas or diesel.

This brings us to yet another fatal flaw of the climate change movement. The Biden administration and its radical green allies can’t explain why getting our energy from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia makes more sense than Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska.

This strategy is especially pinheaded because the war on oil, gas and coal production is a big loser for the environment and increases global greenhouse gas emissions. That is because America has the strictest environmental standards. Shifting oil and gas production to Russia or Iran and shifting coal production to China and India is causing far more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Chinese President Xi Jinping is busy trying to take over the world economy, and the last thing he or the ruling class in Beijing cares about is climate change.

Finally, Democrats should have learned from the green energy catastrophe of Western Europe. A decade ago, the French, Germans, Italians and others in the European Union moved to a renewable energy future. They slashed much of their oil, gas and coal production, shut down nuclear plants (why?) and subsidized the building of wind turbines and solar panels. It nearly bankrupted Germany as energy prices soared and factories left Europe for America and Asia. A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia. Europe recently redefined natural gas and nuclear power as “clean energy.”

Going green wrecked their economies and submerged these countries deeper into the red. Unfortunately, Americans weren’t paying any attention to that failed experiment. So now Biden is repeating it. The result is likely to be the same. The Democrats’ radical climate change agenda isn’t greening the planet, and it is bankrupting our country. Voters know exactly whom to blame.

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at Freedom Works. He is also author of the new book: “Govzilla: How The Relentless Growth of Government Is Devouring Our Economy.”

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

4

SPORTS SIDELINE REPORT MLS

Swiderski’s 2 goals helps Charlotte FC to first win Charlotte Charlotte FC, led by two goals from Karol Swiderski, beat the New England Revolution on Saturday by a score of 3-1 for the first win in franchise history.

Swiderski scored his first goal for Charlotte (1-3-0) in the sixth minute, assisted

by Alan Franco. He added a goal in the 57th minute, assisted by Benjamin Bender.

Charlotte also got one goal from Bender. Kristijan Kahlina saved five of the six shots he faced for Charlotte.

Charlotte hosts Cincinnati at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday.

NFL

Report: Winston agrees to return to Saints on 2-year deal New Orleans Free agent quarterback Jameis Winston has agreed to return to the New Orleans Saints, according to reports on Monday. Winston, who started seven games for New Orleans in 2021 before a season-ending knee injury, has agreed to a two-year contract. NFL Network first reported Winston’s deal, which is reportedly worth about $28 million.

The Saints went 5-2 in the games Winston, 28, started in 2021, although he played just two series in his seventh game before tearing knee ligaments when he was brought down by Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White during scramble.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Kansas State hires Baylor assistant Tang Kansas City, Mo. Kansas State hired Jerome Tang to be its next basketball coach Monday, entrusting a program that’s had plenty of recent success but fallen on hard times to one of the architects of Baylor’s rise to national prominence.

The Wildcats hired Tang to replace Bruce Weber two days after the top-seeded Bears were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by North Carolina in overtime.

Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor flew to Texas to meet with Tang on Sunday and the two sides finalized a six-year contract that will pay more than $14 million.

TENNIS

Boris Becker accused of hiding tennis trophies during trial London Former tennis champion Boris Becker went on trial Monday in London for allegedly concealing property — including nine trophies — from bankruptcy trustees and dodging his obligation to disclose financial information to settle his debts. Prosecutors said Becker, 54, “acted dishonestly” when he hid or failed to hand over assets before and after he was declared bankrupt in June 2017. He is on trial charged with 24 counts under insolvency laws. The assets include Grand Slam trophies and his 1992 Olympic gold medal. Becker is accused of concealing 1.13 million euros ($1.25 million) from the sale of a car dealership. He also allegedly failed to declare two German properties and hid a 825,000-euro bank loan.

JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO

William Byron beats Ross Chastain to the line to win Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta.

Byron wins wild race at remodeled Atlanta Five different drivers have won races to start the season

The Associated Press HAMPTON, Ga. — William Byron had a freight train in his rearview mirror. He was a sitting duck, it seemed. Fortunately for him, all those challengers started jostling against each other rather than working together to take down the leader.

While Byron cruised to the checkered flag for the third victory of his NASCAR Cup career, one last crash unfolded behind him Sunday in an appropriate finish to a chaotic, thrilling race at remodeled Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“Pretty wild,” the 24-year-old Byron said. “I’m out of breath. It was crazy.”

The track makeover — with new pavement and steeper banking — lived up to predictions of

frenzied pack racing at blistering speeds approaching those seen at Talladega and Daytona.

It was like a short-track race at a superspeedway.

There were 46 lead changes among an Atlanta-record 20 drivers, a traffic jam of tightly bunched cars that never got too far away from each other in a more than four-hour race, nine wrecks that took out several top contenders, and a bunch of smashed-up race cars to lug home.

“It’s difficult, it’s stressful, it’s a different type of racing,” said Rudy Fugle, the winner’s crew chief.

Bryon was leading off the final restart with 13 laps to go. Bubba Wallace briefly grabbed the top spot, only to have the No. 24 Rick Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet pass him right back.

Going for his second career victory, Wallace still seemed to be in the most enviable position, especially if he could get a helpful push for a slingshot on the final lap. But

“Everyone is kind of hanging on for dear life.”

Ryan Blaney on the tight racing at the new-look Atlanta everyone behind Byron started dueling for position, all of them wanting to put themselves in position to make the winning move.

That worked out perfectly for Byron, who pulled away to win by 0.145 seconds over Ross Chastain while the final wreck of the day sent four cars — including Wallace — spinning across the line.

“It’s tough to be the leader,” Fugle said. “We just had a lot of things go right for us.”

Wallace finished 13th. The remainder of the top five was Kurt Busch, Daniel Suárez, and Corey LaJoie in his best career showing.

In one last twist, Christopher Bell actually crossed the line sec-

ond, but NASCAR penalized him for dipping below the double white line on the backstretch of the last lap to get past Chastain.

Bell was dropped to 23rd.

Chastain made quite a comeback after blowing a tire early in the race while leading. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also blew a tire while running up front. Reigning series champion Kyle Larson, the front of his No. 5 Chevrolet patched with tape, had just surrendered the top spot when Denny Hamlin bumped him from behind, looking to give him a helpful push — only to send him into a spin that knocked them both out of the race.

“Everyone is kind of hanging on for dear life,” Ryan Blaney said during a caution period.

That summed things up perfectly.

The Cup Series heads to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for the first of six road races this season. Chase Elliott won the inaugural COTA race a year ago.

Rejuvenated Trubisky hoping for restart in Pittsburgh The former UNC quarterback will compete to be the Steelers’ starter

“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better.”

The Associated Press PITTSBURGH — When Mitch Trubisky hit the open market earlier this week, the former UNC quarterback had two simple requests: find a place where he’ll have a chance to start, preferably a team where “culture” isn’t an empty catchphrase but an entrenched part of the club’s firmament.

Enter Pittsburgh, which rushed to sign the 2017 second overall pick to a two-year contract this week, giving the 27-year-old a shot at replacing Ben Roethlisberger in the process.

There was no selling. Trubisky didn’t have to be sold.

“My goal throughout free agency was to find a way to get back on the field,” Trubisky said Thursday, just minutes after his deal with the Steelers became official.

“When an opportunity arose to play for coach (Mike) Tomlin and wear a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform, I was so excited. Now I’m ready to roll and get to it.”

More like, get back to it. Trubisky arrived in Chicago five years ago with the burden of massive expectations he struggled to shoulder during four wildly uneven seasons.

The Bears won games with him under center — his career record is a respectable 29-21 — but it was difficult to decipher at times

Mitch Trubisky

ADRIAN KRAUS | AP PHOTO

Former UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky signed a two-year contract with the Steelers that will give him a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement in January. whether Chicago succeeded because of him or in spite of him. A seemingly turbulent relationship with then-head coach Matt Nagy didn’t help.

Trubisky declined to get into specifics about his time with the Bears, describing it as a “learning experience.”

“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better,” he said. “So that’s what I’m hoping to do.”

Trubisky spent 2021 serving as the primary backup behind Josh Allen in Buffalo, which he called “a blessing in disguise,” and his description of his time with the Bills is telling of how things disintegrated in Chicago.

“I think I learned a lot,” he said.

“I was in a great organization, and the first thing that I really learned when (I got) to Buffalo is what a great culture feels like and I already feel like that here.”

Trubisky steps into the first true open quarterback competition in

Pittsburgh in a generation after Roethlisberger retired in January following an 18-year career that included a pair of Super Bowl titles, an appearance in another and a bust in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, all but assured.

Mason Rudolph is the most experienced incumbent, and outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert — who is stepping down after the draft — has made it a point to repeatedly stress the team is comfortable with Rudolph serving as the full-time starter.

Whether that happens likely depends on how quickly or how well Trubisky gets a grasp of Matt Canada’s offense.

The Steelers were average at best during Canada’s first season as offensive coordinator in 2021.

They are bringing him back for a second look and Trubisky’s mobility could give Canada the kind of flexibility the offense lacked with the stationary Roethlisberger.

“I’m looking forward to utilizing my dual-threat abilities ... using my legs running to buying more time or running for first downs,” Trubisky said.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

5

Braves’ Snitker ponders 6th North Stanly softball starter as he studies rotation leads conference with undefeated record

Atlanta has several new faces and a short spring training to start the defense of their World Series title

The Comets are 8-0 to start the season

The Associated Press FORT MYERS, Fla. — Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said Monday he’s considering all options, including a six-man rotation or an opener, as he looks for answers in his starting rotation.

The Braves, who open the season on April 7 at home against Cincinnati, are scheduled to play 14 consecutive days before their first off day. Snitker said he may add a sixth starter during that stretch. He’s evaluating a group of five pitchers competing for the final two spots in the rotation.

“We’re going to end up using all these guys,” Snitker said. “We’re going to need them all.”

He said using a reliever from the team’s deep bullpen as an opener “is always a possibility. We have some candidates to do that in the right situations also. We showed last year we’re probably going to use that in getting through the whole thing.”

The starting rotation is the only area left untouched in a recent flurry of roster moves by general manager Alex Anthopoulos, including the trade for first baseman Matt Olson.

Charlie Morton, Max Fried and Ian Anderson are established atop the rotation, though Morton is returning from a broken leg suffered in Game 1 of Atlanta’s World Series win over Houston. Morton is expected to be ready for the start of the season.

Mike Soroka, the opening day starter in 2020 before suffering two tears of his right Achilles tendon, is trying to complete a difficult comeback and be available later in the season.

Anthopoulous has been busy, trading for Olson after failing to re-sign Freddie Freeman, signing outfielders Eddie Rosario and Alex Dickerson, and adding two established relievers, closer Kenley Jansen and Collin McHugh.

Anthopoulos could still make a

.600

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

CURTIS COMPTON / ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION VIA AP

Atlanta pitcher Huascar Ynoa, who is competing for time in the Braves’ rotation, delivers against the Twins last Friday in North Port, Florida. late addition to the rotation. For now, Snitker is looking for starters to emerge from a group of five contenders: Huascar Ynoa, Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, Kyle Muller and Tucker Davidson.

Toussaint and Davidson each pitched two innings in Monday’s 5-0 loss to the Boston Red Sox. Toussaint started and allowed one run on four hits.

“Overall, he was good,” Snitker said of Toussaint. “His stuff was good. He’s just got to keep fighting and working with it and, you know, when he gets it right and he gets it going, he can do a really good job.”

Davidson struck out the side in the fourth before allowing two runs on four hits in the fifth.

Toussaint continues to search for the consistency that has been elusive in his career. He said his mechanics are to blame.

“Some things aren’t timed up all the time,” Toussaint said Monday.

“I worked on some things this offseason and timed myself up more

and more.”

Ynoa’s breakout showing in the first half of last season, when he was 4-2 with a 3.02 ERA in April and May, showed his potential to stick in the rotation. But the 23-year-old Ynoa wasn’t the same in his return after breaking his right (throwing) hand while punching the dugout bench on May 16. He finished 4-6 with a 4.05 ERA. “I feel good,” Ynoa said through Braves translator Franco Garcia.

“All I’m thinking about is just doing my best and giving my best effort and trying to just get one of those two spots.”

The 6-foot-7 Muller, a lefthander, provided an encouraging spring debut when he allowed one hit in two scoreless innings in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Philadelphia.

“I love it,” said Muller of the rotation competition. “I think that’s kind of what drives everybody in this organization to get better.

There are so many really, really talented good arms.”

ALBEMARLE — With the first month of the 2022 high school softball season in the books, the North Stanly Comets currently stand at the top of the Yadkin Valley Conference with a perfect record and having already doubled their win total from a year ago.

