North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 43

Merry Christmas from North State Journal

Hurricane subcommittee apologizes to citizens: ‘You’ve been failed’

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The Hurricane Subcommittee of the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations received updates from officials with the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) and the Department of Public Safety (DPS) in a tense hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 14. The subcommittee held its first

meeting in September on the anniversary of Hurricane Florence.

The hearing on NCORR Chief Operating Officer Laura Hogshead and DPS Eddie Buffaloe were both issued invitations to appear before the subcommittee. Legal Aid of North Carolina also provided testimony to the subcommittee.

The hearing ran well over its 3-hour schedule.

Hogshead’s testimony lasted

for almost two hours and lawmakers made it clear they were unhappy with the slow progress being made. Hogshead, who in the past worked for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), was appointed to her position by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in 2018.

“I am here to show you the progress,” Hogsheads said in her

Burr delivers farewell address in Senate Washington, D.C.

Wrapping up a nearly 30year career in Congress, Republican U.S. Sen. Richard Burr told colleagues that the chamber needs “more statesmen and fewer politicians” and that he remains optimistic about America’s future.

Delivering a farewell address on Dec. 14, North Carolina’s senior senator thanked family and a generation of staff who helped him serve in the House for 10 years before getting elected to the Senate in 2004.

“America’s full of bright and intelligent men and women of all ages who are creative at finding solutions and forging new paths,” Burr said. “We need these folks in the United States Senate and I’m glad that I’ve had the chance to serve with some who will now continue to carry on the great efforts for years to come.”

As a Winston-Salem businessman, Burr ran for Congress in 1992 as a first-time candidate and lost. He won two years later. Burr moved to the Senate after defeating Democrat Erskine Bowles.

Burr’s legislative career included the chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee for five years until 2020. He also helped pass laws to reform the Food and Drug Administration, prepare for pandemics, help people with disabilities set aside tax-favored funds to pay for expenses and end the government-backed tobacco quota system for growers.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NC House

Raleigh

The surprise retirement of first-term Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson could lead to a competitive primary between at least two interested N.C. House Republican members.

Soon after Dobson’s announcement, Guilford County Rep. Jon Hardister said he was “strongly” looking at the race. Hardister, who has won competitive races in eastern Guilford County, was recently reelected to a sixth term in the N.C. House of Representatives.

First-term Rep. Ben Moss of Richmond County formally entered the race on Tuesday. Moss, who defeated the outgoing Moore County Rep. Jamie Boles when the two were double-bunked, said he has spent his entire life working to advance North Carolina’s workforce.

“I have real-life experience to offer North Carolinians by serving as Labor Commissioner. I am an employer, and I’ve also worked as an employee in a high-risk work environment,” said Moss in a statement.

Seeing stars this Christmas

House select committee releases final draft report recommending education changes

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The House Select Committee on An Education System for North Carolina’s Future released its final draft report recommending various changes to the state’s education system at a meet-

ing held on Dec. 12. The committee first met on Jan. 24, 2022. Over a dozen meetings were held throughout the year leading up to the meeting on Dec. 12. Many of the meetings were of a listening tour style in nature and took place at schools in the various districts across the state.

Rep. John Torbett (R-Gaston) chairs the select committee. Cochairs include Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke), Pat Hurley (R-Randolph) and David Willis (R-Union). Torbett indicated the committee will continue to meet when lawmakers return for the long session. The draft report is 38 pages long

House Judiciary Republicans probe possible antitrust violations involving ESG movement

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Investigations and complaints from state-level officials into the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) movement have been going on for the better part of the last year, however, members of Congress are also picking up the topic.

Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee led by Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan issued a letter to steering committee executive for Climate Action 100+ Mindy S. Lubber and Simiso Nzima. The letter outlines antitrust violation concerns related to ESG practices.

Jordan is the incoming chair of the House Judiciary Committee. Other Republicans joining the letter include Reps. Dan Bishop (NC), Matt Gaetz (FL), Scott Fitzgerald (WI), Cliff Bentz (OR) and Tom McClintock (CA).

“We are writing to you because of your roles coordinating how

some companies pursue environmental, social, and governance (ESG) policies in ways that may violate antitrust laws. Each of you is on the Steering Committee for Climate Action 100+, which seems to work like a cartel to “ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take necessary action on climate change,” the letter reads.

The House Judiciary Committee Republicans tweeted out a portion of the letter, along with a quote from Bishop that reads, “ESG is, at its heart, radical partisan activism masquerading as responsible corporate governance. These corrosive practices may violate our nation’s antitrust laws, and we must be relentless in investigating them.”

In addition to “climate change,” the Republican’s letter says ESG goals have gone beyond climate change activism and can include other policy concerns, such as “fake news dissemination,” “gun

control,” and “access to abortion.”

The letter demands a host of documents, communications and other correspondence to be turned over to the congressional committee no later than 5:00 p.m. on Dec. 20 of this year. The letter also “serves as a formal request to preserve all existing and future records and materials relating to the topics addressed in this letter.”

“Woke corporations are collectively adopting and imposing progressive policy goals that American consumers do not want or do not need. An individual company’s use of corporate resources for progressive aims might violate fiduciary duties or other laws, harming its viability and alienating consumers,” Republicans wrote. “But when companies agree to work together to punish disfavored views or industries, or to otherwise advance environmental, social, and governance

and provides a summary of the committee’s work with six main findings. The report does not include any suggestions for fulfilling the recommendations presented. Finding 1: All students should receive a high-quality standard ed-

Two

Republicans look to succeed Dobson

The Old Salem Heritage Bridge is modeled after covered bridges from the 19th century. A white Moravian star hangs in the center. The star was originally created at the Moravian Boys’ School in Germany as a geometry class project, but was later adopted by the Moravian Church as a Christmas symbol representing the Star of Bethlehem.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY OLD SALEM MUSEUMS AND GARDENS

opening remarks. “But it’s not enough.”

One lawmaker, Sen. Danny Britt (R-Robeson), later agreed during an exchange about the failure to hold vendors accountable that it was “not enough” and suggested she resign.

“I told you before I think the job you’ve done is unacceptable. I don’t know anyone in the private sector that would keep you employed with all the failures that you’ve allowed to happen,” Britt said. “Now, if you’ve pushed something up to the top and the top has not done something about it – then please tell this committee.”

Britt continued, “But for you not to know what’s been going on in this state or for you to have continued to allow the failures to happen and not take steps to change the process until we came here to this committee, is a failure. And you failed as a director. You should resign from your position. But if you were in the private sector, you would have been fired a long time ago.”

“Our time’s going to be up on this money if we keep waiting as you continue to fail,” Britt added.

There were several other exchanges between Hogshead and legislators about why some general contractors had not been terminated or fined for failure to produce as well as questions about the multi-million dollar contract with the company producing modular home units. Her responses included the repeated line that she didn’t want to “waste time in court.”

“Since the signing of that modular contract sixteen months ago, they’ve only completed 11 modular homes, is that right?” Britt asked Hogshead.

She responded that there were a “number of scheduled completions for December and many more in January.” Hogshead added that production had picked up and 20 to 30 units a month is the expectation.

Britt pressed Hogshead over when her staff could tell the 453 families selected for modular homes when they could expect to move in.

Hogshead differed to permitting, the “pick up” in production and that they were “doing their best to forecast as we can.” Britt responded by saying those were “good things to keep them [the families] strung along” and that was a way to “give them some kind of answer without giving them a real answer because you can’t give them a real answer.”

“This is why people hate government – there’s no accountability,” Sen. Jim Perry (R-Lenoir) later told Hogshead about the lack of action taken both by her

Christmas approaches and our homes are filled with gifts for family and friends and our calendars are full of family, social and community gatherings. Christmas falling on a Sunday adds an additional event for the Christmas calendar — church services. According to Lifeway Research, 84% of Protestant pastors say their churches will have services on Christmas Day. Some churches will hold services on Christmas Eve and only 6% of Protestant

Matthew 2: 1-12

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

6 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9 When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

churches will skip services completely this weekend.

According to the research firm, most pastors anticipate smaller crowds for Christmas Day services. The data came from a survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors during September and has a margin of error of 3.2%.

This Sunday offers a unique gift to Christians — the opportunity to celebrate the birth of Christ among their church family.

and her agency with regard to contract issues.

Established by Cooper in 2018, NCORR is a division of DPS created to “streamline recovery programming and assistance.” NCORR oversees Rebuild NC, a program established in October 2018 to aid families impacted by Hurricanes Matthew and Florence.

NCORR manages the $778 million in federal disaster relief received from HUD for both hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018). Under Cooper’s tenure, around 60% of the federal funds have been encumbered with only $231 million actually spent to date. The deadline for the funds to be spent or encumbered is rapidly approaching; 2025 for Matthew and 2026 for Florence.

In her presentation, Hogshead said that 277 projects successfully bid in 90 days and that 95 families had successfully been housed in the 83 days spanning the period from the last meeting on Sept. 9 through Dec. 7.

The increased completion rate after June of this year represents a 292% increase, per Hogshead.

Before COVID, the monthly average for completion was 31 homes. During 2020, the average fell to 23. By 2021, the impact of

the pandemic dropped the average to just eight completions a month and the first six months of 2020 only saw an average of five homes completed.

The NCORR chief later said her agency assisted 100 families in the last three months. When questioned about what the number entailed, Hogshead said 76 families had completed construction projects and 24 families had opted for a check to reimburse them for their out-of-pocket home repairs.

Hogshead said a new chief of constituent affairs had been added but noted that case managers have all changed as NCORR moved from case management vendor Horn to all state-based case managers. She also said they have increased the number of general contractors going from around five to six to 12 since she last testified.

Multiple members of the subcommittee brought up the issue of individuals still stuck in hotels or temporary housing, costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Hogshead acknowledged that was still the situation in many cases. She was also asked if families or individuals who may be considered part of vulnerable populations such as the disabled, those

with small children, or those in a low-income situation were being treated as priorities. Hogsheads indicated they were and NCORR wanted to get those cases resolved as quickly as possible.

Hogshead also outlined “improved processing times” between starting step one and reaching step three. Between steps one and two, the average duration fell from 164 days to 62. From step two to step three, the average duration went from 97 days to 66.

Payment processes to vendors and third parties have also been streamlined with a target of a 14-day average processing time frame according to Hogshead.

Throughout her testimony, Hogshead was asked by multiple legislators about the involvement of the governor or his office.

Hogshead dodged answering several times up until Rep. Sarah Stevens (R-Surry) asked point blank if Cooper had helped her agency to change course.

Hogshead responded that the governor’s office had helped with what they could such as assistance with human resources but that federal HUG regulations were often a hurdle in the way.

At the end of her turn questioning Hogshead, Stevens asked who had the authority to fire her.

Hogshead responded that Cooper and Buffaloe had that authority.

Buffaloe gave prepared remarks that paralleled Hogshead’s presentation.

“One year into this job, and I think we have turned a corner in addressing many of the problems that led to project delays and shortcomings in customer service,” Buffaloe said in his opening statement. “The numbers show improvement, but I won’t be satisfied until everyone is back home, and I look forward to working with you to achieve that goal.”

Legislators focused their questions to Buffaloe on what steps DPS has taken to increase accountability for Rebuild NC and the general contractors involved in the work.

Sen. Kirk DeViere (D-Cumberland) asked Buffaloe if he acknowledge and accepted responsibility for NCORR’s shortcomings as Hogshead had in her testimony.

“Sir, this is a team approach. We all accept responsibility - including me,” Buffaloe said.

When asked how many home sites he had visited in the last year, Buffaloe responded he had only been to two.

“There’s enough fault in this fiasco to go around in, no doubt about that,” said Sen. Brent Jackson (R-Sampson). “But we have got to move forward.” He also thanked the citizens who attended, noting that they “are victims” in the situation.

Buffaloe told the committee to “be assured we are committed to this” and referred to those still not in their homes as “our priority.”

“We here at NCORR and the governor’s office, we want it to happen too, sir,” Buffaloe said of returning families to their homes.

Rep. Brenden Jones’ (R-Columbus) closing remarks summarized the failure of the recovery efforts.

“To the folks here who have been displaced for quite some time, to the folks who couldn’t be here, to the folks who fell through the cracks, understand one thing: you’ve been failed,” said Jones.

Referencing testimony given by Buffaloe, Jones said, “The home that the secretary got to see with the trusses and the “A” there, that’s wonderful, but it’s only taken three years to get there! You’ve been failed. But with this committee’s help and working with the secretary, we are committed to you. You will be in our prayers but you also have a commitment from this committee that we will keep holding accountability that this doesn’t happen again.”

Jones said they will work to make sure “we are in a better place” and that “we will hold the administration accountable.”

PUBLIC DOMAIN

“Adoration of the Magi” by Rembrandt (1632) is a painting in the collection of the Hermitage Museum, Saint Petersburg, Russia.

AP PHOTO

Laura Hogshead, director of the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency, answers questions from lawmakers about delays in the state’s hurricane recovery efforts during a hearing at the Legislative Building in Raleigh.

(ESG) goals, this coordinated behavior may violate the antitrust laws and harm American consumers.”

In a press statement announcing the letter, Republicans cited a June op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal by Sean Fieler, the president of Equinox Partners. Fieler’s op-ed outlined how “The ESG Movement Is a Ripe Target for Antitrust Action.”

“Advancing the ESG agenda requires that the owners of capital collude to restrict the supply of certain goods and services,” Fieler wrote, after highlighting how ESG standards have effectively crushed oil and gas production.

“Regardless of the colluding parties’ motivations, this is a textbook antitrust violation.”

Also cited in the press release is Arizona Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s antitrust investigation into the Climate Action 100+ network launched in November 2021.

“Here’s what is happening: The biggest banks and money managers seek to implement a political agenda, such as compliance with the Paris Climate Accord. Then a group mobilizes: Climate Action 100+, for example, comprised of

hundreds of big banks and money managers that together manage $60 trillion,” Brnovich explained in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

“The group uses its coordinated influence to compel companies to shut down coal and natural-gas plants. The activism can include pushing climate goals at shareholder meetings and voting against directors and proposals that don’t comport with the agenda, even if other decisions may benefit investors.”

He also led a coalition of 19 states attorneys general in sending an August 2020 letter to Blackrock, the largest asset management group in the world, that warned of potential antitrust violations associated with Blackrock’s ESG activities.

As of October, a number of state treasurers have already pulled $1 billion in taxpayer funds from BlackRock’s management, per the New York Post.

On Dec. 9, N.C. State Treasurer Dale 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 in-

terests 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.

The press 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.”

“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’ expense.”

NC Community Colleges System selects firm for presidential search

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — On Dec. 7, the State Board of Community Colleges’ Presidential Search Committee announced Buffkin/Baker had been selected as the search firm to find the next president of the North Carolina Community College System.

According to the announcement, Buffkin/ Baker has extensive experience in executive searches and “has deep North Carolina connections with two offices in the state.” Their offices are located in Winston-Salem and Charlotte.

The firm has led searches for many North Carolina colleges and universities, including being engaged in 2021 to conduct the search for a new dean to head up the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media.

ley Carraway and Mr. Hari Nath,” said Sullivan. “They have already devoted a tremendous amount of energy to the search process, and the Board is indebted to them and optimistic about the process now fully underway.”

The candidate selected during the search will replace Thomas Stith III, who was forced out earlier this year. Sources confirmed to North State Journal that his removal was discussed during a threehour closed session of the system’s board on July 15. According to those same sources, the removal of Stith had “been an ongoing conversation for several months.”

State Board of Community Colleges

Chairman Burr Sullivan

“The State Board looks forward to working with an experienced educational firm in Buffkin/Baker as we recruit a new president to lead our great system over the next many years. Buffkin/Baker’s track record of successful searches will be helpful to the search committee and to the full State Board,” State Board of Community Colleges Chairman Burr Sullivan said in a statement.

“I am grateful for the leadership of Committee co-chairs Dr. Shir-

ucation.

The committee “strongly recommends” continued study by the General Assembly of the “most essential content necessary” for students to be successful and be “career and college ready.”

The committee’s report found that the standard education should include “English, Mathematics, Science, History, the Arts, and career and technical education (CTE) as the core focus of elementary and secondary education.”

Early literacy was also found to be “vitally important” for students to be successful, as was science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics, often referred to as “STEAM.”

Finding 2: North Carolina should continue to increase educator pay, allow educators to focus on instructional duties, and provide educators with opportunities for growth and advancement.

The report says the state is having difficulty hiring and retaining qualified educators for every school and the committee received testimony that increasing educator pay would help fix those issues.

Additionally, the committee’s findings say that teachers should be able to focus on instructional duties and that non-instructional duties should be minimized. More high-quality professional development opportunities were also mentioned for increasing retention and job satisfaction.

To that end, the committee’s report recommends lawmakers continue to review the current salary schedules for educators and find ways to adjust job duties.

Finding 3: All children deserve a safe place to learn free from distraction.

The recommendation for this finding is continued study by lawmakers of ways to create safe learning environments for all students.

It was found by the committee that a safe and supportive learning environment includes increasing instructional supports such as providing all students with character education instruction. In the same vein, the report also cites the importance of teachers having the authority to maintain order in their classrooms without fear of repercussion.

“For students who continue to disrupt the learning environment, the Committee finds that alternative learning placements provide these students the opportunity to learn in a more focused environment that is equipped to provide additional support,” according to the report.

Overall, the committee recommends that the assessments used by the state continue to be evaluated by the General Assembly, including adjusting testing where needed.

The report says the student assessment system should be focused on “ongoing student achievement” and provide “real-time information” so that teachers can adjust instruction as needed. That system should also provide useful data for parents which is easy to access and understand.

Additionally, student mastery of a course should be “determined by more than one data point, not just success or failure on a single highstakes final exam.”

Finding 5: The mandatory school calendar law should be adjusted to better fit the needs of students and educators.

The report says that the current school calendar is “not the best suited to the needs of students and educators” and recommends legislators take action to allow more calendar flexibility.

Over the course of the committee’s meetings Torbett has suggested a calendar running from Labor Day to Memorial Day. The travel industry has pushed back on changes to the calendar to “preserve summer vacations.”

The current K-12 traditional school calendar system, which begins on the Monday closest to August 26 and end no later than the Friday closest to June 11, has been a long-standing issue for districts and lawmakers alike.

In the last year, Cleveland, Gaston and Rutherford Counties have all defied the state’s calendar law.

School boards in large districts like Wake and Charlotte-Mecklenburg have also complained about the lack of calendar flexibility.

Finding 6: The division of authority between the appointed State Board of Education and the elected Superintendent of Public Instruction should be changed to grant greater authority to the Superintendent.

Per the report, the “division of authority between the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction creates a power struggle that causes more strife than support for North Carolina’s education system.”

The power struggle mentioned in the report had high visibility under former State Superintendent Mark Johnson who entered into a legal battle with the state board when it sued over the General As-

sembly granting the role of superintendent more authority. The case ultimately wound up in front of the N.C. Supreme Court which ruled mainly in Johnson’s favor granting the superintendent shall direct and control “all matters relating to the direct supervision and administration” of the public school system.

“The Committee has received public comment stating that the greater authority should be placed with the official directly elected by the people of the State, instead of an appointed body,” the report states.

What the committee’s report is proposing appears to be giving more power and autonomy to the state superintendent’s role and would require the state’s constitution to be amended by voters.

Over the past few decades, the state board of education and state superintendent have regularly battled over the superintendent’s job responsibilities and decision-making authority. Both parties in the General Assembly have made attempts to alter the governing structure of the state board of education.

A 2008 study that in part addressed the roles of the state board of education and superintendent was presented to the Joint Legislative Program Evaluation Oversight Committee in Jan. 2009 by Evergreen Solutions, LLC, a consulting group out of Tallahassee, Florida.

Evergreen Solutions’ executive summary placed heavy emphasis on maintaining gubernatorial control over both entities. Despite the state’s constitution giving educational policy authority to the legislature, Evergreen characterized the governor’s office as “the real power behind shaping education policy in North Carolina.”

House Bill 521 was drafted in 2013 to alter the state board of education’s governance through a constitutional amendment. That bill would have made the superintendent the board chair and allowed the governor to appoint the superintendent instead of the position being elected by the voters.

Several years later, in 2017, House Bill 133 was introduced to amend the state constitution to require members of the state board of education be elected positions.

House Bill 1173 was introduced in June of this year. The bill did not advance to the Senate. While similar to the 2017 bill’s proposal to elect members to the state board of education, the bill would also have made the superintendent the board’s chair and required vacancy appointments made by the governor subject to confirmation by the legislature.

It was reported Stith was paid $97,000 to leave the post early. Stith was being paid an annual salary of $292,000. He was named president of the system on Jan. 11, 2021. His resignation was announced on July 19 and took effect on July 22.

Dr. William S. Carver was named interim president of the system on July 20.

There are 13 members on the Presidential Search Committee; nine state board members and four members with community colleges and business experience.

The North Carolina Community College System includes 58 community colleges serving all 100 North Carolina counties.

Former Spring Lake finance director sentenced to four years in embezzlement case

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The former finance director and accounting technician for the Town of Spring Lake has been sentenced to two consecutive 24-month prison terms for embezzling over half a million from the town between 2016 and 2021.

The sentencing for Gay Cameron Tucker, age 64, was handed down on Dec. 14 by U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.

“Public corruption at any level is a crime that affects all of us and undermines our public institutions,” U.S. Attorney Michael Easley said in a statement. “This defendant abused her position of trust by using public funds intended for her local community to pay her own personal expenses. Our office will continue to partner with law enforcement to investigate and prosecute allegations of public corruption.”

Tucker was indicted in May on one count of embezzlement from a local government receiving federal funds, four counts of bank fraud, and two counts of aggra-

vated identity theft. The charges carried a sentence of 12 years in prison.

In June, Tucker pled guilty to the embezzlement charge and one count of aggravated identity theft.

An audit published in March 2022 by the N.C. State Auditor’s Office found $430,000 in taxpayer funds were spent for personal use by Tucker.

The audit revealed Tucker had written 72 checks for personal use from town funds. The checks including 32 payable to Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union (Bragg Mutual) totaling $166,082. The checks were deposited into her personal bank account at that same credit union.

Additionally, 27 checks totaling $151,015 were written as payable to directly to Tucker. Another 13 checks totaling $113,015 were written to “Heritage Place Senior Living” and were used to pay her husband’s monthly resident bills.

The Town of Spring Lake has been in financial trouble for years and the N.C. Local Government Commission (LGC) voted unanimously to take over the finances of Spring Lake in October 2021.

The Town of Spring Lake welcome sign in shown in this file photo.

Finding 4: The North Carolina student assessment system should be designed to generate useful data to help ensure students’ post-secondary success.

“The State Board looks forward to working with an experienced educational firm in Buffkin/Baker as we recruit a new president to lead our great system over the next many years.”

in a statement

AP PHOTO

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio., speaks at DMI Companies in Monongahela, Pa., Friday, Sept. 23, 2022.

received $850,000 for the acquisition of a 13.3-acre property adjacent to the existing County Services Complex for redevelopment into a permanent home for the Community Paramedicine Program, a new farmers market and expansion of the current EMS facilities.

Hunter finds remains of missing man

Macon County

NC.GOV

A hunter in Macon County found the remains of a man who had been missing since 2018. The hunter was in forest service land in the northwestern portion of the county and found the remains in late November. Authorities searched the area and found additional remains as well as other evidence. They identified the victim, whose name has not been released, as someone reported missing in another county. They do not believe foul play was involved in the death.

Rosman receives pair of development grants

Transylvania County

The town of Rosman received a pair of grants from the Rural Transformation Grant program. A Resilient Neighborhoods grant of $450,000 will support plans to construct a 6-foot-by-120-foot pedestrian bridge across the French Broad River. This project is a part of a park master plan. A Rural Community Capacity grant of $49,999 will be used by the town to develop a master plan for a riverfront park downtown.

NC.GOV

handwrite each name on an ornament.

County gets two community enhancement grants

Franklin County

CBS 17

Franklin County and the town of Louisburg each received Community Enhancement grants from the Rural Transformation Grant program. The county was awarded $450,000 to support funding to acquire and clear property to house a new Emergency Management Warehouse giving the County a centralized location to store and distribute supplies needed for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as any other needed emergency response. Louisburg also received $450,000 to support the rehabilitation of a dilapidated former gas station/convenience store to create a public, multipurpose indoor/ outdoor venue. This project also represents a larger EPA Brownfields project to create a safe community space.

NC.GOV

The cause of the fire is under investigation and the children’s bodies will be sent to the medical examiner’s office.

5 sentenced to prison in $12M theology school fraud

Durham County

Five people who defrauded $12 million in federal student aid by enrolling sham theology students have been sentenced to prison terms ranging from three to nine years. Sandra Anderson, the 64-year-old who directed the Columbus campus of the nowdefunct Apex School of Theology, got nine years in prison. The school based in Durham closed after the indictments. Defendants admitted they recruited students to split “free money” from federal grants and loans.

The defendants then faked applications, grades and coursework. Of 602 students at the campus over eight years, 241 were involved in the fraud.

a music application called Songstagram. The scheme generated more than $30 million in revenue, much of which went to promoters at the top of the pyramid.

Hudson, McHenry sign on to list backing McCarthy

RALEIGH — Two high-ranking Republicans from North Carolina are part of a 54-member list of public supporters of California Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy in his bid to secure the votes needed to come the new U.S. House

“Kevin McCarthy will be the next Speaker of the House. He won the nomination with the support of an overwhelming majority of House Republicans. We need to move on to policy and oversight. Everyday we mess around with this, it’s one less day we are fighting the Biden Administration and getting on with our work on behalf of the American

people,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry, who earlier was named the new Financial Services Committee chairman. Axios reported the story Monday as a bid by McCarthy to go on offense against five Republican holdouts. Rep. Richard Hudson, who was chosen by the House Republican Conference to lead the NRCC in 2024, backs McCarthy as well.

“Kevin McCarthy is the only member that will be getting my vote for Speaker. On the first ballot and the last ballot, my vote is for Kevin. It’s time for the conference to get to work on behalf of the American people, and we’re going to do so under the leadership of Speaker Kevin O. McCarthy,” said Hudson in the letter.

AP

AP

Officials: NC deputy killed in hit-and-run crash

Cumberland County

A sheriff’s deputy was killed in a hit-andrun crash while investigating a robbery.

Cumberland County Sheriff’s deputies were investigating a robbery at a Fayetteville business when the crash occurred. As deputies returned from a canine track, one deputy was hit by a vehicle as he was walking. The driver of the vehicle left the scene but was found nearby. The injured deputy was taken to a hospital where he died. Officials identified the deputy who was killed as 24-year-old Deputy Oscar Yovani Bolanos-Anavisca Jr.

Muna tanker ship off Delaware’s coast. The sailboat was without fuel and power, and its radios and navigation equipment were inoperable.

RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation said it has submitted to state prosecutors the findings of its voter fraud probe into Mark Meadows, a former White House chief of staff to President Donald Trump, who was simultaneously registered to vote in North Carolina and two other states earlier this year.

The State Bureau of Investigation announced it has turned over the case file detailing its investigation into Meadows’ North Carolina voter registration and listed residence to Attorney General Josh Stein’s office. Prosecutors with the attorney general’s office will determine whether criminal charges are appropriate, the bureau said in a statement.

Meadows, a former Republican North Carolina congressman, was removed from the state’s voter rolls in April after Stein’s office asked the bureau to examine

his voter registration records. He had listed a mobile home Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, that he never owned as his physical address weeks before casting an absentee by-mail ballot in the state for the 2020 presidential election.

A representative for Meadows did not respond to a request for comment. Public records indicate Meadows registered to vote in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2021, a year after he registered in North Carolina and just weeks before Virginia’s pivotal gubernatorial election in which Gov. Glenn Youngkin became the first Republican to win statewide office in a dozen years.

Meadows subsequently registered to vote in South Carolina in March 2022 after he and his wife purchased a $1.6 million home on Lake Keowee, according to records for the address listed on their South Carolina voter registration forms. Stein’s office, which received the final case file from state investigators in November, declined to comment.

AP

AP

Man pleads guilty in 3-year-old girl’s death in 2017

Pender County

A man pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and felony intentional child abuse in the 2017 death of his then-girlfriend’s 3-year-old daughter. Adolphus Earl Kimrey II entered the plea in the death of Mariah Woods in Onslow County Superior Court and was sentenced to life without parole. Woods was found dead in Shelter Creek in Pender County days after she was reported missing. Kimrey said he was “deeply sorry for the pain and grief” he caused. Woods died from chloroform toxicity and Kimrey had used chloroform to put her to sleep because he was trying to get high.

By Matt Mercer North State Journal

RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper said on Friday, Dec. 16 he would appoint Allison Riggs to fill a vacancy on the North Carolina Court of Appeals.

Riggs, who has spent over 13 years with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, has no experience as a judge at any level. She joined the left-leaning activist organization after graduating law school at the University of Florida.

Cooper named her to fill the upcoming vacancy created by the election of Republican Richard Dietz to

the state’s Supreme Court.

“Allison Riggs is a brilliant attorney and an experienced litigator who has spent her career fighting for fairness and defending people’s constitutional rights,” Gov. Cooper said. “I am confident that she will continue to serve our state with distinction and be a great asset to the bench.”

Riggs currently serves as the Co-Executive Director and Chief Counsel for Voting Rights at the Southern Coalition for Social Justice. She worked with current Associate Justice Anita Earls at the organization and succeeded her as in the executive director role.

AP

AP

FOX CAROLINA

WLOS

North State Journal

The Associated Press

STATEment

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The miracle of the real Messiah’s birth

THE YEAR WAS 135 B.C. A huge double comet with curved tails, the Sinope Comet, appeared in the sky over Pontus, now Turkey. Surely magi must have come from the East and maybe the West, North and South to see what the heavens foretold in the birth of the infant in the House of King Mithradates V Euergetes.

Since 135 B.C., there have been more than 70 great comets visible to humans since the birth of Jesus, 26 of which have been Halley’s Comet.

Comets were viewed in the ancient world as signs a Savior-King had been born to lead a certain group of people to freedom from the yoke of their oppressors. People rejoiced everywhere ― except, of course, the ruling class of governments such as the Roman Empire who were terrified of the negative portents of such celestial events.

Not only were there two comets in the heavens over the infant Mithradates, but a lightning bolt hit his cradle and bounced off his forehead without killing him. It left a scar that looked like the Nike “swoosh” which only further enhanced the infant’s stature.

For all intents and purposes, Mithradates had all of the characteristics and tributes of a divinely appointed hero. Prophecies from Persian, Babylonian, Zoroastrianism and Egyptian oracles as well as Hebrew prophets often pointed to bright lights in the heavens leading to a redeeming savior.

If magi came to Pontus, they would have recognized almost immediately the baby Mithradates VI Eupator was not the Messiah they had hoped to find. Possibly the scar on the forehead gave it away since there was no mention of such a mark in the writings of the Jewish prophets. The magi probably just shook their heads slowly as they stroked their beards in deep thought, turned around and started the long trek back home to await the next blazing star in the heavens to point them to the next possible Savior-King who might be born.

Since 135 B.C., there have been more than 70 great comets visible to humans since the birth of Jesus, 26 of which have been Halley’s Comet. There may have been myriad star-led births such as Mithradates from the ancient world to modernity, most now lost to history.

There has been only one birth under such a celestial sign which is still remembered and celebrated today ― the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.

It is truly remarkable to remember and celebrate the birth of Jesus 2022 years later when most of the other prominent religions at the

time of his birth are now defunct and/or forgotten. Roman gods and goddesses such as Apollo and Minerva are remembered only if a middle school class curriculum includes mythology. Athena and Zeus from the Greek religion before then are remembered only when sculpture or art is on display.

There must be something authentic about the Christian faith which has allowed it to spread across the globe. Christianity is embraced by people of every race, language and culture in the world, unlike other religions which tend to be tied closely to one particular culture or area of geography.

Is it the promise of eternal life? His was the most radical revolution in human history, requiring oftentimes dramatic changes in personal behavior and prejudices. Love your enemies? Turn the other cheek? If someone sues for your shirt, give them the cloak off your back as well? In the ancient world filled with brutality where an eye-for-an-eye punishment and retribution were accepted as the norm, such words of hope, charity and love shined bright as the star underneath which Jesus was born.

Is it the Holy Spirit? Jesus promised He would send a Helper to His followers after He rose from the dead. Is that the reason why Christianity continues to spread and change people’s lives for the past two thousand years?

Mithradates was not the Savior-King for whom many prayed and hoped. Neither was Alexander, Julius Caesar, Darius of Persia or any other prophesied “chosen one” through history.

Christmas is more than a time to exchange presents with loved ones and drink eggnog. It is the time to consider whether you think the whole story about Jesus being the Savior is true or not. We can all thank God for such a choice.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

The good guys win in Christmas tree display dispute in Massachusetts

IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR when we hear scattered reports on the news about someone who has objected to a Christmas tree being displayed on public property either on grounds that it equates to government endorsement of a particular religion or because they find it “offensive.”

A similar situation played out earlier this month in Massachusetts, where Dedham Public Library branch supervisor Lisa Desmond posted a message on her Facebook page about how she had been informed that Christmas trees could not be put on display in the town’s two libraries because it was offensive to some people.

“I found out today that my beautiful library will not have [its] Christmas tree this year,” Desmond wrote. “Zero explanation. When I asked, I was told ‘people’ were made uncomfortable last year looking at it. I’m sorry WHAT? In my 28 years at the Dedham Public Library, I have never heard a negative comment.”

She went on to note that she was all about inclusivity and was disappointed that town officials apparently didn’t feel the same way.

As these things often go, the story got picked up nationally by Fox News and also received a fair amount of in-state coverage from Massachusetts-based media outlets.

Because there was so much pushback from residents and those from out of state who heard about the story, town officials in Dedham relented but insisted there was never any “ban” on Christmas tree displays at their libraries.

“At the Dedham Public Library we do our best to respect the wide variety of viewpoints and beliefs in our community, including those who choose to celebrate Christmas and other winter holidays,” a statement from the Town of Dedham read. “To be clear, there is no ban on Christmas at the Dedham library.

“Unfortunately, a recent social media post expressing disagreement with the decision to display a holiday tree at the library has quickly evolved into a polarized environment and has led to the harassment and bullying of town employees,” they wrote in another statement

issued not long after Dedham’s Facebook post went viral.

“We wholeheartedly condemn this behavior as it tears at the fabric of our community and cannot be tolerated.”

One resident who was extremely upset with the debate over the issue was Dedham Human Rights Commissioner Diane Loud, who zeroed in on Desmond and those who agreed with her in an expletive-filled rant that was the very definition of the “harassment and bullying” town leaders had accused the pro-Christmas tree display side of engaging in.

“Everyone will tell me that you are a selfish f***ing b*tch who does not care about anyone but herself. For a tree? For a motherf***ing TREE? You have put people’s lives in a lot of danger. A LOT of danger. For a motherf***ing Christmas tree,” Loud wrote in a Facebook comment section in response to the uproar.

She concluded by writing this: “In closing, I would like to add a F*** YOU, YOU PIECES OF TRASH. I hate each and every one of you and I do wish great suffering on you. You are terrible, terrible people. And you did it all because you didn’t get your way. You are despicable.”

Fortunately, Loud’s unhinged rant was not tolerated. She ended up resigning from her position on the Dedham HRC not long after posting it.

All of this goes to reaffirm that sometimes the good guys do win in these things as long as they are persistent and can get the right amount of publicity and pressure directed at the people in charge of making such decisions.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

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.

“We wholeheartedly condemn this behavior as it tears at the fabric of our community and cannot be tolerated.”

Medicaid expansion is leaving less for low-income children

Children are receiving a much smaller share of Medicaid resources in expansion states than they were before expansion, and we don’t see this pattern in states that opted not to expand Medicaid.

THE 2010 AFFORDABLE CARE Act (or ACA, widely nicknamed “Obamacare”) sought to expand health insurance coverage via a variety of methods, among them a dramatic expansion of Medicaid, the joint federal-state insurance program primarily serving low-income Americans. In a study we just published with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, we found that expansion has come with an apparent cost: specifically, shifting Medicaid program resources away from low-income children. Understanding this requires some familiarity with Medicaid and its recent expansion. Historically, Medicaid has provided health insurance coverage for certain low-income individuals, including children, pregnant women, parents and caretakers, as well as for aged and disabled Americans who were eligible for other forms of federal income assistance. The ACA sought to expand Medicaid coverage to include nonaged, non-disabled childless adults with incomes ranging up to 138% of the federal poverty line.

Though the ACA as originally enacted sought to make this Medicaid expansion mandatory, a 2012 Supreme Court decision rendered expansion optional for states. As a result, some states expanded Medicaid immediately on the earliest possible date of January 1, 2014, some expanded only later, and some have still not expanded. As of this writing, 39 states plus the District of Columbia have elected to expand, while 11 states, including North Carolina, have not.

Medicaid expansion under the ACA facilitated a dramatic increase in program enrollment. Today approximately 22% of all Medicaid enrollees under the age of 65 are enrolled because of the ACA. However, there has been no commensurate increase in the suppliers of Medicaid services. For example, only about 74% of physicians accepted Medicaid in the years following expansion, nearly the same percentage as before expansion.

With a much greater demand chasing a limited supply of Medicaid services, something had to give. That something, apparently, is the share of program resources allocated to health care for children.

