North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 42

Cooper elevates Pryor Gibson to senior legislative advisor

Raleigh

Gov. Roy Cooper named Division of Employment Security leader Pryor Gibson the position of senior legislative advisor, according to his office.

A former state legislator from Anson County, Gibson took over the DES position after financial woes in the office, with thousands unable to receive COVID-19 unemployment checks from the state’s commerce department.

Cooper also named Alicia Davis as Director of Legislative Affairs succeeding LT McCrimmon. Davis previously served in a similar role for the Secretary of State’s office.

NSJ STAFF

‘Zuck Bucks’ nonprofit back in business Chicago

A nonprofit group that became a point of controversy for distributing hundreds of millions of dollars in election grants during the 2020 presidential campaign is releasing a fresh round of money to local election offices.

The Chicago-based Center for Tech and Civic Life has said 10 county and municipal election offices will be part of the first group to receive grant money under the center’s U.S. Alliance for Election Excellence, which plans to hand out $80 million over the next five years.

The center did not disclose the amounts each jurisdiction would be eligible to receive but said the current round of funding will not include money directly from Mark Zuckerberg.

Two North Carolina counties will receive funds from the group: Brunswick and Forsyth.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Twitter disbands Trust and Safety advisory group

San Francisco Twitter has dissolved its Trust and Safety Council, the advisory group of around 100 independent civil, human rights and other organizations that the company formed in 2016 to address hate speech, child exploitation, suicide, selfharm and other problems on the platform.

The council had been scheduled to meet with Twitter representatives Monday night. But Twitter informed the group via email that it was disbanding it shortly before the meeting was to take place, according to multiple members.

Twitter’s owner Elon Musk amplified criticism Twitter’s past leadership for not doing enough to stop child sexual exploitation on the platform.

“It is a crime that they refused to take action on child exploitation for years!” Musk tweeted.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

US House passes defense bill scrapping COVID vaccine mandate

By Kevin Freking The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bill to rescind the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for members of the U.S. military and provide nearly $858 billion for national defense passed the House on Thursday as lawmakers scratch off one of the final items on their yearly to-do list.

The bill provides for about $45 billion more for defense programs than President Joe Biden request-

ed, the second consecutive year Congress significantly exceeded his request, as lawmakers seek to boost the nation’s military competitiveness with China and Russia.

The House passed the bill by a vote of 350-80. The bill is now up in the Senate, where it is expected to pass easily, then to the president to be signed into law.

To win bipartisan support for the bill, Democrats agreed to Republican demands to scrap the requirement for service members

to get a COVID-19 vaccination. The bill directs Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his August 2021 memorandum imposing the mandate. Only days earlier he voiced support for keeping the mandate in effect.

Rep. Adam Smith, Democratic chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told colleagues that the decision to impose the vaccine mandate was the right call at the time.

“It saved lives and it made sure that our force was as ready as it could possibly be in the face of the pandemic,” Smith said.

But, he said the directive only required the initial vaccination

Panthers punish Seahawks to win 5th game of season

Carolina Panthers head coach Steve Wilks watches from the sideline during an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022, in Charlotte. The Carolina Panthers have won three of their last four games and interim coach Steve Wilks is now 4-4 since taking over the team. The Panthers, who control their own destiny in the NFC South, host backto-back home games beginning Sunday, Dec. 18.

Folwell discusses strength of state pension plan; calls for ouster of BlackRock CEO

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — State Treasurer Dale Folwell discussed the strength of the state employee pension plan on Dec. 6 during his monthly call with media. As of Nov. 25, the pension plan has assets of nearly $111 billion.

Folwell mentioned that the topic of conversation at the Council of State meeting held just prior to the call with reporters was the strength of the state’s pension plan.

“Those that teach, protect and otherwise serve in North Caroli-

na at the state and the local level continue to be participating in one of the strongest, best-funded pension plans in the United States, if not the world,” Folwell said. He added that more than one in 10 North Carolinians are participating in the state’s retirement systems at “all different levels.”

North Carolina’s state pension plan serves more than 353,000 beneficiaries representing $590 million in monthly pension payments. Additionally, there are more than 647,000 active and former public employees who are not yet eligible to receive pension payouts.

Folwell said the state’s plan was just scored in the zero percentile by a CEM Benchmarking, the benchmarking group used by his predecessor. He said CEM Benchmarking had determined North Carolina has the “most efficient pension plan in North America.”

The treasurer said the state pension’s funded level continues to be in the mid-80s and for the current fiscal year the plan was down 7%.

“To put that in some context, Georgia’s pension plan was down 14%,” explained Folwell. “So, we entered this year with the highest levels of cash equivalents and the

shortest duration of bonds in the history of North Carolina.”

In terms of the number of participants seeing payouts, Folwell said the state continues to “smash all records in the check delivery business.”

The treasurer also addressed various state investment plans and was asked whether the state’s pension plan has any ties to what has become a hot topic nationally: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG).

North State Journal asked about ESG investment practices and if ESG was represented in the state’s pension plan.

Investopedia.com defines ESG as “a set of standards for a company’s behavior used by socially conscious investors to screen potential investments.”

“We don’t have any ESG Investments inside the pension plan,” Folwell said.

ESG practices have seen significant pushback nationwide from Republican state treasurers and

ReOpen NC protester sees charges dismissed

After 2-plus years,

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A ReOpen NC protester who was arrested for violating a COVID-19 order issued by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has finally seen those charges dismissed and expunged after more than two years of court battles.

Monica Ussery, then age 51, was arrested by Capitol Police Officer Derick Proctor for allegedly violating Cooper’s executive order 121 dictating citizens to stay at home. She was also accused of violating the order’s “social distancing” requirements of staying 6 feet away from other people.

Ussery’s arrest happened during the first ReOpen NC protest held on April 14, 2020, in a parking lot near the General Assembly.

In an interview with North State Journal, Ussery noted she was arrested and processed by Capitol Police and that Raleigh police were also present that day.

She also said that throughout her case she had been denied access to body cam footage.

Initially, Ussery said law enforcement claimed there was no footage due to their request coming after the time period an agency is required to retain such footage. Then the story changed and her attorney was provided with a single clip. The story changed a third time and Ussery said she is now in possession of around 3 gigabytes of footage, however, it’s not all of the footage that was requested.

Complicating matters is the

fact the judge hearing her case has placed a gag order prohibiting her from sharing it with anyone outside of those legally representing her. Ussery indicated to North State Journal that she is actively seeking to get that gag order removed.

Had that footage been turned over expediently, Ussery believes the charges likely would have been dropped much sooner.

“I believe we would have gotten through [the criminal case] a lot better and quicker had I been allowed that body cam footage prior to my first case,” Ussery said.

Outside of getting the body cam footage released, Ussery said she is taking some time off and will pursue a civil action, possibly in April 2023.

“Fighting the criminal aspect, that doesn’t always line up with

Body

cam

footage that could have cleared protester was allegedly withheld

BRIAN WESTERHOLT | AP PHOTO

11 Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof.

12 Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice

Psalm 96: 11-12

Last Sunday marked the Third Sunday of Advent. Traditionally, joy is the focus of the third Sunday of Advent. Joy is also one of the elements of the Fruit of the Spirit. The joy brought through the Fruit of the Spirit is a happiness that goes beyond the ephemeral happiness brought by the world. The joy of Christmas exceeds the happiness that comes with opening presents or even being a gift-giver.

“Joy to the World” is a popular Christmas carol and is one of the mostpublished hymns in North America. The song, written by English writer Isaac Watts, celebrates the arrival of Jesus. The upbeat verse harkens to Pslam 96 with the words “and Heaven and nature sing.” The true joy is found in the final stanzas reminding us that Jesus came to make his “blessings flow far as the curse is found” and that we will see the “glories of his righteousness and wonders of his love.”

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and by now that protection has worn off.

“It’s time to update the policy,” Smith said.

Republicans said the mandate hurt recruiting and retention efforts. Rep. Mike Rogers, top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said he intends in the next Congress to examine who was adversely affected by the mandate, “so we can try to revisit that and make them whole to the extent desirable.”

More than 8,000 active-duty service members were discharged for failure to obey a lawful order when they refused the vaccine.

“Some of the folks who have moved on are not going to want to come back,” said Rogers, who will become chairman of the

Armed Services Committee in the next Congress.

Military leaders have argued that troops for decades have been required to get as many as 17 vaccines in order to maintain the health of the force, particularly those deploying overseas. Recruits arriving at the military academies or at basic training get a regimen of shots on their first day — such as measles, mumps and rubella — if they aren’t already vaccinated. And they routinely get flu shots in the fall.

The politicization of the COVID-19 vaccine, however, triggered an onslaught of exemption requests from troops. As many as 16,000 religious exemptions have been or are still pending, and only about 190 have been approved. Small numbers of temporary and permanent medical exemptions have

also been granted.

While the rescission of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate has generated much attention, it takes up one paragraph of what is a 4,408-page bill.

The bill also authorizes $800 million in additional security assistance for Ukraine and calls for a report on whether any gaps exist in the oversight of aid to that country. That addresses the concerns of some Republicans who have been calling for a more detailed accounting of how the money has been spent.

The legislation received broad support from House members of both political parties. Opposition came from 45 Democrats and 35 Republicans.

Some Democrats said the bill authorized too much defense spending.

“While working families are

being crushed by inflation, we shouldn’t be spending $45 billion MORE than the President requested,” tweeted Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y.

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, said stripping the vaccine mandate did not go far enough.

“We must rehire these heroes with mandatory backpay,” he said of those who were kicked out for refusing the vaccine order.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the Pentagon’s COVID vaccination policy, but said Biden would judge the bill “on its entirety.”

“What we think happened here is Republicans in Congress have decided that they’d rather fight against the health and well-being of our troops than protecting them,” Jean-Pierre said. “And we believe that it is a mistake.”

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attorneys general in the past six months. Some of the efforts have called for anti-ESG legislation, a move that is opposed by a collection of 13 Democratic treasurers and comptrollers.

Earlier this month, Florida’s CFO Jimmy Patronis announced the state will begin divesting $2 billion worth of assets currently managed by BlackRock.

“Using our cash, however, to fund BlackRock’s social-engineering project isn’t something Florida ever signed up for,” Patronis said in a press release. “It’s got nothing to do with maximizing returns and is the opposite of what an asset manager is paid to do.”

Additionally, Louisiana and Missouri have already taken action to divest from ESG practices employed by big investing groups such as BlackRock and Vanguard.

In August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced the first investigation by the state into ESFG-tied practices for “potential violations of consumer protection and anti-Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) law.” Similarly, Utah’s attorney general is leading 13 states in an effort to challenge the ESG movement and has filed a motion with the Federal Energy Regulation Commission to intervene specifically in ESG activities by Vanguard.

I can say, with all the chatter going on about cryptocurrency and Bitcoin and SPACs, our pension system or the state of North Carolina, or the Treasurer’s Office — we’ve never invested,” Folwell said of ESGs. “And I say this biblically, yesterday today or tomorrow. We have never invested in cryptocurrency Bitcoin or SPACs.

SPACs are Special Purchase Acquisition Companies, sometimes referred to a “blank check companies.” SPACs are essentially shell companies created for the purpose of raising capital in order to acquire another company.

He also said he thinks ESGs “have the impact of driving up complexity, driving up cost, and driving up the cost of borrowing

money, especially for some of our smaller communities.”

On Dec. 9, Folwell issued a press release calling for BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to “resign or be removed” from the firm over a “a loss of confidence in Fink’s leadership” due to his focus on ESG initiatives.

“As keeper of the public purse my duty is to manage our investments to ensure that the best interests of those that teach, protect and serve, as well as of our retirees, are always paramount,” Folwell said in the release.

The North Carolina Retirement Systems (NCRS) have approximately $14 billion invested through BlackRock in various active but mostly passive funds at the lowest possible investment fees, in addition to around $55 million passively invested in BlackRock stocks or bonds, according to Folwell’s office.

Folwell’s release states that “BlackRock and Mr. Fink have been using the financial power of their clients to force the global warming agenda by using their proxy voting authority to push companies to ‘net

zero,’ often in conflict with their fiduciary responsibilities.”

An example provided was BlackRock’s 2020 action that used its clients’ proxy votes to vote against two management-supported board members of ExxonMobil because of “insignificant progress” toward ESG goals of moving toward renewable energy and away from oil. The release also notes ExxonMobil’s stock has jumped 60% due to demand for oil and subsequent price increases and that “19 of the 20 best-performing companies in the S&P 500 are fossil fuel producers or connected to the industry.”

“Unfortunately, Mr. Fink’s political agenda has gotten in the way of his same fiduciary duty. A focus on ESG is not a focus on returns, and potentially could force us to violate our own fiduciary duty of loyalty,” said Folwell. “Ultimately, Mr. Fink’s continued ideological pressure could result in using ESG scores against states and local governments, lowering their credit ratings and thus driving up their cost of borrowing at taxpayers’ ex-

pense.”

Addressing the state’s 401(k) program, Folwell said it “continues also to be one of the most efficient in the United States.”

During the Q&A portion of the call, Folwell said he would like to get more people to invest the variety of different state offerings such as the state’s 401(k) and 457 plans. Currently, 65% of the participation in the 401(k) plan is at the local level and statewide participation in the 401(k) and 457 plans is around 40% per Folwell. He said increasing participation in those plans would be a topic his office will pursue in the General Assembly’s upcoming long session.

The Town of Pikeville’s financial turnaround was also brought up. The state had taken control of the town’s finances on April 13, 2021, and at a Dec. 6 meeting of the Local Government Commission a resolution was adopted to restore financial control to the town. Pikeville is in Wayne County and has around 720 residents.

The Atrium Health merger was

not mentioned during the call, however, Folwell had issued a press release regarding the finalization of that deal.

“Hold onto your wallets, the Attorney General has failed the patients and taxpayers of North Carolina yet again,” Folwell said in a Dec. 2 statement. “There is widespread evidence that mergers make hospital care less affordable and less safe.”

The merger between Atrium Health and Advocate Aurora Health has been dubbed a “mega-merger” by some and will make Atrium one of the top five largest health care providers in the country. Per Atrium’s announcement of the merger, Advocate Health serves almost 6 million patients.

“With revenues of more than $27 billion, the newly combined organization comprises more than 1,000 sites of care and 67 hospitals with more than 21,000 physicians and nearly 42,000 nurses. The health system delivers nearly $5 billion in annual community benefit,” according to Atrium’s statement.

Folwell said he has “deep concerns” about the merger and that “its new partner, Advocate Aurora, is facing an antitrust lawsuit alleging anticompetitive behavior that has made health care prices higher in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, than in New York City.”

In closing, Folwell added, “This is just another example of the cartel putting profits and protectionism over patients.”

Attorney General Josh Stein issued a brief statement on the merger, stating that his office has “conducted a thorough review into this transaction and concluded that there is no legal basis to prevent it.”

The statement also said Stein has concerns about the effect on “health care access in rural and urban underserved communities” and that his office will be monitoring operations to assess the impact.

Stein couldn’t find a reason to intervene in the Atrium/Wake Forest merger last year either, and in a press release stated he “will not take action against this deal at this time.”

FOLWELL,

MANDATE,

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Adoration of the Child” (circa 1621) by Gerard van Honthorst is a painting held in the collection of the Uffizi, Florence, Italy.

SETH WENIG | AP PHOTO

Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock, participates in a panel during the One Planet Summit in New York, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018.

CVS, Walgreens finalize $10B in settlements over opioids

By Geoff Mulvihill The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — CVS

and Walgreens have agreed to pay state and local governments a combined total of more than $10 billion to settle lawsuits over the toll of opioids and now want to know by Dec. 31 whether states are accepting the deals.

States announced final details Monday of settlements that the two largest pharmacy chains in the U.S. offered last month.

The deals are among the largest in a wave of proposed and finalized settlements over opioids in recent years totaling more than $50 billion. Another big pharmacy operator, Walmart, also agreed to a settlement last month for $3.1 billion.

Although lawyers involved in the cases are in line for a cut of the payments, most of the money is to be used to fight an overdose epidemic that has only deepened in recent years.

Opioids have been linked to more than 500,000 deaths in the U.S. in the past two decades, with the most casualties in recent years. The drugs responsible for the bulk of the deaths have shifted from prescription painkillers to illicitly produced fentanyl, which is often being mixed into other street drugs.

In the 2010s, state and local governments filed thousands of lawsuits seeking to hold the drug industry accountable for the crisis. Key drugmakers and distribution companies have already agreed to settlements.

Now, pharmacies, which were subject to claims that they should

have realized they were filling too many opioid prescriptions, are following suit.

Under the separate deals, states have until the end of the year to agree to drop claims over opioids against Walgreens and CVS to receive the maximum payouts.

If there aren’t enough states participating, the companies can back out.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta said in a statement Monday that California could get

up to $510 million in the Walgreens settlement. He said the state is still assessing the terms of the CVS deal.

“To all those struggling with substance abuse disorders, to all those desperately in need of treatment and recovery options — help is on the way,” Bonta said.

Other states, including Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Oregon and Pennsylvania, have indicated they’re accepting the terms of both settlements.

If there is sufficient sign-on

from states, local governments can also sign on to get shares.

The amount awarded to governments is based on their populations and the severity of the opioid crisis there. States will get bigger amounts if more of their local governments agree.

The Walgreens payments could total up to $5.52 billion over 15 years. The CVS payments could reach $4.9 billion over 10 years.

Additionally, the companies have announced tentative payments to Native American tribes totaling

more than $250 million.

Like other opioid settlements, the agreements call for governments that receive money to use it to fight the drug crisis.

Under the deals, about $1.2 billion would be set aside for lawyers’ fees and legal expenses.

The companies also have agreed to monitor, report and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.

“This crisis is unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” said North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. “It’s the deadliest drug epidemic in American history. Too many people have died and too many more have had their lives torn apart. It is on their behalf that my colleagues and I have worked so hard on a bipartisan basis to hold accountable the companies that created and fueled this crisis. I am proud to have helped lead the effort to secure more than $10 billion from these two drug store chains, and I know that because of these agreements, more people will be alive, healthy, and happy in the coming years than otherwise would have been.”

Get

outdoors

in the new year: 2023 is the Year of the Trail in NC

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Outdoor activities in the new year are being boosted by The Great Trails State Coalition’s campaign to highlight the legislature has designated 2023 as the Year of the Trail in North Carolina.

It will be the largest celebration of trails and outdoor recreation in the state’s history.

“NC Year of the Trail will celebrate and draw attention to North Carolina’s vast network of trails, greenways, and blueways,” reads the press release from The Great State Trails Coalition (GSTC). “These trails showcase our state’s diverse landscapes –from grand mountain vistas to quiet rivers, vibrant urban greenways, coastal forests, and the rolling hills of the Piedmont.”

The North Carolina Great Trails State Coalition includes the Friends of the Mountains to Sea Trail, East Coast Greenway Alliance, NC Horse Council, Carolina Thread Trail, The

Conservation Fund, Fred Smith Company, McAdams, PermaTrack, and multiple county involvement.

GSTC’s campaign starts on Jan. 1, 2023, under the banner “First Day Outdoors.” The kickoff invites citizens of all ages across the state to “find a trail to walk, run, hike, bike, paddle, or ride” and to visit a State Park for a “First Day Hike” or explore trails around the state.

More information about the Year of the Trail will be dissem-

inated statewide through social media, advertising, newsletters and other forms. Additionally, the campaign can be accessed by visiting https://greattrailsnc. com/.

In 2021, Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 554 designating 2023 as the Year of the Trail in North Carolina. The legislation encourages and promotes the use of local and regional trail networks and included funding to expand and enhance the state’s current trail networks. 2023 was specifically chosen to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the 1973 North Carolina Trails System Act. The legislation was spearheaded by Reps. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke), Dean Arp (R-Union), Mike Clampitt (R-Swain), and Erin Paré (R-Wake).

The state’s longest hiking trail system, the Mountains to Sea Trail, turned 49 in 2019. The trail system spans 1,1175 miles across the state from the Smokey Mountains all the way to the Outer Banks.

State returns control of finances to Pikeville

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The N.C. Local Government Commission (LGC) will be returning financial control to the town of Pikeville.

fight the constitutional [aspect]” said Ussery. “Preserving the constitutional right to peaceful assembly wasn’t the direction my attorneys wanted to take in court.”

She also intends to hold the arresting officer, Proctor, accountable for his testimony during her court proceedings for what she says is perjury in light of the body cam footage she now has in her possession.

Legislators quickly took notice of Ussery’s arrest.

The day after Ussery’s arrest, Sens. Warren Daniel (R-Burke) and Danny Britt (R-Robeson), who were co-chairs of the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, sent a letter to Cooper demanding the governor clarify his order.

The letter noted people could gather in places of business if social distanced, but that law enforcement had not initially cited that in the arrest, writing that the “police department indicated that you, by executive order, have prohibited protesting itself.”

When the arrest was questioned on social media, the Raleigh Police Department (RPD) responded in a tweet that “Protesting is a non-essential activity.” The tweet was later deleted on June 23.

RPD would later tweet a statement citing both the governor’s stay-at-home order and the Wake County emergency proclamation as justification for the arrest. In addition, the RPD statement said the Wake County district attorney is the “individual who decides language for failure to adhere” to those orders, as well as when charging is appropriate and what charges a person might face. The statement also directed any further questions be sent to the Capitol Police.

“If that is true, and if authorities are arresting people who protest because you prohibited protesting, that would be a grave overstep in your authority and would require immediate judicial intervention,” warned Daniel and Britt. “Can you please clarify whether your executive orders have prohibited the First Amendment right of North Carolinians to peacefully protest against your executive orders?”

Attorneys for both ReOpen NC and Ussery also responded by serving Cooper an Intent to Sue letter demanding Cooper clarify executive order 121, which failed to address the First Amendment rights of citizens such as protests and demonstrations.

Ussery’s attorney also demanded her charges be dropped since the state had violated her

civil rights by arresting her. That wouldn’t come to pass until December 2022.

Cooper didn’t respond personally to either inquiry. Instead, William C. McKinney, the governor’s general counsel, responded on April 20.

In his response, McKinney said the governor’s executive orders “provide room for outdoor protests to continue.” He also wrote that “protests can continue as long as demonstrators observe the 6-foot social distancing requirement. That strikes us as reasonable and prudent.”

Observers noted that social distancing restrictions did not appear to have been placed on nor observed by protesters during the Black Lives Matter protests over the death of George Floyd that took place in June of that year. The majority of those protests that occurred in North Carolina, including in Raleigh, were costly, ending in rioting, arson and destruction of public and private property.

It is also worth noting that Cooper did not obey the same order Ussery was arrested for violating when, on June 1, 2020, he was filmed marching shoulder-to-shoulder with Black Lives Matter protesters around the Executive Mansion with his mask off, dangling from one ear.

“Pikeville showed exceptional resiliency and resolve, working in full cooperation with our staff to find out what’s right, get it right, and keep it right,” State Treasurer Dale Folwell said. “We have provided town leaders with the skills, tools and information they need to excel, and we have every expectation that is what will happen going forward.”

Folwell went on to say that “This truly was a whole community effort, so residents and taxpayers share in this triumph. Pikeville stands out as a shining example of attacking problems in a positive manner for maximum achievement.”

At the Dec. 6 meeting of the LGC, a resolution was adopted to restore financial control to the town. LGC personnel will continue to provide guidance and oversight to the town. The town is located in Wayne County and has around 720 residents.

The LGC is chaired by Folwell and is staffed by members of his office. The commission monitors most debt issued by units of local government and public authorities in the state, examines borrowing power and ability to repay debts incurred. It also keeps track of the financial well-being of over 1,100 local government units.

Deputy Treasurer Sharon Edmundson, who serves as secretary of the LGC, delivered the news while attending the Pikeville Town Commission meeting on Nov. 14.

“I appreciate the hard work of the LGC staff and the town’s efforts to coordinate and cooperate

on a plan to revive Pikeville,” Secretary Edmundson said. “This is truly a success story.”

On Dec. 6, LGC members presented Pikeville Mayor Garrett Johnston and town commissioners with a ceremonial key to the city’s coffers to honor the accomplishment.

“It’s been an amazing year,” Johnston said in a press release. “As far back as when I took the chair last December, it was an absolute shambles. We’ve grown closer as a board. We’ve gone through a difficult battle together, and we’ve come out stronger and more cohesive, with better communication.”

Pikeville is one of seven government units under the financial control of the LGC, per the treasurer’s office.

The LGC took control of Pikeville’s financial books on April 13, 2021. According to the treasurer’s release, at the time the LGC took over, Pikeville only had 4.8% of unrestricted available funds available to meet its $765,000 budget. The town was also risked missing five payments totaling $158,000 of debt.

“We had just a straight-up Jerry Springer show for board meetings. So, when I took office it was just a full embracing of all the services the LGC had to offer. I really fail to grasp why other towns wouldn’t take full advantage of what the LGC brings to the table. The accountability aspect can be a little scary but it’s a necessity,” he said.

“State personnel came in and straightened out all the mess that we created and left us in a wonderful place. We are a poster child of LGC success. I would be happy to be a spokesman to any town that’s being stubborn about working with the LGC because it’s a huge asset,” said Johnston.

“To all those struggling with substance abuse disorders, to all those desperately in need of treatment and recovery options — help is on the way”

California Attorney General Rob Bonta

AP PHOTO, FILE

This 2019 file photo shows a sign outside a Walgreens Pharmacy in Pittsburgh.

FILE PHOTO

A view of shops in downtown Pikeville can be seen in this file photo.

Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount

Wreaths Across America honors veterans nationwide

Wreaths Across America is best known for placing veteran’s wreaths for those interred at Arlington Nation Cemetery every December for the last 30-plus years. However, the total effort is much larger. The group says it annually places more than 2.4 million veteran’s wreaths at over 3,200 locations around the country and abroad.

A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the group continues and expands the mission begun by Maine businessman Morrill Worcester in 1992.

The organization’s mission — Remember, Honor, Teach — is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreathlaying ceremonies in December at Arlington, as well as at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

On Dec. 8, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating Saturday, Dec. 17, as “Wreaths Across America Day.”

Sulphur Springs Baptist Church (NCSSBC) Warrenton

Cedarwood Cemetery (NCCCRR) Roanoke Rapids AFS

Edgewood Cemetery (NCEWCW) Windsor

New Bern National Cemetery (NCNBNC) New Bern

New Hollywood Cemetery (NCNHWE) Elizabeth City

WEST PIEDMONT EAST

Immigration legal support gets boost from grant

Henderson County Duke Energy announced the recipients of 40 $25,000 equity grants across the state.

The money helps increase civic engagement, reduce disparate outcomes and support policy training and criminal justice reform, in addition to helping with pathways to citizenship. One of the recipients is True Ridge, which will use the money “to establish an immigration program that will provide accessible and affordable immigration representation to Western North Carolina. The grant will allow us to assist people with an immigration pathway and keep families together in our community,” said program manager Christina Hawley-Holtgreven.

DUKE ENERGY

Pair of railroads get DOT grants

Jackson County

Two railroads in Western NC received sixfigure grants from the state’s Department of Transportation. The Blue Ridge Southern Railroad, which serves Buncombe, Jackson, Henderson and Haywood counties, received $1,847,754 for bridge improvements and track upgrades on its Canton and Skyland branches. The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad, which runs through Cherokee, Jackson, Macon and Swain counties, got $1,011,978 for bridge improvements and track upgrades along its main line corridor.

Detention officer charged in hit-and-run

Yancey County

A Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office detention officer was arrested and charged with felony hit-and-run. The Sheriff’s Office posted a statement on social media saying, “Detention Officer Will Martin, of the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office was taken into custody earlier tonight by the State Highway Patrol on a Felony Hit and Run charge. The incident took place in Yancey County and involved a personal vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office is fully cooperating with the SHP investigation.”

Cawthorn broke rules over ‘meme’ crypto, told to pay $14K

Buncombe County

The House Ethics Committee has told departing Rep. Madison Cawthorn to pay more than $14,000 to charity. The committee determined Cawthorn financially benefited while purchasing a cryptocurrency that he was promoting and violated conflict of interest rules. The Republican lost his reelection bid in May’s primary. The committee released its report about Cawthorn’s activities related to a “meme” coin he purchased in late 2021. An investigative subcommittee didn’t reach consensus on whether Cawthorn intended to profit personally from those promotions. The committee also agreed there was no evidence that the Republican had an improper relationship with a staff member.

Bear invades family’s car on camping trip

Caswell County

The Pinnix Family of Caswell County took a camping trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee, last month and had an unexpected visitor. While staying in a cabin outside the city limits, they heard a noise from bushes near their porch.

A bear emerged and approached the four vehicles parked in the cabin grounds. It tried each car door handle until one opened. It entered the vehicle and emerged with a bag of popcorn. The animal also made off with a bag of chips.

DOT money to help railroad upgrade track

Iredell County

The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded $12 million to a dozen shortline railroads around the state as part of the Freight Rail and Rail Crossing Safety Improvement Program. The Alexander Railroad Co. received nearly half a million dollars in its award. The money will be split between two projects: $403,995 will be used for track upgrades on the main line corridor in Iredell County, and another $96,000 will be used on the main line corridor in Alexander County.

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Pricey pants from 1857 go for $114K, raise Levi’s questions

RALEIGH — Republican Senator-elect Ted Budd named two Capitol Hill veterans has his incoming chief of staff and deputy chief of staff. Tucker Knott was named chief of staff and Chad Yelinski was named deputy chief of staff. Knott and Yelinski are both familiar faces to North Carolina’s congressional delegation, having worked for multiple North Carolina members over the past decade. Knott served as chief of staff for former Rep. George Holding before moving to the private sector. Yelinski has led Budd’s Congressional office for the past

FOX 8

Richard Petty makes donation to high school

Randolph County

Legendary NASCAR driver Richard Petty donated $25,000 in equipment to Randleman High School. The donation is part of a partnership between “The King” and Northern Tool & Equipment. The equipment and tools will be used by the school’s career technical education program.

Petty, who graduated from Randleman, made the donation in person and spoke with staff and students in the program.

Minority home program receives grant

Lee County Duke Energy awarded 40 grants of $25,000 each statewide to support equity and diversity efforts. Lee County’s Brick Capital Community Development was one of the recipients. The organization will use the money to “provide homeownership options through our housing development as well as providing housing counseling to firsttime homebuyers to help them navigate the homebuying process.” said executive director Kerry Bashaw.

Dare County Pulled from a sunken trunk at an 1857 shipwreck off the coast, work pants described as the oldest known pair of jeans in the world have sold for $114,000. The white, heavyduty miner’s pants with a five-button-fly were among 270 Gold Rush-era artifacts that sold for nearly $1 million at an auction in Reno last weekend. There’s disagreement about whether the pants have any ties to the father of modern-day blue jeans. Officials for Levi Strauss say any claims about their origin is speculation because they predate the first jeans the San Francisco-based company officially manufactured in 1873.

expansion

AP

Nash County Woodgrain, Inc., a building products company, will create 42 new jobs in Nash County. The company will invest $7.5 million to expand its door-hanging operation in Rocky Mount. Family-owned and operated since 1954, Woodgrain is a vertically integrated manufacturer of moulding, millwork, windows, doors, door jambs and door frames. This expansion will relocate Woodgrain’s existing operation to a 225,000-square-foot facility. The new positions include production, warehouse, delivery, sales and administrative personnel with an average annual salary of $44,464 for the positions. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of $1.8 million.

NC.GOV

AP

WXII

AP

Food tech company to make $123M investment in Wilson Wilson County Future Meat Technologies Inc., also known as Believer Meats, a cultivated meat company, will create up to 100 new jobs in Wilson County. The company will make an initial investment of more than $123 million to establish its first commercial-scale food manufacturing facility in Wilson. Believer Meats is a cultivated meat company pioneering the first scalable labgrown meat production system. The new facility will be in the Wilson Corporate Park. The average annual salary will be $60,087, exceeding Wilson County’s current average wage of $47,863. The new jobs will create an annual payroll impact of more than $6 million.

NC.GOV

NC and Virginia Railroad

gets grant for infrastructure

Northampton County

The N.C. Department of Transportation awarded $12 million in grants to short line railroads around the state to improve bridges and tracks. The North Carolina and Virginia Railroad received an award of $415,572. The money will be used on bridge improvements and track upgrades along the main line, as well as the Northampton, Bertie and Herford branches.

Budd names incoming senior leadership team Cuomo

RALEIGH — The day-to-day administrator of the North Carolina Democratic Party for the past two election cycles has left the executive director’s post.

In an email to party leaders this weekend, Meredith Cuomo said she made the decision to leave the job before the November election.

At the request of party Chair Bobbie Richardson, Cuomo stayed on as a senior adviser starting Dec. 1 to help continue to guide the party until a new executive director is hired and settled, Cuomo wrote.

Cuomo, who was a party finance director before becoming executive director in 2019, cited in a Sunday social media post the need for more time with her family and sons.

Cuomo steps down after a mixed bag of election

two years.

“Tucker and Chad both bring a lot of valuable experience to the table and will build a strong team to help accomplish good things for the people of North Carolina,” said Budd. “Tucker already enjoys solid relationships with key leaders across North Carolina. He’ll hit the ground running on day one in support of the working families of North Carolina. Chad is a great leader in my Congressional office and will continue to play an important role for North Carolina in the U.S. Senate. Chad’s policy expertise and familiarity with US Senate legislative process will be invaluable as we move forward.”

results last month for the party near the top of the ballot. Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Budd won the U.S. Senate race over Democrat Cheri Beasley, and GOP candidates swept all six appellate court seats.

But Democrats won two more U.S. House seats to earn a 7-7 split with Republicans in the state’s delegation. And a massive effort to preserve Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto power resulted in House Republicans falling one seat short of a veto-proof majority.

“I’m proud of my team and the work we’ve done over the last few elections,” she wrote. “This work is never easy, but I will never regret fighting for North Carolina.” WRAL-TV first reported on Cuomo’s departure.

Lillian Taylor, the state party’s digital director, will serve as interim executive director, Cuomo said in her email.

Building products company selects Rocky Mount for $7.5M

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AP PHOTO, FILE

The U. S Capitol is seen on Aug. 5, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

North State Journal

The Associated Press

STATEment

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

‘Good’ redistricting versus ‘bad’ gerrymandering

REDISTRICTING IS A NECESSARY function of our democratic republic. Gerrymandering is a perversion of a critical self-governance function which distorts the concept of free and fair elections.

Massachusetts Gov. Eldridge Gerry, the progenitor of the practice in 1812, must be rolling in his grave to this day.

Liberal Democrats today have taken it a step further. They level charges of “egregious gerrymandering” any time a Republican legislature draws maps and cry out “racism” as they run to the courts to do what they couldn’t do in elections ― win majorities so they could draw the maps instead.

Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations, except as to the Places of chusing Senators.”

Congress has a role in “making” or “altering” such regulations, such as by passing the Voting Rights Acts to make sure black Americans have equal access to the ballot box and representation. But the final decision still comes down to state legislatures to draw and pass new districts which comply with such directives, not the courts.

This has little to do with racial equity any longer. It has everything to do with gaining political power.

This has little to do with racial equity any longer. It has everything to do with gaining political power.

Democrats don’t hate the concept of “gerrymandering” per se. Deep blue Democrat states such as Maryland and Illinois have truly mind-bending Escher-esque maps which protect incumbent Democrats while eliminating as many Republicans as possible.

Democrats only “hate” the idea of Republicans having the same power to produce favorable political districts in red states to the degree Democrats have mastered in blue states. If Democrats really hated gerrymandering as a principle, Common Cause, the ACLU and every liberal organization in the nation would file identical lawsuits in 43 states regardless of political control (seven states are represented by one representative in Congress)

Don’t buy their crocodile tears. As soon as Democrats ever regain control of the North Carolina General Assembly, they will try to hammer as many Republicans into political oblivion as they did for over a century from 1898 to 2010.

The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week in Moore v. Harper, a case which will decide whether state courts nationwide have any right at all to draw and redraw congressional and legislative districts or whether it remains 100% in the purview of elected representatives in the state legislature.

The framers of the Constitution were clear about who should draw legislative districts ― state legislatures would have the sole prerogative to draw new congressional and legislative districts after each decennial census. Not state nor federal judge,s and most certainly not any unelected judges or independent commissions, all of which defeat the purpose of having a democratic republic based on self-governance and democratic involvement in the first place.

They prioritized the status of the legislative branch in Article I; they gave appointment powers to state legislatures for choosing U.S. senators and they gave specific powers to states about deciding how and when to conduct their own elections in Section 4 of Article I:

“The Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

Courts were set up to call constitutional balls and strikes, much like an umpire in baseball. They can and should rule on whether maps pass constitutional muster and comply with legislative acts such as the Voting Rights Act. But that is it. They should have absolutely no role in actually drawing the maps or appointing a special master to draw maps and force any legislature to pass them.

Legislative and congressional maps should be drawn so one elected person can adequately represent the interests of the whole district at large. Drawing distorted maps worthy of hanging next to Picasso’s “Guernica” defeats the whole purpose of electing effective representatives in the first place.

Districts should be drawn on generally accepted principles of compactness; contiguity; preservation of counties and other political subdivisions; preservation of communities of interest and preservation of cores of prior districts. Big city bankers don’t talk the talk of a rural farmer and vice versa. No person can represent such disparate interests well in crazy gerrymandered districts ― do they serve on the banking or the agriculture committee and give the bulk of their time and energy to either or half as much to both?

Repeated redrawing of maps alienates constituents from their elected representatives. People used to know L.H. Fountain was their congressman in NC-2 for decades simply because the district didn’t change very much decade to decade. Nowadays, many North Carolinians have no idea who their congressional representative is unless they google it.

It is time to stop the political gamesmanship of redistricting and end the machinations of overtly political campaign lawyers such as Marc Elias. Draw fair, compact maps and let the political chips fall where they may. If the voters don’t like the maps, then the opposition can work to defeat incumbents in the next election.

That is the way our democratic republican system was set up to work. Not determined by the courts.

Modern journalism goes from questioning public figures to shielding them

ONE OF THE THINGS ANYONE who wants to be a journalist should implicitly understand is that the desire to question official narratives and public figures should be baked into your DNA.

Then-Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, who helped break the Watergate scandal and who are considered OGs (the best of the best at what they did) in Media World, would not have found out what they did had they acquiesced when they were told to back off or had they been biased in favor of Republican politicos to the point they worked to protect them rather than dig into their activities.

on suppressing the Hunter Biden story because they said it contained information gleaned from “hacking.” There were also (erroneous) allegations that the story was “Russian propaganda.”

In response to Ryan’s tweet, NBC News senior reporter Ben Collins snidely condemned Musk’s tactics and suggested that questioning “private citizens” should be off-limits because it benefited conservatives.

“Elon’s team is just creating new Main Characters for Fox News to accuse of treason by implying they did some sort of high crime but never actually saying what the crime is,” Collins proclaimed.

Baker is neither a “random” person nor should he be considered a “private citizen” if he was actively colluding with his former FBI associates to suppress content critical of a presidential candidate.

But things are much different in 2022. Though there are many fine journalists out there, mainstream “objective” journalism is in a sad state of disrepair, corrupted by the desire to push preferred political angles rather than report the news from a neutral perspective and allow readers to decide what to think for themselves.

Worse yet, a growing number of journalists are openly advocating for public figures to be shielded from scrutiny, citing the possibility that those figures could be subjected to harassment.

For instance, self-described “extremism expert” Melissa Ryan, who authors a newsletter called “Ctrl Alt-Right Delete,” was not pleased that independent journalist Matt Taibbi, who was given what’s been called the “Twitter Files” from Twitter CEO Elon Musk, was helping expose former Twitter deputy general counsel Jim Baker as a partisan actor who advocated for suppressing the New York Post’s Hunter Biden story in October 2020.

“Taibbi, and by extension Musk, is basically inciting harassment and potentially against another former Twitter employee now,” Ryan wrote after Taibbi published the first series of the Twitter Files on his Twitter page. “An employee who was apparently only just fired.”

To say boiling Baker down to merely “another former Twitter employee” was quite the downplay, especially when you consider Baker was once an official at the Department of Justice and the general counsel for the FBI from January 2014 to December 2017.

Why is his FBI connection so important in this context? Because the Twitter Files also revealed that there were “confabs” between the FBI and DHS with Twitter execs prior to the 2020 election and just after revolving around supposed “election misinformation,” with a heavy emphasis

“This is about creating pariahs to launch a mob against in order to, ironically, suppress their speech,” Collins, who has a record of advocating for censoring right-wing content on social media platforms, went on to say.

“Previously, private citizens were collateral damage in these sorts of infowar campaigns,” Collins wrote in another tweet, also downplaying who Baker is.

“But now private citizens appear to be the very target of them: random people inside a company they can blame for societal change they don’t like, citing an email they think is too neolib,” he concluded.

Baker is neither a “random” person nor should he be considered a “private citizen” if he was actively colluding with his former FBI associates to suppress content critical of a presidential candidate.

Since when did journalism go from “we must question authority” to “we must shield them from being questioned by right-wing partisans who we don’t like” on grounds that it allegedly puts them in harm’s way?

This type of pseudo-journalism should be rejected and condemned outright by serious folks in the profession because this is not what actual journalism is supposed to look like… at all.

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

The downward spiral of disgraceful misconduct

It’s hard to see how Trump’s statement about “terminating” the “rules, regulations, and articles” in the Constitution doesn’t disqualify him for the second term he says he seeks.

WHEN JOHN QUINCY ADAMS was informed by a committee that he was elected president by the House of Representatives, for the first and only time through the procedure set by the 12th Amendment of the Constitution, he responded in writing. “The answer was not very gracious,” writes historian George Dangerfield. “If it were possible, wrote Mr. Adams, by declining the office to cause an immediate election that would bring about a clearer result, he would gladly do so. But since this was not Constitutionally permissible, he accepted the Presidency.”

