North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 46

Washington, D.C.

The Justice Department is reviewing a batch of potentially classified documents found in the Washington office space of President Joe Biden’s former institute, the White House said Monday.

Special counsel to the president Richard Sauber said “documents with classified markings” were discovered as Biden’s personal attorneys were clearing out the offices of the Penn Biden Center, where the president kept an office after he left the vice presidency in 2017 until shortly before he launched his 2020 presidential campaign in 2019. The documents were found on Nov. 2, 2022.

A person who is familiar with the matter said Attorney General Merrick Garland asked U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois John Lausch to review the matter after the Archives referred the issue to the department.

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, chair of the powerful House Judiciary Committee, said the American public deserved to know earlier about the revelation of classified documents.

“They knew about this a week before the election, maybe the American people should have known that,” Jordan told reporters. “They certainly knew about the raid on Mar-a-Lago 91 days before this election, but nice if on Nov. 2, the country would have known that there were classified documents at the Biden Center.”

The revelation comes as Republicans are promising to launch investigations of Biden’s administration.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

NC Senate completes committee assignments

Raleigh Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) announced on Tuesday his intended committee appointments for the 2023-24 legislative biennium as the General Assembly returns on Wednesday.

“Committees are an integral part of what the legislature does. The committee meetings allow for debate, compromise, and public input, to produce legislation that becomes law,” Berger said.

The powerful Senate Appropriations/Base Budget Committee has a trio of chairs: Sens. Brent Jackson (R-Sampson), Ralph Hise (R-Mitchell) and Michael Lee (R-New Hanover).

Sen. Bill Rabon (R-Brunswick) continues to serve as the Senate Rules Committee chair, and Sens. Lee and Amy Galey (R-Alamance) will chair the Senate’s Education/Higher Education Committee.

NSJ STAFF

Personal income tax inches down again

Raleigh Several new laws and certain changes to taxation took effect beginning Jan. 1.

The state’s individual income tax rate currently set at 4.99% dropped to 4.75% as of Jan. 1. That rate will drop again in 2027 to 3.99%.

The individual tax rate reduction was included in the 2021 Appropriations Act passed by the General Assembly in November 2021.

A new law taking effect this year reduces late penalties on tax payments for those who have filed extensions. House Bill 83 contains various clarifications to various tax laws in the state that includes taking the failure to pay penalty rate from 10% to 5%.

That late payment penalty rate will drop again in 2024 to 2% each month or “fraction thereof” that the payment is overdue.

DILLON

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — In the final days of 2022, the decades-old Leandro education case was reassigned again.

On Dec. 29, Chief Justice Paul Newby issued an order reassigning the case to the “Honorable James F. Ammons, Jr., one of the Senior Resident judges of the Superior Court of North Carolina.”

Ammons currently serves in District 12C of the 3rd Superior

Court Division. He was elected to that role in 2018 as an independent and his current term will end on Dec. 31, 2026.

Newby’s reassignment order honors a Nov. 30, 2022, reassignment request made by Business Court Judge Michael Robinson. Newby had appointed Robinson to oversee the case in March 2021.

In his letter, Robinson revisited the more recent events in the case and noted the likely event of continued oversight.

“Given the procedural history of this litigation, now in its 27th year, it is likely that the continuing oversight by the assigned Superior Court Judge will require extensive periodic hearings for

Ted Budd begins US Senate term

By Matt Mercer North State Journal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Amidst the focus on the multiple rounds of votes for speaker of the House of Representatives, North Carolina’s new U.S. senator, Ted Budd, took his oath of office just after noon on Tuesday, Jan. 3. He was sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris.

Budd, who served three terms in the House, was joined by family and many supporters from the state during the week.

Beginning with a reception Monday night where he was joined by many of the state’s Republican members of Congress, the focus turned to the responsibility of building out his office infrastructure.

That begins in the basement of the Russell Senate Office building, where new senators are stationed for the first couple months of their six-year term. One Budd staff member joked that since it’s a six-year term, the Senate’s administration thinks they can wait a few months to move into the more cavernous Senate offices.

Yet despite the temporary location, the office is functioning.

Phones work and cubicles dot a long hall in the office. Budd’s senior leadership team is busy with meetings. Last month, Tucker Knott was appointed chief of staff

NC’s State Employees Health Plan moving to Aetna in 2025

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — North Carolina

State Treasurer Dale Folwell has announced that the State Health Plan will be moving from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina to Aetna starting in 2025.

The State Health Plan is a division of the Department of State Treasurer and covers around 740,000 current and former state employees such as teachers, retirees, lawmakers, state university and community college personnel, as well as their dependents.

The three-year initial service period for the Third-Party Administrative (TPA) Services Contract to Aetna will start Jan. 1, 2025, and run through Dec. 31, 2027. There is also an option to renew for two oneyear terms.

“We appreciate the years of service that Blue Cross NC has given our members. I’ve spoken with Blue

Cross President and CEO Tunde Sotunde, M.D., and Board Chair Ned Curran, and they assure me that they will finish strong for the next two years,” Folwell said in a press release.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina had held the TPA contract for more than 40 years per the treasurer’s press release.

Folwell’s office estimates $140 million in administrative savings with the move, citing a partnership with Aetna that includes lower costs and better transparency.

“Partnering with Aetna, which already employs over 10,000 people in North Carolina, will create a lot of new opportunities for the Plan and the members we serve,” Folwell said. “A change of this magnitude is a great opportunity for a fresh perspective, and we look forward to working closely with Aetna to create new ways to provide price transparency, increase access and quality while lowering the cost of health

care for those who teach, protect and serve, and taxpayers like them.”

According to Folwell’s release, nearly 600 Aetna employees have been assigned to work on this transition with State Health Plan Director Sam Watts for the next two years.

Information on the switch will be sent to State Health Plan members in 2024 prior to open enrollment for the 2025 benefit year.

“We will provide access to quality, affordable and convenient health care for our hard-working North Carolina teachers, state employees and their dependents. With nearly 170 years of expertise and experience, we are ready to serve these members through our comprehensive, local network of primary care physicians, mental health providers, specialists and hospitals that State of North Carolina employees know and trust,” said Jim Bostian,

and Budd brought several of his former team over to the Senate. The team will have a few weeks before floor work begins. Following Tuesday’s swearing in ceremonies, the chamber adjourned for three weeks.

That gives Budd and his team a chance to work on potential legislation and scout locations for new offices across North Carolina. There are requirements for those offices: they must be in federal buildings for security purposes. The hope, according to Budd’s staff, is to have those offices operational within the first few months of his term.

Some of that responsibility will fall to Mark Johnson, who served one term as state superintendent and was appointed Budd’s state director. Budd will have an office in Raleigh and is expected to keep an office close to his home in Davie County.

Budd will also wait to receive his committee assignments in the Senate.

In the House, he served on the Financial Services Committee and indicated to Senate leaders in December he wanted to join the Senate’s Banking Committee.

In an interview with Politico, he acknowledged the interest.

“That’s certainly a request I

State Board of Education approves resolution to “support full implementation” of funding order

Leandro case reassigned again; funding transfer total updated to $677.8M

“That’s certainly a request I have out there.”

Sen. Ted Budd on his desire to serve on the Senate Banking Committee

Classified documents appear to be found at Biden office

AP PHOTO

Vice President Kamala Harris participates in a ceremonial swearing-in of Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., with his wife, Amy Kate Budd, in the Old Senate Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023.

We stand corrected:

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your death on the cross to show us what true unconditional love looks like. Help us to love our neighbor, faults, and all. May we pray and ask you to reveal where we need help most. May we love unconditionally as you do so that we can look more like you each day. Amen.

“Entry of the Christ in Jerusalem” by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1897) is a painting in the collection of the GeorgesGarret Museum in Vesoul, France.

If you are a pet lover, you have experienced a kind of love that is superior to most humans, an unconditional type of love. Being a proud grandparent of a German Shorthaired Pointer has taught me about this type of love. His love does not depend on my behavior. He just loves me. He loves me whether I have behaved like Christ or more like the devil. This reminds me of the unconditional love of Christ, the ultimate sacrifice.

Jesus had a different idea than most people. His teaching compelled others to love their enemies, turn the other cheek, bless those who curse them, and even for as much as it is possible, live in peace with one another. Living in this world doesn’t often reflect this

kind of love. Jesus loved the guards, the Roman soldiers, who mocked and crucified him. In fact, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). He even said to the criminal hanging on the cross beside him, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise,” (Luke 23:43).

There is a familiar verse in the Bible, John 3:16, “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” For Christ to die for me, for you, that is unconditional love.

Anita V. Presnell

have out there,” Budd said. He cited his ties to Charlotte and his experience as a small-business owner and previous committee assignments.

Politico’s report said Budd would need a waiver to join the committee as the now senior senator from the state, Republican Thom Tillis, also serves on the committee. Tillis said he was supportive of the effort.

“If you think about it, North Carolina was one of the top three top states for banking and financial services, so it makes perfect sense,” he said.

Tillis also serves on the Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Judiciary committees.

For Budd, he says his approach is the same in the Senate as it was in the House.

He will “work hard and do what I said I’ll do” for the people North Carolina, he repeated at Monday’s event.

BUDD from page A1 AETNA from page A1 LEANDRO from page A1

Aetna’s North Carolina market president, in a statement.

According to a presentation given to the State Health Plan’s Board of Trustees in December, as of October 2022 the plan’s expenses for fiscal year 2022 came in at $1.4 billion. The same presentation said the plan had a beginning cash balance of $590.7 million and an ending cash balance of $739 million.

The move to drop Blue Cross in favor of Aetna with transparency as a major reason is consistent with Folwell’s past Clear Pricing Project efforts announced by the treasurer in 2018. Since taking office, Folwell had repeatedly asked for and had been denied the rates Blue Cross pays for procedures in order to assess the value and compare costs with other plans.

In September 2017, Folwell made it clear transparency and affordability were paramount in the state’s continued relationship with Blue Cross, stating, “As we move to-

the foreseeable future,” Robinson wrote.

Robinson also cited his workload demands and the complexity of the case in asking for the case to be reassigned.

“I write you to respectfully request that, if I am still considered the presiding Superior Court judge in this matter, that the matter be re-assigned to another Superior Court Judge. Given my workload and the demands of my docket as a Business Court Judge, it will be difficult to maintain oversight and jurisdiction over this case without the reassignment of some of my cases to my Business Court colleagues, each of whom already has a full docket and heavy workload,” wrote Robinson.

Prior to the case being reassigned to Ammons, an affidavit on the fund transfer amount from the Office of State Budget and Management (OSBM) was submitted by Chief Deputy Director of the State Budget Anca Elena Grozav.

The N.C. Supreme Court in its 4-3 Nov. 4 ruling ordered a recalculation of how much funding is outstanding. The ruling applies to the second and third years of the Comprehensive Remedial Plan (CRP), which originally included spending totaling $1.75 billion. Now-retired Associate Justice Robin Hudson penned the majority opinion, which remanded the case back to the trial court for the “narrow purpose of recalculating the amount of funds to be transferred in light of the State’s 2022 budget.”

The dollar figure submitted by Grozav and OSBM is around $677.8

million. That’s roughly $108.8 million less than the total submitted by Robinson last year.

“The analysis reveals that 63% of the Year Two Action Items of the Comprehensive Remedial Plan, and 60% of the Year Three Items of the Comprehensive Remedial Plan have been funded. This means that approximately $257,679,390 of Year Two Action Items remain unfunded, while $420,121,777 of Year Three Action Items remain unfunded,” Grozav’s Dec. 19 affidavit reads.

The case will likely see continued adjustments to the funding figure as the General Assembly hammers out a new state budget in the upcoming long session.

ward implementation, we will reset our relationship not just renew our vows.”

Folwell went on to say: “As the largest direct purchaser of health

care in North Carolina, we will work with Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and medical providers to reduce complexity and improve Plan affordability as well

as increase access for our members and taxpayers.”

Health care groups and providers like the North Carolina Hospitals Association (NCHA) pushed back on the Clear Pricing Project. NCHA mounted a graffiti campaign on sidewalks outside the General Assembly in 2019 in support of House Bill 184, a bill that sought to end Folwell’s reforms to the plan.

Another bill came along in 2021 with a requirement for the State Health Plan administrator to make pricing data publicly accessible. Folwell backed that bill, which had high bipartisan support, passing the Senate unanimously after some changes, but the measure did not make it out of the House but instead was referred to a committee.

The Clear Pricing Plan also saw a boost in January 2021 when a court ruling upheld a Trump administration executive order requiring hospitals treating Medicare patients to disclose the rates for services negotiated between hospitals and insurance companies.

$1.7 billion from the state’s treasury. Lee’s order also dictated the funds are to be distributed to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, and the UNC System.

Combs has already objected to being brought into the case as that office has had no part in long-running proceedings whatsoever up until Lee issued his transfer order. Both in a past motion filing and during oral arguments before the state Supreme Court, the controller and the attorney representing them have argued Combs has no legal authority to make such a transfer.

On Jan. 5, the State Board of Education approved a consent agenda motion that included a separate motion requesting that the General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper to “support full implementation” of the Leandro Comprehensive Remedial Plan.

per year coming in from the federal government over that time.

WestEd was paid roughly $2.05 million to produce the CRP. Around $1.5 million of that total was paid by entities friendly to the governor’s office. A combined $804,699 came directly from two of Cooper’s cabinet agencies — the Department of Administration and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

The dollar amount proposed by WestEd has since been reduced several times since it was first published in March 2021.

An earlier filing in the case made on Dec. 12 was a report outlining the timeframe for action.

The report is only a few pages long and includes an agreed-upon proposed schedule giving all parties until Jan. 20 to respond to the OSBM affidavit. Additionally, the report underscores the opposition to the schedule by State Controller Linda Combs, who believes there needs to be “additional procedures” in place before any transfer happens.

In November 2021, Judge David Lee issued an order directing the State Controller’s Office, the Office of Budget and Management, and the N.C Treasurer to transfer

The resolution says the state board of education will consider funding to be directed to Career Pathways and Teacher Licensure Reform (Pilot Phase), EC Funding Formula, and the new and/or revised District and Regional Support Model.

The dollar amount is not listed in the board’s approved resolution, but based on OSBM’s filing, the CRP’s Plan Years Two and Three calls for $1,522,053,000 in total with the current “underfunded” portion standing at $509,701,707.

The 300-page CRP was compiled by WestEd and originally called for $8.29 billion in new state-level education spending over an eight-year period. WestEd’s CRP also estimated another $3.87 billion

After being assigned to the case in late March 2022, Robinson held a set of hearings and received budget data before issuing a 26-page order in late April 2022. Robinson concluded that the most recently passed budget did impact WestEd’s CRP, reducing the amount to be funded for years two and three to around $785 million. By July, a new budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year was approved, impacting Robinson’s initial figure.

The N.C. Supreme Court’s Democratic majority issued its ruling just days before the 2022 midterm general election when the court’s makeup would switch from a 4-3 Democratic majority to a 5-2 Republican majority.

The 4-3 ruling down party lines issued on Nov. 4 ordered a recalculation of outstanding funding. The majority opinion spent much of its time justifying allowing the three state entities named in Lee’s order to make a transfer in opposition to the state constitution’s appropriation authority which bestows that power only on the General Assembly.