In states that chose to forego expansion, there has been a remarkable consistency in the distribution of Medicaid spending. In these non-expansion states, the shares of program resources allocated respectively to children, the aged, the disabled, and to non-aged, non-disabled adults, were all almost exactly the same in 2019 as in 2013. Anywhere expansion has not been a factor, spending on each group has risen steadily and proportionally.

In expansion states, however, the situation has been quite different. These states have shifted Medicaid financial resources away from low-income children toward the non-aged, non-disabled adults who were the focus of expansion and for whom the federal government provides a much higher reimbursement rate.

In states that expanded in January 2014, per capita Medicaid spending on children was only 5.9% higher in 2019 than it was in 2013. That’s an annual increase of less than 1% per year. Contrast that with the 22.7% growth in per capita Medicaid spending on children in non-expansion states, or with the 27.0% growth in average per capita personal health care expenditures nationally, from 2013 to 2019. Per capita Medicaid spending on children in expansion states has grown less than one-third as fast as health spending has elsewhere.

We found other shifts in spending within expansion states, including slower growth of per capita spending on older or disabled adults coupled with faster growth of spending on younger, non-disabled adults. However, these shifts were smaller and less definitive than the striking differences with respect to children.

We stress that we do not know the reasons for these shifts in Medicaid resources. Nor can we say whether the shift in Medicaid’s financial resources has been accompanied by an equal shift in access to care. All we are able to say based on our own research is that children are receiving a much smaller share of Medicaid resources in expansion states than they were before expansion, and that we don’t see this pattern in states that opted not to expand Medicaid.

The history of federal policymaking is quite often a history of unintended consequences. The lawmakers who enacted the ACA clearly did not intend to shift Medicaid resources away from low-income children in the process of bringing millions of relatively higher-income childless adults onto the Medicaid rolls.

However, that’s what has happened in states that expanded Medicaid.

Whenever changes to Medicaid’s eligibility rules are considered, whether it’s a possible future expansion of Medicaid or a reconsideration of a recent expansion, it’s important to understand their effects on vulnerable Americans. Low-income children seem especially deserving of such consideration.

Charles Blahous is senior research strategist and Liam Sigaud is a research assistant with the Mercatus Center at George Mason University.

Kevin McCarthy: earning the speakership

THE EFFORT BY A HANDFUL of unhappy Republicans to blackmail the rest of the U.S. House Republican Conference is nothing new.

I faced similar efforts twice — in 1995 and 1997. Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan dealt with similar eruptions.

The record for this kind of struggle was set in the longest speaker election in House history when Nathaniel Banks was chosen in 1855 after 133 ballots. That agonizing fight took two months of voting. Imagine the C-SPAN audience it would have generated.

So, now, we have a new struggle between Speaker-designate Kevin McCarthy and the handful of members who are trying to take advantage of the narrow Republican majority by blackmailing their colleagues to get their way. It leaves me with a few questions.

I have been reading the news accounts and talking with people in the House, and I frankly can’t figure out what the blackmailers want.

I use the word blackmailers deliberately. They are trying to exploit the vulnerability of their House Republican colleagues to get what they want — even if it is not what the rest of the conference wants. They are not just shaking down McCarthy, they are shaking down their fellow House members who voted for him.

Remember that when members were asked on Nov. 15 to choose between McCarthy and Rep. Andy Biggs, the House Republican Conference voted 188 to 31 for McCarthy. That is an 85% majority. In most elections, that’s considered decisive. But not to the blackmailers.

In effect, this small band of self-righteous opportunists is signaling to their colleagues that any willful group can hold the entire majority ransom over any issue they want. This is a formula for disaster and would make governing impossible.

If McCarthy and the House GOP leadership caved to the first group of blackmailers, what would they do when the second, third and fourth groups showed up? If the hardline conservatives can blackmail the conference, then so can the moderates or any regional group (Californians, New Yorkers, Floridians, Ohioans and Texans). Each could form regional blackmail groups.

I also wonder what Biggs and the other blackmailers think they’ve done to earn the speakership. They challenge McCarthy’s leadership, yet he has campaigned more to create a Republican majority than anyone since Boehner in 2010. Since I spent 16 years working to grow the first House GOP majority in 40 years, I have a serious bias toward leaders who earn that position over members who just want it.

Let’s compare McCarthy’s efforts to earn the speakership and his competitor in the November conference, Biggs of Arizona.

Set aside the $500 million McCarthy and his allies raised during the 2022 campaign cycle. Some of the blackmailers seem to think that effort doesn’t count (it does) because he had the power of the conference (and they don’t).

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) used to call earmarks “the gateway drug to trillion-dollar spending bills.”

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT is running annual $1 trillion to $2 trillion budget deficits, which is more than the entire gross domestic product of most nations. But if you believed that Republicans would take a chainsaw to the budget (figuratively) and slash the waste from the federal budget, then to paraphrase the “Oliver Twist” character of Fagin, the miser, “I think you had better think it out again.”

So far, since the midterm elections, the Republicans in Congress seem to be doing just the opposite. The first decision by House Republicans when they learned they had won a slim majority of 222 to 213 was to bring back earmarks. These are bridges to nowhere, peanut subsidies and sports arenas for local professional teams paid for by federal taxpayers.

Some Republican lawmakers offer the excuse that it’s called bringing home the bacon to local constituents. But both parties apparently love to play Santa.

Republicans justify the slices of bacon on grounds that if they don’t carve out earmarks, Democratic President Joe Biden will choose how the money is spent. Why not just spend less money? The late, great Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) used to call earmarks “the gateway drug to trillion-dollar spending bills.” And, boy, was he ever right.

Even more preposterous is the size of this year’s $1.7 trillion “omnibus” spending bill for fiscal 2023 that Christmas-wraps hundreds upon hundreds of billions of congressional spending in one giant gift box to special interests — all with a bright red bow on top.

Few read what’s actually in the omnibus. And that’s the whole point. No one knows what’s in it. This way, the Congress critters can claim plausible deniability when they learn of the subsidies for wool farmers.

The current omnibus seems to be asexually reproducing as the size of the monster keeps getting bigger and bigger. Are Republicans really going to sign on to this “bipartisan” fiscal disaster? According to Heritage Foundation budget expert Matt Dickerson, it’s a real possibility. His numbers show that the lame-duck spending legislation may wind up spending more than the Biden administration’s inflationary American Rescue Plan, which cost $1.9 trillion.

Add to this subtotal pension bailout, tax extenders, more COVID-19 relief money and other odds and ends, and this congressional shopping spree and the omnibus becomes one of the most expensive budgets in American history.

What’s worse is that my congressional sources tell me Republicans are agreeing to the fire hose of federal spending as a “retirement gift” to Sen. Richard Shelby (RAL), who was first elected to the House in 1978 and to the Senate eight years later. Under the deal, Shelby gets some $600 million in bacon slabs for the state of Alabama. With this kind of money, they will have to rename Auburn the University of Richard Shelby. Wouldn’t it have been cheaper to simply build him a bronze statue? We have here what might be the most expensive “going away” present in American history.

This sounds a lot like Washington budgetbusting as usual. And there’s no pretense right now that either party cares too much about the hangover effect from binge spending.

Congress has approved some $5 trillion of debt spending since COVID-19 hit these shores. That’s more money adjusted for inflation than Washington spent to win World War II. Worse, COVID-19 is long over, but the debt spending isn’t slowing down a bit. Biden has spent at a more financially ruinous pace than any president in modern times. But even with COVID-19 long over, Congress isn’t pulling back. The new pandemic in America is runaway spending debt.

In a sane world, we would be searching under the sofa pillows for loose change and dollar bills to save money in bankrupt Washington.

Instead, the Biden Democrats — Tweedledee — and now the congressional Republicans — Tweedledum — have struck a bipartisan secret pact not to do anything about our national addiction to red ink.

Stephen Moore is a senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation and an economist with FreedomWorks. His latest book is “Govzilla: How the Relentless Growth of Government is Devouring our Economy.”

Remember that McCarthy’s leadership began with his amazing recruiting and support in the 2020 cycle. He shocked the experts who expected the House Republicans to lose 25 seats. Thanks to his leadership, Republicans won 14 seats. That was a swing of 39 seats from the predictions.

McCarthy has been the most aggressive recruiter in history. He has found and pulled in a historic number of new members — and significantly broadened the GOP. In the 2020 cycle, the House GOP had 228 women candidates and 192 minority candidates. By the 2022 cycle this had grown to 298 women candidates and 248 minority candidates, and 252 veterans. McCarthy’s commitment to a broader, more diverse, and open GOP is being translated into reality.

McCarthy united Republicans against the Democrats’ impeachment efforts and Jan. 6 show trials (putting Jim Jordan on the intel committee to fight them directly). Servicemembers are no longer under Joe Biden’s draconian vaccine mandates. Thanks to McCarthy, Reps. Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell and Ilhan Omar will not be serving on the intel committee after they have repeatedly lied to the American people. He’s made clear that he’s going to stop runaway spending — and he’s willing to use the debt ceiling to do so. And he’s personally argued against Biden’s spending agenda for eight-and-a-half hours on the House floor.

Perhaps most importantly — and the greatest indication that he deserves the speakership — McCarthy has brought together the largest Republican coalition than any speaker in modern history. Except for the blackmailers, Republicans are with him.

When asked for specific campaigns Biggs helped, we were told to look up the Federal Election Committee reports ourselves. Of course, those reports don’t show where Biggs campaigned, who else he helped get elected, or how many candidates he recruited.

You decide whether blackmail and opportunism top hard work and leadership to earn the speakership.

Let your representatives in the House GOP know your feelings.

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

Even Republicans are all in on Washington’s end-of-year spending

NATION & WORLD

Russia: US air defense systems could be targets in Ukraine

The Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Russia’s Foreign Ministry warned that if the U.S. delivers sophisticated air defense systems to Ukraine, those systems and any crews that accompany them would be a “legitimate target” for the Russian military, a blunt threat that was quickly rejected by Washington.

The exchange of statements reflected soaring Russia-U.S. tensions amid the fighting in Ukraine, which is now in its 10th month.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the U.S. had “effectively become a party” to the war by providing Ukraine with weapons and training its troops. She added that if reports about U.S. intentions to provide Kyiv with Patriot surfaceto-air missile system prove true, it would become “another provocative move by the U.S.” and broaden its involvement in the hostilities,

“entailing possible consequences.”

“Any weapons systems supplied to Ukraine, including the Patriot, along with the personnel servicing them, have been and will remain legitimate priority targets for the Russian armed forces,” Zakharova declared.

Asked about the Russian warning, Pentagon spokesman Air Force Gen. Pat Ryder responded that the U.S. was “not going to allow comments from Russia to dictate the security assistance that we provide to Ukraine.”

“I find it ironic and very telling that officials from a country that brutally attacked its neighbor — in an illegal and unprovoked invasion, through a campaign that is deliberately targeting and killing innocent civilians and destroying civilian infrastructure — that they would choose to use words like ‘provocative’ to describe defensive systems that are meant to save lives and protect civilians,”

Ryder said.

U.S. officials that Washington was poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles that have crippled much of the country’s vital infrastructure. An official announcement is expected soon.

Operating and maintaining a Patriot battery requires as many as 90 troops, and for months the U.S. has been reluctant to provide the complex systems because sending American forces into Ukraine to run them is a nonstarter for President Joe Biden’s administration.

Even without the presence of U.S. service members to train Ukrainians on use of the system, concerns remain that deployment of the missiles could provoke Russia or risk that a fired projectile could hit inside Russia and further

escalate the conflict.

Russia has repeatedly claimed that its forces struck Western-supplied weapons in Ukraine, but those statements have been impossible to verify.

Ukraine has so far been cautious in reacting to the reports.

Hanna Maliar, Ukraine’s deputy defense minister, told reporters that the delivery of such weaponry remains “sensitive not only for Ukraine, but for our partners,” and that only President Volodymyr Zelenskyy or Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov would make any official announcement on such an agreement.

White House and Pentagon leaders have said consistently that providing Ukraine with additional air defenses is a priority, and Patriot missiles have been under consideration for some time. As the winter closed in and the Russian bombardment of civilian infrastructure escalated, officials said, the idea became a higher priority.

Until now, the U.S. and other NATO allies have provided Ukraine with short- and medium-range air defense systems that can down Russian aircraft and drones but not ballistic and cruise missiles.

Anti-abortion priest Pavone defrocked by Vatican

The Associated Press

VATICAN CITY — The Vatican has defrocked an anti-abortion U.S. priest, Frank Pavone, for what it said were “blasphemous communications on social media” as well as “persistent disobedience” of his bishop who repeatedly told him to stop his partisan activism for Donald Trump.

A letter to U.S. bishops from the Vatican ambassador to the U.S., Archbishop Christophe Pierre, obtained Sunday, said that the decision against Pavone, who heads the anti-abortion group Priests for Life, had been taken Nov. 9, and that there was no chance for an appeal.

Pavone has been in conflict with the bishop of Amarillo, Texas, for over a decade over his pro-life and partisan political activities that came to a head in 2016 when he put an aborted fetus on an altar and posted a video of it on two social media sites. The video was accompanied by a post saying that Hillary Clinton and the Democratic platform would allow abortion to continue and that Trump and the Republican platform wanted to protect unborn children.

Even before then, Pavone successfully appealed 2011 restrictions on his ministry that Amarillo Bishop Patrick Zurek had placed on him.

Pavone remained a firm supporter of Trump and in 2020 disputed the outcome of the election won by Joe Biden. Ahead of the election, the Amarillo diocese denounced Pavone’s use of social

media for political ends, distanced the diocese from him and said his positions weren’t consistent with Catholic teaching.

Pavone relocated from Amarillo and was allowed to move to Colorado Springs, Colorado. His Twitter handle still features him wearing a “MAGA” hat with a background photo of former President Trump, who is praised by many conservatives for his Supreme Court nominees who helped overturn the constitutional right to abortion in the United States.

In a tweet Sunday, Pavone sounded defiant, comparing his fate to that of the unborn.

“So in every profession, including the priesthood, if you defend the #unborn, you will be treated like them! The only difference is that when we are ‘aborted,’ we continue to speak, loud and clear.”

He later appeared in a social media video wearing a black leather biker jacket over his priestly collar against a faux backdrop of St. Peter’s Basilica vowing that the anti-abortion “war” would continue and denouncing the “cancel culture” of the church that he said had persecuted him for decades.

In a statement on his Priest For Life website, he said that his laicization was “the result of an abusive process” and that he was con-

sidering unspecified legal action against unnamed U.S. bishops.

His supporters immediately denounced the defrocking, including the bishop of Tyler, Texas, Joseph Strickland, who referred to U.S. President Joe Biden’s support for abortion rights as “evil.”

“The blasphemy is that this holy priest is canceled while an evil president promotes the denial of truth & the murder of the unborn at every turn, Vatican officials promote immorality & denial of the deposit of faith & priests promote gender confusion devastating lives…evil,” Strickland tweeted.

In his letter, Pierre cited information from the Congregation for Clergy that Pavone had been laicized — he can no longer present himself as a priest — after being found guilty in a canonical proceeding “of blasphemous communications on social media and of persistent disobedience of the lawful instructions of his diocesan bishop.” The letter was first reported by Catholic News Agency.

The statement said Pavone was given “ample opportunity to defend himself” as well as to submit to his bishop. “It was determined that Father Pavone had no reasonable justification for his actions.”

The statement concluded that since Priests for Life is not a Catholic organization, it would be up to the group to determine whether he could continue his role “as a lay person.”

Laicization, or being reduced to the lay state, is one of the harshest sanctions in the church’s canon law for priests.

Recount confirms Lauren Boebert narrowly held House seat

Denver

An automatic recount confirmed Monday that Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert won her reelection bid against Democrat Adam Frisch. The nail-biter race showed the congresswoman’s combative style is wearying voters in her conservative Colorado district.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold announced the results Monday evening. Frisch netted a total of four votes in the recount, far from enough to close a 500-plus vote gap with Boebert.

Few expected the race to come down to such a narrow margin. In her first term in office, Boebert rocketed to national renown for her staunch support for former President Donald Trump, aggressive use of social media and willingness to engage in personal feuds with Democratic representatives.

Frisch ran against what her called her “ angertainment,” saying he wouldn’t back U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi as party leader and describing himself as a nonpartisan problem-solver.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

LA taps hotel rooms as estimated 40,000 people live homeless Los Angeles

The new mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, said Sunday her administration will start moving homeless people from tent encampments into hotels and motels through a new program that launched Tuesday.

Bass told NBC’s “Meet the Press” host, Chuck Todd, that her plan to move homeless people into rooms immediately will not “address everybody, but it is going to address, hopefully, a significant number.” She said people will not be forced to move, but that sanitation crews will stand by to clean up areas after people have left.

“But this is not coercing people. This is not ticketing people or incarcerating people. This is moving people from tents to hotels or motels,” she said.

On her first day as mayor of Los Angeles, Bass declared a state of emergency on homelessness. She vowed to get people housed and more housing built so that residents can see a real difference, which hasn’t been visible despite billions spent on programs to curb homelessness, including $1.2 billion in the current city budget.

An estimated 40,000 people are homeless in Los Angeles, a city of nearly 4 million. Homelessness is hugely visible throughout California with people living in tents and cars and sleeping outdoors on sidewalks and under highway overpasses.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

As Phoenix gets ready to host the Super Bowl, Mayor Kate Gallego announced Friday that Sky Harbor International Airport will be the first to offer the self-driving ride-hailing service Waymo.

“The future is here,” Gallego said at a news conference in front of the airport’s sky train station. “Phoenix is the first airport anywhere in the world to have autonomous service bringing people to our airport.”

A test group has been using Waymo vehicles from the station, which connects to the airport terminals, to downtown Phoenix since early November. The cars are electric Jaguar models.

Phoenix airport 1st to offer self-driving ride service Waymo Phoenix

AP PHOTO, FILE

Frank Pavone, head of Priests for Life, gives the Homily during a mass at Ave Maria University’s Oratory in Naples, Fla., in this 2009 file photo.

AP PHOTO, LIBKOS

Ukrainian soldiers fire a Pion artillery system at Russian positions near Bakhmut, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UNC hires Lindsey as new offensive coordinator, QB coach

Chapel Hill UNC has hired Chip Lindsey from Central Florida as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The school announced the hiring last Thursday, a week after Phil Longo said he would leave the Tar Heels to join the staff at Wisconsin along with offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr. Lindsey led an offense that ranked 26th in the Bowl Subdivision ranks in scoring (34.4) and 11th in total offense (480.6) last season at UCF. Previously, Lindsey coached at Auburn and Troy. He’ll inherit an offense that returns quarterback Drake Maye, named the ACC offensive player of the year by The Associated Press. The school also announced that Randy Clements would coach its offensive line after two years at North Texas.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

UNC, NC State move up in AP women’s poll

Indianapolis UNC and NC State both moved past Virginia Tech in The Associated Press women’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Tar Heels (9 -1) now rank sixth, one spot ahead of rival NC State, after routing South Carolina Upstate 89 - 47 in their one game last week. The Wolfpack picked up two wins last week, coasting past Davidson 81- 47 in their final nonconference game of the season and beating Clemson 77-59 in their ACC opener on Sunday to improve to 11-1. The Hokies slid to No. 8 after losing at home to No. 5 Notre Dame. South Carolina remained the unanimous No. 1 team, earning all 28 first-place votes. Stanford, Ohio State and Indiana rounded out the top four. Duke, which visits NC State on Thursday, received three votes. The Blue Devils (10 -1) have won five straight after losing to UConn on Nov. 25.

RUSTY JONES | AP PHOTO

Panthers struggling but control their destiny

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THE CAROLINA Panthers hit the closing stretch of the 2022 campaign in the only way this topsy-turvy season could possibly end — in all directions at once.

The Panthers clinched a losing record on the season with Sunday’s home loss to the Steelers, dropping to 5-9. So, naturally, they control their own destiny as they hold out hope for not just a playoff berth but the NFC South divisional title.

With Tampa Bay’s loss to the Bengals, the Panthers sit just a game out of first place in a threeway tie for second (and also last) place in the division. This is nothing new for the Panthers, who won the division with a 7-8-1 record in 2014, the year before they went to the Super Bowl.

That year, the Panthers closed with four straight wins to salvage a 3-8-1 start to the season. This year doesn’t have quite the same momentum, as Carolina has won just two of its last six games. The Panthers have already fired their coach and traded their top running back, then reversed course on what seemed like a preparation to tank for a better draft pick. Carolina has also cut its opening-day starting quarterback, acquired in a high-profile offseason deal.

Sunday’s loss brought back echoes of the darker days at the end of Matt Rhule’s tenure as coach. The last straw for man-

agement was a home loss to San Francisco in which Bank of America Stadium had more 49ers fans than Panther fans. When the Panthers hosted the Steelers in Week 15, it made that game look like a Carolina pep rally as the stadium was filled with black and gold-wearing, towel-waving Steelers fans who reacted to positive plays as if the game were in Pittsburgh.

“You know, I was focused on the game,” said interim coach Steve Wilks. “I really didn’t pay attention to it once I get in the mindset of game life. I’m not affected by it.”

Quarterback Sam Darnold also downplayed the crowd, saying, “It didn’t affect us at all. I think that the way that our guys were able to just focus on what we could control, which is going out there and executing. Obviously, we didn’t do enough of that, but the crowd didn’t have a factor in it. I was able to use my cadence, we didn’t have to go silent. So, yeah, it wasn’t a factor in that area.”

In addition to the crowd, the Panthers suffered another indignity in the game when they appeared to be the far less physical team. Particularly under Wilks, the team had been exhibiting toughness and grit as it fought to salvage a season from the potential temptation to tank. That was absent on Sunday as the Steelers opened the second half with a 21-play, 91-yard drive that took nearly the entire third quarter, running 11:43 off the clock. The team couldn’t find a longer drive surrendered by the Panthers in at least the last 20 years.

“It’s a long drive,” said defensive

North Carolina college basketball power rankings

Most programs in the state should like where they are heading into conference play

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THE HOLIDAYS mean a transition in the college basketball season. With the new year, and new semester for 19 Division 1 colleges in North Carolina, comes conference play.

Some teams in the state have already gotten a head start on conference games, but when the calendar changes to 2023, it will be a steady diet of conference foes for the bulk of the remaining regular season.

Here’s a look at where the teams in the state stand as we begin Phase II of the season — the North Carolina men’s basketball power rankings.

1. Duke (10-2, 1-1 ACC, No. 14 in KenPom)

The Blue Devils are young, and the large freshman class is still finding its footing after a late start due to injury. But Dereck Lively and Dariq Whitehead appear on the verge of joining Kyle Filipowski to give Duke a 1-23 punch from the newcomers.

2. UNC (8-4, 1-1 ACC, No. 19)

4. Wake Forest (8-4, 0-1 ACC, No. 91)

The Deacs have been inconsistent, earning wins over Georgia and at Wisconsin. They’ve also had blowout losses by 20 at Clemson and 24 at Rutgers. Wake has a balanced attack with four double-digit scorers, and a large number of newcomers should jell as the year goes on.

105. Charlotte (9-2, 0-0 CUSA, No. 107)

Wins for NC State in its first 13 games this season, one shy of the total the Wolfpack had last season when they went 11-21.

The 49ers take a fivegame winning streak into Thursday’s conference opener. Their nonconference includes a Quad I win against Boise State and a Quad II win at Davidson. They run the second slowest tempo in the country and foes are shooting less than 40% against them, so the 49ers have taken to coach Ron Sanchez’s UVA-style defense.

6. Davidson (7-4, 0-0 A-10, No. 124)

The Tar Heels suffered through a four-game losing streak that had coach Hubert Davis calling the players soft and more interested in their NIL deals. The ship appears to have been righted recently, and the team hopes to come together late in the year as it did following a similarly rocky start last season.

With Armando Bacot, Caleb Love and RJ Davis, they have the most veteran talent of anyone in the state.

3. NC State (10-3, 0-2 ACC, No. 54)

Yes, the Wolfpack have dropped their first two ACC games, but State looks leaps and bounds better than last year’s 20-loss squad.

Their most impressive outing might be a loss, 69-61 to topranked Purdue, but the Wildcats are off to a strong start in their first year post-Bob McKillop. Davidson is 0-3 in Quad I and II games, and eight of their last nine games have been decided by 10 points or fewer, so it’s shaping up to be a white-knuckle year.

7. UNC Wilmington (9-3, 0-0 CAA, No. 122)

The Seahawks had a death march to start the season, losing to No. 1 UNC, Oklahoma and UConn, all on the road, in their first four games. They’ve won eight straight since, including a Quad II win over North Texas.

The team can earn an unlikely playoff spot by winning out to close a wild season

Terquavion Smith is joined by Jarkel Joiner and Casey Morsell to give the Pack three scoring threats and outside shooters. State put a scare into Kansas, losing by six, and will be springing some upsets in ACC play.

CHRIS SEWARD | AP PHOTO

Armando Bacot and UNC beat in-state foe UNC Wilmington 69-56 in their season opener Nov. 7, part of a difficult early-season schedule for the Seahawks, who have since won eight straight.

Quarterback Sam Darnold and the Panthers’ playoff hopes took a hit after Sunday’s home loss to Pittsburgh.

TRENDING

Braxton Harris:

The Campbell associate coach was named head football coach at Houston Christian. He becomes only the second coach for the FCS program that was known as Houston Baptist until a name change in September. Harris spent the last two seasons with the Camels, where he also served as linebackers coach and recruiting coordinator. The 38‑year‑old Texas native previously was head coach at Howard Payne from 2017‑19. Vic Shealy resigned last month after a decade as the school’s only head football coach.

Dean Pees:

The Falcons defensive coordinator has been released from a hospital and cleared to fly home with the team following a pregame collision that resulted in the 73‑year‑old being taken from the stadium by ambulance. Pees was run into by Saints returner Rashid Shaheed, who was trying to field a punted ball during warmups. It appeared that Pees’ head was struck by Shaheed’s helmet in the collision. Frank Bush served as interim defensive play‑caller for Sunday’s game.

Amar’e Stoudemire:

The former NBA star is facing a misdemeanor battery charge after police say he punched his teenage daughter in the face. Court records show the former Suns and Knicks player was arrested early Sunday and later released on $1,500 bond. A police report says he punched the girl after he accused her of being disrespectful to his mother during a phone call. The report did not say if he allegedly hit his 14 or 17 year old daughter.

Beyond the box score

MLB

POTENT QUOTABLES

27Rebounds for Nuggets center Nikola Jokic during Denver’s 119‑115 win over Charlotte on Sunday, the fourth most against the Hornets franchise.

Jokic finished with a triple‑double, joining Wilt Chamberlain as the only players with at least 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in an NBA game.

Dennis Rodman holds the record for the most rebounds against the Hornets, grabbing 32 in 1992 with the Pistons.

TRACK & FIELD

a $162 million, six‑year

a 2.88

U.S. sprinter Randolph Ross has been banned for three years for whereabouts failures and faking an email to anti‑doping authorities. The back‑to‑back NCAA champion from North Carolina A&T will be suspended until June 30, 2025, meaning he’ll be ineligible for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ross had been provisionally suspended on July 16.

Former NC State pitcher Carlos Rodón agreed to

contract with the Yankees last week. Rodón went 14‑8 this year with

ERA in his lone season with San Francisco, setting career highs for wins, starts (31), innings (178) and strikeouts (237) while earning his second straight All‑Star selection. Rodón pitched three seasons with the Wolfpack and was the third overall pick by the White Sox in the 2014 MLB Amateur Draft.

PAUL BEATY | AP PHOTO

A week after lobbying for more playing time on Twitter, Bengals linebacker Germaine Pratt had nine tackles, two pass defenses and an interception of Tampa Bay quarterback Tom Brady in Cincinnati’s 34‑23 win over the Buccaneers. A 2019 third‑round pick out of NC State, Pratt’s rookie contract is up after this season.

NFL

EMILEE CHINN | AP PHOTO

Hornets star point guard LaMelo Ball returned to the lineup last Wednesday and has played four games after missing the previous 11 games with a reinjured left ankle. Ball has played in just seven of Charlotte’s 31 games this season after missing the team’s first 13 games due to an ankle injury suffered in the preseason.

NBA

RANDALL BENTON | AP PHOTO

“My team believed in me.”

NC State forward D.J. Burns Jr. after he had season‑highs

of

18 points

and

nine rebounds in the Wolfpack’s win over Vanderbilt on Sunday.

“I don’t want anybody in this building talking playoffs.”

Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks following Carolina’s 24‑16 home loss Sunday to the Steelers.

JACOB KUPFERMAN | AP PHOTO

PHOTO COURTESY OF NC STATE

MARTIN MEISSNER | AP PHOTO

PRIME NUMBER

WORLD CUP

Legacy cemented: Messi wins World Cup, Argentina beats France on penalties

By Steve Douglas The Associated Press

LUSAIL, Qatar — Lionel Messi, wearing a black Qatari robe over his blue-and-white Argentina shirt, kissed the World Cup, shuffled toward his teammates and hoisted the golden trophy high in the air.

It was an iconic sight that finally — definitively — places the soccer superstar in the pantheon of the game’s greatest players.

Messi’s once-in-a-generation career is complete: He is a World Cup champion.

In probably the wildest final in the tournament’s 92-year history, Argentina won its third World Cup title by beating France 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 3-3 draw featuring two goals from the 35-year-old Messi and a hat trick by his heir apparent, France forward Kylian Mbappé.

“It’s just crazy that it became a reality this way,” Messi said. “I craved for this so much. I knew God would bring this gift to me. I had the feeling that this (World Cup) was the one.”

Amid the chaos inside Lusail Stadium, Mbappé did all he could to emulate Brazil great Pelé as a champion at his first two World Cups, even scoring the first hat trick in a final since Geoff Hurst for England in 1966.

It wasn’t enough.

Now there’s no debate. Messi joins Pelé — a record three-time World Cup champion — and Diego Maradona, the late Argentina great with whom Messi is so often compared, in an exclusive club of the best soccer players of all time.

Who is the greatest? It’s a discussion that will rage forever because there can never be a definitive answer. Messi has put up a good argument, though, and — with the World Cup title on his resume — he is surely above Cristiano Ronaldo as the best player of his generation.

Messi achieved what Maradona did in 1986 and dominated a World Cup for Argentina. He scored seven goals and embraced the responsibility of leading his team out of those dark moments after a shocking 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

Playing in the spirit of Maradona, Messi coupled his dazzling skills with rarely seen aggression and led Argentina to the title by becoming the first man in a single edition of the World Cup to score in the group stage and then in every round of the knockout stage.

The torch will one day pass to Mbappé, but not just yet.

“Let’s go, Argentina!” Messi roared into a microphone on the

field in the post-match celebrations after playing in a record 26th World Cup match.

Later, he said: “I can’t wait to be in Argentina to witness the insanity of this.”

Messi had a tantalizing glimpse of the 18-carat gold World Cup trophy when walking on the stage to collect the Golden Ball, awarded to the player of the tourna-

Best and worst of the World Cup

Biggest flop

ment. He even kissed the World Cup and rubbed it repeatedly.

He got his hands on it for good about 10 minutes later, after a ceremonial robe — a bisht — was draped over his shoulders by Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. And, oh, did he enjoy the moment, celebrating with his family and the teammates who put Argentina atop the soc -

cer world for the first time since the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. The country’s other title came in 1978 on home soil.

Messi was in scintillating form from the start of the final, putting Argentina ahead from the penalty spot after Angel Di Maria was tripped and later playing a part in a flowing team move that resulted in Di Maria making it 2-0 after 36 minutes.

Mbappé, on the other hand, was anonymous until bursting into life by scoring two goals in a 97-second span — one an 80th-minute penalty, the other a volley from just inside the area after a quick exchange of passes — to take the game to extra time at 2-2.

Messi still had plenty of energy and he was on hand to tap in his second goal in the 108th minute, with a France defender clearing the ball just after it had crossed the line. Argentina was on the brink of the title once again, but there was still time for anoth-

er penalty from Mbappé, after a handball, to take the thrilling game to a shootout.

“We managed to come back from the dead,” said France coach Didier Deschamps, whose team was looking to become the first back-to-back champions since Brazil in 1962.

Mbappé and Messi took their teams’ first penalties and scored. Kingsley Coman had an attempt saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emi Martinez and Aurelien Tchouameni then missed for France, giving Gonzalo Montiel the opportunity to end it. He converted the penalty to the left and sparked wild celebrations.

“The match was completely insane,” said Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who was asked if he had a message for Maradona, who died two years ago.

“If he had been here, he would have enjoyed it so much,” Scaloni said. “He would have been the first person on the field (to celebrate). I wish he’d have been here to enjoy the moment.”

Europe’s run of four straight World Cup winners, dating to 2006, came to an end. The last South American champion was Brazil, and that was also in Asia — when Japan and South Korea hosted the tournament in 2002.

In Qatar, Argentina backed up its victory from last year’s Copa America, its first major trophy since 1993. It’s quite the climax to Messi’s international career, which is not over just yet. He said after the match that he would continue to play with the national team.

It was quite a final for a unique World Cup — the first to be played in the Arab world.

For FIFA and the Qatari organizers, a final between two major soccer nations and the world’s two best players represented a perfect way to cap a tournament laced in controversy ever since the scandal-shrouded vote in 2010 to give the event to a tiny Arab emirate.

The years-long scrutiny since has focused on the switch of dates from the traditional June-July period to November-December, strong criticism of how migrant workers have been treated, and then unease about taking soccer’s biggest event to a nation where homosexual acts are illegal.

On Sunday, there was one narrative at play for most people: Could Messi do it?

He could, despite the 23-yearold Mbappé doing all he could to deny his Paris Saint-Germain teammate. Finishing the tournament as the top scorer with eight goals is likely only a crumb of comfort.

Messi has been a man on a mission in the Middle East, determined to erase memories of his only other World Cup final — in 2014 when Argentina lost to Germany 1-0 and Messi squandered a great chance in the second half.

On that night at the Maracana Stadium, Messi stared down at that golden World Cup trophy that escaped him.

Eight years later, he raised it aloft in the biggest moment of a career like no other.

By Steve Douglas The Associated Press

DOHA, Qatar — After 64 matches, 172 goals and one of the best finals in history, the 2022 World Cup is over.

Argentina is the champion for the third time after beating France in a penalty shootout. Lionel Messi finally has his hands on the golden trophy that had long eluded him.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights of the tournament — and the low points.

Best player

Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. He has never played better at a World Cup, scoring seven goals, providing three assists and being Argentina’s star player in all seven of its matches. He has also made a record 26 appearances at the World Cup to break Lothar Matthaus’ record.

Messi definitively joins Pelé and Diego Maradona in the pantheon of soccer’s greatest players.

Considering his name and profile, and the drama he had created by an explosive pre-tournament interview, Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could hardly have had a worse tournament. OK, he converted a penalty against Ghana to become the first man to score at five different World Cups, but nothing else went right for the player currently without a club. He tried — and failed — to claim a headed goal against Uruguay, showed a bad attitude after being substituted against South Korea to the annoyance of his coach, then was benched against Switzerland and Morocco in the knockout stage. He wept after Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Morocco that ended his World Cup career, and he finished the tournament with only the one goal.

Best match

Argentina was involved in the best two. First, the team’s quarterfinal match against the Netherlands had it all — goals, gamesmanship, late drama through a goal in the 11th minute of stoppage time to make it 2-2, a penalty shootout, a World Cup-record 17 yellow cards and a red card after the whistle. There was even the sight of Messi

breaking off from his post-match on-field interview to shout abuse at a Netherlands player: “What are you looking at, stupid?” Then came the final at the same Lusail Stadium, which might have just topped it.

Most disappointing team

Belgium arrived as the second-ranked team and with some of the most famous players in the world. They scored one goal, didn’t get out of their group and coach Roberto Martinez left his role. Germa-

Best fans

Morocco’s for the noise, Argentina’s for the pure passion, and Japan’s

way

Best quote

The 35-year-old scored twice to overcome Kylian Mbappé’s hat trick

Qatar saved the best for last with a scintillating final

ny exiting from the group stage for the second straight World Cup is a close second.

for the

they tidy up after themselves.

“I had the feeling that this was the one.” — Lionel Messi after winning the World Cup for the first time.

MARTIN MEISSNER | AP PHOTO

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, center, celebrates with the trophy in front of the fans after winning the World Cup final between Argentina and France on Sunday in Lusail, Qatar.

ARIEL SCHALIT | AP PHOTO

Charlotte FC’s Karol Swiderski, center, duels for the ball with Cristian Romero, left, and Rodrigo De Paul during Poland’s World Cup match against Argentina on Nov. 30 in Doha, Qatar.

MARTIN MEISSNER | AP PHOTO

Haji Wright is comforted after losing the United States lost its World Cup round of 16 soccer match to the Netherlands on Dec. 3.

“I can’t wait to be in Argentina to witness the insanity of this.”

Lionel Messi

World Cups in which Cristiano Ronaldo has scored, the most ever

Staal the right captain at the right time for Hurricanes

JORDAN STAAL’S first turn at being captain of the Hurricanes didn’t go all that well.

It certainly wasn’t his fault. Since-disgraced coach Bill Peters split the duties between Staal and Justin Faulk by creating a bizarre co-captaincy that ensured neither would lead the locker room, all while Justin Williams — who was brought back to the franchise that summer specifically to inject a winning attitude and accountability — was left without a letter at all.