The 45th president evidently takes a different view than the sixth president of what is politically appropriate and constitutionally permissible. Last weekend, on his proprietary Truth Social website, Donald Trump wrote, “So, with the revelation of MASSIVE & WIDESPREAD FRAUD & DECEPTION in working closely with Big Tech Companies, the DNC, & the Democrat Party, do you throw the Presidential Election Results of 2020 OUT and declare the RIGHTFUL WINNER, or do you have a NEW ELECTION? A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”

The former president did not specify who is entitled, and by what writ, to declare the rightful winner, mandate a new election or terminate the rules, regulations and articles in the Constitution. By any fair reading, his words seem at odds with the presidential oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

This is not to say that he doesn’t have some valid complaints. His post was apparently in response to the revelations authorized by Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk and circulated by independent journalist Matt Taibbi about Twitter’s largely successful suppression of the New York Post’s October 2020 stories dealing with the material on Hunter Biden’s laptop.

The Twitter report also makes it plain the FBI officials advanced without basis the theory that the Biden laptop had been hacked, which former FBI general counsel James Baker as Twitter general counsel used to justify Twitter’s suppression. This week, Musk fired Baker for limiting Taibbi’s disclosures.

Twitter didn’t act alone back in October 2020. Some 50 former intelligence officials issued a statement saying the Biden emails had “all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” That statement was itself disinformation, it turns out. And it should not need to be said that law enforcement and intelligence agencies and officials should not interfere in political elections.

This was not the first such interference, of course. FBI officials, including former Director

James Comey, were complicit in the Russia collusion hoax, promoting the fraudulent Steele Dossier originally prepared for Hillary Clinton’s campaign.

It would be interesting to imagine a counterfactual history in which incoming President Donald Trump was not distracted by baseless charges of collusion advanced by high government officials and leading Democratic officeholders and given unearned credibility by a partisan press determined to bring down a hated president.

Perhaps, in that alternate world, partisan feelings would not be so bitter and confidence in institutions so low as they are today. And as they continue to be, Trump’s refusals to apologize for misstatements and to admit that he lost the 2020 election resemble many vaunted media organizations’ refusals to apologize for hyping the Russia collusion hoax and for suppressing legitimate news helpful to the Trump campaign.

In summary, plenty of disgraceful misconduct all around. And self-defeating misconduct at that.

It’s hard to see how Trump’s statement about “terminating” the “rules, regulations, and articles” in the Constitution doesn’t disqualify him for the second term he says he seeks. Polls have shown his support leaking away, and Trump-endorsed Senate candidates went down to defeat this November in Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia. It’s become clear that whining about losing the last election is not a vote-winner.

It’s also true that theoretically apolitical law enforcement and intelligence agencies, as well as the political press, have forfeited the trust of an uncomfortably large number of citizens. There’s a price to pay for their disregard of high-minded exhortations that election results, however unwelcome, should be respected and officeholders treated as legitimate.

More confessions of error, such as Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna’s opinion article in the Wall Street Journal, are in order. But few others have been forthcoming.

How this downward spiral ends is not clear. John Quincy Adams, reluctant to accept the office, lost the next election to Andrew Jackson, then was elected to the House and served with distinction for the rest of his life. Maybe Trump could astonish everyone by accepting his retirement and sitting down at a desk in Mar-a-Lago and writing a book describing his not nonexistent accomplishments. Any chance?

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of “The Almanac of American Politics.”

Enough

THERE’S AN UNFORTUNATE trend continuing in North Carolina and across the nation that must be stopped: the bad behavior of coaches, parents and fans at high school athletic events.

We’ve all seen it: the yelling, harassing, berating, disrespecting and even physically assaulting high school referees, umpires and other officials during and after games. And oftentimes, the harassment continues on social media. Perhaps you’ve witnessed it firsthand or even been one of those offenders yourself.

Not only is this behavior unacceptable and embarrassing, but it’s also having serious consequences on the future of high school sports.

That’s because another unfortunate trend is sweeping the nation: a critical shortage of high school officials in every state. The No. 1 reason? You guessed it: Coaches, parents and fans mistreating officials.

National surveys of officials report alarming statistics:

55% of officials say verbal abuse from coaches, parents and fans is the No. 1 reason they quit.

59% don’t feel respected.

57% think sportsmanship is getting worse.

84% feel officials are treated unfairly by spectators.

46% have felt unsafe or feared for their safety due to spectator, coach, administrator or player behavior.

Officials are quitting faster than new ones are signing up. It’s a major area of concern for states like North Carolina just to cover games. We’re already seeing middle school and JV games being canceled and, in some cases, varsity games too. All because there aren’t enough officials.

Unfortunately, bad behavior at high school athletic events has become normalized. It is almost expected that coaches, parents and fans will disrespect the individuals serving as officials.

This culture of bad behavior and the negative perception of officials must change now. Everyone involved in high school sports — parents, coaches, administrators, fans, the media — must turn their focus to the student-athletes playing the games and away from the individuals officiating the contests.

Arizona has a history of trailblazing if stubborn politicians, including the legendary Barry Goldwater and the late John McCain.

POLITICS IS INCREASINGLY ripe for a new “third way.”

The percentage of Americans identifying as “independent” is on the upswing. As GOP political analyst David Winston has noted, 31% of Americans voting last month identified with neither party. They reject noisy, extreme and ineffectual voices in both parties. In Arizona, registered independents outnumber Democrats, and only slightly trail registered Republicans.

Public figures change political parties all the time, but their raison d’être was often to reject one party, not necessarily to embrace a new course. That has been true of the most recent notable national party splits, including Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard.

Those two and now U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema offer us three different trailblazing strategies. But Sinema’s, for now, is the most consequential. Sinema sits in a deeply divided U.S. Senate.

Sinema is now the third registered Independent in the U.S. Senate. The other two are Bernie Sanders (VT) and Angus King (ME). Both behave and reliably vote as Democrats and caucus with them. All three are on their state’s respective ballots in 2024.

Sinema’s switch won’t change the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. But if she wishes to retain or seek committee assignments, she must caucus with a party. If she caucuses with Democrats, nothing happens (she has indicated as much). If she chooses to caucus with Republicans, the Senate returns to an even 50-50 split, resulting in committees with even ratios. She could also choose to caucus with neither but lose committee memberships, and who knows where her desk would be located on the Senate floor.

Other outcomes are possible but hard to imagine, including both parties allowing her to sit as an independent member of certain committees. It would be new territory for the Senate, although party breaks and changes do occur. When the iconoclastic Wayne Morse (OR) broke with the GOP in 1953, he insisted on his Senate desk being located in the center of the chamber. Senate Democratic Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson eventually persuaded Morse to join his party. Morse lost reelection in 1968 and lost two subsequent attempts to return. He died in 1974.

Let the bidding wars begin. Don’t be surprised if another Senator or two joins her. Newly reelected Nancy Murkowski (R-

AK) has had issues with her party throughout her Senate career, and who knows what West Virginia’s Joe Manchin (D-WV) might do. Manchin has famously sided with Sinema to preserve the Senate’s filibuster, but his support for much of the Biden spending agenda has angered his increasingly Republican state. At age 73, most expect he’ll retire from office in 2024.

Sinema’s decision was no surprise given the hostile response she’s garnered from Arizona Democrats upset with her refusal to torpedo the Senate’s “filibuster,” which requires a 60vote super majority to end debate and act on legislation. It isn’t the only policy or political issue she’s broken with Democrats.

Her state party censured her in 2021 after she voted to block a highly partisan and likely unconstitutional federalization of elections, a Democratic priority.

Sinema was guaranteed to face serious opposition for the Democratic nomination in 2024, likely from U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego (DAZ). She’s also likely repulsed by a dysfunctional pro-Trump state GOP that deserves blame for narrow electoral losses for the U.S. Senate (Blake Masters) and governor (Kari Lake).

Arizona also has a history of trailblazing if stubborn politicians, including the legendary Barry Goldwater (R-AZ) and, most recently, the late John McCain (R-AZ). Sinema is undoubtedly familiar with that heritage, but no one has successfully navigated an independent course to electoral success.

Kyrsten Sinema may be the first, especially with both major parties likely to nominate, again, candidates from their fringes. She enjoys support from the powerful business community.

There are lots to play out here. Sinema blazes a new trail in Arizona politics. She doesn’t necessarily have to belong to a committee, although that’s where much of the work is conducted on issues she cares about, including Arizona land and water.

Unless she chooses to retire from elective politics in 2024, Sinema becomes the first to signal whether this new path is lit with electoral success or a train headed in the other direction.

Kelly D. Johnston was the 28th Secretary of the U.S. Senate and a veteran of 35 U.S. Senate and House campaigns in 25 states, including North Carolina.

The bottom line: With no high school officials, there can be no high school sports.

That’s why the NFHS is partnering with state high school associations across the country to launch the nationwide #BenchBadBehavior campaign. We’ll use the power of social media along with other tools to help educate everyone about the importance of good behavior at high school athletic events.

You can help by being a positive role model at your high school’s athletic events. And if you think you have what it takes to be a licensed official, sign up today at HighSchoolOfficials.com and help fill an urgent need in North Carolina.

Dr. Karissa Niehoff is chief executive officer of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), and Que Tucker is commissioner of the North Carolina High School Athletic Assocation.

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Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

55% of officials say verbal abuse from coaches, parents and fans is the No. 1 reason they quit.

COLUMN | KELLY JOHNSTON

is enough: bad behavior by coaches, parents and fans must stop

Trump blowback could carry less bite in 2024 for some in GOP

The Associated Press

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Donald Trump’s attacks on fellow Republican David McCormick contributed to the former hedge fund manager’s loss in Pennsylvania’s Senate primary. Now, as McCormick considers running again for the Senate, Trump’s derision may not be such a liability.

While McCormick, 57, has not said whether he will challenge three-term Democratic Sen. Bob Casey in 2024, he is signaling a campaign may be in the works, including attending recent receptions with influential GOP strategists and donors. McCormick also plans to publish a book in March — “Superpower in Peril: A Battle Plan to Renew America” — that could raise his profile.

He would be running in what could be a much different political environment.

Trump dominated the GOP primaries this year, wielding the power of his endorsement to lift his preferred candidates to the party nomination. But many of those contenders, including Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, lost in the general election. The latest was Herschel Walker, whose defeat in Georgia gave Democrats 51 of the Senate’s 100 seats.

Trump is now facing blame from some Republicans for contributing to the party’s midterm

shortcomings, and that could open room for McCormick and others without worrying about blowback from the former president.

Flipping a Senate seat in one of the most competitive states won’t be easy.

Casey, 62, has not said whether he will seek reelection. He has never won a race for Senate by fewer than 9 percentage points and, as the son of a former twoterm governor and someone who has run statewide seven times, is an institution in Pennsylvania politics.

The 2024 race in the closely contested state also could be influenced by the parties’ choice of presidential nominees that year.

Some Republicans expect that the Senate field will be frozen until McCormick makes up his mind. He was the establishment favorite in the party’s seven-way primary in May that he lost by fewer than 1,000 votes to Oz. McCormick is a West Point graduate who was awarded a Bronze Star for service in the Gulf War, got a doctorate from Princeton University, became a tech entrepreneur and served at the highest levels in President George W. Bush’s administration before running the world’s largest hedge fund.

And he’s worth nine figures.

“With his resources, the par-

ty would be foolish to actively recruit someone to go against him,” said Vince Galko, a Republican campaign strategist based in northeastern Pennsylvania. “He checks most boxes Republicans care about.”

Perhaps an equally big problem as Casey for McCormick — or any other Republican candidate — is the GOP’s embarrassing performance in this past election.

Finger-pointing is following GOP defeats in the races for senator, governor and three toss-up congressional districts, and its loss of the state House majority. Oz lost by 5 percentage points to Democrat John Fetterman, while the party’s nominee for governor, Doug Mastriano, lost by 15 points to Democrat Josh Shapiro.

Party leaders now are warning that the GOP must end an aversion among its voters to voting by mail, fueled by Trump’s claims that such voting is rife with fraud.

They also say the party must be firm about endorsing in primaries to weed out weak general election candidates and avoid bruising primaries — a prospect sure to benefit McCormick.

And after GOP candidates once again lost vast swaths of Pennsylvania’s heavily populated suburbs, there is talk anew that the party must do a better job countering Democrats’ ideas and communicating their own to moderate voters.

That must be fixed before 2024 if a GOP candidate is to be successful, said Sam DeMarco, a McCormick supporter and GOP chairman in heavily populated Allegheny County.

For a party that just went through a difficult election year in Pennsylvania, it’s certainly not too early to start talking about 2024, said Keith Rothfus, a former congressman who spoke with McCormick recently. He said candidates, even ones as wealthy as McCormick, should start talking to donors now and building a network of people who will give to their campaign and support them.

“Pennsylvania is not a purple-red state, it’s purple at best for Republicans,” Rothfus said. “A Republican can win, but you pretty much have to run a flawless campaign and you pretty much have to do everything right.”

New Zealand PM Ardern says China has become ‘more assertive’

The Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand

— Reflecting on her five years as New Zealand’s leader, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said China has undoubtedly become more assertive in the region over that time, but cautioned that building relationships with small Pacific nations shouldn’t become a game of one-upmanship.

In a joint interview with The Associated Press and the Australian Associated Press, Ardern said China has changed in recent years under President Xi Jinping.

“I think if I stand back and look at the region as a whole and some of the changes that we’ve seen within our region, you do see a more assertive China,” Ardern said.

“And look, there’ll be a whole host of reasons for that. Their integration into the regional economy, the growth of China, the growth of its middle class, a whole range of reasons,” she said. “But you have also seen a more assertive approach on a number of different issues and relationships. So that undoubtedly has changed over my time in office.”

China this year made some bold geopolitical moves in the Pacific, first by signing a security pact with the Solomon Islands and then attempting — without success — to get 10 Pacific nations to sign a sweeping agreement covering everything from security to fisheries.

Those moves have deeply worried some Pacific nations and Western democracies including the United States. But Ardern rejected criticism that New Zealand didn’t make its presence felt enough this year as Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi toured Pacific nations courting influence.

“I think if you take a measure of a relationship as solely being: When was the last time you had a politician visit? That is not the measure of a relationship,” Ardern said. “Our relationships in the Pacific region are family relationships because we are family, we are of the Pacific.”

She said those relationships were built at a community level.

“So I think we have to be really cautious about treating our relationships as if it’s somehow one-upmanship,” Ardern said. “You’ve got to be consistent in your presence, and New Zealand has been.”

Asked if she was recommending that farmers and other exporters find markets outside of China, which buys more than one-quarter of New Zealand’s exports, Ardern said it was a question of resilience.

“We’ve actually, from the moment we came into office, been focused on what has been previously characterized as diversification, but what I would say is resilience,” Ardern said.

“We saw through COVID that actually, regardless of the reason, if you see change in a marketplace where you’ve had a dominant market for any goods or services, that can be problematic,” she said. “If you have a supply chain issue, then it can cause a whole range of issues. So this, for us, is about resilience.”

New Zealand’s Indigenous Māori continue to be disproportionately represented in negative statistics ranging from child poverty to incarceration rates. Asked about her record with Māori, Ardern said her government has been

making progress.

“We’ve just come through, or are in the middle of, an enormous economic crisis, and yet we’ve got some of the lowest Māori unemployment that we’ve seen,” Ardern said.

She said Māori wanted good healthcare, decent educational opportunities and housing for their communities — all things that her government was working on providing.

But Ardern also acknowledged she has faced backlash on some contentious Indigenous issues. Those include everything from settlements negotiated under New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, to a push to teach more Māori history and language in schools.

“Change is always difficult,” Ardern said. “Change will always bring opposition. But actually, I’m proud of what we’ve done. It is always important to try and keep bringing people with you. And ev-

ery time you do make those steps, there will be those who disagree with that.”

Ardern faces a general election next year as she seeks a third term in office. She has gone from winning a landslide victory of historic proportions two years ago to now being behind her conservative rivals in the polls.

“Politics is all about fixing problems. We’ve had a few more problems than most that we’ve needed to fix,” Ardern said.

She said she expects the election race will be focused on the economy, as recessions hit nations around the world.

“Right now, people feel a sense of anxiety. They feel a sense of anxiety about the unknown of what’s in front of us,” Ardern said. “I do think it’s important that we acknowledge: Yes, it has been challenging and it will be. But also, we know enough about what’s coming our way to know that we will get through.”

State sues company that failed to return N95 mask money

Boston

The Massachusetts attorney general’s office has sued a company it alleges failed to reimburse the state nearly $3.5 million for hundreds of thousands of N95 masks it failed to deliver early in the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the suit, instead of repaying the state, the owners of Bedrock Group LLC spent some company money on themselves and their families for trips to casinos, furniture and meal delivery services.

“During the height of the pandemic, when the country was facing a shortage of N95 masks, this company and its owners took millions of dollars from Massachusetts for much-needed PPE only to enrich themselves,” Attorney General Maura Healey said in a statement.

A working number for Bedrock could not be located. No defense attorneys were listed in court records. A message seeking comment was left at a company email address.

The state in April 2020 paid Bedrock nearly $3.6 million for 1 million N95 masks. In January 2021, Bedrock sent a check for $750,000 to the state, but the check bounced, the attorney general’s office said.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Ex-Wirecard boss on trial in fraud case that shamed Germany

Berlin

The former chief executive of financial services company Wirecard and two other exmanagers went on trial over the firm’s collapse in what has been described as the biggest case of fraud in post-war Germany.

Wirecard was long the darling of Germany’s fintech scene until it filed insolvency proceedings in 2020, saying 1.9 billion euros that had been on its balance sheet could not be found.

The case exposed flaws in Germany’s financial oversight bodies and embarrassed thenChancellor Angela Merkel, who had lobbied on behalf of the company during a visit to China.

Prosecutors allege ex-CEO Markus Braun signed off on financial reports he knew were false. The firm allegedly booked nonexistent revenue it attributed to multiple partnerships in other countries and used fake documents to show it had funds that it did not.

The firm’s former head of accounting and managing director of a Dubai-based subsidiary are also on trial.

The fraud cost banks 3.1 billion euros in loans and writedowns, according to prosecutors.

One of the central figures in the case, the company’s former chief operating officer Jan Marsalek, remains on the run.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

1st Gen Z congressmanelect denied apartment over bad credit

Washington, D.C.

Rep.-elect Maxwell Frost of Florida, the first member of Generation Z elected to Congress, says he is struggling to get an apartment in Washington and lost an application fee because his credit is “really bad.”

The 25-year-old progressive Democrat, who will receive a $174,000 salary as a congressman, says his score suffered as he accumulated debt running for office for a year and a half.

“This ain’t meant for people who don’t already have money,” Frost tweeted about his problems apartment hunting in Washington.

AP PHOTO

New Zealand Prime Minister Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks during an interview in her office on Dec. 8, 2022, in Wellington, New Zealand.

AP PHOTO

David McCormick, a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania, speaks during a campaign stop in Lititz, Pa., on May 13, 2022.

UNC’s Cunningham to take spot on USOPC board

Colorado Springs, Colo.

UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham will be among the new members of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic board of directors beginning in 2023. Cunningham will start on the board as Duke’s former athletic director Kevin White leaves — keeping a major college presence on a governing board that is trying to improve collaboration between the NCAA and its member schools. Typically, as many as 75% of the athletes on U.S. Summer Olympic teams have college experience. Other incoming board members are Olympic bobsled champion Elana Meyers Taylor, USA Table Tennis CEO Virginia Sung and Gene Sykes, the former CEO of LA2028 committee who won the election to replace Susanne Lyons as board chair.

Paul Silas, 2-time Charlotte NBA coach, dies at 79

He won three titles as a player

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

BASKETBALL taught Paul Silas how to be patient.

Times that her father died Saturday night of cardiac arrest. The Boston Globe first reported Silas’ death.

Youth movement: Freshmen form

Duke’s backbone

The

Devils started five freshmen for the first time in school history

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

DURHAM — Duke entered this season with just one returning player who had logged significant time for the Blue Devils — Jeremy Roach. He entered the season with 545 of Duke’s 566 returning points (Jaylen Blakes had the other 21).

Dereck Lively

NC State hires new OC, OL coach

Raleigh NC State has hired Robert Anae as offensive coordinator after the departure of Tim Beck to become head coach at Coastal Carolina. The school announced the arrival of Anae on Monday along with the hiring of Garett Tujague as offensive line coach. Anae spent last year at Syracuse, where he helped the Orange to a 6 - 0 start that included a peak at No. 14 in the AP Top 25. Before that, Anae spent six seasons at Virginia and helped quarterback Brennan Armstrong break single-season school records for passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense in 2021. Tujague had spent the past seven seasons as line coach at Virginia. He replaces John Garrison, who previously coached under Lane Kiffin at Florida Atlantic and will again join his staff at Mississippi.

As a player, he waited 10 years before winning his first championship. As a coach, he waited 15 years for a second chance at running a team. As a father, he waited 20 years before seeing his son get a chance to lead a franchise.

“I always tried to remain positive,” Silas said in 2013, “and I think it usually worked out.”

Silas — who touched the game as a player, coach and president of the National Basketball Players Association — died, his family announced Sunday. Silas, whose son, Stephen Silas, is coach of the Houston Rockets, was 79.

“He combined the knowledge developed over nearly 40 years as an NBA player and coach with an innate understanding of how to mix discipline with his never-ending positivity,” Charlotte Hornets chairman Michael Jordan said. “On or off the court, Paul’s enthusiastic and engaging personality was accompanied by an anecdote for every occasion. He was one of the all-time great people in our game, and he will be missed.”

Silas’ daughter, Paula Silas-Guy, told The New York

“We mourn the passing of former NBA All-Star and head coach Paul Silas,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “Paul’s lasting contributions to the game are seen through the many players and coaches he inspired, including his son, Rockets head coach Stephen Silas. We send our deepest condolences to Paul’s family.”

Tributes began arriving quickly. Pregame moments of silence were held in New Orleans, Philadelphia, New York and Houston among other places, and Phoenix Suns coach Monty Williams and Charlotte coach Steve Clifford were among those who spoke at length about Silas’ role on their careers.

“For my family, he’s a god. He’s larger than life,” Clifford said.

Paul Silas began his career as a head coach with a three-year stint leading the then-San Diego Clippers starting in 1980. After spending more than a decade as an assistant, he returned to being a head coach and spent time with the Charlotte Hornets, the New Orleans Hornets, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Charlotte Bobcats.

He took four of those teams to the playoffs, winning exactly 400 games — 387 in the regular sea-

Fortunately for the Blue Devils, they had a large freshmen class joining Roach. Those first-year college players have already combined to score 522 points on the season. They haven’t quite caught Roach yet, but they’ve made it very clear that Duke’s fate will largely be on their shoulders as the year goes on.

In fact, when Roach had to miss a nonconference game against Maryland Eastern Shore recently, the freshmen achieved a feat never accomplished in Duke’s long history.

The Blue Devils trotted out a starting lineup of Tyrese Proctor, Dereck Lively, Kyle Filipowski, Dariq Whitehead and Mark Mitchell, marking the first time that the starting five was entirely made up of freshmen. For the game, seven freshmen saw the floor and combined for 136½ of the 200 minutes of playing time, scoring 65 of Duke’s 82 points.

“I don’t think it’s ever happened before, if I’m not mistaken,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “It’s not something we were trying to do for that reason, it just organically ended up that way. Each of those five guys, they’re talented, they’re bought into the team, and they’re trying to figure it all out. Thought they did a good job out there, we were a little quiet, which is what it’s going to be when you have five freshmen. Proud of their effort and proud of what we did overall.”

While the freshmen are already doing things no other class has ever done at Duke, there is still a long way for the group to go. Each has endured growing pains and is still far from reaching their ceiling

The energetic center was the No. 3 recruit in the country when he arrived at Duke, but he missed more than a month in the preseason, including the season-opening game, and is still playing catchup when it comes to getting into game shape. He’s shown flashes on defense, including a five-block game against Maryland Eastern Shore, but he still struggles with foul trouble, and outside of dunks, he hasn’t shown much of his offensive ability yet.

Dariq Whitehead

The No. 2 recruit in the country, he missed even more time in the preseason and the first three games. Roach’s injury gave him his first start in college, and he had his best game with 15 points.

“He can have some big scoring games,” Scheyer said. “And he can also really impact the game with his versatility. … I want him to get out in transition more, attack the basket and I don’t think he’s shown yet, I think you’ll see soon, just what a defender he can be too. With his size and athleticism, he can guard multiple positions. I’ve said it’s been a tough stretch for our team, it’s been a tough stretch for him. He came back at the hardest segment of our season, hasn’t been much practice as a team.”

Mark Mitchell

He had 18 points in the opening game and scored in double figures in three of his first four. He’s been up and down, however, with six double-figure games and four with three points or fewer.

Tyrese Proctor

The guard should still be in high school, but he reclassified to join Duke early. He struggled with his shot at first but has picked it up of late and has been aggressive

Blue

when it comes to potential.

in

BEN MCKEOWN | AP PHOTO

Kyle Filipowski leads Duke in both points (14.8) and rebounds (9.2), and he’s one of seven freshmen who have helped the Blue Devils to a 10-2 start to the seaason.

CHUCK BURTON | AP PHOTO

Paul Silas, who had two stints as coach of the Charlotte Bobcats and Hornets, died Saturday at age 79.

“Each of those five guys, they’re talented, they’re bought into the team, and they’re trying to figure it all out.”

Jon Scheyer, Duke coach

“He was one of the all-time great people in our game, and he will be missed.”

Michael Jordan, Hornets owner

TRENDING

Mike Leach:

The Mississippi State football coach died following complications from a heart condition at the age of 61. The pioneering coach helped revolutionize the college football passing game with the Air Raid offense. A third-year coach at Mississippi State, Leach had been hospitalized over the weekend. In 21 seasons as coach at Texas Tech, Washington State and Mississippi State, he went 158-107, and four of the six best passing seasons in major college football history were by quarterbacks who played for Leach.

Pelé:

The soccer icon is doing better after having been hospitalized to treat a respiratory infection aggravated by COVID-19, doctors at the Albert Einstein hospital in Rio de Janeiro said Monday. Pelé has been in the hospital since Nov. 29 and doctors said they still don’t know when he will be discharged. He is “conscious and has stable vital signs,” a statement from the hospital said. Pelé, the only player to win three World Cups, is also undergoing chemotherapy.

Trae Young:

The Hawks guard was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Monday for throwing the game ball into the stands following an overtime victory Sunday against the Bulls in Atlanta. Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan sank three free throws with 0.5 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Bulls a seemingly safe 122-121 advantage. But Atlanta’s A.J. Griffin scored on a turnaround jumper with Derrick Jones Jr. defending to give the Hawks a 123-122 victory.

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

NFL

The

Jets coach Robert Saleh on former NC State running back and New York rookie Zonovan “Bam” Knight.

Panthers guard Brady Christensen on Carolina’s “Arby’s” jumbo running package that includes eight offensive linemen.

PRIME NUMBER

Betting odds from Bookies.com that UVA quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who entered the transfer portal, will end up at NC State, more than four times as likely as him going to Notre Dame.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

NC State fifth‑year kicker Christopher Dunn was selected to The Associated Press All‑America team on Monday. Dunn, the only player from a North Carolina school to make the team, has made 24 of 25 field goals and all 30 of his extra points this season. Dunn became the ACC’s all‑time scoring leader this season and has 479 points in his career.

Panthers’ 30‑24 win Sunday in Seattle improved Carolina to 5‑8 on the season, and the team now controls its destiny in the downtrodden NFC South. The Panthers are 4‑4 under interim coach Steve Wilks and are one game behind the Buccaneers for first in the division. Carolina beat the Bucs 21‑3 at home on Oct. 23 and the teams play again on New Year’s Day in Tampa Bay.

GREGORY BULL | AP PHOTO

The redesigned NBA Most Valuable Player award has been renamed The Michael Jordan Trophy, the league announced Tuesday. The trophy had been named for Maurice Podoloff for about six decades. The Hall of Famer and UNC legend won the trophy that was named for Podoloff five times and is a six time NBA champion.

NBA

ANDREW KENNEY | NBA VIA AP

Syracuse goalkeeper Russell Shealy stopped two shots in an eight‑round shootout and Amferny Sinclair, pictured, scored the game‑winner as No. 3 seed Syracuse beat 13th‑seeded Indiana 7‑6 in a shootout to win the NCAA College Cup for the first time in program history at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

COLLEGE SOCCER

KARL B. DEBLAKER | AP PHOTO

“That’s a lot of meat out there.”

“What he’s shown is that he’s got juice.”

ADRIAN KRAUS | AP PHOTO

JACOB KUPFERMAN | AP PHOTO

KARL B. DEBLAKER | AP PHOTO

‑150

Ground game, heady play earns East Duplin first title

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

CHAPEL HILL — In terms of experience, it was one of the biggest mismatches in the history of North Carolina’s high school state football tournament. But that just set the stage for some Cinderella magic.

East Duplin controlled the clock to choke off a powerful Reidsville offense and used some high football IQ to pull off the deciding play in a 24-21 upset that earned the Panthers their first state title in school history, beating a Rams team that has won the title more than any other school in North Carolina.

Reidsville, the top seed in the 2A bracket at 14-1, entered on a roll, having trailed for all of three minutes in five playoff games and winning by a combined 224-60 margin. The Rams were looking for their 20th state title and fifth in seven seasons. East Duplin, meanwhile, hadn’t been to the championship game since 2017 and was 0 for 5 in previous trips to the game.

“We’re very proud of our football team,” East Duplin coach Battle Holley said. “We fought to the end, just like we have all year. Now we get to do something that hasn’t ever been done before, and that’s win a state championship.”

Holley drew up a game plan to neutralize the Reidsville attack by preventing them from having the ball. The Rams got the ball just three times in the first half, for all of nine minutes, while East Duplin had drives of four minutes, six and a half minutes and five and a half minutes.

The Panthers won time of possession for the game by a 31:24 to 16:36 margin, including holding the ball for 9:38 of the opening 12-minute quarter and 10:01 of the final quarter.

A crushing ground game was key for East Duplin. Avery Gaby, who won Offensive MVP honors for East Duplin, carried the ball 37 times for 184 yards and a score. Nizaya Hall

added 94 yards on 14 carries. The Panthers threw the ball just twice in the game, completing one for the game-winning touchdown with 2:16 remaining in the game.

East Duplin jumped out on top, taking the opening kick and capping a methodical drive with a Gaby 1-yard run in the first quarter, then held Reidsville in check until the Rams got a Dionte Neal catch from Al Lee to tie the game at the half.

Reidsville got the second-half kickoff and appeared poised to take its first lead as the Rams lined up for a 27-yard field goal attempt. But East Duplin’s Rodrigo Sanchez went through the middle of the line and blocked the kick.

“I just went up at 100 percent,” said Sanchez, who was voted Defensive MVP for the Panthers. “I felt it hit my forearm and just got excited.”

His excitement would only grow immediately after the play. A Reidsville player picked up the ball and stood with it, apparently unaware the play was still live.

East Duplin’s Elam Moore knew, however, and plucked the ball out of his hands, returning it 70 yards to give the Panthers a 14-7 lead they

would not relinquish.

“It was just knowing the game from experience,” Moore said. “The ball didn’t cross the line of scrimmage, so I just took it from him and ran it back. I was so glad I had (his teammates) behind me blocking.”

East Duplin entered the fourth quarter with a 10-point lead, but Reidsville wouldn’t go away. The Rams got a 40-yard touchdown from Lee to Jaden McCain to cut the lead to three. Lee was 15 of- 26 for 195 yards on the day. It was McCain’s only catch, although he had two solo tackles, three assists and a fumble recovery on defense.

When East Duplin appeared to ice the game with a late touchdown from quarterback Zack Brown to Kade Kennedy — the team’s only completion of the day, Reidsville responded with an 83-yard kickoff return for a score by Dionte Neal, who finished with two touchdowns and 164 all-purpose yards.

The resulting onside kick didn’t go 10 yards, however, and East Duplin was able to run out the final 2:03 to earn its first crown.

“We did it. We did it,” Holley said. “It was our time. We did it, and it goes back all the way from when

coach (Brian) Aldridge first came to East Duplin and had great teams to get close. … These guys had a lot of faith all year. They believed in each other. I’ve had some good teams, but this was probably one of the best teams — to be able to get along, care for each other, love one another.”

1A championship: Mount Airy 20, Tarboro 7

No. 4 seed Mount Airy won its first state title since 2008 and seventh overall, beating defending champion Tarboro and denying the Vikings of winning a third straight title and fifth in six years.

Junior running back Tyler Mason was all the offense Mount Airy needed. He ran 23 times for 139 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns to account for all of the Granite Bears’ scoring. Mount Airy threw just four passes in the game, completing one. Walker Stroup led Mount Airy on defense with nine tackles and a forced fumble to cut short a Tarboro drive in the fourth quarter. The Vikings would not get the ball back. Stroup also punted for the Bears, averaging 39.7 yards and downing two of his three inside the

3A championship: East Lincoln 30, Northern Nash 15

No. 4 seed East Lincoln capped an undefeated 16-0 season by knocking off top seed Northern Nash, earning its third state title and first since 2014. East Lincoln broke open the game with 17 second-quarter points. Quarterback Tyler Mizzell threw two touchdowns to earn game MVP honors while UVA commit Keandre Walker had five catches for 41 yards and a touchdown to earn top offensive player honors. East Lincoln’s defense got three interceptions and a fumble recovery to keep Northern Nash’s offense in check. West Virginia commit Ben Cutter led the way with 10 tackles from his linebacker spot, earning defensive MVP honors. Northern Nash was led by Carson Jenkins, who had 20 tackles in the game, while quarterback Keno Jones threw for 224 yards and had a touchdown passing and running. East Lincoln kicker Christopher Mileta also tied a state championship record with three field goals.

4A championship: New Bern 40, Grimsley 28

Unbeaten New Bern knocked off top seed Grimsley to win its fourth state title and first since 2014. It also became the first team to win a state title without throwing a pass since 2017. New Bern was led by Aronne Herring, who ran for 161 yards and two touchdowns, including a 66-yarder, and Damaree Tucker, who added 105 yards and two touchdowns, including a 36-yarder. The New Bern defense also held Grimsley to 102 passing yards, with 85 coming on one play — a touchdown from Ryan Stephens to Terrell Anderson. No’Tavien Green led New Bern with a 49yard interception return, five solo tackles, six assists, a forced fumble and a sack. FSU commit K.J. Sampson had five solos, five assists and 1.5 tackles

East Lincoln, Mount Airy and New Bern also won state crowns

20. Tarboro had 119 rushing yards from Kamerin McDowell-Moore.

for loss.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Grimsley’s Ryan Stephens dives over the goal line for a touchdown to give the Whirlies a 14-13 lead over New Bern during Friday’s NCHSAA 4A football championship game in Chapel Hill.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL New Bern’s Kyvon Gooding carries the ball against Grimsley during Friday’s NCHSAA 4A football championship game in Chapel Hill.

PHOTOS BY PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Left to right: Mount Airy’s Tyler Mason runs for a touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday’s NCHSAA 1A football championship game against Tarboro in Raleigh; New Bern head coach Torrey Nowell gets a water bath after his team defeated Grimsley 40-28 in the NCHSAA 4A football championship game on Friday in Chapel Hill; Tarboro’s Omarion Lewis sits on the ground in disappointment after throwing an interception during Saturday’s NCHSAA 1A football championship game against Tarboro in Raleigh.

Transfer portal, NFL Draft scramble bowl teams’ rosters

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

TWO YEARS AGO, the North Carolina Tar Heels went to the Orange Bowl. At least most of them did.

Four key players for UNC — including both running backs, a star receiver and a starting linebacker — skipped the bowl game, prestigious as it was, to prepare for the NFL Draft. The logic behind the move was “Why risk hundreds of thousands of dollars in NFL money by playing for free?”

Fortunately, the NCAA changed its rules and allow players to be reimbursed for their name, image and likeness. That means that they can make money while still in college.

With that problem solved, we can now look forward to the best players from the college teams in the state representing their schools at bowl games! And with that feelgood news out of the way, let’s move on to the next sports story.

Wait, I’m being told that the problem may not be entirely solved. As it turns out, if you give people a little bit of money, it doesn’t make them less likely to try to get more. Who knew?

The NIL rules, combined with a loosening of regulations involving the transfer portal, have turned college sports into the Wild West, with

essentially a free agent market and bidding on players occurring nearly out in the open. So now, the greener pastures aren’t just in the NFL but in schools around the nation, and that makes many players even less likely to suit up for a bowl game this postseason.

UNC coach Mack Brown, who lost the 2021 Orange Bowl without his four top players, has been outspoken this year about the situation.

“One of the real issues we’ve got in college football, I feel, is people that are tampering with guys on your team and paying them money to leave,” he said. “And it’s an issue that needs to get stopped.”

Brown relayed a conversation he had with one of his players: “I sat down to lunch with one of our starters the other day and I said, ‘Are you getting calls?’ He said, ‘Oh, Coach, I’ve got 15 places I could go.’ … And I said, ‘Are they offering you money?’ He said, ‘Yes. One hundred percent.’”

Quarterback Drake Maye, the ACC player of the year and a top10 finisher in the Heisman voting, certainly received plenty of offers, but he announced that he’s sticking around in Chapel Hill for another season. Many of his teammates have made other choices, however, as Carolina is one of the area bowl teams hardest hit by postseason attrition.

A dozen Tar Heels entered the transfer portal after the regular season, including three-quarters of the starting secondary — Storm Duck, Tony Grimes and Cam’Ron Kelly. They combined for 126 tackles, four interceptions and 16 pass

breakups this season. Linebacker RaRa Dillworth, defensive back DaeDae Hollins, pass rusher Chris Collins and backup quarterback Jacolby Criswell also entered the portal. Defensive linemen Jahlil Taylor and Keeshawn Silver, who saw limited action, also departed.

In a throwback to the quartet of Tar Heels that skipped the Orange Bowl, wide receiver Josh Downs, the team’s best offensive player other than Maye, announced he was skipping the bowl game to prepare for the draft.

UNC also lost offensive coordinator Phil Longo, who took a job on Wisconsin’s staff.

Of course, the knife cuts both ways as their Holiday Bowl opponent, Oregon, will be without its

offensive coordinator, as well as linebacker Justin Flow and receiver Dont’e Thornton (portal) and corner Christian Gonzalez (opt-out for draft).

The Tar Heels weren’t alone in feeling the pain of pre-bowl defections, however. All five bowl teams in North Carolina are feeling the effects. Quarterback Devin Leary, the ACC preseason player of the year, tops a list of five NC State players in the transfer portal, including defensive end Josh Harris, receiver Jasiah Provillon and edge rusher Claude Larkins.

Coach Dave Doeren also announced that receiver Devin Carter would be skipping the bowl to prepare for the draft, although Carter said his mind wasn’t made up yet.

The team will also be without offensive coordinator Tim Beck, who left for the Coastal Carolina coaching job.

Maryland, State’s opponent in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl has seen two receivers and a corner opt-out and a linebacker transfer.

Duke, headed to the Military Bowl, was likely the least impacted of the local teams. Three Blue Devils entered the portal — corner Tony Davis, linebacker Rocky Shelton and receiver Darrell Harding. Opponent UCF has seen its top receiver, top linebacker and a defensive back transfer.

Wake Forest will be a few players short when it plays Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl. Running back Christian Turner is transferring. So is backup Quinton Cooley, but at the moment, he plans on playing in the bowl game. Defensive back Gavin Holmes is also in the portal. A host of other reserve players are also transferring. Missouri will be short its top receiver, Dominic Lovett (transfer) and two defensive linemen and a safety who are opting out.

East Carolina got hit hard as it heads to the Birmingham Bowl. Starting center Avery Jones has already transferred to Illinois. Safety Shawn Dourseau is also in the portal. Linebacker Xavier Smith is also missing the game due to “outside circumstances” and tight end Ryan Jones is opting out to prepare for the draft.

The Pirates’ opponent, Coastal Carolina, will have an interim coach for the game, and four starters have entered the portal.

Losses pile up as Hornets’ downward spiral continues

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — Already 13 games below .500 and in 14th place in the Eastern Conference, the Hornets would certainly take a mulligan on the first two months of the 2022-23 NBA campaign if they could.

Charlotte (7-20) has lost its past five games, the team’s second longest losing streak of the season after dropping eight in a row at the end of the October and start of November.

The reasons for Charlotte’s struggles are easy to identify. Star guard LaMelo Ball has been limited to just three out of 27 games this season due to ongoing ankle issues. Leading scorer Miles Bridges’ ongoing legal issues stemming from offseason domestic violence charges have kept the Hornets from signing the restricted free agent.

And injuries to other players — including Gordon Hayward, Dennis Smith Jr, Mark Williams and Cody Martin — have made it nearly impossible for Charlotte to build off its 43-39 record from a year ago.

“Help is on its way,” said coach Steve Clifford said after the Hornets’ 121-102 loss to New York on Dec. 9. “I think that one of the things you can’t do is overreact to things and you have to watch.

“Even now with the group we have, as shorthanded as we’ve been, if we get a couple of breaks

here and there, we got 10 wins and we’d be two games out,” he continued. “So with everybody back, it’ll come again and there’ll be a little adjustment period. We have some guys that are playing well. They’re in roles that are really challenging when you’re playing every other night and back-to-back in there.”

It hasn’t been all bad news. Charlotte’s offense ranks fourth in the league in points per game (115.3) and both Terry Rozier (22.2 points) and Kelly Oubre Jr. (20.8) are averaging career highs in scoring.

Role players like Jalen McDaniels, Mason Plumlee, Nick Richards and Theo Maledon have stepped up and played more minutes than usual.

But wins haven’t followed. Clifford, in the first year of his second tenure in Charlotte, was charged with improving the team’s defense after replacing James Borrego. That hasn’t happened — the Hornets have fallen to 25th in team defense with 114.9 points allowed per game.