The undefeated Comets (8-0, 4-0 YVC) have won five games at home and three on the road in dominant fashion, outscoring their opponents 97-19 to start the season. North — led by firstyear coach Phillip Speight — has been particularly effective in its four games against a pair of conference foes.

The Comets posted an 11-0 road victory over Robinson (1-6, 0-4 YVC) on March 8 and followed that up three days later with a 9-1 home win against the Bulldogs. North pulled off a 5-0 home win versus Gray Stone (4-4, 0-4 YVC) on March 15 that was supplemented by a 19-3 road victory over the Knights a few days later.

North’s offense has been a balanced attack this year with eight different players batting at least .400 from the plate.

While no player has recorded a home run, the team has flourished by getting on base, led by freshman pitcher Kylie Speight, who is batting a team-high .600 with 12 hits and 10 RBIs in her 24 plate appearances.

On top of being the team’s most reliable hitter, Speight has also been the Comets’ primary pitcher. She has posted six wins, a 1.35 ERA and a 5.57 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 37 innings.

Senior catcher Callie Parker leads the Comets in runs scored (13) and has batted .579 at the plate with 11 hits. With a .414 batting average, junior shortstop Georgia Mullis has posted 12 hits in a team-high 31 plate appearances, while senior outfielder Hunter Helms (11 hits, six RBIs) and freshman third baseman Makayla Barger (eight hits, 10 RBIs) are both batting .500 to start the year.

Last season, the Comets had a 4-6 record (4-4 in conference play) and were outscored 77-56 in total. Just a year later, the team is already well on its way to smashing the statistics that it previously held while looking to unseat reigning YVC champion South Stanly as the top team in the conference.

The Comets were set to host South (5-2, 2-0 YVC) on March 22. North will then head to Norwood on March 25 for the second part of its backto-back slate against South.

Batting average for North Stanly freshman Kylie Speight

Phil Mickelson has decided to not compete at the Masters for the first time since 1994.

DAVID J. PHILLIP | AP PHOTO

Still out of sight, Mickelson decides to sit out the Masters The six-time major champion had faced criticism for his remarks regarding a rival league The Associated Press THREE-TIME Masters champion Phil Mickelson, out of public view since his inflammatory remarks about the Saudi-funded rival league and the PGA Tour, has decided not to play at Augusta National this year.

Mickelson’s name was moved from the list of players expected to compete in the Masters to a section at the bottom titled, “past champions not playing.”

The club confirmed that Mickelson has notified Augusta National he will not be playing. The Masters

is April 7-10.

It will be the first time Mickelson is not at the Masters since 1994, when he was recovering from a broken leg suffered while skiing.

Mickelson, who last year became golf’s oldest major champion when he won the PGA Championship at age 50, was at the Saudi International when he accused the PGA Tour in a Golf Digest interview of “obnoxious greed.”

Two weeks later, golf writer and author Alan Shipnuck published part of his upcoming biography on Mickelson that shed further insight into his involvement with Greg Norman and the Saudi-funded “Super Golf League.”

Mickelson told Shipnuck the Saudis behind a proposed breakaway rival league were “scary

1994 The last time Phil Mickelson didn’t compete at the Masters, due to a broken leg mother (expletive)s to get involved with.”

He also said it was worth getting in bed with the Saudis, despite their history of human rights abuses, if it meant a chance to change the PGA Tour.

“We know they killed (Washington Post columnist Jamal) Khashoggi and have a horrible record on human rights. They exe-

cute people over there for being gay,” he said. “Knowing all of this, why would I even consider it? Because this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reshape how the PGA Tour operates.”

The interview took place last November. Mickelson apologized for the comments that he described as “reckless.” He also said they were off the record. Shipnuck says they were not.

Longtime corporate sponsor KPMG said it was ending its relationship with Mickelson. Amstel Light followed suit, while Workday said it would not be renewing its contract, which was due to expire.

Callaway Golf said its relationship with Mickelson that dates to 2004 would be paused, while American Express no longer wanted Mickelson as its tournament host of the

PGA Tour event La Quinta, California.

Mickelson has not played since the Saudi International on Feb. 6.

He said in his statement that he “desperately needed” time away to sort our his priorities.

PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said at The Players Championship he has not spoken with Mickelson and it was a conversation he looked forward to having when Mickelson was ready to call.

Mickelson won the first of his six majors at the 2004 Masters, and a silhouette of his leap when his winning birdie putt fell into the 18th hole is now his personal logo.

He also won the Masters in 2006 and 2010. Only Arnold Palmer, Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus have won more green jackets.

6

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Murdaugh friend charged with aiding insurance fraud scheme

By Alexandra Jaffe The Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. — A longtime friend of South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh now faces 18 charges involving the theft of more than $3 million in insurance money from the family of Murdaugh’s dead housekeeper, according to newly unsealed court documents.

An indictment made public Wednesday accuses Cory Fleming of working with Murdaugh to defraud the sons of Gloria Satterfield, who died following a fall at the Murdaugh home in 2018, by suing Murdaugh on behalf of the sons but diverting the resulting insurance payouts to Murdaugh and himself.

Fleming also wrote himself checks from Satterfield’s estate to pay for his own mortgage, credit card debt, tax payments, video games and other purchases, prosecutors said.

The sons said in a lawsuit that they never got any of the money.

They said Murdaugh convinced

them at their mother’s funeral to use Fleming as their attorney and sue him for wrongful death, without disclosing that Fleming had been his college roommate and godfather to at least one of Murdaugh’s sons.

According to the latest indictment, Fleming, 53, chose not tell Satterfield’s sons about two settlements he secured from insurers. He instead knowingly moved money from both agreements to a fraudulent bank account Murdaugh had named similarly to that of a company that handles settlements, authorities said.

Fleming previously said he was helping the sons’ new lawyers and maintained he “was not a willing participant in Mr. Murdaugh’s scheme but was used,” according to a joint statement between Fleming and the sons’ attorneys in October.

Deborah Barbier, an attorney for Fleming, said in a statement that Fleming was “deeply disappointed” by the charges. Barbier said Fleming looked forward to de-

fending himself in court and maintained her client was “yet another casualty of the host of crimes perpetuated by Alex Murdaugh.”

Fleming plans to turn himself in before a virtual bond hearing scheduled for Thursday, said Robert Kittle, a spokesman for the state attorney general’s office.

Eric Bland and Ronnie Richter, attorneys for the Satterfield sons, said Wednesday that the grand jury clearly did not believe Fleming’s defense that he was yet another of Murdaugh’s victims: “Justice may move slow but when it moves it comes crashing down like a tidal wave,” they said in a statement.

Grand jurors also issued four new charges for Murdaugh. Murdaugh currently faces 75 state charges, among them trust, forgery, money laundering, computer crime and now criminal conspiracy with Fleming, altogether accusing him of stealing nearly $8.5 million intended for victims of wrongful death and insurance settlements. He’s also accused of trying to arrange his own death so his

MIC SMITH | AP PHOTO

In this Sept. 16, 2021 file photo, Alex Murdaugh sits during his bond hearing, in Varnville, S.C. surviving son could collect a $10 million life insurance policy.

Murdaugh, 53, has been jailed since October. A judge set his bail at $7 million and refused to reduce it, even as Murdaugh’s lawyer argued his bank accounts were seized in civil lawsuits and he could barely afford to buy underwear at the Richland County jail.

He has pinned his problems on a years-long drug addiction.

His legal troubles were revealed after his wife Maggie, 52, and son Paul, 22, were killed in a shooting

at the family’s home in June. Murdaugh’s lawyers insisted he had nothing to do with it, calling on investigators to work as hard to find their killers as they are trying to unravel Murdaugh’s finances.

Murdaugh’s great-grandfather, grandfather and father were all elected prosecutors in Hampton County, where his family law firm bore the Murdaugh moniker until recently. The South Carolina Supreme Court has suspended Murdaugh and Fleming from practicing law in the state.

Biden aides to Congress: Fund COVID aid, don’t cut budget

By Alan Fram The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congress should provide the $22.5 billion President Joe Biden wants for continuing the battle against COVID-19 without cutting other programs to pay for it, senior administration officials said Monday.

And if Republicans continue to insist that additional federal efforts to combat the pandemic must be paid for by culling spending elsewhere, the GOP should specify what it wants to cut, the officials said.

The remarks came nearly two weeks after a new round of COVID-19 funding was pulled out of a $1.5 trillion government-wide measure after rank-and-file Democrats rejected cuts that party leaders had negotiated with Republicans to pay for it. Though Biden signed the overall bill into law, the deletion of the COVID-19 funds was a major setback for Biden and Democrats.

“Our concern right now is that we are going to run out of money to provide the types of vaccines, boosters, treatments to the immunocompromised, and others free of charge that will help to continue to battle” the pandemic, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday.

Top House Democrats have said they believe they will have to find savings to pay for the additional spending to move legislation through Congress. The biggest hurdle would be in the Senate, where Democrats will need at least 10 GOP votes to reach the 60 votes needed to move most significant bills to passage.

The White House has said the government is running out of funds for vaccines, testing and treatments, even as Omicron variant BA.2, which is fueling a virus resurgence in Europe and Asia, is appearing increasingly in the U.S. The senior administration officials said the government has bought the doses it would need to vaccinate children up to age 5. But they said they only have enough vaccines to administer a fourth shot — which drug makers are rec-

PATRICK SEMANSKY | AP PHOTO

White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Friday, March 18, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

ommending for many people — to those with compromised immune systems.

The officials spoke only on condition of anonymity as a requirement for reporters to participate in the telephone briefing.

Republicans say savings to pay for the new expenditures should be found from the trillions that Congress has already provided since the pandemic began two years ago.

That includes a $1.9 trillion measure Democrats pushed through Congress over unanimous GOP opposition a year ago.

Asked about the administration officials’ comments, a spokesperson for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., referred a reporter to comments McCon-

nell made on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday.

McConnell said Republicans would consider the administration’s request but said they should use “some of this massive amount that was spent last year that’s not out the door yet. So let’s take a look at how to pay for it, and then we’ll be happy to decide whether or not to support it.”

GOP leaders say the administration has not provided figures they’ve sought on how much money remains unspent. The administration officials in Monday’s call said they’ve repeatedly provided plentiful data on the subject, and said Republicans have agreed to not require savings to pay for past emergencies.

Only around $300 billion of last year’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief measure remains unspent and not legally committed to a specific program or recipient, the administration officials said.

But around $240 billion of that has been promised to specific recipients like states and cities, who have built the amounts into their budgets, the administration officials said. The administration has held back some of the rest for emergencies, they said.

More than $100 billion of the money that’s so far unspent is for pandemic aid to state and local governments, and nearly that amount is for assistance to some pension plans, according to administration documents obtained

by The Associated Press.

Biden’s pandemic spending request had been pared down to $15.6 billion as part of the compromise House bill. It would have been partly paid for by cutting billions in COVID-19 aid that last year’s bill had provided to 30 state governments but had not yet been sent to them.

Many Democrats refused to vote for the overall package until the cuts in state aid were removed, which House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., ultimately agreed to do. Top Republicans had demanded the savings in exchange for supporting the legislation, and Pelosi dropped all the COVID-19 spending after substitute cuts were not found.

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

7

obituaries

Karen Annette (Gibson) Almond

May 12, 1957 ~ March 18, 2022 Karen Gibson Almond, 64, left this world too soon to go to her heavenly home on March 18, 2022.

Karen was born on Mother’s Day, May 12, 1957, to the late Rev. Lonnie Gibson and Coline (Harris) Gibson.

She graduated from South Stanly High School in 1975 and attended Appalachian State University. She was employed as an accountant with McRae Industries for over 32 years and was owner of KDA Transmission.

Karen was a loving, caring person with a heart of gold. She was faithful in playing the piano and singing in church from the age of 9. She loved her family immensely and especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. She was a wonderful cook and welcomed her home to all who entered.

Survivors include her husband of 19 years, David Almond, daughters Carmen and Courtney Simpson, mother, Coline Gibson, stepsons Jason (Ellen) Almond, Jarrod (Beverly) Almond, Jeremy Almond, and grandchildren: David, Luke, Joshua, Abigail, JoyAnna, Carson, Eston, Mackenzie and Ella Grace.

She is preceded in death by her sister, Melinda Jane Gibson and daughter, Candace Simpson.

A special thank you to the caregivers of Community Home Care and Hospice of Troy, North Carolina.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 20, 2022 at Hartsell Funeral Home in Albemarle, NC. A memorial service and burial will be held at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in Troy, NC on Monday, March 21, 2022 with viewing from 12:00 12:45 p.m. followed by memorial service at 1:00 p.m. officiated by Rev. Rodney Holmes.