It was the beginning of the end for both Peters, who resigned after the season, and GM Ron Francis, who was demoted in March 2018 and let go altogether the next month.

Williams was rightfully installed as captain the following season, and the team — led by new coach Rod Brind’Amour — returned to the postseason for the first time in a decade and made an improbable run to the Eastern Conference Final.

When Williams didn’t return for the start of the next season while weighing retirement, Brind’Amour looked to Staal for the captaincy.

In an era when NHL captains are often the team’s top scorer — or at least once were — or a No. 1 defenseman, Staal is a throwback.

He’s not a veteran superstar in the twilight of his career like Dave Andreychuk on Tampa Bay’s 2004 Stanley Cup winner or an adversary whose brutality strikes fear into opponents like Devils defenseman and two-time Cup captain Scott Stevens.

Sunday’s game against the Penguins showed everyone exactly who the 34-year-old Staal is.

In the third period with Carolina trailing 2-1, Staal won a board battle at the end of his shift and then created the screen that led to Brady Skjei’s tying goal.

“He’s usually there,” Skjei said of Staal being the screen on his goal, “and he’s a big body, so I’m not surprised that the goalie couldn’t see that one.”

He then scored the game-winner, cycling with linemate Jordan Martinook before finishing off a Jesper Fast pass.

“That’s what he does,” Brind’Amour said. “I don’t know what else to say. … You think of how they score, and that’s kind of how it goes.”

Then with Pittsburgh goalie Casey DeSmith on the bench for an extra attacker, Staal — who had uncharacteristically lost 10 of 15 faceoffs on the night — won four straight defensive zone draws against former teammate Sidney Crosby. Crosby, by the way, has taken more offensive zone faceoffs (3,605) than any other player since the 2017-18 season, winning more than 56% of them.

“You know when it counts that’s when Jordo comes up big,” Brind’Amour said.

It’s all in a day’s work for Staal, whose offensive numbers (eight goals and 12 points this season) never pop off the page but his contributions go well beyond the scoresheet.

“Jordo’s a beast,” forward Derek Stepan said after the win. “There’s no secret. He’s played a really long time. You look at his game and not only is his goal big and the faceoffs are big, but on (Skjei’s) goal I think it was a 1-on-3. And he’s able to take a hit, puck gets out to Skjeisy, it’s in the back of the net, it’s a tie game. And those are the things that our group follows and that’s why he’s our leader.”

Which brings us back to why Staal is the perfect captain for the Hurricanes. Staal’s leadership is exhibited in his day-to-day actions.

Even in his 17th season, Staal is among the most in-shape players on the team and one of the toughest to play against in the league.

“He’s hard to play against,” Skjei said. “I’ve been on the other side of it. It’s not fun playing against him.”

That’s reminiscent of the only player to captain the Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup — the famously fit and consistent Brind’Amour.

Bob Gainey also comes to mind when comparing Staal to past players. Gainey won four straight Stanley Cups from 1976-79 as a player with the Canadiens, the defensive bedrock of a forward group loaded with offensive talent.

He also won four straight Selke trophies from 1978-81, second only to Patrice Bergeron’s five, and then in 1982 was named Montreal captain following Serge Savard’s retirement.

In 1986 — no longer at the peak of his defensive powers — he led the Habs to the Stanley Cup, scoring three game-winning goals while claiming his fifth and final championship.

Both Gainey and Brind’Amour had the help of a rookie goaltender — Patrick Roy for Montreal and Cam Ward for Carolina — in their Cup captaincy season, and Staal may very well have to lean on rookie Pyotr Kochetkov if the Hurricanes are going to make a run to the second title in franchise history.

As Gainey and Brind’Amour proved, it doesn’t take a Gretzky or Messier, a Cournoyer or Beliveau to be a Cup-winning captain. It takes a player who knows how to lead the way with his own style.

And as Crosby and the Penguins learned Sunday, when Jordan Staal wants something, it’s hard to keep him from getting it.

NC Central spoils Deion’s Jackson State finale, wins Celebration Bowl in OT

Hagler’s drop on third down from the 1 set up an incompletion by Jackson State quarterback Shedeur Sanders to end the game.

By Charles Odum The Associated Press

ATLANTA — Deion Sanders was sentimental before his final game at Jackson State, and those emotions grew after coming up short in the Celebration Bowl for the second straight year.

Quarterback Davius Richard ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns, including a 1-yard scoring plunge in overtime, and North Carolina Central beat Jackson State 41-34 on Saturday in the Celebration Bowl to spoil Sanders’ bid for an undefeated season in his farewell.

It was the second consecutive season that Sanders’ Tigers were favored before losing in the game regarded as the championship of teams from historically black colleges and universities.

“I feel like we’ve won, but we didn’t win that game,” said Sanders, who now will devote his full attention to his new job as Colorado’s coach. He was tearful in a pregame speech to his players.

“I miss these guys already. I love them,” Sanders said after the game.

The Eagles’ defense made a goal-line stand on Jackson State’s first possession in overtime to preserve the win. Tight end Hayden

Sanders’ 19-yard touchdown pass to Travis Hunter as time expired in regulation set up Alejandro Mata’s tying extra point to send the game to overtime. It was the fourth scoring pass of the game for Sanders, who also ran for a touchdown.

Jackson State (12-1) was denied its bid for the first undefeated season in school history. Deion Sanders wanted to finish the season with his Tigers first before taking over at Colorado. Shedeur Sanders will accompany his father to Boulder.

The win by NC Central (10-2) gave the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference a 6-1 edge over teams from the Southwestern Athletic Conference in the Celebration Bowl.

Eagles coach Trei Oliver said he hopes the victory gives more respect to the MEAC and North Carolina Central after all the pregame attention was on “Coach Prime” and Jackson State.

“They had a chip on their shoulder,” Oliver said of his players. “The disrespect was real since we’ve been down here.”

Latrell Collier’s 7-yard scoring run with 4:31 remaining gave NCCU the lead. The Tigers answered with a 15-play drive that included Sanders’ 10-yard, fourthdown pass to T.J. Martin.

“They had a chip on their shoulder. The disrespect was real since we’ve

CFB from page B1

8. East Carolina (8-4, 0-0 AAC, No. 200)

The Pirates are 0-3 against Quad I and II teams, and their most impressive win is over Toledo. The analytics aren’t fond of ECU, so there might be a crash to earth coming once the American Conference schedule starts.

9. Queens (9-2, 0-0 ASun, No. 187)

The newcomers to Division I are off to a running start. The Royals opened with a Quad II win over Marshall and have also beaten 8-3 High Point. The Royals won four straight and are led by Kenny Dye and AJ McKee, as well as Gavin Rains on the boards.

10. High Point (8-3, 0-0 Big South, No. 192)

Two of the Panthers’ three losses have been to Quad I foes, at UNLV and at UNC Wilmington. They hold a Quad II win at Furman. Queens was the only other foe they’ve played ranked in the top 200, and High Point lost by 8.

11. Appalachian State (7-5, 0-0 Sun Belt, No. 211)

Get the antacid ready. The Mountaineers are 4-5 in games decided by 10 points or less, including a one-point loss at Wake Forest. They also have a one-point win over Louisville. Their wins include three non-Division I teams and four Quad IV games, so App has not posted a resume-building win yet.

12. UNC Asheville (8-4, 0-0 Big South, No. 206)

The numbers say that a downturn may be on the horizon for the Bulldogs in conference play. They hold a Quad I win at UCF, however, which is one more than most other teams in these rankings can boast.

13. UNC Greensboro (6-6, 0-0 SoCon, No. 157)

Analytics like UNCG much more than their .500 record so far. The Spartans played Miami and Arkansas tough on the road and have a win over Marshall, but the

Spartans also have two wins over non-DI foes boosting their record.

14. Western Carolina (6-6, 0-0 SoCon, No. 293)

The Catamounts are more than 130 spots lower in KenPom than UNCG, which is in the same conference and has the same record. Western has losses at Maryland and Davidson and was taken to overtime by Lamar and Lindenwood, who are a combined 9-14, but WCU still seems to be getting shortchanged a bit.

15. NC Central (5-7, 0-0 MEAC, No. 201)

LeVelle Moton’s teams always seem to have so-so regular season records then emerge at tournament time. This year is no exception. The Eagles are battle-toughened with games at Virginia, Marquette and LSU.

16. Campbell (5-6, 0-0 Big South, No. 224)

The Camels have boosted their record with two non-Division I wins, but they also played NC State to within six on the road and have a road win over App and a neutral site win over Kennesaw State.

17. NC A&T (5-6, 0-0 CAA, No. 265)

The Aggies’ 5-6 record is misleading since the losses include road games at Iowa, Iowa State and Houston while the wins include non-DI Edward Waters, St. Andrews and Greensboro College. Aside from that, they have two Quad IV wins and three Quad III losses, so they’re an unknown quantity heading into the CAA conference slate.

18. Gardner Webb (4-7, 0-0 Big South, No. 181)

The Bulldogs opened with four road games and lost them all, including by two at Colorado State and six at UNC. They also lost by one at Old Dominion.

19. Elon (2-10, 0-0 CAA, No. 343)

The Phoenix’s only wins thus far have been over Division II Erskine and Division III Johnson & Wales, Charlotte. Six of their 10 losses have been by double-digits, and they’re 0-5 against teams ranked

Richard passed for 177 yards with a touchdown and showed his versatility on a three-play drive for the game’s first touchdown. He had a 21-yard run, a 30-yard catch on a trick play and a 5-yard scoring run that gave the Eagles a 10-0 lead.

Sanders quickly showed he also boasts dual-threat skills as Jackson State outscored NC Central 21-7 for the remainder of the half.

Sanders completed 13 of 14 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns and had four carries for 34 yards with another score in the half, giving the Tigers a 21-17 lead.

A fake punt early in the second half helped the Eagles reclaim the lead. Tight end Kyle Morgan took the snap on the fake punt and ran 43 yards to the Jackson State 24.

Richard’s 12-yard scoring pass to Quentin Mcall gave NC Central a 23-21 lead following Adrian Olivo’s missed extra point.

Olivo’s 21-yard field goal late in the third quarter pushed the lead to five points.

PANTHERS from page B1

end Brian Burns. “Fatigue sets in, things like that. It’s just tough when they keep converting. … I didn’t know that they took the whole third quarter. I wasn’t aware.”

For the game, the Steelers converted 12 of 16 third downs, while the Panthers managed just four of 11, including just one of their last seven attempts.

“Starting with the defense, with our run fits, you know, 157 yards rushing. Definitely not good enough,” Wilks said. “On the offensive side of the ball, we couldn’t create any momentum. Didn’t establish the run game at all. We’ve got to do a much better job in our protection and giving Sam an opportunity to be able to go through his progressions to get down the field.

“Third down was horrendous, to say the least, on both sides. We were … not good enough in regards to affecting time of possession which they had 36 minutes to our 23 and it all results with that.”

Now the Panthers have a short week before hosting the Lions on Christmas Eve in what amounts to a must-win game in a divisional race that someone must win, right?

Not that the playoff push will be a focus for a Panthers team who has far bigger problems to address.

“Not worrying about ([layoffs) last week,” said Wilks, “not worrying about it now. We’ve got to worry about trying to get ourselves right to win a football game. I don’t want anybody in this building talking playoffs.”

In a season like this one has been, that might be just the attitude that gets the Panthers there.

Davius Richard led the Eagles to a win in Atlanta

been down here.”

Trei Oliver, NC Central football coach

HAKIM WRIGHT SR. | AP PHOTO

NC Central quarterback Davius Richard jumps over Jackson State safety Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig during the Eagles’ overtime win in the Celebration Bowl on Saturday in Atlanta.

It’s all in a day’s work for Staal, whose offensive numbers never pop off the page but his contributions go well beyond the scoresheet.

land’s Prince George’s County.

In September, the General Services Administration issued a site selection plan based on five criteria, the most heavily weighted at 35% was proximity to the FBI training academy in Quantico, Virginia. Advancing equity was weighted at 15%.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., said at a recent forum that a Biden executive order early in his administration emphasized that the issue of racial equity is not just an issue for any one department, but it has to be the business of the whole government.

“I would submit that the GSA and the FBI clearly haven’t gotten the message, given the low weight they’ve given to this factor,” Van Hollen said.

A Senate Democratic aide familiar with the negotiations said Schumer worked to incorporate language in the spending bill ensuring the GSA administrator conduct “separate and detailed consultations” with lawmakers representing the Maryland and Virginia sites to get their perspectives.

Lawmakers are nearing completion of the 2023 spending package nearly three months late. It was supposed to be finished by last Oct. 1, when the government’s fiscal year began.

The last time Congress enacted all its spending bills by then was in 1996, when the Senate finished its work on Sept. 30, the very last day of the budget year. Then-President Bill Clinton signed it that same day.

The Senate is expected to vote on the spending bill first where support from at least 10 Republican senators will be needed to pass it before the measure is considered by the House. As has been the case with recent catchall spending bills, lawmakers voiced concerns about passing legislation containing thousands of pages on short notice.

“We still haven’t seen a single page of the Pelosi-Schumer spending bill, and they’re expecting us to pass it by the end of this week,” tweeted Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla. “It’s insane.”

Wells Fargo to pay $3.7B over consumer law violations

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer banking giant Wells Fargo agreed to pay $3.7 billion to settle a laundry list of charges that it harmed consumers by charging illegal fees and interest on auto loans and mortgages, as well as incorrectly applied overdraft fees against savings and checking accounts.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Tuesday ordered Wells to repay $2 billion to consumers and enacted a $1.7 billion penalty against the bank. It’s the largest fine to date against any bank by the CFPB and the largest fine against Wells, which has spent years trying to rehabilitate itself after a series of scandals tied to its sales practices.

Regulators made it clear, however, that they believe Wells Fargo had not done enough to clean up its act.

“Put simply: Wells Fargo is a corporate recidivist that puts one out of three Americans at risk for potential harm,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, in a call with reporters.

Chopra said this pattern of behavior made make it necessary

for regulators to take additional actions against Wells Fargo that goes beyond the $3.7 billion in fines and penalties.

The bureau says bank’s violations impacted more than 16 million customers. In addition to improperly charging its auto loan customers with fees and interest, in some cases the bank wrongfully repossessed borrowers’ vehicles. The bank also improper-

ly denied thousands of mortgage loan modifications to homeowners.

Wells Fargo has been repeatedly sanctioned by U.S. regulators for violations of consumer protections law going back to 2016, when Wells employees were found to have opened millions of accounts illegally in order to meet unrealistic sales goals. Since then, Wells executives have repeated-

ly said the bank is cleaning up its act, only to have the bank be found in violation of other parts of consumer protection law, including in its auto and mortgage lending businesses.

Back in 2018, Wells paid a $1 billion penalty to cover widespread consumer law violations. That, at the time, was the largest fine to date against a bank for consumer law violations.

The bank had previously signaled to investors that it was expecting additional fines and penalties from regulators. The bank set aside $2 billion in the third quarter to cover potential regulatory matters.

Wells remains under a Federal Reserve order forbidding it from growing any larger until the Fed deems that its corporate culture problems are resolved. That order, originally enacted in 2018, was expected to last only a year or two.

In a statement, CEO Charles Scharf said the agreement with the CFPB is part of the effort to “transform operating practices at Wells Fargo and to put these issues behind us.”

While Wells Fargo tried to frame the agreement with the CFPB as a resolution of established bad behavior, CFPB officials said some of the violations cited in Tuesday’s order happened as recently as this year.

“This should not been seen as Wells Fargo has moved past its problems,” Chopra said.

US puts 3 dozen more Chinese companies on trade blacklist

BANGKOK — The U.S. Department of Commerce is adding 36 Chinese high-tech companies, including makers of aviation equipment, chemicals and computer chips, to an export controls blacklist, citing concerns over national security, U.S. interests and human rights.

The inclusion of the companies in the trade “Entity List” means that export licenses will likely be denied for any U.S. company trying to do business with them. In some cases, companies based in other countries are also required to comply with the requirements to prevent technologies from being diverted to uses banned under the export controls.

The move signals a hardening of U.S. efforts to prevent China, especially its military, from acquiring advanced technologies such as leading edge computer chips and hypersonic weapons. It’s the latest in a years-long escalation of U.S. restrictions of Chinese technology that began with President Donald Trump and has continued under President Joe Biden’s administration.

At the same time, the Biden administration has been moving to beef up American manufacturing capabilities for semiconductors and other advanced technologies.

The changes to the Commerce Department’s entity list were entered in the Federal Register, scheduled for publication Friday.

Yangtze Memory Technology Co., a computer chip maker based in the central city of Wuhan, and its Japan unit were included in the list for “posing a significant risk of becoming involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” according to the document.

It said Yangtze Memory Technologies and Hefei Core Storage Electronic Ltd. were included because they allegedly might act as suppliers to Huawei Technologies,

the world’s biggest maker of network equipment, and to Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology, another company subject to U.S. sanctions.

Late last month, the U.S. banned the sale of communications equipment made by Chinese companies Huawei and ZTE and restricting the use of some China-made video surveillance systems, including Hangzhou Hikvision, citing an “unacceptable risk” to national security.

Companies in the Anhui Cambricon Information Technology group, some affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Electronics Technology group, were said to be or have “close ties” to government institutions supporting the Chinese military and defense industry, it said. Some of the companies were included in the list for being at “risk of diversion” to other companies on the entity list or are accused of il-

legally exporting U.S. electronics subject to export controls to Iran for military use.

Some major aviation suppliers were included to prevent them acquiring know-how and products that would aid China’s development of hypersonic weapons and other military capabilities.

Tianjin Tiandi Weiye Technologies Co. was listed, the document said, because it was implicated in high-technology surveillance, detentions and other human rights violations of Muslim ethnic minorities in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region.

There was no immediate comment from the Chinese government Friday. However, when asked Wednesday about reports that Washington was planning to change the trade blacklist to include more than 30 companies including Yangtze Memory Technologies, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said the U.S. was

“stretching the concept of national security, abusing export control measures, engaging in discriminatory and unfair treatment against enterprises of other countries, and politicizing and weaponizing economic and sci-tech issues.”

“This is blatant economic coercion and bullying in the field of technology,” Wang said, adding that it also undermined regular business activities. “It is not in the interests of China, the U.S. or the whole world.”

Earlier this week, China filed a lawsuit with the WTO against the United States over its export control measures for computer chips.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce said Beijing did so to protect its “legitimate interests.”

A statement from the ministry, reported by the official Xinhua news agency, said such controls were protectionist and threatened the “stability of the global industrial and supply chains.”

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

A Wells Fargo sign stands in front of a branch of the bank in Bradenton, Fla., Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022.

AP PHOTO

U.S. President Joe Biden, right, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting on the sidelines of the G20 summit meeting, on Nov. 14, 2022, in Bali, Indonesia.

2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Duramax Diesel

Buy the engine, not the truck

By Jordan Golson North State Journal

BOSTON — Strip off the badging from the country’s best-selling pickup trucks, and many folks would have a tough time telling them apart.

Whether it’s the Ford F-150, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, or the RAM 1500, all have (though the rabid fans of each particular truck will vehemently argue otherwise) more or less the same price, capabilities, features, safety, and everything else.

Only a handful of items will move the needle, like the availability of an electric F-150, the terrific interior of the RAM 1500, or, as in my test vehicle this week, a genuinely terrific engine. I’ve written about GM’s wonderful Duramax 3-liter turbodiesel before. Still, after spending more than a week with it — putting well over 1,000 miles on it — I can wholeheartedly say that it is worth buying this truck solely to get this engine.

Typical “truck guys” love V8 engines, but I don’t because they’re inefficient for most purposes and have less-than-stellar low-end

torque, which is what you need for going from 0-20 mph and then from 50-70 mph.

It is critical to have a good experience whilst accelerating at those speeds, where most drivers spend most of their time. That’s why electric vehicles (including the aforementioned electric Ford F-150 Lightning) are so much fun to drive and why the Duramax diesel-equipped Chevrolet Silver-

ado is such a pleasure behind the wheel.

Under development for more than a decade before it was released, the six-cylinder diesel notches 22 mpg city and 26 mpg highway, one of the best fuel efficiency numbers for full-size trucks. That helps at the pump, though it’s worth noting that diesel prices have remained stubbornly high while gasoline prices

have fallen in recent months.

Whether driving in big city Boston traffic or climbing grades in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, the diesel is silky smooth, gliding through the 10-speed automatic gearbox effortlessly. Like most turbodiesels, the little 3-liter doesn’t rev exceptionally high, so it is shifting gears a lot, but you hardly notice. As a bonus, you’re nearly always in the optimal torque band.

Just about the only difference between the diesel and the standard gas-powered trucks is the need to go to a different pump and that you’ll need to keep an eye on the DEF fluid indicator — DEF is a consumable fluid that helps reduce diesel emissions, and you’ll need to keep an eye on it if you buy one. The truck is very good about letting you know when it’s low, and DEF can be purchased at basically any filling station that sells diesel.

I was so enamored with the diesel engine that I didn’t pay much attention to the rest of the truck.

I’ve reviewed Silverado 1500s before, and the big update for 2022 was a much-needed (and fantastic) new interior. With a large touchscreen and intelligently laid out controls, the Silverado is competitive in the truck segment.

A lot of attention has been (rightfully) paid to the Ford F-150

Lightning electric pickup, though compared to the overall full-size truck market, Lightning’s production numbers remain a small chunk. But electric trucks are coming, including a new electric Chevrolet Silverado — but those trucks almost feel like entirely different vehicles, especially the electric Silverado, which has a completely new design.

It remains to be seen how quickly customers will take to these electric pickups, but I think it’ll be many years before consumers opt for electric trucks in higher numbers than their fossil-fueled counterparts. That’s why engines like this 3-liter Duramax are so important. This might be the last new engine developed for GM’s full-size trucks and SUVs, so it’s good that it’s so good.

I don’t need to tow with any regularity, so if I were going to buy a pickup today, I would take a long, hard look at the Ford F-150 Lightning. It’s a terrific truck, with many tremendous design touches and features that make it stand out as a truck, electric or not.

But if I weren’t ready for electric or needed to drive longer distances than the 300-mile range of the F-150 Lightning would allow without charging, my first stop would be a local Chevy dealer to test-drive a diesel Silverado 1500.

PHOTOS COURTESY CHEVROLET

New this week: Mariah Carey special, ‘Maverick,’ ‘Best Man’

HERE’S A COLLECTION curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week.

MOVIES

— At long last, “Top Gun: Maverick” is coming to a streaming hub. The biggest film of the year is gearing up to land on Paramount+ as of Thursday after its high-flying run in theaters in which it became the highest grossing film of the year with over $1.4 billion in worldwide ticket sales. In the unlikely chance you’ve been holding out for this moment to finally watch the film which finds Tom Cruise back in the cockpit, the AP’s Mark Kennedy, in his review, wrote that “Top Gun: Maverick” is “a textbook example of how to make a sequel.”

— Netflix also saved a big gun for the holiday corridor with Rian Johnson’s “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” hitting the service on Friday. The crowd-pleasing whodunnit brings back Daniel Craig’s honey-voiced detective Benoit Blanc and puts him on a private Greek island with a group of self-styled disruptors to solve a new mystery (what the mystery is is even part of the mystery this time). The star-studded cast includes Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista. With its wealthy protagonists, intrigue and enviable vacation fashions, it’s a terrific chaser for those mourning the loss “White Lotus” season 2.

— Also coming to Netflix is

“Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical,” which will be available to watch Christmas Day. The adaptation of the 2011 stage musical (itself an adaptation of the 1988 children’s classic) follows a young girl with a big imagination who decides to take a stand against her tyrannical keepers. Emma Thompson plays Miss Trunchbull and Lashana Lynch is Miss Honey, while Alisha Weir takes on the title role in this well-reviewed romp that doesn’t shy away from the source material’s darker themes.

MUSIC

— How better to celebrate the holidays than with The Queen of Christmas herself? Mariah Carey

is offering a two-hour primetime concert special on CBS on Tuesday. “Mariah Carey: Merry Christmas to All!” will also be available to stream live and on demand the next day on Paramount+. Filmed in New York City at Madison Square Garden, the concert special will feature the singer-songwriter performing a repertoire of her festive holiday hits, including the perennial favorite, “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

— A more somber event happens online on Wednesday when Theater of War presents Sophocles’ “Antigone” outdoors on a burial ground for enslaved Africans in downtown Savannah, Georgia, alongside choirs and singers from Savannah, St. Louis and New York City. Perform-

ers at the free event include Kara Young, Jesse Eisenberg, Ato Blankson Wood, Krista Tippett and the Rev. Leonard Small. Live choral and gospel music will help frame the audience-driven dialogue after the play. A Zoom link will be distributed via email and available to registered attendees.

TELEVISION

— The U.S. has remade a number of modern-day competition shows that first aired in the UK.

“American Idol” came from “Pop Idol,” “Dancing with the Stars” is inspired by “Strictly Come Dancing.” The UK also had “Dragons’ Den” before we began airing “Shark Tank.” Now, comedian Michael McIntyre brings his hit

British game show “The Wheel” stateside for a two-week stretch on NBC beginning Monday. Hosted by McIntyre, each episode features six celeb guests (including Bobby Berk of “Queer Eye,” Chrissy Metz of “This is Us,” and “Yellowjackets” actor Christina Ricci) who help everyday people win money.

— The 1965 animated special, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” about the plucky Chuck who is pulled out of a seasonal funk by a tiny eyesore of a Christmas tree, remains a holiday favorite year after year. Apple TV+ will exclusively stream the cartoon this year, but good news, between Thursday and Christmas Day, it’s free. Subscribers will have more time to watch.

— “The Best Man,” a romantic comedy released in 1999 featuring an all-star cast of young, attractive Black actors including Taye Diggs, Nia Long and Terrence Howard, was a box office hit, cementing it in pop culture. A long-awaited sequel in 2013 called “The Best Man Holiday” was also successful. Director-writer Malcom D. Lee wraps up the franchise with a new limited series on Peacock. To underscore the finality of it all, the title of the series is “The Best Man: The Final Chapters.” All eight episodes drop Thursday on the streaming service.

— A new six-episode anthology series called “Snap” coming to ALLBLK has been compared to “Black Mirror” in that it tackles social and ethical questions through storytelling. Eric Benet created and acts in “Snap” alongside Michael Buscemi, Clifton Powell and Tisha Campbell. It debuts Thursday. ALLBLK is a subscription video on demand (SVOD) service dedicated to Black entertainment.

CUMBERLAND

Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced deed of trust and because of default in payment of the secured debt and failure to perform the agreements contained therein and, pursuant to demand of the holder of the secured debt, the undersigned will expose for sale at public auction at the usual place of sale at the Cumberland County courthouse at 11:00AM on January 3, 2023, 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 Yong Kim Colquitt, dated April 9, 2008 to secure the original principal amount of $74,474.00, and recorded in Book 7917 at Page 329 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: 3 352 Red Fox Rd, Spring Lake, NC 28390 Tax Parcel ID: 0503-50-3106 Present Record Owners: Yong Kim Colquitt The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/are Yong Kim Colquitt. The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are

disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. Cash will not be accepted. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any deposit will be frozen pending the outcome of any re-sale. If the sale is set aside for any reason, the Purchaser at the sale shall be entitled only to a return of the deposit paid. The Purchaser shall have no further recourse against the Mortgagor, the Mortgagee, the Substitute Trustee or the attorney of any of the foregoing.

SPECIAL NOTICE FOR LEASEHOLD TENANTS

22 SP 678

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Brenda Saunders to Allan B. Polunsky, Trustee(s), which was dated March 2, 2017 and recorded on March 3, 2017 in Book 10047 at Page 809, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

21 SP 423

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Jonah E. Alva and Kristen Gillespie-Alva a/k/a Kristen Alva to Keri Berryman, Trustee(s), which was dated September 5, 2014 and recorded on September 10, 2014 in Book 09505 at Page 0076, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina.

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

22 SP 224

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Under and

or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on January 4, 2023 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit:

BEING all of Lot 34 as shown on a plat entitled “WOODLAND VILLAGE SECTION ONE, PART A” duly recorded in Plat Book 109, Page 95, Cumberland County, North Carolina Registry.

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

Said property is commonly known as 3946 Brookgreen Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is

or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on January 4, 2023 at 01:30 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Cumberland County, North Carolina, to wit:

BEING ALL OF LOT 6 BLOCK R IN A SUBDIVISION

KNOWN AS GLENDALE ACRES SECTION THREE PLAT OF THE SAME BEING RECORDED IN PLAT BOOK 29 PAGE 58 CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA.

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

Said property is commonly known as 1220 MARLBOROUGH RD, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

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

greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are BRENDA SAUNDERS, UNMARRRIED.

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

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Jonah E. Alva and wife, Kristen Alva a/k/a Kristen Gillespie-Alva.

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

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the

An Order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the

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 December 13, 2022.

Jason K. Purser, NCSB# 28031 Andrew Lawrence Vining, NCSB# 48677 Morgan R. Lewis, NCSB# 57732 Attorney for LLG Trustee, LLC, Substitute Trustee LOGS Legal Group LLP 10130 Perimeter Parkway, Suite 400 Charlotte, NC 28216 (704) 333-8107 | (704) 333-8156 Fax | www.LOGS. com

20-110927

purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit.

The purchaser will have no further remedy.

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 FAX: (910) 392-8587 File No.: 22-09963-FC01

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

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403

PHONE: (910) 392-4988

FAX: (910) 392-8587

File No.: 21-05242-FC01

PLATS 83, PAGE 93, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA.

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

Said property is commonly known as 5708 Randleman St, Fayetteville, NC 28304.

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

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are Pong K. Hilsenbeck, a married woman. An Order for possession of the property may be

9 477984577000

Present Record Owners: Heirs of Linda F. Roper

issued pursuant to G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination [NCGS § 45-21.16A(b)(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of

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

Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 FAX: (910) 392-8587 File No.: 20-03819-FC01

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:

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 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

AP PHOTO

This combination of images shows "Top Gun: Maverick," streaming Dec. 22 on Paramount+, left, "The Wheel," a celebrity game show hosted by British comedian Michael McIntyre, premiering Dec. 19 on NBC, center, and "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" streaming Dec. 23 on Netflix.

pen & paper pursuits

sudoku solutions

Christmas at the state capitol

WHAT’S HAPPENING

NCGHSP launches statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday campaign

Law enforcement officers are stepping up patrols as a part of the statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday enforcement effort, which officially launched last week. This effort, which is the largest impaired driving campaign run by the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP), will run through January 2, 2023.

NCGHSP will be supporting the campaign through a combination of paid media advertising and social media outreach. So far, 432 people have been killed in North Carolina due to alcohol or drugrelated crashes. “If you’re out celebrating this holiday season, make sure you have a sober ride home,” said Mark Ezzell, director of NCGHSP. For more driver safety tips and program information, follow the NCGHSP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Stanly teachers receive Bright Ideas grants

Union Power Cooperative recently awarded over $20,000 in Bright Ideas grants to teachers in its service area, which covers roughly five counties, including Stanly County. The Bright Ideas grant program, sponsored by North Carolina’s electric cooperative, works to improve education in North Carolina classrooms and assist teachers by providing them with the funds to put towards creative projects and other endeavors. Grants are awarded up to $2,000 per teacher that applies. Shelly Vetter of Badin Elementary won $1,412 for her “Beat Your Heart Out!” idea. West Stanly Middle School’s Callie Thigpen won $985 for her Triple C (Colts’ Chicken Coop) idea, while Mary Barbee was awarded $860 for Colt News – Vlogging and Videos.

Piedmont Natural Gas repairs pipeline after countywide gas outage

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

OAKBORO — Following a widespread gas outage that impacted around 3,200 customers in Stanly County last week, Piedmont Natural Gas has completed the physical repairs of a broken pipeline, allowing service and indoor heating restoration for thousands of homes — as well as businesses and schools — in the county.

The full restoration process began on Dec. 15 and has finished for the vast majority of the county after continuing throughout the weekend.

“Repairs to the damaged natural gas line and system tests

are complete,” Piedmont Natural Gas, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, announced in an official statement last week. “Service restoration to individual properties is now underway. We have more than 80 technicians dispersed across Stanly Co. to conduct appliance and equipment relights throughout the day and into Friday.”

Per the company, service crews from around the state were on-

site working on the repairs as they completed a series of procedures before placing the line back in service. With all the necessary tests finished, PNG started relighting appliances and equipment — beginning with hospitals and schools — and transitioned to affected neighborhoods.

The situation began on Dec. 13 when a six-inch gas transmission main line on Barbees Grove Road (near N.C. Highway 138) in Oakboro was severely damaged by a third-party contractor. PNG has since announced that it will be launching an investigation into the incident; the contractor at fault could possibly be facing legal fees for initiating the gas line damage.

North Carolina revenues already $1.2B ahead of schedule

of nearly $28 billion.

Unable to maintain heat in large buildings, Stanly County Schools was forced to close Albemarle High, Albemarle Middle, Central, East Albemarle, Aquadale, Norwood, South Stanly Middle, South Stanly High, and STEM Early College for students and staff on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15. All of those schools are now back up-and-running with their full heating capabilities.

Additionally, Stanly County Emergency Management and Stanly County Health and Human Services collaborated to establish a temporary emergency shelter at Anderson Grove Baptist Church for residents impacted by the outage; the county has since closed the shelter.

RALEIGH — North Carolina government revenues keep exceeding economists’ projections, despite broader worries about an economic downturn

Gov. Roy Cooper’s state budget office and the Legislature’s Fiscal Research Division agreed that revenues are $1.2 billion above the target through Nov. 30, the first five months of the fiscal year, officials said this week. That’s about 10% more than expected, state budget Director Kristin Walker said Thursday. The Fiscal Research Division’s confirmation originated from the House’s senior budget-writers.

All kinds of tax collections are up, the Office of State Budget and Management said, including individual and corporate income taxes, sales taxes and taxes on investments. This

revenue increase arrived before the holiday shopping season, which can affect sales tax levels.

The executive and legislative branch officials cautioned that the risk to the forecast is backloaded to the second half of the fiscal year, particularly when income tax payments arrive in mid-April. But the $1.2 billion overage remains large, even when compared to an annualized approved state budget

Unexpected revenues provide more flexibility and options to budget-writers as they draw up spending plans for things such as schools and employee pay, and consider tax rate changes. The General Assembly convenes its two-year session Jan. 11. Cooper will propose a biennial budget in early 2023.

The good news on collections follows the previous fiscal year in which the state ultimately received $4.8 billion more than it projected for the 12 months ending June 30, according to a state budget document.

The current budget that the General Assembly approved and Cooper signed parked billions of dollars either in reserve as a protection against inflation and a potential recession, or toward one-time needs such as construction and local water and wastewater projects.

The Associated Press

Service crews from around the state were on-site working on the repairs.

Gov. Roy Cooper’s state budget office and the Legislature’s Fiscal Research Division agreed that revenues are $1.2 billion above the target through Nov. 30.

The North Carolina State Capitol Christmas tree in Raleigh.

PJ WARD-BROWN | AP PHOTO

Stanly County

Neal Robbins Publisher Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Griffin Daughtry Local News Editor Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor

NEW YORK — Two sailors who drifted hundreds of miles in the Atlantic Ocean for 10 days after a storm hit their sailboat off North Carolina thanked the crew of the tanker that rescued them and said they were lucky to have survived.

Kevin Hyde and Joe DiTomasso, freshly ashore in New York City last Tuesday night after their ordeal, described rolling in mountainous waves after the wind dismasted their boat, then running out of water as currents pulled them further and further into the frigid North Atlantic.

“Youse don’t know what 40-foot waves look like,” said DiTomasso, who is 76. “How high’s this building? How high’s the roof?”

The desperate sailors cut their broken mast free, allowing the boat with its weighted keel to ride the swells without being dragged over. “That boat rode so good. That boat could take it, but guess

what? We couldn’t. We were beat,” said DiTomasso.

The nightmare began for the two sailors midway through a planned journey from New Jersey’s Cape May to the warmth of the Florida Keys.

After departing on Nov. 27, with a pet dog, they had made it safely as North Carolina. The storm came up after they sailed from the Oregon Inlet off the Outer Banks on Dec. 3.

Hyde, 65, said the pair were “sailing along, having a good time” and nearing Cape Hatteras when the bad weather came in and began blowing them off course — and then blew the mast off their boat, the Atrevida II.

The boat also lost power and fuel. “So by that time, we were just being pushed out to sea farther and farther,” Hyde said.

The men had little food and ran out of water.

“We didn’t have water for two days,” DiTomasso said. “And I

bought these beans. And the best part about the beans, they had water in them. They were soaked in water. And we’re taking sips at a time.”

The U.S. Coast Guard was notified that the sailors were overdue on Sunday and began a search that spanned the waters from northern Florida to New Jersey. But it was the crew of the Silver Muna, a tanker headed from the Netherlands to New York, that spotted the Atrevida II some 214 miles east of Delaware on Tuesday.

Hyde, 65, said he had been running a flashing light as they drifted, hoping they might be seen by

other marine traffic. “By some bizarre chance” he said, a member of the tanker’s crew spotted something and sounded the alarm. The tanker’s captain launched a search.

“If you look at the size of his ship and the size of the ocean and just compare it to this toothpick that I’m floating around in — just to be able to spot that, because of the diligence of his crew,” the thankful Hyde said. “Their training paid off and they found us.”