Charlotte’s defensive limitations were on display Dec. 11 when 76ers star center Joel Embiid scored a season-high 53 points in an 18-point rout. The loss also highlighted the Hornets’ difficulties from 3-point range. Charlotte converted just 6 of 26 attempts from long range and is tied for 26th in the league at 32.2% after making 36.5% of their 3s a year ago to rank sixth.

P.J. Washington, who had a strong start to the season, has regressed recently. He made just 2 of 12 from the field in 35 minutes against Philadelphia.

The Hornets should have a

chance to end their skid Wednesday at home against the 7-22 Pistons — the only team beneath them in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte will then host Atlanta (14-14) on Friday before playing in Denver (16-10) on Sunday.

“We have a chance each and every night we suit up against another team,” Oubre said. “It’s just the simple fact of what we do in that span of 48 minutes, whether we come out with a win or not.

“It’s not a race — it’s a marathon. At the end of the day, we have to continue to just understand the situation. We need to look at it for what it is but also just know the rain isn’t going to rain forever. The sun has got to come out one day. So as long as we continue to just get better and put the right things in our mental, we’ll be there.”

Charlotte will need to be more than the sum of its parts to avoid falling further behind in the Eastern Conference.

“Until we get our guys back, do we have a playoff roster that we are putting on the floor every night? No, we don’t,” Clifford said. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t play playoff basketball. We can play playoff-type basketball.”

SILAS from page B1

son, 13 more in the postseason.

“Probably one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever been around,” LeBron James told Spectrum SportsNet after he and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated Detroit on Sunday night. “The start of my journey in this league started with him. His command, his principles, his attention to detail, his love for family ... to hear that news was very sad.”

The Rockets played host to Milwaukee on Sunday night, winning 97-92. It was not immediately clear how long Stephen Silas would be away from the team; the Rockets are having assistant coach John Lucas lead the team on an interim basis while the Silas family grieves.

“His engaging presence and huge personality inspired legions of NBA players and coaches,” the Cavaliers said of Paul Silas in a team-released statement. “We send our deepest condolences to the Silas family and everyone that loved him. Rest in power Coach!”

Stephen Silas got into the NBA world when his father was coaching in Charlotte, starting as an advance scout and eventually serving as an assistant on his father’s staff with the Hornets in 2000. It took Stephen Silas two decades to get a chance to be a head coach, that coming when Houston hired him in 2020.

“My dad, obviously, he was my No. 1 mentor, someone who I could lean on, ask questions and he asked questions of me,” Stephen Silas said in a 2021 documentary produced by the Rockets about his coaching journey. “He really valued my opinion, which was kind of weird to me, me being so young and not having much experience.”

Stephen Silas persevered for a long time before getting his big chance. He saw his father wait a long time for the job he wanted as well. Paul Silas was fired by the San Diego Clippers in 1983 and wouldn’t have a head coaching opportunity again until 1999 —

coming when Dave Cowens, for whom Paul Silas was an assistant, stepped down in Charlotte after a 4-11 start to the shortened 1998-99 season.

“I stayed positive. I had a positive attitude,” Paul Silas told the Rotary Club of Charlotte while giving a speech there in 2013. “Even though I couldn’t get the job, I said, ‘No, I’m not going to be negative. I’m going to be positive.’”

Eventually, Silas would take over in Cleveland. He got there in 2003, the same year the Cavaliers drafted James.

“I coached LeBron for two years, his first two years, and LeBron was unbelievable,” Paul Silas said. “At 18 years old, he knew about Bill Russell, he knew about a lot of players who came through that most players his age don’t even know. And he understood the game.”

In time, James would become a champion. It took Paul Silas a few years to get to that level as a player as well.

He was a five-time All-Defensive team selection who averaged 9.4 points and 9.9 rebounds in 16 seasons with the St. Louis and Atlanta Hawks, Phoenix, Boston, Denver and Seattle. Silas won two titles with the Celtics — the first coming in his 10th season as a player — and claimed a third with the SuperSonics. At 36, he was then the NBA’s oldest player when he retired. And as the union president, Silas oversaw a time where rosters grew, salaries rose and benefits improved.

“Respected by all those who encountered him throughout the NBA, we are grateful for his contributions to the game across a lifetime in basketball,” the Suns said Sunday.

Paul Silas played his college basketball at Creighton, averaging 20.5 points and 21.6 rebounds in three seasons. He was voted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2017.

Said Bluejays coach Greg McDermott: “His illustrious career as a player and coach will be matched by few.”

DUKE from page B1 driving to the basket and scoring. He had to step up as a team leader with Roach out.

“The thing with him is that he’s really smart, he’s really unselfish, and the next step is just taking what he knows and talking more,” Scheyer said. “I want him to talk more and to use his voice because he sees things that others don’t or can’t, and he really carried the load for us with ball-handling responsibilities.”

Kyle Filipowski

Duke’s most consistent scorer and rebounder, he’s been the star of the freshman class in the early going despite coming in less heralded than Lively and Whitehead. He has been turnover prone, however, and battled foul trouble against major conference foes. His

outside shooting, while a threat, also needs work.

Jaden Schutt

He’s played sparingly so far but saw his minutes and production increase with Roach out. He had a season-best nine points with three made 3-pointers. He likely won’t play major rotation minutes this year, but he could develop into a shooting threat off the bench as the year goes on.

Christian Reeves

A big man originally expecting to redshirt this season, his outstanding play in the exhibition game and blue-white scrimmage, as well as the uncertain status of Lively and Whitehead, ended that plan. He likely will be a bench player this year, however, with very limited minutes.

Every bowl team from North Carolina has been hit by defections

“We need to look at it for what it is but also just know the rain isn’t going to rain forever. The sun has got to come out one day.”

Kelly Oubre Jr., Hornets forward

MATT SLOCUM | AP PHOTO

Charlotte forward Kelly Oubre Jr. has been a bright spot in an otherwise bleak season for the Hornets.

JEFF DEAN | AP PHOTO

East Carolina center Avery Jones transfered to Illinois, dealing the Pirates a blow before their appearance in the Birmingham Bowl later this month.

Charlotte has lost five straight and sits 14th in the Eastern Conference

ducers stepped in once established manufacturers became too overwhelmed to deliver. The enhanced competition reduced shortages and helped moderate prices.

When inflation first began surging last year, economists had mostly blamed the snarled supply chains. Fed Chair Jerome Powell, echoing the views of many analysts, predicted that soaring prices would prove “transitory’’ and would ease once it became easier and cheaper to ship products.

Things didn’t prove so simple — especially after Russia invaded Ukraine in February, disrupting trade in energy and grains and sending oil, gas and food prices soaring around the world.

Other problems remain, too. A chronic shortage of computer chips, for example, will likely hamper auto production into 2024, Kristin Dziczek, an auto policy adviser at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, wrote in a recent paper. Though the shortage has eased slightly, factories remain slowed by a lack of chips.

The coronavirus lockdowns in China, along with the scattered public protests against them, may still disrupt global production and shipping. The consultancy Resilinc has identified 13,800 Chinese sites — from factories to warehouses to testing facilities — that are at risk from protests, rising COVID cases and lockdowns. Potential problem spots exist in such key cities as Beijing, Chengdu, Nanjing and Shanghai.

“Parts from these regions make their way into just about every product our lives rely on day to day,’’ said Bindiya Vakil, CEO of Resilinc.

Last week, in a move that offered potential relief from its draconian zero-COVID policies, China rolled back restrictions on isolating people with the virus. The move will boost hopes that Beijing is scrapping its “zero COVID” strategy, which could give a lift to manufacturing and global trade.

For now, though, businesses find themselves facing a new problem, a consequence of reduced demand for goods: Rather than lacking enough products in stock to give customers what they want, they now often have too many.

“The inventory has arrived, warehouses are full and we’re scrambling to move the merchandise,” said Thomas Goldsby, logistics chairman in the Supply Chain Management Department at the University of Tennessee.

Some retailers, like Target, ordered too much, too fast and had to cut prices to draw consumers who were tightening their budgets in response to inflation. Target’s third-quarter profit fell 52%.

CEO Brian Cornell told analysts that consumers were “shopping very carefully on a budget. I think they are looking at discretionary categories and saying ‘All right, if I’m going to buy, I’m looking for a great deal.’ “

“We’re not in a position where suppliers have a ton of power and the buyers just have to accept whatever they get,’’ said Fiore of ISM. “That’s definitely been shifting since September. Is this a good time for buyers? Absolutely. Is it a good time for companies overall? Not so clear.’’

BOSTON — As part of an ongoing privacy push, Apple said Wednesday it will now offer full end-to-encryption for nearly all the data its users store in its global cloud-based storage system. That will make it more difficult for hackers, spies and law enforcement agencies to access sensitive user information.

The world’s most valuable company has long placed customer security and privacy at a premium. Its iMessage and Facetime communications services are fully encrypted end-to-end and it has sometimes locked horns with law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, over its refusal to unlock devices.

But a lot of what customers backed up remotely using Apple’s iCloud service — including photos, videos and chats — has not been afforded uncompromising protection through end-to-end encryption, a technology that prevents even Apple from decrypting it. That has made it easier for crooks, spies — and criminal investigators with court orders — to get at it.

No longer. The loophole that law enforcement had for getting at iPhone data will now be considerably narrowed.

Apple, which is based in Cupertino, California, did not respond to requests for comment on the timing of the announcement and other issues.

The FBI expressed displeasure.

In a statement, it said it remains a strong advocate of encryption schemes that provide “lawful access by design” so tech companies “served with a legal

order” can decrypt data and give it to law enforcement. The agency said it “continues to be deeply concerned with the threat end-toend and user-only-access encryption pose,” insisting they hinder the FBI’s ability to protect Americans from crimes ranging from cyberattacks to violence against children, and terrorism.

Cryptographers and other cybersecurity experts have long argued, however, that attempts by law enforcement to weaken encryption with backdoors are ill-advised because they would inherently make the internet less reliable and hurt vulnerable populations including ethnic minorities.

Last year, Apple announced, then withdrew after a flood of objections, a plan to scan iPhones for photos of child sexual abuse

material, or CSAM.

“Where Apple was hesitant about deploying encryption features last year — maybe even backsliding a bit with CSAM scanning proposals — it now feels like they’ve decided to put the gas pedal down,” noted Johns Hopkins cryptography professor Matthew Green on Twitter.

Apple’s encryption announcement offers what the company calls Advanced Data Protection, to which users of its devices must opt in. It adds iCloud Backup, Notes and Photos to data categories that are already protected by end-to-end encryption in the cloud, including health data and passwords. Not included in the iCloud encryption scheme are email, contacts and calendar items because they must interop-

erate with products from other vendors, Apple said.

It said Advanced Data Protection for iCloud would be available to U.S. users by the end of the year and start rolling out to the rest of the world in early 2023.

In a blog post, Apple said “enhanced security for users’ data in the cloud is more urgently needed than ever,” citing research that says data breaches have more than tripled over the past eight years.

Other tech products that already offer end-to-end encryption include the world’s most popular messaging app, WhatsApp, and Signal, a communications app prized by journalists, dissidents, human rights activists and other dealers in sensitive data.

Apple announced a few other advanced security features on Wednesday, including one geared toward journalists, human rights activists and government officials who “face extraordinary digital threats” — such as from no-click spyware. Called iMessage Contact Key Verification, it will automatically alert users to eavesdroppers who succeed in inserting a new device into their iCloud via a breach.

In July, Apple announced a new optional feature called Lockdown Mode that is designed to protect iPhones and its other products against intrusions from state-backed hackers and commercial spyware.

Apple said at the time that it believed the extra layer of protection would be valuable to targets of hacking attacks launched by well-funded groups.

Users are able to activate and deactivate lockdown mode at will.

PORTLAND, Maine — For years, Mark Hager’s job as an observer aboard New England fishing boats made him a marked man, seen as a meddling cop on the ocean, counting and scrutinizing every cod, haddock and flounder to enforce rules and help set crucial quotas.

On one particularly perilous voyage, he spent 12 days at sea and no crew member uttered even a single word to him.

Now Hager is working to replace such federally-mandated observers with high-definition cameras affixed to fishing boat masts. From the safety of his office, Hager uses a laptop to watch hours of footage of crew members hauling the day’s catch aboard and measuring it with long sticks marked with thick black lines.

And he’s able to zoom in on every fish to verify its size and species, noting whether it is kept or flung overboard in accordance with the law.

“Once you’ve seen hundreds of thousands of pounds of these species it becomes second nature,” said Hager as he toggled from one fish to another.

Hager’s Maine-based start-up, New England Maritime Monitoring, is one of several companies seeking to help commercial vessels comply with new U.S. mandates aimed at protecting dwindling fish stocks. It’s a brisk business as demand for sustainably caught seafood and aroundthe-clock monitoring has exploded from the Gulf of Alaska to the Straits of Florida.

But taking the technology overseas, where the vast majority of seafood consumed in the U.S. is caught, is a steep challenge. Only a few countries can match the U.S.’s strict regulatory oversight.

And China -- the world’s biggest seafood supplier with a record of illegal fishing -- appears unlikely to embrace the fishing equivalent of a police bodycam.

The result, scientists fear, could be that well-intended initiatives to

replenish fish stocks and reduce unintentional bycatch of threatened species like sharks and sea turtles could backfire: By adding to the regulatory burdens already faced by America’s skippers, more fishing could be transferred overseas and further out of view of conservationists and consumers.

“The challenge now is getting the political will,” said Jamie Gibbon, an environmental scientist at The Pew Charitable Trusts. “We are getting close to the point where the technology is reliable enough that countries are going to have to show whether they are committed or not to transparency and responsible fisheries management.”

Since 1970, the world’s fish population has plummeted, to the point that today 35% of commercial stocks are overfished. Meanwhile, an estimated 11% of U.S. seafood imports come from illegal, unreported and unregulated

fishing, according to the U.S. International Trade Commission.

To sustainably manage what’s left, scientists need reliable data on the activities of the tens of thousands of fishing vessels that ply the oceans every day. Traditional tools like captains’ logbooks and dockside inspections provide limited information. And independent observers are scarce, barely 2,000 globally.

Enter electronic monitoring. For as little as $10,000, vessels can be equipped with high-resolution cameras, sensors and other technology capable of providing a safe, reliable look at what was once a giant blind spot. Some setups allow the video to be transmitted by satellite or cellular data back to shore in real time.

“This isn’t your grandfather’s fishery,” said Captain Al Cottone, who recently had cameras installed on his 45-foot groundfish trawler, the Sabrina Maria. “If

you’re going to sail, you just turn the cameras on and you go.”

Despite such advantages, video monitoring has been slow to catch on. Only about 1,500 of the world’s 400,000 industrial fishing vessels have installed such monitoring systems. About 600 of those vessels are in the U.S., which has been driving innovation in the field.

The stakes are especially high in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean — home to the world’s largest tuna fishery. Observer coverage of the Pacific’s longline fleet, which numbers around 100,000 boats, is around 2% — well below the 20% minimum threshold scientists say they need to assess a fish stock’s health.

“Right now we’re flying blind,” said Mark Zimring, an environmental scientist for The Nature Conservancy focused on spreading video monitoring to largescale fisheries around the world.

Much of the skepticism has centered on the lack of an engine for Overture. Rolls Royce ended its relationship with Boom earlier this year after producing some engineering studies, and other leading engine makers indicated they weren’t interested in step -

ping in. Scholl said Boom “looked at a bunch” of other engine designers and manufacturers before settling on FTT, which is majority owned by Kratos Turbine Technologies, and GE Additive, better known for 3D printing than for aerospace manufacturing. He declined to name the other

companies.

Scholl said Boom will reduce costs by designing an entirely new engine rather than tweaking one made for subsonic flight.

“This is the first engine designed from scratch for sustainable commercial supersonic flight,” he said.

American Airlines and Unit-

ed Airlines have made deposits on future Overtures — although neither airline would say how much they put down.

Boom plans to build Overture in Greensboro, partly because of its location relatively near open ocean where the planes can be tested without rattling windows on the ground.

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

Could trawler cams help save world’s dwindling fish stocks?

AP PHOTO

The Apple logo is illuminated at a store in the city center in Munich, Germany, on Dec. 16, 2020.

AP PHOTO

Mark Hager, left, positions a camera with the help of Anthony Lucia, right, as captain Al Cottone watches the feed on a monitor from his boat, the Sabrina Maria, in Gloucester, Mass., May 11, 2022.

An SUV worth considering

By Jordan Golson North State Journal

SAN DIEGO — One of the hazards of reviewing cars is that friends often come to me and ask which car they should buy.

I have many opinions about which vehicle to get, of course, but though I’m ostensibly being asked, they don’t actually want to know my thoughts. Instead, folks want me to confirm the decision they’ve already made.

These days, I ask, “what are you thinking about getting?” and then reply, “those are great!” regardless of what they’re considering. I save my honest thoughts for these reviews.

This brings us to the Genesis GV70, a luxury two-row SUV that manages to stand out from a very crowded field of German and Japanese luxury vehicles. And it’s the rig I would recommend if someone came to me wondering which tworow luxury SUV to buy.

There are only so many ways to draw a crossover. If you put a Volvo XC60, a BMW X3, an Acura RDX, and a Lexus RX next to each other and white out everything but the shape, I would be hard-pressed to tell them apart. But still, the GV70 stands out. I think it’s something about how the rear taillights —

two long, horizontal red lines that wrap around the curved corners of the back end — combine with the wide-set dual tailpipes and the sharply-raked rear window.

At the front is an enormous grille flanked by sharp daytime running lights that echo the taillights at the back. The look is aped from the (terrific) Genesis G70 sedan, but it works. The GV70 looks and feels sporty and taut but curvy and nicely proportioned. The lighting is gorgeous, as are the wheels and the lines and everything. I’m sure there are unflattering angles, but I haven’t found them yet.

Opt for the Sport Advanced ($5,000) and the Sport Prestige ($4,900) packages to get Nappa leather seating surfaces with sport pattern quilting and suede inserts — my tester had an outrageous Seville Red leather interior that was a wild contrast with the staid Melbourne Gray exterior paint. Open the door and you are immediately assaulted by color in the very best way.

This Genesis has attitude and spunk, and with the 375 horsepower 3.5-liter turbocharged V6, it has the oomph to back it up. It’s one of the best-driving luxury SUVs around. It’s fun to drive on back roads and highways, and Hyundai’s excellent driver-assist features

make long-distance drives and commutes much more palatable.

Hyundai’s infotainment stack, of which this is a reskinned variant, is excellent. It’s responsive and supports Apple CarPlay and android auto. The large touchscreen is fast and responsive, and a secondary row of climate controls are easy enough to use.

At around $65,000, my fully loaded GV70 feels competitive for the segment. You can save a bit of cash by getting an interior that isn’t quite as plush, but I don’t know that you’ll want to. If it’s your thing, this brilliant red interior is addictive.

If I were in the market, this Genesis SUV would be at the top of my list. It looks great, it’s entertaining to drive, and it stands out. That last feature, by the way, is one of the most important. With so many crossovers looking so similar, finding one that looks a bit different, in an entirely pleasing way, is a big deal.

The trio of Korean brands, Hyundai, Genesis, and Kia, are knocking it out of the park these days. Just about all of their cars are fantastic, especially the EVs. Even more exciting, an electric GV70 will be here soon. We’ll see if that car ends up on top of my recommendation list as well.

PHOTOS COURTESY GENESIS

Can James Cameron and ‘Avatar’ wow again? Don’t doubt it.

NEW YORK — James Cameron has been living on Pandora for a long time.

But 13 years after the original “Avatar” and five years after starting production on its sequel, “The Way of Water,” Cameron is unveiling the long-awaited follow-up to the highest grossing film of alltime. Speaking the day after “The Way of Water” debuted in London, Cameron — back on Earth and self-admittedly out of practice with the hoopla of a red-carpet premiere — describes the experience of finally having the movie out in the world “surreal.”

“You work on these films kind of in a bubble. You create this world around you with your artists, with your casts and so on,” Cameron says. “Then one day you realize, ‘Oh crap, we’re going to have to show this to people at some point.’”

For a long time, the “Avatar” sequel was the “Waiting for Godot” of blockbusters – more theoretical than real, with release dates that kept spiraling into the future. Meanwhile, an unending parade of pieces pondered the original’s curious place in entertainment: a box-office behemoth with little cultural footprint, a $3 billion ghost.

But the first look at Cameron’s “Avatar” sequel has thrown some cold water on that notion. The overwhelming reaction to the director’s latest three-hour opus? Never bet against James Cameron.

With a reported price tag of more than $350 million, a third “Avatar” film already wrapped and two more

films planned after that, the Walt Disney Co. is placing a very big wager, indeed, on “The Way of Water.”

But regardless of jokes about blue people or Papyrus font, Cameron’s latest — a deep-blue ocean epic of natural splendor, ecological protectionism and family perseverance — is poised to again blow audiences away, and possibly, once more rake in billions.

The film, which opens in theaters Thursday, might be Cameron’s most ambitious undertaking yet — which is saying something for the 68-year-old filmmaker of “Titanic,” “The Terminator” and “Aliens.”

“I don’t want to do anything but big swings,” Cameron says.

We’ve been here before. After cost overruns and delays, “Titanic” was written off as a sure-to-bomb case study of Hollywood excess.

Then it made $2.2 billion in ticket sales and won 11 Oscars. Not everyone was pre-sold on “Avatar,” either, which resuscitated 3-D after decades of dormancy.

“There was a guarded skepticism around this film,” he adds, “as there should always be with any new film.”

“The Way of Water,” which Cameron scripted with Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, takes place a decade after the events of the first “Avatar.” Jake Sully (Sam Worthington), the paralyzed Marine who donned an avatar on Pandora, is now fully enmeshed in the remote world of the Na’vi. He and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) have three teenage children. When human soldiers come hunting for him, Jake moves his family to a reef clan of Na’vi who live harmoniously with the ocean.

The trials the family endures turn surprisingly wrenching in what’s already been called Cameron’s most emotional film. That may be partly because much of Cameron’s own experience as a father raising five children in New Zealand is woven into the film, as is his early life growing up in Ontario as the eldest son of an electrical engineer father.

“I remember what that was like for me. I’ve been Lo-ak,” says Cameron, referring to Jake and Neytiri’s middle son. “I’ve been the kid whose father doesn’t get him or see him. I don’t mean to disparage my dad. He was a great dad of that period in the sense of putting a roof over our heads and out there working hard, breadwinner. But he didn’t know what to do with an artist kid. He didn’t know what to do with a flam-

boyant artist whose head was out in interstellar space all the time.”

“The Way of Water,” which is being shown in 3-D and 48-framesper-second (double the standard), also means a new generation of technological advancement. While it’s unlikely to be as much a milestone as the first was visually, the blend of CGI and live action, above ground and under water, makes for an even more strikingly detailed vistas.

“We’re able to deliver a much greater ability of photorealism than we ever did before,” says producer Jon Landau. “When we made the first movie, I would say to people, ‘We need it to be photographic.’ Now in this movie, we have so many Avatar, Na’vi characters in the live-action world and we have so many live-action characters in the Pandora world, we need to be photoreal. That’s a new standard we have to live up to.”

That’s most beautifully rendered in the film’s waters, where teeming science-fiction species of flora and fauna enrich an imagined ocean paradise. To Cameron, an avid deep-sea explorer whose passions for sea nearly outstrip his love of filmmaking, “The Way of the Water” is his grand ode to the ocean.

“It’s also a cri de coeur to people around the world to protect and be guardians of the oceans, to be guardians of nature, in general. That’s what these ‘Avatar’ movies are about,” Cameron says.

At the “Way of Water” premiere in London, Cameron was struck by how the audience looked different to him. It was a black-tie affair, unusual for him as a director, but that wasn’t only it.

“I looked out at that audience and everybody looked so beautiful and they put so much energy into just showing up. It struck me that maybe we’re back,” Cameron says. “Maybe cinema’s back. Maybe enough people out there do care about that dream of cinema.”

Music, exercise, gray hair: Pandemic practices that live on

NEW YORK — Dusting off old musical instruments, appreciating the outdoors more meaningfully, dumping the hair dye and letting the gray fly forever.

The pandemic disrupted our traditions, practices and pursuits, how we mark milestones, what we do with our time, what’s important in routines. It replaced old with new, a kind of new that just might stick.

Nearly three years after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, there’s plenty of old life mixed with the new. And, yes, the latter includes a whole lot of Zooming still going on among families, colleagues and friends, near and far.

Here’s a look at pandemic passions that for some are here to stay:

Instrument redux

That sax in the corner. The piano that looks so nice in the living room but was rarely played. People picked up their instruments again, some after decades, to flex their musical muscles.

They’re not looking for concert careers, but they’re dedicated in their rediscoveries.

Bob Dorobis in Middletown, New Jersey, worked intensely to improve his guitar fingerpicking during the pandemic after a long break. Now, the 70-year-old software developer is looking forward to more practice time in re -

tirement.

“When your fingerpicking sounds good it’s very rewarding,” he said. “I finally realized the only way for me to like it better is to learn it better.”

Exercise love

The post-lockdown economy wasn’t kind to Peloton when its stock tanked as many pandemic newbies lost their mojo. Many, but not all. We’ve got newcomers seriously spinning on.

Amid all the spinning, folks who hadn’t worked out in years are now committed to running, working up to half-marathons and beyond.

We have bicycle enthusiasts who hadn’t ridden since childhood. And we have walkers who mapped out where to find the best cats to visit and are steadfast in their feline wandering on foot.

Beth Lehman, a Greenville, New York, nanny, hopped on a bike for the first time in years while teaching one of her young charges during the pandemic. Now, the whole family she works for rides with her, including a grandfather in his mid-80s.

“I faked confidence,” she said of taking to two wheels again.

Neighborly kindness

Craving company, we stood on lawns, sidewalks and cul-desacs to check in with each other. We brought homemade soups to senior shut-ins. We turned over

armfuls of fresh-cut flowers from our gardens. We lingered for a socially distanced chat.

Commitments to random acts of kindness directed at the elderly living alone continues, with neighborly schedules made for snow shoveling and pies delivered for the holidays.

Lisa and Larry Neula in Sacramento, California, shared the gift of aloha with their neighbors. She was a competitive Hawaiian dancer and hula instructor and he’s a member of the famous Lim Family singers of Kohala.

Together, they entertained their neighbors during the pandemic from their driveway and continue their performances there today.

“If you get one person who shows they want to be social, then the other people catch on. It gets to be contagious,” Lisa said. “I don’t want to take all the credit, but it makes me a better person.”

Grooming revelations

Some women tossed the hair dye. Some their blow dryers.

They’ve chosen to embrace their inner curliness and gray. Today, they can’t be bothered going back after nearly three years of natural hair.

“In March 2020, right after everyone was basically in lockdown, I ignored the reminder in my calendar to do the root touchup, and I ignored the next and the next and so on,” said Susan Cuccinello in Ossining, New York.

“I remember when salons started opening back up and several of my friends were so relieved they could get their hair and roots colored again. That didn’t sway me one bit. And my hair is actually thicker and healthier.”

Good sports

With a newfound embrace of the outdoors, some sports attracted new enthusiasts.

Pickleball picked up players, growing its fan base and expanding the demand for courts. That has upset a tennis player or two, or four.

For others, it was golf.

In Maplewood, New Jersey, Matthew Peyton and his son, Julian, discovered golf together. Julian now works as a fitter in a sports shop and is eyeing college golf programs. They had never played before.

“So there I am. Single dad with a 15-year-old, active teenage boy who won’t be going to school for two years,” he said. “We don’t know what’s safe. We don’t touch door knobs or go to the store. But the golf course is our refuge. You’re 300 yards away from anyone else all by yourself. It’s like a private oasis.”

The Zoom boom

We’re still logging lots of Zoom time for work, book club, family visits and meetups with old friends. But there are other lasting uses that were born of pan-

demic necessity. Bridal couples streaming their weddings, for instance, or Zoom memorials for lost loved ones.

Non-work Zooms today, with real-life back in swing, have thoroughly committed devotees. So do webinars, from art history to virtually exploring an exotic locale.

Samantha Martin, who splits her time between New York and West Palm Beach, Florida, relied a lot on Zoom and WhatsApp to visit with loved ones back home in Hong Kong and around the world. That morphed into “Sunday stories,” a practice she continues today.

“Every Sunday night I have dinner or breakfast, depending on the time difference, with a friend or family member around the world,” Martin said. “The calendar is full one to two months in advance.”

Less in-store shopping

Curbside pickup. Grocery delivery. Those mainstays of pandemic life are new priorities for some former in-store enthusiasts.

“I used to enjoy food shopping, but this saves so much time and overspending on my part so I stuck with it,” said Amanda Sheronas Spencer in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

“If I do go in person, I have to stick to my list, which is difficult for a person who loves food and cooking! Grocery stores are like shiny objects to me.”

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

20TH CENTURY STUDIOS VIA AP

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Jake Sully, portrayed by Sam Worthington, in "Avatar: The Way of Water."

New this week: ‘Banshees,’ Whitney Houston, ‘High on Life’

The Associated Press

THIS WEEK’S NEW entertainment releases include rising comedian Atsuko Okatsuka debuts her first HBO comedy special called “The Intruder.” David Letterman travels to Ukraine to sit down with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a special one-off episode of Netflix’s “My Next Guest,” and PBS will broadcast the second annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony founded by William, The Prince of Wales, recognizing individuals for their environmental work.

Also, Nikyatu Jusu makes one of the more arresting directorial debuts of the year in Amazon Studios’ “Nanny.”

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music and video game platforms this week.

Movies

In “The Banshees of Inisherin,” director Martin McDonagh reteams with Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, the stars of the playwright’s feature debut, 2008’s “In Bruges.” The results are just

as good. On a small island off the west coast of Ireland in 1923, they play longtime pals whose friendship abruptly and a little mysteriously comes to an end. Both Farrell and Gleeson have already won awards for their performances. It’s still playing in theaters but on Tuesday it reaches video on demand. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “an aching reverie about friendship and fulfillment that is one of the very best films of the year.”

Nikyatu Jusu makes one of the more arresting directorial debuts of the year in Amazon Studios’ “Nanny.” The grand jury prize-winner of the Sundance Film Festival, “Nanny” stars Anna Diop as Aisha, a well-educated Senegalese caregiver for a white New York family. (Michelle Monaghan co-stars.) Aisha’s own daughter remains in Africa. She sends home money while her wealthy employers casually take advantage of her kindness. Jusu uses the dark atmosphere of a horror film to convey the dread and displacement of the immigrant experience. It streams Friday on Amazon Prime Video.

The masterful Korean director Park Chan-wook is best known for genre extremes like “Oldboy”

and “The Handmaiden.” In his prize-winning latest, “Decision to Leave,” he conjures a more subtly beguiling tale, a slinky fusion of police procedural and romance. The film, which began streaming on MUBI on Dec. 9, stars Park Hae-il as a Busan detective who becomes infatuated by the suspect (Tang Wei) of a murder investigation. In her review, Bahr said the film lulls you “into a misty, dreamlike delirium until you’re not even certain of what’s right in front of your face.”

Music

A week before the movie release of the Whitney Houston biopic “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” comes an album with 35 tracks that includes a never-before-released a cappella live recording of “Don’t Cry For Me.” Houston recorded it in 1994 while on The Bodyguard World Tour, flying back to perform it at an AIDS benefit concert. The song and an original re-imagined version of it by producer Sam Feldt is also included on “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” out on Friday. The movie of the same name hits movie theaters Dec. 23.

Television

If you’re not familiar with Dale Chihuly’s name, it’s possible you’ve seen his breathtaking, colorful blown glass art. Now 81, his work can be found in museums worldwide (and even on the ceiling of The Bellagio casino in Las Vegas.) Chihuly’s story is compelling as well, as he’s battled mental health issues and experienced personal tragedy. An avid collector of random things including Pez dispensers and midcentury refrigerators, The Smithsonian Channel delves into the artist’s personal and professional life in a new documentary called “The Master of Glass: The Art of Dale Chihuly,” premiered Sunday.

David Letterman traveled to Kyiv to sit down with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for a special one-off episode of Netflix’s “My Next Guest,” debuting Monday. “I’ve never done anything quite like this,” says Letterman in a clip as he descends on an escalator 300 feet below ground. The conversation was recorded in October on a subway platformturned-stage, complete with a small live audience.

Rising comedian Atsuko Okat-

suka debuted her first HBO comedy special called “The Intruder” on Saturday. Okatsuka is wrapping up an exciting 2022 where she headlined her first national solo tour and made her late-night talk show debut on “The Late Late Show” with James Corden. She also started the viral #dropchallenge with her grandmother on TikTok (where one slowly squats to Beyoncé’s song “Yoncé” while staring into camera) which has received more than 10 million views. PBS will broadcast the second annual Earthshot Prize awards ceremony founded by William, The Prince of Wales, recognizing individuals for their environmental work. Earthshot offers 1 million pounds ($1.2 million) in prize money to the winners of five separate categories: nature protection, clean air, ocean revival, waste elimination and climate change. The special was filmed recently in Boston with live appearances by Annie Lennox, Ellie Goulding, and Chloe x Halle. Billie Eilish performed remotely. Presenters included Oscar winner Rami Malek, comedian Catherine O’Hara and actor Daniel Dae Kim. The Earthshot Prize airs Wednesday on PBS.

CABARRUS

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

22 SP 470

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Janet Brown and William R. Brown, Jr. (Deceased) (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): William R. Brown, Jr., Heirs of William R. Brown, Jr.: Janet Brown; Heirs of Janet Brown: Amy Hansen, Tom McAleese a/k/a Thomas McAleese, Billy McAleese a/k/a William McAleese, Caitlin McAleese Locke) to Michael Lyon, Trustee(s), dated March 6, 2015, and recorded in Book No. 11316, at Page 0311 in Cabarrus County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Cabarrus County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute

CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Angela R. Bastien (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S):

Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on December 19, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Concord in the County of Cabarrus, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows:

Tax Id Number(s): 5621 43 6137 0000

Land Situated in the City of Concord in the County of Cabarrus in the State of NC.

Land Situated in the Township of Number twelve (12) in the County of Cabarrus in the State of NC.

Lying and Being in the City of Concord, Number twelve (12) Township of Cabarrus County, North Carolina on the Southwest side of Newell Street, Northwest, and Being all of Lot Number SIXTEEN (16) of TARLTON DOWNS Subdivision, Final Plat, as surveyed and platted, a copy of which plat is filed in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Cabarrus County in Map Book 29, Page 11, to which map book and page reference is hereby made for a complete description thereof by metes and bounds. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 547 Newell Street, Northwest, Concord, North Carolina. Commonly known as: 547 Newell St NW, Concord, NC 28025 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay

Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on December 19, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: BEING all of Lot 362, in a subdivision known as Montclair, Section 5 and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 28, Page 13, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 651 Montclair Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Parcel ID: 0417-13-7463

Property Address: 651 Montclair Road, Fayetteville, NC 28314

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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: 9939 - 40232

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: 5835 - 22256

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

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 22SP1095

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND IN THE MATTER OF THE FORECLOSURE OF A DEED OF TRUST EXECUTED BY RANDALL E. ROPER AND LINDA F. ROPER DATED JULY 22, 1994 RECORDED IN BOOK 4192 AT PAGE 678 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 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

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 Cumberland County courthouse at 1:30 PM on December 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 by Randall E. Roper; Linda F. Roper, dated July 22, 1994 to secure the original principal amount of $97,920.00, and recorded in Book 4192 at Page 678 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: 6 874 Mangrove Dr, Fayetteville, NC 28314-5140 Tax Parcel ID: 9 477984577000

Present Record Owners: Heirs of Linda F. Roper

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

The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Heirs of Linda F. Roper.

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

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

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 the property may be issued in favor of the purchaser. Also, if your lease began or was renewed on or after October 1, 2007, be advised that you may terminate the rental agreement upon 10 days written notice to the landlord. You may be liable for rent due under the agreement prorated to

the effective date of the termination. The date of this Notice is 5th day of December, 2022.

Grady I. Ingle, Attorney for Substitute Trustee Ingle Law Firm, PA 13801 Reese Blvd West Suite 160 Huntersville, NC 28078 (980) 771-0717 Ingle Case Number: 8975-11371

NETFLIX/AMAZON STUDIOS/SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES VIA AP

This combination of photos shows promotional art for "Netflix’s “My Next Guest,” an interview series hosted by David Letterman, from left, "Nanny," a film streaming Dec. 16, on Amazon Prime Video and "The Banshees of Inisherin,” available Tuesday via video-on-demand.

pen & paper pursuits

sudoku solutions

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Atrium Health Stanly recognized as ‘Best Maternity Hospital’ by US News & World

Several Atrium Health branches, including the hospital in Albemarle, we recently recognized by US News & World as one of the “Best Maternity Hospitals” in the nation. Atrium Health Stanly was classified as “high performing,” which is the highest level of achievement possible for last year. To be recognized as high performing, the hospital had to excel on multiple quality metrics that matter to expecting families, including C-section rates, newborn complication rates, breast milk feeding rates, and early elective delivery rates. Atrium Health Stanly was one of only 21 hospitals selected in the state of North Carolina to receive this distinguished high-performance designation.

New Finish, Inc. to expand operations in Norwood

New Finish, Inc., a powder and e-coating, sandblasting, and painting service provider, will be expanding its facility in Norwood by creating approximately 20 new jobs within the next five years and investing #3.5 million in real property, machinery, and equipment. Public hearings for performance-based incentives were conducted on Monday, November 7, by the Town of Norwood, and Monday, November 21, by Stanly County. The goal of the incentives is to encourage new investment and induce job creation. “On behalf of Stanly Commissioners and Stanly County, we are excited about the expansion of New Finish. We are looking forward to the growth and the good jobs this will bring to Stanly County. We wish them the best on their continued success,” announced Scott Efird, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners.

Ginger Efird sworn in as Stanly County’s Clerk of Superior Court

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

ALBEMARLE — After winning last month’s election and becoming Stanly County’s first female Clerk of Superior Court, Ginger Efird was officially sworn into office on Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Stanly County Courtroom in Albemarle.

With Michael Huneycutt stepping down from the position after 16 years of service, Efird, a Republican, defeated her challenger Todd H. Lowder, a Democrat, in a landslide on Nov. 8 with 79% (18,161 votes) of the electorate.

Efird has been the administrative assistant to the District Attorney of Prosecutorial District 28 (Montgomery and Stanly Counties) for the past three years, while Lowder is currently the county’s chief magistrate.

On May 17, she won the Republican primary election with 45% of the county’s votes, overtaking Pam Blake (35%) and Michael Greene (20%).

In front of a standing-room-only crowd on Thursday, Efird addressed her family, friends and supporters with a speech after the swearing-in process.

“Around 22 years ago, I walked into the District Attorney’s Office in Mecklenburg County as a rural little southern girl who was going to a great big city,” Efird said. “I remember speaking to myself, ‘what have I got myself into?’ because I’d been here in this little small county. It didn’t take me long to learn that it was where my heart was. I had the opportunity to grow, to learn in a great big court system. It taught me a lot of good things and a lot of good lessons that I was able to bring back here.”

In her successful election bid, Efird received a sizable amount of early support, with over 6,000 early in-person votes as well as over 7,000 Election Day votes.

“I want to thank each and every one of you,” she continued. “The people that are in this room are people that have an impact on my career, and I’m forever grateful. It is all of you that have led me to today. I’m proud of the work that I’ve done throughout my career.”

A lifelong resident of Stanly County, Efird received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice degree from Pfeiffer University in 2000 and soon began a five-year run as the domestic violence legal assistant for Prosecutorial District 26 (Mecklenburg County).

She followed that up with a year as the child sex assault/abuse legal assistant for Prosecutorial District 20 (Anson, Richmond Stanly

and

Prior to the swearing-in, Stanly County District Attorney Lynn Clodfelter addressed Efird: “It was my pleasure to support you.

I know you’re going to do well. I look around the room, and I see all these people who support you and are very proud of you. How this election turned out would have made no difference in that regard.

I speak for everyone when I say you’re where you’re supposed to be.

I know you’ll do a great job as the Clerk of Court for Stanly County, and I look forward to continuing to serve with you.”

Efird’s term as clerk will run from now until November 2026.

List of early graduation candidates approved

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Education met Tuesday, December 6, where the new board members were sworn in, and elections for chair and vicechair took place.

The meeting opened up with the swearing-in of the newly elected members of the Stanly County Board of Education, with current board member Dustin Lisk winning election to his first four-year term and Robin Whittaker having been elected to the seat previously held by Anthony Graves.

“I want to thank the people of Stanly County for putting me here,” Lisk said. “You got to see seven months roughly of me after being appointed to replace Mr. [Jeff] Chance. I intend to work hard and represent every single person in this county, regardless if you voted for me or not. I care about the future of this county and this school system. We have a lot of work to do and a lot of things to be proud of. We’ve got funding needs, facilities needs, and curriculum needs. Every student in this county deserves the same opportunity regardless if you live on

the western end, the northern end, the southern end, or Albemarle. We all deserve the same opportunity, and I intend to spend my next four years fighting for that.”

One of the areas Lisk focused on in his statement was a better collaboration with the county commissioners.

“We’ve got to have a stronger relationship with our county commissioners,” Lisk said. “These two boards have to work hand-in-hand to tackle some of these issues that we have, and we can’t do it without them. We have to work with them. I intend to have a strong relationship, and I hope this board feels the same way.”

Whittaker, who had previously served on the Stanly County Board of Education, also made a statement with regard to her reappointment.

“It’s been 12 years since I sat in this seat, so a lot has changed in that time, but a lot has also stayed the same,” Whittaker said. “To the citizens of Stanly County, I just want to thank you for putting your faith and trust in me. I decided to serve again because I am concerned about our schools, concerned about our students. I want to just make things better for them. I’m just excited to be serving on the board again, and I’m looking forward to the progress that I know

this board is going to make over the next four years.”