Memorials may be made to Gideons International, P.O. Box 103, Troy, North Carolina Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Almond Family.

Mary “Drucy” (Farmer) Tysinger September 25, 1934 ~ March 15, 2022

Mary Drucilla Farmer Tysinger, 87, of Badin, passed away Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at Spring Arbor of Albemarle.

Drucy was born September 25, 1934 in Spartanburg, South Carolina to the late John Lewis Farmer and the late Lillie Caldwell Farmer. She was also preceded in death by her loving husband of 55 years, Jack Harold Tysinger; sisters, Elizabeth Gaynor and Adella Jane Applewhite.

Drucy grew up in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She graduated from Winthrop College and during her 30 years of teaching completed her Masters Degree from UNC Charlotte. She taught mainly in the Albemarle City Schools with some early years in the Stanly County Schools. Throughout her life she was active in her church and after she retired she spent time volunteering with several schools and organizations including Stanly County Senior Center, Friends of the Library and Meals on Wheels. Her grandchildren were her real joy and she spent as much time as possible with them.

The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm, Thursday, March 17, 2022 at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service will be on Friday, March 18, 2022 at 11:00 am at Badin United Methodist Church, 18 Hickory Street, Badin, NC officiated by Rev. Beau Linker. Burial will follow at Fairview Memorial Park at 1425 East Main Street, Albemarle.

Survivors include daughter, Melissa “Lisa” Eudy, son, William H. Tysinger, granddaughters, Hanna Eudy Shermer and husband Jeffrey, and Heather Caldwell Eudy.

In Lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice Of Stanly & The Uwharrie, 960 N 1st St, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Tysinger family.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

Deborah Ann Underwood September 18, 1959 March 14, 2022

Deborah Ann Underwood was born on September 18th 1959 in Cleveland Ohio. Debbie (as she was known to friends and family) passed away peacefully on March 14th 2022 in her home with her beloved husband and sister by her side.

Debbie spent her childhood years living in the suburbs of Ohio. During her late teenage years she relocated to West Virginia where she met the father to her beloved children Clifford Eads. Debbie permanently relocated to North Carolina & married the love of her life Clint both in the year of 1997. She was and always has been a one of a kind wild and beloved redhead that left a little sparkle wherever she went. She was a spunky loving woman whom made an impression on everyone she came across in her life,that impression depended on the person. She always put her children first and was a one of a kind mother and grandmother.

In her recent years she loved watching cooking videos and being a homemaker for her wonderful husband Clint as well as loving on her dogs Laila and Kizzy. Her only grandson River Blythe was her entire world, whom she doted on since his birth. She was and will always be very loved and missed.

She is survived by her husband Clint Underwood, her daughter Marilyn Blythe (Colton Threadgill), her siblings Marilyn Jennings, Cathy Malashevich, Susie Jennings and Alfred (Chubs) Jennings. She is preceded in death by her beloved daughter Chelsea Eads as well as her mother & father. Debbie will always be remembered and loved by her family and friends. Our family takes comfort in knowing she is now reunited with her family members (especially her sweet Chelsea) in heaven and that she is no longer in pain and will forever be in peace at The Throne Of The Lord.

Joan Rouillard Bishop January 11, 1928 March 12, 2022

Joan Rouillard Bishop, 94, passed away March 12, 2022 at Trinity Place in Albemarle, NC. Joan was born January 11, 1928 in Chicopee Falls, MA to Arthur Rouillard and Bertha Eva Chaput Rouillard. With family roots in Quebec, Canada, Joan grew up speaking both French and English.

She was married for 63 years to Linmon (Lin) Alfred Bishop until his death in 2010. She is survived by two daughters, Linda Mathias and her husband, Terry, of Carbondale, IL and Ruth Fairweather and her husband, Douglas, of Concord, NC and granddaughter, Hannah Fairweather. After their marriage in 1947 Joan and Lin lived in Syracuse, NY where Lin was employed by General Electric. Once the children came along, Joan and Lin moved to a home in Phoenix, NY. Later the family transferred to Lynchburg, VA where they lived for many years.

Due to her health Joan moved in 2021 to a long-term care facility in Albemarle, NC to be closer to her family.

During her years in Lynchburg, Joan was an active member of Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, then St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, and later St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Joan was a devoted wife and mother who put her family first in all matters. Family activities included frequent drives along the Blue Ridge Parkway and visits to the Peaks of Otter lodge, summer vacations in St. Petersburg, FL and trips to Virginia’s many historic sites.

Joan was a dedicated homemaker who took pride in running an orderly home. She enjoyed baking, sewing, reading and writing poetry, solving word puzzles and she loved animals.

She was a quiet, modest woman who didn’t like drawing attention to herself but was always willing to help others. She delivered Meals on Wheels in Lynchburg for over 10 years. She served on her church altar guild, taught children’s Sunday school, and learned American Sign Language to assist deaf church members. She sewed special occasion dresses for friends, babysat for neighbors, and had homemade cookies ready for her children and their friends after school. Joan considered being a loving and nurturing mother as her greatest achievement and joy.

A service for the family will be conducted in Albemarle, NC with burial in the Bishop family plot at Walnut Grove Cemetery in Jamesville, NY. Memorial contributions may be made to the Lynchburg Humane Society, Development Dept., 1211 Old Graves Mill Rd., Lynchburg, VA 24502.

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care in Albemarle assisted the family with arrangements.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Trinity Place in Albemarle and the hospice team of Hospice of Stanly for their faithful and tender care of Joan.

Brenda Harris Hudson October 22, 1942 March 14, 2022

Brenda Joyce Harris Hudson,81, of Albemarle, passed away Monday, March 14, 2022 in Autumn Care of Biscoe. Her funeral service will be 2pm Friday, March 18, 2022 in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel.

Burial will follow in Stanly Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends from 12pm until 1:30pm prior to the service at the funeral home.

Mrs. Hudson was born October 22, 1942 in Stanly County to the late Millard and Margie Sanders Harris.

She formerly worked at Albemarle Spinning Mill and Kiddie Kare Daycare of Albemarle. Brenda was a member of East Albemarle Church of God. She loved dogs, cats, snakes, gardening and she was a great cook.

Brenda was preceded in death by her husband, James C. Hudson.

She is survived by three sons, James Hudson, Timothy Hudson and Ashton Hudson all of Albemarle, NC; a brother, Eddie Harris of Oakboro, NC; three step-daughters, Rhonda Talbert of Norwood, NC, Lisa Sanders Hudson of Kannapolis, NC and Tammy Davis of Norwood, NC; a grandson, Nathaniel Hudson.

She is also preceded in death by two brothers, Bedford Harris and Fillmore Harris.

Donald Chapman February 24, 1939 ~ March 15, 2022

Donald Richard Chapman 83 of Norwood died Tuesday Afternoon, March 15, 2022.

A Private Family Service will be held at a later date.

Donald was born February 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Ruby Chapman Blalock. He was a former co-owner of American Lockstitch and a member of Community Full Gospel Church.

He was preceded in death by his wife Gypsie Carpenter Chapman, a great-granddaughter, Abby Faith Burleson and two brothers, Herman and Kirby Blalock.

He is survived by his son, Chucky Chapman (Martha) of Norwood.

Two granddaughters, LeAnne Chapman Hicks and Ashley Chapman Burleson (Kelly). Four great-grandchildren, Hunter Hicks, Trey Morman, Maddie and Chase Burleson. One sister Phyllis Blalock Kimrey and one brother, Rodney Blalock both of Mt. Gilead.

Memorials may be made to Hopice of Stanly and the Uwharrie, 960 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

8

STATE & NATION

Afghan refugees in US to receive temporary protected status

By Ben Fox The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Afghan refugees in the United States will be allowed to stay for at least 18 months under temporary protected status, the government said last week, a move that will help some of the thousands who arrived following the chaotic American withdrawal from their country.

The Afghans must already be in the U.S. and pass a background check to qualify for the program, which is intended to help thousands who were evacuated to the U.S. under a short-term status known as humanitarian parole as their country fell to the Taliban.

For many, however, time is running out because they have not yet received permanent residency through backlogged programs such as the special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. and its allies during the 20-year war.

AP PHOTO

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly, Va., on Aug. 27, 2021.

In the meantime, their country has spiraled into a deep economic crisis under Taliban rule, and millions of them are at risk of starvation.

“This TPS designation will help

to protect Afghan nationals who have already been living in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a

statement announcing the move.

More than 76,000 Afghans were admitted to the U.S. following the U.S. withdrawal in August. Homeland Security has said that about 40% will eventually qualify for a special immigrant visa, a lengthy and complex process that ultimately provides permanent legal residency and a path to citizenship.

Most have now settled in communities around the U.S., with the largest numbers moving to Northern Virginia and the surrounding Washington, D.C., area; Northern California; and Texas.

Refugee advocates have been urging the Biden administration to designate Afghanistan for temporary protected status to prevent Afghans from becoming stranded without legal residency status when their two years of humanitarian parole expires.

The temporary protected status, which enables non-citizens to legally work in the U.S., also benefits about 2,000 Afghans who were in the country as students or in some other capacity before the evacuation and have not left.

“We welcome this designation as an important affirmation that Afghans already in the United States cannot return safely to their homeland,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Ref-

ugee Service. “In resettling thousands of Afghan families since the evacuation, we have heard heartbreaking testimonials of devastating and devolving conditions in Afghanistan. Many of their loved ones remain in-country and still desperately need our help to reach safety.”

The refugee advocates also have pressed Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would grant the Afghans permanent residency and enable them to apply for U.S. citizenship, as was done for refugees in the past, including for people from Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq.

The AfghanEvac coalition, which includes about 100 organizations and has been calling on the U.S. government to help get more Afghans out of their country, welcomed the temporary protected status decision as “an appreciated bandaid.” But the group said Congress needs to act on the legislation.

“You were with us in August,” it said in a pointed message on Twitter. “Stay with us now.”

The U.S. has granted temporary protected status to people from about a dozen countries, most recently Ukraine. Repeated extensions of the 18-month status have left tens of thousands of people in a kind of immigration limbo for years.

Democratic gains in legislative maps might not last long

By Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press DENVER — The advantage Democrats gained during the torturous process of rewriting the nation’s congressional maps may be short-lived, creating the potential for more frequent clashes over how political power should be distributed across the United States.

As the once-a-decade scramble to draw new legislative lines nears its conclusion, Democrats have succeeded in shifting the congressional map to the left. The typical U.S. House district now comes close to matching President Joe Biden’s 4 percentage point win in 2020. Though the impact may not be seen in this year’s voting, as Democrats face uphill odds to maintain their House majority, party leaders believe the new maps would make it easier to take the chamber in more favorable elections.

But all that could change.

Two major states — North Carolina and Ohio — are already poised to redraw their maps in the next few years. Several cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, meanwhile, could dramatically alter the rules that govern mapmaking nationwide.

“This is the end of Act I, but there’s a lot more to come in the play,” said Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks redistricting.

The uncertainty leaves a significant asterisk over one of the biggest political twists of the past few years.

Many Democrats began the redistricting cycle haunted by what happened after the Republican wave in 2010. The following year, after the U.S. Census Bureau released its new population count, the GOP had control of drawing new legislative lines in a large number of states, shifting the national congressional map to the

PHOTO VIA AP

Top state redistricting legislators, Sen. Paul Hise, top left, and Rep. Destin Hall, top right, listen as several dozen members of the public address state lawmakers during a public comment hearing on Senate and House legislative redistricting maps Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, at the Legislative Building in Raleigh. right. Democrats worried the same thing would happen in 2021, after the once-a-decade population update.

Democrats controlled more states than in 2011 and drew aggressive maps to maximize the number of seats they could win.

Republicans and many analysts note that, in doing so, Democrats effectively spread out their voters, making themselves vulnerable to shifts in political coalitions or bad election cycles, as 2022 is expected to be for the party. Still, Democrats say they’re satisfied.

Republicans say they are also happy with how they did. Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, said the party has so far shifted 16 GOP-held seats from being in competitive districts to safely Republican ones. That, he

“This is the end of Act I, but there’s a lot more to come in the play."

Michael Li argues, will free up millions of dollars to go after vulnerable Democrats.

“We are exactly in most states where we thought we would be,” Kincaid said. The biggest surprise, he added, is that “Democrats, where they had control, they went wild.”

A couple of significant wild cards remain, with five states lacking official maps.

The GOP is fuming over court

intervention in places like Ohio that have helped Democrats, and that’s one reason there could be a decadelong redistricting cycle.

Complex litigation over redistricting often drags on for years, sometimes leading to courts ordering new maps. Last decade, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas all had GOPdrawn maps thrown out by courts and new ones ordered. But legal experts say this cycle may be shaping up to be even more tumultuous and far-reaching.