FILE PHOTO

The Wake Court courthouse is shown in this photo from the NC Judicial Branch.

IMAGE PROVIDED BY CVS HEALTH.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

NC reading scores for K-3 students rise following pandemic drops

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — North Carolina reading scores for students in kindergarten through third grade appear to be rebounding following historic pandemic drops.

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt shared data with the State Board of Education at its Jan. 5 meeting that highlighted gains in reading. Out of the more than 454,000 students assessed at the beginning of the current school year, 27,970 more K-3 students were performing at or above benchmark levels compared to the previous school year.

Truitt credited the ongoing implementation of a reading program called LETRS which is based on the “Science of Reading,” a method that prioritizes phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

LETRS stands for Language Es-

sentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, which is a product of Voyager Sopris Learning, Inc. (VSL, Inc.).

“Even with LETRS training still a work in progress, we’re seeing significant gains,” Truitt said in a related press release. “Teachers across the state are working hard to help students become proficient readers by grounding their instruction in the science of reading. They deserve to be commended for taking on this often very difficult and demanding work of learning themselves how to teach differently.”

Training in LETRS for the state’s elementary teachers started in 2021. There are three staggered cohorts engaged in the training which consists of 160 total hours. All 44,000 elementary teachers are expected to complete the training by 2024.

In her presentation to the state board, Truitt also highlighted the reduction in the percentage of

at-risk students who were below benchmarks. Grade 1 saw the biggest drop, going from 44% last year to 32% this year in beginning-of-year testing.

According to the data, North Carolina K-3 students made greater gains than students in other states using the same literacy skills assessments, Amplify’s mClass.

Amplify was named specifically as the only vendor for the assessment in the Excellent Public Schools Act. Truitt told the board having one vendor was a “better way” to compare students across the state.

In first grade, the percentage of students on track this year rose by 10 points over the previous year, going from 38% to 48%. The 1.6 million students in other states saw an increase of 3 percentage points, going from 45% in 2021-22 to 48% in 2022-23.

Demographically, students across all races saw increases over the previous year’s begin-

ning-of-year testing in reading.

More promising news included a reduction of over 5,000 fourthgrade students starting school this year labeled as “retained” when it comes to reading skills. At the start of the 2021-22 school year, the number of students with the “retained” label stood at 27,721. That number fell to 22,685 at the start of this year.

During her remarks to the board, Truitt acknowledged the literacy implementation work done by Ann Rhyne, director of the Office of Early Learning’s literacy program at the Department of Public Instruction, and her team.

“She is so dedicated to this work and I cannot thank her enough,” said Truitt.

Rhyne commented that it had been a “monumental task.”

“We are extremely proud of the shifts teachers are already making as they intentionally align instruction to what they are learning about the science of reading,” said

NC Utilities Commission hears from Duke Energy on Christmas blackouts

CEO Julia Janson: We own what happened

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — On Jan. 3, the N.C. Utilities Commission heard from Duke Energy Carolinas officials regarding the rolling blackouts experienced by around half a million customers during Christmas last year.

“Our operators on Christmas Eve were faced with a series of rapidly evolving events during the morning hours making rotating outages necessary to protect the integrity of the grid and mitigate the risk of serious failure affecting a far greater number of customers for longer timelines,”

Julie Janson, CEO of Duke Energy Carolinas, told the commission. “We own what happened.”

Also present at the hearing were Sam Holeman, Duke Energy’s vice president of system planning and operations; Kendal Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president; Preston Gillespie, Duke Energy’s executive vice president and chief generation officer; and Scott Batson, senior vice president and chief distribution officer for Duke Energy.

Janson apologized to the commission, stating, “I want to express how sorry we are for what our customers experienced,” and that “Winter storm Elliott was an extremely powerful event with a unique confluence of high winds, extreme temperature drops, and other conditions that forced us to curtail power as a last resort.

“We regret not being able to provide customers as much advance notice of the outages as we would have liked, and we acknowledge that the outages themselves lasted far longer than we expected,” Janson added.

Duke Energy Carolinas serves 4.5 million customers with around 11% of them finding themselves with power interruptions on Dec. 24-26. Power for most customers was restored on Dec. 24 by 6 p.m., according to Duke Energy.

According to Duke Energy, the problems with the power grid began on the night of Dec. 23 when customer power use was outstripping predictive models. Starting at around midnight and lasting through Christmas Eve, the company’s energy output dropped by 1,300 megawatts,

representing 3.6% of its overall energy generation.

As morning came on Dec. 24, the below-freezing temperatures spreading across the state increased demand, causing several power plants to operate at a reduced level. Some of the plants impacted were three top Duke facilities, including a natural gas plant in Rockingham County and two coal plants; one in Caswell County and another in Person County.

None of the impacted energy facilities went offline, however, the output of the Dan River Combined Cycle Station located in Rockingham County reportedly fell to half the electricity it usually can produce.

In order to maintain the power grid, rotating outages were employed. But things became more complicated as an apparent software issue hindered the typical automatic power restoration. As a result, the outages continued and manual assistance was needed.

Sometime on Dec. 24, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) was apparently notified by Duke Energy of the situation. Duke Energy’s situation placed them at NERC’s “Energy Emergency Level 3,” which means a grid interruption is “imminent.” The Level 3 alert wasn’t lifted until Dec. 26.

NERC, a nonprofit, is an “international regulatory authority whose mission is to assure the effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the grid.”

Bowman, Duke Energy’s North Carolina state president, told the commission, “At that time, we made the only decision that we could. For the first time in our company’s history, we began rolling service disruptions.”

Duke officials said they tried to buy emergency power capacity from other states, but their requests were denied due to other utilities already under strain due to cold weather spreading nationwide.

The North Carolina Electric Cooperatives did what they could to coordinate with Duke to reduce the load on the grid.

“In coordination with Duke Energy, electric cooperatives statewide implemented emergency load shed requirements that resulted in temporary interruptions for some cooperative members to reduce load and stabilize the grid,” Manager of Public Relations for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives Chris Nault told North State

Journal in an email.

“The cooperatives communicated these interruptions to consumer-members through a variety of channels and also encouraged members to conserve,” Nault said. “Through this extreme event, cooperatives utilized all grid assets: generation plants, load response programs, battery energy storage systems and other distributed sources.”

Customers subscribing to Duke Energy updates did receive some messages about the power shortages, but the company was criticized for the way the outages were relayed to the public. Additionally, most customers were told to expect a brief delay, yet the outages persisted much longer.

The power company also tweeted a warning that said, “As extreme temps drive unusually high energy demand across the Carolinas we have begun short, temporary power outages. These emergency outages are necessary to protect the energy grid against longer, more widespread outages.”

The tweets from Duke Energy all contained a list of ways for customers to conserve energy and take the pressure off the power grid.

Janson apologized for the communication issues, stating, “We regret not being able to provide customers with as much advance notice of the outages as we would have liked and we acknowledge the outages themselves lasted far longer than we expected.”

During the commission hearing, Duke officials also admitted some of the information sent out to customers was inaccurate but blamed the faulty information on a software issue that impacted the company’s automatic power restoration system.

Gov. Roy Cooper also met with Duke Energy officials to express his “surprise” at the outages. His press release also criticized the company for making bad energy forecasts that were “wrong and significantly underestimated North Carolinians’ energy needs.”

According to a press release from Cooper’s office, the governor “noted that the impacted facilities leading to the power outages appear to be fossil fuel facilities” and he asked, “if renewable energy resources performed as expected.”

Duke officials stated that renewable energy resources performed as expected and that the outages did not occur because of renewable energy generation, per the governor’s press release.

Rhyne in a press statement. “Early data also indicate better results in schools where teachers are progress monitoring with fidelity, between benchmarks. Responding to data in a timely manner allows for ongoing, aligned instructional supports.”

The new data gives hope that rebounds may be seen in other grade levels this year.

The September 2022 release of state testing data for the previous school year showed proficiency levels in all grade levels and content areas had not returned to pre-pandemic levels, save for NC Math 3. Proficiency rates overall rose from 45% in 2020-21 to 51% in 2021-22. The 2018-19 pre-pandemic proficiency rate was 59%.

The impact of learning loss was also seen on national tests and the national average score declines in fourth- and eighth-grade math was “the largest ever recorded” and the “lowest in 20 years,” according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).

North Carolina’s results were not statistically different from the average national results, however, the state’s math scores dropped beyond the 20-year lows seen nationally. Reading scores for North Carolina fourth- and eighth-graders fell five points and seven points, respectively.

Starting in 2023, no more never-ending states of emergency

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A provision in the state budget changes how emergency orders by the governor will be handled.

Per provisions in the 2021-22 budget signed by Gov. Roy Cooper, statewide state of emergency orders now will be limited to 30 days with extensions to such an order requiring concurrence by the Council of State. If concurrence is received, the state of emergency would expire at the 60-day mark unless the General Assembly decides to act.

For certain orders that are statewide, the provision states that the state health director or a local health director can issue an order that lasts for “no more than seven days” and can only receive an extension with approval from the Council of State.

During the pandemic, Cooper issued dozens of executive orders, one of which was an order issued March 10, 2020. That order lasted 888 days before Cooper finally rescinded it.

The governor’s announcement he would end that statewide order followed public statements by legislative leaders from both sides of the aisle that the emergency order should end.

Over the course of the pandemic, Cooper consistently insisted the ongoing statewide order was necessary to “draw down federal funds.” North State Journal could find no evidence to validate that claim and the governor’s office did not respond to requests for clarification.

O ver the last few years, lawmakers had tried twice to bring an end to Cooper’s statewide COVID emergency order but to no avail as the governor vetoed both attempts. Both bills had language requiring concurrence from the Council of State.

In July 2021, lawmakers passed Senate Bill 105, the Emergency Management Act, which Cooper promptly vetoed. An override of the veto in the Senate failed by a vote of 26-21 down party lines.

That same year in October, the General Assembly passed House Bill 264 t o rein in Cooper’s long-running state of emergency order as it passed the 600-day mark. Cooper vetoed that measure as well.

north STATEment

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

From the gallery: a view of the historic Speaker vote

NO PHOTOS.

That is rule 1, 2, 3, and 4 among the House Press Gallery and one we were reminded of many times before entering the chamber just before noon on January 3.

I took seat 43 in the gallery as alphabetical sheets of the 118th Congress were passed down along with the Wi-Fi information for media.

I see why the no photo rule is so prominent: the view is stunning.

Perched behind the dais, media covering the House of Representatives can see the entire House chamber as it was exceptionally full for the opening of the new term.

I did my best to mentally record the moment and document what was happening as the 434 members stepped onto the floor.

I immediately noticed Reps. Greg Murphy and Don Davis take a selfie, perhaps in a show of eastern NC unity. Rep. Richard Hudson was at the back of the chamber along with other House Republican leadership stationed near each door. New Rep. Wiley Nickel sat with his two kids on the other side of the chamber.

Scanning the list of members, I realized Rep. Dan Bishop would be one of the first members to give an indication of how the vote may unfold. As had been discussed ad nauseum, California Rep. Kevin McCarthy could only lose 4 votes to become Speaker. Bishop delivered his first vote of the day for Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona and we were witnessing history.

Not since 1923 had a Speaker vote gone to a second round. The next six hours were filled with oohs and ahhs, audible groans and flurries of conversations.

In the gallery, we tracked the vote with pen and paper on one side and Twitter on the other. We watched as Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan marched to the microphone to scribble a speech he shared with New York Rep. Elise Stefanik for edits. Then Louisiana’s Steve Scalise.

On the Democratic side, it was an impressive show of unity as they uniformly voted for their leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Savoring the moment, many of the Democrats made a show of their votes with short speeches. As I noted in a quick text to a friend, the balloting would have been over sooner without them.

As the vote went the same on the second and third ballots, I felt how the energy from 12 p.m. had dissipated. Reporters in the gallery were gaming out scenarios for McCarthy to drop out of the contest. That didn’t happen, of course.

I excitedly told my wife that I was witnessing history.

“You’re nerding out,” she replied. She wasn’t wrong.

When the House adjourned in the evening and it was time to leave, I paused one more time to take in the scene.

How many times do you get to see something like this?

I walked down from the gallery to the first floor of the Capitol and went to the rotunda one more time. Then I walked out and finally snapped a few photos.

Mercer is Editor-in-Chief of North State Journal.

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

Howard Lee is a friend of mine

WE NEED MORE Howard Lees in public office.

I got to know Howard through my brother, Dan. They are close friends because of their twin mutual interests in helping young minority male students get a great education and in the 1,175-mile Mountains-to-Sea Trail across North Carolina which Mr. Lee first introduced in 1977 when he was Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources under Gov. Jim Hunt.

Not only does Howard Lee make long treks on the trail across the state, he regularly plays 18 holes of golf while carrying his own bag. He is 88 years young. That is impressive no matter who it is.

I might have heard about a “Mayor Lee” as a youth growing up in Durham but I was more interested in making the football and basketball teams in the newly-integrated Githens Junior High School six miles down the road from Chapel Hill. He was the first elected AfricanAmerican mayor of any municipality in the south since Reconstruction in 1969 which I am sure caused quite a stir in the state, but again, as a 13-year old, the significance of such an accomplishment was lost on me at the time.

Dan suggested I invite Mayor Lee to speak about his experiences to the Institute for the Public Trust classes I run which he has done dozens of times. His is a story which should challenge and inspire all of us regardless of race or political affiliation. His story trivializes any excuse anyone has today about not running for public office for any reason.

Howard moved to North Carolina in 1964 from Georgia after his military service in Korea to get a master’s degree in social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Afterwards, he was hired to direct a research program at Duke University so he is a proud product of both great institutions, contrary to those who think such things are not possible.

Howard and his wife had trouble finding a realtor who would help them buy a home even in liberal-minded Chapel Hill but they eventually found one in the Colony Park neighborhood and moved in to start raising their family.

Times were way different back then, even in a liberal town such as Chapel Hill. The Lees awoke to see a cross burning in their front yard one day.

The Kevin McCarthy House Speaker drama was good for democracy

AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the former House Minority Leader for the GOP, won the House Speakership over the weekend after 15 rounds of voting that saw a lot of high drama unfold between Democrats and Republicans as well as amongst Republicans themselves.

Democracy is messy. It’s a feature, not a bug.

Almost as interesting as watching the various factions within the GOP jockey for position was listening to the talking heads on the cable news networks and on social media talk about how supposedly shameful all of this was as it played out on national TV.

Even President Joe Biden got in on the action, declaring at one point that it was “a little embarrassing” and saying that Republicans should “get their act together.”

Some even suggested the open power struggle between the so-called “MAGA wing” and “establishment wing” of the Republican party was “un-democratic.” One NBC News reporter actually proclaimed that what was happening was allegedly another form of “election denial” since back in November, a majority of GOPers voted for McCarthy for Speaker during a closed-door meeting.

But what exactly was “un-democratic” about it?

As Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) said in the middle of the voting, this was actually good for democracy.

“Unlike the DEMs, who do leadership by acclamation, the GOP is having a deliberative process of what leadership looks like in the House,” Donalds, who at one point was also nominated for the Speaker position, tweeted last week. “We know DC does not work. Having a deliberative discussion (it is messy at times) but in the long term, is in the nation’s best interests.”