The tanker’s crew then maneuvered alongside the relatively tiny sailboat, in ocean swells, to pluck the two lost sailors from the deck and get them to safety.

They were exhausted after arriving in New York, but expected to make a full recovery.

Asked by a reporter if they would do it again, DiTomasso smiled and said “No.”

“I’m staying closer to shore because I have a boat too. And I’m staying in sight of land.”

♦ HERNANDEZ, JUAN FRANSCISCO (U /M/33), FELONY POSSESSION OF COCAINE, 12/18/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ GIBSON, ERVIN DEMARCUS (B /M/29), RESISTING PUBLIC OFFICER, 12/17/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ HATLEY, TOBY RAY (W /M/46), DISCHARGE WEAPON OCCUPIED PROPERTY, 12/17/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ REES, MICHAEL TREY (W /M/30), DV PROTECTION ORDER VIOLATION, 12/17/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ MESIMER, DAVID ALAN (W /M/32), BREAKING AND OR ENTERING (F), 12/16/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ DAIGLE, CALEB ISAIAH (W /M/21), SECOND DEGREE FORCE SEX OFF, 12/15/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦

THURMAN, COLBY BROCK (W /M/28), BREAKING OR ENTERING (M), 12/14/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ COSGROVE, STACY ANN (W /F/44), MISDEMEANOR PROBATION VIOL, 12/13/2022, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

FOR ALL THE worries about inflation and the economy, Americans aren’t scrimping on a centerpiece of many celebrations this holiday season: the Christmas tree.

Retailers from Home Depot and Lowes to mom and pop operations raised their prices on trees — but people are still buying them.

Some Christmas tree growers fretted over external factors — high fuel, fertilizer and labor costs — only to rediscover that holiday greenery is largely inflation-proof, even as Americans cut back on retail spending last month.

A survey of 55 of the nation’s largest Christmas tree wholesalers indicated virtually all of them intended to raise prices, with most wholesale cost increases in the 5% to 15% range — but with some in-

creases reaching 21% or more, according to the Real Christmas Tree Board in Howell, Michigan, which conducts marketing and research for the industry.

But another survey indicated 85% of people feel Christmas trees are worth it despite price increases, the board said.

That suggests a tree — whether real or artificial — remains a requisite part of the holiday tradition, along with Christmas toys, cards

and carols, and ugly sweaters.

Like individual traditions, the types of trees and local market conditions can vary.

In the end, nearly 21 million live Christmas trees will be sold by the time consumers wrap up purchases over the final days leading up to Christmas Day, putting sales on par with last year’s strong performance, according to Jill Sidebottom of the National Christmas Tree Association.

Rescued sailors are seen on board a smaller boat after leaving the Silver Muna tanker ship on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022 in New York. An employee carries a fresh cut tree for a customer at Logan Trading Co., in Raleigh in this file photo.

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

“We didn’t have water for two days.”

Joe DiTomasso

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

Stanly County Journal

PHOTO VIA AP

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Year in review and the year ahead

ANOTHER YEAR IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE. In 2022, we’ve seen the best of our community come together, and we’ve had our fair share of challenges.

Across the country this year, we’ve seen the highest inflation rates in 40 years and record high costs at the gas pump. These are both due in large part to misguided policy decisions by Washington Democrats.

In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom.

Additionally, we have seen a humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border, as record numbers of illegal migrants crossed into the country this past year. This border crisis has created a worsening fentanyl epidemic in every community, robbing countless young Americans of their future – just as communities are also facing drastic increases in violent crime.

The world has also been cast into greater turmoil, due in part to the United States projecting weakness. The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan contributed to Putin’s decision to wage war in Ukraine and Communist China’s increasing aggression toward its neighbors.

The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats have been largely unable to solve these problems or, in some cases, have made them worse. Time and time again, Washington Democrats have failed to address inflation, energy security, the border crisis, crime, or the increasingly tense international environment. Instead, they have doubled down on misguided policies or prioritized a leftist agenda that infringes on your liberties. This includes their so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” a $740 billion bill that will raise your taxes, grow federal bureaucracy, and – in spite of the name – make inflation worse.

However, Republicans have a plan to change our nation’s direction for the better. In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom. But for us to follow through on our “Commitment to America,” we must stand united. We have a duty to govern effectively and pursue the reforms needed to push America in the right direction, beginning with stopping out-ofcontrol and inflation-driving spending.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

The slippery slope never ends

IN 2006, THEN-SEN. JOE BIDEN ranted against the supposed irrelevance of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage in federal law as one man, one woman. “We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman, and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law; there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

You elected me as your representative to be a consensus builder and get things done. While 2022 was challenging, I am proud I was able to deliver real results for our community over the past 365 days.

I have had nine bills pass the sharply divided House this year and five signed into law. In total, I have had 24 bills pass the House and ten signed into law during this Congress. These include measures like the Patient Advocate Tracker Act and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

One piece of legislation I was proud to see become law was my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act. This new law increases access to affordable, quality health care in rural and underserved areas by allowing community health centers to use grants to establish mobile health units. This commonsense legislation will go a long way in improving healthcare quality and access.

Despite all the troubles of this past year, we also witnessed triumphs of the human spirit. Just two weeks ago, an unknown individual or individuals attacked two power substations in Moore County, leaving numerous hospitals, schools, businesses, and close to 45,000 residents without power. Like many of you, my house was without power for almost a week. Yet throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and lend a hand. This show of compassion filled me with hope and reminded me that the future for our community and nation is bright.

As Hanukkah begins and the Christmas holiday nears, I hope the joy of this time of year fills you and your family with happiness. I also hope you are proud of my efforts to defend our rights, stand up for our values, and push for common sense. I look forward to 2023 and the chance to continue to work for you. Together, we will get our country back on the right track.

The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Sixteen years later, President Joe Biden stood on the lawn of the White House and chortled that he had finally enshrined samesex marriage into federal law. “Today’s a good day,” he said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone.”

A vital step. Not the final step. Not the culminating step. A vital step.

The language here is important because it is revealing. Biden and his allies have an agenda that goes far beyond the redefinition of marriage. The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Biden made this clear in his speech, in which he lumped together opposition to same-sex marriage with “racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia.” This is patent nonsense, of course. But it does set the groundwork for the actual transgressive agenda: to liken traditional views about marriage to pure bigotry. And this will necessitate governmental action against those who believe in marriage. After all, we as a society don’t tolerate racism on the basis of religious freedom. If Christian views about marriage are treated similarly, why should churches maintain their tax-exempt status while “discriminating” against same-sex weddings?

Biden went still further. In championing same-sex marriage, he said that Americans “need to challenge the hundreds of callous,

cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who get children the care they need.” In other words, if you oppose the hormonal sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors as a pseudo-palliative for gender identity disorder, you are evil, and you must be stopped by force of federal law.

The natural outcome of this agenda will be precisely what Democrats pretend now to oppose: anti-religious discrimination, educational cramdowns, and threats to traditional parenting. And make no mistake: they are pretending. They have no rationale for drawing lines to hem in their cultural imperialism. When asked by CBS News correspondent Steve Portnoy whether protections for religious practice were “codifying discrimination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, “Is there more work to do? Absolutely. There’s always more work to do.”

In the early 1990s, Democrats denied that they wanted civil unions. They were lying. In the mid-2000s, Democrats denied that they wanted same-sex marriage. They were lying. Now Democrats say they don’t want religious discrimination or educational indoctrination. They are lying. In the end, what transgressives want is simple: a national state that stands as the god of a new moral system and atomized individuals without recourse to intermediary institutions of community or civil society.

And if the Republicans who voted for the Orwellian Respect for Marriage Act think that they have bought a respite from the predations of the Left by signing onto an erstwhile compromise, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

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.”

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.

SIDELINE REPORT

MLB Browning, who pitched perfect game for Reds, dies at 62 Union, Ky. Tom Browning, an All-Star pitcher who threw the only perfect game in Cincinnati Reds history and helped them win the 1990 World Series title, has died. He was 62. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office announced Browning’s death on Twitter, saying he died Monday at his home in Union, Kentucky. No cause was given. The Sheriff’s Office said foul play is not suspected. Known as a colorful character, Browning retired all 27 batters he faced in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Riverfront Stadium on Sept. 16, 1988. He also won Game 3 of the 1990 World Series in Oakland.

NFL McGinest Jr. arrested in alleged assault in California

West Hollywood, Calif. Authorities say former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest Jr. was arrested in connection with an assault at a Southern California nightclub. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statement says the incident occurred Dec. 9 at a West Hollywood club and witnesses identified McGinest as one of the people involved. The department says McGinest was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon after coming to the West Hollywood sheriff’s station on Monday to give a statement about the incident. McGinest posted bond and was released. McGinest spent 15 years in the NFL with New England and Cleveland.

TENNIS

Venus awarded wild-card for Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Venus Williams has been awarded a wild-card entry to play at the Australian Open next month. It will be 25 years after she played the Grand Slam tournament for the first time. The 42-yearold Williams has reached the final twice in Australia, including a loss to her younger sister, Serena, in the 2017 championship match. She will be contesting the season-opening major for the 22nd time. Venus and Serena Williams combined to win the Australian Open women’s doubles title four times and Venus also won the mixed doubles title in 1998.

NBA

Panthers settle failed practice site for $100M

in South Carolina.

The deal will turn the land and the incomplete steel shell of what was supposed to have been the team’s new headquarters over to the city of Rock Hill. It’s estimated to be worth $20 million.

earlier this year.

All sides agreed to drop their current lawsuits and not file any other claims as part of the deal approved Friday by federal bankruptcy court Judge Karen Owens.

Tepper, a hedge fund manager who is one of the NFL’s wealthiest owners, and the Panthers announced plans for an $800 million practice facility, team offices, sports medicine complex, hotels and entertainment near Rock Hill in 2019.

Both local and South Carolina leaders cheered the investment, offering incentives and relishing getting a piece of the NFL team away from North Carolina and Charlotte, where the team plays its games about 25 miles away.

By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C.— A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlement of about $100 million Friday over Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build a practice facility for his NFL team

Tepper’s real estate company GT Real Estate Holdings will pay York County, which provided sales tax revenue for road improvements, $21 million, and $60 million will be split among the contractors who worked on the project before it was abandoned

But after less than two years, Tepper’s company abruptly stopped work.

York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and Solicitor Kevin Brackett continue to investigate Tepper and his company to see whether public money was misused on the project.

York County, which is separate from the sheriff, released a statement after reaching its deal with Tepper that said Tepper and his company “have acted in good faith and that the county “believes that no action of any kind with respect to the county payment is warranted.”

GT Real Estate Holdings said in a statement that from the start it wanted to make sure all legitimate claims were paid.

“We are pleased that the Court has approved our comprehensive plan of reorganization, which paves the way to resolve and satisfy GTRE’s creditor claims,” the statement said.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes named AP Coach of the Year

TCU’S SONNY DYKES was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

Dykes received 37 of 46 firstplace votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 voters to become the second TCU coach to win the award. The first two were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes replaced after last season.

will miss weeks

Lakers’ Davis has foot injury,

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis has a right foot injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks. Davis leads the Lakers with averages of 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game. Lakers coach Darvin Ham confirmed the team has no firm timetable for Davis’ return. Davis was injured in the first half of the Lakers’ win over Denver on Friday night. He did not play after halftime. The Lakers had wn 10 of their past 16 games after starting the season 2-10.

“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”

TCU (12-1) faces No. 2 Michigan (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl for a berth in the national championship game.

Tulane coach Willie Fritz was second with 40 points and two first-place votes, followed by Tennessee’s John Heupel (38 points, one) and last year’s winner, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan (28 points, five). Georgia’s Kirby Smart (15 points) also received a first-place vote.

Dykes, 53, is in his fourth stop after stints with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. The Texan and son of longtime Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 in 13 seasons as a head coach.

“It’s not always like this and I’ve been on both ends and so some-

thing like this probably means more to me than it might somebody,” Dykes said. “I’ve been 1-11 and I’ve been fired. I’ve been kind of on top and then on bottom, too. I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Dykes’ path to AP coach of the year is unique. The award was established in 1998 and no coach had ever won his first coach of the year on his fourth stop as an Bowl Subdivision head coach.

Dykes moved across town to take over at TCU after being with rival SMU for five years. Playing against the Horned Frogs annually, he had a good idea of what kind

of team he was getting.

Instead of a major roster overhaul of last season’s 5-7 TCU team, Dykes dipped into the transfer portal to fill some holes, but he mostly took what he inher -

ited and turned it into one of the best teams in the country.

“Sometimes it’s more about the chemistry of things and trying to get the chemistry of those rooms right as opposed to necessarily adding talent,” Dykes said. “That part of it, I think, is really overlooked. Just the chemistry and creating competition and all that.”

The Horned Frogs started the season unranked and didn’t lose until dropping the Big 12 championship in overtime to Kansas State.

Duke’s Mike Elko finished ninth in the voting, receiving one second-place and one third-place vote.

The city of Rock Hill will receive the land and incomplete structure in the bankruptcy settlement

The first-year coach led the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

AP PHOTO

A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlemeny of about $100 million in Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build the team’s headquarters and practice facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

“I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Sonny Dykes, TCU football coach

Deegan lands at ThorSport for another season in Truck Series

She was named the third-tier series’ Most Popular Driver the past two seasons

The Associated Press

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Hailie Deegan has another full-time ride in the NASCAR Truck Series, this one with ThorSport Racing.

ThorSport formally added Deegan to its driver lineup Thursday as it announced a manufacturer switch from Toyota to Ford.

The 21-year-old California native will race in the third-tier series for the third consecutive season. She finished a series-best sixth at Talladega Superspeedway in October and was named the series’ Most Popular Driver for the second consecutive year, both with David Gilliland Racing.

“I think the last two seasons in trucks I’ve been trying to figure it out and kind of learning the ropes of the Truck Series, and I feel like I’ve good a grasp on it now and understand what you need to be successful as a driver, what the team needs to do for their part and the people you need to have around you,” Deegan said.

“There’s just a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and I think maybe the last two years it was trying to find those pieces and trying to figure it out.”

She joined Ford Performance as part of its driver development program in 2020 and drove in a variety of disciplines this year, including the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and ARCA Menards Series where she finished third in the point standings and won Rookie of the Year honors.

But after DGR switched to Toyota in October, Deegan started looking for a Ford-backed team to continue her racing career. The biggest question: in which series would she land?

Ford helped her make her first Xfinity Series start in October at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where she finished 13th.

She still hopes to get some seat time in the second-tier Xfinity Series, which would be a step closer to the ultimate goal of the Cup Series.

“I’ll look for opportunities to go do a few Xfinity races,” she said. “Obviously, nothing full-time is going to come up, but I think that being able to go and do a few Xfinity races

would definitely be awesome. It just depends on funding and sponsors and kind of what’s going on and what comes to the table throughout the year that could decide those Xfinity races.”

Deegan joins three-time series champion Matt Crafton, 2021 series champ Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski at ThorSport. She replac-

es Christian Eckes, who moved to MacAnally-Hilgemann Racing last week.

Deegan, the daughter of Motocross star Brian Deegan, has a sponsorship deal with Monster Energy. Her social media stardom has helped offset her on-track results. In two seasons in the Truck Series, she has three top-10 finishes in 44 starts and has yet to lead a lap.

“We love watching the development drivers progress and advance on the track and off the track,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “And watching that maturity of Hailie in terms of how she evaluates a car or a truck on the racetrack ... that’s awesome to see and a really important part of what a race driver needs to develop.

“I think this is the next opportunity with a team that’s going to be around her, the people that are going to be around her to give her that opportunity to go one more level.”

Pfeiffer men lose

straight in early-season skid

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

MISENHEIMER — The Pfeiffer Falcons men’s basketball team returned to the court on Dec. 17 after a threeweek break but was unable to snap out of a losing streak that is now up to five games following an 85-76 loss to Lynchburg.

The Falcons (2-6) have not won a game since a 77-70 road victory over Colby-Sawyer back on Nov. 12. Pfeiffer’s nonconference schedule will close Jan. 5 when Mid-Atlantic Christian travels to Merner Gym in Misenheimer.

From there, fifth-year coach Pete Schoch and his Falcons will open USA South Athletic Conference play with four games in eight days — two on the road followed by two at home — as they look to improve after a difficult start to the season.

P feiffer is set to travel to N.C. Wesleyan (Jan. 7) and Brevard (Jan. 10) before coming home for matchups with Mary Baldwin (Jan. 13) and Southern Virginia (Jan. 14).

Sophomore guard Daymon Beckwith has emerged as a key player in his second year on the roster, posting a teamhigh 14 points per game with a 49% shooting rate from behind the arc. Freshman guard Rashamel Butler has been effective in his first season in Misenheimer with a teambest 7.5 rebounds and 2.3 steals.

The Falcons have a different look compared to last year’s squad that finished with a 12-11 record (9-5 USA South) with more than half of the roster made up of freshmen.

The most veteran player is fifth-year guard and Oakboro native Taylan Rowe, a former West Stanly star, who is averaging a team-high 30.4 minutes along with 9.1 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists. Rowe was a key part of the Falcons’ 2020-21 season that included a USA South East Division Tournament appearance in which he scored 19 points in a championship win over Averett.

Despite a slow start to the season, Pfeiffer has an opportunity to put its nonconference losses in the background and prepare for the rest of the schedule of its sixth season as a USA South member. Averaging just 75.8 points a game, the Falcons will look to show more offensive firepower as they face their conference opponents.

AN INVESTIGATION commissioned by the National Women’s Soccer League and its players union found “widespread misconduct” directed at players dating back to the beginnings nearly a decade ago of the league.

A report detailing the results of the yearlong investigation was published Wednesday, a little over two months after the release in October of a report on a separate investigation by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates that found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport,

impacting multiple teams, coaches and players.

The second investigation also found instances of sexual abuse and manipulation. The NWSL-commissioned report said club staff in positions of power “made inappropriate sexual remarks to players, mocked players’ bodies, pressured players to lose unhealthy amounts of weight, crossed professional boundaries with players and created manipulative working conditions.”

“They used derogatory and insulting language towards players, displayed insensitivity toward players’ mental health, and engaged in retaliation against players who attempted to report or did report concerns,” the report said.

“This report clearly reflects how our league systemically failed to protect our players. On behalf of the

Board and the league, let me first and foremost sincerely apologize to our players for those failures and missteps. They deserve, at a minimum, a safe and secure environment to participate at the highest level in a sport they love, and they have my unwavering commitment that delivering that change will remain a priority each and every day,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a news release.

The joint investigation was launched last year after a pair of former players came forward and accused longtime NWSL coach Paul Riley of sexual harassment and coercion.

Riley, who has denied the allegations, was fired by the North Carolina Courage in the aftermath. He was among five head coaches in the league who were either fired or resigned in 2021 amid claims of mis-

conduct.

The fallout has continued into this year. Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson announced on Dec. 1 that he was putting the team up for sale amid calls for him to do so that began after the Yates report detailed how the Thorns mishandled complaints about Riley when he coached the team in 2014-15.

Paulson stepped down from a decision-making role with the team in October and two Thorns executives were fired.

The investigative team for the joint investigation reached out to 780 current and former players, all 12 NWSL teams and 90 current and former club staff, and those from the league office. More than 200 documents were reviewed during the probe, which was conducted by the law firms of Covington & Burling and Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

Two coaches, James Clarkson of the Houston Dash and Amanda Cromwell of the Orlando Pride, were suspended earlier this year at the recommendation of investigators. Cromwell was subsequently fired.

Like the Yates report commissioned by U.S. Soccer, the new report largely focused on alleged misconduct involving Riley, former Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames and former Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly. The three were among those who were fired or resigned last year.

It also detailed allegations against former OL Reign coach Farid Benstiti, former Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke and former Gotham general manager Alyse LaHue, among others. Benstiti, Burke and LaHue were also let go or stepped down in 2021.

Accusations against former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley set off the NWSL’s investigation

The Associated Press

The Falcons have one remaining nonconference game before USA South play begins

“I think this is the next opportunity with a team that’s going to be around her, the people that are going to be around her to give her that opportunity to go one more level.”

Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports global director

their 5th

AP PHOTO

Hailie Deegan, the NASCAR Truck Series’ Most Popular Driver the last two seasons, will drive full time iwith ThorSport Racing next season.

Portland Thorns fans hold signs during the first half of the team’s NWSL match against the Houston Dash on Oct. 6, 2021.

AP PHOTO

Sophomore guard Daymon Beckwith’s 3-point shooting percentage this season.

Children’s medicine shortage hits as flu season starts fast

The Associated Press

CARING for sick children has become extra stressful recently for many U.S. parents due to shortages of Children’s Tylenol and other medicines.

Doctors and other experts say the problem could persist through the winter cold-and-flu season but should not last as long as other recent shortages of baby formula or prescription drugs.

They also say parents have alternatives if they encounter empty store shelves.

Here’s a closer look:

What’s happening

An unusually fast start to the annual U.S. flu season, plus a spike in other respiratory illnesses, created a surge in demand for fever relievers and other products people can buy without a prescription.

“There are more sick kids at this time of year than we have seen in the past couple years,” said Dr. Shannon Dillon, a pediatrician at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis.

Experts say that’s the main factor behind the shortages, which vary around the country and even within communities.

“At this point, it’s more like toilet paper at the beginning of the (COVID-19) pandemic,” Dillon said “You just have to look in the right place at the right time.”

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson says it is not experiencing widespread shortages of Children’s Tylenol, but the product may be “less readily available” at some stores.

The company said it is running its production lines around the clock.

In the meantime, CVS Health has placed a two-product limit on all children’s pain relief products bought through its pharmacies or online.

Walgreens is limiting customers online to six purchases of children’s over-the-counter fe -

ver reducing products. That limit doesn’t apply in stores.

Aside from over-the-counter products, the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin also is in short supply due to increased demand, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is often used to treat nose and throat infections in children.

What to do

Check first for alternatives in the store if some products ar-

en’t available. Generic versions of brand-name products are “perfectly safe and often a much more affordable option,” Dillon said.

Other stores nearby also may have better options. Manufacturers say there are no widespread national shortages of these medications, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

A family doctor may know which stores have decent supplies.

A doctor also may be able to tell parents whether they can try alternatives like crushing the proper dose of a pill version and mixing it with food or chocolate syrup. Doctors say parents or caregivers should not try this on their own, because determining proper doses for children can be tricky.

“You don’t need to experiment at home,” said Dr. Sarah Nosal, a South Bronx family physician. “Your family doctor wants to talk to you and see you.”

Going without

Doctors also caution that fevers don’t always have to be treated. They are a body’s natural defense against infection, and they make it hard for a virus to replicate.

Dillon noted, for instance, that a fever may not be intrinsically harmful to older children. However, parents should take a newborn under 2 months old to the doctor if the child has a fever of 100.4 degrees or more. And doctors say any child with a fever should be monitored for behavior changes.

Instead of medicine, consider giving the child a bath in lukewarm water. Cold water makes the body shiver, which can actually raise the temperature.

Put fans in the child’s room or set up a cool mist humidifier to

Chokwe Antar

help their lungs.

Nosal also said two teaspoons of honey can help control coughs in children older than a year. Avoid using honey for young children because it carries a risk of infant botulism.

When will supplies get better?

Shortages might last in some communities until early next year.

Resolving them can depend on whether there are enough workers at warehouses and stores to deliver the product and stock the shelves, noted Erin Fox. She researches drug shortages and is the senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health, which runs five hospitals.

Fox said there are no problems at factories or a lack of ingredients contributing to current shortages. Those obstacles can lead to long supply disruptions.

“I don’t expect this to last a year or more like some of our other shortages do,” she said.

Hacker claims breach of FBI’s critical-infrastructure portal

BOSTON — A hacker who reportedly posed as the CEO of a financial institution claims to have obtained access to the more than 80,000-member database of InfraGard, an FBI-run outreach program that shares sensitive information on national security and cybersecurity threats with public officials and private sector actors who run U.S. critical infrastructure.

The hacker posted samples they said were from the database to an online forum popular with cybercriminals last weekend and said they were asking $50,000 for the entire database.

The hacker obtained access to InfraGard’s online portal by posing as the CEO of a financial institution, they told independent cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, who broke the story. They called the vetting process surprisingly lax.

The FBI declined to comment. Krebs reported that the agency told him it was aware of a potential false account and was looking into the matter.

InfraGard’s memberhip is a veritable critical infrastructure Who’s Who. It includes business leaders, IT professionals, military, state and local law enforcement and government officials involved in overseeing the safety of everything from the electrical grid and transportation, to health care, pipelines, nuclear reactors, the defense industry, dams and water plants and financial services. Founded in 1996, it is the FBI’s largest public-private partnership, with local alliances affiliated with all its field offices. It regularly shares threat advisories from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security and serves as

a behind-closed-doors social media site for select insiders.

The database has the names, affiliations and contact information for tens of thousands of InfraGard users. Krebs first reported its theft on Tuesday.

The hacker, going by the username USDoD on the BreachForums site, said on the site that records of only 47,000 of the forum’s members’ — slightly more than half — include unique emails.

The hacker also posted that the data contained neither Social Security numbers nor dates of birth. Although fields existed in the database for that information, InfraGard’s security-conscious users had left them blank.

However, the hacker told Krebs that they had been messaging InfraGard members, posing as the financial institution’s CEO, to try to obtain more personal data that could be criminally weaponized.

The AP reached the hacker on the BreachForums site via private message. They would not say whether they had found a buyer for the stolen records or answer other questions. But they did say that Krebs’ article “was 100% accurate.”

The FBI did not offer an explanation for how the hacker was able to trick it into approving the InfraGard membership. Krebs reported that the hacker had included a contact email address that they con-

trolled — as well as the CEO’s real mobile phone number — when applying for InfraGard membership in November.

Krebs quoted the hacker as saying InfraGard approved the application in early December and that they were able to use the email to receive a one-time authentication code.

Once inside, the hacker said, the database information was easy to obtain with a simple software script.

The Associated Press

“We’re going to try to keep Ted as long as we can, but from a negotiating standpoint, the city has looked at trying to have a longer-term understanding of the various components of what needs to be accomplished with our water treatment facility.”

Lumumba, Jackson Mayor

AP PHOTO

A

AP PHOTO, FILE

obituaries

William Hathcock Kimrey

February 12, 1932 - December 18, 2022

William Hathcock Kimrey. 90, of Albemarle passed away on Sunday, December 18, 2022 in Bethany Woods Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Born February 12, 1932 in Stanly County, NC, he was the son of the late James Manlove Kimrey and Bertha Clemintine Morton Kimrey. He worked as a truck driver.

Mr. Kimrey is survived by sons Danny Kimrey (Betty) and Johnny Kimrey (Kay) both of Albemarle, daughter Kelly Woods (Jeff) of New London, six grandchildren Leslie Eudy, Justin Kimrey, Landon Kimrey (Karen), Bray Kimrey, Tristan Furr (Sarah), Andrew Furr (Hillary), twelve great-grandchildren Nathan Crisco, Jaxon Kimrey, Kayden Efird, Hunter Holt, Madison Farinholt, Conner Eudy, Grace Reitzel, Tyson Kimrey, Anna Claire Kimrey, Riley Furr, Wyatt Furr, Gage Furr, Avery Furr, and Granger Furr.

Douglas Eugene Garrett

January 28, 1936 - December 14, 2022

Douglas Eugene Garrett, 86, of Albemarle passed away on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 in Atrium Health Stanly.

Born January 28, 1936 in Gaston County, NC he was the son of the late Jack Moses Garrett and Margaret Ingle Garrett. He was a 1954 Graduate of Belmont High School and a graduate of Kings College with a BA in Business.

Survivors include his wife Barbara Jean Howard Garrett, sons Ed Morton (Annette) of Denver, CO, and David Morton (Melinda) of Uma, AZ, 6 grandchildren, 13 greatgrandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Mr. Garrett was preceded in death by his first wife Naomi Underwood Garrett, infant son Allen Garrett, a brother Jerome Garrett and sister Joyce Ann Candelaria.

Gary Pinion

June 14, 1940 - December 14, 2022

Gary Pinion, 82, passed away peacefully at Trinity Place on December 14, 2022. He was preceded in death by his father, Harlan Lucas, mother Ollie C. Pinion and stepfather, D. Cline Pinion.

Following many years working in manufacturing and sales, God called Gary to preach in 1992. He attended Carolina Bible College where he received a Doctorate in Bible Theology. He served as Associate and Interim Pastor at several local churches. Gary spent many years as a member of Gideons International and a loyal supporter even longer. Gary was an avid golfer and was excited to shoot his age at 72. He was known to be a man of prayer, and many have been blessed over the years by his faithful prayer life.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Barbara Pinion, son Wayne Pinion (Jan) of New London, daughter Wendy Eudy (Mike) of Albemarle, grandchildren Jessica Dampier (Shaun), Trey Pinion (Whitleigh), Lindsey Chilton (Zac), Stephen Eudy (Shelly) and great grandchildren Kylar Pinion, Avaleigh Pinion, Layla Dampier, Alex Dampier, Cooper Chilton, Gage Eudy and Cleo Carter.

Charlie Lee Sturdivant

September 14, 1950 - December 13, 2022

Charlie Lee Sturdivant,72, of Albemarle, NC, passed away Tuesday, December 13, 2022 in Hospice Haven of Richmond County. Mr. Sturdivant was born September 14, 1950 to the late William Sturdivant and Emma Hill Sturdivant.

Charlie is survived by a son, Charlie Polk (Ashley) of Mt. Gilead; a daughter, Tonya Sturdivant; six brothers, James Earl(Edna) of Albemarle, Pete (Joyce) of Badin, William (Tammy) of Norwood, Ezon (Marva) of Ellerbe, Gregory of Charlotte and Reggie of Charlotte; six sisters, Janet Huntley (Michael) of Albemarle, Alberta Richardson of Norwood, Brenda Pickett of Albemarle, Patrice Sturdivant of Norwood, Regina Sturdivant of Charlotte, Carolyn Hough (Sammy) of Norwood; a sister in law, Linda Sturdivant; step son, Willie Polk; step daughter, Janice Polk; fourteen grandchildren, Topeka Smith, Amanda Smith, Deon Smith, Lundeisha Bouden, Leo Watkins, Latisha Polk, Kendra Polk, Anthony Hinson, Alex Polk, Serenity Polk, Savanah Polk, Landon Shankle, Willie Polk, Jr. and Wanita Polk; numerous great grandchildren and a special friend, Marian Miller.

Walter Scott Booth

August 1, 1945 - December 12, 2022

Walter “Scott” Booth, 77, of Norwood, passed away Monday, December 12, 2022 at the W.G. Hefner Salisbury VA Medical Center. Scott was born August 1, 1945 in Raleigh, NC to the late Walter Scott Booth, Jr. and Annie Elizabeth Chamblee Booth. He graduated from Milbrook High School in 1963 after which he served his country by joining the United States Air Force and doing a tour in Vietnam.

He served his community as a member of the Stanly County Board of Education, the Stanly County Board of Adjustments, Assistant Tennis Coach at South Stanly High School, PTA member and President and the Stanly County Airport Authority. His all-time favorite role was Grandfather or GaGa.

Scott is preceded in death by a brother, Robert Booth, and sister, Cheryl Sexton. He is survived by his wife of fiftyone years, Ella Snuggs Booth, brother, Thomas Booth (Elaine), daughter, Miranda Poplin (Jeff) and grandsons, Cooper and Bennett, niece, Joy Huneycutt (Jesse) and grandnephew, Josh and grandniece, Mary.

Herman Y Blanding

October 6, 1946 ~ December 8, 2022

April 8, 1983 ~ December 17, 2022

Samuel

Sam was born April 8, 1983 in Stanly County to James Taylor “Jimmy” and Amy Thompson Smith of Norwood. He was a 2001 graduate of South Stanly High School, a 2003 graduate of Guilford Tech and a graduate of the Stanly Community College Nursing Program. He had also worked with Martin’s Sprocket and Gear in Albemarle.

Sam never met a stranger and enjoyed friends from all walks of life. He had a huge heart for others and knew how to “Let His Light Shine” and enjoyed life. He loved fast cars and was an expert gunsmith and was a target shooting enthusiast.

In addition to his parents he is survived by his life partner Danielle “Dani” Soble of the home. His sister Leslie Turner of Concord. His paternal grandmother Reba H. Watkins of Norwood and one nephew, Cameron Smith.

Herman Young Blanding, age 76, gave up time for eternity, Thursday, December 8, 2022. He was born October 6, 1946, in Stanly County, North Carolina; and was the son of the late Albert and Maxine Evans Blanding.

His most favorite enjoyment was spending time with his grandchildren.

Herman was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Brenda Freeman Blanding; brother, Ambassador Broadus Blanding; and stepdaughter, Yvette Miller.

Those left to cherish fond memories are his daughters: Sherry Cleo (Eric) Blanding-Lee, Patricia Blanding, and Charlene Patterson; grandchildren: Delmetrius (Alexis), Judson, who was his caregiver, Leilah, Liayra, La’Quisha, and Aujawan; great grandchildren: Dallas, Darien, Ta’Rayah, Jerriyha, and Jerrell; stepson, Herman (Abbie) Miller; stepdaughter, Quienda (Stan) Parks; step grandchildren and step great grandchildren; sisters: Olivia Kilgo, Siesta Rushing, and Benita Edwards: brothers: Ronald Blanding, David Brigham, Eddie Brigham, Tracy Brigham, Dale (Dianna) Brigham, Gary Brigham, and Kenneth Brigham; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Tim Stewart

February 20, 1959 ~ December 14, 2022

Timothy Clifton Stewart, 63, of Mount Pleasant, NC passed away Wednesday morning, December 14, 2022 at his home.

Tim was born February 20, 1959 in Greenville, SC to the late Frederick Clifton Stewart and Shirley Reid Leiber, who survives of Norwood.. He attended South Stanly High School and was a member of First Baptist Church in Norwood.

In addition to his father, he was preceded in death by his sister, Karen Stewart Ogle and nephew, James Diggs.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his children, Sandy Stewart Collins of Iron Station, Kimberly Page(Hollis) of Norwood, Derrick Stewart(Kristen) of Tyro and Miranda Graham(Carey) of Mount Pleasant; grandchildren, Jarod and Erin Gosselin, Bailey and Sophie Page, Simone Wiggins, Mia and Ava Graham, Colt and Cheyenne Stewart; brother, Mark Stewart(Karen) and sister, Vickie Diggs(Danny) and Donna Wiggins all of Norwood.

Mr. Sturdivant is also preceded in death by a daughter, Tina Hudson, a stepdaughter, Kimlyn Polk, three brothers, Danny Thomas, Leon Sturdivant and Robert Gaddy, a sister, Darlene Sturdivant and two grandchildren, Angel and Daniel Polk.

Belinda Easter

November 14, 1968 ~ December 15, 2022

Belinda Clubb Easter, 54, of Norwood, passed away Thursday night, December 15, 2022. Belinda was born November 14, 1968 in Stanly County to Frances Floyd Clubb of Norwood and the late James Alfred Clubb, Jr. She was a 1987 graduate of South Stanly High School.

Janet Thompson

February 12, 1955 ~ December 19, 2022

Gladys Janet Thompson, 67, of Norwood, passed away early Monday morning, December 19, 2022.

Janet was born February 12, 1955 in Mobile, Alabama to the late Joseph F. and Mattie Rivers Webb.

She is survived by her husband, Charles Thompson of the home; sons, Brian Thompson and Brad Thompson and daughter, Brandy Williams; four grandchildren, Gavin Thompson, Charlie Eisenbraun, Aubrey Williams and Elizabeth Williams; brothers, Thomas C. Webb(Sharon) and Benjamin Wayne Webb; sisters, Patsy J. Fortner, Mae E. Kountz and Shirley G. Robinson.

Belinda enjoyed going to the beach, quilting, and spending time with her family.

She is survived by her husband, Brent Milford Easter of the home; daughter Amanda Jean Almond(Chris) of the home; son, Dakota Keith Almond(Kala) of Mount Pleasant; stepsons, Nathaniel Alexander Easter(Daisha) of Albemarle and Kasey Erik Easter of Jacksonville, NC; step-daughter, Darby Raine Easter(Trevor Blake) of Southmont; three stepgrandchildren, Tristan, Gavin and Stephanie Easter; sisters, Penny Clubb Parsons(Darrell) of Mount Gilead, Kathy Clubb Thurber(Dave) of Ohio and Cindy Clubb Smith of Albemarle; brother, James Clubb III(Melody) of Norwood; nine nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews.

Sam Smith

Taylor “Sam” Smith, 39, of Oakboro, died Saturday morning, December 17, 2022 at CMC-Main in Charlotte.

STATE & NATION

NC legislators back review to harden power infrastructure

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s top legislative leaders said the General Assembly will review what can be done to protect the state’s power transmission system following the Duke Energy substation shooting attacks this month that put Moore County in the dark for days.

Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said that ways to better safeguard infrastructure for generating electricity, producing clean water and other services would soon get the attention of colleagues.

“It needs to be frankly part of a broader conversation of just readiness and preparedness, not only for those kind of acts, but also for other emergencies,” Moore told reporters at the Legislative Building after both chambers essentially wrapped up their two-year session. The 170-seat legislature convenes its next session on Jan. 11.