That’s because the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its interest in changing some longtime standards that have governed redistricting.

“Their holdings may impact all 50 states in ways that holdings in 2011 didn’t,” Doug Spencer, a law

professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, said of the high court.

The first case the Supreme Court took was a challenge to Alabama’s Republican-drawn maps last month. A lower court panel cited the Voting Rights Act in ruling that the GOP had to make a second district with enough Democratic-leaning black voters that they could pick their own representatives without being blocked by whites who vote for the other party. The high court’s conservative majority put that ruling on hold, saying it may revise its longtime rules for handling majority-minority districts next year.

Then, last week, the court rejected a GOP appeal of rulings by North Carolina and Pennsylvania’s state Supreme Courts that adopted maps Republicans disliked.

But four conservative justices — the minimum number required to hear a case — signaled they wanted to rule on the legal theory underlying the challenges, which holds that state legislatures have supreme power in making rules for congressional elections.

In North Carolina, after a Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court struck down the GOP maps in a 4-3 vote, Republicans vowed to flip the court to their control in November. Indeed, when a lower court panel sketched out a new map for November’s election, the judges labeled it “interim.”

In Ohio, the term-limited GOP chief justice of the state’s high court joined Democrats to become the deciding vote to strike down repeated GOP maps as illegal gerrymanders.

If coalitions shift — say, Latino voters continue to trend toward the GOP, or Democrats make further inroads in the suburbs — mid-decade redistricting allows lawmakers to adjust lines to defend their districts.

Need Ammo?

.223  .45  .40 .308  9mm 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

VOLUME 4 ISSUE 26 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022

Twin City Herald

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Mucius strong to the hoop Wake Forest Demon Deacons forward Isaiah Mucius (1) dunks the ball against the Towson Tigers during the first round of the NIT at the Joel Lawrence Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, on March 16, 2022.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Man arrested for chasing stranger with knife Forsyth County Jqwan Malik Scott, 26, of Clemmons, was arrested and charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after he chased an unidentified woman with a knife.

Police responded to reports of a car crash and a man chasing a woman at about the same time on Monday. They found two empty cars that had been damaged in a collision. Scott was found in his home. The victim had been admitted to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

MY FOX 8

Family sees their car stolen on doorbell cam Forsyth County April Butler’s husband woke her up on Thursday to let her know that someone had stolen their car, parked outside. He saw the theft take place on the family’s doorbell cam. The Butlers accidently left the keys in their Jeep Cherokee.

It was later recovered but had suffered heavy damage. Police say 32 cars have been stolen in Forsyth County this year, not including thefts that took place inside Winston-Salem and Kernersville city limits.

WXII

Police officer recovering from heart attack Forsyth County Forsyth County State Trooper Ethan Bradshaw is recovering after the 30-year-old police officer suffered a heart attack.

Bradshaw led a training exercise, then later started feeling bad at home, cancelling a meeting for coffee with another trooper. He drove himself to the hospital, then collapsed due to a 100% blockage in his heart’s main artery. He spent two weeks in ICU. MY FOX 8

5

20177 52016 $0.50

8

Linda Garrou, former NC Senate budget leader, dies at 79 The Associated Press WINSTON-SALEM — Former North Carolina state Sen. Linda Garrou, a top state government budget-writer when Democrats controlled the chamber in the 2000s, has died at age 79.

Garrou died Saturday at Forsyth Memorial Hospital in Winston-Salem after suffering a stroke, her husband, John Garrou, said Sunday.

The Forsyth County Democrat served in the Senate for over a dozen years until she declined to seek reelection in 2012. A redistricting plan approved by Republicans, who had taken General Assembly majorities in 2011, put her in the same district with a GOP senator.

For eight years, Garrou was one of the co-chairs of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee, helping make major decisions on where billions in taxpayer money would be spent.

At the time of her retirement announcement in 2012, Garrou said she was proud of her efforts to invest in capital projects in the Winston-Salem area, working for budgets that raised teacher pay and expanding health insurance for more children of working families.

Garrou was a “champion” for North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper wrote in a tweet on Sunday. Cooper and Garrou served in the Senate at the same time in 1999 and 2000. “Her firm,

steady leadership helped many get healthier and better educated,” Cooper added.

Garrou was close friends with future U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan of Greensboro. They roomed together when they both served in the state Senate. Hagan died in 2019.

A Georgia native, Garrou and her future husband met while they were both attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, John Garrou said. She didn’t get actively involved in politics until she sought a legislative seat.

Linda Garrou should be remembered “as someone who was always trying to serve others in whatever capacity that she was active in,” her husband said.

Other survivors include two

Study: SUVs, pickup trucks hit pedestrians more often than cars do The Associated Press DETROIT — Drivers of bigger vehicles such as pickup trucks and SUVs are more likely to hit pedestrians while making turns than drivers of cars, according to a new study.

The research released Thursday by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety points to the increasing popularity of larger vehicles as a possible factor in rising pedestrian deaths on U.S. roads.

The authors also questioned whether wider pillars holding up roofs of the larger vehicles make it harder for drivers to spot people walking near the corners of vehicles.

“The link between these vehicle types and certain common pedestrian crashes points to another way that the increase in SUVs on the roads might be changing the crash picture,” said Jessica Cicchino, a study author and vice president of research for the institute.

Although the study mentioned previous research showing blind spots caused by the “A-pillars” between the windshield and the

cabin, the authors said more study is needed to link the blind spots to the increased deaths.

In 2020, the last year for which complete statistics are available, 6,519 pedestrians were killed in the U.S., according to government data. That’s up 59% since 2009, and a 4% increase from 2019, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

Over the same time period, SUV and pickup truck sales have skyrocketed. In 2009, pickup trucks, SUVs and vans accounted for 47% of all U.S. new vehicle sales, according to Motorintelligence.com. Last year, light trucks were more than three-quarters of new vehicle sales.

Not all SUVs and pickup trucks have the blind spots, though.

Compact SUVs, for instance, are now the largest part of the U.S. market.

The study also found that the larger vehicles were more likely than cars to be involved in crashes where pedestrians were standing, walking or running near the edge of the road and away from intersections.

Researchers studied federal crash statistics in which pedestrians were killed, as well as all pedestrian crashes reported to police in North Carolina from 2010 through 2018.

The North Carolina statistics showed that pickups were 42% more likely than cars to hit pedestrians while making left turns.

SUVs were 23% more likely to hit people than cars. There was no significant difference in the odds of a right turn crash for the different types of vehicles, the study showed.

Outside of intersections, pickups were 80% more likely than cars to hit a pedestrian along the road. SUVs were 61% more likely, and minivans were 45% more likely to hit people than cars, IIHS said.

Trucks, SUVs and vans typically have thicker “A-Pillars” than cars because of federal roofstrength standards to prevent collapse in rollover crashes, the IIHS said. The pillars typically are wider because they have to withstand the higher weights of the bigger vehicles.

KAREN TAM | AP, FILE

Sen. Linda Garrou, D-Forsyth, introduces the Senate budget bill, on May 24, 2006, during the Senate floor session in the Legislative Building in Raleigh daughters, Margaret Garrou and Eleanor Rubin, and four grandchildren. A memorial service is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday at Highland Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem

And the pillars aren’t the only things creating blind spots in the bigger vehicles. Consumer Reports found last year that high hoods also obstructed driver views of pedestrians crossing in front of the vehicles.

“To see over that high hood, you’re going to be looking further down the road,” said Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports’ auto test center.

The magazine and website found that pickup truck hood heights have risen 11% since 2000. The hood of a 2017 Ford F-250 heavy-duty pickup was 55 inches off the ground, as tall as the roofs of some cars, Stockburger said.

Automakers could use stronger metals to make the A-Pillars smaller and increase visibility, said Wen Hu, an IIHS senior transportation engineer and another study author.

Stockburger said the industry could also examine sight lines on the bigger vehicles, as well as add automatic emergency braking systems that detect pedestrians.

Most automakers have promised to make automatic emergency braking standard equipment on nearly all of their new models

by September. In addition, federal safety regulators are proposing to make the systems mandatory on all new vehicles.

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

2 WEDNESDAY

WEEKLY FORECAST

3.23.22 #188

WEDNESDAY

MAR 23

HI LO PRECIP

“Join the conversation” Twin City Herald

70° 59° 92%

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

MAR 24

HI LO PRECIP

69° 43° 42%

SATURDAY

MAR 25 HI LO PRECIP

63° 42° 7%

MAR 26

HI LO PRECIP

56° 36° 16%

SUNDAY

MONDAY

MAR 27

HI LO PRECIP

58° 37° 1%

MAR 28

HI LO PRECIP

63° 43° 1%

TUESDAY

MAR 29

HI LO PRECIP

67° 54° 20%

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

The end of the climate change legend

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.

A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia.

(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

FOR MANY YEARS NOW, there has been a spirited debate about whether climate change is science, religion or even perhaps a secret route to socialism. That question remains unanswered, but we’ve now discovered with certainty that climate change is a political albatross around the neck of the Democratic Party.

The Left’s spiritual devotion to climate change has been speeding the Democrats over a political cliff this fall with likely unprecedented losses this November. The zero fossil fuels suicide pact was always an economic and political loser.

More than 70% of all the energy we produce and consume in America derives from oil, gas and coal. President Joe Biden’s war on these fuel sources was sure to cause severe shortages and $5 a gallon gasoline at the pump. Didn’t Democrats learn their lesson in 1980 when Ronald Reagan won a landslide election against Jimmy Carter that surging inflation and gas prices is a surefire way to infuriate voters?

While Biden keeps saying he is doing “everything I can to lower gas prices,” he’s speaking out of both sides of his mouth — because if your goal is to get people to stop using something, raising its price is a pretty good way to accomplish that. If prices go to $10 or $15 a gallon, you can clear the highways of trucks and cars altogether ― and what a wonderful world it will be.

Democrats were so enamored with their Green New Deal delusion that they failed to understand that most people aren’t as hyper-obsessed with climate change as they are.

A new poll sponsored by my group, Committee to Unleash Prosperity, found that people are much more concerned about inflation and high gas prices than climate change.

Moreover, the poll found that respondents’ average amount they would be willing to pay for the climate change agenda was $55 a year. Sorry, that’s the extra cost we are already spending with two fill-ups at the gas station.

Then there is the increasingly unavoidable reality that the green energy sources they fantasize about are decades away from being technologically feasible to replace old-fashioned oil, gas and coal. Even the Energy Department predicts that even with the trend toward renewable energy, by 2035, we will still be heavily reliant on oil, gas and coal for electricity production, home heating and transportation fuels.

Elon Musk, the leading champion of electric cars,

reminded Biden in a recent tweet that in the real world rather than in la-la land, we are going to need oil and gas for many years to come. Today 3% of cars on the road are electric, and 95% use gas or diesel.

This brings us to yet another fatal flaw of the climate change movement. The Biden administration and its radical green allies can’t explain why getting our energy from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia makes more sense than Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska.

This strategy is especially pinheaded because the war on oil, gas and coal production is a big loser for the environment and increases global greenhouse gas emissions. That is because America has the strictest environmental standards.

Shifting oil and gas production to Russia or Iran and shifting coal production to China and India is causing far more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Chinese President Xi Jinping is busy trying to take over the world economy, and the last thing he or the ruling class in Beijing cares about is climate change.

Finally, Democrats should have learned from the green energy catastrophe of Western Europe. A decade ago, the French, Germans, Italians and others in the European Union moved to a renewable energy future. They slashed much of their oil, gas and coal production, shut down nuclear plants (why?) and subsidized the building of wind turbines and solar panels. It nearly bankrupted Germany as energy prices soared and factories left Europe for America and Asia. A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia. Europe recently redefined natural gas and nuclear power as “clean energy.”

Going green wrecked their economies and submerged these countries deeper into the red. Unfortunately, Americans weren’t paying any attention to that failed experiment. So now Biden is repeating it. The result is likely to be the same. The Democrats’ radical climate change agenda isn’t greening the planet, and it is bankrupting our country. Voters know exactly whom to blame.

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at Freedom Works. He is also author of the new book: “Govzilla: How The Relentless Growth of Government Is Devouring Our Economy.”

DEATH NOTICES ♦ Homer Andrew Bowden, 75, of Kernersville, died March 18, 2022. ♦ Larry Wayne Brewer, 79, of Winston-Salem, died March 19, 2022. ♦ Ruby Alice Clinard. 83, of Davidson County, died March 19, 2022. ♦ Sheila Hewitt Drayton, 91, of Kernersville, died March 18,

2022. ♦ Linda Dew Garrou, 79, of Winston-Salem, died March 19, 2022. ♦ Carmel Celeste Robertson Hall, 65, of Forsyth County, died March 16, 2022. ♦ Faye Southern Johnson, 95, of Winston-Salem, died March 17, 2022.