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who helped lead the fight early on to win concessions from McCarthy on grounds that the “status quo” had to go, said during an interview that “…some of the tensions you saw on display when you saw some of the interactions there between [Reps.] Mike Rogers (Ala.) and Matt Gaetz (Fla.), some of that is, we need a little of that.”

“We need a little of this sort of breaking the glass in order to get us to the table, in order for us to fight for the American people, and to change the way this place is dysfunctional,” Roy continued.

Indeed, legislative processes and procedural particulars were debated and the rules of the institution were hashed out on the House floor for all of the country to witness, with significant

Most people would have just left town right then and there.

Howard decided to enter local politics. I guess he was just made that way. Or maybe his parents instilled in him a high standard of justice backed up by a whole lot of courage.

He didn’t set his sights just on the Town Council. Howard got permission from Duke University to keep his job while he ran for Mayor of Chapel Hill on his first foray into politics. They, along with most political observers, probably did not think he had much of a chance as a newcomer to politics to run and win so they let him do it.

Even Howard himself was surprised when he defeated former newspaper editor Roland Giduz by 400 votes. During his campaign, he had promised to get bus service extended to the black communities in Chapel Hill. Like many candidates, he didn’t have a plan as to how to actually get it done ― but once elected, unlike many other politicians, he found a way to extend the bus service.

After several terms as mayor of Chapel Hill, Howard ran for Lt. Governor in North Carolina in 1976 but was defeated in a primary runoff by House Speaker Jimmy Green. He served as Secretary of DENR before being elected to serve five terms in the NC Senate from Orange County between 1990 and 2002.

Howard is a Democrat. I am not. He was brought up as a Republican in his formative years in a time when close to 50% of all AfricanAmericans in the South were Republicans before 1964 which always leads to more questions about how Republicans can do things differently today.

We don’t agree on every issue we talk about ― but we do talk about them. Howard has always taken the long view of where he thought America should go ― and reached out to people on the other side to try to pull them to his vision and approach. We both agree that our democratic republican form of government is at risk ― it is at risk because the people who should run for office are not doing so in droves and those who do run do not talk civilly with people on the other side of the political spectrum.

He is a living, breathing, walking and still talking American political hero. We would all do well to follow his example starting this Martin Luther King memorial weekend.

changes agreed to including implementing a 72hour minimum to read bills instead of rushing them through, single subject bills instead of omnibus bills jampacked with earmarks, more power to conservatives on committees and on the House floor when introducing and debating legislation, a commitment to balance the budget in ten years, and more.

Even CNN’s Jake Tapper, who is about as liberally biased as you’d expect a CNN anchor to be, defended the 20 GOP “rebels” for holding up McCarthy’s bid to become Speaker.

“Let me just turn and just say I know to the viewers out there, this probably seems chaotic and insane. But, A: this is democracy,” Tapper said on his program last week. The opposition were “voting the way they’re voting because they actually want substantive changes to the rules.”

“I think [Wisconsin] Congressman [Mike] Gallagher was right earlier today. He said this is messy, and democracy is messy. It’s a feature, not a bug. That’s true,” Tapper went on to say.

And now that the voting is over, the hard work for Republicans in the House begins. It will be interesting to see how everything plays out, and how (and if) McCarthy is held accountable in the event those who flipped their votes in favor of him at some point feel betrayed.

As always, stay tuned.

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.

Matt

The Lees awoke to see a cross burning in their front yard one day. Many people would have just left town right then and there.

Not since 1923 had a Speaker vote gone to a second round.

Howard Lee addressing a class for The Institute for the Public Trust.

COURTESY PHOTO

| KELLY D. JOHNSTON

Team Red’s new game plan

SPORTS METAPHOR WARNING: Many political journalists began as sports writers. The result is generations of writers who cover politics like sports.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy survived his first grueling contest with a playbook handed to him by people who battled him. Not an ideal way to start the clock on a new season. While the House GOP has been scrimmaging in full contact, Team Blue has been resting on the sidelines, watching, practicing, and consulting their past playbook, all with an eye on a time clock that expires in November 2024.

Former Education Secretary William Bennett once described politics as a football game without any timeouts. Either you are marching downfield against your opponent, or vice versa. There are no mercy rules and the umpires, well, they often wear jerseys, too.

Speaking of umpires, the legacy media is already referring to McCarthy’s speakership as being in “name only.” They are focused not on substance but on perceived political dynamics. Not all “concessions” are signs of weakness. Most of these “concessions” look good to many voters. They return the House to the way it used to work, including the long-abused 1974 Budget Act. It prevents oligarchies from intercepting the legislative process and marching downfield with $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bills.

Team Blue will try to keep the GOP from gaining any yardage. Some “mainstream” McCarthy loyalists might fumble, or worse, on this first play. But the new leadership’s blocking and execution will be paramount. Look for a few successful runs from scrimmage.

The next series will be a series of option plays featuring committee organization that will be called on to execute the playbook. Plans to fix the border, establish term limits and cut spending will make their way onto the playing field. These “messaging bills” will pass on party-line votes before heading to the Democratic controlled Senate graveyard. But don’t be surprised to see one or two greeted by a presidential veto.

Biden will want in on the action.

There is one exception - spending bills. The House will send over 12 annual appropriations bills, like they used to. What the Senate does with them will be interesting. The Senate GOP will be able to use the filibuster to help their House brothers and sisters, if they are so inclined (Sen. Susan Collins, R-ME, takes over as Appropriations ranking member). Watch this

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

space.

Each GOP bill will get them 3 yards and a cloud of dust. The real yardage may come from high-risk, high-reward investigations by Judiciary and Oversight and Reform Committees.

This includes a special panel on the weaponization of the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and intelligence agencies along with Hunter Biden’s laptop and efforts by “science” agencies to censor expert but divergent opinion on covid and in conflict with the First Amendment.

My expectations are low, other than the benefit of sunshine as a disinfectant, not unlike Elon Musk’s release of the “Twitter Files.” After all, Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton, and Eric Clinesmith (John Durham’s lone conviction) were aided by friendly DC-based jurors, judges, and prosecutors.

Republicans will have subpoena power. But ultimately, without a Department of Justice or a Washington, DCempaneled Grand Jury willing to prosecute, these scandals may fade short of an aggressive and thoughtful legal strategy, complex with smart communications.

The newly-empowered investigatory committees need smart, experienced and media-savvy former federal prosecutors. When the hearings come, Members need to sideline themselves and let committee counsels direct the questioning. Members like their camera time, but they rarely use it well.

As for a communication strategy, Elon Musk has shown the way with his brilliant, slow release of the Twitter Files. It provides fodder for Team Red. They should not expect much interest, time, or attention from regime media, which will be taking their cues from the very law enforcement and intelligence agencies that are being investigated.

The House GOP has its work cut out for them. They can’t afford too many unforced errors. No point in getting angry with the refs or the fans.

Don’t buy the spin that Team Red starts a new season with a diminished coach or quarterback.

The game plan is solid, and execution will be the key.

They’ve finally won the toss, and they’ve elected to receive. Play ball.

Kelly D. Johnston was the 28th Secretary of the US Senate and aide to three Members of the US House of Representatives.

Loyalty oaths, compelled speech, and the lessons of history

THE IDEA that the compelled speech of a loyalty oath would be required for employment, or that the principles of academic freedom would permit a fellowship to explicitly exclude members of a political party are alarming to today’s faculty.

During and after World War II, physics research and education in the United States benefitted from a significant influx of talented immigrants fleeing violence, war, and persecution in their home countries.

In 1948, an Austrian-born naturalized citizen named Hans Freistadt came to UNC Chapel Hill to study for a PhD in the field of General Relativity (Einstein’s theory of gravity) which was a hot topic at the time. As a student, Freistadt worked on a project with one of the most famous physicists ever to teach in our physics department, Professor Nathan Rosen. Rosen was a colleague of Einstein and co-author of the paper that introduced the famous Einstein-PodolskyRosen (EPR) Paradox, which explores a spooky and instantaneous connection between particles with “entangled” states, but I digress.

Rosen and colleagues nominated Freistadt for a prestigious fellowship from the Atomic Energy Commission and he was selected in May, 1949.

But there was one problem; he was an outspoken member of the Communist Party.

Two UNC Chapel Hill students learned of the fellowship and expressed their concerns to North Carolina Sen. Clyde R. Hoey. At his instigation, Congress opened an investigation by the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. A nervous 23-yearold Freistadt agreed to testify before the committee on May 17. The committee wanted to know: Was he a communist? Yes. Did his sponsor Rosen know this when he nominated him for the AEC fellowship? Yes, but Rosen asked that he spend time on his studies instead. Did the communists want to overthrow the government by violence? No, they sought change by democratic means.

After the hearings, the AEC instituted both a loyalty oath and an “affidavit of non-communism” as requirements for the fellowship. Freistadt had no qualms with an oath of loyalty to the Constitution, he had served in the Army in World War II and he had already signed a similar oath for his employment at UNC Chapel Hill. But he would not renounce his membership in the Communist Party, so he lost his fellowship.

EARTH IS HEADED FOR A SIXTH EXTINCTION, warned biologist Paul Ehrlich on “60 Minutes” this Sunday. And since Ehrlich has predicted about 20 extinctions over the past 60 years, he’s a leading expert on the issue. Couldn’t “60 Minutes” find a fresh-faced, yet-to-bediscredited neo-Malthusian to hyperventilate about the end of the world? Why didn’t producers invite a single guest to push back against theories that have been reliably debunked by reality? Because the media is staffed by environmental pessimists and doomsayers who need to believe the world is in constant peril due to the excesses of capitalism. And Ehrlich is perhaps our greatest alarmist.

His 1968 book, “The Population Bomb,” is among the most destructive of the 20th century. The long screed not only made Ehrlich a celebrity but gave end-of-day alarmists a patina of scientific legitimacy, popularized alarmism as a political tool, and normalized authoritarian and anti-humanist policies as a cure. Ehrlich’s progeny are other media-favored hysterics by other anti-humanists, such as Al Gore or Eric Holthaus or Greta Thunberg, who skipped learning history and science because she also believes we are on the precipice of “mass extinction.” And none of this is to mention the thousands of other Little Ehrlichs nudging you to eat insects, gluing themselves to roads and demanding you surrender the most basic conveniences and necessities of modernity.

“The battle to feed all of humanity is over,” the opening line of “The Population Bomb” reads. “In the 1970s hundreds of millions of people will starve to death in spite of any crash programs embarked upon now,” Ehrlich wrote. It was likely, he went on, that the oceans would be without life by 1979 and the United States would see its population plummet to 23 million by 1999 due to pesticides. “The death rate will increase until at least 100-200 million people per year will be starving to death during the next ten years,” he famously told Mademoiselle in 1970.

When Julian Simon offered the biologist his famous wager, Ehrlich responded by saying, “If I were a gambler, I would take even money that England will not exist in the year 2000.” Instead, Ehrlich picked five natural resources he believed would experience shortages due to human consumption. He lost the bet on all counts, as the composite price index for those commodities, copper and chromium and so on, fell by more than 40%, despite there being 800 million new people during that time.

It’s not merely that Ehrlich is always spectacularly wrong about the future but that he remains unrepentant. In 2009, Ehrlich argued that “perhaps the most serious flaw” in “The

Population Bomb” was that it was “much too optimistic” about the future. “We will soon be asking: is it perfectly OK to eat the bodies of your dead because we’re all so hungry?” Ehrlich warned in 2014. One year later, there were 200 million fewer people suffering from hunger than in 1990, despite there being 2 billion more people inhabiting the Earth.

And much like today’s environmentalists, Ehrlich offered a slew of authoritarian economic prescriptions to salvage the Earth. Though in 1977’s “Ecoscience,” a book he co-authored by Barack Obama’s future “science czar” John Holdren, Ehrlich toyed with the idea of adding “sterilant to drinking water or staple foods” and compelling abortions to save the world from human beings.

How could “60 Minutes” frame this ridiculous man as a foremost expert on the future?

It would take a lot of work to point to any tangible factor that’s worsened for humans since the 1970s. There is less war, terrorism, poverty, hunger, child mortality, genocide, death due to weather, illiteracy, etc. By nearly every quantifiable measure the environment is also better now than it was 55 years ago — which is why contemporary alarmists have learned to prophesy “climate” catastrophes 30 or 40 years out. Perhaps Ehrlich’s biggest mistake was living long enough to be proven wrong dozens of times. (Then again, in 1932, the year he was born, a man could expect to live to 61. Today they will likely live to be 77. Dr. Doom is 90.)

Fears about “overpopulation” are regularly cited by journalists — who often live in the densest, yet also the wealthiest places — as if it’s one of the world’s most pressing problems, like the threat of war or the election of Republicans. Every hurricane, tornado and flood is treated as the opening of the Seventh Seal. The media will seek out the struggling commercial fisherman but fail to speak to any of the billions of humans in developing nations whose lives have dramatically improved in virtually every aspect over the past decades. While we hyperventilate over Elon Musk or Kanye or elections, and scary climate disasters, scientists have made one of the most exciting energy breakthroughs in our lifetimes, perhaps in history.

They always do. We may have many problems in our spiritual lives or our political lives, but human ingenuity has dependably overcome demand.

David Harsanyi is a senior editor at The Federalist. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books - the most recent, “Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent.”

The 1949 Trustees chaired by Victor Bryant met on May 24th and, while they denounced communism, they took no action to remove Freistadt, rather they left the matter of dealing with communist teachers to the faculty and administrators of the university. Freistadt’s teaching appointment expired that June and was not renewed.

Years ago, I spoke to an alumnus who was Freistadt’s former Phillips Hall office mate. He told me the faculty quietly took up a collection to help fund the last year of Freistadt’s education.

He graduated with PhD in Physics in 1950. He never did overthrow the government.

The idea that the compelled speech of a loyalty oath would be required for employment, or that the principles of academic freedom would permit a fellowship to explicitly exclude members of a political party are alarming to today’s faculty.

The protection of academic and intellectual freedom requires vigilance. There is a robust discussion among the faculty at UNC Chapel Hill and other schools about the appropriate criteria for hiring and promotion. Should a commitment to social action or demonstrated success at social reform be a component of the interview and hiring process alongside demonstrated intellectual and research contributions? Can such a requirement ever be applied or evaluated in a politically neutral way? How will criteria unrelated to a scholar’s area of research be weighted compared to actual and prospective scholarly and intellectual achievement? Who will make these decisions?

Our history can be a helpful guide in these conversations. In the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy hearings of May 1949, Dr. Henry DeWolf Smyth of Princeton University was also questioned. He was clearly concerned about losing some of the best talent that was coming to our shores in the Cold War period and expressed a desire that “the idea will not get abroad that the only people who can get AEC fellowships are complete conformists.”

Dr. Smyth’s point is one well worth remembering.

Dr. Chris Clemens is Provost of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and and Jaraslov Folda Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy

Any opinions expressed in this article are not to be taken as an official position of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

COLUMN

COLUMN | CHRIS CLEMENS

‘60 Minutes’ exhumes enviro cult leader for a new round of scaremongering

NATION & WORLD

On the ballot in 2023: Southern governors, big-city mayors

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot will be asking voters for a second term leading one of the nation’s biggest cities. Republicans will try to take full control of the Virginia Legislature. Governors’ mansions are up for election in Louisiana and Mississippi, and a Democratic governor in red-state Kentucky will try to hang on for another term.