After the swearing-in of the members, the board then voted unanimously to reelect Glenda Gibson as Chairperson of the board and Carla Poplin as Vice-Chair.

“Thank you, board members, for your trust in me,” Gibson said. “I certainly will work hard and try hard to do the job. Congratulations to Mrs. Poplin and to Robin and Dustin on being elected. We have a good board, and I’m looking forward to working on the challenges we face and the progress we will make.”

The board did not take up much in terms of action, but one thing that they did do was approve a list of early graduation candidates.

“We have additional candidates for early graduation,” said Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Amy Blake-Lewis.

“FRC is the diploma type, and that refers to ‘Future Ready Core.’ That means that these students have at least reached the minimum of the 22 hours required. If you see OCS, it indicates that they are an Occupational Course of Study student that has served in our Exceptional Children’s program and those are some adapted credit requirements.”

The new Stanly County Board of Education will next meet January 3.

Union Counties), seven years as the administrative assistant for Prosecutorial District 20A (Anson, Richmond, and Stanly Counties), as well as three years in that same position for Prosecutorial District 20 (Stanly County).

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Ginger Efird speaks after being sworn in as Clerk of Superior Court for Stanly County at the Stanly County Courthouse in Albemarle, on Dec. 8.

Newly elected, yet familiar, Board of Education members sworn in

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ GRAY, BRYAIN ERIC (B /M/64), SECOND DEGREE KIDNAPPING, 12/12/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

LYONS, COREY MONTE (B /M/42), COMMUNICATE THREATS, 12/12/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

CROWDER, DEMAUREE JASUN (B /M/19), FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE, 12/10/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

BAIN, RICHARD STANLEY (B /M/47), DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED, 12/9/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

HODGE, TAYLOR JOHN (W /M/35), POSSESS METHAMPHETAMINE, 12/9/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

DRYE, TORRENCE OCTAVIUS (B /M/49), PWISD MARIJUANA, 12/8/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦ BAO-WEAVER, PEILI (U /F/51), BREAKING OR ENTERING (M), 12/06/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

SARTAIN, JONATHON LEE (W /M/24), POSSESS STOLEN MOTOR VEHICLE, 12/05/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office ♦

SNUGGS, ROBERT RUSSELL (W /M/40), CONTEMPT OF COURT, 12/05/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

North State Journal

STANLY COUNTY Sheriff Jeff Crisco was one of four sheriffs who recently accepted new roles as commissioners on the North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission.

Crisco was elected sheriff in 2018. This will be his first time serving on the commission. Prior to his election as sheriff, Crisco worked as a detective for the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office.

Crisco will represent District 8, which includes Anson, Cabarrus, Hoke, Mecklenburg, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, Stanly, and Union counties. Crisco fills the seat on the commission left

vacant by the unexpected passing of Sheriff Landric Reid of Anson County, who passed away in September of 2022.

“Sheriff Crisco’s many years of law enforcement experience will make him a valuable member of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission,” said Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood, President of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association.

Other newly appointed sheriffs include Catawba County Sheriff Don Brown, Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin, and Cabarrus County Sheriff Van Shaw.

The commission, which was created in 1983, is made up of 17

By Liz Weston NerdWallet

MOST PEOPLE no longer get a tax deduction when they donate to charity. That shouldn’t keep you from making donations, but you may want to change your approach.

Typically, only taxpayers who itemize deductions can write off charitable contributions. The vast majority of taxpayers instead take the standard deduction, which was nearly doubled by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. (Temporary provisions in pandemic relief legislation allowed taxpayers to deduct $300 of their donations in 2020 and 2021 without itemizing, but those provisions have expired.)

It has never made sense to donate solely to get a deduction. If you’re in the 22% federal tax bracket, for example, you save only 22 cents in taxes for each dollar you give away. If you’re charitably minded, however, there may still be ways to get a tax break for your generosity with some planning, or you could reconsider how you give money away.

Donor-advised funds aren’t just for the rich

Tax experts recommend “bunch-

ing” deductions when people’s itemized deductions are close to the standard deduction limits, which in 2023 will be $13,850 for single filers and $27,700 for married couples filing jointly. Bunching allows taxpayers to take the standard deduction one year while moving as many itemized expenses as possible into another year. If you’re maximizing deductions for this year, for example, you might pay your January 2023 mortgage payment in December or make two years’ worth of charitable donations.

One way to bunch deductions is to use a donor-advised fund, an account that allows you to contribute a lump sum in one year and then parcel out the money in future years to the charities of your choice, says financial adviser Mark Astrinos, a certified public accountant and personal financial specialist. Donor-advised funds are offered by major investment companies as well as universities, community foundations and various charities.

If the client normally gives about $5,000 a year to charity, Astrinos might encourage that person to contribute three years’ worth of donations, or $15,000, to a donor-advised fund. The donation would allow the client to exceed the stan-

members appointed to staggered terms. Members are responsible for making decisions related to ad-

ministrative rules that govern the certification program for all justice officers in sheriff’s offices. Justice officers include deputy sheriffs, detention officers, and telecommunicators.

The commission is also responsible for determining whether new or current justice officers should be allowed to receive or keep their law enforcement officer certificates.

Caldwell County Sheriff Alan Jones currently serves as the chairman of the commission.

For additional information, please contact Eddie Caldwell, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, at (919) 4591052 or ecaldwell@ncsheriffs.net.

organizations don’t qualify.

dard deduction for a single filer and potentially make other expenses, such as mortgage interest and property taxes, deductible again.

Consider giving from your IRA after age 70

Qualified charitable distributions allow people 70½ and older to donate money directly from their individual retirement accounts, or IRAs, to charity. There is no tax deduction, but the money isn’t included in their income, either.

Qualified charitable distributions often appeal to people facing required minimum distributions from their retirement accounts but who don’t need the income, Astrinos says. (The IRS requires people to withdraw minimum amounts from most retirement accounts — and pay taxes on that income — starting at age 72.)

Consider gift exemption limits for direct gifts

The IRS places other restrictions on charitable deductions, such as requiring the recipient to be a “recognized charity “ — a tax-exempt organization that’s on the IRS’ list. Gifts to individuals and political

If you aren’t going to get a tax deduction for your generosity, then you might broaden the list of worthy causes you want to benefit. You could contribute to a political cause, help reduce a friend’s student loan debt or pay someone’s rent if they’re struggling. If you give money to an individual, however, you should understand the annual gift exemption limits. In 2023, you can give up to $17,000 to as many people as you want without having to file a gift tax return. You wouldn’t owe any gift tax until the amount you gave away over that annual limit exceeds the lifetime exemption, which in 2023 is $12.92 million. The $17,000 limit doesn’t apply to gifts to spouses or political organizations or if you’re paying someone else’s medical bills or tuition.

Or you could simply continue giving to your favorite charities, which may need your contribution more than ever. Charities worry that a rough stock market and high inflation may constrain remaining donors’ giving.

“People are more generous when times are good, but people need it the most when times aren’t good,” Astrinos notes.

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This year’s Christmas ornament from the White House Historical Association honors the tradition of displaying a gingerbread model of the executive mansion as part of the holiday decorations at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The 2022 ornament — a gingerbread house shaped like the mansion — honors President Richard Nixon’s administration. It was first lady Patricia Nixon who first put a gingerbread house on display in the State Dining Room for the holidays. That was long before the talented White House pastry chefs began making hundred-pound replicas of the executive mansion.

Now, holiday time at the White House would feel incomplete without one.

“Initially these were A-frame houses, but now they are actual White Houses, gingerbread houses built in the shape of the White House,” Stewart McLaurin, president of the association, told The Associated Press in an interview.

The privately funded association began selling the popular annual White House Christmas ornament in 1981.

The 2022 ornament shows the north and south fronts of a gingerbread White House that is decorated with white piping, red-and-white candies, gumdrops and candy canes. Each or-

nament comes with a booklet on the history of that particular presidency, and this year’s is gingerbread-scented.

The gingerbread White House currently on display for thousands of tourists and guests attending holiday receptions weighs 300 pounds and includes a sug-

ar cookie replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, in keeping with first lady Jill Biden’s theme of “We the People.”

But it all started in 1969 with Mrs. Nixon and a pastry chef who was German. An A-frame gingerbread house was customary in Germany and one became a fix-

ture for the holidays at the White House.

“Chef (Hans) Raffert’s Gingerbread Houses were a precious A-framed house that in later years began to add some special touches to reflect the current first family,” such as jelly beans, representing President Ronald Reagan’s favorite candy, or replicas of the family’s pets, wrote Jennifer Pickens, author of a book about Christmas at the White House.

“They became so popular that during White House tours it actually became necessary to post a Marine guard beside them to stop the quick hand (or teeth) of a child from grabbing a piece,” Pickens wrote.

The gingerbread White Houses are not edible.

Every year since 1981, when first lady Nancy Reagan gave approval, the historical association has designed an ornament honoring a president or a key White House anniversary.

The association is working its way through all 46 presidents. The 2023 ornament will honor President Gerald Ford. McLaurin said he already has approved the design, which will be revealed on Presidents Day in February.

Ornament sales are a big source of revenue for the nonprofit, nonpartisan historical association, which was created in 1961 by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy to help pay for White House restoration and acquisition projects.

“Sheriff Crisco’s many years of law enforcement experience will make him a valuable member of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission.”

Sheriff Charles Blackwood, Orange County

President Richard M. Nixon’s

nod to first lady Pat Nixon who first put a gingerbread house on display in the State Dining Room for the holiday season at the White House.

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Love thy neighbor

“LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.”

It’s one of the most important commands found in the Bible. And last week, we saw it in action in our community.

We

The reprehensible attack on two power substations in Moore County left hospitals, health care providers, schools, businesses, and nearly 40,000 homes without power for several days. Thanks to the incredible efforts of hardworking men and women from Duke Energy, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation, the NC Department of Transportation, as well as state and county officials, law enforcement, and emergency personnel, Moore County was able to restore power by Wednesday while keeping families safe. I cannot thank these folks enough for their hard work and leadership over the past week. We felt the relief of so many when our power was finally restored on Wednesday afternoon.

I also want to single out Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields and all local law enforcement, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation, for their quick action in response to the incident. We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. A reward of up to $75,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Sheriff has asked that information be reported to the Moore County Crime Tip Line at 910-947-4444.

While these past few days have been difficult, the people of Moore County have remained resilient. What’s more — we saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and state.

Throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors. We saw folks open their doors to provide shelter and other amenities. Restaurants and other businesses provided food and water to those affected. Churches fed people and served as charging stations and depots for supplies.

Renee and I were thankful our church, First Baptist Church of Southern Pines, provided hot meals. First Baptist Church of Pinehurst offered food along with shower and laundry services to those in need. Swank Coffee Shoppe in Southern Pines offered free

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

You will be made to celebrate

IN MARCH 2013, nearly a decade ago, in this space, I made a prediction.

coffee, as well as gave any donations they received away to the local Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills and Friend to Friend.

Across our region and state, many people lent a hand. This includes food trucks from Fayetteville, which set up shop in Moore County to offer free and discounted meals. The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce coordinated donations through Sam’s Club. Outback Steakhouse and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office provided meals for first responders in Aberdeen and at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office. Examples like this fill me with hope and remind me that the future of our community and nation is bright.

While my team and I stayed in close touch with law enforcement, community leaders, and Duke Energy—helping where we could—I also took steps to support our military, their families, and our nation’s defense capabilities. On Thursday, the House passed our annual defense legislation. Included in this critical bill were several provisions I spearheaded to support Fort Bragg and military families. This includes over $80 million for projects at Fort Bragg, a needed pay raise for troops, expanded housing allowances and mental health services, as well as the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers. Ending this mandate has been a priority for me. I have sponsored legislation and directly urged President Biden and Defense Secretary Austin to drop this policy. I am thankful our efforts were successful and that this mandate will finally end.

As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, supporting our troops, their families, and veterans are among my top priorities. I will continue to provide updates as the Senate takes up this legislation.

In the meantime, please know my office is always here for you if you need assistance in Moore County or anywhere throughout our District. It’s an honor to represent you, Fort Bragg, and the best of our community – which always shines bright, even in the dark.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject.

“Within the next few months,” I wrote, “Justice Anthony Kennedy will likely rule that same-sex marriage is mandated by the Constitution of the United States... states will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages; same-sex marriage will enter the public-school lexicon; religious institutions will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages or lose their tax-exempt status. Religious Americans will be forced into violating their beliefs or facing legal consequences by the government.”

Welp.

This month, the Congress is poised to pass a bill that would sanctify same-sex marriage; that same bill essentially argues that opposing samesex marriage is akin to opposing interracial marriage, an act of bigotry. It provides no explicit bar on the removal of tax-exempt status from religious institutions; it does not protect religious individuals in their daily lives.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court considers whether to force a religious web designer to make a website celebrating a same-sex marriage. Several of the more conservative justices seek to draw a line between anti-discrimination law — laws on the state and federal level preventing “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation” — and religious freedom. They do so by creating distinctions on the basis of expressive behavior (say, artistic expression in making a website) versus simple services provision (say, running a restaurant); they do so by distinguishing between services that require a message (say, baking a wedding cake) and serving gay couples without any message attached.

All of this legal hairsplitting is being done in an attempt to craft a form of the so-called Utah Compromise. That compromise put in place an anti-discrimination law with specific religious exemptions. But the Utah Compromise creates two additional problems: first, it stigmatizes belief in traditional marriage as a sort of vestige of religious bigotry we allow out of an outdated sympathy for the antiquated Bible-believers; second, it does not extend the rights of religious people outside of religious institutions. And, as it turns out, most religious people spend most of their time outside of religious institutions.

None of this would be necessary had we not undergone a complete transformation of the constitutional order over the past few decades. The Constitution of the United States provides zero power to the federal government to violate freedom of speech, association, or religion. But, as Christopher Caldwell has pointed out in “The Age of Entitlement,” the Civil Rights Act created a “rival Constitution” dedicated to violating those freedoms in the name of anti-discrimination. One can agree that racial bigotry is evil while still recognizing that the intrusion of the CRA into private behavior — not merely in ending state-sponsored discrimination, which was necessary and appropriate — amounts of a massive expansion of federal power in violation of the Constitution.

The legal obliteration of the distinction between governmental and private activity was only one prong of the new societal remolding. The second was the philosophical obliteration of the distinction between immutable characteristics and behavior. The case can easily be made morally that people ought not be victims of discrimination based on their immutable characteristics, like race; rejecting moral disapproval of particular behavior, however, means destroying the basis for any moral system. Yet that is what the law does when it likens race to sexual orientation philosophically.

These twin attacks on traditional American society — vitiation of the distinction between private and public and elimination of the distinction between innate characteristics and behavior — are predicates to tyranny. The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject. You will be forced to celebrate the behaviors of others; you will be treated as a bigot if you do not. The Supreme Court may hold back the legal ramifications of the new tyranny for now, but anyone who relies on the court to do so forever will be sorely disappointed.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.”

saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and state.

SIDELINE REPORT

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UNC 7th, NC State 8th in AP women’s poll

Indianapolis

The top five teams remained the same in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Gamecocks remained the unanimous No. 1 team followed by Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame in voting by a 28-member national media panel. UNC (8-1) moved up one spot to No. 7 after being tied for eighth with rival NC State (9-1) last week. Duke received five votes, tied for the 31st most. Kansas beat then-No. 12 Arizona last week and is now ranked 22nd, the first time the Jayhawks have been in the poll in nearly a decade.

MLB Braves, A’s, Brewers swing 3-team trade Milwaukee

The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics as part of a threeteam deal that also sent All-Star catcher William Contreras to the Milwaukee Brewers. Oakland got catcher Manny Piña and pitching prospects Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok and Royber Salinas from Atlanta and outfield prospect Esteury Ruiz from Milwaukee.

The Brewers also acquired right-handed pitchers Joel Payamps and Justin Yeager. Murphy, 28, batted .250 with 18 homers, 66 RBIs and a .759 OPS in 148 games this past season. He’s regarded as an elite defender and won a Gold Glove in 2021.

NFL Falcons bench Mariota in favor of rookie Ridder

Flowery Branch, Ga.

The Atlanta Falcons are turning to Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Coach Arthur Smith confirmed that Marcus Mariota has been benched in favor of the untested rookie from Cincinnati. The move comes with the Falcons still in contention for a playoff berth despite a 5-8 record and four losses in their past five games. Atlanta made the switch to Ridder to bolster an offense that is averaging just 17.6 points a game during its recent skid. The thirdround pick led Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff berth a season ago but has yet to take a snap in a regular season game.

WNBA Ogwumike elected

president

Heisman 2023: Maye? Harrison Jr.? Who challenges Williams?

the runner-up to Williams, might take advantage of a fifth year after a breakout senior season and contend for the trophy next season — though it will be difficult for Duggan and the Horned Frogs to recreate this magical season.

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

NEW YORK — After Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the eighth player to do so for Southern California, he talked about how cool it will be to have his jersey retired at the school one day and to be able to take his place with other USC greats.

“But as of right now, I got a game in three weeks or so and getting ready to prepare for them, and I got a whole ’nother year or two into a USC,” Williams said.

Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Williams will be the eighth Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 to play college football the following season.

None has come particularly close to winning another.

Maybe Williams is the one to break the trend and become just the second two-time Heisman winner, joining Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974-75).

TCU quarterback Max Duggan,

Who else will challenge Williams for the Heisman? Here are a few guesses:

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

There already is a debate among NFL draftniks about who will be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024: Williams or Maye? It could be a great Heisman race between the two as well next season. Maye and the Tar Heels stumbled to the finish of this season, but he still ended the regular season second in the country in total offense at 367 yards per game.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Buckeyes likely will be breaking in a new quarterback next season, but Harrison should help make the transition relatively smooth. In his first season as a starter, the sophomore has caught

7

72 passes for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns. He probably would be a first-round draft pick in the next draft if he was eligible.

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan

Michigan seems to be the one school capable of producing a Heisman contender at running back these days. Edwards showed late in the season he could be both a workhorse and a home-run hitter, stepping in for the injured Blake Corum with a combined 401 yards on 47 carries against Ohio State and in the Big Ten title game.

Teammate quarterback J.J. McCarthy also could emerge has a Heisman contender, but Michi-

SRX all-star series moves to ESPN

Tony Stewart’s short track tour will be entering its third season

New York

Nneka Ogwumike will serve a third term as president of the WNBA Players Association after being reelected over the weekend. The Los Angeles Sparks star has served as WNBPA President since 2016, first winning reelection in 2019. She was instrumental in negotiating for the groundbreaking 2020 collective bargaining agreement that saw major pay increases and guarantees of full salaries of players on maternity leave. The contract, which runs through 2027, also provided enhanced family benefits, travel standards and other health and wellness improvements.

Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum was elected to serve as first vice president of the union.

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

ESPN said Monday it signed a multiyear agreement with Superstar Racing Experience that begins in July. SRX will air on six consecutive summer nights as “Thursday Night Thunder,” which was ESPN’s branding for motorsports programming that started in the 1980s.

The old programming showcased grassroots racing from across the country.

“’Thursday Night Thunder ‘is where guys like me, who were just starting our careers in USAC, got the chance to make a name for ourselves because of its presence on ESPN,” Stewart said. “It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

SRX launched in 2021 in partnership with CBS, which gave the stock car races a prime time Saturday night slot. SRX pits stars from

NASCAR, IndyCar and other series against each other in identically prepared cars.

Stewart won the inaugural season championship, and Marco Andretti was crowned champion this past summer. The participating drivers last season combined for five NASCAR Cup championships, three IndyCar titles, four Daytona 500 wins, five Indianapolis 500

wins and four NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers.

“SRX has been an impressive property in its first two seasons and has produced competitive and exciting action,” said Burke Magnus, president of ESPN programming and original content. “We look forward to bringing live racing back to summertime Thursday nights on ESPN with SRX.”

gan loves its smash-mouth style. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington and Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

The Pacific Northwest rivals are both coming off great seasons after transferring into the Pac12. Penix, who leads the nation in passing yards per game (363), already has announced he’ll be back, and Nix seems to be leaning in that direction. Nix threw 27 touchdown passes and ran for 14 scores.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas

The highly touted former fivestar recruit had a mediocre first season as the Longhorns’ starter, throwing 14 touchdowns passes and six interceptions in nine games while completing 56.6% of his passes. Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, arrives in Austin soon to push Ewers, who still has three seasons of eligibility left. The idea that Ewers could take a huge step forward in Year 2 can’t be dismissed. Same goes for Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman.

ESPN has aired nearly every form of motorsports starting on Oct. 7, 1979, exactly one month after the network launched. Its first race aired was a USAC event taped the previous summer.

ESPN aired its first NASCAR Cup race in 1981 — a tape-delayed event from Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. The first live race was a CART event at the Milwaukee Mile later that summer.

ESPN currently televises the full Formula One schedule. The first F1 race aired in the United States was on ABC in 1962, and F1 first aired on ESPN from 1984 through 1997.

“When we had the opportunity to pitch the concept of ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ on ESPN, it was my firm belief this would be another disruptive and monumental moment in SRX and racing history: reuniting race fans with ESPN on short tracks with superstar drivers all across the U.S. for years to come,” said Don Hawk, who was named CEO of SRX ahead of its second season.

The UNC quarterback finished 10th in this year’s voting

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

AP PHOTO

After a record-breaking freshman season, UNC quarterback Drake Maye will be one of the Heisman Trophy favorites in 2023.

to 3rd term as WNBAPA

Heisman Trophy winners since 2000 who returned to play the next season.

“It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

Tony Stewart

Soccer journalist Grant Wahl’s body returned to US

es to his family, and thank our embassy team and Qatari partners who worked together so effectively to fulfill their wishes,” Blinken wrote.

Comets win big in 80-24 home victory over Gray Stone

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

NEW LONDON — The North Stanly Comets quickly bounced back from a 75-point home loss to Robinson on Saturday to put on a rout of their own, beating county rival Gray Stone 80-24 on Monday.

The Comets improved to 1-1 in Yadkin Valley Conference play and 4-3 overall, while the Knights (0-6, 0-2) remain winless.

North is now set for a road matchup on Dec. 14 against the West Stanly Colts (2-4), who have three more nonconference matchups on the schedule before beginning Rocky River Conference play on Jan. 3. The Comets won 79-62 over the Colts when the two teams squared off in New London on Dec. 5.

If North bests West again, it will be the Comets’ first set of back-to-back wins since the beginning of the season.

If North bests West again, it will be the Comets’ first set of backto-back wins since the beginning of the season.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The body and possessions of soccer journalist Grant Wahl were repatriated to the United States on Monday after his death last week while covering the World Cup in Qatar, a senior State Department official said.

The official said Wahl’s remains and his belongings arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport around 8:30 a.m. They were accompanied by a consular official from the U.S. Embassy in Doha who had had custody of Wahl’s remains since shortly after he collapsed during Friday’s match between Argentina and the Netherlands and later died.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns, had no additional details but said the embassy in Qatar had been working with Wahl’s family to ensure the repatriation went smoothly.

Wahl, an American journalist who helped grow the popularity of soccer in the United States and reported on some of the biggest stories in the sport, was 49.

Tributes to Wahl have poured in since his death and on Monday, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken added his voice to the chorus of appreciation.

“I so appreciated Grant Wahl, whose writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game but also the world around it,” Blinken wrote on Twitter about an hour after the repatriation was complete.

“I send my deepest condolenc -

Wahl, who had complained of respiratory problems earlier in the week and had been treated for a possible case of bronchitis, fell back in his seat in a section of Lusail Stadium reserved for journalists during extra time of the game, and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance.

Emergency services workers responded very quickly, treated him for 20 or 30 minutes on site and then took him out on a stretcher. The World Cup organizing committee said he was taken to Doha’s Hamad General Hospital, but it did not state a cause of death.

Wahl wrote for Sports Illustrated for more than two decades and then started his own website. He was a major voice informing an American public of soccer during a time of increased interest after the United States hosted the 1994 World Cup.

He also brought a critical eye to the international organizing bodies of the sport.

Charlotte Latin 84, West Stanly 58

The Colts suffered a 26-point road loss to the Charlotte Latin Hawks (63), a perennial heavyweight of the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association (NCISAA).

West was set to play Albemarle (2-4, 1-0) on Tuesday after press time.

Albemarle 79, South Stanly 57

The Bulldogs beat the Bulls (1-4, 0-1) on Dec. 9 to open YVC play for both teams. Albemarle posted a season-high 79 points and allowed a season-low 57 points.

The Bulldogs will next travel to Rocky River Conference opponent Anson (3-3) for a game on Dec. 14 as their schedule briefly alternates between nonconference and conference foes. South will host North on Dec. 16 as a follow-up to a home game versus Mount Pleasant (5-1, 1-0) on Dec. 13.

AUSTIN, Texas — Chris Beard, who coached Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA championship game and was hired away by Texas with expectations he’d elevate his alma mater to the same elite level, was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.

The school suspended Beard without pay “until further notice” and assistant Rodney Terry coached the No. 7 Longhorns against Rice on Monday night.

Beard was arrested by Austin

police and booked at the Travis County jail at 4:18 a.m. on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded. The charge is a third-degree felony in Texas, with a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison.

According to the arrest affidavit first reported by the Austin American-Statesman, the woman told police she is his fiance and they have been in a relationship for six years. She said they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.”

According to the affidavit, the woman told police “he choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”

She told police Beard choked

her from behind with his arm around her neck and she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds. Police say she had a bite mark on her right arm and an abrasion to her right temple among other visible injuries.

When questioned by police, Beard said he had audio recordings of the incident that would show he was not the primary aggressor. But he refused to share them with officers, police said.

Beard went before a magistrate judge for his bond hearing wearing jailhouse black-and-grey stripes and his hands cuffed in front at his waist. Beard was told he could communicate with the woman but not in a threatening manner, was ordered to stay 200 yards away from the residence where police were called and was

told he is barred from possessing a firearm.

Beard nodded his head and answered “yes, sir” several times when addressing the judge. Jail records show Beard posted $10,000 bond. He didn’t answer questions when he left the jail with his attorney Perry Minton.

Minton declined comment but earlier told the American-Statesman the coach is innocent.

“He should never have been arrested,” Minton told the newspaper. “The complainant wants him released immediately and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable.”

It wasn’t immediately known if the woman has an attorney. She was identified in the affidavit, but The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims

of extreme violence without their consent.

“The university takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously,” the school said in announcing Beard’s suspension. It did not commit to Terry as the acting coach beyond Monday night. Terry was a head coach at UTEP (2018-21) and Fresno State (201118).

Beard is in his second season of a seven-year guaranteed contract that pays him more than $5 million per year. Before that, he was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders. He was named The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.

Former UNCW assistant Rodney Terry will lead the Longhorns in the meantime

The Associated Press

The 49-year-old died last week while covering the World Cup in Qatar

The Associated Press

Albemarle topped South Stanly in a matchup of county foes

“I so appreciated Grant Wahl, whose writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game but also the world around it.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken

AP PHOTO

A tribute to journalist Grant Wahl is seen on his previously assigned seat at the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between England and France on Saturday.

Texas men’s basketball coach Chris Beard, second left, walks out of the Travis County Jail with his Defense Attorney Perry Q. Minton, right, in Austin, Texas, on Monday. Beard was arrested on a felony family violence charge.

AP PHOTO

Prosecutors: Murdaugh killed family to gain pity, distract

By James Pollard The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A judge will determine whether evidence of disbarred South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh’s alleged financial crimes are admissible in an upcoming double-murder trial that has drawn worldwide attention for its bizarre twists.

Prosecutors recently said that Murdaugh killed his wife and youngest son last year to gain sympathy and distract others from his damning financial crimes. On Friday, prosecutors and defense attorneys debated the relevance of those years of alleged financial misdeeds that lined Murdaugh’s pockets with nearly $9 million.

Murdaugh, the disgraced heir to a Lowcountry legal dynasty, has pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied any involvement in the June 2021 slayings of his wife, Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22.

According to prosecutors, at the time of the killings, Murdaugh was terrified about a pending motion that threatened to expose years of substantial debts and illicit financial crimes by revealing his personal records. Such a move would have spelled “personal, legal, and financial ruin” for Murdaugh, state grand jury chief prosecutor Creighton Waters wrote in a filing Thursday.

Prosecutors said Murdaugh was a drug addict who helped run a money laundering and painkiller ring and stole millions from settlements he secured for mostly poor clients to fund an increasingly unsustainable lifestyle.

According to Waters, high-profile, six-figure cases had failed to alleviate Murdaugh’s financial woes, prompting Murdaugh to do anything to avoid his “day of reckoning” — including murder.

Conveniently for Murdaugh, Waters said, the discovery of his slain family members temporarily suspended the increased scrutiny over his finances. Murdaugh would spend the following days collecting money to account for missing fees sought by his law firm, Waters said.

“This is a white collar case that culminated in murders,” Waters told Circuit Judge Clifton Newman on Friday.

A motive is not necessary for a

prosecutor to win a murder conviction — a point Waters made in the state’s latest filing. But Murdaugh’s lawyers asked the state to spell out the motive in order to justify including a million pages of evidence related to over 80 counts of alleged financial crimes.

Murdaugh’s defense attorneys insisted Friday that the alleged crimes amounted to character evidence that is not admissible into murder trials.

Defense attorney Jim Griffin said it is ridiculous to claim that a person seeking to distract from financial crimes would then put themself at the center of a murder investigation.

Griffin also said there is no rea-

son to admit the financial documents since there’s no evidence that Murdaugh’s family knew of any alleged crimes or that Murdaugh stood to benefit from collecting any life insurance policies.

The idea that Murdaugh sought to engender sympathy through the deaths is also illogical, according to Griffin, considering Murdaugh’s father was dying on the day they were slain — an experience sure to provide plenty of pity.

The defense has criticized what they see as the slow release of evidence linking Murdaugh to the slayings.

Central to the defense’s concerns is the presence of blood stains on a white T-shirt allegedly worn by Murdaugh on the night of the killings. Attorney Dick Harpootlian has argued that South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agents successfully persuaded a forensic consultant to reverse his initial judgment and instead say the stains must be backspatter from a bullet wound. Harpootlian said SLED destroyed the shirt and had evidence suggesting the stains were not a human’s blood.

Defense attorneys on Friday sought an evidentiary hearing compelling the state to provide all communications with the consultant. Prosecutors said any ruling on the bloody shirt’s consideration would be premature as they themselves are still assessing whether they will use it as evidence.

Prosecutors shared inklings of new details earlier in the week. Within a minute of his first conversation with responding officers on the day of the killings, Mur-

Biden approval, views of economy steady, sour: AP-NORC poll

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fresh off his party’s better-than-anticipated performance in the midterm elections, President Joe Biden is facing consistent but critical assessments of his leadership and the national economy.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds 43% of U.S. adults say they approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, while 55% disapprove. That’s similar to October, just weeks before the Nov. 8 elections that most Americans considered pivotal for the country’s future.

Only about a quarter say the nation is headed in the right direction or the economy is in good condition. Both measures have been largely negative over the course of the year as inflation tightened its grip, but were more positive through much of Biden’s first year in office.

Mishana Conlee said she tries to be optimistic about the coming year, but she thinks things are going to the gutter because “our president is incompetent” and not mentally fit for the White House. The 44-year-old in South Bend, Indiana, said she’s frustrated about rising expenses when she’s living paycheck to paycheck as a dietary aide at a nursing home.

“The more I work, I just can’t get ahead,” Conlee said. “That’s just all there is to it.”

She doesn’t blame Biden for the state of inflation, but “I feel like he’s not doing anything to change it,” said Conlee, an independent who voted for former President Donald Trump. Biden’s “not doing us any good.”

The Biden administration in its

second year in the White House relished economic growth, a series of legislative wins and relative success for the president’s party in the midterms. But that has yet to translate to glowing reviews from a pessimistic public.

Even as Republicans took control of the House, Democrats defied historical precedent to stunt GOP gains and even improve their Senate majority, which was cemented with last week’s runoff win for Sen. Raphael Warnock, the lone Demo-

crat in Georgia this year to be elected statewide.

Glen McDaniel of Atlanta, who twice voted for Warnock, thinks the Biden administration has moved the country forward and weathered the economic storm as well as possible.

“I think that this administration has done as much as they can” to fight inflation, the Democrat said.

But McDaniel, a 70-year-old medical research scientist, also thinks the nation faces “social

headwinds” that he wants Biden and the party to prioritize.

“I think that the Democrats can be a little bit more aggressive” in legislating on things like marriage equality, reproductive rights and voting reform, he said.

The poll shows majorities of Democrats and Republicans alike think things in the country are on the wrong track, likely for different reasons.

But Democrats have shown renewed faith in Biden, boosting his

daugh allegedly claimed the slaying must have been connected to the February 2019 boat wreck that killed teenager Mallory Beach. Beach was killed when authorities say an intoxicated Paul Murdaugh wrecked his father’s boat — an event that ultimately led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5 million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death. Murdaugh now faces additional charges involving money laundering, a narcotics ring, a staged attempt on his life and millions of additional stolen funds.

And while Murdaugh seemed wealthy, prosecutors said it was a series of land deals worsened by recession that “permanently changed his finances.”

The events of the past 18 months have marked a steep fall for the Murdaughs. The family founded a massive civil law firm over 100 years ago in tiny Hampton County, where — alongside four surrounding counties — Murdaugh’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather dominated the legal scene as the area’s elected prosecutors for more than eight decades.

“The jury will need to understand the distinction between who Alex Murdaugh appeared to be to the outside world — a successful lawyer and scion of the most prominent family in the region — and who he was in the real life only he fully knew — an allegedly crooked lawyer and drug user who borrowed and stole wherever he could to stay afloat and one step ahead of the detection,” Waters wrote Thursday.

overall job approval rating from a summer slump. Even so, the 43% who approve in the new survey remains somewhat depressed from 48% a year ago and much lower than 60% nearly two years ago, a month after he took office.

Seventy-seven percent of Democrats, but only 10% of Republicans, approve of Biden.

While many Americans don’t entirely blame Biden for high inflation, AP-NORC polling this year showed Biden consistently hit for his handling of the economy.

As in recent months, the new poll shows only a quarter of U.S. adults say economic conditions are good, while three-quarters call them bad. Nine in 10 Republicans, along with about 6 in 10 Democrats, say the economy is in bad shape. Ratings of the economy have soured amid record-high inflation, even as Biden touts falling gas prices and a low unemployment rate at 3.7%.

Joshua Steffens doubts that the job market is as good as indicators show. The 47-year-old in St. Augustine, Florida, said he has been unemployed and struggling to find an information technology job since September.

“Even though they’re trying to claim that things are looking good,” Steffens said, “in the trenches, it definitely does not appear that it’s so accurate.”

Biden’s shopping and vacationing, captured on broadcast news, is “tone deaf,” said the Republican, who called the president “a habitual liar.”

Steffens said he and his wife are experiencing rising expenses for electricity and groceries, and relying on his wife’s income has “put a strain” on their holiday shopping. He doesn’t think Biden is handling high inflation well.

“If he has policies that he’s trying to push through, then they’re not working currently,” Steffens said.

AP PHOTO

Alex Murdaugh, center, talks with his defense attorney Dick Harpootlian after a hearing in Colleton County on Monday, Aug. 29, 2022.

AP PHOTO, FILE

President Joe Biden smiles as he speaks after touring the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company facility under construction in Phoenix, on Dec. 6, 2022.

obituaries

Julia Ann Swaringen Brown

October 19, 1934 - December 11, 2022

Julia Ann Swaringen Brown, 88, of Albemarle passed away on Sunday, December 11, 2022 in Trinity Place.

Born October 19, 1934 in Stanly County, NC she was the daughter of the late James Paul Swaringen and Irene Shuping Swaringen. She was a member of Prospect Baptist Church and a homemaker. The majority of her professional career, she assisted her husband with their contracting business, Gordon J. Brown, Inc. She spent her life as a dedicated church member where she served in many capacities.

Mrs. Brown was preceded in death by her husband Gordon Junior Brown in 2011. She is survived by her son Doug Brown (Kim) of Albemarle, daughters Carmen Rene McCroskey (Grady - deceased) of Locust, Aisa Lynn Baldwin (Michael) of Albemarle and Kelly Brown Ross (David) of Charlotte, sister Susie Lowder of Graham, 10 grandchildren Jaime Whitley (Shane), Greg Baldwin, Kristin McLendon (Brian), Tyler Baldwin, Courtney Lewis (Ryan), Stephen Ross (Ariana), Zachary Brown (Ashley), Lauren Dethloff (Jon), Kaitlin Helms (Chris), and Mackenzie Brown, and 14 greatgrandchildren.

Phyllis Chandler Faulkner

April 12, 1946 - December 9, 2022

Phyllis Ann Chandler Faulkner, 76, of Albemarle, NC passed away on Friday, December 9, 2022 at Tucker Hospice House in Kannapolis, NC. Per family wishes, no public services are being held at this time.

Mrs. Faulkner was born April 12, 1946 in Stanly County to the late Clarence Chandler and Pearline Shaver Chandler. She was a hard worker, loved gardening, and retired from Trinity Place.

Phyllis is survived by her son David Linwood Faulkner, Jr. (Pamela) of Albemarle, NC; daughter: Ann Marie Faulkner Gallimore (David) of Norwood, NC; grandchildren: Adam Faulkner of Albemarle; brother: Wayne Chandler (Becky). She was preceded in death by her husband David Linwood Faulkner, Sr.

Robert Lewis Guthrie Jr.

January 31, 1965 - December 8, 2022

Robert Lewis Guthrie, Jr., 57, of Albemarle, passed away Thursday, December 8, 2022 in Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center.

He was born January 31, 1965 in Durham, NC to the late Victoria Robbins and Larry “Pop” Robbins. He worked with Stalite in Gold Hill, NC. He enjoyed cooking, and model ship building. He loved music, playing video games and watching sports.

Robert is survived by his wife, Melissa Fluharty Guthrie of the home. He is also survived by three sons, Donald Chancellor of Crouse, NC, Randal Chancellor (Amanda) of Oakboro, NC and Ian Guthrie of Albemarle, NC; a daughter, Casey Guthrie (fiancé Jeonghyuk) of Albemarle, NC; a brother, William Guthrie (Michelle) of Hurdle Mills; a sister, Judy Self of Oxford, NC and two grandchildren, Brianna and Paisley.

Belmont McSwain

April 16, 1933 - December 8, 2022

Belmont McSwain, 89, of Albemarle passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2022.

Born April 16, 1933 in Stanly County, NC, he was the son of the late Charles Parker McSwain and Fannie Mae West McSwain. He was engineer with Myrick Construction and was a veteran of the US Air Force.

Mr. McSwain is survived by his wife Shirley Arnold McSwain, daughter Beteena Shank of Biscoe, stepson Michael Murray of Albemarle, stepgrandchildren Amy Tracy (Mark) of Richfield, Matthew Ridenhour (Jessie) of Richfield, step great grandchildren Landon and Neyland Tracy and Caitlin and Harlow Ridenhour. He was preceded in death by brothers Bryan McSwain, Hugh McSwain, Gilreath McSwain, C. E. McSwain, Liles McSwain and Ralph McSwain.

Andrea Carol Dennis

May 17, 1945 - December 6, 2022

Andrea Carol Dennis, 77, of Albemarle passed away on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 in Atrium Health Cabarrus.

Born May 17, 1945 in Stanly County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Earl Hanaford Roche' and Ruth Elizabeth Mauldin Roche'. She was a member of the Baptist Faith and was retired from Wiscassett Mills. In her retirement, she took a job with Walmart and worked for over 20 years.

Mrs. Dennis is survived by four children Deidre Doreen Dennis of Albemarle, Amanda Jones of Albemarle, Felix Dennis of Frog Pond, and Misty Dennis of Albemarle, two grandchildren Jacob D. Jones of Albemarle and Dakota Dennis of Albemarle. A grandchild, Grayson Lee Jones preceded her in death.

Shirley Hunsucker

May 20, 1928 ~ December 7, 2022

Shirley Bruley Hunsucker 94 of Mt. Gilead died Wednesday morning, December 7, 2022 at Moore Regional Medical Center in Pinehurst.

She was born May 20. 1928 in Cornell, Wisconsin to the late Clifford and Violet Crosby Bruley. She was a retiree of Gilead Manufacturing and late Sox Hosiery in Mt. Gilead.

She was preceded in death by her husband James Alex Hunsucker, her brothers, Jack and Clifford Bruley and sister, Kathleen Billiard.

She is survived by her daughter, Shelia Hunsucker Coggins of Troy. One grandson, Brad Ashley Coggins (Michelle), two great-grandchildren, Ashtan Taylor Coggins and Brayden Matthew Coggins and one great-great granddaughter, Piper Elizabeth Bibey all of Rockingham; two nieces, Loretta Lassiter and Carol Kearns both of Troy.

Donald Kendrick Abernathy

July 4, 1937 - December 6, 2022

Donald Kendrick Abernathy, 85, of Albemarle passed away on Tuesday, December 6, 2022 in Atrium Health Stanly.

Born July 4, 1937 in Charlotte, NC, he was the son of the late Ben Abernathy and Edith Kendrick Abernathy. He was raised in Gastonia, NC. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church and was retired as an Executive with the Boy Scouts of America. Don received his B.S. in Education from Appalachian State University. He was a past Chairman of the Stanly County Republican Party and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Community Concerts. He was also on the Board of Directors of Historic Rosedale in Charlotte. Don was a Mason and member of Albemarle Lodge #703 A. F. & A. M., and the Scottish Rite Valley of Charlotte. He was a member of Clan Leslie Society and was involved in the Highland Games.

Mr. Abernathy is survived by his wife Janice Burris Abernathy, sons Ken Abernathy (Cheri) of Orlando, FL and Rich Abernathy (Shani) of Toledo, OH, five grandchildren Richard Abernathy II, Josh Abernathy, Lou Abernathy, Carley Hazel, and Shelby Abernathy, and one great-granddaughter Addison Hazel.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother Tim Abernathy.