♦ Drucella Yvonne Wallace Jones “Mrs. Dru,” 62, of WinstonSalem, died March 18, 2022.

♦ Ira Samuel Moser, 83, of Winston Salem, died March 20, 2022.

♦ Colon “Sparkie” Sparkman, 83, of Walkertown, died March 16, 2022.

♦ Esther Wells Jones Kelly, 99, of west Bend, died March 16, 2022.

♦ Kevin Devante Parker, “Buddha,” 27, of Winston-Salem, died March 17, 2022.

♦ Arthur “Bobby” Todd, 87, of Winston-Salem, died March 16, 2022.

♦ John Bruce Robbins, 72, of Forsyth County, died March 18, 2022.

♦ Carolyn Elam Whitehurst, 89, of Winston-Salem died March 18, 2022.

♦ Katherine Marie Crawford Labosky, 94, died March 17, 2022. ♦ James “Jimmy” Laughter Jr., 91, of Sedge Garden, died March 18, 2022.

♦ Billy Southern, 94, of WinstonSalem, died March 20, 2022.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG ♦ Anderson, Charon Yvonne (F/30) Arrest on chrg of 1) Affray (M), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/21/2022 19:15. ♦ Attucks, Belinda Jandella (F/43) Arrest on chrg of 1) Robbery (F), 2) Assault - Inflicting Serious Bodily Inju (F), 3) Abuse, Neglect, And Exploitation Of Disabled / Elder Adults (F), and 4) Breaking/larc-felony (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/16/2022 18:52. ♦ Barber, Cody Michael (M/28) Arrest on chrg of P/w/i/s/d Cocaine (F), at 2220 Old Hollow Rd, Walkertown, NC, on 3/19/2022 16:17. ♦ Beltran, Richard Andrew (M/28) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugs-poss Sched I (F) and 2) Ndl - Suspended / Revoked (M), at 1898 E Fourteenth St/n Cameron Av, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/17/2022 17:18. ♦ Bondurant, Taylor Dell (F/30) Arrest on chrg of Poss Cocaine Fel (F), at 1011 Bethania-rural Hall Rd, Rural Hall, NC, on 3/20/2022 14:21. ♦ Brown, Clinton Dwright (M/44) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 747 Sea Horse Cr, Rural Hall, NC, on 3/20/2022 01:06. ♦ Brown, Tevin Micah (M/27) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault Inflicting Serious Bodily Inju (F), 2) Assault On Female (M), and 3) Breaking/enter-misd (M), at

4101 Wickenham Rd, Walkertown, NC, on 3/20/2022 01:22. ♦ Campbell, Kendra Denise (F/38) Arrest on chrg of Fcso - Civil Contempt (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/21/2022 15:29. ♦ Clayton, Cody Lee (M/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Larceny By Check (F), 2) Larceny-credit Card (F), 3) Larceny-credit Card (F), 4) Larceny-credit Card (F), 5) Larceny-credit Card (F), 6) Larceny-credit Card (F), 7) Forgery-uttering (F), 8) Forgery-uttering (F), 9) Forgery-uttering (F), 10) Forgery-uttering (F), 11) Forgery-bank Notes (F), 12) Forgery-bank Notes (F), 13) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 14) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 15) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 16) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 17) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 18) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 19) Financial Identity Fraud (F), 20) Fraud-obt Property (F), 21) Fraud-obt Property (F), 22) Misd. Poss. Of Stolen Goods (M), 23) Misd. Poss. Of Stolen Goods (M), 24) Vand-personal Prop (M), 25) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), 26) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), 27) Resisting Arrest (M), 28) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 29) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 30) Fail To Appear/compl (F), and 31) Fail To Appear/ compl (F), at 5809 Davis Rd, Walkertown, NC, on 3/16/2022 14:24. ♦ CORTEZ, ROBERTO ALEXIS was arrested on a charge of P/W/ I/S/D MARIJUANA at 100 N RESEARCH PW on 3/20/2022

♦ CROSBY, SHAYLA DEVE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-AGGRAVATED at 201 N CHURCH ST on 3/20/2022 ♦ DUNLAP, MICHAEL HANES was arrested on a charge of DRUGS-POSS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE-METHAMPHETAMINE>LESS THAN 1 at US 52/ HANES MILL RD on 3/21/2022 ♦ Durham, Joshua Anthony (M/30) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 390 Quick Silver Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/18/2022 05:57. ♦ Frazier, Samuel Erastus (M/22) Arrest on chrg of 1) Resisting Arrest (M), 2) Speeding - Posted (M), 3) Ndl - Suspended / Revoked (M), and 4) Equip Violation Tinted Windows (M), at 1052 S Peace Haven Rd, Clemmons, NC, on 3/21/2022 12:11.

Grant, Jamie Daniel (M/30) Arrest on chrg of Resisting Arrest (M), at 5809 Davis Rd, Walkertown, NC, on 3/16/2022 14:24. ♦ Houston, Leander Delvon (M/38) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/18/2022 15:08. ♦ Jackson, Jaden Lance (M/19) Arrest on chrg of 1) Robbery (F), 2) Consp Robbery Dangrs Weapon (F), 3) Poss Marijuana Misd (M), 4) Drugs-poss Sched Ii (F), 5) Resisting Arrest (M), 6) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), 7) Ndl - Operator Or Chauffer (failure To Obtain) (M), 8) Speeding - Posted (M), 9) Reckless Driving (M), and 10) Stop Light Violation

(M), at 2401 Lewisville-clemmons Rd, Clemmons, NC, on 3/19/2022 23:28.

Ofa/fta-simple Assault (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/21/2022 15:17.

♦ JEFFCOAT, PAUL DEMAR was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at HANES MALL CR/SILAS CREEK PW on 3/21/2022

♦ LOPEZ, JAVIER MARIN was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 3881 LEO STREET on 3/22/2022

♦ JEFFCOAT, PAUL DEMAR was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at 4199 N PATTERSON AV/GERMANTON RD on 3/20/2022 ♦ Johnson, Donnez Jermarl (M/36) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Sched Vi (F), 2) Drugs-poss Sched Vi (M), 3) Maintain Dwelling (F), 4) Drug Paraphernalia (M), and 5) Resisting Arrest (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/18/2022 12:29. ♦ Johnson, Rashad Marque (M/30) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Cocaine (F), 2) Drugs-maintain (M), 3) Drug Paraphernalia (M), 4) Resisting Arrest (M), 5) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), 6) Speeding - Posted (M), and 7) Reckless Driving (M), at Hwy 52 Davidson County Mm 87, NC, on 3/20/2022 23:37. ♦ Jones, Jacob Andrew (M/37) Arrest on chrg of 1) Communicate Threats (M), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), at 4400 Hampton Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/16/2022 13:05. ♦ Leggette, Raheim Tyquan (M/22) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fail To Appear/compl (M) and 2)

♦ MCDANIEL, LYNN MICHAEL was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 104 PENNER ST on 3/21/2022 Myers, Russell Ray (M/58) Arrest on chrg of Adw - Inflict Injury (F), at 5218 Germanton Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/20/2022 11:54.

Natt, Mia Tyree (F/26) Arrest on chrg of 1) Poss Cocaine Fel (F), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 5) Resisting Arrest (M), at 4100 Kinnamon Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 3/18/2022 08:33.

NOLAND, DUANE LAMONT was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at 499 POLO RD/N CHERRY ST on 3/20/2022 Oglesby, Samuel David (M/51) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault On Female (M), 2) Communicate Threats (M), and 3) Vand-personal Prop (M), at 921 Sequoia Dr, Lewi, NC, on 3/21/2022 16:51.

Panzo, Mario Macuixtle (M/27) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 6225 Brewer Av, Clemmons, NC, on 3/17/2022 17:58.

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

3

SPORTS

SPONSORED BY

SIDELINE REPORT MLS

Swiderski’s 2 goals helps Charlotte FC to first win Charlotte Charlotte FC, led by two goals from Karol Swiderski, beat the New England Revolution on Saturday by a score of 3-1 for the first win in franchise history.

Swiderski scored his first goal for Charlotte (1-3-0) in the sixth minute, assisted

by Alan Franco. He added a goal in the 57th minute, assisted by Benjamin Bender.

Charlotte also got one goal from Bender. Kristijan Kahlina saved five of the six shots he faced for Charlotte.

Charlotte hosts Cincinnati at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday.

NFL

Report: Winston agrees to return to Saints on 2-year deal New Orleans Free agent quarterback Jameis Winston has agreed to return to the New Orleans Saints, according to reports on Monday. Winston, who started seven games for New Orleans in 2021 before a season-ending knee injury, has agreed to a two-year contract. NFL Network first reported Winston’s deal, which is reportedly worth about $28 million.

The Saints went 5-2 in the games Winston, 28, started in 2021, although he played just two series in his seventh game before tearing knee ligaments when he was brought down by Tampa Bay linebacker Devin White during scramble.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Kansas State hires Baylor assistant Tang Kansas City, Mo. Kansas State hired Jerome Tang to be its next basketball coach Monday, entrusting a program that’s had plenty of recent success but fallen on hard times to one of the architects of Baylor’s rise to national prominence.

The Wildcats hired Tang to replace Bruce Weber two days after the top-seeded Bears were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by North Carolina in overtime.

Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor flew to Texas to meet with Tang on Sunday and the two sides finalized a six-year contract that will pay more than $14 million.

TENNIS

Boris Becker accused of hiding tennis trophies during trial London Former tennis champion Boris Becker went on trial Monday in London for allegedly concealing property — including nine trophies — from bankruptcy trustees and dodging his obligation to disclose financial information to settle his debts. Prosecutors said Becker, 54, “acted dishonestly” when he hid or failed to hand over assets before and after he was declared bankrupt in June 2017. He is on trial charged with 24 counts under insolvency laws. The assets include Grand Slam trophies and his 1992 Olympic gold medal. Becker is accused of concealing 1.13 million euros ($1.25 million) from the sale of a car dealership. He also allegedly failed to declare two German properties and hid a 825,000-euro bank loan.

JOHN BAZEMORE | AP PHOTO

William Byron beats Ross Chastain to the line to win Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta.

Byron wins wild race at remodeled Atlanta Five different drivers have won races to start the season

The Associated Press HAMPTON, Ga. — William Byron had a freight train in his rearview mirror. He was a sitting duck, it seemed. Fortunately for him, all those challengers started jostling against each other rather than working together to take down the leader.

While Byron cruised to the checkered flag for the third victory of his NASCAR Cup career, one last crash unfolded behind him Sunday in an appropriate finish to a chaotic, thrilling race at remodeled Atlanta Motor Speedway.

“Pretty wild,” the 24-year-old Byron said. “I’m out of breath. It was crazy.”

The track makeover — with new pavement and steeper banking — lived up to predictions of

frenzied pack racing at blistering speeds approaching those seen at Talladega and Daytona.

It was like a short-track race at a superspeedway.

There were 46 lead changes among an Atlanta-record 20 drivers, a traffic jam of tightly bunched cars that never got too far away from each other in a more than four-hour race, nine wrecks that took out several top contenders, and a bunch of smashed-up race cars to lug home.

“It’s difficult, it’s stressful, it’s a different type of racing,” said Rudy Fugle, the winner’s crew chief.

Bryon was leading off the final restart with 13 laps to go. Bubba Wallace briefly grabbed the top spot, only to have the No. 24 Rick Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet pass him right back.

Going for his second career victory, Wallace still seemed to be in the most enviable position, especially if he could get a helpful push for a slingshot on the final lap. But

“Everyone is kind of hanging on for dear life.”

Ryan Blaney on the tight racing at the new-look Atlanta everyone behind Byron started dueling for position, all of them wanting to put themselves in position to make the winning move.

That worked out perfectly for Byron, who pulled away to win by 0.145 seconds over Ross Chastain while the final wreck of the day sent four cars — including Wallace — spinning across the line.

“It’s tough to be the leader,” Fugle said. “We just had a lot of things go right for us.”

Wallace finished 13th. The remainder of the top five was Kurt Busch, Daniel Suárez, and Corey LaJoie in his best career showing.

In one last twist, Christopher Bell actually crossed the line sec-

ond, but NASCAR penalized him for dipping below the double white line on the backstretch of the last lap to get past Chastain.

Bell was dropped to 23rd.

Chastain made quite a comeback after blowing a tire early in the race while leading. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. also blew a tire while running up front. Reigning series champion Kyle Larson, the front of his No. 5 Chevrolet patched with tape, had just surrendered the top spot when Denny Hamlin bumped him from behind, looking to give him a helpful push — only to send him into a spin that knocked them both out of the race.