State and federal law enforcement are continuing to investigate the outages, which began Dec. 3 when one or more people drove up to two substations, breached the

gates and opened fire on them, according to authorities. No arrests have been made in the shootings, which cut power to 45,000 customers. Law enforce -

ment officials, who last week were seeking warrants in the case, haven’t described a possible motive. But “no matter what the motivation of the folks that caused the

damage was ... we can move forward with assessments as to how we can protect some of that infrastructure,” Berger said earlier that day.

The comments by the Republican lawmakers align with those of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has said protecting critical infrastructure needs to be a top priority. He said he anticipated conversations with utilities and government officials about what to do. The state Utilities Commission got an update on Monday from Duke Energy executives about the attack.

Moore said he wanted to hear from Duke Energy leaders and other experts about whether the transmission system in North Carolina is similar to those elsewhere. Fortifying substations could be cost prohibitive — Duke operates 2,100 of them statewide — but “there may be some inexpensive things that can be done” to protect them from attack, Moore said.

Berger said it didn’t make sense to speculate about proposing tougher criminal penalties for those who cause such damage while the criminal investigation is ongoing.

The two legislative leaders were in Raleigh to gavel in and out the latest perfunctory floor sessions held since late July. The GOP-controlled General Assembly decided after its chief work period for the year ended July 1 to schedule monthly meetings in Raleigh to take up any urgent matters. That

also would have allowed them to vote on possible breakthroughs on key issues, like Medicaid expansion.

But no recorded votes were taken during these sessions, and a stalemate over expansion was never resolved. After Tuesday, the House and Senate will hold novote floor meetings every few days until the end of the month to close the two-year term.

While few senators attended the session, the House floor was nearly full of members. Two representatives appointed in recent months to fill vacancies — Democrat Jack Nichols of Wake County and Republican Paul O’Neill of Currituck County — were formally seated less than three weeks before their terms officially end.

And roughly 20 representatives who won’t return next year due to retirement, electoral defeat or moving to the Senate spoke on the House floor. They shared stories, thanked colleagues and offered advice. Many recalled bipartisan successes with legislation.

“Work together and have respect for each other,” said eightterm Rep. Pat McElraft, a Carteret County Republican who didn’t seek reelection.

Democratic Sen. Wiley Nickel of Wake County, who was elected to Congress last month, expressed a similar theme during a farewell address in the Legislative Building press room: “Our state is so much better off when leaders put aside partisan politics and look for common ground.”

McCarthy’s race for speaker risks upending House on Day One

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his quest to rise to House speaker, Kevin McCarthy is charging straight into history — potentially becoming the first nominee in 100 years unable to win the job on a first-round floor vote.

The increasingly real prospect of a messy fight over the speaker’s gavel on Day One of the new Congress on Jan. 3 is worrying House Republicans, who are bracing for the spectacle. They have been meeting endlessly in private at the Capitol trying to resolve the standoff.

Taking hold of a perilously slim 222-seat Republican majority in the 435-member House and facing a handful of defectors, McCarthy is working furiously to reach the 218-vote threshold typically needed to become speaker.

“The fear is, that if we stumble out of the gate,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a McCarthy ally, then the voters who sent the Republicans to Washington “will revolt over that and they will feel let down.”

Not since the disputed election of 1923 has a candidate for House speaker faced the public scrutiny of convening a new session of Congress only to have it descend into political chaos, with one vote after another, until a new speaker is chosen. At that time, it eventually took a grueling nine ballots to secure the gavel.

McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, California, who was first elected in 2006, has signaled he is willing to go as long as it takes in a floor vote to secure the speaker’s job he has wanted for

years. The former president has endorsed McCarthy, and is said to be making calls on McCarthy’s behalf. McCarthy has given no indication he would step aside, as he did in 2015 when it was clear he did not have the support.

But McCarthy also is acknowledging the holdouts won’t budge. “It’s all in jeopardy,” McCarthy said Friday in an interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt.

The dilemma reflects not just McCarthy’s uncertain stature among his peers, but also the shifting political norms in Congress as party leaders who once wielded immense power — the names of Cannon, Rayburn and

now Pelosi adorn House meeting rooms and office buildings — are seeing it slip away in the 21st century.

The test for McCarthy, if he is able to shore up the votes on Jan. 3 or in the days that follow, will be whether he emerges a weakened speaker, forced to pay an enormous price for the gavel, or whether the potentially brutal power struggle emboldens his new leadership.

“Does he want to go down as the first speaker candidate in 100 years to go to the floor and have to essentially, you know, give up?” said Jeffrey A. Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern Cali-

fornia and co-author of “Fighting for the Speakership.”

“But if he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, you know, maybe he actually has more of the right stuff.”

The Freedom Caucus members and others want assurances they will be able to help draft legislation from the ground up and have opportunities to amend bills during the floor debates. They want enforcement of the 72-hour rule that requires bills to be presented for review before voting.

Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the past two Republican speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, faced similar challenges, but they were able to

rely on the currency of their position to hand out favors, negotiate deals and otherwise win over opponents to keep them in line — for a time. Boehner and Ryan ended up retiring early.

But the central demand by McCarthy’s opponents’ could go too far: They want to reinstate a House rule that allows any single lawmaker to file a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially allowing a floor vote to boot the speaker from office.

The early leaders of the Freedom Caucus, under Mark Meadows, the former North Carolina congressman turned Trump’s chief of staff, wielded the little-used procedure as a threat over Boehner, and later, over Ryan.

It wasn’t until Pelosi seized the gavel the second time, in 2019, that House Democrats voted to do away with the rule and require a majority vote of the caucus to mount a floor vote challenge to the speaker.

The opposition to McCarthy has promoted a counteroffensive from other groups of House Republicans who are becoming more vocal in their support of the GOP leader — and more concerned about the fallout if the start of the new Congress descends into an internal party fight.

Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, who leads the Republican Governance Group, was wearing an “O.K.” button on his lapel — meaning, “Only Kevin.”

Some have suggested that the opponents to McCarthy could simply vote “present,” lowering the threshold for reaching a majority — a tactic Pelosi and Boehner both used to win with fewer than 218 votes.

NASA VIA AP

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, left, speaks while Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, listens during a post-election news conference at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, on Wednesday, Nov. 9. 2022.

AP PHOTO

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks to the chamber for final votes as the House wraps up its work for the week, at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 2, 2022.

Randolph record

Christmas at the state capitol

New members of Randolph Board of Education sworn in

NCGHSP launches statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday campaign

Law enforcement officers are stepping up patrols as a part of the statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday enforcement effort, which officially launched last week. This effort, which is the largest impaired driving campaign run by the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP), will run through January 2, 2023.

NCGHSP will be supporting the campaign through a combination of paid media advertising and social media outreach. So far, 432 people have been killed in North Carolina due to alcohol or drugrelated crashes. “If you’re out celebrating this holiday season, make sure you have a sober ride home,” said Mark Ezzell, director of NCGHSP. “If you drive under the influence, you have a lot to lose. Not only could you kill yourself or someone else, but you could face thousands of dollars in court costs and fines, jail time, or a revoked license.” For more driver safety tips and program information, follow the NCGHSP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Elderly pedestrian struck in fatal accident in Randleman

An elderly pedestrian walking along US 220 in Randleman last Thursday night was fatally struck by a vehicle. According to a press release from the NC State Highway Patrol, troopers responded to an accident near Salem Road in Randolph County just after 10 pm. Glenn Chriscoe, 83, of Randleman, was heading north when he was hit by a 2016 Nissan Altima. Chriscoe died on the scene. According to troopers, Chriscoe was wearing dark clothing, had no reflective markings on, and was walking in the travel lane when he was struck by the vehicle. US 220 Business near New Salem Road was closed for roughly 2 hours during the investigation. Troopers say that the driver will not face charges.

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Education met on Monday, December 12, to swear in new members and finalize voting for the naming of Trinity High School’s Gymnasium.

The meeting opened up with the swearing-in of three members. Current board member Fred Burgess was sworn into a new term, whereas Phillip Lanier and Shannon Whitaker joined the board as new members.

The board then unanimously voted to reelect Gary Cook as Board Chair.

“Sometimes, especially during COVID, you thought, ‘I don’t know if I want to go back or I could give this up,’” Cook said.

“Whether it was worth taking the abuse or having a police escort to your car and the things people said behind the scene when

Gary Cook, Board Chair

we were just trying to keep kids in school. We were trying to do what we thought was right, and it might not have been the right answer, but I’m proud of Randolph County because while our neighboring school systems were staying at home, we did have our kids in school. We all took a stand to do the best we could. It was a tough two years, but we got through it, and we can hold our heads high.”

“I think all you guys know that we’ve become – especially when you go through tough times, and you get through it – like a family. I don’t think it will change one bit.

This board has their hearts in the right place, everyone here. We’re just trying to make a difference, and at the end of the day, if you can make a difference in a kid’s life, that’s something special.”

Following Cook’s election, the board also unanimously voted to elect Sharon Farlow as ViceChair.

The board was then presented with an update on the Grassroots Arts Program Grant, which was received by the district.

“The Randolph County School System was awarded a grant in the amount of $2,547.00 from the Randolph Arts Guild through the North Carolina Arts Council’s Grassroots Arts Grant Program,” said Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Cathy Waddell. “We received on November 21, 2022, and will provide funding to support the district-wide fourth-grade field trip to the Greensboro Symphony. This year will be the second year that we will take fourth graders to Greensboro.”

“This is a special experience,” said Superintendent Stephen

North Carolina revenues already $1.2B ahead of schedule

of nearly $28 billion.

Gainey. “It was well organized last year. It’s a beautiful facility, and you see kids in there from all over with all these school systems, but it was great to see.”

According to Waddell, the field trip will take place in February.

The board then voted to approve the naming request for the Trinity High School Gymnasium for the final time.

“The Randolph County School System was approached about naming the Trinity High School Gymnasium after Tim Kelly,” said Executive Director of Operations Dale Brinkley. “Tim Kelly is the current men’s basketball head coach at Trinity High School and has served in this role for 34 seasons. Since starting his career in 1989-90 as the Trinity High School Boys’ Basketball Head Coach, Coach Kelly’s teams have won various conference, sectional, and state-level championships. He also has received various coaching awards and served as a role model and mentor. The request is to name the gymnasium: Tim Kelly Gymnasium.”

Since Kelly is no longer an employee of the school system, being instead a volunteer, there is no conflict with the naming.

The naming ceremony will take place in the coming months.

The Randolph County Board of Education will next meet January 9.

RALEIGH — North Carolina government revenues keep exceeding economists’ projections, despite broader worries about an economic downturn

Gov. Roy Cooper’s state budget office and the Legislature’s Fiscal Research Division agreed that revenues are $1.2 billion above the target through Nov. 30, the first five months of the fiscal year, officials said this week. That’s about 10% more than expected, state budget Director Kristin Walker said Thursday. The Fiscal Research Division’s confirmation originated from the House’s senior budget-writers.

All kinds of tax collections are up, the Office of State Budget and Management said, including individual and corporate income taxes, sales taxes and taxes on investments. This revenue

increase arrived before the holiday shopping season, which can affect sales tax levels.

The executive and legislative branch officials cautioned that the risk to the forecast is backloaded to the second half of the fiscal year, particularly when income tax payments arrive in mid-April. But the $1.2 billion overage remains large, even when compared to an annualized approved state budget

Unexpected revenues provide more flexibility and options to budget-writers as they draw up spending plans for things such as schools and employee pay, and consider tax rate changes. The General Assembly convenes its two-year session Jan. 11. Cooper will propose a biennial budget in early 2023.

The good news on collections follows the previous fiscal year in which the state ultimately received $4.8 billion more than it projected for the 12 months ending June 30, according to a state budget document.

The current budget that the General Assembly approved and Cooper signed parked billions of dollars either in reserve as a protection against inflation and a potential recession, or toward one-time needs such as construction and local water and wastewater projects.

Gary Cook reelected as Board Chair, Sharon Farlow as Vice-Chair

The North Carolina State Capitol Christmas tree in Raleigh.

PJ WARD-BROWN | AP PHOTO

The Associated Press

Gov. Roy Cooper’s state budget office and the Legislature’s Fiscal Research Division agreed that revenues are $1.2 billion above the target through Nov. 30.

“I think all you guys know that we’ve become –especially when you go through tough times, and you get through it – like a family. I don’t think it will change one bit.”

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Year in review and the year ahead

ANOTHER YEAR IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE. In 2022, we’ve seen the best of our community come together, and we’ve had our fair share of challenges.

Across the country this year, we’ve seen the highest inflation rates in 40 years and record high costs at the gas pump. These are both due in large part to misguided policy decisions by Washington Democrats.

spending.

You elected me as your representative to be a consensus builder and get things done. While 2022 was challenging, I am proud I was able to deliver real results for our community over the past 365 days.

In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom.

Additionally, we have seen a humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border, as record numbers of illegal migrants crossed into the country this past year. This border crisis has created a worsening fentanyl epidemic in every community, robbing countless young Americans of their future – just as communities are also facing drastic increases in violent crime.

The world has also been cast into greater turmoil, due in part to the United States projecting weakness. The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan contributed to Putin’s decision to wage war in Ukraine and Communist China’s increasing aggression toward its neighbors.

The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats have been largely unable to solve these problems or, in some cases, have made them worse. Time and time again, Washington Democrats have failed to address inflation, energy security, the border crisis, crime, or the increasingly tense international environment. Instead, they have doubled down on misguided policies or prioritized a leftist agenda that infringes on your liberties. This includes their so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” a $740 billion bill that will raise your taxes, grow federal bureaucracy, and – in spite of the name – make inflation worse.

However, Republicans have a plan to change our nation’s direction for the better. In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom. But for us to follow through on our “Commitment to America,” we must stand united. We have a duty to govern effectively and pursue the reforms needed to push America in the right direction, beginning with stopping out-of-control and inflation-driving

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

The slippery slope never ends

IN 2006, THEN-SEN. JOE BIDEN ranted against the supposed irrelevance of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage in federal law as one man, one woman. “We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman, and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law; there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

I have had nine bills pass the sharply divided House this year and five signed into law. In total, I have had 24 bills pass the House and ten signed into law during this Congress. These include measures like the Patient Advocate Tracker Act and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

One piece of legislation I was proud to see become law was my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act. This new law increases access to affordable, quality health care in rural and underserved areas by allowing community health centers to use grants to establish mobile health units. This commonsense legislation will go a long way in improving healthcare quality and access.

Despite all the troubles of this past year, we also witnessed triumphs of the human spirit. Just two weeks ago, an unknown individual or individuals attacked two power substations in Moore County, leaving numerous hospitals, schools, businesses, and close to 45,000 residents without power. Like many of you, my house was without power for almost a week. Yet throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and lend a hand. This show of compassion filled me with hope and reminded me that the future for our community and nation is bright.

As Hanukkah begins and the Christmas holiday nears, I hope the joy of this time of year fills you and your family with happiness. I also hope you are proud of my efforts to defend our rights, stand up for our values, and push for common sense. I look forward to 2023 and the chance to continue to work for you. Together, we will get our country back on the right track.

cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who get children the care they need.” In other words, if you oppose the hormonal sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors as a pseudo-palliative for gender identity disorder, you are evil, and you must be stopped by force of federal law.

The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Sixteen years later, President Joe Biden stood on the lawn of the White House and chortled that he had finally enshrined samesex marriage into federal law. “Today’s a good day,” he said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone.”

A vital step. Not the final step. Not the culminating step. A vital step.

The language here is important because it is revealing. Biden and his allies have an agenda that goes far beyond the redefinition of marriage. The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Biden made this clear in his speech, in which he lumped together opposition to same-sex marriage with “racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia.” This is patent nonsense, of course. But it does set the groundwork for the actual transgressive agenda: to liken traditional views about marriage to pure bigotry. And this will necessitate governmental action against those who believe in marriage. After all, we as a society don’t tolerate racism on the basis of religious freedom. If Christian views about marriage are treated similarly, why should churches maintain their tax-exempt status while “discriminating” against same-sex weddings?

Biden went still further. In championing same-sex marriage, he said that Americans “need to challenge the hundreds of callous,

The natural outcome of this agenda will be precisely what Democrats pretend now to oppose: anti-religious discrimination, educational cramdowns, and threats to traditional parenting. And make no mistake: they are pretending. They have no rationale for drawing lines to hem in their cultural imperialism. When asked by CBS News correspondent Steve Portnoy whether protections for religious practice were “codifying discrimination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, “Is there more work to do? Absolutely. There’s always more work to do.”

In the early 1990s, Democrats denied that they wanted civil unions. They were lying. In the mid-2000s, Democrats denied that they wanted same-sex marriage. They were lying. Now Democrats say they don’t want religious discrimination or educational indoctrination. They are lying. In the end, what transgressives want is simple: a national state that stands as the god of a new moral system and atomized individuals without recourse to intermediary institutions of community or civil society.

And if the Republicans who voted for the Orwellian Respect for Marriage Act think that they have bought a respite from the predations of the Left by signing onto an erstwhile compromise, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

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.”

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.

SIDELINE REPORT

MLB Browning, who pitched perfect game for Reds, dies at 62 Union, Ky. Tom Browning, an All-Star pitcher who threw the only perfect game in Cincinnati Reds history and helped them win the 1990 World Series title, has died. He was 62. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office announced Browning’s death on Twitter, saying he died Monday at his home in Union, Kentucky. No cause was given. The Sheriff’s Office said foul play is not suspected. Known as a colorful character, Browning retired all 27 batters he faced in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Riverfront Stadium on Sept. 16, 1988. He also won Game 3 of the 1990 World Series in Oakland.

NFL McGinest Jr. arrested in alleged assault in California

West Hollywood, Calif. Authorities say former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest Jr. was arrested in connection with an assault at a Southern California nightclub. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statement says the incident occurred Dec. 9 at a West Hollywood club and witnesses identified McGinest as one of the people involved. The department says McGinest was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon after coming to the West Hollywood sheriff’s station on Monday to give a statement about the incident. McGinest posted bond and was released. McGinest spent 15 years in the NFL with New England and Cleveland.

TENNIS

Venus awarded wild-card for Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Venus Williams has been awarded a wild-card entry to play at the Australian Open next month. It will be 25 years after she played the Grand Slam tournament for the first time. The 42-yearold Williams has reached the final twice in Australia, including a loss to her younger sister, Serena, in the 2017 championship match. She will be contesting the season-opening major for the 22nd time. Venus and Serena Williams combined to win the Australian Open women’s doubles title four times and Venus also won the mixed doubles title in 1998.

NBA

Panthers settle failed practice site for $100M

in South Carolina.

The deal will turn the land and the incomplete steel shell of what was supposed to have been the team’s new headquarters over to the city of Rock Hill. It’s estimated to be worth $20 million.

earlier this year.

All sides agreed to drop their current lawsuits and not file any other claims as part of the deal approved Friday by federal bankruptcy court Judge Karen Owens.

Tepper, a hedge fund manager who is one of the NFL’s wealthiest owners, and the Panthers announced plans for an $800 million practice facility, team offices, sports medicine complex, hotels and entertainment near Rock Hill in 2019.

Both local and South Carolina leaders cheered the investment, offering incentives and relishing getting a piece of the NFL team away from North Carolina and Charlotte, where the team plays its games about 25 miles away.

Estimated value of the unfinished Panthers practice facility

York County, which is separate from the sheriff, released a statement after reaching its deal with Tepper that said Tepper and his company “have acted in good faith and that the county “believes that no action of any kind with respect to the county payment is warranted.”

By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C.— A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlement of about $100 million Friday over Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build a practice facility for his NFL team

Tepper’s real estate company GT Real Estate Holdings will pay York County, which provided sales tax revenue for road improvements, $21 million, and $60 million will be split among the contractors who worked on the project before it was abandoned

But after less than two years, Tepper’s company abruptly stopped work.

York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and Solicitor Kevin Brackett continue to investigate Tepper and his company to see whether public money was misused on the project.

GT Real Estate Holdings said in a statement that from the start it wanted to make sure all legitimate claims were paid.

“We are pleased that the Court has approved our comprehensive plan of reorganization, which paves the way to resolve and satisfy GTRE’s creditor claims,” the statement said.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes named AP Coach of the Year

TCU’S SONNY DYKES was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

Dykes received 37 of 46 firstplace votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 voters to become the second TCU coach to win the award. The first two were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes replaced after last season.

will miss weeks

Lakers’ Davis has foot injury,

Los Angeles

Lakers forward Anthony Davis has a right foot injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks. Davis leads the Lakers with averages of 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham confirmed the team has no firm timetable for Davis’ return. Davis was injured in the first half of the Lakers’ win over Denver on Friday night. He did not play after halftime. The Lakers had wn 10 of their past 16 games after starting the season 2-10.

“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”

TCU (12-1) faces No. 2 Michigan (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl for a berth in the national championship game.

Tulane coach Willie Fritz was second with 40 points and two first-place votes, followed by Tennessee’s John Heupel (38 points, one) and last year’s winner, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan (28 points, five). Georgia’s Kirby Smart (15 points) also received a first-place vote.

Dykes, 53, is in his fourth stop after stints with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. The Texan and son of longtime Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 in 13 seasons as a head coach.

“It’s not always like this and I’ve been on both ends and so some-

thing like this probably means more to me than it might somebody,” Dykes said. “I’ve been 1-11 and I’ve been fired. I’ve been kind of on top and then on bottom, too. I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Dykes’ path to AP coach of the year is unique. The award was established in 1998 and no coach had ever won his first coach of the year on his fourth stop as an Bowl Subdivision head coach.

Dykes moved across town to take over at TCU after being with rival SMU for five years. Playing against the Horned Frogs annually, he had a good idea of what kind

of team he was getting.

Instead of a major roster overhaul of last season’s 5-7 TCU team, Dykes dipped into the transfer portal to fill some holes, but he mostly took what he inher -

ited and turned it into one of the best teams in the country.

“Sometimes it’s more about the chemistry of things and trying to get the chemistry of those rooms right as opposed to necessarily adding talent,” Dykes said. “That part of it, I think, is really overlooked. Just the chemistry and creating competition and all that.”

The Horned Frogs started the season unranked and didn’t lose until dropping the Big 12 championship in overtime to Kansas State.

Duke’s Mike Elko finished ninth in the voting, receiving one second-place and one third-place vote.

The city of Rock Hill will receive the land and incomplete structure in the bankruptcy settlement

The first-year coach led the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

AP PHOTO

A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlemeny of about $100 million in Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build the team’s headquarters and practice facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

“I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Sonny Dykes, TCU football coach

Fields set for big holiday tourneys

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

CLIMAX — The Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic is set for another go-around using two sites, but the field isn’t quite as big as last year.

Next week’s girls’ and boys’ basketball tournaments will have one slight difference in terms of the number of teams.

Providence Grove and Ledford are the sites. But the Providence Grove site has only seven girls’ and seven boys’ entrants, so that means fewer games there.

“It threw a wrinkle into it,” said Calvin Brown, outgoing athletics director at Providence Grove.

Games will be held next Tuesday through Thursday.

There will be six games per day at Providence Grove and eight games per day at Ledford.

At Providence Grove, the girls’ pairings are Asheboro-South Davidson, Southwestern Randolph-Thomasville, and North Davidson-Providence Grove, with Randleman receiving a bye.

It’s the same matchups for the boys, except Randleman will take on South Davidson, with Asheboro receiving the bye.

At Ledford, the pairings are: Wheatmore-Davie County, Trinity-West Davidson, Uwharrie Charter Academy-Lexington, and East Davidson-Ledford.

Brown, who’ll officially begin duties as Asheboro’s football coach next month, said some rather late withdrawals created the brack-

et oddity. Adjustments were made to even the field between the two sites as much as possible.

“It all worked out, and we’re going to have a good tournament,” Brown said.

He also said that nixing morning games at the Providence Grove site reduced the impact in terms of attendance because those are generally the least attended games.

Games begin each day at 12:30 p.m. at Providence Grove and at 9:30 a.m. at Ledford.

Eastern Randolph, Central Davidson, Jordan-Matthews, and Oak Grove aren’t participating this year. Central Davidson’s boys’ team won the Providence Grove site last year and Oak Grove’s girls were titlists at Ledford.

UCA, Davie County, and North Davidson are newcomers, while South Davidson, Southwestern Randolph, and Thomasville have switched sites. Southwestern Randolph, and Thomasville met on the opening day last year at Ledford.

Randleman’s girls were champions at Providence Grove. Thomasville’s boys won at the Ledford site last year.

Spencer May

Trinity, wrestling

May won tournament titles on back-to-back weekends.

He won on his home mats Dec. 10 on his way to winning the Most Outstanding Wrestler award in the Trinity Invitational.

In capturing the 120-pound division, May recorded pins in the quarterfinals and semifinals. In a high-level matchup in the final against Asheboro’s Xavier Santos, May prevailed with a 10-7 decision.

May, a junior, followed that performance by winning the title this past weekend’s

PREP FOOTBALL NOTES

PREP NOTES

41-point mark hit twice by area boys

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

IT WAS A BIG WEEK for top scorers around Randolph County basketball last week.

Dominic Payne of Trinity and Davonte Brooks of Eastern Randolph were in the same category at times.

Payne poured in 41 points Friday in a 65-64 victory at Uwharrie Charter Academy. On the same night, Brooks posted 41 points in a 99-47 romp at Wheatmore. Teammate Timothy Brower had 28 points.

Wheatmore’s Parker Kines had more than half of his team’s points in that game with 26.

Payne scored 29 points in a 6048 victory at Wheatmore.

Against Trinity, UCA’s Ashton Troutman racked up 33 points for more than half of his team’s scoring.

Brooks had a big effort in a non-conference victory at Burlington Williams with 26 points in

the 73-52 result.

Consider those individual totals when the final score of Randleman’s victory at Southwestern Randolph on Friday night was 34-33.

On the girls’ side, Elizabeth York of Randleman scored 22 points in a 53-40 victory at Eastern Randolph. The Wildcats received 24 points from Kenly Whitaker.

Wrestling

At Asheville, Uwharrie Charter Academy had three individual champions and won the team championship in the Great Smoky Mountain Grapple at the downtown civic center.

Champions for UCA were Ethan Hines (106 pounds), Aldo Hernandez (138), and Lorenzo Alston (145).

Hernandez was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler, defeating Enka’s Noah Tocaben 12-6 in the final after a

technical fall of Hoke County’s Landen Nelson in the semifinals.

Third place went to Jack McArthur (132), Carson Robinson (160), and Grayson Roberts (170). Roberts, a 2022 Class 1-A state champion, dropped a 14-7 decision to Maryville, Tenn.’s Michael Colligan, the eventual runner-up, in the semifinals.

The tournament included teams from multiple states. UCA scored 189 points to runner-up Newton-Conover’s 186.

At Indian Trail, Trinity rode the strength of six titlists to a third-place team finish in the Porter Ridge Invitational.

Trinity’s Brayden Hall (113), Spencer May (120), Levi Dennis (126), Charles Schaefer (138), Gavin Hardister (182), and Joey Smith (220).

Edgar Vasquez Mora (106) placed third for the Bulldogs.

Porter Ridge won the team title with 183 points, followed by South Point with 165½ and Trinity with 162½.

More changes come in Mid-Piedmont Conference

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

THE COACHING change at Asheboro isn’t the only change atop a football program in the Mid-Piedmont Conference.

Calvin Brown is leaving Providence Grove to be Asheboro’s new coach, replacing Blake Brewer.

Oak Grove has lost coach Mark Holcomb, who has taken the job at Bishop McGuinness. Holcomb, a former coach at North Davidson, had been at Oak Grove for all six seasons that the program existed.

Oak Grove was 11-1 this year.

Beginning with the first varsity season in 2018, the Grizzlies have had records of 5-6, 10-2, 6-3, and 7-3.

Season to savor

An Asheboro man coached a 13-win team this year.

Andrew Carrouth was in his fourth season as North Moore’s coach. His team won the Mid-Carolina Conference title

in a league comprised of Class 2-A and Class 1-A teams.

The Mustangs didn’t lose this year until a 27-7 setback to Rosewood in the fourth round of the Class 1-A state playoffs. They finished with a 13-1 record.

Carrouth, 37, spent one season on the Asheboro coaching staff in between head coaching assignments at Southern Alamance, which is his alma mater, and North Moore.

Tough losses

A couple of Randolph County teams lost in the state playoffs this year against teams that went on to play for state championships.

Eastern Randolph’s fourthround loss by 35-17 to Mount Airy in Class 1-A marked the closest result for Mount Airy in the postseason other than the Granite Bears’ 20-7 victory against Tarboro in the final.

Providence Grove lost in the second round to Reidsville, which went on to finish as the state runner-up in Class 2-A.

RANDOLPH RECORD FILE PHOTO

In this match from last season, Trinity’s Spencer May works over Riley Shaw of West Wilkes in a 113-pound bout.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Asheboro’s Hakemme Butler goes up for a shot as Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Ethan Kinney, left, and Walker Wilkins look on. Both teams are in next week’s Davidson-Randolph Christmas Classic, though at different sites.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Eastern Randolph’s Davonte Brooks goes up for a shot last week against Wheatmore.

BOB SUTTON | RANDOLPH RECORD

Asheboro resident Andrew Carrouth directed a special season as North Moore’s coach.

Children’s medicine shortage hits as flu season starts fast

CARING for sick children has become extra stressful recently for many U.S. parents due to shortages of Children’s Tylenol and other medicines.

Doctors and other experts say the problem could persist through the winter cold-and-flu season but should not last as long as other recent shortages of baby formula or prescription drugs.

They also say parents have alternatives if they encounter empty store shelves.

Here’s a closer look:

What’s happening

An unusually fast start to the annual U.S. flu season, plus a spike in other respiratory illnesses, created a surge in demand for fever relievers and other products people can buy without a prescription.

“There are more sick kids at this time of year than we have seen in the past couple years,” said Dr. Shannon Dillon, a pediatrician at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis.

Experts say that’s the main factor behind the shortages, which vary around the country and even within communities.

“At this point, it’s more like toilet paper at the beginning of the (COVID-19) pandemic,” Dillon said “You just have to look in the right place at the right time.”

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson says it is not experiencing widespread shortages of Children’s Tylenol, but the product may be “less readily available” at some stores. The company said it is running its production lines around the clock.

In the meantime, CVS Health has placed a two-product limit on all children’s pain relief products

bought through its pharmacies or online.

Walgreens is limiting customers online to six purchases of children’s over-the-counter fever reducing products. That limit doesn’t apply in stores.

Aside from over-the-counter products, the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin also is in short

supply due to increased demand, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is often used to treat nose and throat infections in children.

What to do

Check first for alternatives in the store if some products aren’t available. Generic versions of brand-name products are “perfectly safe and often a much more affordable option,” Dillon said.

Other stores nearby also may have better options. Manufacturers say there are no widespread national shortages of these medications, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

A family doctor may know which stores have decent supplies.

A doctor also may be able to tell parents whether they can try alternatives like crushing the proper dose of a pill version and mixing it with food or chocolate syrup. Doctors say parents or caregivers should not try this on their own, because determining proper doses for children can be tricky.

“You don’t need to experiment at home,” said Dr. Sarah Nosal, a South Bronx family physician. “Your family doctor wants to talk to you and see you.”

Going without

Doctors also caution that fevers don’t always have to be treated. They are a body’s natural defense against infection, and they make it hard for a virus to replicate.

Dillon noted, for instance, that a fever may not be intrinsically harmful to older children. However, parents should take a newborn under 2 months old to the doctor if the child has a fever of 100.4 de-

grees or more. And doctors say any child with a fever should be monitored for behavior changes.

Instead of medicine, consider giving the child a bath in lukewarm water. Cold water makes the body shiver, which can actually raise the temperature.

Put fans in the child’s room or set up a cool mist humidifier to help their lungs.

Nosal also said two teaspoons of honey can help control coughs in children older than a year. Avoid using honey for young children because it carries a risk of infant botulism.

When will supplies get better?

Shortages might last in some communities until early next year. Resolving them can depend on whether there are enough workers at warehouses and stores to deliver the product and stock the shelves, noted Erin Fox. She researches drug shortages and is the senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health, which runs five hospitals.

Fox said there are no problems at factories or a lack of ingredients contributing to current shortages. Those obstacles can lead to long supply disruptions.

“I don’t expect this to last a year or more like some of our other shortages do,” she said.

Hacker claims breach of FBI’s critical-infrastructure portal

BOSTON — A hacker who reportedly posed as the CEO of a financial institution claims to have obtained access to the more than 80,000-member database of InfraGard, an FBI-run outreach program that shares sensitive information on national security and cybersecurity threats with public officials and private sector actors who run U.S. critical infrastructure.

The hacker posted samples they said were from the database to an online forum popular with cybercriminals last weekend and said they were asking $50,000 for the entire database.

The hacker obtained access to InfraGard’s online portal by posing as the CEO of a financial institution, they told independent cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs, who broke the story. They called the vetting process surprisingly lax.

The FBI declined to comment.

Krebs reported that the agency told him it was aware of a potential false account and was looking into the matter.

InfraGard’s memberhip is a veritable critical infrastructure Who’s Who. It includes business leaders, IT professionals, military, state and local law enforcement and government officials involved in oversee-

ing the safety of everything from the electrical grid and transportation, to health care, pipelines, nuclear reactors, the defense industry, dams and water plants and financial services. Founded in 1996, it is the FBI’s largest public-private partnership, with local alliances affiliated with all its field offices. It

The database has the names, affiliations and contact information for tens of thousands of InfraGard users. Krebs first reported its theft

on Tuesday.

The hacker, going by the username USDoD on the BreachForums site, said on the site that records of only 47,000 of the forum’s members’ — slightly more than half — include unique emails.

The hacker also posted that the data contained neither Social Se-

curity numbers nor dates of birth. Although fields existed in the database for that information, InfraGard’s security-conscious users had left them blank.

However, the hacker told Krebs that they had been messaging InfraGard members, posing as the financial institution’s CEO, to try to obtain more personal data that could be criminally weaponized. The AP reached the hacker on the BreachForums site via private message. They would not say whether they had found a buyer for the stolen records or answer other questions. But they did say that Krebs’ article “was 100% accurate.”

The FBI did not offer an explanation for how the hacker was able to trick it into approving the InfraGard membership. Krebs reported that the hacker had included a contact email address that they controlled — as well as the CEO’s real mobile phone number — when applying for InfraGard membership in November.

Krebs quoted the hacker as saying InfraGard approved the application in early December and that they were able to use the email to receive a one-time authentication code.

Once inside, the hacker said, the database information was easy to obtain with a simple software script.

The Associated Press

regularly shares threat advisories from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security and serves as a behind-closed-doors social media site for select insiders.

“I don’t expect this to last a year or more like some of our other shortages do.”

Erin Fox, senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health

AP PHOTO

A sign is placed near the section for children’s medicine, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at a CVS AP PHOTO, FILE

An FBI seal is seen on a wall on Aug. 10, 2022, in Omaha, Neb.

obituaries

Donna Jackson Price

July 24, 1962 — December 16, 2022

Donna Jackson Price, age 60 of Asheboro passed away Saturday, December 16, 2022 at Randolph Heath Hospital after a brief illness.

Donna was born in Randolph County on July 24, 1962, to John Thomas Harger and Mozelle Wright Harger.

Donna attended Central United Methodist Church, a devoted Christian lady. Donna was a certified medical assistant and was formerly employed with Tolaram Fibers in Asheboro. She was a great mother, memaw and friend. Donna was preceded in death by her parents, her husband’s Ronnie Sherman Jackson and Roy Lee Price; granddaughter: Diana Raye Walker Jackson.

Donna is survived by her daughter: Debra Jackson Nelson; grandsons: Bradford Thomas Needham, Issac John Needham, Taylor Shawn Tucker; granddaughter: Natalie Sarakay Satterfield; a few cousins and close friends; former husband: Edward Michael Vernon; several stepchildren children and many others she considered family.

Michael Richard Cartwright

November 5, 1942 — December 16, 2022

Michael Richard Cartwright, age 80 of Asheboro, NC passed away on December 16, 2022 at Hospice House of Asheboro.

Michael was born in Springfield, Ohio and was a graduate of Ohio State University with a B.S. degree in Industrial Management. He retired after many years of employment as a building supervisor. He loved NASCAR, his favorite driver was Tony Stewart, dirt racing, midget cars, and Indian Motorcycles. He enjoyed going to car and airplane shows. Michael was a very avid reader of US and British history. Michael is survived by his wife, Kathryn Williams Cartwright of the home, sister, Kathy Wyatt of Pataskala, OH, his children, Kellie Johnson and Andrew Cartwright both of Fairborn, OH, and Sarah Cartwright of Sarasota, FL, granddaughters, Katie Marie Johnson, MacKenzie and Morgan Cartwright all of Fairborn, OH and Afton Elliott of Sarasota, FL. He was preceded in death by his father, Murl Cartwright, and his mother and stepfather, Kathryn Marie Taylor and Dan Taylor.

Glenn Chriscoe

October 2, 1939 — December 15, 2022

Glenn Chriscoe age 83 passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, December 15, 2022, in Randleman, NC.

Glenn was born in Montgomery County on October 2, 1939 to Everett and Mabel Chriscoe.