While much of the political focus in 2023 is on the emerging presidential race, voters in some states will be weighing in on lower-profile contests that will nonetheless provide fresh insight into their priorities and views on the direction of the country.

Republicans are expected to try to tie Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear to President Joe Biden and other national Democrats who tend to be more liberal. Beshear, making his reelection bid in a state that heavily favors Republicans, gently distanced himself from Biden in a recent interview with The Associated Press, saying, “This race isn’t going to be about the White House.”

“It’s going to be what’s going on in the homes of each and every Kentuckian,” Beshear said. “And I think this last set of elections showed that if you want to be governor, people expect you to have a plan. People expect you to talk to them and not simply use some national talking points.”

State GOP spokesperson Sean Southard in a statement earlier this month said the party feels that the “fundamentals are strong for a Republican candidate to defeat him” once the party has a nominee.

About a dozen Republicans have said they are running, including former U.N. Ambassador Kelly Craft, state Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles and Attorney General Daniel Cameron, who has already received former President Donald Trump’s

endorsement.

The Republican Governors Association did not make someone available for an interview but noted in a statement that the only incumbent governor to lose in 2022 was a Democrat, Steve Sisolak of Nevada, “and the RGA is ready to do it again in 2023.”

“Democrat Andy Beshear does not align with Kentucky’s values, and we know voters are eager for Republican leadership in Frankfort,” RGA spokesperson Joanna Rodriguez said.

New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, who is taking over as chair of the Democratic Governors Association in 2023, said the group’s “highest priority, far and away, is to defend and reelect” Beshear.

The group made a controversial move in 2022 to boost far-right Republican candidates in several states’ GOP races, allowing Democratic candidates to face easier-to-beat opponents in the general election.

Murphy would not rule out taking similar steps in 2023, saying: “As long as it is ethical and legal, nothing is off the table.”

His party faces a tougher battle in conservative Louisiana, where moderate Democratic Gov. John

Bel Edwards is term-limited. It’s unclear who will emerge as a Democratic candidate, but a large pool of GOP candidates is expected to jump into the race. One of the highest-profile Republicans considering a bid is U.S. Sen. John Kennedy.

In Mississippi, Republican Gov. Tate Reeves will seek a second term. He recently signed into law the state’s largest-ever tax cut and plans to push for a full elimination of the state’s income tax in 2023. His reelection bid may be complicated, however, by lingering frustrations over the crumbling water system in the capital city of Jackson, which partially failed in August and left the majority-black city of about 150,000 people waiting in lines for water to drink, bathe, cook and flush toilets.

In Democratic-leaning Virginia, all 140 seats in the politically divided General Assembly will be on the ballot. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has been privately weighing a 2024 presidential bid, has pledged to help his party win full control of the legislature, though his plans to further limit abortions in the state could galvanize Democratic voters.

Republicans would need to hold their majority in the House

of Delegates and, pending the outcome of a January special election, pick up as many as three seats for an outright Senate majority.

In New Jersey, a Democrat-led state where Republicans have been making steady gains in recent years, all 120 seats in the state legislature will be on the ballot, giving the GOP a chance to regain control for the first time in two decades. Democrats currently control 24 of 40 seats in the state Senate and 46 of 80 Assembly seats.

Intraparty differences will be the main feature of the biggest mayoral races of 2023, showcasing the divides between progressives and moderates in Democratic strongholds.

In Chicago, more than a half-dozen candidates are trying to oust Lightfoot. A Feb. 28 election will go to an April runoff if no candidate wins a majority in the officially nonpartisan election.

Lightfoot became the city’s first black woman and first openly gay person to lead Chicago when she was elected in 2019. She first ran for office as a progressive and an outsider who would take on corruption at City Hall, but her first years in office also included a global pandemic and protests against law enforcement.

Lightfoot’s opponents and other critics say her approach to governing has been too confrontational. She has said the criticism is due mostly to sexism and racism but has started to address it in her campaign, saying in her first campaign ad: “I’m only human. And I guess sometimes it shows. But just because somebody may not always like my delivery doesn’t mean we’re not delivering.”

Crime, which has played a substantial role in mayoral and gubernatorial elections around the country over the past two years, will be a major issue. While homicides have been down in Chicago in 2022 compared with previous years, the number is still higher than when Lightfoot took office. Concerns have grown about carjackings, shootings and other violence, particularly near downtown and other business and tourist areas.

Crime concerns are also dominating the mayoral race in Philadelphia, another Democratic stronghold. Mayor Jim Kenney is term-limited, and a crowded field is shaping up amid a surge of gun violence and a shortage of police officers.

Kentucky governor touts economy, resilience after tragedies

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Heading into a tough election year, Gov. Andy Beshear asserted that Kentucky’s future is “brighter than it has ever been” while touting a record of economic development and resilience to make his case.

The Democratic governor, delivering his fourth annual State of the Commonwealth address, cited record economic gains during his tenure and hailed the state’s ability to overcome the tragedies of tornadoes, flooding and a global pandemic that repeatedly turned his job into crisis management.

Beshear confronted the headwinds of Republican supermajorities in the legislature, urging lawmakers to pump more money into education, raise pay for public school teachers and achieve his goal of universal access to pre-kindergarten learning.

The governor used the statewide television address, on the second day of this year’s legislative session, to urge lawmakers to legalize access to medical cannabis. He already took executive action to allow Kentuckians with certain debilitating conditions to legally possess medical marijuana, provided the cannabis is purchased legally in other states.

But he said legislative action is still needed.

“Treating people right ... dictates that this session and that this General Assembly finally legalize medical cannabis,” the governor said.

Beshear, whose term has been marked by policy disputes with lawmakers, also called for additional funding and other changes to shore up the state’s troubled juvenile justice system.

The governor, fresh off a morning appearance with President Joe Biden to mark the promised makeover of a dilapidated Ohio

“As Kentuckians, we share more than divides us,” Beshear said. “We share the values of faith, of family and of community. And if we double down right now, if we lead with our values, and we push politics aside, there is nothing that we cannot achieve. Our future is brighter than it has ever been.”

The speech comes as Beshear prepares for a tough reelection campaign in a state that continues to trend toward Republicans. The governor has remained popular while leading the state

through the series of tragedies but has drawn a crowded field of GOP candidates eager to unseat him.

Beshear’s efforts to stave off that GOP momentum is one reason the Kentucky governor’s race in 2023 will be closely watched nationally, coming the year before the next presidential election.

In his speech, the governor harkened back to the state’s tragedies that overshadowed his term — the COVID-19 pandemic, tornadoes that tore through parts of western Kentucky and floodwaters that inundated portions of eastern Kentucky.

“In the face of some of the greatest challenges imaginable, time and time again Kentuckians have shown up for one another,” Beshear said. “Scripture tells us that we are to love our neighbors

as ourselves. And that’s exactly what folks across the commonwealth have been doing.”

The governor touted unprecedented economic growth over the past two years, saying it provides the “promise of a better Kentucky.” He said the legislature can continue the momentum by making additional investments in education and other priorities.

“This General Assembly has the opportunity to make great progress on each of these issues we’ve discussed tonight, and you have the funding to do it,” Beshear said. “If we can just find our way to do what is right for the people of Kentucky, then we will be the generation that changes everything for the better — the generation that ushers in a new era of prosperity.”

Murray becomes first female president pro tempore in Senate

Washington, D.C.

When Washington Sen. Patty Murray was elected to the Senate in 1992, she says, male senators treated her with some trepidation. But now she has outlasted almost all of them, becoming the first woman appointed president pro tempore — a senior member of the majority who presides over the Senate and is third in line to the presidency.

She assumed the post upon the retirement of Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, who served almost five decades in the Senate and stood beside her as she was sworn in.

The president pro tempore, a Latin term for “for the time being,” is specified in the Constitution as a replacement for the vice president, who also serves as the president of the Senate, when he or she cannot be present. In addition to opening the Senate on a daily basis, the president pro tempore has several lesser-known duties, such as administering oaths, signing legislation and making appointments to various national commissions and advisory boards.

President Joe Biden, her Senate colleague for many years, tweeted, “We’re witnessing history on Capitol Hill.”

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

2 freshmen revive Wisconsin Legislature’s socialist caucus

Madison, Wis.

It’s been 90 years, but socialism is back in the Wisconsin Legislature.

After taking their oaths of office, two freshman Assembly members made it their first order of business to revive a socialist caucus that has been dormant since the 1930s.

Socialist politicians sat in the Wisconsin Legislature as early as 1878, according to the Legislative Reference Bureau, but most socialist state lawmakers held office between 1917 and 1935 when the first socialist caucus appeared.

The victories mirror a national resurgence in democratic socialism’s popularity over the past decade, with longtime stalwarts of the movement like Sen. Bernie Sanders joining U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and a younger generation drawn to socialist ideals.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

UK leader calls crisis meeting over struggling health system

London

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak gathered government ministers, medics and health service managers at No. 10 Downing St. for talks aimed at fixing a health care crisis that has seen thousands of patients stranded outside overflowing hospitals.

The government said it was “bringing together the best minds from the health and care sectors to help share knowledge and practical solutions.”

Thousands of hospital beds are occupied by people who are fit to be discharged but have nowhere to go because of a dearth of places for longterm care. Official figures show that last week only a third of patients ready to be released from a hospital in England actually left.

That has led to ambulances stuck outside hospitals with patients who can’t be admitted, and in turn to people with health emergencies waiting hours for ambulances to arrive. Health leaders say the delays have likely led to hundreds of deaths.

The Associated Press

River bridge linking Kentucky and Cincinnati, punctuated his remarks by citing Scripture. He also called on state leaders to put aside partisan differences to pursue common goals in moving the Bluegrass State forward.

Both parties are looking to unseat incumbents

PHOTO VIA AP

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear delivers his State of the Commonwealth speech from the floor of the Kentucky House of Representatives, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Frankfort, Ky.

AP PHOTO

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot talks to reporters after she and first lady Amy Eshleman early voted in the Nov. 8 midterm election at NEIU El Centro, Nov. 3, 2022.

SOCCER

Chicago The National Women’s Soccer League has permanently banned four coaches and announced disciplinary action against several other individuals and teams in response to an investigation into alleged abuse and misconduct. Former North Carolina Courage coach Paul Riley, former Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames, former Washington Spirit coach Richie Burke and former Racing Louisville coach Christy Holly can’t coach in the NWSL again. The league and its players association announced results of its investigation late last month. The investigation stemmed from allegations of harassment and sexual coercion made by two former players against Riley, who was among five NWSL coaches who were either dismissed or resigned amid claims of misconduct in 2021. U.S. Soccer also investigated reported misconduct in the league. Several teams were also fined: The Chicago Red Stars fine is $1.5 million, the Portland Thorns at $1 million, Racing Louisville $200,000 and the North Carolina Courage $100,000. The Regin and Gotham were each fined $50,000.

COLLEGE

BASKETBALL

Duke down to 24th in AP men’s poll

Indianapolis Duke slid eight spots to No. 24 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll released Monday. The Blue Devils were beaten 84 - 60 at NC State last Wednesday before rebounding for a one -point win Saturday at Boston College. Both the Wolfpack and UNC received four votes, tied for the 37th-most this week.

Houston returned to No. 1 four weeks after relinquishing it to Purdue. The Boilermakers fell to No. 3 after losing at home to Rutgers last Monday.

Kansas jumped to No. 2, with Alabama and Tennessee ranking fourth and fifth, respectively.

Panthers must get it right twice in crucial offseason

fore he brought it to the city with concerts at Bank of America Stadium. But his thoughts on a winning culture will be at top of mind as the team embarks on a pivotal offseason.

Hurricanes hit the mark, miss others at midway point

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — Before the season, I took a crack at what would need to happen for the Hurricanes to reach their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. With Tuesday night’s game being the midway point of the regular season, it seems like a good time to see if Carolina is on track to live up to the four points I made before the season.

Point 1: More than Max

As expected, Pacioretty returned to the ice before mid-February’s outdoor game, coming back ahead of schedule and even scoring twice in his second game on Saturday.

But the key to the season wasn’t just Pacioretty recovering and performing.

“Pacioretty is about as reliable a scorer as you can find in the NHL,” I wrote in October. “That said, anyone coming off an injury as serious as this shouldn’t be seen as a midseason savior. Pacioretty will be a big addition, but what Carolina really needs is for (Andrei) Svechnikov to become a star.”

and has a positive plus/minus. That hasn’t translated to many points — seven goals and 13 points through the first 40 games — and his time on ice has mostly been low-event in terms of goals scored. At evenstrength, Kotkaniemi has been on the ice for just 28 goals this season (15 for, 13 against) in 12 minutes of 5-on-5 minutes per game.

He lost his spot in between Svechnikov and Martin Necas to Paul Stastny, but Stastny’s numbers are about the same — he also has 13 points (just two goals) and has a 14-12 5-on-5 goal differential in about 10½ even-strength minutes per game.

No, Kotkaniemi hasn’t taken a huge step, but he’s also not a liability. There’s still a chance he turns the corner, but to this point his season has been a disappointment.

Point 3: Slavin stands out

Slavin remains one of hockey’s top defensive defensemen, and he has proven a good foil to newcomer Brent Burns. I predicted Slavin would build off the career-high 42 points he had last season and have the best offensive numbers of his career.

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

DURING CAROLINA Panthers owner David Tepper’s ill-fated meeting with the media earlier this year, he emphasized the importance of creating a winning culture in Charlotte.

“I think that we have to figure out how to get a culture of winning here,” Tepper said, “which we haven’t had in a long time in this place. As I said at some point, this team has never had two winning seasons (in a row). So, I don’t really think it ever really had a culture of winning.”

The comments came after the team fired coach Matt Rhule five games into the season. Fan apathy was high, illustrated by a home game against San Francisco that saw far more people in the stands wearing 49ers gear than Panthers colors.

Tepper struggled, to put it mildly, in his press conference following the coaching change, at one point claiming that Charlotte didn’t have any live music be-

Carolina has plenty of holes to fill, and, as we saw with the last rebuilding effort under Rhule, the wrong decision can set the franchise back years.

The first decision facing Tepper and the Panthers is who will be the next man to run the show.

The Panthers have been active early in their coaching search and will likely talk to more than a half-dozen candidates.

The man who currently holds the job is one of them. Interim coach Steve Wilks, a Charlotte native, led the Panthers to a 6-6 record, posting more wins in a partial season than Rhule did in either of his two full years on the job and becoming the first Panthers coach since 2017 to turn in a .500 or better record.

Despite Carolina trading away star running back Christian McCaffrey, Wilks was able to keep the team from surrendering to a lost season. The Panthers were in the playoff race in a weak NFC South

Svechnikov has done that, earning his first All-Star Game berth while scoring a team-best 19 goals in 40 games. There’s still another gear for Svechnikov, but he’s well on his to stardom.

Point 2: Kotkaniemi steps up

Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s eight-year, $38.56 million contract came with the hope he could become Carolina’s new second line center. Even if he didn’t become a 50-point player, the Hurricanes’ front office saw enough potential to talk itself into the contract.

Here’s what I thought said about Kotkaniemi emerging as a viable No. 2 center:

“Most are seeing Kotkaniemi as a downgrade from Trocheck. Not me. What Carolina loses in Trocheck’s truculence and penalty killing it gains in Kotkaniemi’s size and vision. The former third overall pick is unlikely to ever score 30 goals — he’d need to shoot the puck a whole lot more than he seems willing — but he will win offensive zone battles and has a knack for finding the open guy. He should take a huge step this year.”