“Everyone is kind of hanging on for dear life,” Ryan Blaney said during a caution period.

That summed things up perfectly.

The Cup Series heads to Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas, for the first of six road races this season. Chase Elliott won the inaugural COTA race a year ago.

Rejuvenated Trubisky hoping for restart in Pittsburgh The former UNC quarterback will compete to be the Steelers’ starter

“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better.”

The Associated Press PITTSBURGH — When Mitch Trubisky hit the open market earlier this week, the former UNC quarterback had two simple requests: find a place where he’ll have a chance to start, preferably a team where “culture” isn’t an empty catchphrase but an entrenched part of the club’s firmament.

Enter Pittsburgh, which rushed to sign the 2017 second overall pick to a two-year contract this week, giving the 27-year-old a shot at replacing Ben Roethlisberger in the process.

There was no selling. Trubisky didn’t have to be sold.

“My goal throughout free agency was to find a way to get back on the field,” Trubisky said Thursday, just minutes after his deal with the Steelers became official.

“When an opportunity arose to play for coach (Mike) Tomlin and wear a Pittsburgh Steelers uniform, I was so excited. Now I’m ready to roll and get to it.”

More like, get back to it. Trubisky arrived in Chicago five years ago with the burden of massive expectations he struggled to shoulder during four wildly uneven seasons.

The Bears won games with him under center — his career record is a respectable 29-21 — but it was difficult to decipher at times

Mitch Trubisky

ADRIAN KRAUS | AP PHOTO

Former UNC quarterback Mitch Trubisky signed a two-year contract with the Steelers that will give him a chance to compete for the starting quarterback job following Ben Roethlisberger's retirement in January. whether Chicago succeeded because of him or in spite of him. A seemingly turbulent relationship with then-head coach Matt Nagy didn’t help.

Trubisky declined to get into specifics about his time with the Bears, describing it as a “learning experience.”

“All you can do is continue to work for your future but draw on your past experiences to make sure the future goes better,” he said. “So that’s what I’m hoping to do.”

Trubisky spent 2021 serving as the primary backup behind Josh Allen in Buffalo, which he called “a blessing in disguise,” and his description of his time with the Bills is telling of how things disintegrated in Chicago.

“I think I learned a lot,” he said.

“I was in a great organization, and the first thing that I really learned when (I got) to Buffalo is what a great culture feels like and I already feel like that here.”

Trubisky steps into the first true open quarterback competition in

Pittsburgh in a generation after Roethlisberger retired in January following an 18-year career that included a pair of Super Bowl titles, an appearance in another and a bust in the Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, all but assured.

Mason Rudolph is the most experienced incumbent, and outgoing general manager Kevin Colbert — who is stepping down after the draft — has made it a point to repeatedly stress the team is comfortable with Rudolph serving as the full-time starter.

Whether that happens likely depends on how quickly or how well Trubisky gets a grasp of Matt Canada’s offense.

The Steelers were average at best during Canada’s first season as offensive coordinator in 2021.

They are bringing him back for a second look and Trubisky’s mobility could give Canada the kind of flexibility the offense lacked with the stationary Roethlisberger.

“I’m looking forward to utilizing my dual-threat abilities ... using my legs running to buying more time or running for first downs,” Trubisky said.

the bett ing to e stitution don’t kn now.”

The o for mil taking while a about t

Twin City Herald for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

4

STATE & NATION

Afghan refugees in US to receive temporary protected status

By Ben Fox The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Afghan refugees in the United States will be allowed to stay for at least 18 months under temporary protected status, the government said last week, a move that will help some of the thousands who arrived following the chaotic American withdrawal from their country.

The Afghans must already be in the U.S. and pass a background check to qualify for the program, which is intended to help thousands who were evacuated to the U.S. under a short-term status known as humanitarian parole as their country fell to the Taliban.

For many, however, time is running out because they have not yet received permanent residency through backlogged programs such as the special immigrant visa, which is issued to people who worked as interpreters or in some other capacity for the U.S. and its allies during the 20-year war.

AP PHOTO

Families evacuated from Kabul, Afghanistan, walk through the terminal before boarding a bus after they arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport, in Chantilly, Va., on Aug. 27, 2021.

In the meantime, their country has spiraled into a deep economic crisis under Taliban rule, and millions of them are at risk of starvation.

“This TPS designation will help

to protect Afghan nationals who have already been living in the United States from returning to unsafe conditions,” Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a

statement announcing the move.

More than 76,000 Afghans were admitted to the U.S. following the U.S. withdrawal in August. Homeland Security has said that about 40% will eventually qualify for a special immigrant visa, a lengthy and complex process that ultimately provides permanent legal residency and a path to citizenship.

Most have now settled in communities around the U.S., with the largest numbers moving to Northern Virginia and the surrounding Washington, D.C., area; Northern California; and Texas.

Refugee advocates have been urging the Biden administration to designate Afghanistan for temporary protected status to prevent Afghans from becoming stranded without legal residency status when their two years of humanitarian parole expires.

The temporary protected status, which enables non-citizens to legally work in the U.S., also benefits about 2,000 Afghans who were in the country as students or in some other capacity before the evacuation and have not left.

“We welcome this designation as an important affirmation that Afghans already in the United States cannot return safely to their homeland,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president of Lutheran Immigration and Ref-

ugee Service. “In resettling thousands of Afghan families since the evacuation, we have heard heartbreaking testimonials of devastating and devolving conditions in Afghanistan. Many of their loved ones remain in-country and still desperately need our help to reach safety.”

The refugee advocates also have pressed Congress to pass the Afghan Adjustment Act, which would grant the Afghans permanent residency and enable them to apply for U.S. citizenship, as was done for refugees in the past, including for people from Cuba, Vietnam and Iraq.

The AfghanEvac coalition, which includes about 100 organizations and has been calling on the U.S. government to help get more Afghans out of their country, welcomed the temporary protected status decision as “an appreciated bandaid.” But the group said Congress needs to act on the legislation.

“You were with us in August,” it said in a pointed message on Twitter. “Stay with us now.”

The U.S. has granted temporary protected status to people from about a dozen countries, most recently Ukraine. Repeated extensions of the 18-month status have left tens of thousands of people in a kind of immigration limbo for years.

Democratic gains in legislative maps might not last long

By Nicholas Riccardi The Associated Press DENVER — The advantage Democrats gained during the torturous process of rewriting the nation’s congressional maps may be short-lived, creating the potential for more frequent clashes over how political power should be distributed across the United States.

As the once-a-decade scramble to draw new legislative lines nears its conclusion, Democrats have succeeded in shifting the congressional map to the left. The typical U.S. House district now comes close to matching President Joe Biden’s 4 percentage point win in 2020. Though the impact may not be seen in this year’s voting, as Democrats face uphill odds to maintain their House majority, party leaders believe the new maps would make it easier to take the chamber in more favorable elections.

But all that could change.

Two major states — North Carolina and Ohio — are already poised to redraw their maps in the next few years. Several cases at the U.S. Supreme Court, meanwhile, could dramatically alter the rules that govern mapmaking nationwide.

“This is the end of Act I, but there’s a lot more to come in the play,” said Michael Li of the Brennan Center for Justice, which tracks redistricting.

The uncertainty leaves a significant asterisk over one of the biggest political twists of the past few years.

Many Democrats began the redistricting cycle haunted by what happened after the Republican wave in 2010. The following year, after the U.S. Census Bureau released its new population count, the GOP had control of drawing new legislative lines in a large number of states, shifting the national congressional map to the

PHOTO VIA AP

Top state redistricting legislators, Sen. Paul Hise, top left, and Rep. Destin Hall, top right, listen as several dozen members of the public address state lawmakers during a public comment hearing on Senate and House legislative redistricting maps Monday, Oct. 25, 2021, at the Legislative Building in Raleigh. right. Democrats worried the same thing would happen in 2021, after the once-a-decade population update.

Democrats controlled more states than in 2011 and drew aggressive maps to maximize the number of seats they could win.

Republicans and many analysts note that, in doing so, Democrats effectively spread out their voters, making themselves vulnerable to shifts in political coalitions or bad election cycles, as 2022 is expected to be for the party. Still, Democrats say they’re satisfied.

Republicans say they are also happy with how they did. Adam Kincaid, executive director of the National Republican Redistricting Trust, said the party has so far shifted 16 GOP-held seats from being in competitive districts to safely Republican ones. That, he

“This is the end of Act I, but there’s a lot more to come in the play."

Michael Li argues, will free up millions of dollars to go after vulnerable Democrats.

“We are exactly in most states where we thought we would be,” Kincaid said. The biggest surprise, he added, is that “Democrats, where they had control, they went wild.”

A couple of significant wild cards remain, with five states lacking official maps.

The GOP is fuming over court

intervention in places like Ohio that have helped Democrats, and that’s one reason there could be a decadelong redistricting cycle.

Complex litigation over redistricting often drags on for years, sometimes leading to courts ordering new maps. Last decade, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas all had GOPdrawn maps thrown out by courts and new ones ordered. But legal experts say this cycle may be shaping up to be even more tumultuous and far-reaching.

That’s because the conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has signaled its interest in changing some longtime standards that have governed redistricting.

“Their holdings may impact all 50 states in ways that holdings in 2011 didn’t,” Doug Spencer, a law

professor at the University of Colorado-Boulder, said of the high court.

The first case the Supreme Court took was a challenge to Alabama’s Republican-drawn maps last month. A lower court panel cited the Voting Rights Act in ruling that the GOP had to make a second district with enough Democratic-leaning black voters that they could pick their own representatives without being blocked by whites who vote for the other party. The high court’s conservative majority put that ruling on hold, saying it may revise its longtime rules for handling majority-minority districts next year.

Then, last week, the court rejected a GOP appeal of rulings by North Carolina and Pennsylvania’s state Supreme Courts that adopted maps Republicans disliked.

But four conservative justices — the minimum number required to hear a case — signaled they wanted to rule on the legal theory underlying the challenges, which holds that state legislatures have supreme power in making rules for congressional elections.

In North Carolina, after a Democratic majority on the state Supreme Court struck down the GOP maps in a 4-3 vote, Republicans vowed to flip the court to their control in November. Indeed, when a lower court panel sketched out a new map for November’s election, the judges labeled it “interim.”

In Ohio, the term-limited GOP chief justice of the state’s high court joined Democrats to become the deciding vote to strike down repeated GOP maps as illegal gerrymanders.

If coalitions shift — say, Latino voters continue to trend toward the GOP, or Democrats make further inroads in the suburbs — mid-decade redistricting allows lawmakers to adjust lines to defend their districts.

Need Ammo?

.223  .45  .40 .308  9mm 855-910-AMMO

NCammunition.com

VOLUME 7 ISSUE 4 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 | MOORE.NORTHSTATEJOURNAL.COM

TO SUBSCRIBE: 704-269-8461

MOORE COUNTY

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Dr. Ben Carson speaks to a sold out crowd during the Governor James E. Holshouser Jr. Speaker Series at the Bradshaw Preforming Arts Center, Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, on March 18, 2022.

COUNTY NEWS New York Times confirms legitimacy of Hunter Biden laptop After dismissing the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020 a “Russian disinformation,” the New York Times has confirmed the authenticity of the laptop and the communications contained in it. The newspaper examined emails between Biden, Devon Archer, and others which the Times said “appears to have come from a laptop abandoned by Mr. Biden in a Delaware repair shop.”

The New York Post, which broke the laptop story, saw its Twitter account suspended in October 2020 shortly after it published the story. Twitter lifted the ban after weeks-long battle.

County saw just 27 cases of COVID in last week Moore County continues to see low levels of COVID-19 cases with just 27 positive cases last week, according to CDC data. Over 600 people were tested for COVID during that same period yielding a positivity rate of 4.46%. Counties across North Carolina and the national are seeing low numbers of cases. Over 69% of the adult population in Moore County is fully vaccinated. As the number of cases wanes, many cities across the U.S. are dropping vaccine mandates.

Carson lays a cornerstone grounded in faith Former Trump cabinet secretary paid a visit to Moore County last week North State Journal staff PINEHURST — A politician, a brain surgeon and a philanthropist walked into a room Friday night in Pinehurst and it was the same person. Dr. Ben Carson delivered a lecture as part of the Governor James E. Holshouser Jr. Lecture Series and the neurosurgeon turned presidential candidate did not disappoint the crowd of approximately 700 who attended the sold-out event.

Carson was delayed in his arrival to Moore County due to flight cancellations commented during his lecture that he was leaving it up to God whether he wanted the 70-year-old former surgeon and his wife Candy to travel to the Sandhills. Ultimately, Carson and his wife found a charter flight to North Carolina.