Alice Fagan Honohan

November 28, 1947 - December 4, 2022

Alice Loretta Fagan Honohan, 75, of Mt. Pleasant, NC, passed away Sunday, December 4, 2022 at Atrium Health Cabarrus.

Alice was born November 28, 1947 in Jamaica, NY to the late Thomas Fagan and Ann Delaney Fagan. She loved her grandchildren more than life itself and spending time with her family.

Mrs. Honohan was preceded in death by her husband, William J. Honohan on December 13, 2014.

She is survived by a son, William P. Honohan of Albemarle, NC; daughter, Heather Smith of Mt. Pleasant, NC; two brothers, Will Fagan (Victoria) of Trout Creek, NY, and Michael Fagan of NY; two sisters, Adele Oakley of St. Cloud, FL and Mary Jolly of Mastic Beach, NY; four grandchildren, James Patrick Honohan, Breanna Nicole Honohan, Zoe Rose Smith and Zachary Dale Smith.

Betty Revell Lowder

March 18, 1944 - December 4, 2022

Betty Diane Revell Lowder departed this life on December 4th, 2022 at Atrium Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina. Born in Stanly County, the daughter of Katherine Reeves Revell and Elvin Lee Revell, Betty was a beloved junior high school teacher for her entire teaching career. After graduation from Albemarle Senior High School (Class of ‘62) Betty continued her education at Appalachian State Teachers’ College.

There, she made many friends who still remember her fondly. Her teaching career was highlighted by over thirty years at New London Junior High School. Betty had a gift for creative teaching and for inspiring her students, many of whom have kept in touch with her throughout all these years. Betty’s family treasures her beautiful paintings as well as her gifts of knitted and crocheted creations.

Betty bravely battled multiple sclerosis and cancer for years. Her family is deeply grateful to Alyson Willoughby, her caretaker, for her loving compassionate care which gave Betty immeasurable comfort in her final months and days. Betty is also mourned by her first cousins and their families: Harriet Reeves Hoy, Brenda Peeler Palmatier, Michael Peeler, Ellen Reeves Farmer, and Linda Gooch.

Clifton Hurley

March 10, 1943 - December 5, 2022

Clifton Hurley, 79, of Albemarle passed away peacefully Monday, December 5, 2022 in his home with his loving family by his side. Mr. Hurley was born March 10, 1943 in Montgomery County, NC to the late Dallas Young Hurley and Bessie Lee Kimrey Hurley. He was a retired Sales Manager with Flowers Baking Company in Jamestown, NC. He was a member of Stony Hill United Methodist Church, where he served on many committees, sang in the church choir, was a Cub Scout leader, and made many lifelong friendships. Clifton always enjoyed the Thresher Reunion at the Denton Farm Park. He was a wonderful gardener and shared the best tomatoes in the world with his friends and family. He really enjoyed working with his Jays Seafood family. Most of all he loved his grandchildren and family.

Clifton is survived by his wife, Sue Corriher Hurley of the home. He is also survived by two daughters, Dana Hurley Eudy and husband Greg of New London, NC and Joy Hurley Loflin and husband Greg of New London, NC; a brother, Douglas Hurley and wife Nancy of Mt. Gilead, NC; a sister, Patsy Hurley Harris and husband Tommy of Alachua, FL; six grandchildren, Emma Loflin, Dallas Loflin, Grant Loflin, Anna Katherine Eudy, Ila Loflin and Allie Eudy. He was also preceded in death by a special sister, Joyce Hurley.

STATE & NATION

NASA Orion capsule safely blazes back from moon, aces test

The Associated Press

CANAVERAL, Fla. —

CAPE

NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants — three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors.

NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect.

“I’m overwhelmed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said from Mission Control in Houston. “This is an extraordinary day ... It’s historic because we are now going back into space — deep space — with a new generation.”

The space agency needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, targeted for 2024 with four astronauts who will be revealed early next year. That would be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025 and, ultimately, a sustainable moon base. The long-term plan would be to launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.

Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days explor-

ing the valley of Taurus-Littrow, the longest stay of the Apollo era. They were the last of the 12 moonwalkers.

Orion was the first capsule to visit the moon since then, launching on NASA’s new mega moon rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 16. It was the first flight of NASA’s new Artemis moon program, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister.

“From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth,” an-

nounced Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.

While no one was on the $4 billion test flight, NASA managers were thrilled to pull off the dress rehearsal, especially after so many years of flight delays and busted budgets. Fuel leaks and hurricanes conspired for additional postponements in late summer and fall.

Getting Orion back intact after the 25-day flight was NASA’s top objective. With a return speed of 25,000 mph — considerably faster than coming in from low-Earth orbit — the capsule used a new, ad-

vanced heat shield never tested before in spaceflight. To reduce the gravity or G loads, it dipped into the atmosphere and briefly skipped out, also helping to pinpoint the splashdown area.

All that unfolded in spectacular fashion, officials noted, allowing for Orion’s safe return.

“I don’t think any one of us could have imagined a mission this successful,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

Further inspections will be conducted once Orion is back at Kennedy by month’s end. If the capsule

checks find nothing amiss, NASA will announce the first lunar crew amid considerable hoopla in early 2023, picking from among the 42 active U.S. astronauts stationed at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

“People are anxious, we know that,” Vanessa Wyche, Johnson’s director, told reporters. Added Nelson: “The American people, just like (with) the original seven astronauts in the Mercury days, are going to want to know about these astronauts.”

The capsule splashed down more than 300 miles south of the original target zone. Forecasts calling for choppy seas and high wind off the Southern California coast prompted NASA to switch the location.

Orion logged 1.4 million miles as it zoomed to the moon and then entered a wide, swooping orbit for nearly a week before heading home. It came within 80 miles of the moon twice. At its farthest, the capsule was more than 268,000 miles from Earth.

Orion beamed back stunning photos of not only the gray, pitted moon, but also the home planet. As a parting shot, the capsule revealed a crescent Earth — Earthrise — that left the mission team speechless.

Nottingham Trent University astronomer Daniel Brown said the flight’s many accomplishments illustrate NASA’s capability to put astronauts on the next Artemis moonshot.

“This was the nail-biting end of an amazing and important journey for NASA’s Orion spacecraft,” Brown said in a statement from England.

Just hours earlier, a spacecraft rocketed toward the moon from Cape Canaveral. The lunar lander belongs to ispace, a Tokyo company intent on developing an economy up there. Two U.S. companies, meanwhile, have lunar landers launching early next year.

Sinema party switch highlights 2024 obstacles for Democrats

By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press

PHOENIX — Less than three days after Democrats celebrated victory in the final Senate contest of the 2022 midterms, the challenges facing the party heading into the next campaign came into sharp relief.

The decision by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to leave the Democratic Party on Friday raised the prospect of a tumultuous — and expensive — three-way race in one of the most politically competitive states in the U.S. It set off a scramble among potential Democratic and Republican candidates to assess whether they could win their party’s nomination.

And it prompted difficult questions about whether Democrats might financially and politically support Sinema over their own nominee if she decides to seek reelection in 2024 and is seen as having the best chance of keeping the seat out of GOP hands.

Ultimately, Sinema’s move was a sobering reminder that while Democrats won an outright majority in the Senate, their grip on the chamber is still tenuous, giving individual members notable sway over the congressional agenda. And it foreshadowed the even more difficult climate ahead as Democrats defend seats in seven

states, including Arizona, that former President Donald Trump carried at least once.

Sinema was largely dismissive of such considerations, saying she doesn’t fit into the traditional party system. She said she won’t caucus with Republicans, but declined to say whether she plans to seek a second term in the Senate.

Her shift to becoming an independent, however, strongly suggests

she’s at least trying to preserve the option.

“My decision is 100% based on what I think is right for me and for our state, and to ensure that I am able to continue delivering real results that make a difference in the lives of Arizonans,” Sinema said.

Her move completes a unique evolution that has both delighted and infuriated Democrats. She began her career two decades ago

as a member of the Green Party. Running for the Senate as a Democrat in 2018, her victory thrilled the party and cemented Arizona’s status as a onetime Republican stronghold that was becoming more competitive.

But she’s steadily grown alienated from the party and has been a barrier to some of Democrats’ top priorities. She has appeared at points to take particular enjoyment in antagonizing the party’s progressive base, whose support will be needed to win a primary in 2024.

She now returns to the position in which she began her political career, as an outsider from both major parties.

“She had a choice: either a tough primary or a tough general, and she chose a tough general,” said Daniel Scarpinato, a Republican political consultant and former chief of staff to GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.

The field of potential Sinema rivals began to take shape almost immediately. Both parties could face contested primaries, a dynamic that could help Sinema stay above the fray in a state where parties choose their nominees just three months before the general election.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat and longtime Sinema antagonist, strongly hint-

ed that he’ll run but stopped short of announcing a bid. In an interview, he said that’s always been a decision he planned to make in 2023, but the timeline may have moved up.

“I always thought I could win,” Gallego said. “I think her potential run as an independent doesn’t change that calculus.”

On the Republican side, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is seriously considering a run, spokesman Corey Vale confirmed. Others mentioned as potential candidates include Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Jim Lamon and Karrin Taylor Robson, all Republicans who lost their bids for governor or Senate this year.

Some Democrats caution activists to stay calm despite their frustration with Sinema ahead of the 2024 campaign.

They note that even Blake Masters, who trailed all other statewide Republicans on the ballot in his losing Senate bid, received 46% of the vote. In a must-win state that’s a true tossup, Sinema may still be a more palatable option than surrendering the seat to Republicans following a messy three-way race, they argue.

One group that’s seemingly not upset about Sinema’s decision: the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“We’re excited as ever to work with (Sinema) to advance good policies for Arizona job creators,” the state’s most influential business group said in a tweet.

NASA VIA AP

In this photo provided by NASA the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.

AP PHOTO

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., arrives for a meeting of the Senate Homeland Security Committee at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Aug. 3, 2022.

Randolph record

Brown makes in-county move

Manufacturing jobs coming to Archdale

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

Pedestrian struck in fatal Randleman accident

An accident involving a vehicle and a pedestrian on Sunday evening in Randleman left one dead. According to reports from the Randleman Police Department, Christopher Dale Hicks, 38, was walking down US 220 Business N., near Sibbett Street, just after 6 pm when he walked into the roadway and was struck by a 2014 Honda CR-V. Officers received the call about the accident at approximately 6:24 pm. Unfortunately, Hicks was pronounced dead at the scene. The Randleman Police Department said that charges would not be filed against the driver.

Asheboro apartment complexes targeted in string of vehiclerelated thefts

Over the course of three days in the last week of November, a series of thefts and vehicle break-ins took place around apartment complexes located on North Fayetteville Street in Asheboro. Between the night of November 28 and the evening of November 30, officers from the Asheboro Police Department responded to over ten separate reports of vehicle break-ins. In some instances, the thieves stole cash, debit cards, personal items, spare keys, and firearms. At least two vehicles were completely stolen. One vehicle owner managed to capture a video of two black males, both dressed in dark clothing, going through the center console and glove box of their car. Stolen debit cards have had purchases traced to restaurants and stores in Randleman, Greensboro, and Kernersville. At this time, the Asheboro Police Department has not released any additional updates on this series of incidents.

ARCHDALE — Archdale should receive a boost on the jobs front, with Sumitomo Forestry America establishing a manufacturing facility in the city and other businesses also potentially adding to their workforces.

The investment of $19.5 million should result in the creation of 129 jobs with Sumitomo Forestry based on an announcement from Gov. Roy Cooper’s office last week.

That’s not the only potential boost that could impact the Archdale area.

Officials at Thomas Built Buses in Archdale announced earlier this month that 150 new workers might be needed for the company.

The uptick at Thomas Built Buses comes as the company is reacting to a demand for electrical bus orders from around the country.

With layoffs at United Furniture

Industries announced last month, this is an opportunity for many of those displaced workers, according to Thomas Built Buses. There’s a third-shift pay rate of $18.47 per hour for the bus company.

Also, Furnitureland South in Jamestown reportedly has had up to 25 openings in a variety of areas.

Sumitomo Forestry America is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd., a Nikkei-listed forestry company founded in 1691 and headquartered in Tokyo. Based on information from the governor’s office, the company’s project in North Carolina will establish a component manufacturing and distribution facility to produce building materials, such as roof trusses, floor trusses, and wall panels used in residential housing and wooden commercial and multi-family buildings.

“Manufacturing companies find North Carolina’s rural com-

Manufacturing story quote:

Gov. Cooper

munities offer them an ideal place to grow their businesses,” Cooper said in a statement. “From our superior transportation networks to our skilled workforce, Sumitomo Forestry will find Randolph County will deliver the right ingredients for success.”

Another wholly owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Forestry America, Charlotte-based Crescent Communities, will help develop and build the new production facility.

Although wages for the new jobs will vary depending on position, the average salary will be $45,782, which is above the current average wage in Randolph County of $40,552.

Sumitomo Forestry’s project in North Carolina will be facilitated, in part, by a Job Development Investment Grant approved by the state’s Economic Investment Committee. In the course of 12 years, the project is estimated to grow the state’s economy by $308.3 million.

Because Sumitomo Forestry chose a site in Randolph County, classified by the state’s economic tier system as Tier 2, the company’s JDIG agreement also calls for moving $77,300 into the state’s Industrial Development Fund – Utility Account. The Utility Account helps rural communities across the state finance necessary infrastructure upgrades to attract future business.

Asheboro council gives approval for cancer center

Council

City Social District

By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro City Council met Thursday, with the primary focus of the agenda being on the petition by Cone Health for a new cancer center.

The council gave the approval to delegate a plan for the management and maintenance of the Zoo City Social District to Asheboro Downtown, Inc.

The plan will include potential expansion targets and areas and will help to set uniform standards for signage. It will ultimately have to be brought before the council for final approval.

The council then held a public hearing for an annexation petition by Cone Health for an excess of 65 acres of former hospital land on the west side of Interstate 73/74.

“Our goal in what we are looking at is building a new cancer center in the city of Asheboro to provide stateof-the-art cancer care to the people in Randolph County and surrounding counties,” said Vice President of Oncology at Cone Health Skip Hislop. “One of the things that has

transpired is that Cone Health used to have a joint venture with Randolph Hospital, and now that has ceased. Now, Cone Health provides all of the medical oncology, chemotherapy services, and things along those lines to the patients and community. Unfortunately, we’re doing that in two different buildings because of the situation.

“As you think of care for patients, it’s not the best situation for continuity of care, and what we’re looking at doing is building a new state-of-the-art cancer center on the piece of property off Sparrow Road,” continued Hislop. “What this will do is allow us to make sure that people do not have to travel for the care that they need to receive in this community. Transportation is one of the biggest challenges for any person that is undergoing cancer care, and if you have to leave the county, it has that much more chance of people not maintaining the treatment of their disease and having the best outcome that they possibly could have.”

While Cone Health is not looking to expand construction further at this time, there is still the possibility that they may use the land to develop more buildings for more medical services as the space has the ability to be developed up to 150,000 square feet and the can-

cer center is going to be roughly 50,000 square feet.

According to Hislop, the timeline for finishing is by approximately December 24, 2024, supply chain willing.

However, the council expressed some frustrations over the need for a new center, seemingly casting blame on Cone Health for backing out of an assumed promise.

“If Cone had bought Randolph Hospital as was planned or hoped or erroneously understood at one time, then this would not be necessary,” said Mayor Pro Tem Walker Moffitt. “If Cone operated the hospital, you would not have needed to split the entities, and it could have continued as it is now.”

Due to state regulations, a for-profit and a non-profit can-

delegates ADI to target potential expansion targets for Zoo

“Manufacturing companies find North Carolina’s rural communities offer them an ideal place to grow their businesses.”

Asheboro Council quote: “What this will do is allow us to make sure that people do not have to travel for the care that they need to receive in this community.”

Skip Hislop

Calvin Brown was introduced Monday as Asheboro High School’s new football coach. He spent the past seven seasons in that role at Providence Grove. For more on the hiring of a new coach for the Blue Comets, see Page 5.

PHOTOS BY SCOTT PELKEY | FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Love thy neighbor

“LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.”

It’s one of the most important commands found in the Bible. And last week, we saw it in action in our community.

We

The reprehensible attack on two power substations in Moore County left hospitals, health care providers, schools, businesses, and nearly 40,000 homes without power for several days. Thanks to the incredible efforts of hardworking men and women from Duke Energy, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation, the NC Department of Transportation, as well as state and county officials, law enforcement, and emergency personnel, Moore County was able to restore power by Wednesday while keeping families safe. I cannot thank these folks enough for their hard work and leadership over the past week. We felt the relief of so many when our power was finally restored on Wednesday afternoon.

coffee, as well as gave any donations they received away to the local Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills and Friend to Friend.

Across our region and state, many people lent a hand. This includes food trucks from Fayetteville, which set up shop in Moore County to offer free and discounted meals. The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce coordinated donations through Sam’s Club. Outback Steakhouse and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office provided meals for first responders in Aberdeen and at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office. Examples like this fill me with hope and remind me that the future of our community and nation is bright.

state.

I also want to single out Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields and all local law enforcement, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation, for their quick action in response to the incident. We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. A reward of up to $75,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Sheriff has asked that information be reported to the Moore County Crime Tip Line at 910-947-4444.

While these past few days have been difficult, the people of Moore County have remained resilient. What’s more — we saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and state.

Throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors. We saw folks open their doors to provide shelter and other amenities. Restaurants and other businesses provided food and water to those affected. Churches fed people and served as charging stations and depots for supplies.

Renee and I were thankful our church, First Baptist Church of Southern Pines, provided hot meals. First Baptist Church of Pinehurst offered food along with shower and laundry services to those in need. Swank Coffee Shoppe in Southern Pines offered free

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

You will be made to celebrate

IN MARCH 2013, nearly a decade ago, in this space, I made a prediction.

The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject.

“Within the next few months,” I wrote, “Justice Anthony Kennedy will likely rule that same-sex marriage is mandated by the Constitution of the United States... states will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages; same-sex marriage will enter the public-school lexicon; religious institutions will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages or lose their tax-exempt status. Religious Americans will be forced into violating their beliefs or facing legal consequences by the government.”

Welp.

This month, the Congress is poised to pass a bill that would sanctify same-sex marriage; that same bill essentially argues that opposing samesex marriage is akin to opposing interracial marriage, an act of bigotry. It provides no explicit bar on the removal of tax-exempt status from religious institutions; it does not protect religious individuals in their daily lives.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court considers whether to force a religious web designer to make a website celebrating a same-sex marriage. Several of the more conservative justices seek to draw a line between anti-discrimination law — laws on the state and federal level preventing “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation” — and religious freedom. They do so by creating distinctions on the basis of expressive behavior (say, artistic expression in making a website) versus simple services provision (say, running a restaurant); they do so by distinguishing between services that require a message (say, baking a wedding cake) and serving gay couples without any message attached.

All of this legal hairsplitting is being done in an attempt to craft a form of the so-called Utah Compromise. That compromise put in place an anti-discrimination law with specific religious exemptions. But the Utah Compromise creates two additional problems: first, it stigmatizes belief in traditional marriage as a sort of vestige of religious bigotry we allow out of an outdated sympathy for the antiquated Bible-believers; second, it does not extend the rights of religious people outside of religious institutions. And, as it turns out, most religious people spend most of their time outside of religious institutions.

While my team and I stayed in close touch with law enforcement, community leaders, and Duke Energy—helping where we could—I also took steps to support our military, their families, and our nation’s defense capabilities. On Thursday, the House passed our annual defense legislation. Included in this critical bill were several provisions I spearheaded to support Fort Bragg and military families. This includes over $80 million for projects at Fort Bragg, a needed pay raise for troops, expanded housing allowances and mental health services, as well as the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers. Ending this mandate has been a priority for me. I have sponsored legislation and directly urged President Biden and Defense Secretary Austin to drop this policy. I am thankful our efforts were successful and that this mandate will finally end.

As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, supporting our troops, their families, and veterans are among my top priorities. I will continue to provide updates as the Senate takes up this legislation.

In the meantime, please know my office is always here for you if you need assistance in Moore County or anywhere throughout our District. It’s an honor to represent you, Fort Bragg, and the best of our community – which always shines bright, even in the dark.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

None of this would be necessary had we not undergone a complete transformation of the constitutional order over the past few decades. The Constitution of the United States provides zero power to the federal government to violate freedom of speech, association, or religion. But, as Christopher Caldwell has pointed out in “The Age of Entitlement,” the Civil Rights Act created a “rival Constitution” dedicated to violating those freedoms in the name of anti-discrimination. One can agree that racial bigotry is evil while still recognizing that the intrusion of the CRA into private behavior — not merely in ending state-sponsored discrimination, which was necessary and appropriate — amounts of a massive expansion of federal power in violation of the Constitution.

The legal obliteration of the distinction between governmental and private activity was only one prong of the new societal remolding. The second was the philosophical obliteration of the distinction between immutable characteristics and behavior. The case can easily be made morally that people ought not be victims of discrimination based on their immutable characteristics, like race; rejecting moral disapproval of particular behavior, however, means destroying the basis for any moral system. Yet that is what the law does when it likens race to sexual orientation philosophically.

These twin attacks on traditional American society — vitiation of the distinction between private and public and elimination of the distinction between innate characteristics and behavior — are predicates to tyranny. The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject. You will be forced to celebrate the behaviors of others; you will be treated as a bigot if you do not. The Supreme Court may hold back the legal ramifications of the new tyranny for now, but anyone who relies on the court to do so forever will be sorely disappointed.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.”

saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and

SIDELINE REPORT

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UNC 7th, NC State 8th in AP women’s poll

Indianapolis

The top five teams remained the same in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Gamecocks remained the unanimous No. 1 team followed by Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame in voting by a 28-member national media panel. UNC (8-1) moved up one spot to No. 7 after being tied for eighth with rival NC State (9-1) last week. Duke received five votes, tied for the 31st most. Kansas beat then-No. 12 Arizona last week and is now ranked 22nd, the first time the Jayhawks have been in the poll in nearly a decade.

MLB Braves, A’s, Brewers swing 3-team trade Milwaukee

The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics as part of a threeteam deal that also sent All-Star catcher William Contreras to the Milwaukee Brewers. Oakland got catcher Manny Piña and pitching prospects Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok and Royber Salinas from Atlanta and outfield prospect Esteury Ruiz from Milwaukee.

The Brewers also acquired right-handed pitchers Joel Payamps and Justin Yeager. Murphy, 28, batted .250 with 18 homers, 66 RBIs and a .759 OPS in 148 games this past season. He’s regarded as an elite defender and won a Gold Glove in 2021.

NFL Falcons bench Mariota in favor of rookie Ridder

Flowery Branch, Ga.

The Atlanta Falcons are turning to Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Coach Arthur Smith confirmed that Marcus Mariota has been benched in favor of the untested rookie from Cincinnati. The move comes with the Falcons still in contention for a playoff berth despite a 5-8 record and four losses in their past five games. Atlanta made the switch to Ridder to bolster an offense that is averaging just 17.6 points a game during its recent skid. The thirdround pick led Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff berth a season ago but has yet to take a snap in a regular season game.

WNBA

Heisman 2023: Maye? Harrison Jr.? Who challenges Williams?

the runner-up to Williams, might take advantage of a fifth year after a breakout senior season and contend for the trophy next season — though it will be difficult for Duggan and the Horned Frogs to recreate this magical season.

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

NEW YORK — After Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the eighth player to do so for Southern California, he talked about how cool it will be to have his jersey retired at the school one day and to be able to take his place with other USC greats.

“But as of right now, I got a game in three weeks or so and getting ready to prepare for them, and I got a whole ’nother year or two into a USC,” Williams said.

Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Williams will be the eighth Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 to play college football the following season.

None has come particularly close to winning another.

Maybe Williams is the one to break the trend and become just the second two-time Heisman winner, joining Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974-75).

TCU quarterback Max Duggan,

Who else will challenge Williams for the Heisman? Here are a few guesses:

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

There already is a debate among NFL draftniks about who will be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024: Williams or Maye? It could be a great Heisman race between the two as well next season. Maye and the Tar Heels stumbled to the finish of this season, but he still ended the regular season second in the country in total offense at 367 yards per game.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Buckeyes likely will be breaking in a new quarterback next season, but Harrison should help make the transition relatively smooth. In his first season as a starter, the sophomore has caught

7

72 passes for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns. He probably would be a first-round draft pick in the next draft if he was eligible.

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan

Michigan seems to be the one school capable of producing a Heisman contender at running back these days. Edwards showed late in the season he could be both a workhorse and a home-run hitter, stepping in for the injured Blake Corum with a combined 401 yards on 47 carries against Ohio State and in the Big Ten title game.

Teammate quarterback J.J. McCarthy also could emerge has a Heisman contender, but Michi-

SRX all-star series moves to ESPN

gan loves its smash-mouth style. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington and Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

The Pacific Northwest rivals are both coming off great seasons after transferring into the Pac12. Penix, who leads the nation in passing yards per game (363), already has announced he’ll be back, and Nix seems to be leaning in that direction. Nix threw 27 touchdown passes and ran for 14 scores.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas

The highly touted former fivestar recruit had a mediocre first season as the Longhorns’ starter, throwing 14 touchdowns passes and six interceptions in nine games while completing 56.6% of his passes. Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, arrives in Austin soon to push Ewers, who still has three seasons of eligibility left. The idea that Ewers could take a huge step forward in Year 2 can’t be dismissed. Same goes for Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman.

New York

president

Nneka Ogwumike will serve a third term as president of the WNBA Players Association after being reelected over the weekend. The Los Angeles Sparks star has served as WNBPA President since 2016, first winning reelection in 2019. She was instrumental in negotiating for the groundbreaking 2020 collective bargaining agreement that saw major pay increases and guarantees of full salaries of players on maternity leave. The contract, which runs through 2027, also provided enhanced family benefits, travel standards and other health and wellness improvements.

Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum was elected to serve as first vice president of the union.

The Associated Press

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

ESPN said Monday it signed a multiyear agreement with Superstar Racing Experience that begins in July. SRX will air on six consecutive summer nights as “Thursday Night Thunder,” which was ESPN’s branding for motorsports programming that started in the 1980s.

The old programming showcased grassroots racing from across the country.

“’Thursday Night Thunder ‘is where guys like me, who were just starting our careers in USAC, got the chance to make a name for ourselves because of its presence on ESPN,” Stewart said. “It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

SRX launched in 2021 in partnership with CBS, which gave the stock car races a prime time Saturday night slot. SRX pits stars from

NASCAR, IndyCar and other series against each other in identically prepared cars.

Stewart won the inaugural season championship, and Marco Andretti was crowned champion this past summer. The participating drivers last season combined for five NASCAR Cup championships, three IndyCar titles, four Daytona 500 wins, five Indianapolis 500

wins and four NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers.

“SRX has been an impressive property in its first two seasons and has produced competitive and exciting action,” said Burke Magnus, president of ESPN programming and original content. “We look forward to bringing live racing back to summertime Thursday nights on ESPN with SRX.”

ESPN has aired nearly every form of motorsports starting on Oct. 7, 1979, exactly one month after the network launched. Its first race aired was a USAC event taped the previous summer.

ESPN aired its first NASCAR Cup race in 1981 — a tape-delayed event from Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. The first live race was a CART event at the Milwaukee Mile later that summer.

ESPN currently televises the full Formula One schedule. The first F1 race aired in the United States was on ABC in 1962, and F1 first aired on ESPN from 1984 through 1997.

“When we had the opportunity to pitch the concept of ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ on ESPN, it was my firm belief this would be another disruptive and monumental moment in SRX and racing history: reuniting race fans with ESPN on short tracks with superstar drivers all across the U.S. for years to come,” said Don Hawk, who was named CEO of SRX ahead of its second season.

The UNC quarterback finished 10th in this year’s voting

Tony Stewart’s short track tour will be entering its third season

AP PHOTO

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

AP PHOTO

After a record-breaking freshman season, UNC quarterback Drake Maye will be one of the Heisman Trophy favorites in 2023.

Ogwumike elected to 3rd term as WNBAPA

Heisman Trophy winners since 2000 who returned to play the next season.

“It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

Tony Stewart

Girls’ players Gentry, York hit special marks

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

TRINITY — There were special occasions last week for a couple of area girls’ basketball players.

Senior Autumn Gentry became Trinity’s all-time leading scorer. She scored 14 points against visiting East Davidson to reach the record.

The previous record of 1,252 was held by Jordan Parker.

Randleman’s Elizabeth York, a senior guard, eclipsed the 1,000-point mark for her career.

York had 24 points in a 57-41 victory against visiting Central Davidson in the game when she reached the milestone. Teammate Gracyn Hall, who passed the 1,000-point mark last season, had 21 points.

Randleman got off to an 8-0 start, including last Friday’s 55-39 victory against visiting Wheatmore in the Piedmont Athletic Conference opener. The Tigers were unbeaten in the 2021-22 regular season.

Boys’ basketball

In a rematch of last February’s PAC Tournament championship game, Uwharrie Charter Academy defeated Providence Grove 46-43 on Friday night.

Ashton Troutman scored 27 points for UCA in the league opener for both teams.

Providence Grove was last season’s regular-season champion, though UCA won the conference tournament.

Asheboro’s fast start to the season took a sudden detour.

The Blue Comets opened the season with five consecutive victories before last week’s 68-66 home loss to Ragsdale.

“We didn’t make a few plays down the stretch that probably could have made the difference,” Asheboro coach Brian Nance said. “We needed a test.”

Asheboro wiped out a 15-point

deficit to take a lead before falling.

Jerquarius Stanback had 21 points for the Blue Comets.

A night later, Asheboro dropped a 51-38 decision at Randleman in a non-league rematch from November. Tyshaun Goldston’s 22 points and eight rebounds were tops for Randleman.

Give credit to Eastern Randolph for winning different types of games with three home outings last week.

The Wildcats rang up a 94-62 victory against South Davidson and topped Chatham Central 92-91 on back-to-back days last week.

Timothy Brower (21 points) and Nicah Taylor (20 points) led the scoring against South Davidson. Davonte Brooks poured in 37 points against Chatham Central

and 30 points against Western Alamance.

Then on Saturday, Eastern Randolph edged the visiting Western Alamance 62-49 in a make-up game.

Wrestling

At Lumberton, UCA won five meets in Saturday’s Lumberton Border Duals.

The closest of the results was a 52-9 victory against Carolina Forest (S.C.).

UCA wrestlers who went 5-0 were Caden Bond, Devonte Harrison, Ethan Hines, Aldo Hernandez, Jair Ulloa, Lorenzo Alston, Grayson Roberts, and Jaden Maness. Carson Robinson was 4-0.

Piedmont Athletic Conference all-conference

Ladaryian Spinks, Lucas Smith, Nicah Taylor, DJ Thomas.

Caressa King

Southwestern Randolph, girls’ basketball

King was a key contributor to a pair of victories last week for the Cougars.

The junior guard put up 16 points in Southwestern Randolph’s 67-15 non-conference home victory against Jordan-Matthews.

King scored 17 points when the Cougars opened their Piedmont Athletic Conference schedule with a 53-45 victory at Trinity.

She also had eight points in a 50-40 road loss to North Davidson.

HERE’S A LIST of the Piedmont Athletic Conference’s major award winners and all-conference selections for fall sports:

COUNTRY

BOYS’ CROSS

Runner of the Year: Robert Burton (Wheatmore)

Coach of the Year: Jonathan Ruiz (Providence Grove)

Team: Robert Burton (Providence Grove), Colin Duvall (Providence Gove), Riley Gaines (Providence Grove), Jackson Garland (Providence Grove), Aiden Shelton (Providence Grove, Kaden Shoptaw (Providence Grove), Kelton Shoptaw (Providence Grove), Caleb Ward (Providence Grove), Chris White (UCA), Kevin Allred (Randleman), Jose Castillo (Trinity), Zach Hazelwood (Wheatmore)

GIRLS’ CROSS COUNTRY

Runner of the Year: Brecken Snotherly (Eastern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Jonathan Ruiz (Providence Grove)

Team: Jensen Auman (Providence Grove), Mia Browder (Providence Grove), Carolina DuVall (Providence Grove), Abbie Gudino (UCA), Victoria Jennings (UCA), Jazmin Palma (UCA), Alyssa Ramusson (UCA), Olivia Hildreth (Wheatmore), Kaitlyn Miller (Wheatmore), Sadie Mabe (Southwestern Randolph), Brecken Snotherly (Eastern Randolph)

FOOTBALL

Offensive Player of the Year: Easton Clapp (Southwestern Randolph)

Defensive Player of the Year: Davonte Brooks (Eastern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Burton Cates (Eastern Randolph)

Eastern Randolph: Stratton Barwick, Davonte Brooks, Ervodd Cassady, Jake Fesmire, Adonye Herbert, Jani Norwood, Al Randall, Mason Sechrest,

Randleman: Bryson Atkins, Thomas Dobias, Riley Edwards, Tanner Gneiting, Tyshaun Goldston, Christian Long, Caden Lundsford, Amarion Moton, Greg Price, Chesney Welch.

Providence Grove: Tucker Batten, Karson Bowman, David Braddy, Zander Cheek, Zane Cheek, Lemuel Coltrane, Chase Whitaker, Colton Wood.

Southwestern Randolph: Sean Adkins, Easton Clapp, Adam Cole, Nathan Ellis, Eli Gravely, Colton Law, Hunter Simpson.

Wheatmore: Ashtin Bennett, Jonathan Kelly, Ethan Roberts, Trey Swanney, Jacob Ward.

Trinity: Griffin Dills, Evan Stepp, Joey Smith, Daniel Torreblanca.

GIRLS’ GOLF

Player of the Year: Caroline Wright (Providence Grove)

Coach of the Year: Wes Luther (Providence Grove)

Team: Morgan Heilig (Providence Grove), Anna Holloway (Providence Grove), Megan Oakley (Providence Grove), Caroline Wright (Providence Grove), Madison Canoy (Eastern Randolph), Zoe Ferguson (Eastern Randolph), Mackenzie Gee (Eastern Randolph), Lanie McDaniel (Eastern Randolph).

BOYS’ SOCCER

Offensive Player of the Year: Riley Queen (Wheatmore)

Defensive Player of the Year: Jaxson Hatcher (Wheatmore)

Coach of the Year: Mike Sink (Trinity)

Team: Luke Beasley (Wheatmore), Collin Burgess (Wheatmore), Nick Galloway (Wheatmore), Jaxson Hatcher (Wheatmore), Anakin Leister (Wheatmore), Riley Queen (Wheatmore), Zack Cox (Trinity), Grayson Earls (Trinity), Brendan Jenkins (Trinity), Cooper Pollock (Trinity), Diego Torres (Trinity), Moises Venture (Trinity), Aaron

Bowers (Eastern Randolph), Axel Canela (Eastern Randolph), Yane Jaimes (Eastern Randolph), Jose Rosales (Eastern Randolph), Colby Chamblin (UCA), Nick Hodge (UCA), Jake Perreira (UCA), Chris Ayala (Randleman), Owen Leonard (Randleman), Nathan Murillo (Randleman), Fernando Hernandez (Southwestern Randolph), Jonathan Lopez (Southwestern Randolph), Providence Grove (Logan Stover).

GIRLS’ TENNIS

Player of the Year: Andee Bullard (Southwestern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Lori Lagrama (Southwestern Randolph)

Team: Elayna Brown (Wheatmore), Mikalah Walls (Wheatmore), Hannah Wilson (Wheatmore), Andee Bullard (Southwestern Randolph), Allie Popp (Southwestern Randolph), Maya Barber (Providence Grove), Audrey Frazier (Providence Grove), Anna Money (Providence Grove), Autumn Gentry (Trinity), Abigail Todd (Trinity), Leah Ingle (UCA), Gracyn Hall (Randleman), Elizabeth York (Randleman).

VOLLEYBALL

Most Valuable Player: Madelyn Smith (Southwestern Randolph) Defensive Player of the Year: Coley Shiflet (Southwestern Randolph)

Coach of the Year: Darby Kennedy (Southwestern Randolph)

Team: Gracie Hodgin (Southwestern Randolph), Raegan LeRoy (Southwestern Randolph), Coley Shiflet (Southwestern Randolph), Madelyn Smith (Southwestern Randolph), Carleigh Whitson (Southwestern Randolph), Chloe Dixon (Randleman), Karli Kennington (Randleman), Dacia Lowery (UCA), Chloe Painter (UCA), Emma Mazzarone (Providence Grove), Dyyanna Wade (Providence Grove), Taylor Richardson (Wheatmore), Karrington Batten (Trinity), Addie Flinchum (Eastern Randolph).

Asheboro hires Providence Grove’s Brown as next football coach

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Calvin Brown will try to get Asheboro’s football program back on a winning path.

“We want to compete on Friday nights, and I know that’s what Asheboro expects,” Brown said Monday. “We want to change the culture and bring back the winning atmosphere.”

Brown is leaving Providence Grove, where he directed sustained success, to become coach of the Blue Comets.

Among more than 40 applicants, Brown was a clear choice for the hiring committee, principal Dr. Ryan Moody said.

“You look at where we were,” Moody said. “You want to find a coach who is successful, high character, high motor type of guy. … He was head and shoulders the best candidate we could possibly ask for.”

Brown’s Providence Grove teams were 42-34 in seven seasons. He guided the Patriots to their first postseason football victory in school history earlier this fall as part of an 8-4 record.

Brown takes the position held by Blake Brewer, a former Asheboro quarterback whose three-season record was 2-25 as head coach. The Blue Comets were 1-9 each of the past two seasons.

Providence Grove defeated Asheboro 28-14 and 49-0 during the past two seasons.

It could be quite a project for Brown. Asheboro is a combined 7-52 in the last six seasons.

Brown said Asheboro, which has about twice the enrollment of Providence Grove, should be the best football program in Randolph County.

“I see that as a great opportunity,” Brown said. “That’s one thing that really excited me and (made me want) to take the job. The potential that is here at Asheboro.”

Brown was also athletics director for the past four years at Providence Grove, where he spent 11 years overall. He won’t hold those responsibilities at Asheboro, where such a dual role isn’t permitted.

“I’m thankful for Providence Grove and everybody there,” Brown said.

2016: 4-7

2017: 4-7

2018: 6-6

2019: 8-4

2021 (spring): 4-3

2021: 8-3

2022: 8-4 Total: 42-34

Brown stressed a family atmosphere when he spoke to supporters Monday. He said he feels the football team can set the tone for the athletics department.

He said he’ll require a commitment from players on and off the field.

Providence Grove’s eight wins matched the most in program history. The Patriots went 8-4 in 2019 and 8-3 in 2021.

Brown said his Asheboro coaching staff could include a few members from his Providence Grove staff.

Providence Grove lost to eventual Class 2-A runner-up Reidsville in the second round, a team it has never defeated in six alltime meetings.

Not only will Providence Grove also have a new coach in 2023, but it could also be a rebuilding period for the Patriots. There were 22 seniors on this year’s team.

FILE PHOTO

Caressa King has been a solid player for Southwestern Randolph.

Calvin Brown’s coaching record at Providence Grove

Randolph Record

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Trinity’s Autumn Gentry takes a shot against East Davidson last week.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Here’s Calvin Brown during Providence Grove’s game earlier this year at Asheboro.

Prosecutors: Murdaugh killed family to gain pity, distract

By James Pollard The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C.

determine whether evidence of disbarred South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh’s alleged financial crimes are admissible in an upcoming double-murder trial that has drawn worldwide attention for its bizarre twists.

Prosecutors recently said that Murdaugh killed his wife and youngest son last year to gain sympathy and distract others from his damning financial crimes. On Friday, prosecutors and defense attorneys debated the relevance of those years of alleged financial misdeeds that lined Murdaugh’s pockets with nearly $9 million.

Murdaugh, the disgraced heir to a Lowcountry legal dynasty, has pleaded not guilty and repeatedly denied any involvement in the June 2021 slayings of his wife, Maggie, 52, and their son Paul, 22.

According to prosecutors, at the time of the killings, Murdaugh was terrified about a pending motion that threatened to expose years of substantial debts and illicit financial crimes by revealing his personal records. Such a move would have spelled “personal, legal, and financial ruin” for Murdaugh, state grand jury chief prosecutor Creighton Waters wrote in a filing Thursday.

Prosecutors said Murdaugh was a drug addict who helped run a money laundering and painkiller ring and stole millions from settlements he secured for mostly poor clients to fund an increasingly unsustainable lifestyle.

According to Waters, high-profile, six-figure cases had failed to alleviate Murdaugh’s financial woes, prompting Murdaugh to do anything to avoid his “day of reckoning” — including murder.

Conveniently for Murdaugh, Waters said, the discovery of his slain family members temporarily suspended the increased scrutiny over his finances. Murdaugh would spend the following days collecting money to account for missing fees sought by his law firm, Waters said.

“This is a white collar case that culminated in murders,” Waters told Circuit Judge Clifton Newman on Friday.

A motive is not necessary for a

prosecutor to win a murder conviction — a point Waters made in the state’s latest filing. But Murdaugh’s lawyers asked the state to spell out the motive in order to justify including a million pages of evidence related to over 80 counts of alleged financial crimes.

Murdaugh’s defense attorneys insisted Friday that the alleged crimes amounted to character evidence that is not admissible into murder trials.

Defense attorney Jim Griffin said it is ridiculous to claim that a person seeking to distract from financial crimes would then put themself at the center of a murder investigation.

Griffin also said there is no rea-

son to admit the financial documents since there’s no evidence that Murdaugh’s family knew of any alleged crimes or that Murdaugh stood to benefit from collecting any life insurance policies.

The idea that Murdaugh sought to engender sympathy through the deaths is also illogical, according to Griffin, considering Murdaugh’s father was dying on the day they were slain — an experience sure to provide plenty of pity.

The defense has criticized what they see as the slow release of evidence linking Murdaugh to the slayings.