Kotkaniemi hasn’t played poorly — he’s defensively reliable, physical

“Slavin is as selfless a player as you’ll find,” I wrote. “It appears he will be relieved of any power play responsibilities to start the season, so any boost in offense will have to come at even strength. I could see him eclipsing 50 points this season, but that probably won’t be enough to get him into Norris territory.”

Slavin’s numbers have remained steady. His goals are down (just two through 40 games), but he has 14 points in the first 40 games. That puts him right on pace for the 28 points he had last season.

Fortunately for the Hurricanes, Brady Skjei has picked up the goal-scoring slack with eight goals this season — tied for the eighthmost among defensemen in the league and well on his way to topping the career-high nine he had last season.

Point 4: Will Carolina win it all?

This one is much harder to assess. The Hurricanes are again one of the NHL’s best teams and have shown they can get red-hot by reeling off 11 straight wins from December to New Year’s Day.

The special teams, after a shaky start, have been better, and the emergence of Martin Necas has given Carolina another game-breaking player.

Getting another Vezina-level

Carolina can’t afford to miss again on its coaching and quarterback choices

Carolina is among the Stanley Cup favorites even if it hasn’t had everything go its way

KARL B. DEBLAKER | AP PHOTO

Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov has 19 goals through Carolina’s first 40 games and was named to the NHL All-Star Game.

JACOB KUPFERMAN | AP PHOTO

Panthers interim coach Steve Wilks’ future with the team is uncertain, though he will be considered for the full-time job after leading Carolina to a 6-6 record after replacing Matt Rhule.

Former NC Courage coach Riley banned by NWSL

TRENDING

Liam Hendriks:

The White Sox closer announced Sunday he has non‑Hodgkin lymphoma that was diagnosed last week.

The three‑time All‑Star was scheduled to begin treatment on Monday. Hendriks, a native of Perth, Australia, says he is “confident” he will “make a full recovery and be back on the mound as soon as possible.”

The five‑year survival rate for non‑Hodgkin lymphoma is 73.8%, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Lovie Smith:

The Texans fired their coach on Sunday night after just one season in which the team went 3‑13‑1. It’s the second straight season the Texans have fired a coach after just one year. They parted ways with David Culley last January after he went 4‑13 in his only season.

The 64‑year‑old Smith is 92‑100‑1 record in his career that included nine seasons with the Bears and two with Tampa Bay. Smith was promoted to Houston’s head coach after serving as the team’s defensive coordinator for one season.

Phil Baroni:

The ex‑UFC fighter has been arrested in Mexico for allegedly killing his girlfriend.

The prosecutors’ office in the Pacific coast state of Nayarit said Wednesday that a woman was found dead on Jan. 1 in the beach town of San Francisco, just north of the resort of Puerto Vallarta. The office identified the suspect only by his nationality, American, and his first name in a statement. But a state official later confirmed his last name. Baroni is listed as a welterweight with a 15‑18‑0 record on the UFC webpage.

Beyond the box score

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

POTENT QUOTABLES

Commanders and former UNC quarterback Sam Howell on beating the Cowboys — the team he and his dad rooted for — in his first NFL start.

Part of a tweet on Saturday from Bills safety Damar Hamlin as he recovers after being resuscitated on the field in a game at Cincinnati last Monday.

Two‑time champion Naomi Osaka confirmed she will not play at the Australian Open, adding her name to a growing list of notable withdrawals that includes Carlos Alcaraz, Simona Halep and Venus Williams. Osaka was the Australian Open champion in 2019 and 2021. Osaka hasn’t played since September.

NFL

51Points for the Hornets in the first quarter of their 138‑109 win Friday over the Bucks, matching an NBA record for the most points scored by a team in a first quarter. The Warriors set the record by scoring 51 against Denver in 2019.

The Browns fired beloved former quarterback Bernie Kosar from their pregame radio broadcast before the season finale against Pittsburgh after he violated NFL policy by placing a wager earlier this week after sports gambling became legal in Ohio. The 59‑year‑old Kosar had made a ceremonial bet of $19,000 on the Browns to beat the rival Steelers.

The Georgia Bulldogs won their second straight national championship, routing TCU 65‑7 to complete a perfect 15‑0 season and establish the school as the top program in college football. The Bulldogs didn’t need long to take control, jumping out to a 10‑0 lead and responding to the Horned Frogs’ only points by reeling off the final 48. Georgia quarterback Stetson Barrett, pictured, threw for 304 yards and four touchdowns, while Brock Bowers had seven catches for 152 yards and a score.

MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ | AP PHOTO

Texas basketball coach Chris Beard, who faces a felony domestic family violence charge stemming from a Dec. 12 incident involving his fiancée, was fired by the school last Thursday. Beard had five years left on a seven‑year guaranteed deal but was dismissed under a conduct clause in his contract.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

ERIC GAY | AP PHOTO

TENNIS

MANU FERNANDEZ | AP PHOTO

“Putting love into the world comes back 3xs as much.”

“Cool moment for us as a family.”

PATRICK SEMANSKY | AP PHOTO

GREG M. COOPER | AP PHOTO

DAVID DERMER | AP PHOTO

PRIME NUMBER

Quarterback carousel makes stops on Tobacco Road

The Deacons will be handing the reins to rising sophomore Mitch Griffis. Griffis started one game for Wake Forest this season before Hartman’s return, throwing for 298 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions.

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

IT WAS A SOLID year for ACC football in North Carolina with all four teams finishing with an 8-5, including two picking up bowl wins.

In particular, the quarterback position was one of the area’s biggest strengths with old records being broken and new ones being set. But there are also some question marks on Tobacco Road as teams look to new starters.

Staying

Despite rumors buzzing around UNC’s freshman phenom quarterback Drake Maye, the youngster put all that talk to bed when he came out and reaffirmed his commitment to the Tar Heels.

In his first season, Maye finished fourth in the country in passing yards with 4,321 and tied for fifth in touchdowns with 38. Maye was also no stranger to using his feet, running for 698 yards and seven touchdowns.

Maye set multiple records, including the ACC freshman single-season record for passing yards, UNC’s record for passing yards and touchdowns in a single season, and he was named the ACC Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and earned ACC firstteam honors.

With the exit of top receiver Josh Downs and the arrival of a new offensive coordinator, Maybe will need to adjust in his second season as the Tar Heels’ starter.

The other Tobacco Road quarterback who will be sticking around is Duke’s Riley Leonard.

Under new head Mike Elko, the dual-threat quarterback threw for 2,967 yards, 20 touchdowns and just six interceptions while picking up 699 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground.

Leonard’s 3,666 yards of total offense this season were the second most in a single season by a Duke quarterback — 47 short of Anthony Dilweg’s 1988 record of 3,713.

The Blue Devils have found some magic with Elko and Leonard and could position themselves to be one of the favorites in the

conference next season.

Going

After five seasons with the Demon Deacons, quarterback Sam Hartman will be leaving the

school and conference, transferring to become the new starter at Notre Dame.

After returning from an offseason surgery in which he had one of his ribs removed, Hartman still managed to throw for 38 touchdowns and 3,701 yards. He did, however, throw 12 interceptions, including a few at critically inopportune times.

Hartman finished his Deacons career as the top quarterback in Wake Forest history in career passing yards (12,967) and touchdowns (110), and he even stuck around long enough to lead Wake to a 27-17 win over Missouri in the Gasparilla Bowl.

‘Big Dance’ could see quintet of NC women’s teams

The state has sent five teams to the NCAA Tournament just three times in history

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

THE NCAA has held a women’s basketball tournament since 1982, and in four decades of March Madness, the state of North Carolina has sent five or more teams to the Big Dance just three times.

Most recently, NC State, UNC, Wake Forest, High Point and NC A&T played in the 2021 tourney, with the Wolfpack advancing to the Sweet 16. Prior to that, Carolina, Duke, Charlotte, A&T and Western Carolina received bids in 2009, with the Tar Heels and Blue Devils advancing one round. Two years earlier, the state sent five to the 2007 tourney, with UNC reaching the Final Four.

There’s still plenty of regular season basketball left, not to mention the conference tournaments, but North Carolina is on pace to send a quintet dancing again in 2023. The state currently has three teams ranked in the top 25, and another two teams are unbeaten in conference play. Here’s a look at the March hopefuls from the state’s women’s basketball programs.

NC State

The Wolfpack are the top program in the state at the moment. NC State has been to five NCAA Tournaments in a row, the longest current streak in the state and third-longest in school his-

tory. Pack fans will remember the frustrating end to last season when State received a No. 1 seed but was then sent to play UConn for a berth in the Final Four in what amounted to a road game. The Huskies prevailed in double overtime.

State has been a No. 1 seed in

back-to-back years, but the Pack have some work to do to get seeded as highly this season. Coach Wes Moore’s team is currently No. 11 in the top 25 at 13-3 overall and 3-2 in the ACC. The Wolfpack have suffered home losses to Duke and Boston College in the last four games. The Pack have Diamond

Johnson back after the playmaker missed four games with an injury. She leads the team in scoring at 14.3 points per game, including 18.0 against ACC foes. The Pack rank among the nation’s best teams in rebounding margin and 3-point shooting.

Duke

The Blue Devils are eyeing their first NCAA Tournament bid since 2018. Duke is currently ranked No. 16 at 14-1, and the Blue Devils are atop the ACC at 4-0. A loss to perennial power UConn is the only blemish on Duke’s resume, and Duke has responded with a nine-game winning streak since that defeat, including a 14-point win over NC State.

Duke has built its lofty record against the toughest strength of schedule in the ACC and seventh toughest in the nation. The Blue Devils are getting it done on defense, holding eight opponents to 50 points or fewer and leading the ACC in scoring defense and defensive shooting percentage. Senior Elizabeth Balogun is one of two double-digit scorers and won the national player of the week award earlier this month. The Blue Devils have a deep bench, with 10 players averaging 13 minutes a game and seven different high-scorers in games so far this season.

UNC

The Tar Heels have made three straight NCAA Tournaments and, at No. 22 in the nation, would like to extend the streak to its longest since making 10 straight from 2002 to 2011. They’ll need to snap

Arriving

After a disastrous year with Virginia, Brennan Armstrong announced his intent to transfer to NC State and reunite with former offensive coordinator Robert Anae.

The Pack lost Devin Leary to the transfer portal as the quarterback took his final year of eligibility to Kentucky, leaving coach Dave Doeren with an inexperienced quarterback room of MJ Morris and Ben Finley.

Enter Armstrong, who brings a lot of that game experience and also has familiarity with Anae’s systems — his best years with the Cavaliers were under NC State’s new OC.

Armstrong had three seasons as the starter at UVA, combining for 8,776 yards and 56 touchdowns through the air and 1,174 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground.

However, Armstrong has had 10-plus interceptions in each of his three years as a starter and struggled last season, throwing for just seven touchdowns to 12 interceptions.

The high volume of turnovers is a concern, but Armstrong’s 2021 season under Anae, when he threw for 4,449 yards and 31 touchdowns, is a reason for optimism.

NC State just has to hope that Armstrong’s addition doesn’t discourage Morris, who many had pegged as the heir apparent to the starting job.

out of a conference tailspin, however. UNC is just 1-3 in the ACC, which puts them in 13th place in the 15-team league. Overall, Carolina is 10-5 on the year.

UNC ended a four-game skid with an upset of No. 4 Notre Dame over the weekend, beating the Irish 60-50 at Carmichael Auditorium to post its first ACC win. The Heels have games against NC State and Duke coming up, so they can put together an impressive streak over the next week.

Gardner-Webb

The Bulldogs have made the NCAA Tournament just once in their history, in 2011. Gardner-Webb stands a good chance of returning this year as the Bulldogs are 12-4 on the year and atop the Big South at 4-0. They’ve won four straight, the last three by six points or fewer. The Bulldogs are led by Jhessyka Williams, who leads the Big South in scoring (18.9) and rebounding (10.1) to team with Big South preseason player of the year Alasia Smith (13.3 points, 9.1 rebounds). Gardner-Webb leads the Big South in scoring, steals and offensive rebounding, fueling a fierce fastbreak attack.

NC A&T

The Aggies are tied for first in the CAA at 4-0 and are 10-5 overall. A&T hopes to return to the dance this year after making it in 2021. The Aggies are making a splash in their first year in the CAA, led by Jazmin Harris, who leads the team in scoring, rebounding, blocks, shooting and free throw percentage. The Aggies have won five straight, and their losses have come on the road against power conference teams Duke, Cincinnati, ECU, Miami and Auburn.

until the final weeks of the season and showed fight and effort until the final gun sounded on the year. Wilks appears to be the choice of the locker room, and the culture he created in a very short time should be what Tepper is searching for.

If the Panthers choose to go with an outsider, it will come from a pool that includes former Colts coach Frank Reich, former Lions coach Jim Caldwell, and a group of offensive coordinators that includes the Lions’ Ben Johnson, the Eagles’ Shane Steichen, the Bills’ Ken Dorsey and the Giants’ Mike Kafka.

It certainly appears that the Panthers are focused on the of-

fensive side of things, which could work against Wilks, but he said he planned to unveil a strong plan for that side of the ball in his interview. The team set single-game franchise records for yardage and rushing during Wilks’ term and had one of the top pass efficiency ratings under Wilks, so he certainly has a case.

Whoever gets the job will have some work to do with the roster. The trades of McCaffrey and receiver Robbie Anderson leave the team in a tough cap situation, so some cuts will likely have to be made. That’s especially true if the team wants to retain running back D’Onta Foreman, who had a breakout year taking over for McCaffrey, and center Bradley Boz-

eman, who was the team’s most reliable lineman.

Carolina then must address the most important position on the field — for the third year in a row. Since Cam Newton left town the first time, the Panthers have had a revolving door at quarterback, and, as this season showed, the team is in desperate need of a franchise passer.

Wilks made do with a smashmouth rushing attack this season, but going forward, the Panthers will need a star quarterback to contend. Sam Darnold, acquired by trade before last season, hasn’t shown he is the answer, and Baker Mayfield, acquired prior to this year and already released, certainly wasn’t either. Given the

team’s cap situation, the Panthers will likely need to find their future quarterback in the draft.

The Panthers hold the ninth overall pick. That will likely be too late to land Alabama’s Bryce Young or Ohio State’s CJ Stroud, thought to be the top two quarterbacks in the class. The team will either need to be convinced that Kentucky’s Will Levis, Florida’s Anthony Richardson or Tennessee’s Herndon Hooker is the answer or find a way to move up.

Much like the coaching decision, the quarterback choice is one that’s far too important to get wrong. Again.

A culture of winning can only start after a culture of making the right decisions.

season out of Frederik Andersen seemed like a necessity, but the goalie has been hurt most of the year and opened the door for rookie Pyotr Kochetkov.

Kochetkov, who was the NHL’s rookie of the month for December, has allowed four goals in his two January starts since returning from a minor injury. The Hurricanes will need one of their netminders — Andersen, Kochetkov or Antti Raanta — to stabilize the net in time for the postseason.

As with any season, things haven’t gone exactly to plan for the Hurricanes. But there’s still plenty to like about what the team has done so far and can do going forward.