Before the main event, Carson met with nursing students

at Sandhills Community College and mingled with attendees at a reception catered by Elliotts on Linden. The line to get a photo with Carson wrapped around the cavernous Dempsey Student Center on the SCC campus.

The lecture, named in memory of former North Carolina governor and Pinehurst resident Jim Holshouser, seeks to examine current events through “unbiased analysis, rational thinking, varied viewpoints and a calm look at all sides of the issue under discussion.”

When Carson took the stage at the Bradshaw Performing Arts Center for his formal lecture, the crowd welcomed him enthusiastically. He began with a disclaimer that he was not politically correct and would stick to his trademark style of straight talk.

Carson provided a brief biographical background, which included that he grew up in Detroit with his mother and brother and had dreamed since the age of eight that he would become a doctor. With his customary dry

humor, Carson said he initially wanted to be a missionary doctor because of the good they did around the world but decided that he wanted to be rich and so decided to become a psychiatrist like the ones he saw on television.

Carson fulfilled his dream of becoming a doctor but not as a psychiatrist. He pursued a medical career in neurosurgery and rose quickly to be the director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins at the age of 33 — the youngest chief of pediatric neurosurgery in the U.S. His medical achievements also included the first reported separation of conjoined twins joined at the back of the head, new procedures to treat brain-stem tumors and over 100 medical publications.

Carson did not dwell on his accomplishments during his lecture. Instead, he focused on his personal philosophy and some today’s most hot-button political issues. Carson said he rejected a societal trend that paints blacks as victims and whites as villains. He pointed to his own personal story as a rebuttal.

The former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President Donald Trump also introduced the crowd to his faith, liberty, community, and life concept which is the basis of his American Cornerstone Institute.

Carson said the institute was not a think tank but a think and do tank.

He wove the tents of faith, liberty, community and life through-

out the lecture. Faith was at the forefront of much of Carson’s most powerful statements — and the quips that drew frequent interruptions of applause from the crowd.

Carson distinguished humans from animals in a discussion of brains. He recognized the large frontal lobes in human brains as the key to memory, creativity and planning. He told the crowd God gave us better brains so we can see in others “the content of their character and not the color of their skin.”

In the closing moments of the lecture, the author of nine books discussed why everyone should “think big” — a reference to his 1992 book “Think Big: Unleashing Your Potential for Excellence.”

Carson detailed the acronym which stands for T=talents and time, H=hope and honesty, I=insight, N=nice, K=knowledge, B=books, I=in-depth, G=God. After more than an hour of speaking, Carson left the stage to a standing ovation but was not finished with his visit to Moore County. Saturday morning, Carson was joined by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson and other religious and political leaders for a prayer breakfast at Pinehurst Resort.

Moore County woman named Ms NC North America Lara Beth Jones, a Southern Pines occupational therapist, won the title of Ms. North Carolina North America 2022 on March 5. As Ms. NC North America, Jones will compete in the Ms. North America Pageant which is for single or married contestants 30 years of age and older. Jones is a Wilmington native and received her bachelor’s degree and M.S. in occupational therapy from UNC Chapel Hill.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Sandhills Community College President John R. Dempsey looks out over a packed house before the James E. Holshouser Lecture given by Dr. Ben Carson on Friday, March 18, 2022.

5

20177 52016 $1.00

8

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

2 WEDNESDAY

3.23.22

WEEKLY FORECAST

#326

WEDNESDAY

MAR 23

HI LO PRECIP

“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

by North State Media, LLC 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607 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.

70° 59° 92%

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

MAR 24

HI LO PRECIP

69° 43° 42%

HI LO PRECIP

SUNDAY

SATURDAY

MAR 25

MAR 27

MAR 26

63° 42° 7%

HI LO PRECIP

56° 36° 16%

HI LO PRECIP

58° 37° 1%

SCC will host hands-on science event North State Journal staff PINEHURST — A month-long celebration of science will include an event at Sandhills Community College in April. The North Carolina Science Festival presents events across the state and this year Pinehurst will host a hands-on event titled “Designer Genes.”

The event will take place Wednesday, April 6, from 11am to 1pm in the Dempsey Student Center on the Pinehurst campus. “Designer Genes” is a partnership of the SCC Science Department and Student Government Association and is an official event of the 2022 North Carolina Science Festival.

“Designer Genes” will include multiple hands-on activity stations to engage participants in learning about DNA, cellular components, organismal genetic make-up, viruses, gene editing and genetically modified organisms. Participants may post reflections on what they learned on a Gene Graffiti Board

and each will receive a Gene Passport.

The festival features hundreds of community events and is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Founded in 2010 by Morehead Planetarium, the festival is celebrating its 12th anniversary in 2022. With a strong focus on science, technology, engineering and math, the festival showcases the economic, educational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina.

The theme of this year’s festival is “Engineering Tomorrow”— a celebration of the “E” in STEM and chance to explore how science can help solve the challenges ahead.

“We continue be amazed by the incredible work our partners are doing to celebrate science,” says Jonathan Frederick, the Festival’s Director. “From storytelling at events at local libraries to nighttime skywatching extravaganzas, there really is something for everyone.

Beyond Pinehurst, there are several nearby events exploring different topics.

The N.C. Zoo in Asheboro is hosting “Tinkering for Tomorrow” — an exploration of recycling, reuse and conservation. The zoo event will take place April 1-3 from 10am to 2pm for zoo visitors.

Town Creek Indian Mound is hosting the “Statewide Star Party.”

This event will happen in two separate events on April 9. The daytime event — from 10am to 3pm — includes activities that help participants better understand the University and celebrates the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. The nighttime event starts at 7:30pm and provides a guided tour of the night sky, including sky lore from cultures around the world. Participants are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and binoculars.

There is no cost to participate in the event and the public is invited to attend.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal

1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607

WEEKLY CRIME LOG ♦ SMITH, STEPHON TERRELL (B, M, 45) of Fayetteville, arrested 3/21/2022 on charges of Uttering Forged Instrument (x2), Poss 5+ Counterfeit Instrument, Obtain Property False Pretense by Moore County Sheriff. Bond: $20,000 Secured. Next Court Date: 4/11/2022.

♦ DAVIS, DUSTIN JAMES (W, M, 33) of Cheraw, SC, arrested 3/21/2022 on charges of Driving While Impaired, Communicating Threats by Moore County Sheriff. Bond: N/A. Next Court Date: N/A. ♦ BROWN, JASON HOWARD (W, M, 45) of Carolina Shores, arrested 3/20/2022 on charges of Possess Methamphetamine, Possess Marijuana Paraphernalia by Robbins PD. Bond: $3,250 Secured. Next Court Date: 3/31/2022. ♦ BENNETT, BOBBY CLAIR (W, M, 39) of Wallace, arrested 3/20/2022 on charges of Misdemeanor Larceny, Possession of Stolen Goods/ Property, Injury to Personal Property by Aberdeen PD. Bond: $3,000 Secured. Next Court Date: 4/4/2022. ♦ MCLAURIN, MALIK RASHAD (B, M, 18) of Aberdeen, arrested 3/19/2022 on charges of Misdemeanor Larceny (x2), Possession of Stolen Goods/ Property (x2), Possession Stolen Motor Vehicle, Simple Possess Schedule VI Controlled Substance by Southern Pines PD. Bond: $42,500 Secured.

Next Court Date: 4/4/2022. ♦ THOMPSON, TERRY LEE (W, M, 26) of Aberdeen, arrested 3/18/2022 on charges of Assault on a Female, Assault Government Official/Employee

by Out of County Agency. Bond: $5,000 Secured. Next Court Date: 3/21/2022.

MAR 28

HI LO PRECIP

63° 43° 1%

TUESDAY

MAR 29

HI LO PRECIP

67° 54° 20%

moore

happening Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County:

March 26 Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls 7pm Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer Kristin Chenoweth’s career spans film, television, voiceover and stage. Chenoweth has been nominated for two Emmy Awards and for a People’s Choice Award for her role on “Glee.”

In 2009, she wrote an upliftingly candid, comedic chronicle of her life so far, “A Little Bit Wicked,” which debuted on the New York Times Hardcover Non-Fiction Best Seller List. Tickets available at sandhillsbpac. com.

Don Carlos noon The Met presents the original five-act French version of Verdi’s epic opera of doomed love among royalty, set against the backdrop of the Spanish Inquisition. The Sunrise Theater presents this live on screen performance. Tickets are $27.

♦ POPLIN, TERRY MICHAEL (W, M, 26) of Rockingham, arrested 3/21/2022 on charges of Assault on a Female, Violate Domestic Violence Protection Order by Aberdeen PD. Bond: N/A. Next Court Date: N/A. ♦ KONTNER, GLORIA ALICIA (W, F, 57) of Homeless, arrested 3/21/2022 on charges of Felony Possession of Cocaine (x2), Possess Marijuana Greater than 1/2 oz to 1 1/2 oz, Maintain Vehicle Dwelling Place Controlled Substance, Possess Marijuana Paraphernalia, Possess Drug Paraphernalia (x2), Simple Possession Schedule III Controlled Substance, Possess Marijuana Up to 1/2 oz by Bonding Company. Bond: $14,000 Secured. Next Court Date: 4/11/2022.

MONDAY

PHOTO COURTESY MOREHEAD PLANETARIUM AND SCIENCE CENTER

Children participate in an escape room event at UNC during the N.C. Science Festival on April 15, 2018.

April 9 Southern Pines Garden Club Home and Garden Tour 10am-4pm

MOORE CITIZENS FOR FREEDOM

MOORE COUNTY Remember that we live in the best country, the best state, and by far the best county.

MOORE COUNTY, WHAT A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE!

Since the 1940s, SPGC members and volunteers have welcomed visitors from surrounding areas to experience some of the Sandhills’ most elegant homes and gardens.

Adding to the visual impact of these lovely properties will be creative flower arrangements designed by talented SPGC members. This year’s tour showcases the interiors and landscape architecture of five of the area’s most amazing homes. Call (910) 992-8289 for more information.

TUNE INTO

Sandhills Horticulture Society Plant Sale

The John and Maureen show

9am-noon

Sundays

1 - 2PM WEEB 990 AM 104.1 and 97.3 FM

The Sandhills Horticultural Society will hold its spring plant sale offering perennials, woody plants, and bulbs. The sale will be held in the Homer Parking Lot on the SCC campus.

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

OPINION

3

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation

One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine underscores the vital importance of our own border security, energy security, and national security.

PRESIDENT REAGAN gave us this warning about the importance of protecting our homeland. Just last week, we heard a moving and passionate speech from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who spoke before a joint session of Congress on the dire situation facing his own country’s security. In his remarks, this bold and courageous leader repeated his call for increased military aid.

While I do not support sending US troops into Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s harrowing speech reinforced my belief that we must do more to support Ukraine’s fight against Putin. The American Ammo in Defense of Ukraine Act, which I introduced earlier this month, will play an important part in this effort by cutting government red tape so that munitions donations from private citizens and manufacturers in the US can reach Ukraine faster.

Similarly, we should take steps to ensure that Ukraine is able to stop Russia’s heinous carpet bombing of civilian targets like churches, schools, and hospitals. We should provide Ukraine with every available defensive weapon possible, including anti-aircraft weaponry, as well as MiG fighter jets from our NATO partners. Replacing these jets with American F-16’s will not only strengthen our NATO allies, but also create jobs in America.

Ukraine should have every tool available to defend itself. However, I firmly believe our support should not include the enforcement of a nofly zone. This would require that American pilots confront and, in all likelihood, shoot down Russian aircraft. This would quickly escalate the conflict, leading to disastrous results, including possibly a nuclear war.

One thing is certain – the crisis in Ukraine underscores the vital importance of our own border security, energy security, and national security. Americans are being devastated by record fuel prices, yet Washington Democrats have continued to block efforts to promote energy independence. Just last week, they blocked for a third time my American Energy Independence from Russia Act that would boost our domestic energy production.

Instead, Democrats last week proposed numerous “alternative” solutions to addressing America’s energy crisis. These included shortterm gas rebates and “use it or lose it” regulations on American energy producers. These are Band-Aid solutions that would fail to address the root cause of the problem: the Left’s handicapping of the American

energy sector.

This is simply an issue of supply and demand. When demand is high and supply is low - in this case as a direct result of Biden’s policies - then prices go up. Washington Democrats must reverse their agenda and work to increase our supply with American sources of energy. This will help ensure American security, as well as end our dependence on foreign oil.

This ties into to another critical step for safeguarding our security: avoiding deals with the devil.