Central to the defense’s concerns is the presence of blood stains on a white T-shirt allegedly worn by Murdaugh on the night of the killings. Attorney Dick Harpootlian has argued that South Carolina Law Enforcement Division agents successfully persuaded a forensic consultant to reverse his initial judgment and instead say the stains must be backspatter from a bullet wound. Harpootlian said SLED destroyed the shirt and had evidence suggesting the stains were not a human’s blood.

Defense attorneys on Friday sought an evidentiary hearing compelling the state to provide all communications with the consultant. Prosecutors said any ruling on the bloody shirt’s consideration would be premature as they themselves are still assessing whether they will use it as evidence.

Prosecutors shared inklings of new details earlier in the week. Within a minute of his first conversation with responding officers on the day of the killings, Mur-

Biden approval, views of economy steady, sour: AP-NORC poll

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fresh off his party’s better-than-anticipated performance in the midterm elections, President Joe Biden is facing consistent but critical assessments of his leadership and the national economy.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds 43% of U.S. adults say they approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, while 55% disapprove. That’s similar to October, just weeks before the Nov. 8 elections that most Americans considered pivotal for the country’s future.

Only about a quarter say the nation is headed in the right direction or the economy is in good condition. Both measures have been largely negative over the course of the year as inflation tightened its grip, but were more positive through much of Biden’s first year in office.

Mishana Conlee said she tries to be optimistic about the coming year, but she thinks things are going to the gutter because “our president is incompetent” and not mentally fit for the White House. The 44-year-old in South Bend, Indiana, said she’s frustrated about rising expenses when she’s living paycheck to paycheck as a dietary aide at a nursing home.

“The more I work, I just can’t get ahead,” Conlee said. “That’s just all there is to it.”

She doesn’t blame Biden for the state of inflation, but “I feel like he’s not doing anything to change it,” said Conlee, an independent who voted for former President Donald Trump. Biden’s “not doing us any good.”

The Biden administration in its second year in the White House relished economic growth, a series of

legislative wins and relative success for the president’s party in the midterms. But that has yet to translate to glowing reviews from a pessimistic public.

Even as Republicans took control of the House, Democrats defied historical precedent to stunt GOP gains and even improve their Senate majority, which was cemented with last week’s runoff win for Sen. Raphael Warnock, the lone Democrat in Georgia this year to be elect-

ed statewide.

Glen McDaniel of Atlanta, who twice voted for Warnock, thinks the Biden administration has moved the country forward and weathered the economic storm as well as possible.

“I think that this administration has done as much as they can” to fight inflation, the Democrat said.

But McDaniel, a 70-year-old medical research scientist, also thinks the nation faces “social headwinds” that he wants Biden and the party to prioritize.

“I think that the Democrats can be a little bit more aggressive” in legislating on things like marriage equality, reproductive rights and voting reform, he said.

The poll shows majorities of Democrats and Republicans alike think things in the country are on the wrong track, likely for different reasons.

But Democrats have shown renewed faith in Biden, boosting his overall job approval rating from a summer slump. Even so, the 43% who approve in the new survey remains somewhat depressed from 48% a year ago and much lower than 60% nearly two years ago, a month after he took office.

Seventy-seven percent of Democrats, but only 10% of Republicans, approve of Biden.

While many Americans don’t en-

daugh allegedly claimed the slaying must have been connected to the February 2019 boat wreck that killed teenager Mallory Beach.

Beach was killed when authorities say an intoxicated Paul Murdaugh wrecked his father’s boat — an event that ultimately led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5 million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death. Murdaugh now faces additional charges involving money laundering, a narcotics ring, a staged attempt on his life and millions of additional stolen funds.

And while Murdaugh seemed wealthy, prosecutors said it was a series of land deals worsened by recession that “permanently changed his finances.”

The events of the past 18 months have marked a steep fall for the Murdaughs. The family founded a massive civil law firm over 100 years ago in tiny Hampton County, where — alongside four surrounding counties — Murdaugh’s father, grandfather and great-grandfather dominated the legal scene as the area’s elected prosecutors for more than eight decades.

“The jury will need to understand the distinction between who Alex Murdaugh appeared to be to the outside world — a successful lawyer and scion of the most prominent family in the region — and who he was in the real life only he fully knew — an allegedly crooked lawyer and drug user who borrowed and stole wherever he could to stay afloat and one step ahead of the detection,” Waters wrote Thursday.

tirely blame Biden for high inflation, AP-NORC polling this year showed Biden consistently hit for his handling of the economy.

As in recent months, the new poll shows only a quarter of U.S. adults say economic conditions are good, while three-quarters call them bad. Nine in 10 Republicans, along with about 6 in 10 Democrats, say the economy is in bad shape. Ratings of the economy have soured amid record-high inflation, even as Biden touts falling gas prices and a low unemployment rate at 3.7%.

Joshua Steffens doubts that the job market is as good as indicators show. The 47-year-old in St. Augustine, Florida, said he has been unemployed and struggling to find an information technology job since September.

“Even though they’re trying to claim that things are looking good,” Steffens said, “in the trenches, it definitely does not appear that it’s so accurate.”

Biden’s shopping and vacationing, captured on broadcast news, is “tone deaf,” said the Republican, who called the president “a habitual liar.”

Steffens said he and his wife are experiencing rising expenses for electricity and groceries, and relying on his wife’s income has “put a strain” on their holiday shopping. He doesn’t think Biden is handling high inflation well.

“If he has policies that he’s trying to push through, then they’re not working currently,” Steffens said.

AP PHOTO

Alex Murdaugh, center, talks with his defense attorney Dick Harpootlian after a hearing in Colleton County on Monday, Aug. 29, 2022.

AP PHOTO, FILE

President Joe Biden smiles as he speaks after touring the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company facility under construction in Phoenix, on Dec. 6, 2022.

Janice Dula Jennings

November 1, 1956 — December 11, 2022

Janice Dula Jennings, age 66, died Sunday, December 11, 2022, at her home.

Janice was born in Asheboro, on November 1, 1956, to Terry Grandon and Margaret Wiles Dula.

Janice had an infectious smile, never met a stranger, and was loved by all who knew her. She loved arts and crafts, was a member of Central Falls Baptist Church and the Red Hat Society. She loved her canine companion, Abby.

Janice is survived by her husband of 46 years retired from UPS of High Point, NC: Mike Jennings, son: Brandon (Eloisa) Jennings of Asheboro and their daughter: Victoria; son Joshua (Hannah) Jennings of Asheboro and their daughter: Amber, Mother; Margaret Dula of Randleman; and sister: Teresa Dula Hill of Asheboro.

Janice is preceded in death by her father Terry G. Dula and brother: David Terry Dula.

obituaries

Fletcher Calvin Auman

May 9, 1931 — December 10, 2022

Fletcher Calvin Auman, 91, passed on December 10, 2022 at his home. Fletcher was born in Montgomery County to Jesse and Lillie McNeill Auman on May 9, 1931.

Mr. Auman worked at Burlington Industries and Klaussner Furniture. After his retirement, he spent his time as a poultry farmer for Pilgrims Pride. He and his wife of 72 wonderful years of marriage are members at First Baptist Church, Seagrove where he served as a deacon.

Fletcher is preceded in death by his parents, 4 sisters, and one brother.

He is survived by his loving wife, Patricia “Pat” Brewer Auman, daughters, Ramona Leach (Philip), Denise Rice (Ronnie), and son Charles Auman (Duree). 6 grandchildren, Matthew (Emily) and Daniel (Stephanie) Leach, Michael (Rebecca) and Jennifer Rice, and Cade and Jace Auman. 3 great grandchildren, Jacob, Kamren, and Lilly Leach.

Mary Helen Garrett Stanton

September 29, 1936 — December 9, 2022

Mary Helen Garrett Stanton, 86, passed at Select Specialty Medical Facility, Greensboro on December 9th, 2022. She was born in Pleasant Garden, to Howard and Lillie Fields Garrett on September 29th, 1936.

Mary was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and aunt. She retired from A.M. International in 1982, from that point forward, she was a devoted wife of a farmer and took care of and nourished for her grandchildren for many years. Her and George were longtime members of Cedar Square Friends Meeting. She was very active in the Level Cross community as a volunteer. Helping her husband, she was a member of the Gideon Auxiliary. She loved watching her birds and endured in the beauty of nature. Mary is preceded in death by her parents, husband of 66 years, George Elwood Stanton, half-brother, Michael Childress, and son-in-law, Eddie Sawyer.

She is survived by her daughter, Teresa Sawyer, grandchildren, Brandon Sawyer (Cassie), Ashley McCollum (Jacob), and Savannah Auman (Jesse); great-grandchildren, Sawyer McCollum, Hallie Sawyer, Sophie Sawyer, Stella Sawyer, Jake Sawyer, and Laikynn Auman; sister, Linda Duncan, and sisterin-law, Teresa Childress.

Margaret Jessup Trogdon

March 9, 1961 — December 8, 2022

Margaret Jessup Trogdon, age 61, of Asheboro passed away on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at her home.

Mrs. Trogdon was born in Guilford County on March 9, 1961 to Thomas Noel and Joyce Ann Luck Jessup. Margaret was the former owner/operator of Trogdon Heating and Air Conditioning. She was formerly employed in Vital Records at Randolph Hospital and the Asheboro Housing Authority. She was a member of Good Samaritan Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, William Keith Trogdon, grandson, Jayden Montgomery Buchanan, and brothers, Bill and Greg Jessup. Margaret enjoyed traveling and going to the beach, but her life was loving on her grandchildren and family and her animals.

She is survived by her daughters, Crystal Barker (Kenneth) and Jessica Palmieri (David); grandchildren, Jamyn Barker, Peyton Barker, Devin Barker, Ashton Palmieri, Logan Palmieri, and Cameron Palmieri; sisters, Gindy Taylor of Salisbury, Kimberly Hill of Pleasant Garden, and Miranda Murph of St. Petersburg, FL.

Michael Alexander Hancock

May 7, 1967 — December 7, 2022

Michael Alexander Hancock, 55, passed away at home on December 7, 2022. He was born on May 7, 1967.

Michael was a native to Randolph County. He was a barber for several years at Friendly Hair Care. For 6 years, Michael served in the US Navy as a corpsman and the US Marines as an EMT, both in Iraq during Desert Storm. Michael loved life; he loved going to the beach, fishing, and planting flowers in his garden. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Adelaide Hancock.

Michael is survived by his mother, Maxine Hancock Durham, Cousin Linda Garner, and several cousins, friends, aunts and uncles, and nieces and nephews.

Hazel Saul Patterson, age 93, of Asheboro passed away on Monday, December 5, 2022 at Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro, NC.

Mrs. Patterson was born in Salem, VA on August 28, 1929 to Charles Thomas and Bessie Jones Saul. 1 of 12 children.

Mrs. Patterson was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, William Patterson, Sr. and her son, William "Spike" Patterson, Jr., 6 grand children and 1 great grandchild. She was a member of Eastside Baptist Church in Statesville and was a former house parent at the Freewill Baptist Children's Home in Middlesex, NC. Hazel owned and operated Hazel's Hair Styling for over 30 years in her hometown of Salem, VA. She was a founding member of the VA Hairdressers Association, where she won numerous awards. Hazel loved to fish and spend time with her family.

She is survived by her children, Patricia "Pat" Blake (Gordon), Saul "Rocky" Patterson (Vicky), and Sue Nelson (Walter), 5 grandchildren, 14 greatgrandchildren and 4 great-great grandchildren.

Sigrid Olga Nissen McCain

January 19, 1936 — December 3, 2022

Sigrid Olga Nissen McCain passed away at her home surrounded by family on December 3rd, 2022. Daughter of Mary Sybil Williamson, and Carl Julius Nissen. She was born in Iowa and raised in Albuquerque, NM.

Sig moved to North Carolina from Albuquerque after she met and married her husband Terry McCain while he was stationed there in the army. After moving to NC she worked at Burlington Industries, where she retired in 1997 after 38 years.

Her passion, however, was for children. A staple at her church, Charlotte United Methodist, Sig taught Sunday school for over 50 years. No child ever left her class without something they made to take home with them.

Sig also dedicated over 36 years to being a 4-H club leader. She led the Happy Heifer club and countless summer classes during her time. She coached 4-Hers to state competitions and was a fixture at dairy events.

Sig was preceded in death by her husband Terry, her brother Gaillard Nissen, and her sisters, Hilda Riddick, Greta Cox, and Carline Reid. She leaves behind her sister Sonja Peters and husband Gary, her children, Kirsten Frazier and husband Craig, Carl McCain and wife Deborah, grandchildren Jeremy McCain and wife Laura, Aaron McCain and wife Mandy, Kerri Frazier, Katie Cannizzaro and husband Stefano, Terri Frazier, and Adam Frazier and wife Rachel. Her great-grandchildren: Raegen, Riverlyn, Parker, Adaline, and Turner. And her beloved cat Patch.

Mary Cooper Tilley

August 6, 1940 — December 4, 2022

Mary Frances Cooper Tilley, 82, of Randleman passed away Sunday, December 4, 2022.

Mary was born on August 6, 1940 in High Point to parents, H.B. and Lyndell Harris Cooper. She was a member of Friendship Baptist Church and retired from Technimark. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Jack Tilley, and brothers, Champ Ray Cooper, Sr. and Howard Benjamin Cooper, Jr.

She is survived by her son, Thomas Tilley and his wife, Kim of Randleman; Grandson, Matthew Tilley and his wife, Kelsey of Randleman; Granddaughter, Marissa Callicutt and her husband Eli; Great Grandchildren, Bentley, Weston, Easton, Levi, and Sutton; Step Grandchildren, Kourtney Tucker and her husband Brian and Brittany Culler and her husband Zack; Step Great Grandchildren, Kenzie, Owen, Collin, Bryson, Hunter, Parker, and Remi; Sister, Judy Medlin of Archdale; and Brother Donnie Cooper of Archdale.

Christopher Dale Hicks

March 23, 1984 — December 11, 2022

Christopher Dale Hicks, 38, of Randleman, passed away on December 11, 2022.

Christopher was born on March 23, 1984 in Montgomery County, to Garrett Cagle and Tammy Hicks Blanton. He is survived by his mother, Tammy Hicks Blanton and step father Andrew Blanton Sr. of Asheboro; father Garrett Cagle of Star; daughter, Madison Hicks and son, Mason Hicks of Randleman; sister, Amy Cepeda (Justin and baby Hazel) of Randleman; brothers, Casey Rodriquez of Asheboro and Andrew Blanton Jr. of Asheboro; fiancé, Bridgett Sheffield of Randleman and grandmother, Margaret Cagle of Locust.

January

Lawrence Emile Paige Sr., 79, passed away peacefully in his home on December 3, 2022. Lawrence was born on January 10, 1943, to Nelson Martin Paige and Grace Louise Smith Paige. He is survived and deeply missed by his wife of 54 years, Rita Mae Clark Paige, and his children: son, Lawrence Emile (Diane) Paige, Jr. of Asheboro, daughter, Grace Louise (Gary) Parrott of Milton, GA, and daughter, Deborah Jean Paige of W. Springfield, MA.

Lawrence grew up in Springfield, MA and moved to W. Springfield, MA shortly after marrying Rita and starting a family. After retiring from Aetna, a life insurance company, he and Rita moved to Auburndale, FL and then soon settled in Asheboro/Randleman, NC. He was a loving husband and hardworking provider ensuring that all his family’s needs were met, even if that meant holding multiple jobs at once. His family meant the world to him and him to them. As a caring father and grandfather, he always encouraged his children and grandchildren to give it their best and to be proud of their accomplishments. He was a natural role model. For those of you who knew Lawrence, you knew that he was far from shy. Lawrence’s great sense of humor (even if his jokes sometimes made you blush) coupled with his outgoing personality made him the life of the party. Lawrence was known to spend his summers at camp, often with his grandchildren. Lawrence loved watching golf on tv and cooking shows.

He is survived by his six grandchildren and five greatgrandchildren. Mr. Paige is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers: Nelson George Paige and Donald Floyd Paige, and one sister, Patricia Nichols. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St.

Hazel Saul Patterson

August 28, 1929 — December 5, 2022

Lawrence Emile Paige Sr.

10, 1943 — December 3, 2022

STATE & NATION

NASA Orion capsule safely blazes back from moon, aces test

The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. —

NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants — three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors.

NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect.

“I’m overwhelmed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said from Mission Control in Houston. “This is an extraordinary day ... It’s historic because we are now going back into space — deep space — with a new generation.”

The space agency needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, targeted for 2024 with four astronauts who will be revealed early next year. That would be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025 and, ultimately, a sustainable moon base. The long-term plan would be to launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.

Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days explor-

ing the valley of Taurus-Littrow, the longest stay of the Apollo era. They were the last of the 12 moonwalkers.

Orion was the first capsule to visit the moon since then, launching on NASA’s new mega moon rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 16. It was the first flight of NASA’s new Artemis moon program, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister.

“From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth,” an-

nounced Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.

While no one was on the $4 billion test flight, NASA managers were thrilled to pull off the dress rehearsal, especially after so many years of flight delays and busted budgets. Fuel leaks and hurricanes conspired for additional postponements in late summer and fall.

Getting Orion back intact after the 25-day flight was NASA’s top objective. With a return speed of 25,000 mph — considerably faster than coming in from low-Earth orbit — the capsule used a new, ad-

vanced heat shield never tested before in spaceflight. To reduce the gravity or G loads, it dipped into the atmosphere and briefly skipped out, also helping to pinpoint the splashdown area.

All that unfolded in spectacular fashion, officials noted, allowing for Orion’s safe return.

“I don’t think any one of us could have imagined a mission this successful,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

Further inspections will be conducted once Orion is back at Kennedy by month’s end. If the capsule

checks find nothing amiss, NASA will announce the first lunar crew amid considerable hoopla in early 2023, picking from among the 42 active U.S. astronauts stationed at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

“People are anxious, we know that,” Vanessa Wyche, Johnson’s director, told reporters. Added Nelson: “The American people, just like (with) the original seven astronauts in the Mercury days, are going to want to know about these astronauts.”

The capsule splashed down more than 300 miles south of the original target zone. Forecasts calling for choppy seas and high wind off the Southern California coast prompted NASA to switch the location.

Orion logged 1.4 million miles as it zoomed to the moon and then entered a wide, swooping orbit for nearly a week before heading home. It came within 80 miles of the moon twice. At its farthest, the capsule was more than 268,000 miles from Earth.

Orion beamed back stunning photos of not only the gray, pitted moon, but also the home planet. As a parting shot, the capsule revealed a crescent Earth — Earthrise — that left the mission team speechless.

Nottingham Trent University astronomer Daniel Brown said the flight’s many accomplishments illustrate NASA’s capability to put astronauts on the next Artemis moonshot.

“This was the nail-biting end of an amazing and important journey for NASA’s Orion spacecraft,” Brown said in a statement from England.

Just hours earlier, a spacecraft rocketed toward the moon from Cape Canaveral. The lunar lander belongs to ispace, a Tokyo company intent on developing an economy up there. Two U.S. companies, meanwhile, have lunar landers launching early next year.

Sinema party switch highlights 2024 obstacles for Democrats

By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press

PHOENIX — Less than three days after Democrats celebrated victory in the final Senate contest of the 2022 midterms, the challenges facing the party heading into the next campaign came into sharp relief.

The decision by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to leave the Democratic Party on Friday raised the prospect of a tumultuous — and expensive — three-way race in one of the most politically competitive states in the U.S. It set off a scramble among potential Democratic and Republican candidates to assess whether they could win their party’s nomination.

And it prompted difficult questions about whether Democrats might financially and politically support Sinema over their own nominee if she decides to seek reelection in 2024 and is seen as having the best chance of keeping the seat out of GOP hands.

Ultimately, Sinema’s move was a sobering reminder that while Democrats won an outright majority in the Senate, their grip on the chamber is still tenuous, giving individual members notable sway over the congressional agenda. And it foreshadowed the even more difficult climate ahead as Democrats defend seats in seven

states, including Arizona, that former President Donald Trump carried at least once.

Sinema was largely dismissive of such considerations, saying she doesn’t fit into the traditional party system. She said she won’t caucus with Republicans, but declined to say whether she plans to seek a second term in the Senate. Her shift to becoming an independent, however, strongly suggests

she’s at least trying to preserve the option.

“My decision is 100% based on what I think is right for me and for our state, and to ensure that I am able to continue delivering real results that make a difference in the lives of Arizonans,” Sinema said.

Her move completes a unique evolution that has both delighted and infuriated Democrats. She began her career two decades ago

as a member of the Green Party. Running for the Senate as a Democrat in 2018, her victory thrilled the party and cemented Arizona’s status as a onetime Republican stronghold that was becoming more competitive.

But she’s steadily grown alienated from the party and has been a barrier to some of Democrats’ top priorities. She has appeared at points to take particular enjoyment in antagonizing the party’s progressive base, whose support will be needed to win a primary in 2024.

She now returns to the position in which she began her political career, as an outsider from both major parties.

“She had a choice: either a tough primary or a tough general, and she chose a tough general,” said Daniel Scarpinato, a Republican political consultant and former chief of staff to GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.

The field of potential Sinema rivals began to take shape almost immediately. Both parties could face contested primaries, a dynamic that could help Sinema stay above the fray in a state where parties choose their nominees just three months before the general election.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat and longtime Sinema antagonist, strongly hint-

ed that he’ll run but stopped short of announcing a bid. In an interview, he said that’s always been a decision he planned to make in 2023, but the timeline may have moved up.

“I always thought I could win,” Gallego said. “I think her potential run as an independent doesn’t change that calculus.”

On the Republican side, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is seriously considering a run, spokesman Corey Vale confirmed. Others mentioned as potential candidates include Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Jim Lamon and Karrin Taylor Robson, all Republicans who lost their bids for governor or Senate this year.

Some Democrats caution activists to stay calm despite their frustration with Sinema ahead of the 2024 campaign.

They note that even Blake Masters, who trailed all other statewide Republicans on the ballot in his losing Senate bid, received 46% of the vote. In a must-win state that’s a true tossup, Sinema may still be a more palatable option than surrendering the seat to Republicans following a messy three-way race, they argue.

One group that’s seemingly not upset about Sinema’s decision: the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“We’re excited as ever to work with (Sinema) to advance good policies for Arizona job creators,” the state’s most influential business group said in a tweet.

NASA VIA AP

In this photo provided by NASA the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.

AP PHOTO

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., arrives for a meeting of the Senate Homeland Security Committee at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Aug. 3, 2022.

HOKE COUNTY

Hudson announces senior staff

WHAT’S HAPPENING

A recent lawsuit has been filed against the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services due to reports of improper care and poor conditions at a psychiatric facility in Raeford. Specifically, the lawsuit has been brought against Kody Kinsley, secretary of the NCDHHS, and claims that the state unnecessarily houses foster-care children in secluded psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs). The focus of this case is a 14-year-old boy from Robeson County who has spent the last three years at the facility in Raeford. According to the lawsuit, this boy, who has been identified as Timothy B., is a member of the Lumbee Tribe, who lives “a regimented and segregated life” and under “deplorable conditions.” In addition, the child is said to be the recipient of insults from staff members at the facility. Timothy B. is being reported as just one of many children suffering from similar conditions across the NCDHSS.

Multiple dirt bikes were stolen from Hoke County track

Multiple dirt bikes were stolen from a Hoke County Motocross track last week after thieves broke into several trailers where the bikes were stored. According to a recent report, nine youth-sized bikes were taken from Dreamville MX, a privately owned track in Raeford. The bikes were at the track to participate in a memorial ride in honor of a Lexington rider who lost their life in a racing accident a year ago. One of the stolen bikes, according to a victim, was worth nearly $20,000. Four families in total had their dirt bikes stolen from them. At this time, the investigation is still ongoing.

Commissioners sworn in for new terms

consideration for vice-chair.

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — The Hoke County Board of Commissioners met Monday, where select commissioners were sworn in and also were elected to leadership positions.

Commissioners Allen Thomas, Jr., Tony Hunt, and Harry Southerland were resworn in for their new terms as Hoke County Commissioners after winning reelection back in the November election.

“We have a tremendous obligation and responsibility,” Southerland said after being resworn in. “There is going to be a lot on our agenda going forward. We will build a new high school for our Hoke County kids. We’re going to take care of our TAs, our teachers, our bus drivers, and our custodians. We’re going to take care of all of them. We’re going to take

care of our homeless. We’re going to build some shelters. We’re going to do something with domestic violence. We’re going to work. My agenda going forward is putting Hoke County first.”

A big focus from Southerland was an emphasis on circulating money within the county.

“We have a lot of small businesses in this community that we need to give money back to in order to allow them to flourish,” Southerland said. “We’re getting ready to spend $100-$200 million in this county over the next four years. All this money does not need to leave Hoke County. We’ve got small business owners that can paint, that can do concrete, that can do plumbing, that can do electricity, that need to bid on some of these contracts so this money can cycle in this county at least seven times. We’ve got to put Hoke County first. We’ve got to make sure we do right by our citizens.”

For Hunt, there was also an emphasis on the economy in his statement after being sworn in

alongside growth.

“We have a lot of things that we have going on here in our county because we’re one of the fastest-growing counties in the state,” Hunt said. “We can have growth, but we need to have smart growth, so we need to be thinking about how we’re growing and the effects that it has on us as far as the resources we need to be able to sustain that growth. I look forward to the challenges we have. I’m glad to be serving with this board of commissioners. As a leader, we must always put the people first and not ourselves or our agenda, but the welfare of the citizens of this county, and one of the main things is trying to maintain a tax on our people that they can afford to pay. We’ve been able to keep it down for the last 10-12 years, and I’m proud of that and want to strive to continue to do that.”

After being sworn in, Thomas was reelected by the board as Chairman over Hunt by a 3-2 vote, and Commissioner James Leach was elected as Vice-Chairman after Hunt withdrew his name from

Raeford flourishes through downtown growth

By Emmie Brooks For North State Journal

IN THE HEART of Hoke County lies the small but expanding town of Raeford. While historically not a tourist destination or entertainment hub, Raeford has long been known for its poultry production within House of Raeford Farms.

But one area family has goals of making Raeford feel more like home to locals and visitors in need of quality crafted wine or delicious comfort food.

Steve and Kimberly Rulli, owners of Rockfish Creek Winery and Downtown are both Raeford locals who are veterans, wine enthusiasts, professional skydivers, and who also have a passion for community outreach.

The winery dream for the Rullis began on their one-year anniversary in 2017 while they were on a trip in the Outer Banks. Finding themselves at OBX winery in Kill Devil Hills, they became so fascinated with the product and the process, they eventually ended up interning there, learning how to create their own wine.

The Rullis opened Rockfish

Creek Winery in Raeford in 2018. The now award-winning winery offers wine making classes and event spacing aside from serving their expertly crafted wine. The name for the winery was chosen because the water used to create their wine comes directly from Rockfish Creek.

“We triple filter our water from there [Rockfish Creek] but it’s just wonderful quality water,” Kimberly Rulli said.

The Rullis’ second project, Downtown by Rockfish Creek Winery in downtown Raeford, opened in October of this year.

“We’ve had overwhelming support from both friends and the com-

munity,” Kimberly Rulli said. “People have wanted a place downtown for so long, they come in and tell us we needed this in this town so bad.”

The restaurant features original photographs from the 1970’s of people and events in Raeford, bringing back memories for many customers who come in to eat.

“We wanted something both classy and affordable, something that would bring people from different walks of life, and make everybody feel at home,” Kim Rulli said.

Megan Nowack has been working for the winery since June but began serving at the restaurant when they opened.

The family aspect is in everything, seriously from day one, even when I wasn’t working yet, I felt instantly a part of a family,” Megan Nowak said.

Moore County, a neighboring county to Hoke, was recently affected by an assault on two electric substations, causing a majority of the county to completely lose power. Schools around the county shut down for close to a week and many families were left with no choice

“There’s nothing like an election because people can say whatever they want, but you really don’t know what the majority thinks until it’s time to vote. And us three gentlemen, who raised our right hands to God, we raised our right hand because you gave us the authority to sit up here to work on your behalf and continue what we started,” Allen said.

The board also held two public hearings, one in regard to an application for a special use permit to construct a large daycare in an RA-20 zoning district and the other for a preliminary plat approval request for a 55-lot major subdivision.

“The Planning and Zoning Department received an application for a special use permit submitted by Gold Omogbehin for 1.03 acres of the addressed parcel located at 506 Doc Brown Road,” said Hoke County Planner Jeffery Dockery.

“The property is currently zoned RA-10 (Residential Agricultural),

Allen elected as chairman, Leach as vice-chair

Lawsuit filed against NCDHHS over psychiatric facility conditions in Raeford

“We wanted something both classy and affordable, something that would bring people from different walks of life, and make every-body feel at home.”

Kim Rulli

Last week, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) announced the new senior staff positions in his Washington, DC, and North Carolina offices. Billy Constangy has been promoted to leadership chief of staff, Elliott Guffin has replaced Constangy as Hudson’s chief of staff, Molly (Brimmer) Lolli has replaced Guffin as legislative director, and Georgia Lozier has been named deputy chief of staff based in Hudson’s district office in Southern Pines, NC. “I am fortunate

to have an incredible

leadership team

and

staff focused on

serving the people

of North Carolina,” said Rep. Hudson. “I know Billy, Elliott, Molly, and Georgia are incredibly talented, and each have a heart for service. Their leadership will enable me to stay focused on the needs of the people I represent.”

AP PHOTO

but to stay in shelters organized by Red-Cross. The Rullis found themselves searching for any way to help the individuals impacted by the power outage.

“It really pulled on our heart strings, I am not an emotional person but this made me emotional,” Kimberly Rulli said.

Downtown provided and posted a full menu of items available for anyone impacted by the power outage, no purchase or proof of residency required.

“A significant number of people came in and not took advantage of us but allowed themselves to take advantage of the opportunity to be cared for by the community,” Kimberly Rulli said.

The menu available for these individuals was not lacking — it included their famous fried pickle chips, hot dogs, wings, kids nuggets, and much more.

We wanted everyone to feel loved, we offered all of the good items, all of our favorites,” Kimberly Rulli said.

Raeford N.C. is adored espe-

Nowak

cially by locals, but with the help of the Rulli family and others, the town is beginning to gain attention from far and wide.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

Foxwoth, Don (B/M/60), Possession of Stolen Vehicle, 12/12/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

Glover, Robert Eric (B/M/37), Fugitive from Justice, 12/12/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Pitts, Michael Capadeo (B/M/31), Violation of Local Ordinances, 12/12/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Cardwell, Shane Steven (W/M/33), DWI, 12/12/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Short, Coty Wayne (W/M/33), AWDW - Intent to Kill Inflict Serious Injury, 12/12/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

a nd the applicant requests a special use permit for a large daycare of 50 or more children.”

By state regulation, any childcare building that would house eight or more children would need to be classified as a large daycare, thereby needing the special use permit.

Following the first hearing, the board fully approved the permit.

The next hearing was with regard to a new subdivision plan.

“This project is located in the Urban Service Area off of Highway 401 and 1303,” Dockery said. “It’s right next to the Turnberry Subdivision. The property is currently zoned as R-8, and this allows a minimum of 8,000 square foot lot sizes. The lots will be served by Hoke County water and sewer. The subdivision will be 55 lots. The development will be served by the primary road Brickendon Lane and will connect with the existing street Royal Birkdale Drive which accesses US 401.”

The board approved the preliminary plat with the condition that an intersection is constructed on Brickendon Lane due to the street being longer than 1,500 feet after a recommendation from the planning board.

The board also appointed Sgt. John Francois of the Raeford Police Department and Holly Smith, Assistant District Attorney, as designers to the Juvenile Crime Prevention Council.

The Hoke County Board of Commissioners will next meet December 19.

♦ Spear, Stephen Joseph (W/M/75), Sexual Exploitation - Second Degree, 12/12/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Sanchez, Rafael Villareal (W/M/36), DWI, 12/10/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Craft, Daniel Elliot (W/M/27), B&E - Felony, 12/10/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Moore, Tenesha Darlene (B/F/41), AssaultSimple, 12/10/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

♦

Lefler, Robert Doyle (W/M/54), Firearm by Felon, 12/10/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Buie, Shaduntee Daquan (B/M/30), Firearm by Felon, 12/09/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office

COURTESY PHOTO

Downtown by Rockfish Creek Winery on Main Street in Raeford, North Carolina.

“The family aspect is in everything... even when I wasn’t working yet, I felt instantly a part of a family.”

Megan

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Love thy neighbor

“LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.”

It’s one of the most important commands found in the Bible. And last week, we saw it in action in our community.

We

The reprehensible attack on two power substations in Moore County left hospitals, health care providers, schools, businesses, and nearly 40,000 homes without power for several days. Thanks to the incredible efforts of hardworking men and women from Duke Energy, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation, the NC Department of Transportation, as well as state and county officials, law enforcement, and emergency personnel, Moore County was able to restore power by Wednesday while keeping families safe. I cannot thank these folks enough for their hard work and leadership over the past week. We felt the relief of so many when our power was finally restored on Wednesday afternoon.

coffee, as well as gave any donations they received away to the local Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills and Friend to Friend.

Across our region and state, many people lent a hand. This includes food trucks from Fayetteville, which set up shop in Moore County to offer free and discounted meals. The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce coordinated donations through Sam’s Club. Outback Steakhouse and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office provided meals for first responders in Aberdeen and at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office. Examples like this fill me with hope and remind me that the future of our community and nation is bright.

state.

I also want to single out Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields and all local law enforcement, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation, for their quick action in response to the incident. We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. A reward of up to $75,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Sheriff has asked that information be reported to the Moore County Crime Tip Line at 910-947-4444.

While these past few days have been difficult, the people of Moore County have remained resilient. What’s more — we saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and state.

Throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors. We saw folks open their doors to provide shelter and other amenities. Restaurants and other businesses provided food and water to those affected. Churches fed people and served as charging stations and depots for supplies.

Renee and I were thankful our church, First Baptist Church of Southern Pines, provided hot meals. First Baptist Church of Pinehurst offered food along with shower and laundry services to those in need. Swank Coffee Shoppe in Southern Pines offered free

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

You will be made to celebrate

IN MARCH 2013, nearly a decade ago, in this space, I made a prediction.

The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject.

“Within the next few months,” I wrote, “Justice Anthony Kennedy will likely rule that same-sex marriage is mandated by the Constitution of the United States... states will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages; same-sex marriage will enter the public-school lexicon; religious institutions will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages or lose their tax-exempt status. Religious Americans will be forced into violating their beliefs or facing legal consequences by the government.”

Welp.

This month, the Congress is poised to pass a bill that would sanctify same-sex marriage; that same bill essentially argues that opposing samesex marriage is akin to opposing interracial marriage, an act of bigotry. It provides no explicit bar on the removal of tax-exempt status from religious institutions; it does not protect religious individuals in their daily lives.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court considers whether to force a religious web designer to make a website celebrating a same-sex marriage. Several of the more conservative justices seek to draw a line between anti-discrimination law — laws on the state and federal level preventing “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation” — and religious freedom. They do so by creating distinctions on the basis of expressive behavior (say, artistic expression in making a website) versus simple services provision (say, running a restaurant); they do so by distinguishing between services that require a message (say, baking a wedding cake) and serving gay couples without any message attached.

All of this legal hairsplitting is being done in an attempt to craft a form of the so-called Utah Compromise. That compromise put in place an anti-discrimination law with specific religious exemptions. But the Utah Compromise creates two additional problems: first, it stigmatizes belief in traditional marriage as a sort of vestige of religious bigotry we allow out of an outdated sympathy for the antiquated Bible-believers; second, it does not extend the rights of religious people outside of religious institutions. And, as it turns out, most religious people spend most of their time outside of religious institutions.

While my team and I stayed in close touch with law enforcement, community leaders, and Duke Energy—helping where we could—I also took steps to support our military, their families, and our nation’s defense capabilities. On Thursday, the House passed our annual defense legislation. Included in this critical bill were several provisions I spearheaded to support Fort Bragg and military families. This includes over $80 million for projects at Fort Bragg, a needed pay raise for troops, expanded housing allowances and mental health services, as well as the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers. Ending this mandate has been a priority for me. I have sponsored legislation and directly urged President Biden and Defense Secretary Austin to drop this policy. I am thankful our efforts were successful and that this mandate will finally end.

As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, supporting our troops, their families, and veterans are among my top priorities. I will continue to provide updates as the Senate takes up this legislation.

In the meantime, please know my office is always here for you if you need assistance in Moore County or anywhere throughout our District. It’s an honor to represent you, Fort Bragg, and the best of our community – which always shines bright, even in the dark.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

None of this would be necessary had we not undergone a complete transformation of the constitutional order over the past few decades. The Constitution of the United States provides zero power to the federal government to violate freedom of speech, association, or religion. But, as Christopher Caldwell has pointed out in “The Age of Entitlement,” the Civil Rights Act created a “rival Constitution” dedicated to violating those freedoms in the name of anti-discrimination. One can agree that racial bigotry is evil while still recognizing that the intrusion of the CRA into private behavior — not merely in ending state-sponsored discrimination, which was necessary and appropriate — amounts of a massive expansion of federal power in violation of the Constitution.

The legal obliteration of the distinction between governmental and private activity was only one prong of the new societal remolding. The second was the philosophical obliteration of the distinction between immutable characteristics and behavior. The case can easily be made morally that people ought not be victims of discrimination based on their immutable characteristics, like race; rejecting moral disapproval of particular behavior, however, means destroying the basis for any moral system. Yet that is what the law does when it likens race to sexual orientation philosophically.

These twin attacks on traditional American society — vitiation of the distinction between private and public and elimination of the distinction between innate characteristics and behavior — are predicates to tyranny. The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject. You will be forced to celebrate the behaviors of others; you will be treated as a bigot if you do not. The Supreme Court may hold back the legal ramifications of the new tyranny for now, but anyone who relies on the court to do so forever will be sorely disappointed.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.”

saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and

SIDELINE REPORT

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UNC 7th, NC State 8th in AP women’s poll Indianapolis

The top five teams remained the same in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Gamecocks remained the unanimous No. 1 team followed by Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame in voting by a 28-member national media panel. UNC (8-1) moved up one spot to No. 7 after being tied for eighth with rival NC State (9-1) last week. Duke received five votes, tied for the 31st most. Kansas beat then-No. 12 Arizona last week and is now ranked 22nd, the first time the Jayhawks have been in the poll in nearly a decade.

MLB Braves, A’s, Brewers swing 3-team trade Milwaukee

The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics as part of a threeteam deal that also sent All-Star catcher William Contreras to the Milwaukee Brewers. Oakland got catcher Manny Piña and pitching prospects Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok and Royber Salinas from Atlanta and outfield prospect Esteury Ruiz from Milwaukee. The Brewers also acquired right-handed pitchers Joel Payamps and Justin Yeager. Murphy, 28, batted .250 with 18 homers, 66 RBIs and a .759 OPS in 148 games this past season. He’s regarded as an elite defender and won a Gold Glove in 2021.

NFL Falcons bench Mariota in favor of rookie Ridder

Flowery Branch, Ga.

The Atlanta Falcons are turning to Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Coach Arthur Smith confirmed that Marcus Mariota has been benched in favor of the untested rookie from Cincinnati. The move comes with the Falcons still in contention for a playoff berth despite a 5-8 record and four losses in their past five games. Atlanta made the switch to Ridder to bolster an offense that is averaging just 17.6 points a game during its recent skid. The third-round pick led Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff berth a season ago but has yet to take a snap in a regular season game.

Heisman 2023: Maye? Harrison Jr.? Who challenges Williams?

voting

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

NEW YORK — After Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the eighth player to do so for Southern California, he talked about how cool it will be to have his jersey retired at the school one day and to be able to take his place with other USC greats.

“But as of right now, I got a game in three weeks or so and getting ready to prepare for them, and I got a whole ’nother year or two into a USC,” Williams said.

Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Williams will be the eighth Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 to play college football the following season.

None has come particularly close to winning another.

Maybe Williams is the one to break the trend and become just the second two-time Heisman winner, joining Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974-75).

TCU quarterback Max Duggan, the runner-up to Williams, might take advantage of a fifth year after a breakout senior season and contend for the trophy next season — though it will be difficult for Duggan and the Horned Frogs to recreate this magical season.

Who else will challenge Williams for the Heisman? Here are a few guesses:

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

There already is a debate among NFL draftniks about who will be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024: Williams or Maye? It could be a great Heisman race between the two as well next season. Maye and the Tar Heels stumbled to the finish of this season, but he still ended the regular season second in the country in total offense at 367 yards per game.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Buckeyes likely will be breaking in a new quarterback next season, but Harrison should help make the transition relatively smooth. In his first season as a starter, the sophomore has caught 72 passes for 1,157 yards and 12 touchdowns. He

Heisman Trophy winners since 2000 who returned to play the next season.

probably would be a first-round draft pick in the next draft if he was eligible.

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan

Michigan seems to be the one school capable of producing a

SRX all-star series moves to ESPN

Tony Stewart’s short track tour will be entering its third season

The Associated Press

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

ESPN said Monday it signed a multiyear agreement with Superstar Racing Experience that begins in July. SRX will air on six consecutive summer nights as “Thursday Night Thunder,” which was ESPN’s branding for motorsports programming that started in the 1980s.

The old programming showcased grassroots racing from across the country.

“’Thursday Night Thunder ‘is where guys like me, who were just starting our careers in USAC, got the chance to make a name for ourselves because of its presence on ESPN,” Stewart said. “It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

SRX launched in 2021 in partnership with CBS, which gave the

stock car races a prime time Saturday night slot. SRX pits stars from NASCAR, IndyCar and other series against each other in identically prepared cars.

Stewart won the inaugural season championship, and Marco Andretti was crowned champion

this past summer. The participating drivers last season combined for five NASCAR Cup championships, three IndyCar titles, four Daytona 500 wins, five Indianapolis 500 wins and four NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers.