Mr. Chriscoe worked at J. P. Stevens as a manager for many years. After leaving there, he worked for himself doing landscaping for over 25 years. He loved to hunt and fish. Glenn planted a big garden yearly and loved to work at anything outdoors. He loved his dogs especially Tinkerbell. Glenn was loving referred to as PawPaw by his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

In addition to his parents, Glenn was preceded in death by his wife: Martha Chriscoe; brothers: Norman and Thurman Chriscoe; sisters: Viola Shelton, Vera Beane and Doris Keeling.

He is survived by his children: Teresa Toomes, Glenn (Regina) Chriscoe Jr., Terry (Christy Hunt) Chriscoe and Jerry Chriscoe; grandchildren: Heather, Ray (Kara), Michael, Brandon, Chelsea, Briana, Deanna (Landon), Triston, and Preston; great grandchildren: Lucian, Gideon, Rachel, Waylon, Kendyl and Will; brothers: James (Faye) Chriscoe; sisters: Mary Black and Susie (Melvin) Singleton.

William Sanford Reeder

June 30, 1943 — December 15, 2022

Sanford Reeder passed away unexpectedly on December 15, 2022, at his home in Seagrove.

Sanford was born on June 30, 1943, to Ida Mae Latham and William Clarence Reeder. He worked for many years doing maintenance in hosiery mills. Sanford loved to farm and ride his tractor. He especially enjoyed making windmills and tinkering with things. He shared his life with his wife, Judith Bunting Reeder. He loved his family and his friends.

Mr. Reeder is survived by his wife, Judith, of the home, their son, Andrew Dalton (Lisa) Reeder and granddaughter Adrian Marie Reeder all of Randleman. He is survived by his siblings, sister Ada Ruth Ray of Seagrove, sister Mary (Marvin) Marley of Seagrove, brother Dewey Reeder of Seagrove, sister Barbara (R.L.) Davis of Seagrove, and brother Winfred (Dianne) Reeder of Ramseur. In addition, he is survived by nephew Derek Capps of Seagrove, along with several other loving nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Peter Frank Bunting.

Sanford was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Danny Reeder, sister Margie Little, brother J.C. Reeder, sister Shirley Anne Cagle and brother Clyde Reeder.

James Harvey Humble

July 21, 1936 — December 15, 2022

James Harvey Humble, Sr., age 86, of Asheboro passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2022 at the Randolph Hospice House.

Mr. Humble was born on July 21, 1936 to Walter Edgar and Neudy Ethel Brewer Humble. James served his country in the U.S. Army. He was employed as a Printer Service Technician for 44 years and was a former Free Mason. In addition to his parents, James was preceded in death by his siblings, Oneta Ballentine, Fritz Humble, Carlene Ingram, and Fentris Humble. He loved his family and grandbabies. James was an avid cattle farmer and enjoyed taking care of his homeplaces. He was a big NASCAR fan and was a former volunteer at Rockingham Motor Speedway.

He is survived by his wife of almost 67 years, Grace Hughes Humble; son, James "Jimmy" Humble, Jr. (Phyllis) of Randleman; daughter, Karen H. Brower of Lexington; and grandchildren, Justin, Courtney, and Carly Humble.

Margaret Purvis Maness

September 4, 1941 — December 15, 2022

4, 1941 in the High Falls Community of Moore County.

She is survived by her husband Harrison Maness of the home.

Margaret leaves behind one daughter, Mitzi Maness Upton and husband Kevin of Wake Forest, NC. She was the proud grandmother of two grandchildren, Samuel Upton of Charlotte and Martha Upton of New York.

She was a beloved wife, devoted mother, and a loving grandmother known affectionately as MaToot. Margaret was a member of Asheboro First Wesleyan Church for 55 years and devoted much of her time in service to her church and community.

In addition to her parents, Margaret was preceded in death by her sisters, Patsy Harwood and Betty Sheppard, and brother, Jimmy Purvis. Also, brothersin-law, Ben Harwood, Ronald Boone, James Sheppard, Edward Maness, Jack Reeves and Phillip Auman.

Surviving is her sister Katie Blalock and husband John, her sisters-in-law, Jane Purvis, Betty Auman, Francis Boone, and Betty Jane Maness, along with numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Mary Jane Lewis Caudill

July 24, 1939 — December 14, 2022

Mary Jane Lewis Caudill, age 83, of Asheboro, NC went home to be with her Lord, Jesus Christ, on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at home with her husband and family.

Mary Jane was born July 24, 1939 in Garfield, MD the daughter of Ralph Forrest Lewis and Delva Mae Harne Lewis.

She is survived by her husband, Croy Deschum Caudill, Daughter, Corina Dawn Caudill Canipe, grandchildren, Miranda, Dawn, Samantha, Timothy, Felicia, Rene, Daniel, Katherine, Charles, Zane, Benjamin, James and Faith, and great grandchildren, Troy, Nathaniel, Lucas, Lily, Tobias, Daniel, Joshua, Isaiah and Emily.

Mary Jane was a Godly woman, a member of The Cross Road Baptist Church, and a homemaker, who raised Corina to know and love God which is the most important calling a mother can achieve and one Corina hopes she can also achieve with her children. Corina's prayer is that all her children and grandchildren will give their lives to Christ and will one day spend eternity with him in heaven.

Virginia Faye Routh Robbins

February 17, 1939 — December 14, 2022

Virginia Faye Routh Robbins, age 83 of Franklinville, passed away on Wednesday, December 14, 2022 at Universal Healthcare in Ramseur surrounded by her loving family.

Virginia was born in Randolph County on February 17, 1939 to Wade and Monnie Pugh Routh. She graduated from Grays Chapel School. Virginia worked for 40 years and retired from Salem Neckware and sewed clothing for her own children. She enjoyed working in her flowers and loved cooking for her family on Sunday’s. Virginia attended First Christian Church in Ramseur and had a kind, loving heart, and a gentle spirit. She enjoyed reading her bible every day and loved watching her grandchildren play sports. Virginia is preceded in death by her parents.

Virginia is survived by her children; Rodney (Pat) Robbins of Franklinville, Rhonda (Rickey) Foster of Franklinville, Renee (Dove) Coble of Climax, Renita (Roger) Garner of Seagrove; grandchildren, Jeremy, Randall, Tiffany, Brandon, Natasha, Josh, Ryan, and Reid; nine great grandchildren; and her sister, Roberta (Noel) Crotts of Franklinville.

Christopher Allen Walls

October 11, 1992 — December 12, 2022

Christopher Allen Walls, age 30, of Randleman passed away on Monday, December 12, 2022 at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center following a brief illness.

Chris was born in Guilford County on October 11, 1992.

Chris was a welder by trade and was a member of Caraway Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Homer and Betty Mitchell and Clarence and Frieda Walls. Chris enjoyed four-wheeling, football, golf, and buying and selling cars.

He is survived by his wife, Lauren Wood Walls; son, Noah Christopher Walls; daughter, Allie Marie Walls; parents, Bobby and Debbie Walls; brother, Robert Walls; and sister, Stephanie Walls Morrison.

Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Kathryn Marie Bryan Taylor

November 3, 1921 — December 13, 2022

Kathryn Marie (Kay) Bryan Cartwright Taylor, 101, of Asheboro NC, passed away on December 13, 2022 in Asheboro.

Kay was born in Sidney, Ohio on November 3, 1921, one of seven children, to Stanley and Vida Bryan. She built a very successful career as a computer analyst at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

She will be sorely missed by her daughter, Kathy Wyatt of Pataskala, Ohio; her son and daughter-in-law Michael and Kathryn Cartwright; granddaughter Sarah Cartwright and great-granddaughter Afton Elliott of Sarasota, Florida; Charles Cottrell of Grand Rapids, Michigan; grandson Andrew Cartwright and greatgranddaughters MacKenzie and Morgan Cartwright of Fairborn, Ohio; granddaughter Kellie Johnson of Fairborn, Ohio; great granddaughter Katie Johnson of Fairborn, Ohio; many members of Kathryn Cartwright’s large and loving family, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents, her first husband Murl Cartwright, and her second husband Dan Taylor.

Daughter of a Greek candymaker, Kay was very proud of her Greek heritage and attributed her strength and resilience to that. She was a warm, gracious woman with a great sense of humor who passed on to her children many life lessons and an appreciation of life’s many blessings. She was unfailingly optimistic, and always looked on the bright side and for the positive in others. She was a very strong woman, a great mother and a wonderful role model.

Margaret Purvis Maness, 81, of Asheboro went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on December 15, 2022. Margaret was the daughter of Edgar and Bonnie Purvis and born on September

STATE & NATION

NC legislators back review to harden power infrastructure

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s top legislative leaders said the General Assembly will review what can be done to protect the state’s power transmission system following the Duke Energy substation shooting attacks this month that put Moore County in the dark for days.

Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said that ways to better safeguard infrastructure for generating electricity, producing clean water and other services would soon get the attention of colleagues.

“It needs to be frankly part of a broader conversation of just readiness and preparedness, not only for those kind of acts, but also for other emergencies,” Moore told reporters at the Legislative Building after both chambers essentially wrapped up their two-year session. The 170-seat legislature convenes its next session on Jan. 11.

State and federal law enforcement are continuing to investigate the outages, which began Dec. 3 when one or more people drove up to two substations, breached the

gates and opened fire on them, according to authorities.

No arrests have been made in the shootings, which cut power to 45,000 customers. Law enforce -

ment officials, who last week were seeking warrants in the case, haven’t described a possible motive. But “no matter what the motivation of the folks that caused the

damage was ... we can move forward with assessments as to how we can protect some of that infrastructure,” Berger said earlier that day.

The comments by the Republican lawmakers align with those of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has said protecting critical infrastructure needs to be a top priority. He said he anticipated conversations with utilities and government officials about what to do. The state Utilities Commission got an update on Monday from Duke Energy executives about the attack.

Moore said he wanted to hear from Duke Energy leaders and other experts about whether the transmission system in North Carolina is similar to those elsewhere. Fortifying substations could be cost prohibitive — Duke operates 2,100 of them statewide — but “there may be some inexpensive things that can be done” to protect them from attack, Moore said.

Berger said it didn’t make sense to speculate about proposing tougher criminal penalties for those who cause such damage while the criminal investigation is ongoing.

The two legislative leaders were in Raleigh to gavel in and out the latest perfunctory floor sessions held since late July. The GOP-controlled General Assembly decided after its chief work period for the year ended July 1 to schedule monthly meetings in Raleigh to take up any urgent matters. That

also would have allowed them to vote on possible breakthroughs on key issues, like Medicaid expansion.

But no recorded votes were taken during these sessions, and a stalemate over expansion was never resolved. After Tuesday, the House and Senate will hold novote floor meetings every few days until the end of the month to close the two-year term.

While few senators attended the session, the House floor was nearly full of members. Two representatives appointed in recent months to fill vacancies — Democrat Jack Nichols of Wake County and Republican Paul O’Neill of Currituck County — were formally seated less than three weeks before their terms officially end.

And roughly 20 representatives who won’t return next year due to retirement, electoral defeat or moving to the Senate spoke on the House floor. They shared stories, thanked colleagues and offered advice. Many recalled bipartisan successes with legislation.

“Work together and have respect for each other,” said eightterm Rep. Pat McElraft, a Carteret County Republican who didn’t seek reelection.

Democratic Sen. Wiley Nickel of Wake County, who was elected to Congress last month, expressed a similar theme during a farewell address in the Legislative Building press room: “Our state is so much better off when leaders put aside partisan politics and look for common ground.”

McCarthy’s race for speaker risks upending House on Day One

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his quest to rise to House speaker, Kevin McCarthy is charging straight into history — potentially becoming the first nominee in 100 years unable to win the job on a first-round floor vote.

The increasingly real prospect of a messy fight over the speaker’s gavel on Day One of the new Congress on Jan. 3 is worrying House Republicans, who are bracing for the spectacle. They have been meeting endlessly in private at the Capitol trying to resolve the standoff.

Taking hold of a perilously slim 222-seat Republican majority in the 435-member House and facing a handful of defectors, McCarthy is working furiously to reach the 218-vote threshold typically needed to become speaker.

“The fear is, that if we stumble out of the gate,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a McCarthy ally, then the voters who sent the Republicans to Washington “will revolt over that and they will feel let down.”

Not since the disputed election of 1923 has a candidate for House speaker faced the public scrutiny of convening a new session of Congress only to have it descend into political chaos, with one vote after another, until a new speaker is chosen. At that time, it eventually took a grueling nine ballots to secure the gavel.

McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, California, who was first elected in 2006, has signaled he is willing to go as long as it takes in a floor vote to secure the speaker’s job he has wanted for

years. The former president has endorsed McCarthy, and is said to be making calls on McCarthy’s behalf. McCarthy has given no indication he would step aside, as he did in 2015 when it was clear he did not have the support.

But McCarthy also is acknowledging the holdouts won’t budge. “It’s all in jeopardy,” McCarthy said Friday in an interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt.

The dilemma reflects not just McCarthy’s uncertain stature among his peers, but also the shifting political norms in Congress as party leaders who once wielded immense power — the names of Cannon, Rayburn and

now Pelosi adorn House meeting rooms and office buildings — are seeing it slip away in the 21st century.

The test for McCarthy, if he is able to shore up the votes on Jan. 3 or in the days that follow, will be whether he emerges a weakened speaker, forced to pay an enormous price for the gavel, or whether the potentially brutal power struggle emboldens his new leadership.

“Does he want to go down as the first speaker candidate in 100 years to go to the floor and have to essentially, you know, give up?” said Jeffrey A. Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern Cali-

fornia and co-author of “Fighting for the Speakership.”

“But if he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, you know, maybe he actually has more of the right stuff.”

The Freedom Caucus members and others want assurances they will be able to help draft legislation from the ground up and have opportunities to amend bills during the floor debates. They want enforcement of the 72-hour rule that requires bills to be presented for review before voting.

Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the past two Republican speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, faced similar challenges, but they were able to

rely on the currency of their position to hand out favors, negotiate deals and otherwise win over opponents to keep them in line — for a time. Boehner and Ryan ended up retiring early.

But the central demand by McCarthy’s opponents’ could go too far: They want to reinstate a House rule that allows any single lawmaker to file a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially allowing a floor vote to boot the speaker from office.

The early leaders of the Freedom Caucus, under Mark Meadows, the former North Carolina congressman turned Trump’s chief of staff, wielded the little-used procedure as a threat over Boehner, and later, over Ryan.

It wasn’t until Pelosi seized the gavel the second time, in 2019, that House Democrats voted to do away with the rule and require a majority vote of the caucus to mount a floor vote challenge to the speaker.

The opposition to McCarthy has promoted a counteroffensive from other groups of House Republicans who are becoming more vocal in their support of the GOP leader — and more concerned about the fallout if the start of the new Congress descends into an internal party fight.

Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, who leads the Republican Governance Group, was wearing an “O.K.” button on his lapel — meaning, “Only Kevin.”

Some have suggested that the opponents to McCarthy could simply vote “present,” lowering the threshold for reaching a majority — a tactic Pelosi and Boehner both used to win with fewer than 218 votes.

NASA VIA AP

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, left, speaks while Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, listens during a post-election news conference at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, on Wednesday, Nov. 9. 2022.

AP PHOTO

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks to the chamber for final votes as the House wraps up its work for the week, at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 2, 2022.

Christmas at the State Capitol

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Law enforcement officers are stepping up patrols as a part of the statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday enforcement effort, which officially launched last week. This effort, which is the largest impaired driving campaign run by the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP), will run through January 2, 2023.

NCGHSP will be supporting the campaign through a combination of paid media advertising and social media outreach. So far, 432 people have been killed in North Carolina due to alcohol or drugrelated crashes. “If you’re out celebrating this holiday season, make sure you have a sober ride home,” said Mark Ezzell, director of NCGHSP. “If you drive under the influence, you have a lot to lose. Not only could you kill yourself or someone else, but you could face thousands of dollars in court costs and fines, jail time, or a revoked license.” For more driver safety tips and program information, follow the NCGHSP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Two arrested for animal cruelty in Red Springs

Hoke County deputies responded to the 500 block of Murph McLauchlin Road last month after receiving multiple complaints about the abuse of dogs on the property. Following further investigation, a search warrant was issued last Thursday, which was executed without incident.

Deputies from the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office arrested two individuals and removed multiple dogs from the property with the help of Hoke County Animal Control. Rachel Dial and Tony Locklear were arrested and charged with three counts of felony animal cruelty. Dial was issued a $1,500 secured bond, and Locklear was issued a $10,000 unsecured bond. According to deputies, the investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Detective Mariscal at (910) 875-5111.

New members sworn in to board of education

Southerland elected as board chair, Blue elected as vice-chair

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — The Hoke County Board of Education met Tuesday, December 13, to swear in newly elected members and to discuss the state of the Leandro case.

The meeting began with the swearing-in of the three newly elected board members – Angela Southerland, Ruben Castellon, and Catherine Blue – each of whom won the three highest percentages of votes from this November’s election.

Following the official swear-

in, the board voted to elect Angela Southerland as Board Chair and Catherine Blue as ViceChair, both by a 3-2 count. Each will be serving in these positions in their first year with the board.

“I just want to thank everybody for giving me the opportunity to serve,” Southerland said. “I look forward to working with the whole board as a team, and I look forward to serving your children, our children, and the community.”

“Thank you so much for your support,” said Blue. “I thank you most of all for your prayers. I thank you for this opportunity to serve. We are servants, and we are here to make a difference.”

The board then approved a request to use Capital Outlay

Fund Balance to refurbish the West Hoke Middle School tennis courts.

“Currently, Hoke County Schools has a fund balance in Capital Outlay of $120,000,” said Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Information Systems Chad Hunt. “We are requesting to use these funds to reimburse the cost for the tennis courts at West Hoke Middle School that need to be refurbished.”

“Essentially, where the tennis courts are at West Hoke High School, those will be removed as part of the new building that will sit on top of those tennis courts, and they will be relocated to a different site on campus,” continued Hunt. “In order to ensure the Hoke County High

North Carolina revenues already $1.2B ahead of schedule

of nearly $28 billion.

School tennis teams have appropriate tennis courts to continue their matches and practices, the need exists to refurbish the tennis courts at West Hoke Middle School.”

According to Hunt, West Hoke Middle School was chosen due to its proximity to the high school. The courts will also be open to public use once refurbished.

The board was then briefed on the current state of the Leandro case, which has been ongoing litigation for nearly three decades.

Recently, the supreme court ruled that public education is a public good and that the state of North Carolina failed to properly support Hoke County through inadequate funding, which will result in a required increase in funding.

According to Melanie Dubis, who is part of the legal team for the case, the Leandro plan, which has an eight-year comprehensive budgetary plan, the estimated budget impact from it

RALEIGH — North Carolina government revenues keep exceeding economists’ projections, despite broader worries about an economic downturn

Gov. Roy Cooper’s state budget office and the Legislature’s Fiscal Research Division agreed that revenues are $1.2 billion above the target through Nov. 30, the first five months of the fiscal year, officials said this week. That’s about 10% more than expected, state budget Director Kristin Walker said Thursday. The Fiscal Research Division’s confirmation originated from the House’s senior budget-writers.

All kinds of tax collections are up, the Office of State Budget and Management said, including individual and corporate income taxes, sales taxes and taxes on investments. This

Gov. Roy Cooper’s state budget office and the Legislature’s Fiscal Research Division agreed that revenues are $1.2 billion above the target through Nov. 30.

revenue increase arrived before the holiday shopping season, which can affect sales tax levels.

The executive and legislative branch officials cautioned that the risk to the forecast is backloaded to the second half of the fiscal year, particularly when income tax payments arrive in mid-April. But the $1.2 billion overage remains large, even when compared to an annualized approved state budget

Unexpected revenues provide more flexibility and options to budget-writers as they draw up spending plans for things such as schools and employee pay, and consider tax rate changes. The General Assembly convenes its two-year session Jan. 11. Cooper will propose a biennial budget in early 2023.

The good news on collections follows the previous fiscal year in which the state ultimately received $4.8 billion more than it projected for the 12 months ending June 30, according to a state budget document.

The current budget that the General Assembly approved and Cooper signed parked billions of dollars either in reserve as a protection against inflation and a potential recession, or toward one-time needs such as construction and local water and wastewater projects.

NCGHSP launches statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday campaign

The North Carolina State Capitol Christmas tree in Raleigh.

PJ WARD-BROWN | AP PHOTO

The Associated Press

Christmas tree demand remains high despite inflation

FOR ALL THE worries about inflation and the economy, Americans aren’t scrimping on a centerpiece of many celebrations this holiday season: the Christmas tree.

Retailers from Home Depot and Lowes to mom and pop operations raised their prices on trees — but people are still buying them.

Some Christmas tree growers fretted over external factors — high fuel, fertilizer and labor costs — only to rediscover that holiday greenery is largely inflation-proof, even as Americans cut back on retail spending last month.

A survey of 55 of the nation’s largest Christmas tree wholesalers indicated virtually all of them intended to raise prices, with most wholesale cost increases in the 5% to 15% range — but with some increases reaching 21% or more, according to the Real Christmas Tree Board in Howell, Michigan, which conducts marketing and research for the industry.

But another survey indicated 85% of people feel Christmas trees are worth it despite price increases, the board said.

That suggests a tree — whether real or artificial — remains a

requisite part of the holiday tradition, along with Christmas toys, cards and carols, and ugly sweaters.

Like individual traditions, the types of trees and local market conditions can vary.

In the end, nearly 21 million

live Christmas trees will be sold by the time consumers wrap up purchases over the final days leading up to Christmas Day, putting sales on par with last year’s strong performance, according to Jill Sidebottom of the National Christmas Tree Association.

Rhodes, Rashid Devonne (B/M/21), AssaultStrangulation, 12/19/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

James, Isiah Lamont (B/M/27), DWI, 12/18/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

Barton, Joshua Davis (I/M/34), Simple Possess Schedule II CS, 12/16/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

is expected to amount to an increase of $7.7 million in funding or $3,715 more per student, a 41% increase.

“From the board’s perspective, I would take the position that you won,” Dubis said. “That the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Hoke County and the children of Hoke County, North Carolina, that this plan has to be funded and that you are ready, willing, and able to make the best use of those funds for the best interests of the children.”

The board was also briefed on the new Fly Five curriculum, which is set to be rolled out to K-8 students.

“Fly Five is a comprehensive K-8 curriculum,” said Executive Director of Student Support Services Dr. Katy Owens. “It also focuses on responsibility, equity, diversity, and inclusion. This past summer, we did a soft rollout of the Fly Five curriculum. The curriculum aims to be transparent, and there is a schoolto-home connection that we are very pleased with. In addition to that, all of the elementary schools have it in their school improvement plans, as well as in our middle schools. It is also aligned with our standards and based on research.”

The curriculum includes five competencies: cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-care, and it is based on social-emotional learning.

The Hoke County Board of Education will next meet January 10.

Hunt, Shawn Travis (I/M/30), Poss CS Prison/Jail Premises, 12/16/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Simmons, Vaudry (W/M/57), Resisting Arrest/Hinder and Delay, 12/16/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Justice, Charles Lindley (B/M/22), PWIMSD Marijuana, 12/14/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

♦

AP PHOTO, FILE

An employee carries a fresh cut tree for a customer at Logan Trading Co., in Raleigh in this file photo.

The Associated Press

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Year in review and the year ahead

ANOTHER YEAR IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE. In 2022, we’ve seen the best of our community come together, and we’ve had our fair share of challenges.

Across the country this year, we’ve seen the highest inflation rates in 40 years and record high costs at the gas pump. These are both due in large part to misguided policy decisions by Washington Democrats.

spending.

You elected me as your representative to be a consensus builder and get things done. While 2022 was challenging, I am proud I was able to deliver real results for our community over the past 365 days.

In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom.

Additionally, we have seen a humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border, as record numbers of illegal migrants crossed into the country this past year. This border crisis has created a worsening fentanyl epidemic in every community, robbing countless young Americans of their future – just as communities are also facing drastic increases in violent crime.

The world has also been cast into greater turmoil, due in part to the United States projecting weakness. The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan contributed to Putin’s decision to wage war in Ukraine and Communist China’s increasing aggression toward its neighbors.

The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats have been largely unable to solve these problems or, in some cases, have made them worse. Time and time again, Washington Democrats have failed to address inflation, energy security, the border crisis, crime, or the increasingly tense international environment. Instead, they have doubled down on misguided policies or prioritized a leftist agenda that infringes on your liberties. This includes their so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” a $740 billion bill that will raise your taxes, grow federal bureaucracy, and – in spite of the name – make inflation worse.

However, Republicans have a plan to change our nation’s direction for the better. In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom. But for us to follow through on our “Commitment to America,” we must stand united. We have a duty to govern effectively and pursue the reforms needed to push America in the right direction, beginning with stopping out-of-control and inflation-driving

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

The slippery slope never ends

IN 2006, THEN-SEN. JOE BIDEN ranted against the supposed irrelevance of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage in federal law as one man, one woman. “We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman, and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law; there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

I have had nine bills pass the sharply divided House this year and five signed into law. In total, I have had 24 bills pass the House and ten signed into law during this Congress. These include measures like the Patient Advocate Tracker Act and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

One piece of legislation I was proud to see become law was my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act. This new law increases access to affordable, quality health care in rural and underserved areas by allowing community health centers to use grants to establish mobile health units. This commonsense legislation will go a long way in improving healthcare quality and access.

Despite all the troubles of this past year, we also witnessed triumphs of the human spirit. Just two weeks ago, an unknown individual or individuals attacked two power substations in Moore County, leaving numerous hospitals, schools, businesses, and close to 45,000 residents without power. Like many of you, my house was without power for almost a week. Yet throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and lend a hand. This show of compassion filled me with hope and reminded me that the future for our community and nation is bright.

As Hanukkah begins and the Christmas holiday nears, I hope the joy of this time of year fills you and your family with happiness. I also hope you are proud of my efforts to defend our rights, stand up for our values, and push for common sense. I look forward to 2023 and the chance to continue to work for you. Together, we will get our country back on the right track.

fifth term

The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Sixteen years later, President Joe Biden stood on the lawn of the White House and chortled that he had finally enshrined samesex marriage into federal law. “Today’s a good day,” he said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone.”

A vital step. Not the final step. Not the culminating step. A vital step.

The language here is important because it is revealing. Biden and his allies have an agenda that goes far beyond the redefinition of marriage. The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Biden made this clear in his speech, in which he lumped together opposition to same-sex marriage with “racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia.” This is patent nonsense, of course. But it does set the groundwork for the actual transgressive agenda: to liken traditional views about marriage to pure bigotry. And this will necessitate governmental action against those who believe in marriage. After all, we as a society don’t tolerate racism on the basis of religious freedom. If Christian views about marriage are treated similarly, why should churches maintain their tax-exempt status while “discriminating” against same-sex weddings?

Biden went still further. In championing same-sex marriage, he said that Americans “need to challenge the hundreds of callous,

cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who get children the care they need.” In other words, if you oppose the hormonal sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors as a pseudo-palliative for gender identity disorder, you are evil, and you must be stopped by force of federal law.

The natural outcome of this agenda will be precisely what Democrats pretend now to oppose: anti-religious discrimination, educational cramdowns, and threats to traditional parenting. And make no mistake: they are pretending. They have no rationale for drawing lines to hem in their cultural imperialism. When asked by CBS News correspondent Steve Portnoy whether protections for religious practice were “codifying discrimination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, “Is there more work to do? Absolutely. There’s always more work to do.”

In the early 1990s, Democrats denied that they wanted civil unions. They were lying. In the mid-2000s, Democrats denied that they wanted same-sex marriage. They were lying. Now Democrats say they don’t want religious discrimination or educational indoctrination. They are lying. In the end, what transgressives want is simple: a national state that stands as the god of a new moral system and atomized individuals without recourse to intermediary institutions of community or civil society.

And if the Republicans who voted for the Orwellian Respect for Marriage Act think that they have bought a respite from the predations of the Left by signing onto an erstwhile compromise, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

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.”

Richard Hudson is serving his

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.

SIDELINE REPORT

MLB

Browning, who pitched perfect game for Reds, dies at 62

Union, Ky. Tom Browning, an All-Star pitcher who threw the only perfect game in Cincinnati Reds history and helped them win the 1990 World Series title, has died. He was 62. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office announced Browning’s death on Twitter, saying he died Monday at his home in Union, Kentucky. No cause was given. The Sheriff’s Office said foul play is not suspected. Known as a colorful character, Browning retired all 27 batters he faced in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Riverfront Stadium on Sept. 16, 1988. He also won Game 3 of the 1990 World Series in Oakland.

NFL

McGinest Jr. arrested in alleged assault in California

West Hollywood, Calif. Authorities say former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest Jr. was arrested in connection with an assault at a Southern California nightclub. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statement says the incident occurred Dec. 9 at a West Hollywood club and witnesses identified McGinest as one of the people involved. The department says McGinest was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon after coming to the West Hollywood sheriff’s station on Monday to give a statement about the incident. McGinest posted bond and was released. McGinest spent 15 years in the NFL with New England and Cleveland.

TENNIS Venus awarded wild-card for Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Venus Williams has been awarded a wild-card entry to play at the Australian Open next month. It will be 25 years after she played the Grand Slam tournament for the first time. The 42-yearold Williams has reached the final twice in Australia, including a loss to her younger sister, Serena, in the 2017 championship match. She will be contesting the season-opening major for the 22nd time. Venus and Serena Williams combined to win the Australian Open women’s doubles title four times and Venus also won the mixed doubles title in 1998.

Panthers settle failed practice site for $100M

The city of Rock Hill will receive the land and incomplete structure in the bankruptcy settlement

By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C.— A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlement of about $100 million Friday over Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build a practice facility for his NFL team in South Carolina.

The deal will turn the land and the incomplete steel shell of what was supposed to have been the team’s new headquarters over to the city of Rock Hill. It’s estimated to be worth $20 million.

Tepper’s real estate company GT Real Estate Holdings will pay York County, which provided sales tax revenue for road improvements, $21 million, and $60 million will be split among the contractors who worked on the project before it was aban-

doned earlier this year.

All sides agreed to drop their current lawsuits and not file any other claims as part of the deal approved Friday by federal bank-

nounced plans for an $800 million practice facility, team offices, sports medicine complex, hotels and entertainment near Rock Hill in 2019.

Both local and South Carolina leaders cheered the investment, offering incentives and relishing getting a piece of the NFL team away from North Carolina and Charlotte, where the team plays its games about 25 miles away.

But after less than two years, Tepper’s company abruptly stopped work.

York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and Solicitor Kevin Brackett continue to investigate Tepper and his company to see whether public money was misused on the project.

York County, which is separate from the sheriff, released a statement after reaching its deal with Tepper that said Tepper and his company “have acted in good faith and that the county “believes that no action of any kind with respect to the county payment is warranted.”

GT Real Estate Holdings said in a statement that from the start it wanted to make sure all legitimate claims were paid.

“We are pleased that the Court has approved our comprehensive plan of reorganization, which paves the way to resolve and satisfy GTRE’s creditor claims,” the statement said.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes named AP Coach of the Year

literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”

The Associated Press

TCU’S SONNY DYKES was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

Dykes received 37 of 46 firstplace votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 voters to become the second TCU coach to win the award. The first two were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes replaced after last season.

“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of

TCU (12-1) faces No. 2 Michigan (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl for a berth in the national championship game.

Tulane coach Willie Fritz was second with 40 points and two firstplace votes, followed by Tennessee’s John Heupel (38 points, one) and last year’s winner, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan (28 points, five). Georgia’s Kirby Smart (15 points) also received a first-place vote.

Dykes, 53, is in his fourth stop after stints with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. The Texan and son of longtime Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 in 13 seasons as a head coach.

“It’s not always like this and I’ve been on both ends and so something like this probably means more to me than it might somebody,” Dykes said. “I’ve been 1-11 and I’ve been fired. I’ve been kind of on top and then on bottom, too. I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Dykes’ path to AP coach of the year is unique. The award was established in 1998 and no coach had ever won his first coach of the year on his fourth stop as an Bowl Subdivision head coach.

Dykes moved across town to take over at TCU after being with rival SMU for five years. Playing against the Horned Frogs annually, he had a good idea of what kind of team he was getting.

Instead of a major roster overhaul of last season’s 5-7 TCU team, Dykes dipped into the transfer portal to fill some holes, but he mostly took what he inherited and turned it into one of the best teams in the country.

“Sometimes it’s more about the chemistry of things and trying to get the chemistry of those rooms right as opposed to necessarily adding talent,” Dykes said. “That part of it, I think, is really overlooked. Just the chemistry and creating competition and all that.”

The Horned Frogs started the season unranked and didn’t lose until dropping the Big 12 championship in overtime to Kansas State.

Duke’s Mike Elko finished ninth in the voting, receiving one second-place and one third-place vote.

Dr. Tony Santangelo, DC, named NC Chiropractic Association Chiropractor of the Year, based on community service & the profression

ruptcy court Judge Karen Owens. Tepper, a hedge fund manager who is one of the NFL’s wealthiest owners, and the Panthers an-

The first-year coach led the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff

AP PHOTO

AP PHOTO

A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlemeny of about $100 million in Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build the team’s headquarters and practice facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

Deegan lands at ThorSport for another season in Truck Series

people you need to have around you,” Deegan said. “There’s just a lot of pieces to the puzzle, and I think maybe the last two years it was trying to find those pieces and trying to figure it out.”

SANDUSKY, Ohio — Hailie Deegan has another full-time ride in the NASCAR Truck Series, this one with ThorSport Racing.

ThorSport formally added Deegan to its driver lineup Thursday as it announced a manufacturer switch from Toyota to Ford.

The 21-year-old California native will race in the third-tier series for the third consecutive season. She finished a series-best sixth at Talladega Superspeedway in October and was named the series’ Most Popular Driver for the second consecutive year, both with David Gilliland Racing.

“I think the last two seasons in trucks I’ve been trying to figure it out and kind of learning the ropes of the Truck Series, and I feel like I’ve good a grasp on it now and understand what you need to be successful as a driver, what the team needs to do for their part and the

She joined Ford Performance as part of its driver development program in 2020 and drove in a variety of disciplines this year, including the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge and ARCA Menards Series where she finished third in the point standings and won Rookie of the Year honors.

But after DGR switched to Toyota in October, Deegan started looking for a Ford-backed team to continue her racing career. The biggest question: in which series would she land? Ford helped her make her first Xfinity Series start in October at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where she finished 13th.

She still hopes to get some seat time in the second-tier Xfinity Series, which would be a step closer to the ultimate goal of the Cup Series.

“I’ll look for opportunities to go do a few Xfinity races,” she said.

“Obviously, nothing full-time is going to come up, but I think that being able to go and do a few Xfinity races would definitely be awesome. It just depends on funding and sponsors and kind of what’s going on and what comes to the table throughout the year that could decide those Xfinity races.”

Deegan joins three-time series champion Matt Crafton, 2021 series champ Ben Rhodes and Ty Majeski at ThorSport. She replaces Christian Eckes, who moved to

MacAnally-Hilgemann Racing last week.

Deegan, the daughter of Motocross star Brian Deegan, has a sponsorship deal with Monster Energy. Her social media stardom has helped offset her on-track results. In two seasons in the Truck Series, she has three top-10 finishes in 44 starts and has yet to lead a lap.

“We love watching the development drivers progress and advance on the track and off the track,” said

Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports.

“And watching that maturity of Hailie in terms of how she evaluates a car or a truck on the racetrack ... that’s awesome to see and a really important part of what a race driver needs to develop.

“I think this is the next opportunity with a team that’s going to be around her, the people that are going to be around her to give her that opportunity to go one more level.”

Inquiry finds widespread misconduct in women’s pro soccer

conduct.

The Associated Press

AN INVESTIGATION commissioned by the National Women’s Soccer League and its players union found “widespread misconduct” directed at players dating back to the beginnings nearly a decade ago of the league.

A report detailing the results of the yearlong investigation was published Wednesday, a little over two months after the release in October of a report on a separate investigation by former acting U.S. Attorney General Sally Q. Yates that found emotional abuse and sexual misconduct were systemic in the sport,

impacting multiple teams, coaches and players.

The second investigation also found instances of sexual abuse and manipulation. The NWSL-commissioned report said club staff in positions of power “made inappropriate sexual remarks to players, mocked players’ bodies, pressured players to lose unhealthy amounts of weight, crossed professional boundaries with players and created manipulative working conditions.”

“They used derogatory and insulting language towards players, displayed insensitivity toward players’ mental health, and engaged in retaliation against players who attempted to report or did report concerns,” the report said.

“This report clearly reflects how our league systemically failed to protect our players. On behalf of the

Board and the league, let me first and foremost sincerely apologize to our players for those failures and missteps. They deserve, at a minimum, a safe and secure environment to participate at the highest level in a sport they love, and they have my unwavering commitment that delivering that change will remain a priority each and every day,” NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman said in a news release.

The joint investigation was launched last year after a pair of former players came forward and accused longtime NWSL coach Paul Riley of sexual harassment and coercion.

Riley, who has denied the allegations, was fired by the North Carolina Courage in the aftermath. He was among five head coaches in the league who were either fired or resigned in 2021 amid claims of mis-

The fallout has continued into this year. Portland Thorns owner Merritt Paulson announced on Dec. 1 that he was putting the team up for sale amid calls for him to do so that began after the Yates report detailed how the Thorns mishandled complaints about Riley when he coached the team in 2014-15.

Paulson stepped down from a decision-making role with the team in October and two Thorns executives were fired.