Last week, President Biden moved closer to finishing a new nuclear deal with Iran. It would be even more dangerous than President’s Obama’s Iran deal that President Trump rightly withdrew from in 2018. Under Biden’s new deal, numerous sanctions would be lifted and Iran would receive billions of dollars to better arm itself – all of this in exchange for fewer and shorter nuclear restrictions. What’s more – this deal would also increase China and Russia’s leverage in the region at our expense.

That’s why I co-sponsored the Maximum Pressure Act that will expand sanctions on Iran, restrict the President from unilaterally lifting these sanctions, and increase congressional oversight over them. Biden’s potential Iran deal severely undermines our security and congress must prevent it from being certified at all costs.

Finally, our national security depends on us securing our borders. Like inflation rates and record gas prices, the crisis at our border was created

by Biden’s policies and shows no signs of stopping. In total, over 2 million illegal migrants have already crossed our border in the last year. Officials predict this number could grow exponentially this year, as last month was the highest February on record in over two decades.

We need proven solutions to secure our border, including reinstating President Trump’s “remain in Mexico” policy, maintaining Title 42 authority to protect our public health, and finishing the wall. We must also send a clear message around the globe: do not come to the United States illegally.

National security can never be taken for granted. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has shown the world this sad reality. Rest assured I will continue working to defend our allies while doing everything possible to protect our homeland.

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

The end of the climate change legend A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia.

For many years now, there has been a spirited debate about whether climate change is science, religion or even perhaps a secret route to socialism. That question remains unanswered, but we’ve now discovered with certainty that climate change is a political albatross around the neck of the Democratic Party.

The Left’s spiritual devotion to climate change has been speeding the Democrats over a political cliff this fall with likely unprecedented losses this November. The zero fossil fuels suicide pact was always an economic and political loser. More than 70% of all the energy we produce and consume in America derives from oil, gas and coal.

President Joe Biden’s war on these fuel sources was sure to cause severe shortages and $5 a gallon gasoline at the pump. Didn’t Democrats learn their lesson in 1980 when Ronald Reagan won a landslide election against Jimmy Carter that surging inflation and gas prices is a surefire way to infuriate voters?

While Biden keeps saying he is doing “everything I can to lower gas prices,” he’s speaking out of both sides of his mouth — because if your goal is to get people to stop using something, raising its price is a pretty good way to accomplish that. If prices go to $10 or $15 a gallon, you can clear the highways of trucks and cars altogether ― and what a wonderful world it will be.

Democrats were so enamored with their Green New Deal delusion that they failed to understand that most people aren’t as hyperobsessed with climate change as they are. A new poll sponsored by my group, Committee to Unleash Prosperity, found that people are much more concerned about inflation and high gas prices than climate change. Moreover, the poll found that respondents’ average amount they would be willing to pay for the climate change agenda was $55 a year. Sorry, that’s the extra cost we are already spending with two fillups at the gas station.

Then there is the increasingly unavoidable reality that the green energy sources they fantasize about are decades away from being technologically feasible to replace old-fashioned oil, gas and coal.

Even the Energy Department predicts that even with the trend toward renewable energy, by 2035, we will still be heavily reliant on oil, gas and coal for electricity production, home heating and transportation fuels.

Elon Musk, the leading champion of electric cars, reminded Biden in a recent tweet that in the real world rather than in la-la land, we are going to need oil and gas for many years to come. Today 3% of cars on the road are electric, and 95% use gas or diesel.

This brings us to yet another fatal flaw of the climate change movement. The Biden administration and its radical green allies can’t explain why getting our energy from Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia makes more sense than Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska.

This strategy is especially pinheaded because the war on oil, gas and coal production is a big loser for the environment and increases global greenhouse gas emissions. That is because America has the strictest environmental standards. Shifting oil and gas production to Russia or Iran and shifting coal production to China and India is causing far more air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Chinese President Xi Jinping is busy trying to take over the world economy, and the last thing he or the ruling class in Beijing cares about is climate change.

Finally, Democrats should have learned from the green energy catastrophe of Western Europe. A decade ago, the French, Germans, Italians and others in the European Union moved to a renewable energy future. They slashed much of their oil, gas and coal production, shut down nuclear plants (why?) and subsidized the building of wind turbines and solar panels. It nearly bankrupted Germany as energy prices soared and factories left Europe for America and Asia. A decade later, France is back to building nuclear plants, and Germany is burning more coal than ever before and importing natural gas from Russia. Europe recently redefined natural gas and nuclear power as “clean energy.”

Going green wrecked their economies and submerged these countries deeper into the red. Unfortunately, Americans weren’t paying any attention to that failed experiment. So now Biden is repeating it. The result is likely to be the same. The Democrats’ radical climate change agenda isn’t greening the planet, and it is bankrupting our country. Voters know exactly whom to blame.

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at Freedom Works. He is also author of the new book: “Govzilla: How The Relentless Growth of Government Is Devouring Our Economy.”

North State Journal for Wednesday, March 23, 2022

4

obituaries

SPONSORED BY BOLES FUNERAL HOMES & CREMATORY

DEATH NOTICES ♦ William Mitchell Garner, 73 of Eastwood, passed on Monday, March 14, 2022 at the FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst. ♦ Mary Tom Chriscoe of West End passed away Sunday, March 13, 2022 at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital

Doris Blue

February 16, 1930 ~ March 21, 2022 Doris Thomas Blue, age 92 of Southern Pines, NC passed away on Monday, March 21, 2022 at her home in Southern Pines.

Doris was born in the home of her maternal grandparents on February 16, 1930 to Oscar R. Thomas and Miriam McDuffie Thomas. She was raised on farms in Harnett and Moore County.

She met Clarence H. “Pat” Blue at a square dance in the summer of 1957 and they were married six months later. (She said 3 boys asked her for a date that night but she only accepted the one from Pat).

They enjoyed 47 happy years of marriage.

Doris was preceded in death by her husband C.H. “Pat” Blue, sister Carmel Purdy, and brother Stedman Thomas.

She is survived by her 4 children, Carmel Kim Blue, LoJuanna Pages (Luis), Patrice Pickett (Neal), and Thomas Blue (Tommie), as well as 9 grandchildren and 3 greatgrandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 11 a.m. at Bethesda Presbyterian Church in Aberdeen.

William Huber

March 4, 1937 ~ March 21, 2022 William John Huber, a longtime resident of Pinehurst, NC, passed away peacefully in his home on March 21st, 2022 at the age of 85.

Bill was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to William Harry Huber and Sadie McMullin Parke Huber on March 4,1937. and his beloved wife, Judy, were married in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 24th, 1970.

Bill is survived by his cousin William Robert Parke, children Stephen Huber, Susan Simmons, and Karen Posey, sons-in-law David and Damion, grandsons Noah, Caleb, Ryder, and Jude, step granddaughters Desiree and Dana and his beloved Labrador Truman. Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 33 years Judith Huber.

A funeral is planned for Thursday, March 24th, 2022 at 2:00 pm at the Boles Funeral Home on 425 W Pennsylvania Ave, Southern Pines, NC. Burial will follow at Bethesda cemetery.

Thomas Patrick Porter

Sandra May (Sawyer) Hallet

April 17, 1938 - March 14, 2022 Thomas Patrick Porter, a resident of Southern Pines, North Carolina for the past sixteen years and formerly of Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey, passed away on March 14, 2022.

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on April 17, 1938, Tom leaves behind his wife of 63 years, Virginia Porter, and their eight children, eleven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Tom is preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Mary Porter, as well as his siblings, Ralph Porter and Mary Anne Lyons.

In addition to his wife, Virginia, Tom is survived by their daughters: Jill Herman (Thomas); Beth Gaddis (Len); Cynthia McCarthy; Amy Gabriel (Brian); Christy Millar (John); Alison Spencer (Doug); Meghan Porter; and son Thomas Porter.

His eleven grandchildren include Sean, Kate, and Aedan Herman; Grace, Christopher, and Virginia McCarthy; Alice Gaddis; Ana and John Paul Spencer; and Gabrielle and Harry Millar.

His great grandchildren are Harper and Hayes Herman.

His surviving siblings include Elizabeth Russamanno (Frank); Theresa Wilson (Robert); Richard Porter (Carol); and Kathleen Jobes (Karl). Tom also leaves behind several beloved nieces and nephews.

February 22, 1941 March 15, 2022

Sandra May (Sawyer) Hallet, age 81 of Whispering Pines, passed away on Tuesday, March 15, 2022 at home with her husband by her side. Sandy was born in Ayer, MA on February 22, 1941 to Roland Willard Sawyer and Mary McVicar (Tagg) Sawyer.

Sandy is survived by her husband, Paul Hallet; children, Timothy Russell (Michele) Hallet of Lexington, SC, Amy Beth Libonati of Rocky Point, NC, Susan Mary Froedtert of South Butler, PA and Daniel Roland (Lisha) Hallet of Denmark, TN; grandchildren, Travis Hallet, Anthony, Erica and Jocelyn Libonati, Isabelle and Aiden Froedtert, Ella and Sophia Hallet.

Sandy is preceded in death by her parents; in-laws, Mal and Helen Hallet; and brother, David Sawyer.

Sandy grew up and went to school in Groton, MA. She graduated from Groton High School in 1959 and Westbrook Junior College in 1962. She married her high school sweetheart, Paul Hallet, in West Groton, MA on August 24, 1963 and remained married to Paul for over 58 years. Sandy was also a special Grandmother to her eight Grandchildren and one Great Grandchild.

Kathryn Ray Bowman

Rosemary Virginia Roberts August 2, 1924 - March 15, 2022

Rosemary Virginia Roberts, 97, of Seven Lakes, NC passed away on Tuesday, March 15th, 2022 at Fox Hollow Senior Living in Pinehurst.

Rosemary was born on August 2nd, 1924 in L’Anse, Michigan to the late Gladys and Gerald McKindles. Rosemary was an avid reader and enjoyed watching Big Ten football and basketball.

She was a loving and kind person who could talk to anyone and made many friends.

Mrs. Roberts is survived by her daughter, Ann McClamroch of Virginia, grandchildren, Bryce McClamroch of North Carolina and Erin Glisson of Virginia. She also has a great granddaughter Abby Glisson of Virginia. Mrs. Roberts was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, Robert “Bob” Roberts and her daughter Patricia Lawrence.

August 13, 1924 - March 16, 2022 Kathryn Stewart Bowman, 97, of Aberdeen, NC, died surrounded by family on March 16, 2022.

Kathryn was born in Maxton, NC on August 13, 1924. After finishing her education, she worked as an Executive Assistant at the Laurinburg-Maxton Army Air Base. She was married to Hugh Edgar Bowman II on December 22, 1948.

Kathryn was predeceased

by Hugh, her husband of 67 years. She is survived by her five children, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

A visitation service will be held at Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines for family and friends from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm on Friday, March 25th. The funeral will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, March 26th at The Page Memorial United Methodist Church in Aberdeen. Burial will follow at Bethesda Cemetery.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones.

Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com.com

♦ Theodore F. “Ted” Ringsdorf, 82, of Pinehurst, passed suddenly at his home on Sunday, March 13th. ♦ Carmen Rose (Williams) Prevatte, 77 of Aberdeen, passed on Sunday, March 13, 2022, at her residence. ♦ Richard J. Zapczynski passed away peacefully with his wife, Dorothy, by his side on March 13, 2022.

Margaret Ardelia Johnson June 19, 1955 - March 14, 2022

Margaret Ardelia Johnson, 66, of Pinehurst, NC passed away peacefully on Monday, March 14, 2022 at FirstHealth Hospice House surrounded by her family.

Margaret was born June 19, 1955 in Memphis, TN to the late Albert Johnson Sr. and Annie Whitten Johnson.

Margaret moved to Southern Pines, NC from Chicago. She was a loving mother and grandmother.

She did quite a bit of babysitting for her grandchildren and thoroughly enjoyed the time she spent with them. She was truly a wonderful woman and will be greatly missed by her family.

She is survived by her children Duane Johnson (Tracy), Shun Johnson (Tramona McMillian) and Yolanda Harris (Gabriel); seven grandchildren Dominique Johnson, Brittney Johnson, Dawayne Johnson (Sarah), DeMarcus Johnson (Hailey Nelson), Breana Whipkey, Michael Whipkey III and Armiyah McMillian; five greatgrandchildren Hayden Johnson, Ka-Den McRae, Jordan Taylor, Genevieve Johnson, and Kevin McMillan; and a special friend George Saxon.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother Albert Johnson Jr., and sister Elizabeth Watkins.

Proudly supporting you every step of the way on your grief journey.

CONTACT

www.bolesfuneralhome.com Email: md@bolesfuneralhome.com Locations in: Southern Pines (910) 692-6262 | Pinehurst (910) 235-0366 | Seven Lakes (910) 673-7300

@BolesFuneralHomes