“SRX has been an impressive

Heisman contender at running back these days. Edwards showed late in the season he could be both a workhorse and a home-run hitter, stepping in for the injured Blake Corum with a combined 401 yards on 47 carries against Ohio State and in the Big Ten title game.

Teammate quarterback J.J. McCarthy also could emerge has a Heisman contender, but Michigan loves its smash-mouth style.

Michael Penix Jr., QB,

Washington and Bo Nix, QB,

Oregon

The Pacific Northwest rivals are both coming off great seasons after transferring into the Pac12. Penix, who leads the nation in passing yards per game (363), already has announced he’ll be back, and Nix seems to be leaning in that direction. Nix threw 27 touchdown passes and ran for 14 scores.

7Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas

The highly touted former fivestar recruit had a mediocre first season as the Longhorns’ starter, throwing 14 touchdowns passes and six interceptions in nine games while completing 56.6% of his passes. Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, arrives in Austin soon to push Ewers, who still has three seasons of eligibility left. The idea that Ewers could take a huge step forward in Year 2 can’t be dismissed. Same goes for Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman.

property in its first two seasons and has produced competitive and exciting action,” said Burke Magnus, president of ESPN programming and original content. “We look forward to bringing live racing back to summertime Thursday nights on ESPN with SRX.”

ESPN has aired nearly every form of motorsports starting on Oct. 7, 1979, exactly one month after the network launched. Its first race aired was a USAC event taped the previous summer.

ESPN aired its first NASCAR Cup race in 1981 — a tape-delayed event from Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. The first live race was a CART event at the Milwaukee Mile later that summer.

ESPN currently televises the full Formula One schedule. The first F1 race aired in the United States was on ABC in 1962, and F1 first aired on ESPN from 1984 through 1997.

“When we had the opportunity to pitch the concept of ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ on ESPN, it was my firm belief this would be another disruptive and monumental moment in SRX and racing history: reuniting race fans with ESPN on short tracks with superstar drivers all across the U.S. for years to come,” said Don Hawk, who was named CEO of SRX ahead of its second season.

Dr. Tony Santangelo, DC, named NC Chiropractic Association Chiropractor of the Year, based on community service & the profression

The UNC quarterback finished 10th in this year’s

AP PHOTO

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

AP PHOTO

After a record-breaking freshman season, UNC quarterback Drake Maye will be one of the Heisman Trophy favorites in 2023.

Soccer journalist Grant Wahl’s body returned to US

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The body and possessions of soccer journalist Grant Wahl were repatriated to the United States on Monday after his death last week while covering the World Cup in Qatar, a senior State Department official said.

The official said Wahl’s remains and his belongings arrived at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport around 8:30 a.m. They were accompanied by a consular official from the U.S. Embassy in Doha who had had custody of Wahl’s remains since shortly after he collapsed during Friday’s match between Argentina and the Netherlands and later died.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of privacy concerns, had no additional details but said the embassy in Qatar had been working with Wahl’s family to ensure the repatriation went smoothly.

Wahl, an American journalist who helped grow the popularity of soccer in the United States and reported on some of the biggest stories in the sport, was 49.

Tributes to Wahl have poured in since his death and on Monday, and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken added his voice to the chorus of appreciation.

“I so appreciated Grant Wahl, whose writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game

but also the world around it,” Blinken wrote on Twitter about an hour after the repatriation was complete.

“I send my deepest condolences to his family, and thank our embassy team and Qatari partners who worked together so effective -

ly to fulfill their wishes,” Blinken wrote.

Wahl, who had complained of respiratory problems earlier in the week and had been treated for a possible case of bronchitis, fell back in his seat in a section of Lusail Stadium reserved for journal-

ists during extra time of the game, and reporters adjacent to him called for assistance.

Emergency services workers responded very quickly, treated him for 20 or 30 minutes on site and then took him out on a stretcher.

The World Cup organizing committee said he was taken to Doha’s Hamad General Hospital, but it did not state a cause of death.

Wahl wrote for Sports Illustrated for more than two decades and then started his own website. He was a major voice informing an American public of soccer during a time of increased interest after the United States hosted the 1994 World Cup.

He also brought a critical eye to the international organizing bodies of the sport.

Texas suspends coach Chris Beard over family violence charge

The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — Chris Beard, who coached Texas Tech to the 2019 NCAA championship game and was hired away by Texas with expectations he’d elevate his alma mater to the same elite level, was arrested early Monday on a felony family violence charge after a woman told police he strangled and bit her.

The school suspended Beard without pay “until further notice” and assistant Rodney Terry coached the No. 7 Longhorns against Rice on Monday night.

Beard was arrested by Austin po-

lice and booked at the Travis County jail at 4:18 a.m. on a charge of assault on a family or household member in which their breath was impeded. The charge is a third-degree felony in Texas, with a possible punishment of two to 10 years in prison.

According to the arrest affidavit first reported by the Austin American-Statesman, the woman told police she is his fiance and they have been in a relationship for six years. She said they had been in an argument where she broke his glasses before he “just snapped on me and became super violent.”

According to the affidavit, the woman told police “he choked me, bit me, bruises all over my leg, throwing me around and going nuts.”

She told police Beard choked her from behind with his arm around her neck and she couldn’t breathe for about five seconds. Police say she had a bite mark on her right arm and an abrasion to her right temple among other visible injuries.

When questioned by police, Beard said he had audio recordings of the incident that would show he was not the primary aggressor. But he refused to share them with officers, police said.

Beard went before a magistrate judge for his bond hearing wearing jailhouse black-and-grey stripes and his hands cuffed in front at his waist. Beard was told he could communicate with the woman but not in a threatening manner, was ordered to stay 200 yards away from the residence where police were

called and was told he is barred from possessing a firearm.

Beard nodded his head and answered “yes, sir” several times when addressing the judge. Jail records show Beard posted $10,000 bond.

He didn’t answer questions when he left the jail with his attorney Perry Minton.

Minton declined comment but earlier told the American-Statesman the coach is innocent.

“He should never have been arrested,” Minton told the newspaper.

“The complainant wants him released immediately and all charges dismissed. It is truly inconceivable.”

It wasn’t immediately known if the woman has an attorney. She was identified in the affidavit, but The Associated Press does not typically identify alleged victims of ex-

treme violence without their consent.

“The university takes matters of interpersonal violence involving members of its community seriously,” the school said in announcing Beard’s suspension. It did not commit to Terry as the acting coach beyond Monday night. Terry was a head coach at UTEP (2018-21) and Fresno State (2011-18).

Beard is in his second season of a seven-year guaranteed contract that pays him more than $5 million per year. Before that, he was 112-55 in five seasons with the Red Raiders. He was named The Associated Press coach of the year in 2019 as he guided Texas Tech to a 31-7 finish and lost in an overtime thriller to Virginia in the national championship game.

“I so appreciated Grant Wahl, whose writing captured not only the essence of the beautiful game but also the world around it.”

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken

AP PHOTO

A tribute to journalist Grant Wahl is seen on his previously assigned seat at the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between England and France on Saturday.

Former UNCW assistant Rodney Terry will lead the Longhorns in the meantime

Texas men’s basketball coach Chris Beard, second left, walks out of the Travis County Jail with his Defense Attorney Perry Q. Minton, right, in Austin, Texas, on Monday. Beard was arrested on a felony family violence charge.

AP PHOTO

Lumbee River EMC awards $33,000 to local teachers

program for their inventive classroom projects. LREMC held a luncheon recognizing the recipients on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at the LREMC headquarters in Pembroke, NC.

and the students who will become our future leaders.”

LUMBEE RIVER EMC awarded over $33,000 to 17 teachers in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties through the Bright Ideas education grants

As a community-focused cooperative, Lumbee River EMC is committed to building a brighter future for our region,” said Walter White, LREMC VP of Corporate Services.

“We’re proud to continue our long history of supporting educators

LREMC annually awards Bright Idea grants for projects that improve classroom instruction and utilize innovative teaching methods. Teachers from various disciplines submit projects for consideration. Projects must provide ongoing benefits to students, achieve clearly defined goals and learning objectives, use innovative and creative teaching methods, and

have measurable results evaluated upon completion. Applications are accepted by LREMC each year from April through September.

Winning proposals are selected in a blind evaluation process by an independent panel of judges.

“Children are 100 percent our future,” said David Spencer, LREMC Communication Specialist. “Partnering with teachers through our grant program allows us to invest today into the leaders of tomorrow.”

2022 Bright Idea Grant Award Winner

James Amendola Stoney Point Elementary

Kristin Barnes

Seventy-First Classical Middle

Sylvia Beckham

Seventy-First Classical Middle

Kim Brown

Sycamore Lane Elementary School

Laura Ashley Clark Pembroke Middle

Niquetta Dockery Scurlock Elementary

Trezur Grafton

Tanglewood Elementary

Kayla Hendrix Peterson Elementary

Martha Jones

Freedom Christian Academy

Sarah Latta-Johnson

Rockfish Hoke Elementary

Deborah Lee South Robeson High

Robert Mclean

Southside/Ashpole Elementary

Lisa Packer

E M Honeycutt Elementary

Denise Renfro Douglas Byrd High

Myrna Strickland CIS Academy

Kellan Teasley

Scotland Early College High School

Jessica VanDeVelde South Johnson Elementary

Biden approval, views of economy steady, sour: AP-NORC poll

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Fresh off his party’s better-than-anticipated performance in the midterm elections, President Joe Biden is facing consistent but critical assessments of his leadership and the national economy.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds 43% of U.S. adults say they approve of the way Biden is handling his job as president, while 55% disapprove. That’s similar to October, just weeks before the Nov. 8 elections that most Americans considered pivotal for the country’s future.

Only about a quarter say the nation is headed in the right direction or the economy is in good condition. Both measures have been largely negative over the course of the year as inflation tightened its grip, but were more positive through much of Biden’s first year in office.

Mishana Conlee said she tries to be optimistic about the coming year, but she thinks things are going to the gutter because “our president is incompetent” and not mentally fit for the White House.

The 44-year-old in South Bend, Indiana, said she’s frustrated about rising expenses when she’s living paycheck to paycheck as a dietary aide at a nursing home.

“The more I work, I just can’t get ahead,” Conlee said. “That’s just all there is to it.”

She doesn’t blame Biden for the state of inflation, but “I feel like he’s not doing anything to change it,” said Conlee, an independent who voted for former President Donald Trump. Biden’s “not doing us any good.”

The Biden administration in its second year in the White House relished economic growth, a series of legislative wins and relative

success for the president’s party in the midterms. But that has yet to translate to glowing reviews from a pessimistic public.

Even as Republicans took control of the House, Democrats defied historical precedent to stunt GOP gains and even improve their Senate majority, which was cemented with last week’s runoff win for Sen. Raphael Warnock, the lone Democrat in Georgia this year to be elected statewide.

Glen McDaniel of Atlanta, who

twice voted for Warnock, thinks the Biden administration has moved the country forward and weathered the economic storm as well as possible.

“I think that this administration has done as much as they can” to fight inflation, the Democrat said.

But McDaniel, a 70-year-old medical research scientist, also thinks the nation faces “social headwinds” that he wants Biden and the party to prioritize.

“I think that the Democrats can be a little bit more aggressive” in legislating on things like marriage equality, reproductive rights and voting reform, he said.

The poll shows majorities of Democrats and Republicans alike think things in the country are on the wrong track, likely for different reasons.

But Democrats have shown renewed faith in Biden, boosting his overall job approval rating from a summer slump. Even so, the 43% who approve in the new survey remains somewhat depressed from 48% a year ago and much lower than 60% nearly two years ago, a month after he took office.

Seventy-seven percent of Democrats, but only 10% of Republicans, approve of Biden.

While many Americans don’t entirely blame Biden for high inflation, AP-NORC polling this

year showed Biden consistently hit for his handling of the economy.

As in recent months, the new poll shows only a quarter of U.S. adults say economic conditions are good, while three-quarters call them bad. Nine in 10 Republicans, along with about 6 in 10 Democrats, say the economy is in bad shape. Ratings of the economy have soured amid record-high inflation, even as Biden touts falling gas prices and a low unemployment rate at 3.7%.

Joshua Steffens doubts that the job market is as good as indicators show. The 47-year-old in St. Augustine, Florida, said he has been unemployed and struggling to find an information technology job since September.

“Even though they’re trying to claim that things are looking good,” Steffens said, “in the trenches, it definitely does not appear that it’s so accurate.”

Biden’s shopping and vacationing, captured on broadcast news, is “tone deaf,” said the Republican, who called the president “a habitual liar.”

Steffens said he and his wife are experiencing rising expenses for electricity and groceries, and relying on his wife’s income has “put a strain” on their holiday shopping. He doesn’t think Biden is handling high inflation well.

“If he has policies that he’s trying to push through, then they’re not working currently,” Steffens said.

COURTESY PHOTO

Lumbee River EMC awarded over $33,000 to 17 teachers in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, and Scotland counties through the Bright Ideas education grants program for their inventive classroom projects. LREMC held a luncheon recognizing the recipients on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at the LREMC headquarters in Pembroke.

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO, FILE

President Joe Biden smiles as he speaks after touring the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company facility under construction in Phoenix, on Dec. 6, 2022.

Tavares Harrington

March 17, 1988 ~ December 5, 2022

Mr. Tavares Harrington age, 34 transitioned from earth to glory on December 5, 2022. He was preceded in death by his mother, Rosa Lee Peterkin and brother, Sean Harrington.

He leaves to cherish his precious memories the mothers of his children. His children: Brayden Barber-Harrington, Arianna Barber, Angel Lleilani Smith; father, Larry McRae; brothers: Jeffery Johnson, Lamont P. Harrington (Shemeka), Tony Harrington, Sharod McRae (Shalondra); aunts: Annie R. Watson, Cathrine McRae, Josephine Kelly (Howard), Grace Jackson (Willie); uncles: John B. McRae Jr., Howard McRae, Robert McRae, Joe Anderson (Sally) along with a host of other family and friends. Tavares will be greatly missed.

Mario Lamar Wilson

September 25, 1986 ~ December 5, 2022

Mr. Mario Lamar Wilson age, 36 transitioned from earth to glory on December 5, 2022. He leaves to cherish his loving memories his children: Janareya Gillespie, Sean Nesbitt, Sanura Pipkin, Jordan Bridges, Jaliyah Smith, Jamir Smith, Ma'liyah Cogdell; parents: Janice McPhatter, Marlowe Cogdell; sisters: Michelle Wallace, Yaleka Currie-Kennedy, Angelica Lilly, Vanessa Lilly; brothers: Breslin Currie, Antoine Galberth, Travis Wilson, Brandon Lilly, Justin Lilly; aunts: Mary Cogdell, Ora McLean, Dorothy Galberth, Demetta Galberth; uncles: Micheal Cogdell, Sam Galberth Jr., Gergory Galberth, along with a host of other family and friends.

In Lieu of flowers please send all donations to Buie Funeral Home.

Bessie Ophenia Chapman

July 19, 1931 ~ December 7, 2022

Mrs. Bessie Ophenia Chapman passed away peacefully on December 7, 2022, at her home in Conyers, Georgia.

Bessie was born on July 19, 1931, to the late Waylon Carter and Mary Adams Carter.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Darrell Fred Chapman, and a son Ralph Arthur Chapman; two sisters, Delphia Bowling and Mary Deloris (Dixie) Gainey; one brother Boman Carter.

Bessie was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and greatgrandmother. She was a kind and sweet woman who enjoyed spending time with her family.

She is survived by, her children, Wayne Chapman, Mike Chapman, Patricia Love, and Jack Chapman; six grandchildren, Vicky Murphy, John Murphy, Patricia Wagner, Scott Chapman, Nakina Samuel, and Kayla Frieswick, and a multitude of great-grandchildren; Aiden Little, Parker Trammell, Landyn Murphy, and Temperance Williams to name a few.

Dale Bowman Blake

March 20, 1954 ~ December 6, 2022

Mr. Dale Bowman Blake of Raeford passed away unexpectedly on December 06, 2022, at the age of 68. He was born in Ozark, Alabama on March 20, 1954, to the late Horace T. and Evie Merle Blake.

Upon graduation from Central Carolina Tech. College with an Associate degree in Applied Science, Electronics Engineering, he worked in electronics with several companies including Phillips Medical Systems before starting his career with the NC Department of Corrections. He retired as a Correctional Sergeant.

Dale was a wonderful, Christ loving, hardworking, soft-hearted human. He enjoyed driving his red Tacoma, boating, anything to do with planes and flying. He once held a private pilot’s license. One of his most favorite activities was working in his shed and around the yard so that he could then relax and nap in his recliner. He attended Living Faith Ministries and cherished Pastor Tex Deaton and the church family.

Dale is survived by his wife Tammi, of 42 years and their three dogs, Pearl, Posey, and Max. Tammi loved Dale with all her heart and would often say that Dale was ‘Almost a Saint’ for putting up with her craziness, messy housekeeping, and constant habit of bringing home strays. Over the years, they had 16 dogs and 3 cats.

Dale and Tammi were everything to each other.

In addition to Tammi, Dale is survived by two sisters, Sharon K. Branch (Randy) and Barbara Daniels (Charles) all of Raeford, and many nephews and nieces as well.

Elizabeth

Dean McKinney

February 28, 1956 ~ December 6, 2022

Mrs. Elizabeth Dean McKinney of Raeford passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 5, 2022, in her home, surrounded by her family. Liz was born on February 28, 1956, to the late Eddie David Ammons and Hazel Louise Ammons.

She retired as a pharmacy technician after 20 years at Matthews Health Mart in Clinton, NC. Liz was a talented crafter and enjoyed making many things with her hands such as ornaments, jewelry, paintings, and stitch work, to name a few. She was a loving wife, mother, and grandmother and spent a lot of time with her family. Liz loved her home and enjoyed her time there.

She is survived by her husband of 20 years, Dewayne McKinney Sr.; her children Barry Brewington, Jason Brewington, Christy Conaway, Dewayne McKinney Jr., and Kelly Cook; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; and her siblings, Deloris Simmons (Brent), Eddie Keith Ammons (Lori), Shelia Ann Brewington, Eugene Davis Ammons, Pamela Sue Pridgen (Terry).

From Liz’s loving husband, “My life has changed without you, and my hope is that you rest in peace”.

July 9, 1939 ~ December 9, 2022

Mrs.

Effie Elizabeth Dockery

January 12, 1943 ~ December 5, 2022

Effie Dockery departed this life on Monday, December 5, 2022. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 8, 2022 from 1:00 PM until 5:00 PM at Doby Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held on Friday, December 9, 2022 at 1:00 PM at Freedom Chapel AME Zion Church.

age,

9, 2022.

She leaves to cherish her loving memories her children: Ronald Black Sr. (Barbara), Larry Black (Regina), Allen Black, Cohilda Black McCants (Kevin); sisters: Mary Covington, Daisy White; brothers: Ernest White (Margaret), Vernon Parker; aunt, Retha Hardimon along with a host of other family and friends. Doretha will be immensely missed.

Doretha Black

Doretha Black

83 went home to rest with her heavenly father on December

She was preceded in death by her husband Prince Allen Black.

STATE & NATION

NASA Orion capsule safely blazes back from moon, aces test

The Associated Press

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. —

NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants — three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors.

NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect.

“I’m overwhelmed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said from Mission Control in Houston. “This is an extraordinary day ... It’s historic because we are now going back into space — deep space — with a new generation.”

The space agency needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, targeted for 2024 with four astronauts who will be revealed early next year. That would be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025 and, ultimately, a sustainable moon base. The long-term plan would be to launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.

Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days explor-

ing the valley of Taurus-Littrow, the longest stay of the Apollo era. They were the last of the 12 moonwalkers.

Orion was the first capsule to visit the moon since then, launching on NASA’s new mega moon rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 16. It was the first flight of NASA’s new Artemis moon program, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister.

“From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth,” an-

nounced Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.

While no one was on the $4 billion test flight, NASA managers were thrilled to pull off the dress rehearsal, especially after so many years of flight delays and busted budgets. Fuel leaks and hurricanes conspired for additional postponements in late summer and fall.

Getting Orion back intact after the 25-day flight was NASA’s top objective. With a return speed of 25,000 mph — considerably faster than coming in from low-Earth orbit — the capsule used a new, ad-

vanced heat shield never tested before in spaceflight. To reduce the gravity or G loads, it dipped into the atmosphere and briefly skipped out, also helping to pinpoint the splashdown area.

All that unfolded in spectacular fashion, officials noted, allowing for Orion’s safe return.

“I don’t think any one of us could have imagined a mission this successful,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

Further inspections will be conducted once Orion is back at Kennedy by month’s end. If the capsule

checks find nothing amiss, NASA will announce the first lunar crew amid considerable hoopla in early 2023, picking from among the 42 active U.S. astronauts stationed at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

“People are anxious, we know that,” Vanessa Wyche, Johnson’s director, told reporters. Added Nelson: “The American people, just like (with) the original seven astronauts in the Mercury days, are going to want to know about these astronauts.”

The capsule splashed down more than 300 miles south of the original target zone. Forecasts calling for choppy seas and high wind off the Southern California coast prompted NASA to switch the location.

Orion logged 1.4 million miles as it zoomed to the moon and then entered a wide, swooping orbit for nearly a week before heading home. It came within 80 miles of the moon twice. At its farthest, the capsule was more than 268,000 miles from Earth.

Orion beamed back stunning photos of not only the gray, pitted moon, but also the home planet. As a parting shot, the capsule revealed a crescent Earth — Earthrise — that left the mission team speechless.

Nottingham Trent University astronomer Daniel Brown said the flight’s many accomplishments illustrate NASA’s capability to put astronauts on the next Artemis moonshot.

“This was the nail-biting end of an amazing and important journey for NASA’s Orion spacecraft,” Brown said in a statement from England.

Just hours earlier, a spacecraft rocketed toward the moon from Cape Canaveral. The lunar lander belongs to ispace, a Tokyo company intent on developing an economy up there. Two U.S. companies, meanwhile, have lunar landers launching early next year.

Sinema party switch highlights 2024 obstacles for Democrats

By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press

PHOENIX — Less than three days after Democrats celebrated victory in the final Senate contest of the 2022 midterms, the challenges facing the party heading into the next campaign came into sharp relief.

The decision by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to leave the Democratic Party on Friday raised the prospect of a tumultuous — and expensive — three-way race in one of the most politically competitive states in the U.S. It set off a scramble among potential Democratic and Republican candidates to assess whether they could win their party’s nomination.

And it prompted difficult questions about whether Democrats might financially and politically support Sinema over their own nominee if she decides to seek reelection in 2024 and is seen as having the best chance of keeping the seat out of GOP hands.

Ultimately, Sinema’s move was a sobering reminder that while Democrats won an outright majority in the Senate, their grip on the chamber is still tenuous, giving individual members notable sway over the congressional agenda. And it foreshadowed the even more difficult climate ahead as Democrats defend seats in seven

states, including Arizona, that former President Donald Trump carried at least once.

Sinema was largely dismissive of such considerations, saying she doesn’t fit into the traditional party system. She said she won’t caucus with Republicans, but declined to say whether she plans to seek a second term in the Senate.

Her shift to becoming an independent, however, strongly suggests

she’s at least trying to preserve the option.

“My decision is 100% based on what I think is right for me and for our state, and to ensure that I am able to continue delivering real results that make a difference in the lives of Arizonans,” Sinema said.

Her move completes a unique evolution that has both delighted and infuriated Democrats. She began her career two decades ago

as a member of the Green Party. Running for the Senate as a Democrat in 2018, her victory thrilled the party and cemented Arizona’s status as a onetime Republican stronghold that was becoming more competitive.

But she’s steadily grown alienated from the party and has been a barrier to some of Democrats’ top priorities. She has appeared at points to take particular enjoyment in antagonizing the party’s progressive base, whose support will be needed to win a primary in 2024.

She now returns to the position in which she began her political career, as an outsider from both major parties.

“She had a choice: either a tough primary or a tough general, and she chose a tough general,” said Daniel Scarpinato, a Republican political consultant and former chief of staff to GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.

The field of potential Sinema rivals began to take shape almost immediately. Both parties could face contested primaries, a dynamic that could help Sinema stay above the fray in a state where parties choose their nominees just three months before the general election.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat and longtime Sinema antagonist, strongly hint-

ed that he’ll run but stopped short of announcing a bid. In an interview, he said that’s always been a decision he planned to make in 2023, but the timeline may have moved up.

“I always thought I could win,” Gallego said. “I think her potential run as an independent doesn’t change that calculus.”

On the Republican side, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is seriously considering a run, spokesman Corey Vale confirmed. Others mentioned as potential candidates include Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Jim Lamon and Karrin Taylor Robson, all Republicans who lost their bids for governor or Senate this year.

Some Democrats caution activists to stay calm despite their frustration with Sinema ahead of the 2024 campaign.

They note that even Blake Masters, who trailed all other statewide Republicans on the ballot in his losing Senate bid, received 46% of the vote. In a must-win state that’s a true tossup, Sinema may still be a more palatable option than surrendering the seat to Republicans following a messy three-way race, they argue.

One group that’s seemingly not upset about Sinema’s decision: the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“We’re excited as ever to work with (Sinema) to advance good policies for Arizona job creators,” the state’s most influential business group said in a tweet.

NASA VIA AP

In this photo provided by NASA the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.

AP PHOTO

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., arrives for a meeting of the Senate Homeland Security Committee at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Aug. 3, 2022.

Racing toward Christmas

6.2

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Three organizations get equity grants

Duke Energy awarded $1 million in equity grants, giving 40 organizations around the state $25,000 each. Three area organizations were awarded a grant. The Winston-Salem Police Foundation will use the money to “further our mission of community engagement and programs focused on providing positive opportunities with the youth of Winston-Salem and our police officers,” said Justin Gomez, president of the board of directors.

Goler Depot Street Renaissance will “continue our TechCareers program where we train individuals for careers in the technology sector which will allow them to support their families and be a part of the innovation that is happening in Forsyth County,” said president Michael Goler.

In Rowan County, the City of Salisbury Police Department will “continue with meaningful community engagement dialogue and programming. We are pleased about the funding and resulting events that will create opportunities for the City of Salisbury and the Salisbury Police Department to hear from residents about things that concern them in their neighborhoods, what we are doing well, and how we can better serve,” said Salisbury Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Director Anne Little.

DUKE ENERGY

Juul reaches settlements covering

EMBATTLED VAPING company Juul Labs has reached settlements covering thousands of lawsuits over its e-cigarettes, which in recent years became a scourge in schools and communities nationwide.

Financial terms of the settlement were not disclosed, but Juul said that it has secured an equity investment to fund it.

Buffeted by lawsuits, Juul announced hundreds of layoffs last month and bankruptcy appeared increasingly likely as it secured financing to continue operations.

The e-cigarette maker faced more than 8,000 lawsuits suits brought by individuals and families of Juul users, school districts, city governments and Native American tribes. This week’s settlement resolves most of those cases, which had been consolidated in a California federal court pending several bellwether trials.

“These settlements represent a major step toward strengthening Juul Labs’ operations and securing the company’s path forward,” a company spokeswoman said in a statement.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs said

in a statement the deal would “put meaningful compensation in hands of victims and their families,” and provide schools and local governments with funding for anti-vaping education programs. A judge is expected to soon review and approve the settlement.

Juul rocketed to the top of the U.S. vaping market five years ago on the popularity of flavors like mango, mint and creme brulee. But the startup’s rise was fueled by use among teenagers, some of whom became hooked on Juul’s high-nicotine pods.

Parents, school administrators and politicians largely blamed

the company for a surge in underage vaping, which now includes dozens of flavored e-cigarette brands that are the preferred choice among teens. Amid the backlash of lawsuits and government sanctions, Juul dropped all U.S. advertising and discontinued most of its flavors in 2019.

In June the Food and Drug Administration rejected Juul’s application to keep its product on the market as a smoking alternative for adults, throwing its future into uncertainty. The FDA

it “making a sputtering sound,” the report stated.

“The witness further described that the airplane appeared to be ‘flying at a 45° angle and veering right’ as it flew overhead,” the report said. “The witness stated, ‘it flew until completely inverted upside down, then plunged out of sight, under (the) tree-line.’”

The Associated Press

WINSTON-SALEM — A plane that crashed last month in North Carolina, killing two people from Illinois, made a sputtering sound and was upside down shortly before hitting the ground, according to a preliminary report published Friday by the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Piper PA30 Twin Comanche was preparing to land at Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem on Nov. 19, the report stated.

An air traffic controller cleared the pilot to land, and the pilot confirmed the radio transmission but continued past the runway, according to the report. The pilot then requested “a right

360° turn, which the controller approved. There were no further radio transmissions from the pilot.”

A witness on a nearby golf course told investigators that he watched the airplane and heard

A witness who lived in the area of the crash, Susan Harrison-Bailey, said she heard the plane come down near her backyard but that her house wasn’t damaged. She said that she saw smoke in the nearby woods.

“I couldn’t tell that it was a plane,” she said. “There was a lot of smoke. ... I could see it was smashed into the trees.”

Pete Wentz, an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said after the crash last month that the pilot reported engine trouble to the tower as he approached to land.

The plane crashed in a residential area, killing pilot Joe Kreher Jr. and his wife Patty Kreher. They lived in Freeburg, Illinois, a suburb of St. Louis.

The Associated Press

“I couldn’t tell that it was a plane,” she said. “There was a lot of smoke. ... I could see it was smashed into the trees.”

Susan Harrison-Bailey, a witness who lived in the area of the crash

NTSB: Plane made sputtering sound, upside down before crash

thousands of lawsuits

AP PHOTO

Runners, dressed as Santa Claus, take part in the “Christmas Corrida Race” in the streets of Issy Les Moulineaux, outside Paris, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. For the annual the event, runners compete

in

various races. On the fifth day, participants dress as Santa Claus or elves for the

mile run through the town.

You will be made to celebrate

IN MARCH 2013, nearly a decade ago, in this space, I made a prediction.

“Within the next few months,” I wrote, “Justice Anthony Kennedy will likely rule that same-sex marriage is mandated by the Constitution of the United States... states will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages; same-sex marriage will enter the public-school lexicon; religious institutions will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages or lose their tax-exempt status. Religious Americans will be forced into violating their beliefs or facing legal consequences by the government.”

Welp.

This month, the Congress is poised to pass a bill that would sanctify same-sex marriage; that same bill essentially argues that opposing same-sex marriage is akin to opposing interracial marriage, an act of bigotry. It provides no explicit bar on the removal of tax-exempt status from religious institutions; it does not protect religious individuals in their daily lives.

None of this would be necessary had we not undergone a complete transformation of the constitutional order over the past few decades. The Constitution of the United States provides zero power to the federal government to violate freedom of speech, association, or religion.

But, as Christopher Caldwell has pointed out in “The Age of Entitlement,” the Civil Rights Act created a “rival Constitution” dedicated to violating those freedoms in the name of anti-discrimination. One can agree that racial bigotry is evil while still recognizing that the intrusion of the CRA into private behavior — not merely in ending state-sponsored discrimination, which was necessary and appropriate — amounts of a massive expansion of federal power in violation of the Constitution.

POSTMASTER:

DEATH NOTICES

♦ Patricia Whinnery Barber, 92, died December 8, 2022.

♦ Chester Olin Byerly Jr., 92, of Clemmons, died December 11, 2022.

♦ Herbert Neal Cooke, 100, of Winston-Salem, died December 12, 2022.

♦ Patricia Granzyk, 85, died December 9, 2022.

♦ Guelda Alliene Lawson Hall, 93, of Stokes County, died December 7, 2022.

♦ James “Jim” Ray Harrington, Jr., 64, of Forsyth County, died December 11, 2022.

♦

Rondell “Ronnie” Eugene Hedrick, 78, of Kernersville, died December 8, 2022.

♦

♦

Robert “Frank” Franklin Howard,77, of WinstonSalem, died December 11, 2022.

Michael Wayne Masencup, 70, of Winston-Salem, died December 7, 2022.

♦

♦

Mary Nell Reed Mason, 90, of Winston-Salem, died December 8, 2022.

Charles Willard “Bill” Mustin, 94, of Kernersville, died December 8, 2022.

♦

Zella Ruth Houck Norris, 90, of Winston-Salem, died December 8, 2022.

♦

♦

Patsy Ann Richardson, 73, of Winston-Salem, died December 7, 2022.

Glenda Snipes Sears, 71, of Kernersville, died December 8, 2022.

♦

Dottie Tyree Southern, 79, of Forsyth County, died December 8, 2022.

♦

John Christopher “Chris” Spivey, 67, of Kernersville, died December 7, 2022.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court considers whether to force a religious web designer to make a website celebrating a same-sex marriage. Several of the more conservative justices seek to draw a line between anti-discrimination law — laws on the state and federal level preventing “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation” — and religious freedom. They do so by creating distinctions on the basis of expressive behavior (say, artistic expression in making a website) versus simple services provision (say, running a restaurant); they do so by distinguishing between services that require a message (say, baking a wedding cake) and serving gay couples without any message attached.

All of this legal hairsplitting is being done in an attempt to craft a form of the so-called Utah Compromise. That compromise put in place an anti-discrimination law with specific religious exemptions. But the Utah Compromise creates two additional problems: first, it stigmatizes belief in traditional marriage as a sort of vestige of religious bigotry we allow out of an outdated sympathy for the antiquated Biblebelievers; second, it does not extend the rights of religious people outside of religious institutions. And, as it turns out, most religious people spend most of their time outside of religious institutions.

JUUL from page 1 said Juul did not adequately address key questions about the potential for chemicals to leach from its device. The FDA has placed a temporary hold on its initial decision while Juul files an appeal.

Then, in September, the San Francisco company agreed to pay nearly $440 million to settle a two-year investigation by 33 states into the marketing of its

high-nicotine vaping products.

That same month the company’s largest investor, tobacco giant Altria, announced plans to resume competing on its own in the e-cigarette space.

Altria pulled its own e-cigarettes off the market in 2018 after taking a nearly $13 billion stake in Juul. But that investment has lost more than 95% of its value as Juul’s prospects have dimmed, giving Altria the option to exit its

The legal obliteration of the distinction between governmental and private activity was only one prong of the new societal remolding. The second was the philosophical obliteration of the distinction between immutable characteristics and behavior. The case can easily be made morally that people ought not be victims of discrimination based on their immutable characteristics, like race; rejecting moral disapproval of particular behavior, however, means destroying the basis for any moral system. Yet that is what the law does when it likens race to sexual orientation philosophically.

These twin attacks on traditional American society — vitiation of the distinction between private and public and elimination of the distinction between innate characteristics and behavior — are predicates to tyranny. The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject. You will be forced to celebrate the behaviors of others; you will be treated as a bigot if you do not. The Supreme Court may hold back the legal ramifications of the new tyranny for now, but anyone who relies on the court to do so forever will be sorely disappointed.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.”

non-compete agreement.

That means Juul could soon be forced to battle for space on retail shelves with Marlboro-maker Altria, along with long-standing competitors like Reynolds American’s Vuse, which recently edged past Juul to become the leading U.S. vaping brand.

Juul has also settled with 37 states and territories over the last year and said it’s in ongoing talks with other key stakeholders to re-

solve remaining litigation.

Anti-tobacco advocates said Wednesday it was impossible to evaluate the terms of the settlement without knowing how much Juul will pay.

“We are extremely troubled by the lack of settlement details provided and by Juul’s apparent public controlling of this settlement narrative,” said Meredith Berkman of Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Aguilas-perez, Christian Leonel (M/21) Arrest on chrg of 1) Impaired Driving Dwi (M), 2) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), 3) Speeding - Exceeding Posted Limit (M), 4) Reckless Driving (M), and 5) Stop Light Violation (M), at 4009 Indiana Av, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 16:58.

♦ Baggett, Clay Andrew (M/28) Arrest on chrg of Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registra, F (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/8/2022 11:30

♦ Brown, Rayshawn Marquell (M/28) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), 2) Drugs-maintain (F), and 3) Ccw (M), at 3899 N Liberty St/akron Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 17:30.

♦ Davis, Tyson Jamille (M/25) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), 2) Poss Marijuana Fel (F), 3) Poss Cocaine Fel (F), and 4) Drugsposs Sched Ii (M), at 3729 Old Lexington Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/9/2022 20:13.

♦ Dillworth, Reginald Eugene (M/45) Arrest on chrg of Weap-poss By Felon, F (F), at 1056 Bethaniarural Hall Rd, Rural Hall, NC, on 12/10/2022 23:36.

♦ Dixon, Shane Lee (M/35) Arrest on chrg of 1) Child Abuse (M), 2) Drugs-poss Sched Ii (F), and 3) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 5878 Graham Farm Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/8/2022 18:24.

♦ EDWARDS, WILLIAM DALTON was arrested on a charge of LARCENY OF HORSE, MULE, SWINE, OR CATTLE at CLEMMONSVILLE RD on 12/11/2022

♦ Evans, Jenna Lindsay (F/27) Arrest on chrg of Assault-simple, M (M), at 4863 Northrop Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/11/2022 09:35.

♦ Fanning, Thomaz Depriest (M/25) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), 2) Poss Marijuana Fel (F), 3) Maintain Dwelling (F), 4) Poss Cocaine Fel (F), 5) Drugs-poss Sched Ii (M), and 6) Resisting Arrest (M), at 3727 Old Lexington Rd, Winston-

salem, NC, on 12/9/2022 20:10.

♦ Funderburk, Dexter Donell (M/29) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fail To Appear/ compl (F), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 4) Probation Violation (M), at 414 W Bodenhamer St, Kernersville, NC, on 12/8/2022 20:08.

♦ GRANT, MALIK JOHNTA was arrested on a charge of FUGITIVE at 117 VINEYARD PARK RD on 12/12/2022

♦ Hairston, Amari Jaquez (M/19) Arrest on chrg of 1) Poss Stolen Goods (F), 2) Ccw (M), and 3) Resisting Arrest (M), at Martin Luther King Dr, Winstonsalem, NC, on 12/10/2022 17:10.

♦ Hairston, Olajawn Jadaren (M/27) Arrest on chrg of Possession Control Substance Jail (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 10:40.

♦ HICKS, CHRISTOPHER NATHANAEL was arrested on a charge of BREAKING/LARC-FELONY at 1449 BROOKWOOD DR on 12/11/2022

♦ HIGHTOWER, PAUL D was arrested on a charge of COMMUNICATE THREATS at 27TH ST on 12/11/2022

♦ Hill, Keith Alan (M/62) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F), 2) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F), 3) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F), and 4) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F), at 2270 Fanning Rd, Winstonsalem, NC, on 12/8/2022 07:08.

♦ Ingram, Shamonica Janee (F/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Larceny-felony (F), 2) Felony Habitual Larceny (F), 3) Larceny/misdemeanor (M), 4) Larceny-felony (F), 5) Felony Habitual Larceny (F), 6) Poss Stolen Goods (F), 7) Poss Stolen Goods (F), 8) Conspiracy To Commit A Felony (F), and 9) Conspiracy To Commit A Felony (F), at Reynolds Blvd And Dominnion, NC, on 12/10/2022 21:30.

♦

JACKSON, SAMUEL NEAL was arrested on a charge of DRUGS-POSS

SCHED II at 4098 UNIVERSITY PW on 12/11/2022

♦ Johnson, Craig Arnold (M/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugs-mfg Sched I (F), 2) Imp Regis - Expired, Suspended, Revoked, Altered Plate (M), and 3) Ndl - Suspended / Revoked (M), at 299 N Martin Luther King Jr Dr/e Third St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 19:32.

♦ Kennedy, Lisa Annette (F/55) Arrest on chrg of Harassing Phone Calls (M), at 1855 Gibson Park Dr, Kernersville, NC, on 12/8/2022 21:00.

♦ Lamp, Kirsten Hailey (F/32) Arrest on chrg of 1) Asslt On Off/st Emp (M), 2) Impaired Driving Dwi (M), and 3) Resisting Arrest (M), at 421 Styers Ferry Rd, Winston Salen, NC, on 12/11/2022 00:41.

♦ Manuel, Christian Gilbert (M/33) Arrest on chrg of Misuse Of 911 System, M (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/8/2022 15:49.

♦ Mariche Dominguez, Luis Roberto (M/26) Arrest on chrg of 90-95h3 Traff Cocaine (F), at 200 N. Main St, Winston Salem, NC, on 12/9/2022 13:15.

♦ MATHENY, DAVID MICHAEL was arrested on a charge of ADWINFLICT INJURY at 99 W FIFTH ST/N LIBERTY ST on 12/12/2022

♦ Mcclellan, Tarribian Simone (F/24) Arrest on chrg of 1) Order For Arrest (M) and 2) Ofa/fta-violation Of Court Order (M), at 998 E Twelfth St/ highland Av, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 17:54.

♦ Mcever, Eric Andrew (M/36) Arrest on chrg of 1) Impaired Driving Dwi (M) and 2) Improper Lane Change (M), at S Peace Haven Rd/sb 421_s Peace Haven Rd Ra, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/10/2022 00:10.

♦ Mcmillian, Stephan Letae (M/20) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault On Female (M), 2) Larceny-felony (F), 3) Vandpersonal Prop (M), 4) Poss Marijuana Fel (F), 5) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F),

and 6) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 1899 Success Way And Martin Luther King Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/10/2022 17:10.

♦ Melton, Tyler Deshawn (M/18) Arrest on chrg of 1) Possession Marijuana (M), 2) Drug Paraphernalia (M), 3) Ccw (M), and 4) Resisting Arrest (M), at 998 E Twelfth St/highland Av, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 17:54

♦ Mickens, Reginald Alexander (M/56) Arrest on chrg of Possession Control Substance Jail (F), at 201 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/12/2022 09:14.

♦ Nanez, Jose Albino (M/37) Arrest on chrg of 1) Resisting Arrest (M), 2) Fail Heed Siren (M), and 3) NdlSuspended / Revoked (M), at 1700 Conrad-sawmill Rd, Pfafftown, NC, on 12/7/2022 20:00.