The investigative team for the joint investigation reached out to 780 current and former players, all 12 NWSL teams and 90 current and former club staff, and those from the league office. More than 200 documents were reviewed during the probe, which was conducted by the law firms of Covington & Burling and Weil, Gotshal & Manges.

Two coaches, James Clarkson of the Houston Dash and Amanda Cromwell of the Orlando Pride, were suspended earlier this year at the recommendation of investigators. Cromwell was subsequently fired.

Like the Yates report commissioned by U.S. Soccer, the new report largely focused on alleged misconduct involving Riley, former Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames and former Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly. The three were among those who were fired or resigned last year.

It also detailed allegations against former OL Reign coach Farid Benstiti, former Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke and former Gotham general manager Alyse LaHue, among others. Benstiti, Burke and LaHue were also let go or stepped down in 2021.

The Associated Press

“I think this is the next opportunity with a team that’s going to be around her, the people that are going to be around her to give her that opportunity to go one more level.”

Mark

Rushbrook, Ford Performance Motorsports global director

AP PHOTO

Hailie Deegan, the NASCAR Truck Series’ Most Popular Driver the last two seasons, will drive full time iwith ThorSport Racing next season.

Accusations against former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley set off the NWSL’s investigation

Portland Thorns fans hold signs during the first half of the team’s NWSL match against the Houston Dash on Oct. 6, 2021.

AP PHOTO

Children’s medicine shortage hits as flu season starts fast

CARING for sick children has become extra stressful recently for many U.S. parents due to shortages of Children’s Tylenol and other medicines.

Doctors and other experts say the problem could persist through the winter cold-and-flu season but should not last as long as other recent shortages of baby formula or prescription drugs.

They also say parents have alternatives if they encounter empty store shelves.

Here’s a closer look:

What’s happening

An unusually fast start to the annual U.S. flu season, plus a spike in other respiratory illnesses, created a surge in demand for fever relievers and other products people can buy without a prescription.

“There are more sick kids at this time of year than we have seen in the past couple years,” said Dr. Shannon Dillon, a pediatrician at Riley Children’s Health in Indianapolis.

Experts say that’s the main factor behind the shortages, which vary around the country and even within communities.

“At this point, it’s more like toilet paper at the beginning of the (COVID-19) pandemic,” Dillon said “You just have to look in the

right place at the right time.”

Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson says it is not experiencing widespread shortages of Children’s Tylenol, but the product may be “less readily available” at some stores. The company said it is running its production lines around the clock.

In the meantime, CVS Health has placed a two-product limit on all children’s pain relief products bought through its pharmacies or online.

Walgreens is limiting customers online to six purchases of children’s over-the-counter fever reducing products. That limit

doesn’t apply in stores.

Aside from over-the-counter products, the prescription antibiotic amoxicillin also is in short supply due to increased demand, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The drug is often used to treat nose and throat infections in children.

What to do

Check first for alternatives in the store if some products aren’t available. Generic versions of brand-name products are “perfectly safe and often a much more

affordable option,” Dillon said.

Other stores nearby also may have better options. Manufacturers say there are no widespread national shortages of these medications, according to the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

A family doctor may know which stores have decent supplies.

A doctor also may be able to tell parents whether they can try alternatives like crushing the proper dose of a pill version and mixing it with food or chocolate syrup. Doctors say parents or caregivers should not try this on their own, because determining proper doses for children can be tricky.

“You don’t need to experiment at home,” said Dr. Sarah Nosal, a South Bronx family physician. “Your family doctor wants to talk to you and see you.”

Going without

Doctors also caution that fevers don’t always have to be treated. They are a body’s natural defense against infection, and they make it hard for a virus to replicate.

Dillon noted, for instance, that a fever may not be intrinsically harmful to older children. However, parents should take a newborn under 2 months old to the doctor if the child has a fever of 100.4 degrees or more. And doctors say any child with a fever should be monitored for behavior changes.

Instead of medicine, consider giving the child a bath in lukewarm water. Cold water makes the body shiver, which can actually raise the temperature.

Put fans in the child’s room or set up a cool mist humidifier to help their lungs.

Nosal also said two teaspoons

Chokwe

of honey can help control coughs in children older than a year. Avoid using honey for young children because it carries a risk of infant botulism.

When will supplies get better?

Shortages might last in some communities until early next year. Resolving them can depend on whether there are enough workers at warehouses and stores to deliver the product and stock the shelves, noted Erin Fox. She researches drug shortages and is the senior pharmacy director at University of Utah Health, which runs five hospitals.

Fox said there are no problems at factories or a lack of ingredients contributing to current shortages. Those obstacles can lead to long supply disruptions.

“I don’t expect this to last a year or more like some of our other shortages do,” she said.

The Associated Press

“We’re going to try to keep Ted as long as we can, but from a negotiating standpoint, the city has looked at trying to have a longer-term understanding of the various components of what needs to be accomplished with our water treatment facility.”

Antar Lumumba, Jackson Mayor

AP PHOTO

A sign is placed near the section for children’s medicine, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022 at a CVS

Charles McDuffie

April 18, 1982

December 10, 2022

Mr. Charles McDuffie (Boo Boo) age, 40 went home to be with his heavenly father on December 10, 2022. He was preceded in death by his mother Louise McDonald.

Charles leaves to cherish his loving memories his father, Charles McDuffie; stepmother, India McDuffie, sisters: Lacriscia McDuffie, Shaqueena Shuler; brothers: Faronte McDuffie, Armoni McCants, Jeremah McCants; aunts: Betty McDuffie, Beatrice McDonald, Patricia Douglas, Carolyn Dockery; uncles: Haywood McDonald, Nathaniel Thomas; girlfriend, Dana Bethea along with a host of other family and friends. He will be greatly missed.

Ex-Mafia boss ‘Cadillac Frank’ Salemme dies in prison at 89

BOSTON — Francis “Cadillac Frank” Salemme, the once powerful New England Mafia boss who was serving a life sentence behind bars for the 1993 killing of a Boston nightclub owner, has died at the age of 89, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

Salemme died on Tuesday, according to Bureau of Prisons’ online records. Bureau officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking more information on Sunday. Salemme’s death was first reported Sunday by WPRI-TV.

Salemme led the Patriarca crime family in Boston in the early 1990s before helping prosecutors convict a corrupt FBI agent after learning that other mobsters had been talking about him to authorities.

Salemme, who has admitted to a slew of other gangland killings, was living in Atlanta under the name Richard Parker when remains of the nightclub owner were unearthed in 2016, making the elderly ex-Mafia don a government target once again.

Salemme’s 2018 trial became a flashback to the days when the mob was a feared and powerful force in New England. Salemme maintained he had nothing to do with Steven DiSarro’s death, but

was convicted after his onetime best friend testified against him.

Salemme participated in numerous killings in Boston’s 1960s gang wars and spent 16 years behind bars for trying to kill a lawyer, who survived but lost a leg, when his car was blown up in 1968. After being released from prison, Salemme was seriously wounded in a shooting outside a suburban Boston pancake house.

His reign as Mafia boss ended when he, notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger and others were charged in a sweeping racketeering case in 1995. Salemme and Bulger fled after they were tipped off to the impending indictment by Bulger’s FBI handler, John Connolly Jr.

Salemme was arrested in Florida several months later while Bulger spent 16 years on the lam before being captured at the age of 81 in Santa Monica, California. Bulger was killed by fellow inmates in prison in 2018 at the age of 89.

The racketeering case revealed that Bulger and Salemme’s best friend, Stephen “The Rifleman” Flemmi, had secretly worked as FBI informants. Upset that his fellow mobsters had turned on him, Salemme agreed to plead guilty and coop -

This 1995 file photo taken in West Palm Beach, Fla., and released by the FBI shows Francis P. “Cadillac Frank” Salemme. Salemme, the once powerful New England Mafia boss who was serving a life sentence behind bars for the 1993 killing of a Boston nightclub owner, has died at the age of 89, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

erate with authorities. Salemme testified in 2002 against Connolly, who was convicted of helping Bulger avoid prosecution. In exchange, Sa-

lemme was released from prison early and entered the witness protection program.

At his 2018 trial in Boston, Salemme’s slicked back, wispy grey hair and thin frame made him almost unrecognizable from the bulky, feared mob boss jurors saw in grainy surveillance photos from the 1990s.

Another former mobster told authorities that he saw Salemme’s son strangle DiSarro while Weadick held the nightclub owner’s feet and Salemme stood by. Salemme’s son, known as “Frankie boy,” died in 1995.

DiSarro’s nightclub, The Channel, was under scrutiny at the time for the Salemmes’ involvement in the business. Just before DiSarro’s death, the FBI told him he was about to be indicted and should cooperate with the government against the Salemmes.

Salemme’s longtime attorney, Steven Boozang, said Sunday his client had been nothing but a “gentleman” to him and he believed the man “regretted a lot of the things he had done in his life, particularly the effects it had on his immediate family and the families of others.”

Before being sentenced to life in prison in 2018, Salemme rose from his chair, called the proceeding “ridiculous” and said DiSarro’s family hasn’t been told the truth. But he seemingly predicted years earlier that his own story would end behind bars.

“You’re not going to beat the government,” Salemme told a reporter in 2004. “Let’s face it. One way or the other, they’re going to get you.”

‘Something to Talk About’ songwriter Shirley Eikhard dies

NEW YORK — Shirley Eikhard, the singer-songwriter who supplied songs for Cher, Emmylou Harris, Anne Murray, Chet Atkins and found lasting fame penning Bonnie Raitt’s Grammy-winning 1991 hit “Something to Talk About,” has died. She was 67.

Eikhard died Thursday at Headwaters Health Care Centre in Orangeville, Ontario, due to complications from cancer, said publicist Eric Alper.

The blues-rock smash hit “Something to Talk About” was written in 1985 and Eikhard had offered it to Murray and other artists, who all declined to record it. Then years later Raitt left a message on Eikhard’s phone saying she she’d just recorded it. Raitt said later she’d discovered the song on a demo Eikhard had sent and admired it.

The song was the first single from Raitt’s 1991 album “Luck of the Draw” and spent 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 5. It would win Raitt the best pop vocal performance at the 1992 Grammy Awards and was also nominated in the record of the year category.

On Grammy night, Raitt made sure to thank Eikhard and she turned to Twitter after Eikhard’s death to say she was “deeply saddened,” writing “I will be forever grateful for

our beautiful connection and friendship.”

Eikhard earned Juno Awards in 1973 and 1974 for best country female artist and she won several BMI Awards. She was inducted into the Canadian Songwriter’s Hall of Fame in October 2020. Her most recent album was 2021’s “On My Way to You.”

During her career, Eikhard released 18 full-length albums between 1972 to 2021 and taught herself to play guitar, pi-

ano, bass, drums, percussion, chromatic harmonica, sax, banjo and mandolin.

At age 15, Eikhard’s song “It Takes Time” was recorded by country singer Murray in 1971, and later became a hit in her native Canada. Eikhard released her self-titled debut album the following year in 1972. The title track for Atkins’ 41st studio album, “Pickin’ My Way” was one of Eikhard’s earliest successes. She also crafted with Cher

the frenetic dance track “Lovers Forever” for the 1994 film “Interview with the Vampire,” but it didn’t make the final soundtrack cut. They collaborated again on “Born With the Hunger,” from Cher’s 2000 album, “Not.com. mercial.”

Eikhard sang the theme song for Stanley Kramer’s 1976 movie “The Domino Principle” starring Gene Hackman and Candice Bergen, as well as the theme song for “The Passion of Ayn

The Associated Press

The Associated Press

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION VIA AP, FILE

COURTESY OF ERIC ALPER VIA AP

This undated photo provided by Eric Alper shows Shirley Eikhard.

STATE & NATION

NC legislators back review to harden power infrastructure

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s top legislative leaders said the General Assembly will review what can be done to protect the state’s power transmission system following the Duke Energy substation shooting attacks this month that put Moore County in the dark for days.

Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said that ways to better safeguard infrastructure for generating electricity, producing clean water and other services would soon get the attention of colleagues.

“It needs to be frankly part of a broader conversation of just readiness and preparedness, not only for those kind of acts, but also for other emergencies,” Moore told reporters at the Legislative Building after both chambers essentially wrapped up their two-year session. The 170-seat legislature convenes its next session on Jan. 11.

State and federal law enforcement are continuing to investigate the outages, which began Dec. 3 when one or more people drove up to two substations, breached the

gates and opened fire on them, according to authorities.

No arrests have been made in the shootings, which cut power to 45,000 customers. Law enforce -

ment officials, who last week were seeking warrants in the case, haven’t described a possible motive. But “no matter what the motivation of the folks that caused the

damage was ... we can move forward with assessments as to how we can protect some of that infrastructure,” Berger said earlier that day.

The comments by the Republican lawmakers align with those of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has said protecting critical infrastructure needs to be a top priority. He said he anticipated conversations with utilities and government officials about what to do. The state Utilities Commission got an update on Monday from Duke Energy executives about the attack.

Moore said he wanted to hear from Duke Energy leaders and other experts about whether the transmission system in North Carolina is similar to those elsewhere. Fortifying substations could be cost prohibitive — Duke operates 2,100 of them statewide — but “there may be some inexpensive things that can be done” to protect them from attack, Moore said.

Berger said it didn’t make sense to speculate about proposing tougher criminal penalties for those who cause such damage while the criminal investigation is ongoing.

The two legislative leaders were in Raleigh to gavel in and out the latest perfunctory floor sessions held since late July. The GOP-controlled General Assembly decided after its chief work period for the year ended July 1 to schedule monthly meetings in Raleigh to take up any urgent matters. That

also would have allowed them to vote on possible breakthroughs on key issues, like Medicaid expansion.

But no recorded votes were taken during these sessions, and a stalemate over expansion was never resolved. After Tuesday, the House and Senate will hold novote floor meetings every few days until the end of the month to close the two-year term.

While few senators attended the session, the House floor was nearly full of members. Two representatives appointed in recent months to fill vacancies — Democrat Jack Nichols of Wake County and Republican Paul O’Neill of Currituck County — were formally seated less than three weeks before their terms officially end.

And roughly 20 representatives who won’t return next year due to retirement, electoral defeat or moving to the Senate spoke on the House floor. They shared stories, thanked colleagues and offered advice. Many recalled bipartisan successes with legislation.

“Work together and have respect for each other,” said eightterm Rep. Pat McElraft, a Carteret County Republican who didn’t seek reelection.

Democratic Sen. Wiley Nickel of Wake County, who was elected to Congress last month, expressed a similar theme during a farewell address in the Legislative Building press room: “Our state is so much better off when leaders put aside partisan politics and look for common ground.”

McCarthy’s race for speaker risks upending House on Day One

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his quest to rise to House speaker, Kevin McCarthy is charging straight into history — potentially becoming the first nominee in 100 years unable to win the job on a first-round floor vote.

The increasingly real prospect of a messy fight over the speaker’s gavel on Day One of the new Congress on Jan. 3 is worrying House Republicans, who are bracing for the spectacle. They have been meeting endlessly in private at the Capitol trying to resolve the standoff.

Taking hold of a perilously slim 222-seat Republican majority in the 435-member House and facing a handful of defectors, McCarthy is working furiously to reach the 218-vote threshold typically needed to become speaker.

“The fear is, that if we stumble out of the gate,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a McCarthy ally, then the voters who sent the Republicans to Washington “will revolt over that and they will feel let down.”

Not since the disputed election of 1923 has a candidate for House speaker faced the public scrutiny of convening a new session of Congress only to have it descend into political chaos, with one vote after another, until a new speaker is chosen. At that time, it eventually took a grueling nine ballots to secure the gavel.

McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, California, who was first elected in 2006, has signaled he is willing to go as long as it takes in a floor vote to secure the speaker’s job he has wanted for

years. The former president has endorsed McCarthy, and is said to be making calls on McCarthy’s behalf. McCarthy has given no indication he would step aside, as he did in 2015 when it was clear he did not have the support.

But McCarthy also is acknowledging the holdouts won’t budge. “It’s all in jeopardy,” McCarthy said Friday in an interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt.

The dilemma reflects not just McCarthy’s uncertain stature among his peers, but also the shifting political norms in Congress as party leaders who once wielded immense power — the names of Cannon, Rayburn and

now Pelosi adorn House meeting rooms and office buildings — are seeing it slip away in the 21st century.

The test for McCarthy, if he is able to shore up the votes on Jan. 3 or in the days that follow, will be whether he emerges a weakened speaker, forced to pay an enormous price for the gavel, or whether the potentially brutal power struggle emboldens his new leadership.

“Does he want to go down as the first speaker candidate in 100 years to go to the floor and have to essentially, you know, give up?” said Jeffrey A. Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern Cali-

fornia and co-author of “Fighting for the Speakership.”

“But if he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, you know, maybe he actually has more of the right stuff.”

The Freedom Caucus members and others want assurances they will be able to help draft legislation from the ground up and have opportunities to amend bills during the floor debates. They want enforcement of the 72-hour rule that requires bills to be presented for review before voting.

Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the past two Republican speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, faced similar challenges, but they were able to

rely on the currency of their position to hand out favors, negotiate deals and otherwise win over opponents to keep them in line — for a time. Boehner and Ryan ended up retiring early.

But the central demand by McCarthy’s opponents’ could go too far: They want to reinstate a House rule that allows any single lawmaker to file a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially allowing a floor vote to boot the speaker from office.

The early leaders of the Freedom Caucus, under Mark Meadows, the former North Carolina congressman turned Trump’s chief of staff, wielded the little-used procedure as a threat over Boehner, and later, over Ryan.

It wasn’t until Pelosi seized the gavel the second time, in 2019, that House Democrats voted to do away with the rule and require a majority vote of the caucus to mount a floor vote challenge to the speaker.

The opposition to McCarthy has promoted a counteroffensive from other groups of House Republicans who are becoming more vocal in their support of the GOP leader — and more concerned about the fallout if the start of the new Congress descends into an internal party fight.

Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, who leads the Republican Governance Group, was wearing an “O.K.” button on his lapel — meaning, “Only Kevin.”

Some have suggested that the opponents to McCarthy could simply vote “present,” lowering the threshold for reaching a majority — a tactic Pelosi and Boehner both used to win with fewer than 218 votes.

NASA VIA AP

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, left, speaks while Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, listens during a post-election news conference at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, on Wednesday, Nov. 9. 2022.

AP PHOTO

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks to the chamber for final votes as the House wraps up its work for the week, at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 2, 2022.

Celebrating a new historic site on the Yadkin River

The North Carolina Division of State Historic Sites held a ceremony Tuesday, Dec. 13 to recognize the state’s acquisition of 246 acres along the Yadkin River in Forsyth County as the first step in creating the Shallow Ford State Historic Site. Division staff led guests on a 1.5-mile narrated walk to introduce some of the property’s natural and historic landscapes.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Area gets two rural development grants

Rowan County The Rural Transformation Grant Fund awarded a total of $19.76 million to 42 communities around the state. Rowan County received two of them.

The town of China Grove received a downtown revitalization grant, which is awarded to support downtown development initiatives that help grow and leverage a community’s commercial core into an asset for economic growth and prosperity. China Grove received $680,000 which will be used to support the completion of streetscape improvements in three blocks of downtown. The anticipated outcome is private investment, increased pedestrian safety and accessibility, and the creation of a walkable small-town downtown area that is vibrant, prosperous and resilient to retain businesses and attract visitors.

The town of East Spencer received a Resilient Neighborhoods grant, which is aimed at community development and quality of life improvements, such as eliminating food deserts, creating healthy living initiatives, and increasing access to affordable housing options, among other initiatives. East Spencer received $580,000, which will support resilient and healthy neighborhoods by providing safe and accessible sidewalks, renovation of a concession stand, gateway entry signs, and directional signs. The town will also improve Royal Giants Park by adding hand sanitation stations, water bottle filling stations, resurfacing the basketball court, and new playground equipment. This is the town’s RC2 implementation project.

Winston-Salem juice bar gets grant from Chris Paul-led organization

Social Change Fund offers help to minority owned businesses

SOCIAL CHANGE Fund United (SCFU), created by philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and NBA superstars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul, and Dwyane Wade, in partnership with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) announced today $55,000 in grants to empower small Black-owned businesses in six U.S. cities to help spark economic growth and

celebrate diversity in ownership this holiday season.

This initiative is a part of SCFU’s ongoing commitment to advancing economic growth of minority-owned businesses and LISC’s Project 10X, a $1 billion effort to upend the racial health, wealth and opportunity gaps that keep tens of millions of people from sharing in our country’s prosperity. The featured cities – Los Angeles, Chicago, New Orleans, Winston-Salem, New York City, and Milwaukee – are part of SCFU key impact areas where the organization has led targeted programs since its in-

ception in 2020.

“Vibrant small businesses are the backbone of local economies,” said Lisa Glover, LISC CEO. “But, too often, Black-owned firms have faced steep barriers to investing in growth. These grants directly address those disparities by helping owners hire and expand—which also fuels economic opportunity in the communities where they live and work.”

“We’re beyond excited to launch this initiative with LISC,” said Chris Paul, SCFU Co-Founder and 12x NBA All-Star. “Our partnership allows us to intentionally invest in Black-owned

small businesses and further economic growth in their communities. These grants are just a small step in addressing the inequity and lack of resources that Black entrepreneurs face too often.”

The funding responds to longstanding inequities in capital access for Black entrepreneurs. For example, Black small businesses are half as likely to be approved for financing as white-owned firms, even with good credit, according to the Federal Reserve. The pandemic exacerbated those historical challenges, with Black

NC Supreme Court dismisses suit to return Confederate statue

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s Supreme Court ruled Friday that the local chapter of United Daughters of the Confederacy lacks standing to challenge the city of Winston-Salem’s removal of a Confederate monument on private property, but it can refile a future lawsuit making similar arguments.

The high court partially affirmed a non-unanimous 2020 appeals court ruling that had dismissed the chapter›s attempt to return a statue of a Confederate soldier to the grounds of the former Forsyth County Courthouse in downtown Winston-Salem. But the justices opted Friday to remand the case to the Forsyth County Superior Court for fur-

ther proceedings in line with the court’s opinion.

“We are not persuaded by any of plaintiff’s arguments,” Associate Justice Sam Ervin IV wrote in the prevailing opinion. “As an initial matter, plaintiff has completely failed to explain how the City’s actions ‘denied plaintiff due process of law.’”

While United Daughters of the Confederacy claimed it was involved in erecting the monument, the Supreme Court concurred that it did not have ownership and thus could not claim legal interest in the matter. Without asserting ownership over a piece of property, Ervin wrote, they cannot claim the property was the subject of an unlawful seizure or deprivation.

However, the court determined Friday that because the

chapter provided insufficient evidence to establish stake in the statue’s removal, the trial court should not have ruled in such a way that would prevent the chapter from filing future lawsuits in this matter.

While the court was unanimous in dismissing the lawsuit without prejudice, Chief Justice Paul Newby wrote a separate opinion — joined by the other two Republican justices — that limited the reasons to the “bare allegations” made by the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The court, he said, lacks subject matter jurisdiction over the chapter’s claims.

The seven-member panel said the chapter lacks standing to challenge the city’s discernment that the statue had become a public nuisance. It also said the members’ identities as descendants of Confederate veterans do not “transform an abstract ideological interest in preserving the Confederate legacy” into a valid personal injury claim.

The city has kept the statue in storage since removing it in March 2019 after a series of non-violent protests.

The Associated Press

PHOTOS BY PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Historians and local officials observe the Shallow Ford site along the Yaken River at the Shallow Ford State Historic Site in Lewisville on December 13, 2022.

PHOTOS BY PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Left, Bill and Marcia Phillips of Mocksville, take a photo of a map of the zoning of the site. Right, Michael Leonard left, Will Summer and State Sen. Paul Lowe (D) plant Persimmon trees along the Yaken River.

DEATH NOTICES

♦ Barbara Harris Anderson 82, of Davidson County, died December 14, 2022.

Sheila Diane Blusewicz, 70, died December 16, 2022.

Margaret Cooper Burgess, 87, died December 15, 2022.

Betty Alexander White Dunn, 91, of Burlington, died December 17, 2022.

Louise Etchison, 93, died December 14, 2022.

Thomas “Taylor” Fain, 87, of Clemmons, died December 14, 2022.

Larry Ray Fulp, 65, of Forsyth County, died December 16, 2022.

Spencer “Ike” David Martin, 88, died December 17, 2022.

Wayne Eugene Nifong, 86, of Davidson County, died December 14, 2022.

Brenda Elizabeth Page, 79, of Forsyth County, died December 14, 2022.

Jonathan Barrett Radford, 48, of Forsyth County, died December 14, 2022.

Jack Edward “Bo” Waddell, Jr., 57, of Forsyth County, died December 17, 2022.

Teresa Ann Wagner, 57, of Winston-Salem, died December 15, 2022.

The slippery slope never ends

IN 2006, then-Sen. Joe Biden ranted against the supposed irrelevance of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage in federal law as one man, one woman. “We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman, and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law; there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

Sixteen years later, President Joe Biden stood on the lawn of the White House and chortled that he had finally enshrined same-sex marriage into federal law. “Today’s a good day,” he said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone.”

A vital step. Not the final step. Not the culminating step. A vital step.

The language here is important because it is revealing. Biden and his allies have an agenda that goes far beyond the redefinition of marriage. The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Biden made this clear in his speech, in which he lumped together opposition to same-sex marriage with “racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia.” This is patent nonsense, of course. But it does set the groundwork for the actual transgressive agenda: to liken traditional views about marriage to pure bigotry. And this will necessitate governmental action against those who believe in marriage. After all, we as a society don’t tolerate racism on the basis of religious freedom. If Christian views about marriage are treated similarly, why should churches maintain their taxexempt status while “discriminating” against same-sex weddings?

Biden went still further. In championing same-sex marriage, he said that Americans “need to challenge the hundreds of callous, cynical laws introduced in the states

targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who get children the care they need.” In other words, if you oppose the hormonal sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors as a pseudo-palliative for gender identity disorder, you are evil, and you must be stopped by force of federal law.

The natural outcome of this agenda will be precisely what Democrats pretend now to oppose: anti-religious discrimination, educational cramdowns, and threats to traditional parenting. And make no mistake: they are pretending. They have no rationale for drawing lines to hem in their cultural imperialism. When asked by CBS News correspondent Steve Portnoy whether protections for religious practice were “codifying discrimination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, “Is there more work to do? Absolutely. There’s always more work to do.”

In the early 1990s, Democrats denied that they wanted civil unions. They were lying. In the mid-2000s, Democrats denied that they wanted same-sex marriage. They were lying. Now Democrats say they don’t want religious discrimination or educational indoctrination. They are lying. In the end, what transgressives want is simple: a national state that stands as the god of a new moral system and atomized individuals without recourse to intermediary institutions of community or civil society.

And if the Republicans who voted for the Orwellian Respect for Marriage Act think that they have bought a respite from the predations of the Left by signing onto an erstwhile compromise, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

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.”

SCFU from page 1

businesses failing at nearly twice the rate of white-owned firms, falling by an estimated 41%.

“My mother taught me to cook when I was younger, and I opened Straightlaw’s earlier this year because I want to feed the community where I’ve lived almost my whole life,” said Lawrence Wilford, owner of Straightlaw’s Cooking and Catering in Chicago, one of the grant recipients. “The grant will help me get a new sign for my business and maybe a new hood and menu board too.”

Businesses to receive grants through the partnership include: Know Dat Grow Dat based in New Orleans, LA is owned and operated by retired pharmacist turned gardener, Michael Beau-

champ, Sr. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Beauchamp established a community garden to help rebuild the community. This experience inspired him to launch a business, Know Dat Grow Dat, to grow seasonal fruits, vegetables and micro greens for sale at local farmers markets.

Straightlaw›s Cooking & Catering is anchored in the historic Humboldt Park neighborhood in Chicago – located in a disinvested corridor that is a target area for city investment. Hand selected by SCFU Executive Council member and Chicago native, Candace Parker, a WNBA all-star, Straightlaw’s is a soul food restaurant and catering company serving Southern-style home cooked meals from generational recipes.

The JUGO Bar in Winston-Sa-

lem, N.C., is a healthy juice company selling products at the local farmers› markets, grocers, hotels and restaurants. The juices are infused with the exotic flavors and taste profiles that owner William Fulton developed while traveling the world. The Jugo Bar will use the grant as growth capital to expand its sales market into other parts of North Carolina.

Founded in 2016, Milwaukee-based One 5 Olive rehabs blighted, foreclosed homes to help revitalize underinvested communities and create affordable homeownership opportunities for families.

Good Works Consulting is a Los Angeles based consulting company, founded by Monique Cadle, that transforms and disrupts systems, organizations and indi-

viduals to help create workplaces that center diversity, equity and inclusion. Good Works offers human resources strategy, learning resources, leadership coaching and talent recruitment services to clients across a range of sectors. Good Works is 100% queerand woman-owned, and majority Black-owned.

In a community with a lack of healthy food options, Juiceade is a juice bar and health food restaurant in New York’s South Bronx. Juiceade was established in 2019 after owner, Will Bryant, adopted a vegan lifestyle due to late nights as a nightclub DJ. Bryant has forged strong connections with the surrounding community by supporting and promoting neighborhood activities and employing local youth.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Abdulwakil, Zaid Mickyel (M/28) Arrest on chrg of Possession Control Substance Jail (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/15/2022 09:43.

♦ Atwater, Steven Thomas (M/28) Arrest on chrg of 1) Ccw (M), 2) Weapposs By Felon (F), and 3) Resisting Arrest (M), at 3199 New Walkertown Rd/winston Lake Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/16/2022 21:23.

♦ Barber, Ricky Dean (M/33) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault On Female (M) and 2) Drugs-poss Controlled Substancemethamphetamine>less Than 1 (F), at 6885 Doral Dr, Tobaccoville, NC, on 12/18/2022 09:11.

♦ BLEVINS, MASON ALEXANDER was arrested on a charge of P/W/I/S/D MARIJUANA at 2698 HOPE CHURCH RD/W CLEMMONSVILLE RD on 12/17/2022

♦ CARDOZA, CHARITY IARAY was arrested on a charge of ASSAULTSIMPLE at 4202 TRACE VIEW DR on 12/18/2022

♦ Carter, Albert Bernard (M/39) Arrest on chrg of Awik/no Injury (F), at 4065 Winter Hue, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/15/2022 17:06.

♦ CARTER, LAUREN CANDICE was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at 775 WEST END BV on 12/16/2022

♦ Craddock, Angela Marie (F/29) Arrest on chrg of Fraud-obt Property, F (F), at 301 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/15/2022 11:00.

♦ Farris, Johnny Ray (M/57) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fail To Change Address - Sex Offender Registration (F) and 2) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/14/2022 09:58.

♦ FULTON, SHAKIYLA SHANICE was arrested on a charge of COMMUNICATE THREATS at 4115 OLD VINEYARD RD on 12/16/2022

♦ GALLIMORE, DANIEL CHAZ was arrested on a charge of INDECENT EXPOSURE at 5273 UNIVERSITY PW on 12/16/2022

♦ GIST, SHELIA DIANE was arrested on a charge of ADW - INFLICT INJURY at 201 N CHURCH ST on 12/17/2022

♦ GRICE, ALEXANDRIA ELAINE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULTSIMPLE at 4505 KESTER MILL RD on 12/17/2022

♦ Hardin, Xavier Dominique (M/23) Arrest on chrg of 1) P/w/i/s/d Marijuana (F), 2) Maintain Dwelling (F), 3) 90-95h3 Traff Cocaine (F), 4) Trafficking In Methamphetamine Or Amphetamine (F), 5) P/w/i/s/d Cocaine (F), 6) P/w/i/s/d Sched I (F), and 7) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 304 Willow Oak Dr, Winston Salem, NC, on 12/14/2022 15:00.

♦ HARRIGAN, JANINE FRANCES was arrested on a charge of VANDPERSONAL PROP at 100 W FIFTH ST on 12/17/2022

♦ Harris, Whitney Ronisha (F/34) Arrest on chrg of 1) Order For Arrest (M), 2) Ofa-fta/driving While Impaired (M), and 3) Ofa-fta/no Operators License (M), at 200 N Main St, Winstonsalem, NC, on 12/16/2022 12:30.

♦ JONES, BENJAMIN CASSIDY was arrested on a charge of FALSE REPORT - BOMB at 3475 PARKWAY VILLAGE CR on 12/18/2022

♦ KELLEY, JARRED LENARD was arrested on a charge of ASSLT ON OFF/ST EMP at 2820 PELHAM PL on 12/18/2022

♦ King, Timothy Elisha (M/31) Arrest

on chrg of 1) Cruelty To Animals (M) and 2) Asd - Tethering To Stationary Device Of 10 Ft (M), at 685 Amanda Pl, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/14/2022 14:23.

♦ MACIAS, PEDRO was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at 900 CONLEY ST/GROVE AV on 12/16/2022

♦ Mar tin, Jahiem Lamar (M/21) Arrest on chrg of 1) Interference W/ electronic Monitoring Dev (M), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/ compl (F), 5) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 6) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 7) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 8) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 9) Fail To Appear/ compl (F), 10) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 11) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 12) Fail To Appear/compl (F), 13) Fail To Appear/compl (F), and 14) Fail To Appear/compl (F), at 930 Mock St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/16/2022 11:00.

♦ Martin, Michael Robert (M/34) Arrest on chrg of Vio. Protective Order By Courts Another State/ Indian Tribe (M), at 200 N Main St, Winstonsalem, NC, on 12/15/2022 10:07.

♦ MATHURIN, PATRICK TURION was arrested on a charge of MV THEFT at 3333 SILAS CREEK PW on 12/19/2022

♦ PEEBLES, VICTOR CYREAS was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 204 W TWENTY-THIRD ST on 12/18/2022

♦ PORTER, ANDRE DEVON was arrested on a charge of B&E-VEHICLE at 201 N CHURCH ST on 12/16/2022

♦ POTTER, MATTHEW JAVON was arrested on a charge of ALTER, DESTRUCT, REMOVE SERIAL NUMBER FIREARM; POSS FIREARM at 3308 OLD LEXINGTON RD/

BRYSON ST on 12/18/2022

♦ RANGEL, ROBIN MARIA was arrested on a charge of ROBBERY at 201 N CHURCH ST on 12/16/2022

♦ SANTIAGO, CHRISTINA NICOLE was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at 1200 GREENVALLEY RD/POLO RD on 12/18/2022

♦ SHORE, TOMMY JOE was arrested on a charge of P/W/I/S/D COCAINE at 4632 OLD BAUX MOUNTAIN RD on 12/16/2022

♦ Simmons, Demont Lanard (M/34) Arrest on chrg of 1) Child Abuse (M), 2) Child Abuse (M), 3) P/w/i/s/d Sched Ii (F), 4) P/w/i/s/d Sched Ii (F), 5) P/w/i/s/d Sched Ii (F), 6) P/w/i/s/d Sched Ii (F), 7) Drugs-poss Sched I (F), 8) Maintain Vehicle (F), 9) Drug Paraphernalia (M), and 10) Drug Paraphernalia (M), at 598 E Sprague St/old Lexington Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/14/2022 20:40.

♦ Smith, Pj Lorenzo (M/35) Arrest on chrg of Aslt Leo/inflic Injury (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 12/15/2022 13:47.

♦ STEVENS, AUSTIN NATANIEL was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at SALEM CREEK PKWY on 12/18/2022

♦ STURDIVANT, MILAS SEAN was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at 100 BETHABARA POINTE CR on 12/17/2022

STURGIS, THOMAS G was arrested on a charge of DISORDERLY CONDUCT at 425 N CHERRY ST on 12/18/2022

♦ Thompson, Elmer Junior (M/49) Arrest on chrg of Probation Violation (M), at 201 N Church St, Winstonsalem, NC, on 12/14/2022 05:57.

Twin City Herald

Neal Robbins Publisher

Matt Mercer Editor in Chief Griffin Daughtry Local News Editor Shawn Krest Editor

Cory Lavalette Sports Editor Frank Hill Senior Opinion Editor Lauren

“Join the conversation”

The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

SIDELINE REPORT

MLB

Browning, who pitched perfect game for Reds, dies at 62 Union, Ky.

Tom Browning, an All-Star pitcher who threw the only perfect game in Cincinnati Reds history and helped them win the 1990 World Series title, has died. He was 62. The Boone County Sheriff’s Office announced Browning’s death on Twitter, saying he died Monday at his home in Union, Kentucky. No cause was given. The Sheriff’s Office said foul play is not suspected. Known as a colorful character, Browning retired all 27 batters he faced in a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers at Riverfront Stadium on Sept. 16, 1988. He also won Game 3 of the 1990 World Series in Oakland.

NFL McGinest Jr. arrested in alleged assault in California

West Hollywood, Calif. Authorities say former NFL linebacker Willie McGinest Jr. was arrested in connection with an assault at a Southern California nightclub. A Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department statement says the incident occurred Dec. 9 at a West Hollywood club and witnesses identified McGinest as one of the people involved. The department says McGinest was arrested for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon after coming to the West Hollywood sheriff’s station on Monday to give a statement about the incident. McGinest posted bond and was released. McGinest spent 15 years in the NFL with New England and Cleveland.