UNC and Duke bring back their starters, but both NC State and Wake Forest have decisions to make

BEN MCKEOWN | AP PHOTO

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong announced he is transferring from Virginia to NC State, moving within the ACC and reuniting with former Cavaliers offensive coordinator Robert Anae, who took the same position with the Wolfpack.

DARRON CUMMINGS | AP PHOTO

UNC coach Courtney Banghart and guard Deja Kelly helped the Tar Heels pick up a big win Sunday by knocking off then-No. 4 Notre Dame.

Touchdown passes for UNC quarterback Drake Maye in his first season as starter

Charlotte FC prepares for 2nd MLS season

my teammates, and the fans. I am looking back with a big smile on the special moments I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

CHARLOTTE — As Charlotte FC prepares for the start of its second Major League Soccer campaign next month following a 13-18-3 inaugural season, the club has undergone some changes to its roster and coaching staff in 2023.

Last week, Charlotte FC’s inaugural captain Christian Fuchs announced his retirement from professional soccer after an illustrious 19-year career for seven teams in four different countries.

“It has been an incredible journey for me and my family. Not only did we celebrate great success throughout the years, but we have also been able to learn from amazing people during this journey,” Fuchs said in a press release on Jan. 5. “I am so thankful for all the support I received during my career from club representatives,

Fuchs, 36, finished his career with 577 total professional club appearances, scoring 37 goals and adding 83 assists.

“We are thankful to have had a player of his caliber lead our locker room as captain to build a positive, winning culture in our inaugural season,” Charlotte FC sporting director Zoran Krneta said. “He was important for us with his performances on the field, but more importantly he has helped lay a critical foundation that will help this Club be successful for many years to come.”

Just one day after his retirement, Charlotte FC announced that Fuchs will serve as an assistant coach for the 2023 season under head coach Christian Lattanzio, joining Andy Quy (returning assistant), Pa-Modou Kah (four years of MLS playing experience), Aron Hyde (U.S. Men’s National Team’s head of goalkeeping) and Rohan Sachdev (former Portland Timbers head video coach) on the

staff.

“We are very excited to announce a strong, experienced coaching staff for the upcoming season,” Krneta said. “We believe that Andy, Christian, Pa, Aron, and Rohan will bring together a diverse set of experiences and qualifications under Head Coach Christian Lattanzio’s leadership. Assembling a talented technical staff is critical for us to achieve our goals as a Club, and it demon-

strates that high-level coaches believe in our project here in the Carolinas.”

After an 8-10-2 record as an interim coach, Lattanzio was made Charlotte FC’s permanent coach on Oct. 26 and given a contract extension through 2024 with an option for the 2025 season. Former head coach Miguel Ángel Ramírez was fired on May 31 just 14 games into the club’s first season.

Along with the reshaped coaching staff, Charlotte FC has been tweaking its roster for the upcoming season which is set to begin with a home match against New England on Feb. 25.

The club recently signed midfielder Ashley Westwood to a contract until 2024 with an option for 2025. Westwood, 32, has 286 career Premier League appearances across 10 seasons with stints at Burnley FC and Aston Villa, scoring a dozen goals with 32 assists.

Just four years ago, the Nantwich, England, native was named Burnley’s Player of the Year by both his teammates and supporters.

In other club moves, Char-

lotte FC defender Harrison Afful was re-signed to a new contract through 2023 with an option for 2024. Afful, 36, appeared in 21 league matches after signing as a free agent and will also work with the club’s scouting department in a player professional development role.

While nothing has been finalized, there has been speculation that Charlotte FC striker and Peruvian International player Yordy Reyna, 29, might be on his way out from the team in the form of a contract termination — a move that would free up an international roster spot for the club while also allowing more playing time for forwards McKinze Gaines and Kerwin Vargas as well as midfielders Kamil Jóźwiak and Christopher Hegardt.

Last season with Charlotte, Reyna scored four goals and added six assists across MLS and the U.S. Open Cup. Honduran League winger Alexy Vega, 26, has been linked as a possible signing for Charlotte FC after posting six goals and two assists in 17 appearances in Liga Betcris.

NFL playoffs: Seahawks in after Lions stun Packers

By David Brandt The Associated Press

THE NFL’S WEEK 18 saved its best drama for the final game of the weekend.

The Detroit Lions — eliminated from playoff contention earlier Sunday when the Seahawks beat the Rams — pushed past their disappointment and played the role of a spoiler, rallying to beat Green Bay 20-16 on Sunday night. The win denied quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Packers a spot in the postseason.

Instead of Green Bay, it’s the Seahawks who will be the No. 7 seed in the NFC. They’ll travel to face division rival San Francisco in next weekend’s wild card round.

The rest of next weekend’s schedule is also set: In the AFC, it’ll be the Miami Dolphins at the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens at the Cincinnati Bengals and Los Angeles Chargers at Jacksonville Jaguars. In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings will host the New York Giants and the Tom Brady-led Tampa Bay Bucs host the Dallas Cowboys.

The Lions’ upset win capped a weekend that saw the Dolphins make it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. The surprising Jaguars also return to the postseason for just the second time since 2007.

Seven of the 14 teams that qualified for the playoffs didn’t make the field last season, including the Seahawks, Ravens, Jaguars, Chargers, Dolphins, Vikings and Giants.

Among those headed home: The New England Patriots and sixtime Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick, eliminated after a loss to the Bills.

The No. 1 overall seed in the AFC was claimed by Kansas City

with its 31-13 win over Las Vegas on Saturday. The NFC’s top spot was taken by Philadelphia, which beat the New York Giants 22-16 on Sunday.

The AFC bracket could still be affected by the cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game after Hamlin’s injury. The Bengals avoided a coin flip for home field after beating the Ravens 27-16, but there still could be a neutral field AFC championship game if the Bills line up against the Chiefs.

Here’s a look at some other developments as the postseason approaches:

What’s the format for the playoffs?

This is the third straight year of the current NFL playoff format, which includes the top seven teams from both the AFC and the NFC.

The four division winners in both conferences automatically get the top four seeds, regardless

of record, and then the top three teams with the best record that didn’t win their division are the wild card selections. That’s why it’s fairly common for a wild card selection to have a better record — but worse playoff seeding — than a team that finished as a division winner. The No. 1-seeded team in each conference gets a bye into the second round — that’s the Chiefs and Eagles — while No. 2 hosts No. 7, No. 3 hosts No. 6 and No. 4 hosts

No. 5 during wild card weekend. The NFL has a reseeding policy after each playoff round. That means that no matter how the bracket started, the lowest-seeded team will always travel to the higher-seeded team.

There are four rounds to the playoffs: The wild card round is during the upcoming weekend, the divisional round is Jan. 21-22, the conference championship games are on Jan. 29 and the Super Bowl is scheduled for Feb. 12 in Glendale, Arizona.

What changed with the Bills-Bengals cancellation?

It’s been an eventful week for players and fans, who watched in horror Monday night as Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed on the field and had to be given CPR before leaving the field in an ambulance. A few days later, those same players and fans watched with joy as Hamlin recovers. That made it much easier to focus on Week 18 and now the playoffs.

The Bills-Bengals game had major playoff implications in the AFC, so the cancellation of the game due to Hamlin’s injury could force some changes depending on playoff results.

The AFC championship game will be played on a neutral site if the Chiefs and Bills reach that point.

Buffalo’s 35-23 win over New England on Sunday coupled with Kansas City’s 31-13 victory at Las Vegas on Saturday means the No. 1 seed Chiefs (14-3) can’t host the conference title game against the Bills (13-3) because the teams played an unequal number of games.

NFL owners approved a resolution Friday that implemented new rules for this postseason in

to

game.

Coach Christian Lattanzio added former team captain Christian Fuchs to his staff

response

the cancellation of the Bills-Bengals

“Assembling a talented technical staff is critical for us to achieve our goals as a Club, and it demonstrates that highlevel coaches believe in our project here in the Carolinas.”

Zoran Krneta, Charlotte FC sporting director

AL DIAZ / MIAMI HERALD VIA AP

Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders celebrates after kicking the go-ahead field goal against the Jets to help Miami clinch a playoff berth.

DAVID ZALUBOWSKI | AP PHOTO

Charlotte FC captain Christian Fuchs announced his retirement but joined the club’s coaching staff for the upcoming 2023 season.

Since small businesses can’t keep up with the raises at bigger companies, they will have to find new ways to retain workers in 2023.

Keating, of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, said one solution for small businesses in 2023 could be more extensive on the job training.

“Not that they don’t train them now, but they need to go deeper than they have in the past and train all the way across the board. That’s one of the answers to these labor challenges,” he said.

Proposed gig worker rule

The Labor Department has proposed a rule that would make it easier to classify independent workers as employees, part of a long running debate about whether gig workers like Uber drivers or Instacart delivery workers are contractors or employees.

The Labor Department said the proposal will protect workers and “even the playing field” for businesses that classify their workers correctly, reducing the number of misclassified employees.

Workers classified as employees can qualify for benefits such as minimum wage and Social Security. But critics of the proposed rule say gig workers don’t always want employee status and the new rule will be a burden on small businesses

The proposed rule is “much too broad, unwieldy, arbitrary and confusing, which means it will drag countless numbers of independent contractors and freelancing individuals into a ‘misclassified’ pit, if enacted,” said Karen Kerrigan CEO of advocacy group the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council.

The proposal applies only to laws that the Labor Department enforces, like the federal minimum wage. But employers and courts often use Labor Department rules as a guideline for wider issues.

The Labor Department’s final ruling is expected this year, likely in the first quarter.

Minimum wage changes/ state regulations

Finally, small businesses should be aware of regulatory changes going into effect in 2023, particularly state regulations.

There are 27 states raising minimum wages in 2023. For example, in Michigan, the minimum wage is set to increase from $9.87 to $10.10 per hour. California is setting the minimum wage at $15.50 per hour for all employees, regardless of size of employer. That’s changing from $15 for employers with 25 or more workers and $14 for employers with fewer than 25 workers.

Pay transparency laws are going into effect too. Beginning Jan. 1, California began requiring employers with 15 or more workers to list salary ranges on job postings. In New York State, a salary transparency bill is expected to go into effect in September requiring pay ranges on job postings.

Minimum wage and pay transparency laws vary widely by state, so small businesses should stay on top of their local laws to make sure they follow any changes.

Amazon, Salesforce jettison jobs in latest tech worker purge

E-COMMERCE GIANT Amazon and business software maker Salesforce are the latest U.S. technology companies to announce major job cuts as they prune payrolls that rapidly expanded during the pandemic lockdown.

Amazon said Wednesday that it will be cutting about 18,000 positions. It’s the largest set of layoffs in the Seattle-based company’s history, although just a fraction of its 1.5 million global workforce.

“Amazon has weathered uncertain and difficult economies in the past, and we will continue to do so,” CEO Andy Jassy said in a note to employees that the company made public. “These changes will help us pursue our long-term opportunities with a stronger cost structure.”

He said the layoffs will mostly impact the company’s Amazon Stores division — which a spokesman said encompasses its e-commerce business as well as company’s brick-and-mortar stores such as Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go — and its PXT organizations,

which handle human resources and other functions.

In November, Jassy told staff that layoffs were coming due to the economic landscape and the company’s rapid hiring in the last several years. Wednesday’s announcement included earlier job cuts that had not been numbered. The company had also offered voluntary buyouts and has been cutting costs in other areas of its sprawling business.

Salesforce, meanwhile, said it is laying off about 8,000 employees, or 10% of its workforce.

The cuts announced Wednesday are by far the largest in the 23-year history of a San Francisco company founded by former Oracle executive Marc Benioff. Benioff pioneered the method of leasing software services to internet-connected devices — a concept now known as “cloud computing.”

The layoffs are being made on the heels of a shake-up in Salesforce’s top ranks. Benioff’s handpicked co-CEO Bret Taylor, who also was Twitter’s chairman at the time of its tortuous $44 billion

sale to billionaire Elon Musk, left Salesforce. Then, Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield left. Salesforce bought Slack two years ago for nearly $28 billion.

Salesforce workers who lose their jobs will receive nearly five months of pay, health insurance, career resources, and other benefits, according to the company. Amazon said it is also offering a separation payment, transitional health insurance benefits, and job placement support.

Benioff, now the sole chief executive at Salesforce, told employees in a letter that he blamed himself for the layoffs after continuing to hire aggressively into the pandemic, with millions of Americans working from home and demand for the company’s technology surging.

“As our revenue accelerated through the pandemic, we hired too many people leading into this economic downturn we’re now facing, and I take responsibility for that,” Benioff wrote.

Salesforce employed about 49,000 people in January 2020 just before the pandemic struck.

Salesforce’s workforce today is still 50% larger than it was before the pandemic. Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg also acknowledged he misread the revenue gains that the owner of Facebook and Instagram was reaping during the pandemic when he announced in November that his company would by laying off 11,000 employees, or 13% of its workforce.

Like other major tech companies, Salesforce’s recent comedown from the heady days of the pandemic have taken a major toll on its stock. Before Wednesday’s announcement, shares had plunged more 50% from their peak close to $310 in November 2021. The shares gained nearly 4% Wednesday to close at $139.59.

“This is a smart poker move by Benioff to preserve margins in an uncertain backdrop as the company clearly overbuilt out its organization over the past few years along with the rest of the tech sector with a slowdown now on the horizon,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote.

Salesforce also said Wednesday that it will be closing some of its offices, but didn’t include locations. The company’s 61-story headquarters is a prominent feature of the San Francisco skyline and a symbol of tech’s importance to the city since its completion in 2018.

Feds propose ‘student loan safety net’ alongside forgiveness

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The White House is moving forward with a proposal that would lower student debt payments for millions of Americans now and in the future, offering a new route to repay federal loans under far more generous terms.

President Joe Biden announced the repayment plan in August, but it was overshadowed by his sweeping plan to slash or eliminate student debt for 40 million Americans. Despite the low profile of the payment plan, however, some education experts see it as a more powerful tool to make college affordable, especially for those with lower incomes.

Education Department officials on Tuesday called the new plan a “student loan safety net” that will prevent borrowers from getting overloaded with debt.

“Student debt has become a dream killer,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said. “This is a promise to the American people that, at long last, we will fix a broken system and make student loans affordable.”

Biden, a Democrat, is moving forward with the repayment plan even as his one-time debt cancellation faces an uncertain fate before the Supreme Court. The White House has asked the court to uphold the plan and reject two legal challenges from conservative opponents. The Biden administration submitted its brief last week, with oral arguments slated for Feb. 28.

The Education Department formally proposed the new repayment plan on Tuesday by publishing it in the Federal Register, starting a public comment period that often takes months to navigate.

If it’s finalized, the proposal would give a major overhaul to income-driven repayment plans — one of several payment options offered by the federal government. The resulting plan would have lower monthly payments, an easier path to forgiveness and a promise that unpaid interest will not be added to a borrower’s loan balance.

The federal government now offers four types of income-driven plans, but the proposal would mostly phase out three of them while focusing on one simplified option, scaling back the confusing array of options borrowers now face.

Under existing plans, monthly payments are capped at 10% of a borrower’s discretionary income, and those earning less than $20,400 a year aren’t required to make payments. The new proposal would cap payments for undergraduate loans at 5% of borrowers’ pay, cutting their bills in half,

and require payments only for those who earn more than about $30,000 a year.