♦ Noyola Alonso, Juan Carlos (M/18) Arrest on chrg of 1) Possession Control Substance Jail (F) and 2) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/7/2022 09:52.

♦ Overstreet, Crystal Marie (F/44) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking/entermisd (M), 2) Larceny/misdemeanor (M), 3) Resisting Arrest (M), and 4) Probation Violation (M), at 1822 Piney Grove Rd, Winston Salem, NC, on 12/9/2022 07:03.

♦ Owens, Marco Tremayne (M/40) Arrest on chrg of 1) Poss Cocaine Fel (F), 2) Weap-poss By Felon (F), 3) Resisting Arrest (M), 4) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), and 5) Hit & RunFail To Give Aid And Assistance (M), at 3089 N Patterson Av/dominion St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/8/2022 19:06.

♦ Romine, Terry Lee (M/46) Arrest on chrg of Assault-simple, M (M), at 5240 Roscoe Vaughn Dr, Winstonsalem, NC, on 12/9/2022 13:30.

♦ Sadler, Michale James (M/40) Arrest on chrg of Probation Violation (M), at 3901 Reidsville Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/9/2022 21:30.

Twin City Herald

Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Griffin Daughtry

The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject.

SIDELINE REPORT

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

UNC 7th, NC State 8th in AP women’s poll

Indianapolis

The top five teams remained the same in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Gamecocks remained the unanimous No. 1 team followed by Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana and Notre Dame in voting by a 28-member national media panel. UNC (8-1) moved up one spot to No. 7 after being tied for eighth with rival NC State (9-1) last week. Duke received five votes, tied for the 31st most. Kansas beat then-No. 12 Arizona last week and is now ranked 22nd, the first time the Jayhawks have been in the poll in nearly a decade.

MLB Braves, A’s, Brewers swing 3-team trade

Milwaukee

The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics as part of a threeteam deal that also sent All-Star catcher William Contreras to the Milwaukee Brewers. Oakland got catcher Manny Piña and pitching prospects Kyle Muller, Freddy Tarnok and Royber Salinas from Atlanta and outfield prospect Esteury Ruiz from Milwaukee.

The Brewers also acquired right-handed pitchers Joel Payamps and Justin Yeager. Murphy, 28, batted .250 with 18 homers, 66 RBIs and a .759 OPS in 148 games this past season. He’s regarded as an elite defender and won a Gold Glove in 2021.

NFL Falcons bench Mariota in

rookie Ridder Flowery Branch, Ga.

The Atlanta Falcons are turning to Desmond Ridder at quarterback. Coach Arthur Smith confirmed that Marcus Mariota has been benched in favor of the untested rookie from Cincinnati. The move comes with the Falcons still in contention for a playoff berth despite a 5-8 record and four losses in their past five games. Atlanta made the switch to Ridder to bolster an offense that is averaging just 17.6 points a game during its recent skid. The thirdround pick led Cincinnati to a College Football Playoff berth a season ago but has yet to take a snap in a regular season game.

WNBA

Ogwumike elected to 3rd term as WNBAPA president

New York

Nneka Ogwumike will serve a third term as president of the WNBA Players Association after being reelected over the weekend. The Los Angeles Sparks star has served as WNBPA President since 2016, first winning reelection in 2019. She was instrumental in negotiating for the groundbreaking 2020 collective bargaining agreement that saw major pay increases and guarantees of full salaries of players on maternity leave. The contract, which runs through 2027, also provided enhanced family benefits, travel standards and other health and wellness improvements.

Las Vegas Aces guard Kelsey Plum was elected to serve as first vice president of the union.

Heisman 2023: Maye? Harrison Jr.? Who challenges Williams?

The UNC quarterback finished 10th in this year’s voting

By Ralph D. Russo The Associated Press

NEW YORK — After Caleb Williams won the Heisman Trophy, becoming the eighth player to do so for Southern California, he talked about how cool it will be to have his jersey retired at the school one day and to be able to take his place with other USC greats.

“But as of right now, I got a game in three weeks or so and getting ready to prepare for them, and I got a whole ’nother year or two into a USC,” Williams said.

Barring some unforeseen circumstance, Williams will be the eighth Heisman Trophy winner since 2000 to play college football the following season.

None has come particularly close to winning another.

Maybe Williams is the one to break the trend and become just the second two-time Heisman winner, joining Ohio State’s Archie Griffin (1974-75).

TCU quarterback Max Duggan, the runner-up to Williams, might

take advantage of a fifth year after a breakout senior season and contend for the trophy next season — though it will be difficult for Duggan and the Horned Frogs to recreate this magical season.

Who else will challenge Williams for the Heisman? Here are a few guesses:

Drake Maye, QB, North Carolina

There already is a debate among NFL draftniks about who will be the No. 1 overall pick in 2024: Williams or Maye? It could be a great Heisman race between the two as well next season. Maye and the Tar Heels stumbled to the finish of this season, but he still ended the regular season second in the country in total offense at 367 yards per game.

Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State

The Buckeyes likely will be breaking in a new quarterback next season, but Harrison should help make the transition relatively smooth. In his first season as a starter, the sophomore has caught 72 passes for 1,157 yards and 12

7

touchdowns. He probably would be a first-round draft pick in the next draft if he was eligible.

Donovan Edwards, RB, Michigan

Michigan seems to be the one school capable of producing a Heisman contender at running back these days. Edwards showed late in the season he could be both a workhorse and a home-run hitter, stepping in for the injured Blake Corum with a combined 401 yards on 47 carries against Ohio State and in the Big Ten title game.

Teammate quarterback J.J. McCarthy also could emerge has a Heisman contender, but Michi-

SRX all-star series moves to ESPN

The Associated Press

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

ESPN said Monday it signed a multiyear agreement with Superstar Racing Experience that begins in July. SRX will air on six consecutive summer nights as “Thursday Night Thunder,” which was ESPN’s branding for motorsports programming that started in the 1980s.

The old programming showcased grassroots racing from across the country.

“’Thursday Night Thunder ‘is where guys like me, who were just starting our careers in USAC, got the chance to make a name for ourselves because of its presence on ESPN,” Stewart said. “It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

SRX launched in 2021 in partnership with CBS, which gave the stock car races a prime time Saturday night slot. SRX pits stars from

NASCAR, IndyCar and other series against each other in identically prepared cars.

Stewart won the inaugural season championship, and Marco Andretti was crowned champion this past summer. The participating drivers last season combined for five NASCAR Cup championships, three IndyCar titles, four Daytona 500 wins, five Indianapolis 500

wins and four NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers.

“SRX has been an impressive property in its first two seasons and has produced competitive and exciting action,” said Burke Magnus, president of ESPN programming and original content. “We look forward to bringing live racing back to summertime Thursday nights on ESPN with SRX.”

gan loves its smash-mouth style. Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington and Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

The Pacific Northwest rivals are both coming off great seasons after transferring into the Pac12. Penix, who leads the nation in passing yards per game (363), already has announced he’ll be back, and Nix seems to be leaning in that direction. Nix threw 27 touchdown passes and ran for 14 scores.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas

The highly touted former fivestar recruit had a mediocre first season as the Longhorns’ starter, throwing 14 touchdowns passes and six interceptions in nine games while completing 56.6% of his passes. Arch Manning, the nephew of Peyton and Eli Manning, arrives in Austin soon to push Ewers, who still has three seasons of eligibility left. The idea that Ewers could take a huge step forward in Year 2 can’t be dismissed. Same goes for Clemson’s Cade Klubnik and Texas A&M’s Conner Weigman.

ESPN has aired nearly every form of motorsports starting on Oct. 7, 1979, exactly one month after the network launched. Its first race aired was a USAC event taped the previous summer.

ESPN aired its first NASCAR Cup race in 1981 — a tape-delayed event from Rockingham Speedway in North Carolina. The first live race was a CART event at the Milwaukee Mile later that summer.

ESPN currently televises the full Formula One schedule. The first F1 race aired in the United States was on ABC in 1962, and F1 first aired on ESPN from 1984 through 1997.

“When we had the opportunity to pitch the concept of ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ on ESPN, it was my firm belief this would be another disruptive and monumental moment in SRX and racing history: reuniting race fans with ESPN on short tracks with superstar drivers all across the U.S. for years to come,” said Don Hawk, who was named CEO of SRX ahead of its second season.

Tony Stewart’s short track tour will be entering its third season

AP PHOTO

Tony Stewart’s all-star summer racing series is moving to ESPN and a new night as the network plans to use SRX to revitalize its “Thursday Night Thunder.”

AP PHOTO

After a record-breaking freshman season, UNC quarterback Drake Maye will be one of the Heisman Trophy favorites in 2023.

favor of

Heisman Trophy winners since 2000 who returned to play the next season.

“It’s great to see ‘Thursday Night Thunder’ return, but to also be a part of it all over again with SRX.”

Tony Stewart

STATE & NATION

NASA Orion capsule safely blazes back from moon, aces test

The Associated Press

CANAVERAL, Fla. —

CAPE

NASA’s Orion capsule made a blisteringly fast return from the moon Sunday, parachuting into the Pacific off Mexico to conclude a test flight that should clear the way for astronauts on the next lunar flyby.

The incoming capsule hit the atmosphere at Mach 32, or 32 times the speed of sound, and endured reentry temperatures of 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit before splashing down west of Baja California near Guadalupe Island. A Navy ship quickly moved in to recover the spacecraft and its silent occupants — three test dummies rigged with vibration sensors and radiation monitors.

NASA hailed the descent and splashdown as close to perfect.

“I’m overwhelmed,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said from Mission Control in Houston. “This is an extraordinary day ... It’s historic because we are now going back into space — deep space — with a new generation.”

The space agency needed a successful splashdown to stay on track for the next Orion flight around the moon, targeted for 2024 with four astronauts who will be revealed early next year. That would be followed by a two-person lunar landing as early as 2025 and, ultimately, a sustainable moon base. The long-term plan would be to launch a Mars expedition by the late 2030s.

Astronauts last landed on the moon 50 years ago. After touching down on Dec. 11, 1972, Apollo 17’s Eugene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt spent three days explor-

ing the valley of Taurus-Littrow, the longest stay of the Apollo era. They were the last of the 12 moonwalkers.

Orion was the first capsule to visit the moon since then, launching on NASA’s new mega moon rocket from Kennedy Space Center on Nov. 16. It was the first flight of NASA’s new Artemis moon program, named after Apollo’s mythological twin sister.

“From Tranquility Base to Taurus-Littrow to the tranquil waters of the Pacific, the latest chapter of NASA’s journey to the moon comes to a close. Orion back on Earth,” an-

nounced Mission Control commentator Rob Navias.

While no one was on the $4 billion test flight, NASA managers were thrilled to pull off the dress rehearsal, especially after so many years of flight delays and busted budgets. Fuel leaks and hurricanes conspired for additional postponements in late summer and fall.

Getting Orion back intact after the 25-day flight was NASA’s top objective. With a return speed of 25,000 mph — considerably faster than coming in from low-Earth orbit — the capsule used a new, ad-

vanced heat shield never tested before in spaceflight. To reduce the gravity or G loads, it dipped into the atmosphere and briefly skipped out, also helping to pinpoint the splashdown area.

All that unfolded in spectacular fashion, officials noted, allowing for Orion’s safe return.

“I don’t think any one of us could have imagined a mission this successful,” said mission manager Mike Sarafin.

Further inspections will be conducted once Orion is back at Kennedy by month’s end. If the capsule

checks find nothing amiss, NASA will announce the first lunar crew amid considerable hoopla in early 2023, picking from among the 42 active U.S. astronauts stationed at Houston’s Johnson Space Center.

“People are anxious, we know that,” Vanessa Wyche, Johnson’s director, told reporters. Added Nelson: “The American people, just like (with) the original seven astronauts in the Mercury days, are going to want to know about these astronauts.”

The capsule splashed down more than 300 miles south of the original target zone. Forecasts calling for choppy seas and high wind off the Southern California coast prompted NASA to switch the location.

Orion logged 1.4 million miles as it zoomed to the moon and then entered a wide, swooping orbit for nearly a week before heading home. It came within 80 miles of the moon twice. At its farthest, the capsule was more than 268,000 miles from Earth.

Orion beamed back stunning photos of not only the gray, pitted moon, but also the home planet. As a parting shot, the capsule revealed a crescent Earth — Earthrise — that left the mission team speechless.

Nottingham Trent University astronomer Daniel Brown said the flight’s many accomplishments illustrate NASA’s capability to put astronauts on the next Artemis moonshot.

“This was the nail-biting end of an amazing and important journey for NASA’s Orion spacecraft,” Brown said in a statement from England.

Just hours earlier, a spacecraft rocketed toward the moon from Cape Canaveral. The lunar lander belongs to ispace, a Tokyo company intent on developing an economy up there. Two U.S. companies, meanwhile, have lunar landers launching early next year.

Sinema party switch highlights 2024 obstacles for Democrats

By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press

PHOENIX — Less than three days after Democrats celebrated victory in the final Senate contest of the 2022 midterms, the challenges facing the party heading into the next campaign came into sharp relief.

The decision by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona to leave the Democratic Party on Friday raised the prospect of a tumultuous — and expensive — three-way race in one of the most politically competitive states in the U.S. It set off a scramble among potential Democratic and Republican candidates to assess whether they could win their party’s nomination.

And it prompted difficult questions about whether Democrats might financially and politically support Sinema over their own nominee if she decides to seek reelection in 2024 and is seen as having the best chance of keeping the seat out of GOP hands.

Ultimately, Sinema’s move was a sobering reminder that while Democrats won an outright majority in the Senate, their grip on the chamber is still tenuous, giving individual members notable sway over the congressional agenda. And it foreshadowed the even more difficult climate ahead as Democrats defend seats in seven

states, including Arizona, that former President Donald Trump carried at least once.

Sinema was largely dismissive of such considerations, saying she doesn’t fit into the traditional party system. She said she won’t caucus with Republicans, but declined to say whether she plans to seek a second term in the Senate.

Her shift to becoming an independent, however, strongly suggests

she’s at least trying to preserve the option.

“My decision is 100% based on what I think is right for me and for our state, and to ensure that I am able to continue delivering real results that make a difference in the lives of Arizonans,” Sinema said.

Her move completes a unique evolution that has both delighted and infuriated Democrats. She began her career two decades ago

as a member of the Green Party. Running for the Senate as a Democrat in 2018, her victory thrilled the party and cemented Arizona’s status as a onetime Republican stronghold that was becoming more competitive.

But she’s steadily grown alienated from the party and has been a barrier to some of Democrats’ top priorities. She has appeared at points to take particular enjoyment in antagonizing the party’s progressive base, whose support will be needed to win a primary in 2024.

She now returns to the position in which she began her political career, as an outsider from both major parties.

“She had a choice: either a tough primary or a tough general, and she chose a tough general,” said Daniel Scarpinato, a Republican political consultant and former chief of staff to GOP Gov. Doug Ducey.

The field of potential Sinema rivals began to take shape almost immediately. Both parties could face contested primaries, a dynamic that could help Sinema stay above the fray in a state where parties choose their nominees just three months before the general election.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego, a progressive Democrat and longtime Sinema antagonist, strongly hint-

ed that he’ll run but stopped short of announcing a bid. In an interview, he said that’s always been a decision he planned to make in 2023, but the timeline may have moved up.

“I always thought I could win,” Gallego said. “I think her potential run as an independent doesn’t change that calculus.”

On the Republican side, Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb is seriously considering a run, spokesman Corey Vale confirmed. Others mentioned as potential candidates include Kari Lake, Blake Masters, Jim Lamon and Karrin Taylor Robson, all Republicans who lost their bids for governor or Senate this year.

Some Democrats caution activists to stay calm despite their frustration with Sinema ahead of the 2024 campaign.

They note that even Blake Masters, who trailed all other statewide Republicans on the ballot in his losing Senate bid, received 46% of the vote. In a must-win state that’s a true tossup, Sinema may still be a more palatable option than surrendering the seat to Republicans following a messy three-way race, they argue.

One group that’s seemingly not upset about Sinema’s decision: the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“We’re excited as ever to work with (Sinema) to advance good policies for Arizona job creators,” the state’s most influential business group said in a tweet.

NASA VIA AP

In this photo provided by NASA the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis I mission splashes down in the Pacific Ocean after a 25.5 day mission to the Moon, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.

AP PHOTO

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., arrives for a meeting of the Senate Homeland Security Committee at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Aug. 3, 2022.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Food Lion donates $30k in gift cards to help Moore County residents

Last Thursday, Food Lion announced that it would be donating $30,000 in gift cards to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. According to a press release from the company, these gift cards will be distributed in $20 increments and will be given out through the food bank’s partner agencies in Moore County. While supplies last, these gift cards will be available at West End UMC, Pinebluff UMC, Carthage UMC, Vass Community Food Pantry, Blue Angel Outreach, and Southern Pines UMC.

“The donation of gift cards to our partner agencies will be very beneficial as our community begins to restock its food supply after this horrific attack on the Moore County power station,” announced Michael Cotton, Sandhills Branch Director of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina.

Local and federal investigators request warrants for local phone data

Federal and local investigators in Moore County have officially drafted a search warrant for local cell phone data in their search for the perpetrators of the recent electrical substation attacks. At this time, the extent and parameters of these search warrants are still unknown. According to the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, the number of potential attackers who were involved in the shooting is still unknown. Neighbors near one of the substations reported to have heard at least 20 shots fired, so law enforcement agencies believe it’s possible that there were multiple parties involved.

MOORE COUNTY

Hudson announces senior staff

North State Journal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Last week, U.S. Representative Richard Hudson (R-NC) announced new senior staff positions in his Washington, DC, and North Carolina offices.

Chief of Staff Billy Constangy has been promoted to leadership chief of staff. Constangy, who has worked for Rep. Hudson since 2017, will take on the role following Hudson’s election to a new position in House Republican leadership that places Hudson fourth in line to the Speaker.

Before serving as chief of staff, Constangy was Hudson’s district director from 2017-2020. Prior to joining Hudson, Constangy served as a senior staff member under former Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) from 2011-2016, and cam-

Rep. Hudson

paign manager and finance director under former Rep. Sue Myrick (NC-09) from 2006-2012. Constangy is a native of Charlotte, NC, and is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill.

Elliott Guffin has replaced Constangy as Hudson’s chief of staff. Guffin has worked for Hudson since 2016, serving as a staff assistant, legislative correspon-

dent, legislative assistant, and most recently as legislative director. He is a native of Jackson, MS, and a graduate of the University of Mississippi.

Molly (Brimmer) Lolli has replaced Guffin as legislative director. Lolli has worked for Hudson since 2021, most recently serving as a senior health policy advisor. She is a native of Annapolis, MD, and previously studied at Catawba College in Salisbury, NC, before graduating from the University of Maryland College Park and earning a Juris Doctorate at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.

Georgia Lozier has been named deputy chief of staff based in Hudson’s district office in Southern Pines, NC. Lozier, most recently district director, has worked for the District since 2009. Prior to

Moore County power restored as combined reward announced

The Associated Press

RALEIGH— Duke Energy and Randolph Electric Membership Cooperative completed repairs on Wednesday, Dec. 7 on electric substation equipment damaged in shootings that made international news in Moore County.

Authorities have said the outages began shortly after 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 after one or more people drove up to two substations, breached the gates and opened fire on them.

Police have not released a motive or said what kind of gun was used in the attack. But Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields told reporters Monday that whoever was responsible “knew exactly what they were doing to ... cause the outage that they did.”

Moore County, North Carolina December 3, 2022

DETAILS

working for Hudson, she worked for former Democratic Rep. Larry Kissell (NC-08) and is a native of Kannapolis, NC. Based in Southern Pines, Lozier will also continue overseeing a district office in Fayetteville, NC, and managing district operations.

“I am fortunate to have an incredible leadership team and staff focused on serving the people of North Carolina,” said Rep. Hudson. «It is an honor to have been elected to take on a new role in House Republican leadership next Congress, but my primary focus will remain serving the people in my District. I know Billy, Elliott, Molly, and Georgia are incredibly talented, and each have a heart for service. Their leadership will enable me to stay focused on the needs of the people I represent.”

The FBI posted a notice Wednesday seeking information related to the investigation.

“An attack on our critical infrastructure will not be tolerated,” Cooper said in a statement.

On the evening of December 3, 2022, unknown suspect(s) fired multiple shots at two Duke Energy Substations in Moore County, North Carolina. The substations are located approximately 10 miles apart in West End and Carthage, North Carolina. The damage led to a massive power outage of approximately 45,000 customers. The repair process will take days, therefore a state of emergency was declared in Moore County to provide resources to citizens who remain without power.

Field Office: Charlotte

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced that the state, county and Duke Energy were offering combined rewards of up to $75,000 total for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the attack.

Meanwhile, the Moore County outage brought renewed attention to a substation that was vandalized last month in another county about 150 miles east. A substation near Maysville in Jones County was damaged by vandals Nov. 11, causing outages to 12,000 customers that lasted

about two hours, according to the Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative. The news was first reported statewide in the Dec. 7 edition of North State Journal.

The vandals damaged transformers and caused them to leak coolant oil, the cooperative said in a news release. It was not immediately clear how the damage was done or if there is a link to the

Anyone with information regarding this case should contact the Moore County Sheriff’s Office tip line at (910) 947-4444. You may also contact yourlocal FBI office, the nearestAmerican Embassy or Consulate, or you can submit a tip online attips.fbi.gov.

Moore County outages.

AP PHOTO

From left, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., speak to reporters following a Republican Conference meeting at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, June 8, 2022.

“I am fortunate to have an incredible leadership team and staff focused on serving the people of North Carolina.”

COURTESY PHOTO

On the evening of December 3, 2022, unknown suspect(s) fired multiple shots at two Duke Energy Substations in Moore County, North Carolina. The substations are located approximately 10 miles apart in West End and Carthage, North Carolina.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ PARSONS, PAUL KENT, 35, W, M, 12/12/2022, Carthage PD, Felony Possession of Cocaine

♦ MEECE, HUNTER WAYNE, 23, W, M, 12/12/2022, Southern Pines PD, Larceny of a Firearm, Possess Stolen Goods/Prop

♦ MCCRIMMON, ANDREA MICHELLE, 31, B, F, 12/12/2022, Aberdeen PD, Felony Possession of Cocaine, Misdemeanor Larceny, Disorderly Conduct, Resisting Public Officer, Simple Possession Schedule II CS, Assault Government Official/Employee, Possess Drug Paraphernalia

♦ MARIN, EVELYN KARINA, 47, H, F, 12/12/2022, Southern Pines PD, Simple Assault

♦ LISK, JOHNNY LEE, 42, W, M, 12/12/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Simple Possession Schedule II CS, Possess Drug Paraphernalia

♦ SMITH, REGINALD JAAMAL, 35, B, M, 12/11/2022, Aberdeen PD, Assault on a Female, Resisting Public Officer

♦ SANDERS, JACOB WILLIAM, 21, W, M, 12/11/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Contributing Del of Juvenile, Possess CS Prison/Jail Premisses

♦

DAVIS, TIAYVIAN ALTYREA, 21, B, M, 12/11/2022, Southern Pines PD, Flee/Elude Arrest with a Motor Vehicle, Possession of Firearm by Felon, Resisting Public Officer, No Operators License, Unsafe Movement

♦

PRATT, JESSIE LEVERIN, 46, B, M, 12/10/2022, Bonding Company, PWISD Marijuana, Maintn Veh/ Dwell/Place CS, Possess Marijuana Paraphernalia

Christmas ornament honors gingerbread White House tradition

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — This year’s Christmas ornament from the White House Historical Association honors the tradition of displaying a gingerbread model of the executive mansion as part of the holiday decorations at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

The 2022 ornament — a gingerbread house shaped like the mansion — honors President Richard Nixon’s administration. It was first lady Patricia Nixon who first put a gingerbread house on display in the State Dining Room for the holidays. That was long before the talented White House pastry chefs began making hundred-pound replicas of the executive mansion.

Now, holiday time at the White House would feel incomplete without one.

“Initially these were A-frame houses, but now they are actual White Houses, gingerbread houses built in the shape of the White House,” Stewart McLaurin, president of the association, told The Associated Press in an interview.

The privately funded association began selling the popular annual White House Christmas ornament in 1981.

The 2022 ornament shows the north and south fronts of a gingerbread White House that is decorated with white piping, red-

Stewart McLaurin, president of the association

and-white candies, gumdrops and candy canes. Each ornament comes with a booklet on the history of that particular presidency, and this year’s is gingerbread-scented.

The gingerbread White House currently on display for thousands of tourists and guests attending holiday receptions weighs 300 pounds and includes a sugar cookie replica of Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, in keeping with first lady Jill Biden’s theme of “We the People.”

But it all started in 1969 with Mrs. Nixon and a pastry chef who was German. An A-frame gingerbread house was customary in Germany and one became a fixture for the holidays at the White House.

“Chef (Hans) Raffert’s Ginger-

bread Houses were a precious A-framed house that in later years began to add some special touches to reflect the current first family,” such as jelly beans, representing President Ronald Reagan’s favorite candy, or replicas of the family’s pets, wrote Jennifer Pickens, author of a book about Christmas at the White House.

“They became so popular that during White House tours it actually became necessary to post a Marine guard beside them to stop the quick hand (or teeth) of a child from grabbing a piece,” Pickens wrote.

The gingerbread White Houses are not edible.

Every year since 1981, when first lady Nancy Reagan gave approval, the historical association has designed an ornament honoring a president or a key White House anniversary.

The association is working its way through all 46 presidents. The 2023 ornament will honor President Gerald Ford. McLaurin said he already has approved the design, which will be revealed on Presidents Day in February.

Ornament sales are a big source of revenue for the nonprofit, nonpartisan historical association, which was created in 1961 by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy to help pay for White House restoration and acquisition projects.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County:

Dec. 15

Trivia Thursday at the Brewery

6pm

Come out for Trivia at the Southern Pines Brewery! Enjoy fun and prizes each Thursday. Southern Pines Brewing Company is located at 565 Air Tool Dr., Southern Pines, NC.

Highlanders Farm: Drive Thru Christmas Lights

6pm – 9pm

Come out for the second annual Highlander’s Farm Drive Thru Christmas Lights Show! Take a winding tour around the farm fields, which are located at 5748 NC Hwy 22 in Carthage!

Dec. 16

Moore County Toys for Tots 2022 12pm

This is the last day to make a donation at your local Moore County Toys for Tots donation stations! Please consider donating new, unwrapped toys which will be distributed as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in our community.

National Athletic Village: The North Pole 5:30pm – 9pm

Experience a winter wonderland with the entire family this holiday season! Spread the Christmas Spirit at The North Pole at the National Athletic Village, located at 201 Air Tool Dr. in Southern Pines! Activities include a holiday trail and light display, wagon sleigh rides, Santa’s workshop, Christmas crafts, and more!

Holly Jolly Lights Christmas Display

5:30pm – 10pm

Come out and enjoy the Holly Jolly Lights Christmas display! The light show and display run nightly from 5:30pm until 10pm. Everyone is welcome, and the show is free! Tune your radio to 98.9FM to enjoy the full experience!

“Initially these were A-frame houses, but now they are actual White Houses, gingerbread houses built in the shape of the White House.”

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Love thy neighbor

“LOVE THY NEIGHBOR.”

It’s one of the most important commands found in the Bible. And last week, we saw it in action in our community.

We

The reprehensible attack on two power substations in Moore County left hospitals, health care providers, schools, businesses, and nearly 40,000 homes without power for several days. Thanks to the incredible efforts of hardworking men and women from Duke Energy, Randolph Electric Membership Corporation, the NC Department of Transportation, as well as state and county officials, law enforcement, and emergency personnel, Moore County was able to restore power by Wednesday while keeping families safe. I cannot thank these folks enough for their hard work and leadership over the past week. We felt the relief of so many when our power was finally restored on Wednesday afternoon.

coffee, as well as gave any donations they received away to the local Boys and Girls Club of the Sandhills and Friend to Friend.

Across our region and state, many people lent a hand. This includes food trucks from Fayetteville, which set up shop in Moore County to offer free and discounted meals. The Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce coordinated donations through Sam’s Club. Outback Steakhouse and the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office provided meals for first responders in Aberdeen and at the Moore County Sheriff’s Office. Examples like this fill me with hope and remind me that the future of our community and nation is bright.

state.

I also want to single out Moore County Sheriff Ronnie Fields and all local law enforcement, as well as the State Bureau of Investigation and Federal Bureau of Investigation, for their quick action in response to the incident. We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation. A reward of up to $75,000 is being offered to anyone who provides information leading to an arrest and conviction. The Sheriff has asked that information be reported to the Moore County Crime Tip Line at 910-947-4444.

While these past few days have been difficult, the people of Moore County have remained resilient. What’s more — we saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and state.

Throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors. We saw folks open their doors to provide shelter and other amenities. Restaurants and other businesses provided food and water to those affected. Churches fed people and served as charging stations and depots for supplies.

Renee and I were thankful our church, First Baptist Church of Southern Pines, provided hot meals. First Baptist Church of Pinehurst offered food along with shower and laundry services to those in need. Swank Coffee Shoppe in Southern Pines offered free

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

You will be made to celebrate

IN MARCH 2013, nearly a decade ago, in this space, I made a prediction.

The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject.

“Within the next few months,” I wrote, “Justice Anthony Kennedy will likely rule that same-sex marriage is mandated by the Constitution of the United States... states will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages; same-sex marriage will enter the public-school lexicon; religious institutions will be forced to recognize same-sex marriages or lose their tax-exempt status. Religious Americans will be forced into violating their beliefs or facing legal consequences by the government.”

Welp.

This month, the Congress is poised to pass a bill that would sanctify same-sex marriage; that same bill essentially argues that opposing samesex marriage is akin to opposing interracial marriage, an act of bigotry. It provides no explicit bar on the removal of tax-exempt status from religious institutions; it does not protect religious individuals in their daily lives.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court considers whether to force a religious web designer to make a website celebrating a same-sex marriage. Several of the more conservative justices seek to draw a line between anti-discrimination law — laws on the state and federal level preventing “discrimination” on the basis of “sexual orientation” — and religious freedom. They do so by creating distinctions on the basis of expressive behavior (say, artistic expression in making a website) versus simple services provision (say, running a restaurant); they do so by distinguishing between services that require a message (say, baking a wedding cake) and serving gay couples without any message attached.

All of this legal hairsplitting is being done in an attempt to craft a form of the so-called Utah Compromise. That compromise put in place an anti-discrimination law with specific religious exemptions. But the Utah Compromise creates two additional problems: first, it stigmatizes belief in traditional marriage as a sort of vestige of religious bigotry we allow out of an outdated sympathy for the antiquated Bible-believers; second, it does not extend the rights of religious people outside of religious institutions. And, as it turns out, most religious people spend most of their time outside of religious institutions.

While my team and I stayed in close touch with law enforcement, community leaders, and Duke Energy—helping where we could—I also took steps to support our military, their families, and our nation’s defense capabilities. On Thursday, the House passed our annual defense legislation. Included in this critical bill were several provisions I spearheaded to support Fort Bragg and military families. This includes over $80 million for projects at Fort Bragg, a needed pay raise for troops, expanded housing allowances and mental health services, as well as the end of the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for servicemembers. Ending this mandate has been a priority for me. I have sponsored legislation and directly urged President Biden and Defense Secretary Austin to drop this policy. I am thankful our efforts were successful and that this mandate will finally end.

As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, supporting our troops, their families, and veterans are among my top priorities. I will continue to provide updates as the Senate takes up this legislation.

In the meantime, please know my office is always here for you if you need assistance in Moore County or anywhere throughout our District. It’s an honor to represent you, Fort Bragg, and the best of our community – which always shines bright, even in the dark.

Richard Hudson is serving his fifth term representing North Carolina’s 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He currently serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee and in House leadership as the Republican Conference Secretary.

None of this would be necessary had we not undergone a complete transformation of the constitutional order over the past few decades. The Constitution of the United States provides zero power to the federal government to violate freedom of speech, association, or religion. But, as Christopher Caldwell has pointed out in “The Age of Entitlement,” the Civil Rights Act created a “rival Constitution” dedicated to violating those freedoms in the name of anti-discrimination. One can agree that racial bigotry is evil while still recognizing that the intrusion of the CRA into private behavior — not merely in ending state-sponsored discrimination, which was necessary and appropriate — amounts of a massive expansion of federal power in violation of the Constitution.

The legal obliteration of the distinction between governmental and private activity was only one prong of the new societal remolding. The second was the philosophical obliteration of the distinction between immutable characteristics and behavior. The case can easily be made morally that people ought not be victims of discrimination based on their immutable characteristics, like race; rejecting moral disapproval of particular behavior, however, means destroying the basis for any moral system. Yet that is what the law does when it likens race to sexual orientation philosophically.

These twin attacks on traditional American society — vitiation of the distinction between private and public and elimination of the distinction between innate characteristics and behavior — are predicates to tyranny. The new secular system sets up government as a new god, determining right and wrong and cramming it down on every subject. You will be forced to celebrate the behaviors of others; you will be treated as a bigot if you do not. The Supreme Court may hold back the legal ramifications of the new tyranny for now, but anyone who relies on the court to do so forever will be sorely disappointed.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author; his latest book is “The Authoritarian Moment: How The Left Weaponized America’s Institutions Against Dissent.”

saw some of the best qualities of mankind on display, as this situation united our community and

Roger Lee Craven

April 8, 1952 - December 7, 2022

Roger Lee Craven, 70 of Aberdeen, passed away on December 7, 2022 at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.

Born on April 8, 1952 in Moore County to the late Charlie and Alice Craven. Roger served his community and was a fireman for the Pinehurst Fire Department. He was a true outdoorsmen that loved fishing and hunting.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather. A fatherly figure to all he came in contact with.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Jerry Ray Craven.

He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Lydia Craven; three sons, Jonathan Craven, Joshua Craven (Lesley) and James Craven (Tasha); one brother, Charles “Bill” Craven (Ruby); two sisters, Betty Tarr and Rebecca Mabe; six grandchildren, Emily, Andrew, Macey, Cullen, Landry, and Charlee Craven; also survived by many nieces, nephews and other family and friends.

Phyllis Hergenhahn

June 20, 1942 - December 7, 2022

Phyllis Hergenhahn, 80, of Seven Lakes, NC passed away Wednesday, December 7, 2022. She was born on June 20, 1942 in Ft. Jackson, South Carolina to Norman Rothblatt and Ann Hoppenwasser.

Phyllis was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, cousin and friend to so many.

She was known for her loving personality, adventurous and generous spirit, engaging and lengthy stories, her many artistic endeavors and delicious home cooking. The greatest accomplishment of her life was her second marriage to Gerhard, a German IBMer on assignment to White Plains, NY. He loved her and her five children deeply. This marriage led her to Germany for 8 years with her two youngest children.

Along with her parents, Phyllis was preceded in death by her sister, Lori Fischler, most recently of Seven Lakes, originally from Queens, NY.

Phyllis is survived by her husband of 38 years, Gerhard Hergenhahn, sons Jonathan and Craig Macauley, daughters Juliette Furlong, Aimee and Laura Macauley, stepchildren Uwe and Achim Hergenhahn, her beloved grandchildren Madeline Crosson, Fynn Hergenhahn, Xander Furlong, Lukas and Rio Thoel, Hoku and Kira DeMello and her three great grandchildren Zoey, Eden and Summer.

Nancy B Rimbert

November 8, 1952 - December 2, 2022

On Friday, December 2, 2022, Nancy B. Rimbert reached her goal and met her Saviour face to face. She had just turned 70 years old.

Born on November 8, 1952, in Bellflower, California, she moved to the east coast after attending Bob Jones University and marrying Art Rimbert, who was stationed at Fort Bragg. She began attending Calvary Memorial Church and working at Calvary Christian School, and she was still teaching in her 49th school year when she passed away. She was a dedicated and faithful wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend. She is survived by her husband Arthur L. Rimbert, Sr.; her son Arthur L. Rimbert, Jr. (Alan McSwain); her daughters Faith Schofield (George), Joy Rimbert, and Laura Kanganis (Wes); and grandsons Thomas and John Schofield.

Monica Rita Parent Gonet

February 2, 1938 - December 6, 2022

Monica Rita Parent Gonet, 84, died Tuesday, December 6, 2022 at her home in Pinehurst.

Monica was preceded in death by her husband Charles Gonet, a daughter Monica Jeanette Seaberg and a sister Stella Campbell.

She is survived by a daughter, Debbie Hempstead and her husband Chris of Southern Pines, a sister Lucille Bernier, and grandchildren, Robert Warner and Tonia Warner and 2 great grandchildren.

Maureen Margaret Burke-Horansky

June 6, 1940 - December 7, 2022

Maureen Margaret BurkeHoransky, 82, passed away on December 7th, 2022.

Maureen was born on June 6th, 1940, in New Kensington Pennsylvania to the late Eugene and Alma Burke.

She was survived by her husband Frank Horansky, her sister Kathleen, her sons Scott (Renee) and Sean Burke (Jennifer), her daughters through marriage Leanne and Donna Horansky, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her stepson, Frank W. Horansky, and stepdaughter Lorraine Horansky Horton.

She was a graduate of Ken High School, in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.

Betty Jo Conner

April 8, 1943 - December 4, 2022

Betty Jo Conner, 79, passed away on Sunday, December 4, 2022 at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Born April 8, 1943 in Bennettsville, SC, she was a daughter of the late Thomas Tucker and Julia DeBerry Tucker. She was a faithful, lifelong member of Tabernacle Baptist Church in Lumberton.

Ms. Betty Jo is survived by her daughters, Betty Sue Ford of Lumberton, and Judy Ann Hardin (Paul) of St. Pauls; her sisters, Rebecca Barber, Barbara Kiser, Judy Gray (J), and Patsy Warren (Mike); her brother, Tommy Tucker (Delia); her grandchildren, Jonathan Brady, Kevin Brady, Chris Emanuel, Brandon Hardin, Paxton Hardin, Makayla Brady, and Madison Brady; eleven greatgrandchildren and a host of nieces and nephews and friends. Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Ray Conner, and her son, Ted Brady.

Sarah W. Garrett

October 24, 1931 - December 4, 2022

Sarah W. Garrett, 91 of Southern Pines, passed away on December 4, 2022, at her home. She was born on October 24, 1931, in Walhalla, South Carolina to the late Wesley T. and Inez White. Sarah was a volunteer registrar for the United States/ South Carolina Selective Service of 1948. Sarah was the first woman elected to the Southern Pines Lions Club where she served as secretary for many years.

Sarah had a heart of gold. She was an extraordinary wife, mother and grandmother. The foundation of our family. Our love for her is endless. She was exceptionally loving, kind and compassionate. She was a woman of many diversified talents.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, James Andrew Garrett; and three sons, Jim Garrett, Jr., Wesley Garrett, and Kevin Garrett.

She is survived by her daughter, Carol G. Grey (Jeff); Grandchildren: Shane Garrett (Carrie), Samantha Atwater (Casey), Max Grey (Sarah) and Dawson G. Grey. Daughter-in-law, Catherine Garrett.

Charles "Chuck" Mark Cebrick

January 5, 1945 ~ December 10, 2022

Charles Mark (Chuck) Cebrick, 77, of Pinehurst passed away peacefully at home Saturday, Dec 10, 2022, while in hospice care.

He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Sandra Cebrick, and their cat, Sadie. Also, his sister Rosemary (Cebrick) Potak, and her husband, George Potak of Mesquite Nevada. Also nieces and nephews.

He was born January 5, 1945, in Kingston Pa to the late Charles and Elizabeth Cebrick. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his twin brother, Richard Cebrick, and sister, Elizabeth Cebrick Mazur.

Chuck grew up in Edwardsville Pa and graduated from Edwardsville High School in 1963. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1965 to 1969 when he was honorably discharged. He was stationed at Keflavik Island and worked in U.S. Armed Forces Radio there as a disc jockey. His listeners loved his smooth mellow voice and warm personality.

He and Sandy were married November 23, 1979, in WilkesBarre Pa., and moved to the Philadelphia area in 1980. They then moved to Pennsauken NJ where they lived 24 years before moving to Pinehurst in 2010.

Karin Zoanelli

March 25, 1935 - December 4, 2022

Karin Zoanelli, (nee Redlich), 87, of Pinehurst, passed peacefully at her home on Sunday, December 4th.

Born in Hamburg, Germany, she was the daughter of the late Carl and Hertha Redlich. Karin grew up in Hamburg, and was an avid figure skater in her teenage years. As a young woman, she had worked as a journalist for United Press International. She met her husband, Bruno, while vacationing in Italy. They were married in Bermuda where they lived until 1967 when they immigrated to the United States, eventually settling in Kensington, MD. Most days she could be found enjoying a meal with friends or helping at her church.

Karin and Bruno were married for 59 years. She is survived by their daughter Barbara (Zoanelli) Vitarelli, husband Robert Vitarelli, of Rockville, MD. Karin is also survived by her grandchildren: Ariana Vitarelli Allen, husband Eric Allen, of Roanoke, TX, and Daniela Vitarelli of Skerries, Ireland.

Gail Julian

January 24, 1933 - December 3, 2022

Gail Julian, 89 of Whispering Pines, NC passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home on December 3, 2022. Gail was born in Orange, NJ to James Gerold Julian and Margaret Rawlins Julian. Gail retired to Whispering Pines to be near her sister after proudly working for many years as a dental hygienist in NJ. Gail loved Whispering Pines dearly and was a passionate activist in trying to make the town the best it could be. Gail loved and cherished her family and friends; and was always baking something to share as her way to show her love.

Gail will be missed by many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and great, great nieces and nephews as well as her beloved Cocker Spaniel, Bebe. Gail is preceded in death by her parents and her siblings Barbara, Carol, Joan and Don.