TENNIS

Venus awarded wild-card for Australian Open Melbourne, Australia Venus Williams has been awarded a wild-card entry to play at the Australian Open next month. It will be 25 years after she played the Grand Slam tournament for the first time. The 42-yearold Williams has reached the final twice in Australia, including a loss to her younger sister, Serena, in the 2017 championship match. She will be contesting the season-opening major for the 22nd time. Venus and Serena Williams combined to win the Australian Open women’s doubles title four times and Venus also won the mixed doubles title in 1998.

NBA

Panthers settle failed practice site for $100M

in South Carolina. The deal will turn the land and the incomplete steel shell of what was supposed to have been the team’s new headquarters over to the city of Rock Hill. It’s estimated to be worth $20 million.

earlier this year.

All sides agreed to drop their current lawsuits and not file any other claims as part of the deal approved Friday by federal bankruptcy court Judge Karen Owens.

Tepper, a hedge fund manager who is one of the NFL’s wealthiest owners, and the Panthers announced plans for an $800 million practice facility, team offices, sports medicine complex, hotels and entertainment near Rock Hill in 2019.

By Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press

COLUMBIA, S.C.— A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlement of about $100 million Friday over Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build a practice facility for his NFL team

Tepper’s real estate company GT Real Estate Holdings will pay York County, which provided sales tax revenue for road improvements, $21 million, and $60 million will be split among the contractors who worked on the project before it was abandoned

Both local and South Carolina leaders cheered the investment, offering incentives and relishing getting a piece of the NFL team away from North Carolina and Charlotte, where the team plays its games about 25 miles away.

But after less than two years, Tepper’s company abruptly stopped work.

York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson and Solicitor Kevin Brackett continue to investigate Tepper and his company to see whether public money was misused on the project.

York County, which is separate from the sheriff, released a statement after reaching its deal with Tepper that said Tepper and his company “have acted in good faith and that the county “believes that no action of any kind with respect to the county payment is warranted.”

GT Real Estate Holdings said in a statement that from the start it wanted to make sure all legitimate claims were paid.

“We are pleased that the Court has approved our comprehensive plan of reorganization, which paves the way to resolve and satisfy GTRE’s creditor claims,” the statement said.

TCU’s Sonny Dykes named AP Coach of the Year

The Associated Press

TCU’S SONNY DYKES was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

Dykes received 37 of 46 firstplace votes and 120 points from AP Top 25 voters to become the second TCU coach to win the award. The first two were won by Gary Patterson (2009, 2014), the coach Dykes replaced after last season.

will miss weeks

Lakers’ Davis has foot injury,

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis has a right foot injury that’s expected to keep him sidelined for several weeks. Davis leads the Lakers with averages of 27.4 points and 12.1 rebounds per game.

Lakers coach Darvin Ham confirmed the team has no firm timetable for Davis’ return. Davis was injured in the first half of the Lakers’ win over Denver on Friday night. He did not play after halftime. The Lakers had wn 10 of their past 16 games after starting the season 2-10.

“It’s the ultimate team award,” Dykes told AP. “It’s indicative of literally everybody in our office, coaches, players, everybody, because more so than ever in college football it is truly a team effort.”

TCU (12-1) faces No. 2 Michigan (13-0) on Dec. 31 in the Fiesta Bowl for a berth in the national championship game.

Tulane coach Willie Fritz was second with 40 points and two first-place votes, followed by Tennessee’s John Heupel (38 points, one) and last year’s winner, Jim Harbaugh of Michigan (28 points, five). Georgia’s Kirby Smart (15 points) also received a first-place vote.

Dykes, 53, is in his fourth stop after stints with Louisiana Tech, California and SMU. The Texan and son of longtime Texas Tech coach Spike Dykes, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 in 13 seasons as a head coach.

“It’s not always like this and I’ve been on both ends and so some-

thing like this probably means more to me than it might somebody,” Dykes said. “I’ve been 1-11 and I’ve been fired. I’ve been kind of on top and then on bottom, too. I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Dykes’ path to AP coach of the year is unique. The award was established in 1998 and no coach had ever won his first coach of the year on his fourth stop as an Bowl Subdivision head coach.

Dykes moved across town to take over at TCU after being with rival SMU for five years. Playing against the Horned Frogs annually, he had a good idea of what kind

of team he was getting.

Instead of a major roster overhaul of last season’s 5-7 TCU team, Dykes dipped into the transfer portal to fill some holes, but he mostly took what he inher -

ited and turned it into one of the best teams in the country.

“Sometimes it’s more about the chemistry of things and trying to get the chemistry of those rooms right as opposed to necessarily adding talent,” Dykes said. “That part of it, I think, is really overlooked. Just the chemistry and creating competition and all that.”

The Horned Frogs started the season unranked and didn’t lose until dropping the Big 12 championship in overtime to Kansas State.

Duke’s Mike Elko finished ninth in the voting, receiving one second-place and one third-place vote.

The city of Rock Hill will receive the land and incomplete structure in the bankruptcy settlement

The first-year coach led the Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff

AP PHOTO

TCU’s Sonny Dykes was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Monday after leading the No. 3 Horned Frogs to the College Football Playoff in his first season with the school.

AP PHOTO

A federal judge approved a bankruptcy settlemeny of about $100 million in Panthers owner David Tepper’s failed plan to build the team’s headquarters and practice facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina.

“I’m always thankful for those bad times because it really truly does make you appreciate the good times more.”

Sonny Dykes, TCU football coach

STATE & NATION

NC legislators back review to harden power infrastructure

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — North Carolina’s top legislative leaders said the General Assembly will review what can be done to protect the state’s power transmission system following the Duke Energy substation shooting attacks this month that put Moore County in the dark for days.

Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore said that ways to better safeguard infrastructure for generating electricity, producing clean water and other services would soon get the attention of colleagues.

“It needs to be frankly part of a broader conversation of just readiness and preparedness, not only for those kind of acts, but also for other emergencies,” Moore told reporters at the Legislative Building after both chambers essentially wrapped up their two-year session. The 170-seat legislature convenes its next session on Jan. 11.

State and federal law enforcement are continuing to investigate the outages, which began Dec. 3 when one or more people drove up to two substations, breached the

gates and opened fire on them, according to authorities. No arrests have been made in the shootings, which cut power to 45,000 customers. Law enforce -

ment officials, who last week were seeking warrants in the case, haven’t described a possible motive. But “no matter what the motivation of the folks that caused the

damage was ... we can move forward with assessments as to how we can protect some of that infrastructure,” Berger said earlier that day.

The comments by the Republican lawmakers align with those of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who has said protecting critical infrastructure needs to be a top priority. He said he anticipated conversations with utilities and government officials about what to do. The state Utilities Commission got an update on Monday from Duke Energy executives about the attack.

Moore said he wanted to hear from Duke Energy leaders and other experts about whether the transmission system in North Carolina is similar to those elsewhere. Fortifying substations could be cost prohibitive — Duke operates 2,100 of them statewide — but “there may be some inexpensive things that can be done” to protect them from attack, Moore said.

Berger said it didn’t make sense to speculate about proposing tougher criminal penalties for those who cause such damage while the criminal investigation is ongoing.

The two legislative leaders were in Raleigh to gavel in and out the latest perfunctory floor sessions held since late July. The GOP-controlled General Assembly decided after its chief work period for the year ended July 1 to schedule monthly meetings in Raleigh to take up any urgent matters. That

also would have allowed them to vote on possible breakthroughs on key issues, like Medicaid expansion.

But no recorded votes were taken during these sessions, and a stalemate over expansion was never resolved. After Tuesday, the House and Senate will hold novote floor meetings every few days until the end of the month to close the two-year term.

While few senators attended the session, the House floor was nearly full of members. Two representatives appointed in recent months to fill vacancies — Democrat Jack Nichols of Wake County and Republican Paul O’Neill of Currituck County — were formally seated less than three weeks before their terms officially end.

And roughly 20 representatives who won’t return next year due to retirement, electoral defeat or moving to the Senate spoke on the House floor. They shared stories, thanked colleagues and offered advice. Many recalled bipartisan successes with legislation.

“Work together and have respect for each other,” said eightterm Rep. Pat McElraft, a Carteret County Republican who didn’t seek reelection.

Democratic Sen. Wiley Nickel of Wake County, who was elected to Congress last month, expressed a similar theme during a farewell address in the Legislative Building press room: “Our state is so much better off when leaders put aside partisan politics and look for common ground.”

McCarthy’s race for speaker risks upending House on Day One

By Lisa Mascaro The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — In his quest to rise to House speaker, Kevin McCarthy is charging straight into history — potentially becoming the first nominee in 100 years unable to win the job on a first-round floor vote.

The increasingly real prospect of a messy fight over the speaker’s gavel on Day One of the new Congress on Jan. 3 is worrying House Republicans, who are bracing for the spectacle. They have been meeting endlessly in private at the Capitol trying to resolve the standoff.

Taking hold of a perilously slim 222-seat Republican majority in the 435-member House and facing a handful of defectors, McCarthy is working furiously to reach the 218-vote threshold typically needed to become speaker.

“The fear is, that if we stumble out of the gate,” said Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., a McCarthy ally, then the voters who sent the Republicans to Washington “will revolt over that and they will feel let down.”

Not since the disputed election of 1923 has a candidate for House speaker faced the public scrutiny of convening a new session of Congress only to have it descend into political chaos, with one vote after another, until a new speaker is chosen. At that time, it eventually took a grueling nine ballots to secure the gavel.

McCarthy, a Republican from Bakersfield, California, who was first elected in 2006, has signaled he is willing to go as long as it takes in a floor vote to secure the speaker’s job he has wanted for

years. The former president has endorsed McCarthy, and is said to be making calls on McCarthy’s behalf. McCarthy has given no indication he would step aside, as he did in 2015 when it was clear he did not have the support.

But McCarthy also is acknowledging the holdouts won’t budge. “It’s all in jeopardy,” McCarthy said Friday in an interview with conservative Hugh Hewitt.

The dilemma reflects not just McCarthy’s uncertain stature among his peers, but also the shifting political norms in Congress as party leaders who once wielded immense power — the names of Cannon, Rayburn and

now Pelosi adorn House meeting rooms and office buildings — are seeing it slip away in the 21st century.

The test for McCarthy, if he is able to shore up the votes on Jan. 3 or in the days that follow, will be whether he emerges a weakened speaker, forced to pay an enormous price for the gavel, or whether the potentially brutal power struggle emboldens his new leadership.

“Does he want to go down as the first speaker candidate in 100 years to go to the floor and have to essentially, you know, give up?” said Jeffrey A. Jenkins, a professor at the University of Southern Cali-

fornia and co-author of “Fighting for the Speakership.”

“But if he pulls this rabbit out of the hat, you know, maybe he actually has more of the right stuff.”

The Freedom Caucus members and others want assurances they will be able to help draft legislation from the ground up and have opportunities to amend bills during the floor debates. They want enforcement of the 72-hour rule that requires bills to be presented for review before voting.

Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the past two Republican speakers, John Boehner and Paul Ryan, faced similar challenges, but they were able to

rely on the currency of their position to hand out favors, negotiate deals and otherwise win over opponents to keep them in line — for a time. Boehner and Ryan ended up retiring early.

But the central demand by McCarthy’s opponents’ could go too far: They want to reinstate a House rule that allows any single lawmaker to file a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially allowing a floor vote to boot the speaker from office.

The early leaders of the Freedom Caucus, under Mark Meadows, the former North Carolina congressman turned Trump’s chief of staff, wielded the little-used procedure as a threat over Boehner, and later, over Ryan.

It wasn’t until Pelosi seized the gavel the second time, in 2019, that House Democrats voted to do away with the rule and require a majority vote of the caucus to mount a floor vote challenge to the speaker.

The opposition to McCarthy has promoted a counteroffensive from other groups of House Republicans who are becoming more vocal in their support of the GOP leader — and more concerned about the fallout if the start of the new Congress descends into an internal party fight.

Rep. David Joyce, R-Ohio, who leads the Republican Governance Group, was wearing an “O.K.” button on his lapel — meaning, “Only Kevin.”

Some have suggested that the opponents to McCarthy could simply vote “present,” lowering the threshold for reaching a majority — a tactic Pelosi and Boehner both used to win with fewer than 218 votes.

NASA VIA AP

North Carolina House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, left, speaks while Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, listens during a post-election news conference at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, on Wednesday, Nov. 9. 2022.

AP PHOTO

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., walks to the chamber for final votes as the House wraps up its work for the week, at the Capitol in Washington, Dec. 2, 2022.

MOORE COUNTY

Wreaths Across America Day

WHAT’S HAPPENING

NCGHSP launches statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday campaign

Law enforcement officers are stepping up patrols as a part of the statewide “Booze It & Lose It” holiday enforcement effort, which officially launched last week. This effort, which is the largest impaired driving campaign run by the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP), will run through January 2, 2023. NCGHSP will be supporting the campaign through a combination of paid media advertising and social media outreach. So far, 432 people have been killed in North Carolina due to alcohol or drugrelated crashes. “If you’re out celebrating this holiday season, make sure you have a sober ride home,” said Mark Ezzell, director of NCGHSP. “If you drive under the influence, you have a lot to lose. Not only could you kill yourself or someone else, but you could face thousands of dollars in court costs and fines, jail time, or a revoked license.”

For more driver safety tips and program information, follow the NCGHSP on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Antisemitic sign hung over Moore County Bridge

Deputies from the Moore County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the hanging of an antisemitic sign over a bridge in the Vass area. According to a press release from the sheriff’s office, the sign, which was covered in swastikas, the number “1488,” and the phrase “BRING IT ALL DOWN” was found on Sunday morning, just before the beginning of Hanukkah that evening. The sign is currently in the possession of the sheriff’s office, though deputies still do not know who hung the sign at this time. The investigation is still ongoing at this time.

Moore County’s new school board brings back valedictorians

Board voted 5-1 to approve

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Moore County’s newly elected school board elected a new chair and voted to bring back honoring valedictorians at its meeting on Dec. 12.

Even though Moore Schools’ board is nonpartisan, the majority of the new board is Republican. At the swearing-in of new members earlier this month, Robert Levy was installed as the new chair and David Hensley as vice chair.

There was ample discussion over restoring the honoring of salutatorians and valedictorians during the meeting.

During the debate, Hensley noted that the members of the previ-

ous school board had ended the practice of allowing students to compete for salutatorian and valedictorian. The former board had replaced those two roles with “Latin Honors” and a “Latin Honor System.”

“It is notable that the last school board eliminated recognition of our highest achievers while at the same time keeping Principal of the Year and Teacher of the Year, and they put their names on plaques in the central office,” said Hensley. He added it was “unsatisfactory” that the district’s high achievers did not have their names posted alongside those honors.

He also said it was laughable that the board removed the student honors due to it being “too difficult” to calculate grade point averages for the roles.

“We’ve got a central office full of

PhDs, and we’ve got really smart people. I’m sure we could have figured out something else and not use that as an excuse to eliminate valedictorians and salutatorians,” Hensley said.

Member Stacey Caldwell, who was also a member of the former school board, questioned why Henley was making the proposal instead of it being a public comment-driven issue.

“I believe that the public should have a say as to if it affects their child’s GPA whether it’s for better or for worse,” Caldwell said. “I also personally believe we shouldn’t rush into this decision without consulting with the parents and the students it may affect, even if it’s a survey online.”

Caldwell also asked whether this should be a “top priority” and if it would “do harm to some students.”

“We spent a lot of time on this back in 2018, and I just don’t think this is something we need to focus our time on right now and make a quick decision on,” said Caldwell. She added it had taken that board “months of research” and public input to decide to drop valedictorians and salutatorians.

“As I pointed out before, parents and their children choose whether or not they’re going to compete for and strive to be the valedictorian,” Hensley said in response to Caldwell’s comments. “It’s not mandatory. No one forces a student or family to participate.”

Hensley also responded to Caldwell’s claims the decision was being rushed.

“You know, part of my problem with academia is it took two years

Architect firm selected for library and archives expansion

Two appointments made for Village boards

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

PINEHURST — The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, December 13, where they decided on a design firm for the Given Memorial Library and Tuft Archives.

The council approved a resolution to appoint Bruce Hironimus to the Planning and Zoning Board as well as the Board of Adjustments.

Hironimus had prior government experience, having worked for the Pennsylvania DOT, as well as serving on the Derry Township Planning and Zoning Board and the Hershey Long-Term Comprehensive Plan Committee.

“I enjoyed the nature of the work from past experiences,” Hironimus said. “I’ve been here now full-time over the last three years, and I’m just coming off of two nine-year stints at FirstHealth on various

boards there. I got term-limited off two of their entities, so I found myself with some time, and potentially, I thought this was an area I could bring some skill and experience.”

“When we interviewed Bruce, a couple of things really stuck out to me,” said Planning and Zoning Board Chair Jeramy Hooper. “One was his high level of professionalism, and his background in governmental affairs was clear in our conversations. His approach and acumen were one of wanting to contribute and help our planning board in our current efforts. Those really stuck out for me.”

The council then approved John Taylor as Chairman of the Pinehurst Historic Preservation Commission.

The council also approved a $134,900 contract with Simmons Heating, Cooling, and Electrical for HVAC replacement at Assembly Hall.

“The equipment is approximately 25 years old, so it is near-

ing the end of its life cycle here as it was part of the original construction on this building back in 1997,” said Parks and Recreation Director Mark Wagner. “We had $120,000 budgeted for this, and as we’ve seen with other projects and equipment purchases, inflation has hit this number too.”

According to Wagner, due to the cost of the project, Village staff went through the formal bid process. Still, only one vendor submitted a bid. Simmons, who was already the current preventative maintenance vendor for HVAC in the Village for nearly five years, was the single submission.

According to the vendor, it should be a 3-6 week process for equipment to arrive, and it will take 1-2 weeks for installation.

The council was then presented with the current state of the Given Memorial Library and Tuft Archives expansion project.

“We have plans to expand our li-

Members of the Moore Republican Women participate in the annual nationwide event laying wreaths on the graves of veterans. Wreaths Across America began in 1992, and the first wreaths were donated to Arlington National Cemetery by Morrill Worcester and the Worcester Wreath Company.

COURTESY PHOTO

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ RONDA, KYLE MICHAEL, 34, W, M, 12/18/2022, Bonding Company, Identity Theft (x2), Exploit Disable Elder Trust, Unlawful Obtaining Credit Card (x2), Obtain Property False Pretense (x4)

♦ MONTGOMERY, RUSSELL, 27, B, M, 12/18/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Assault on a Female

♦

GRAHAM, WENDI DIANE, 46, W, F, 12/17/2022, Out of County Agency, Possess Stolen Motor Vehicle

♦ BENNETT, SHAWN CHRISTOPHER, 52, W, M, 12/17/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Fail to Report Accident

♦

PRICE, ANTHONY JEWEL, 49, W, M, 12/16/2022, Aberdeen PD, MIsdemeanor Larceny, Possession of Stolen Goods/Property, Shoplifting Concealment Goods

♦ NORTHCUTT, MARSHALL EVERETT, 40, W, M, 12/16/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Burning Unoccupied Building, Breaking or Entering

♦ MCKENZIE, JACOB TRAY, 26, W, M, 12/15/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Misdemeanor Larceny, Carrying Concealed Weapon, Identity Theft

♦

♦

BYRD, TYERRA BRIANNA, 22, B, F, 12/15/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Possess Marijuana up to 1/2oz

FRIAS, JUAN CARLOS GONZALEZ, 38, H, M, 12/14/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office, Interfere Emergency Communication

♦ RUSHING, TINA MARIE, 53, W, F, 12/13/2022, Pinehurst PD, Possess Methamphetamine, Simple Possession Schedule III CS

it,” Hens-

said. “And I’m sorry that the previous board, you know, operated at a glacial pace, and we’ll have committees and studies and this and that.”

He acknowledged community input was important but said, “at the same time, so is rapidity of action.”

Following more debate about GPA calculations and logistics, Hensley made the motion for the restoration of the honors that included requiring the superintendent to provide the board with a plan to reinstate the honors with a few stipulations.

One of the stipulations was that the selection criteria be an objective measurement, and the other was that valedictorians and salutatorians would be offered speak-

ing places at the respective commencement ceremonies. A third condition was that the names of those receiving the honor be placed on plaques to be displayed at both the respective high schools and at the district’s central office.

Ultimately, the board voted five to one in favor of the move. The lone vote in opposition came from member Caldwell.

The board also removed an agenda item, the renaming of McDeeds Creek Elementary.

“I believe that the renaming of McDeeds Creek — a school named after a Terrain feature — after a recent Medal of Honor recipient would be simple, non-controversial and uniting,” Hensley said. “That obviously was an incorrect assumption on my part.”

“I will not let controversy tarnish the memory of one of our heroes,” Hensley said. “Likewise, I

er all the costs associated with the expansion project.

will not let controversy interfere with the mission of this board, which is what you elected us for. The mission of this board – make no mistake about it – is returning discipline and safety to our schools, restoring academic excellence, and fiscal responsibility. That’s why you elected us. That’s our mission, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”

Hensley had first presented the proposal to alter the school’s name at a special called work session on Dec. 7.

At the close of the meeting, Hensley remarked that the board is “going to be laser-focused on the reasons why you guys elected us.”

He listed returning safety and discipline to our schools” in the wake of fights that have arisen in the district’s schools as well as restoring academic excellence.

moore happening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County:

Dec. 22

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.

brary and archive services, and we’ve selected the firm of Oakley Collier to do the architectural work and ultimately contract management for whoever builds that new or expanded facility,” said Village Manager Jeff Sanborn.

The current budget for the project is $4 million, but due to inflation and rising costs, Village staff expressed concern about the fact that it might not be enough to cov-

“Typically, for all design services, it’s 10% of what the total budget is for the project,” said Assistant Village Manager Doug Willardson. “Right now, I’ve been going back and forth with Oakley Collier discussing how we don’t know exactly how much this building might cost. So, I asked them for a proposal to provide the initial programming and schematic design work, and from there, we can find a full project

cost. Once we get that full project cost, we can amend the budget amount to 10% of whatever the project is. This provides us the most flexibility to be able to determine what we want for the library as a whole and all the features that we want.”

The cost for Phase I of the contract — the programming and schematic design — amounts to $140,000, which was approved by the council.

The Village of Pinehurst Council will next meet January 10.

Friends of the Aberdeen Library Meeting 6pm

The Friends of the Aberdeen Library holds a meeting every fourth Thursday of the month at the Aberdeen Fire Department, which is located at 800 Holly Street. New members are welcome to support the efforts!

The Polar Express at Sunrise Theater

6:30pm

Come out to the Sunrise Theater for a free showing of The Polar Express as part of the Holiday Movie Series! Tickets are free and are first come, first served.

Dec. 23

Comic Bowling 6pm

Enjoy fun for the whole family with Cosmic Bowling at Sandhills Bowling Center, which is located at 1680 NC Highway 5 in Aberdeen! The cost is $5.50 per game or $17 for two hours of unlimited bowling.

Holiday Christmas Lights Show 6pm

Come out for the 2022 Greene Brothers Christmas Lights Show event in Carthage! The Green Brothers Christmas Light Show showcases over 50,000 lights syndicated to your favorite Christmas songs!

Dec. 24

Lights in the Pines 6pm – 10pm

Enjoy Lights in the Pines Christmas show! This year there are over 23,000 lights set to nine songs!

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | U.S. REP. RICHARD HUDSON

Year in review and the year ahead

ANOTHER YEAR IS DRAWING TO A CLOSE. In 2022, we’ve seen the best of our community come together, and we’ve had our fair share of challenges.

Across the country this year, we’ve seen the highest inflation rates in 40 years and record high costs at the gas pump. These are both due in large part to misguided policy decisions by Washington Democrats.

spending.

You elected me as your representative to be a consensus builder and get things done. While 2022 was challenging, I am proud I was able to deliver real results for our community over the past 365 days.

In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom.

Additionally, we have seen a humanitarian and national security crisis at our southern border, as record numbers of illegal migrants crossed into the country this past year. This border crisis has created a worsening fentanyl epidemic in every community, robbing countless young Americans of their future – just as communities are also facing drastic increases in violent crime.

The world has also been cast into greater turmoil, due in part to the United States projecting weakness. The disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan contributed to Putin’s decision to wage war in Ukraine and Communist China’s increasing aggression toward its neighbors.

The Biden administration and Congressional Democrats have been largely unable to solve these problems or, in some cases, have made them worse. Time and time again, Washington Democrats have failed to address inflation, energy security, the border crisis, crime, or the increasingly tense international environment. Instead, they have doubled down on misguided policies or prioritized a leftist agenda that infringes on your liberties. This includes their so-called “Inflation Reduction Act,” a $740 billion bill that will raise your taxes, grow federal bureaucracy, and – in spite of the name – make inflation worse.

However, Republicans have a plan to change our nation’s direction for the better. In January, we will hold the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives and have a plan to build an economy that’s strong, a nation that’s safe, a government that’s accountable, and a future built on freedom. But for us to follow through on our “Commitment to America,” we must stand united. We have a duty to govern effectively and pursue the reforms needed to push America in the right direction, beginning with stopping out-of-control and inflation-driving

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

The slippery slope never ends

IN 2006, THEN-SEN. JOE BIDEN ranted against the supposed irrelevance of a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage in federal law as one man, one woman. “We already have a law, the Defense of Marriage Act,” he said. “I’ve voted, and others have said, look, marriage is between a man and a woman, and states must respect that. Nobody’s violated that law; there’s been no challenge to that law. Why do we need a constitutional amendment? Marriage is between a man and a woman.”

I have had nine bills pass the sharply divided House this year and five signed into law. In total, I have had 24 bills pass the House and ten signed into law during this Congress. These include measures like the Patient Advocate Tracker Act and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act.

One piece of legislation I was proud to see become law was my bipartisan MOBILE Health Care Act. This new law increases access to affordable, quality health care in rural and underserved areas by allowing community health centers to use grants to establish mobile health units. This commonsense legislation will go a long way in improving healthcare quality and access.

Despite all the troubles of this past year, we also witnessed triumphs of the human spirit. Just two weeks ago, an unknown individual or individuals attacked two power substations in Moore County, leaving numerous hospitals, schools, businesses, and close to 45,000 residents without power. Like many of you, my house was without power for almost a week. Yet throughout this ordeal, numerous businesses, local institutions, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and lend a hand. This show of compassion filled me with hope and reminded me that the future for our community and nation is bright.

As Hanukkah begins and the Christmas holiday nears, I hope the joy of this time of year fills you and your family with happiness. I also hope you are proud of my efforts to defend our rights, stand up for our values, and push for common sense. I look forward to 2023 and the chance to continue to work for you. Together, we will get our country back on the right track.

fifth term

The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Sixteen years later, President Joe Biden stood on the lawn of the White House and chortled that he had finally enshrined samesex marriage into federal law. “Today’s a good day,” he said. “A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone.”

A vital step. Not the final step. Not the culminating step. A vital step.

The language here is important because it is revealing. Biden and his allies have an agenda that goes far beyond the redefinition of marriage. The agenda is simple: use of government to obliterate traditional values and intermediary social institutions that embody them.

Biden made this clear in his speech, in which he lumped together opposition to same-sex marriage with “racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia.” This is patent nonsense, of course. But it does set the groundwork for the actual transgressive agenda: to liken traditional views about marriage to pure bigotry. And this will necessitate governmental action against those who believe in marriage. After all, we as a society don’t tolerate racism on the basis of religious freedom. If Christian views about marriage are treated similarly, why should churches maintain their tax-exempt status while “discriminating” against same-sex weddings?

Biden went still further. In championing same-sex marriage, he said that Americans “need to challenge the hundreds of callous,

cynical laws introduced in the states targeting transgender children, terrifying families and criminalizing doctors who get children the care they need.” In other words, if you oppose the hormonal sterilization and surgical mutilation of minors as a pseudo-palliative for gender identity disorder, you are evil, and you must be stopped by force of federal law.

The natural outcome of this agenda will be precisely what Democrats pretend now to oppose: anti-religious discrimination, educational cramdowns, and threats to traditional parenting. And make no mistake: they are pretending. They have no rationale for drawing lines to hem in their cultural imperialism. When asked by CBS News correspondent Steve Portnoy whether protections for religious practice were “codifying discrimination,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, “Is there more work to do? Absolutely. There’s always more work to do.”

In the early 1990s, Democrats denied that they wanted civil unions. They were lying. In the mid-2000s, Democrats denied that they wanted same-sex marriage. They were lying. Now Democrats say they don’t want religious discrimination or educational indoctrination. They are lying. In the end, what transgressives want is simple: a national state that stands as the god of a new moral system and atomized individuals without recourse to intermediary institutions of community or civil society.

And if the Republicans who voted for the Orwellian Respect for Marriage Act think that they have bought a respite from the predations of the Left by signing onto an erstwhile compromise, they will soon learn the error of their ways.

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.”

Richard Hudson is serving his

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.

LeRoy William Nurnberg

April 24, 1931 - December 14, 2022

LeRoy William Nurnberg, 91, died peacefully Wednesday, December 14 at Seven Lakes Assisted Living. He was a beloved and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great grandfather.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years Katheryn Nurnberg, son, Curtis William Nurnberg, and daughter, Wanda Nurnberg McInnis.

LeRoy is survived by his children Carl Nurnberg and wife Laura of St. Louis, MO, Wayne Nurnberg and wife Marjorie of Seven Lakes, and Julie Hendrick and husband Denny of Seven Lakes. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren, 15 greatgrandchildren, and 5 greatgreat-grandchildren, sister Ilene Nuenzert and husband Gabby of Golden CO.

Thomas Joseph Miller

November 10, 1948 - December 14, 2022

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Thomas Joseph Miller (Laurinburg, NC), who passed away on December 14, 2022, at the age of age 74.

Tom was affectionately known by family and friends as T.S., and he later earned the coveted title of Papa Miller by his six treasured grandchildren.

He was born on November 10,1948 in Chicago, IL and grew up in Lake Forest, IL.

He loved to see how many grandchildren could climb up with him in his favorite recliner to watch TV. Papa Miller will be remembered for his legendary blueberry pancakes.

He is survived by his beloved companion of 28 years, Pamela Bradley, as well as his children Patricia Riggs (Heath), and Thomas Joseph Miller Jr. (Jennifer); and six grandchildren Caden, Finley, Patrick, Delaney, Donovan, and Brennen. He also is survived by his siblings Donald Miller Jr., Judy Skinner, Gretchen Day, and Susan Miller. Tom is preceded in death by his late wife, Lynn Miller, and his parents Donald and Elsa Miller. He leaves behind many loving relatives and friends.

Kathleen "Kay" Tamison Adams Asbill

May 3, 1956 - December 13, 2022

Kathleen “Kay” Tamison Adams Asbill, age 66 of Aberdeen passed away on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at her home in Aberdeen.

Kay was born on May 3, 1956 in Michigan to the late Edward Garbino Adams Jr. and Maphra Sheppard Adams McCoy.

Kay loved her family and made wonderful memories with her two sons, Timmy and Justin where she would spend time with them enjoying camping and fishing.

She is survived by her son, Justin Asbill of Aberdeen, NC; her siblings: Danny Adams (Traci) of Southern Pines, NC; Timmy Adams (Suzie) of Pinehurst, NC; Clara Rackley of Mt. Olive, NC; Myra Hamilton (Chris) of Chapin, SC; Jean Jackson (Greg) of Pinebluff, NC; and Darell McCoy (Carol) of New Hill, NC as well as a host of nieces and nephews. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Timothy Asbill.

Joseph .R. (Joe) McDonald

July 18, 1938 - December 13, 2022

Joseph R. (Joe) McDonald passed away on December 13, 2022. He was born on July 18, 1938 near Aberdeen, North Carolina, the son of Archie Ray and Mildred Elizabeth Powell McDonald.

Joe graduated from Southern Pines High School in 1956, after which he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served with the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell, KY and with the 77th Special Forces at Ft. Bragg, NC. He later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating in 1963 with a BA in Psychology with Honors.

In 2000 he became the first person to be designated a Conservation Hero by the National Wildlife Federation. As such, he was featured in the December/January 2001 edition of National Wildlife magazine.

Joe is survived by his wife of 61 years, the former Mary Abigail (Abby) Kennedy of Pinehurst. He loved his wife and four children Kendall, Lara, Lia and Brenton and his five grandchildren Joseph, Lee, Rayenne, Paige and Ashlyn. Of course he loved all of his extended family and friends - too many to mention.

Angeline (Angela)

Mason

September 20, 1930 - December 10, 2022

Angeline (Angela) Mason passed away peacefully at her home in Pinehurst, NC, on Saturday, December 10, 2022. Angie was born on September 20, 1930, to Mary and Marco Colonna, in Erie, PA where she spent all her years until moving to Pinehurst in 1994.

Angie is preceded by her sister Mary Zamaria, brothers John and Victor Colonna.

Angie graduated from Villa Maria Academy for Girls followed by graduation from Erie School of Cosmetology.

Angie is survived by her husband, Terry, three children, Kathy Mason of Seven Lakes, NC, Terry Mason and wife, Sheila, of Dana Point, CA and James Mason, and wife, Lisa, of Carnegie, PA.

Angela has 8 grandchildren, all of whom have been fortunate to spend weeks at “Nena and Grandad’s”calling Pinehurst their Home away from Home. She is Aunt Angie to several nieces and nephews. June of 2021 gave Angela her first greatgrandchild of Sarah and Kenny Hancock of Columbus, GA.

Sarah Fowler Smith

September 13, 1926 - December 9, 2022

Sarah Fowler Smith, 96, of Pinehurst, NC, passed away on Friday, December 9, 2022 at Quail Haven Retirement Village in Pinehurst.

Sarah was born on September 13, 1926 in Birmingham, AL, to the late Oscar and Sarah Sweeney Fowler. Sarah and her husband Charlie were married 57 years. They retired to Ocala, FL and lived there 25 years until his passing in 2004.

She is survived by her daughter Shirley Posey, granddaughter Kelley Hager (Bill), and great-grandson Joshua Hager.

In addition to parents and 3 siblings, she was preceded in death by her husband Charlie. She will be interred with him at Good Shepherd Memorial Garden in Ocala, FL.

Delitha Jeanette Gill Cox

November 15, 1934 - December 13, 2022

Delitha Jeanette Gill Cox, 88 of Pinehurst, passed on Tuesday, December 13, 2022 at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst.

Mrs. Cox was born November 15, 1934 in Marion County Georgia. She was a homemaker who was devoted to her home and family that she loved very much.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55years William Tildon Cox on November 2, 2013. Also preceding her in death were several brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her two sons, William Edward Cox and wife Caryn of Spartanburg, SC, and Kenneth Tildon Cox of Pinehurst, NC; a sister-in-law, Sybil Jeanette Cox of Savannah, GA; two grandsons, William Christopher Cox and wife Cassandra, and Joseph Tildon Cox. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

Teddy "Kay" Haggard

July 27, 1944 - December 10, 2022

Teddy “Kay” Haggard, 78, of Seven Lakes, NC passed away on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.

Kay was born in Oklahoma City, OK on July 27, 1944 to the late Noah and Birdie Cotton. She graduated from Bethany High School in Bethany, OK where she was a member of the high school marching band.

She is survived by her husband of almost 60 years, James Haggard; daughters Carrie Braswell (Craig) of Hampton Roads, VA and Cheryl Taylor of Seven Lakes, NC; grandson Cameron Braswell; brother Archie Cotton and sister Ann Hunter.

In addition to parents, she was preceded in death by her sister Roberta Swyden.

Gene F Boles, Sr.

February 16, 1947 - December 10, 2022

Gene F. Boles, Sr. 75, of West End, went to his heavenly home with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Saturday, Dec. 10th. Born in Boston, MA February 16, 1947, he was the son of the late Rupert William “Bill” Boles and Viola “Vi” Valenti Boles. In addition to his parents, Gene was predeceased by his sister Teresa Boles and his granddaughter Shelby Marie Livengood. Gene is survived by his wife of 56 years, Juanita “Little Bit” Boles. He was the father of Wendy Bodsford (Jeff), Jeanette Chisholm (John), Candace Wicker (Aaron) all of West End and Gene Boles, Jr. (Melissa) of Vass. He is also survived by his 10 grandchildren: Travis Livengood (Morgan), Haley and Logan Bodsford, Wyatt Chisholm (fiancé Paige Garner) Katelyn Chisholm, Riley and Allie Wicker, Madison and Matthew Boles and Danny Blinkmann. 2 great - grandchildren: Tatum and Owen Livengood. Siblings brother Rupert William Boles Jr “Billy” of Alabama, sister Nancy Valenti of Southern Pines, sister Sheila Boles of Pinehurst, Michael Boles of Florida and several nieces and nephews.

Frederick Abel Apgar, Jr.

January 13, 1952 - December 13, 2022

Frederick Abel Apgar Jr., age 70 of Pinehurst, NC passed away at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital on December 13, 2022.

Frederick was born in Morristown, NJ on January 13, 1952 to Frederick Apgar Sr., and Joan Martin Apgar. Fredrick was a lifelong Porsche Race Engineer, Mechanic and Race driver. On Oct. 12 2004 he married his wife and love of his life Carol Apgar. Frederick is survived by his wife, Carol Apgar; daughter Katey, son James & Rebecca Apgar, 15-yearold Doberman Cayenne and grandchildren Justin, Elana, Carli, Arieana and Xander. Frederick was preceded in death by his parents and brother Glen Apgar.