As long as borrowers make their monthly payments, any unpaid interest would not be charged. The change is meant to prevent borrowers from having unpaid interest added to their loan balance, a practice that can cause debt to snowball even as borrowers make payments.

Significantly, the proposal would also make it easier to get debt erased after making several years of payments. Existing plans promise to cancel any remaining debt after 20 or 25 years of payments. The new plan would erase all remaining debt after 10 years for those who took out $12,000 or less in loans. For every $1,000 borrowed beyond that, a year would be added.

Typical graduates of a fouryear university would save about $2,000 a year compared with to-

day’s plans, the Biden administration says, while 85% of community college borrowers would be debtfree within 10 years.

Supporters see the proposal as a significant stride toward college affordability. Some say it’s so generous that it approaches free community college — a campaign promise that Biden has pushed but failed to deliver.

Opponents on the right blast the revamped plan as an unfair handout with a steep price tag. The Biden administration estimates the repayment plan would cost nearly $138 billion over the decade, and some critics have put it closer to $200 billion.

Even some on the left have questioned the prudence of the idea, saying it’s so generous that it effectively turns student loans into grants that don’t need to be repaid. That could lead more students to borrow, they warn, and it could spur colleges to raise tuition prices if they know students won’t be on the hook.

Still others have urged the administration to abandon income-driven payment plans entirely, calling them a failed policy. Critics cite a federal report from last year finding that sloppy oversight of the program left thousands of borrowers stuck with debt that should have been forgiven.

Cardona said his agency is working on other proposals that would hold colleges accountable if their students get overburdened with debt. One idea promoted by Biden is to warn the public about programs that leave graduates saddled with debt.

The Education Department on Tuesday began the process to deliver that goal, asking the public about the best way to identify “low-value” programs.

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO, FILE

President Joe Biden speaks about student loan debt forgiveness in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, on Aug. 24, 2022, in Washington, D.C.

SMALL BUSINESS from page B1 AP PHOTO, FILE

In this Thursday, May 16, 2019, file photo, Salesforce chairman Marc Benioff speaks during a news conference, in Indianapolis.

NSJ’s 3rd Annual Auto Awards

While 2021 felt like a year of transition for electric vehicles, 2022 was the year EVs went mainstream — at least if you’re eyeing something above $50 grand. Carmakers are falling over themselves to offer cars with plugs, even as many buyers are lukewarm to the idea. But this year’s crop of electrics are just solid cars. For many, the fact that they’re battery-powered comes secondary to innovative design, practicality, and general awesomeness.

With that in mind, here are the third North State Journal

BEST OF THE YEAR | FORD F-150 LIGHTNING

Auto Awards winners. The picks come entirely from my impressions when driving a car, comparing them to everything else I drove this year. The fact that three of the five winners are electric, by the way, is due primarily to carmakers throwing everything they have at the EV space — it is the future, supposedly. Don’t worry; traditional internal combustion isn’t dead yet. That’ll probably come next year.

— Jordan Golson, North State Journal

With sharp lines and homages to its storied lineage everywhere you look, the Z is a wildly fun, well-equipped coupe with a reasonable price-to-performance ratio. It’s the last letter in sports cars, and with 400 horsepower for around $40,000, it won’t blow up your wallet either.

The Ford F-150 is perhaps the most popular vehicle in America, making an electric version the most important EV ever released. Even better, the F-150 Lightning is a terrific pickup truck, adding a host of features — a massive front trunk and the ability to act as a backup battery to your home in a power outage — that a standard pickup can’t match.

But, in almost every way, the F-150 Lightning feels (and looks!) like a standard F-150. You’d hardly know it was electric unless you knew what to look for. And that’s the magical part: the Lightning is just a pickup truck that happens to be electric. The fact that it can go from 0-60 mph in the mid-4 second range is just a bonus.

TRUCK OF THE YEAR | FORD E-TRANSIT

With the F-150 Lightning taking my Best of the Year award, that left a big empty hole where the Truck of the Year is concerned. But since I’m giving out the prizes, I’ve expanded the definition and embraced the Ford E-Transit electric work van. Underneath, it’s a Mustang Mach-E drivetrain stuffed into a Transit, making for a fascinating EV trojan horse into the business world.

For many, a company-owned E-Transit will be the first electric vehicle they’ve ever driven. Though it has a range of only 120-ish miles (or less, depending on configuration), that’s plenty for many small- and medium-sized business needs — and, crucially, it should save companies money on both maintenance and gas. Ford has built an entire division, Ford Pro, around fleet sales of its EVs, and I suspect that’s a bet that will pay off.

I can’t get enough of the BMW iX. With an eye-catching design, performance for days, and a bonkers interior straight out of a sci-fi flick, this electric luxury SUV ought to be enough to entice anyone out of their Tesla.

With crystal controls and wood trim, the 610-horsepower iX M60 can whip from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds, and the iX xDrive50 has a range of as much as 315 miles. But it’s the design that does it for me. The feeling of spaciousness inside the iX is unmatched, and the glass screens floating just above the dash balance high-tech with the wood and crystal controls found elsewhere. It’s genuinely brilliant.

The Range Rover is the car of choice for wealthy people when driving themselves around. The new Range Rover is classy luxury at its very best, offering peace and serenity and, if you get the superfancy SV trim, a wild coffee table that rises from the center console between the rear seats.

The leather is supple, the engines refined, and there’s even a plugin hybrid version that’s good for 50 miles of electric driving. The long-wheelbase option adds extra space in the back to impress the in-laws (or grandkids), and the stereo has an epic noise cancellation feature that uses microphones outside the car to send a signal through the 35 different speakers to zero out tire and engine noise.

It’s so good that I’d have difficulty deciding between this and a similar Rolls-Royce, especially since you could have two or three Range Rovers for the same money. That’s high praise, and the new Range Rover deserves it. It’s the absolute best way to explore the world in style.

SPORTS CAR OF THE YEAR | NISSAN Z

SUV OF THE YEAR | BMW iX

LUXURY CAR OF THE YEAR | RANGE ROVER

Nissan knows that plenty of people still want an honest-togoodness sports car, and that’s why there’s a new Z. With 400 horsepower standard and a 6-speed manual transmission on tap, the Z has been nipped and tucked and is a gorgeous retro throwback to the Z cars of old.

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After hype, readers get hands on Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’

LONDON — After weeks of hype and days of leaks, readers got a chance to judge Prince Harry’s book for themselves when it went on sale around the world on Tuesday.

In Britain, a few stores opened at midnight to sell copies of “Spare” to diehard royal devotees and the merely curious. Many said they wanted to form their own opinion of the book after days of snippets and debate on news sites and television.

“I’m excited just to hear about

Prince Harry’s life from Prince Harry,” said Sarah Nakana, a surveyor who bought the book at London’s Victoria station. “There’s so much misinformation, disinformation about Harry and Meghan.”

The book’s myriad revelations and accusations have already been splashed across the media. In the ghostwritten memoir Harry, 38, recounts his grief at the death of his mother, Princess Diana, his disputes with brother Prince William and frustration at the role of royal “spare” in the shadow of his elder sibling, who is heir to the British throne.

He lacerates the U.K.’s tabloid press for coverage he considers prurient, intrusive and sometimes plain wrong, claims his relatives were unwelcoming to his wife Meghan and accuses members of the royal family, including his stepmother Camilla, of leaking stories to the media to burnish their own reputations.

Buckingham Palace has not commented on any of the allegations, though royal allies have pushed back, largely anonymously.

Harry’s exposure of bitter divides inside the House of Windsor — alongside details of his mental health struggles, experiences with

sex and drugs and decade-long military career — has generated reams of media coverage.

The book is already the top-selling book on Amazon’s U.K. site, which like many big retailers is offering it half price, and is expected to be one of the year’s biggest sellers.

John Cotterill, nonfiction buyer at the Waterstones bookstore chain, told trade magazine The Bookseller that “Spare” was “one the biggest pre-order titles of the last decade for Waterstones.”

Excitement is far from universal, however. Harry’s interview with broadcaster ITV drew 4.1 million

viewers on Sunday — fewer than the 5.3 million who watched BBC drama “Happy Valley” at the same time.

Retail worker Caroline Lennon arrived at 6 a.m. Tuesday at a branch of Waterstones in central London to await its opening.

“I did expect a queue. Unfortunately, there’s no queue. I’m just by myself,” she said.

“I want to read (it) because I like the royal family and I don’t care what anybody says,” she said. “People will criticize that. I don’t care because I like the royal family, and I like Harry and Meghan.”

A member of staff places the copies of the new book by Prince Harry called "Spare" at a book store in London, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023.

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

22 SP 316

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Steven James Johnson and Kim Sumpter Johnson (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Steven James Johnson and Kim Sumpter Johnson) to Mary A. McDuffie, Trustee(s), dated July 29, 2005, and recorded in Book No. 2494, at Page 247 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or

AMENDED NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

16 SP 1246

Under and by virtue of the power of sale contained in a certain Deed of Trust made by Deandre J. Fletcher and Tonette G. Heckstall (PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): Deandre J. Fletcher and Tonette G. Heckstall) to Stuart Clarke at Thorpe & Clark, Trustee(s), dated February 11, 2014, and recorded in Book No. 4113, at Page 429 in Onslow County Registry, North Carolina, default having been made in the payment of the promissory note secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, Substitute Trustee Services, Inc. having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Office of the Register of Deeds Onslow County, North Carolina and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure

of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for

at the courthouse door in Jacksonville, Onslow County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on January 26, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of “Lot 27, Henderson”, as shown on Map entitled, “boundary survey for Joseph J. Henderson and Annette J. Adkins, Lots 27 and 28 (unrecorded), property of Garland Tuton, White Oak Township, Onslow County, North Carolina, Rocky Run Road”, prepared by Charles F. Riggs RLS (L-2981), dated December 12, 1996 in Map Book 34 Page 116, Slide J-383, Onslow County Registry, said recorded Map being incorporated here and by this reference for the purpose of providing a particular description. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1951 Rocky Run Road, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Property Address: 1951 Rocky Run Road, Jacksonville, NC 28546 Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay

the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 10:00 AM on January 26, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 5, Section II, Acorn Forest Subdivision, as shown on map recorded in Map Book 17, Page 59, Onslow County Registry. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 110 Laran Road, Jacksonville, North Carolina.

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

Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer

sales, at 10:00 AM on January 26, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Jacksonville in the County of Onslow, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot Number 9, as shown and described on a plat entitled, “Revised Final Plat, TRINITY CROSSING, SECTION III, a Planned Residential Development, “ dated 08/13/12, prepared by Parker & Associates, Inc. and recorded in Map Book 66, Pages 150-150A, Cabinet N, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Onslow County, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 121 Heaven’s Gate Drive, Jacksonville, North Carolina.Subject to the Declaration of Conditions, Reservations and Restrictions recorded in Book 4010, Page 306, in the Office of the Register of Deeds of Onslow County, North Carolina.

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

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

the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

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

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

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

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

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

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

applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

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

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

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

($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property

An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property

applicable

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 6065 - 23400

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

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

https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1264675 - 26425

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 1237596 - 17242

in the

of

of a

as set forth in Deed Book 834, Page 278, Johnston County Registry, at an IPS set in the right of way of South Raiford Street; thence leaving said right of way of South Raiford Street, North 50 deg. 12 min. 31 sec. West 130.20 feet to an IPS set in a 30’ alley; thence following the 30’ alley, North 39 deg. 47 min. 29 sec. East 100.41 feet to an IPS set in the right of way of Jones Street; thence following the right of way of Jones Street, South 50 deg. 12 min. 31 sec. 130.20 feet to an existing concrete monument were Jones Street intersects with South Raiford Street; thence following the right of way of South Raiford Street, South 39 deg. 47 min. 29 sec. West 100.41 feet to the point and place of BEGINNING, and being a lot containing 0.300 acres, (13,074 square feet) and being known as 804 South Raiford Street, North Carolina, as set forth in a survey entitled “Survey for Willie Broadie”, dated April 29, 2004 and prepared by Jimmy C. Barbour, PLS. Together with improvements located thereon; said property now known as and being located at 800 South Raiford Street, Selma, North Carolina.

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

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

Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to

at the time of the sale.

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

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

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 5447 - 32770

Southeast corner

parcel owned by the Town

Selma

Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds

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

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from January 4, 2023

Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 1615 Lowder Street, Albemarle,

The primary residence of the Grantor is included.

Dry’s line; thence South 150 feet parallel with F.O. Dry’s line to a stake in F.O. Dry’s line; thence West 15 feet to a stake, F.O. Dry’s corner, thence with F.O. Dry’s line North 150 feet to a stake in F.O. Dry’s corner, thence with F.O. Dry’s line North 150 feet to the BEGINNING.

The property hereinabove described was acquired by Grantor by instrument recorded in Deed Book 1400, Page 927, Stanly County Registry. A Map showing the above described property is recorded in Plat Book 1, Page 118. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security

Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and

Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws.

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than

State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy.

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

15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice of foreclosure sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days but not more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in this notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of the termination.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC.

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 11207 - 47865

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 9822 - 39522

that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the Wake County Courthouse door, the Salisbury Street entrance in Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 1:30 PM on January 23, 2023 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Raleigh in the County of Wake, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Being all of Lot 68, as shown on the Map or Plat of Berkshire Downs, Section III, Part A, which is duly recorded in Plat book 1982, Page 801, Register of Deeds for Wake County, North Carolina, to which plan reference is here made for a more complete and accurate description thereof. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 7313 Berkshire Downs Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina.

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

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

($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1).

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

A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in

the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in its sole discretion, if it believes the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property

An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the clerk of superior court of the county in which the property is sold. Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may after receiving the notice

Firm Case No: 1236739 - 11136

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 11096 - 47128

North Carolina. There is excepted from this Tract II the Eastern 7 1/2 feet as described in a deed from F.O. Dry and wife, to B.H. Dry and wife, dated 8/10/1940 and recorded in Book 118, page 72, Stanly County Registry. For reference see Deed Book 1400, Page 927, Stanly County Registry. For further reference, see Deed recorded in Record Book 1300 at Page 396, in the Office of the Register of Deeds for Stanly County, North Carolina.

agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases.

Stanly continues to stay in second tier of Commerce rankings

The North Carolina Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic wellbeing and assigns each a Tier designation. This Tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3.

County Tiers are calculated using four factors: Average unemployment rate; median household income; percentage growth in population; adjusted property tax base per capita

County Tier Changes

in 2023

Ten counties changed tiers in 2023. Counties moving to a less distressed tier include Avery, Caldwell, Cleveland, Pasquotank and Swain. Counties moving to a more distressed tier include Onslow, Pitt, Randolph, Surry and Transylvania.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

SCC recognizes graduate for Dallas Herring Award

Hannah Barnhill, a 2021 Stanly Community College graduate, recently received the college’s 2023 Dallas Herring Award, becoming the school’s nominee for state recognition. The award was established by the North Carolina Community College System to recognize Herring’s philosophy about affordable and accessible community college and his efforts to provide technical and career training during his tenure as the chair of the state board of education in the 1960s. As a student, Barnhill received grade point average honors each semester and was SCC’s recipient of the Community College System’s Academic Excellence Award in 2021. In the organization’s competitive events program, she led the chapter to state and national “Gold Seal Chapter” designations and won First Place at the state level. In addition, she was one of the 15 national finalists in the Future Business Executive event. She remains active in the organization as a member of the state’s Professional DivisionFoundation support group.

SCC student receives 2022 ACTE Award

Stanly Community College student Toby Neal was one of four college students from throughout the country to receive the 2022 Leadership and Academic Success Award from the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE).

Neal was nominated by Future Business Leaders of America, Inc. (FBLA), and the award was presented by Sean Crevier, President of the ACTE Business and Marketing Division. Neal, a straight-A student, is President of the FBLA-Collegiate chapter at SCC and is the Public Information Officer for the Student Government Association. He also serves as Vice President of Communications for the North Carolina state FBLA-Collegiate chapter and as Parliamentarian at the national level. He has received numerous awards, including the college’s recipient and state nominee for the North Carolina Community College System’s 2021 Robert W. Scott Leadership Award and SCC’s recipient of the Community College System’s 2022 Academic Excellence Award. Neal plans to work toward a bachelor’s degree in history and police science, with career goals of teaching and serving in public office.

#64 Tier 2

Last year

- 66

Stanly commissioners approve economic development incentive grant

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

ALBEMARLE — An upcoming business that is set to provide over 200 jobs and invest over $50 million in Stanly County recently gained some more financial traction.

At its regularly-scheduled meeting on Jan. 3, the Stanly County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed two motions for an economic development incentive that will result in a 10-year, 75% business development grant agreement between the county and a homebuilding components manufacturer planning to open in New London.

Stanly EDC director Candace Lowder presented the grant to the board, unveiling the grant’s details that the company will invest an estimated $54,500,000 in real property, machinery, and equipment, with the hopes of creating 263 new jobs over the next five years.

The second motion presented to the board by Lowder — also relating to the new business —

authorized the county’s staff to begin working on an application for a Building Reuse grant from the North Carolina Department of Commerce for “Project Frame.”

In the arrangement, the county will post a local cash match of $18,750 with the NCDOC to be used for the construction of a previously-existing building.

“I’m very optimistic about Candice’s presentation today. That makes me very excited — I’m conservatively excited,” commissioner Patty Crump said. “I’m very glad that we’re going to be able to hopefully put to use a building that’s been sitting there vacantly. There’s nothing sadder than to drive by a big manufacturing facility that was once hustling and bustling, and now it’s just dead, and nobody wants to see that.”

During the discussion, Crump asked Lowder about the current average pay of Stanly County’s workers.

“Commerce released updated numbers in November. As of November 2022, it’s $41,612,”

“Commerce released updated numbers in November. As of November 2022, it’s $41,612. I will add that just a year ago, the 2021 number was $38,466. The old adage of ‘rising tide raises all ships’ is very true. Wages are ticking up,

Candace Lowder, Stanly EDC director

Lowder answered. “I will add that just a year ago, the 2021 number was $38,466. The old adage of ‘rising tide raises all ships’ is very true. Wages are ticking up, and so is the quality of life and access to goods and services.”

The new business in New London is expecting to pay employees an average salary of $59,000. Lowder also explained the process behind the comprehensive analysis — operated by county manager Andy Lucas — for the modeling tool of the grant, adding that it is used “to measure the economic impact of investment and jobs created by a project. It takes into account new sales tax, new homes or renovations to existing homes, the multiplier effect of jobs created by this project in terms of professional services and retail to support the jobs in the area.”

After those numbers are plugged into a model, the tool produces an output to ensure that the community is not losing money in terms of its return on investment for the services that will be required to support those 263 jobs.

The Stanly County Board of Commissioners will hold their next scheduled meeting on Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. inside the Gene McIntyre Room (Stanly County Commons).

Bright Ideas grant recipients recognized at Board of Education meeting

2021-22 financial audit raises concerns

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

ALBEMARLE – The Stanly County Board of Education met Tuesday, January 3, with multiple recognitions on the agenda.

The board of education recognized several of their teachers that received Bright Ideas grants.

“The Bright Ideas grants are done across North Carolina, and they’re done by the electrical cooperatives,” said Superintendent Jarrod Dennis. “In our county, we have two cooperatives, Pee Dee Electric and Union Power, that service parts of our county, so, therefore, we have two different cooperatives teachers can apply for.”

Four teachers received grant funding for projects.

Tamara Furr, a special education teacher at South Stanly High School, received $2,000, which she used for a laser engrav-

er to help her students receive work hours and develop job, social and life skills.

Shelly Vetter, a physical education teacher at Badin Elementary School, received $1,412 that she used for cardio drumming equipment for students.

Callie Thigpen, a teacher at West Stanly Middle School, received $958 and used it for two chicken coops, an incubator, and feeding and watering equipment for the chickens so students could see the entire life cycle of a chicken.

Mary Barbee, the Digital Learning and Media Innovations Facilitator also at West Stanly Middle School, received $860, which she used for higher quality video equipment for her class. Barbee also ended up receiving the NC Go Outdoors Grant.

“She actually got a call from Senator Carl Ford saying she was awarded the NC Go Outdoors Grant in the amount of $12,412, and this will bring an outdoor classroom with sunshade, picnic tables, an outdoor sink, and

furniture to West Stanly Middle School,” Dennis said.

The board was then presented with the findings of their 2021-22 audit.

“We’re pleased to report that our audit report on the financial statements is an unmodified report,” said Andy Deal, partner with Anderson Smith and Wike PLLC, who performed the audit. “You can also call that a clean report. The reason it’s referred to as an unmodified report is that means we didn’t note anything in our audit that would cause us to modify our audit report.”

While the audit didn’t find any issues per se, one area of concern that was brought up was the state of the district’s fund balance.

“As of June 30, 2022, we’re showing just under $775,000 of fund balance,” Deal said. “Being honest, for a district of your size, that’s way too low, in my opinion. I would work to try and grow that fund balance. Your general fund

and so is the quality of life and access to goods and services.”

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

Who’s afraid of the Instant Pot?

By Corrie Cooks Wealth of Geeks

THE INSTANT POT is a newer kitchen appliance that home chefs everywhere are falling in love with.

However, according to a recent study by Corrie Cooks, of 1108 Instant Pot users questioned, approximately 70% were afraid to use their Instant Pot at first.

This raises an excellent question. How many people haven’t even tried using an Instant Pot due to fear?

This electric pressure cooker can cook food like meat, sauce, yogurt, rice, pasta, and even dried beans in less time than cleaning your kitchen after a home-cooked meal. Those who have experienced the speed and ease with which you can make an entire meal using an Instant Pot know precisely how simple to use this revolutionary kitchen appliance is.

Unfortunately, that is only the case for some. Many people hesitate to use their Instant Pot the first time, thinking it might explode from the pressure once the lid is locked. While this fear is completely understandable, it’s also unnecessary if you carefully follow the instructions and use your Instant Pot correctly.

Learn more about these innovative kitchen appliances and how

safe they are so you can start cooking with ease.

How often does the

average American use their Instant Pot?

To decide whether an Instant Pot is worth conquering your fear, it’s important to weigh that risk against the reward.

The Instant Pot has multiple functions allowing you to cook food in a variety of ways. You can saute, air fry, slow cook, and pressure cook all in one convenient appliance. It also uses less oil for cooking, making your meals healthier and less greasy than other cooking methods.

Once the novelty of the Instant Pot has worn off though, is it just another trendy kitchen gadget, or will the Instant Pot change your life?

According to the study, less than 5% of Instant Pot owners cook with it daily, while only 5% claim to use it rarely, meaning it’s just sitting around taking up valuable shelf or counter space. However, over 60% said they use it several times weekly. That said, even the ones who use it rarely love using it for hosting big dinners and parties. The additional functionality you get in an Instant Pot and the time you save preparing food make it a favorite amongst home cooks and those who love en-

tertaining.

How many Instant Pots do we actually need?

Many different variables can impact this answer. The size of your family, the size of the instant pot, and how often you use it, for instance, can all dictate whether you would make good use of 2 or more Instant Pots.

For a family of 4 or 5, you probably won’t need more than one Instant Pot. More than 75% of those asked in the study agree that one Instant Pot is enough. Since they come in various quart sizes, you can make larger or smaller portions of a recipe.

However, getting a second Instant Pot might be worthwhile if you have a larger family or if you are using one pot to make multiple Instant Pot Recipes each day.

Additionally, a second Instant Pot can come in handy during the holidays or for special events when you make big meals for larger groups. These Instant Pots can be good backups to lean on when your oven and stove are occupied and there are more dishes to cook.

Who is afraid of using their Instant Pot?

Those who have never used an Instant Pot fear it could explode under pressure once the lid is locked. Even though this Instant Pot fear is wholly understandable and shared by many, the danger of using an Instant Pot has absolutely nothing to do with pressure cooking at all.

In fact, the most significant threat in using an Instant Pot is keeping one’s face out of the steam when opening the lid to avoid severe burns.

Like all kitchen appliances, there is some danger in incorrectly using an Instant Pot, just like there is danger in misusing knives, ovens, and microwaves in the kitchen. However, you can easily avoid these dangers with common sense and care. So, just like you wouldn’t be too scared of knives to keep you from chopping, there is no reason to let your fear stop you from using your Instant Pot.

The key to not being scared of your Instant Pot is thoroughly understanding how to use it and precisely what all those buttons do. Simply take your time and follow the instructions carefully.

There will be a learning curve as you navigate through the various functions your Instant Pot offers. The manual will teach you about slow cooking, air frying, and pressure cooking, to name a few. The more you sit and study the manual, the more you will notice your Instant Pot fear dissipating while your excitement to try new delicious recipes grows.

Designers look to nature, landfills for new decor materials

AT FIRST GLANCE, Nina Edwards Ankers’ sconces and chandeliers look like ancient scrolls of parchment, or sheets of buttery toffee, wrapped around LED bulbs.

Come closer — or just ask the New York-based designer/architect — and you’ll find they’re actually made of algae.

She came up with the idea while working on a doctoral research project on materials and lighting at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design, and has now created a collection of sconces, lamps and even a chandelier named “Chlorophyta.”

Ankers chose not to disguise the dried algae — her shades have all the imperfections of their natural state, and the honey-toned, translucent colors.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦

BROWN, THOMAS ANTHONY (W /M/42), ASSAULT ON FEMALE, 01/09/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ OWENS, CHARLIE DEWAYNE (W /M/39), FELONY LARCENY, 1/9/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦

BLACK, BOBBY GLENN (W /M/43), POSSESSION OF STOLEN FIREARM, 01/08/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦

LITTLE, LUTHER BENSON (W /M/61), FAIL REGISTER SEX OFFENDER(F), 1/7/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦

CRUMP, GARY DEMETRIUS (B /M/29), DEATH BY DISTRIBUTION/AGG, 1/6/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦

CHRISTIAN, JAHAJAWON DASEAN (B /M/29), ASSAULT ON FEMALE, 01/04/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦

BROWN, MARYBETH (W /F/26), MISDEMEANOR CONSPIRACY, 01/03/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ SMITH, KELLY DENISE (W /F/28), SHOPLIFTING CONCEALMENT GOODS, 01/03/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

“From the beginning, we wanted to keep the integrity of the material, and display its unique properties,” Ankers says.

She is one of many designers thinking beyond traditional materials, finding ways to meld design with sustainable sourcing and production methods.

Ankers and her team at NEA Studios are trying out other natural materials too.

“For lighting, we’re interested in red/orange algae, sustainably sourced feathers, horseshoe crab shells and crushed seashells, as well as rubber made of leftover corn,” she says. “For furniture, there are organic materials like lentil beans, buckwheat and other fillings for upholstered furniture, as well as natural rattan, cork and bamboo.”

Huge strides have been made in turning recycled plastic bottles and wood and plant fiber into materials that can be used by the home and fashion industries, which are try-

ing to address the negative environmental impacts of cotton production, plastics pollution and more.

The Heimtextil fair, a showcase for what’s new in global textile pattern and development, opens this week in Frankfurt, Germany, with an emphasis on the recycling of materials to produce new products in a more environmentally friendly way.

“We’ll see companies demonstrating how inorganic materials like nylon, plastic and metal can be reused – for example, carpet tiles that can be dismantled at the end of their life and used as a raw material for new tiles,” says Olaf Schmidt, Heimtextil’s vice president of textiles and textile technology.

At last summer’s fair, innovative materials included cork and recycled PET (plastic) bottle fiber.

“Cork is breathable, hypoallergenic, antibacterial, insulating and tough,” Schmidt says, adding that it

can be harvested more sustainably than many other materials.

Home décor products made with cork include trays, tables, wall panels and lighting. You can buy rolls of patterned, Portuguese cork sheets on Etsy.com, for instance.

Cork is also pulverized and applied to fabrics to create a soft, vegan leather that some designers are using to cover chairs and sofas, while others are turning it into jackets, pants, hats, bags and umbrellas. Svala, for instance, makes totes, bags and clutches out of cork-based fabric.

“The most important trend is sustainability,” says fashion industry analyst Veronika Lipar. “The industry is trying to minimize its impact on the environment and no longer be the biggest polluter.”

Patagonia, North Face and Timberland are among companies now employing natural materials from

regenerative sources.

The recycled PET bottles Schmidt mentioned are being transformed into a mesh yarn called Hydroknit by Canadian footwear maker Native Shoes, and into lightweight shoes and boots the company calls “sweaters for your feet.”

Italian brand Kampos offers swimwear and rainwear made of PET bottle filament yarn that’s quick-drying and soft.

The yarn itself is sold by the ball at Unique Yarns’ shop on Etsy. Light, stretchy and sturdy, it can be knitted, crocheted and woven into items like tote bags or textile art.

Among other ventures:

Italian company Frumat has developed a plant-based leather derived from the waste created by apple juice makers.

Two Mexican innovators, Adrian Lopez Velarde and Marte Cazarez, have created a leather they call “Desserto” using Nopal cactus leaves. Cactuses are of interest to new material developers because they tolerate drought, heat and poor soil.

Pinatex helps support farming communities in the Philippines by utilizing waste from pineapple harvesting to create material that is sold to makers of shoes, accessories, clothing and upholstery.

Finally, some glass wall tiles used in homes started life on a car. Companies are crushing up discarded windshields, then baking the mixture. The powdered slurry becomes a strong, opalescent material called sintered glass.

“Sintered glass is one of our four main tile lines now. There’s an incredible range of colors, and high-performance durability,” says Ted Acworth, founder of the Boston-based mosaic-tile maker Artaic.

balance is basically your financial backup plan. If you get cuts at the state and federal level, you can’t raise tuition or anything, but you can fall back on your fund balance and your general fund, or you can make cuts.

So if you don’t have a fund balance, you’re just left with cuts.”

Deal stated that the district should aim for at least triple what they currently have in fund balance, but he also said how that could be difficult.

“Rural districts struggle to grow fund balance,” Deal said. “There’s not a lot of small, rural districts that have fund balance. To keep a good

relationship with the county, they usually have to spend their fund balance, and I’ve seen that in more than one place. To me, the small rural districts that do have a fund balance, most of them, if not all of them, have a small supplemental tax that goes straight to the school districts. It’s really hard to grow it if you don’t have a county that wants it to grow.”

However, Deal also pointed out that the district had over $3.5 million in special revenue fund and over $3 million in capital outlay fund, which could also be used in a pinch.

Finally, the board approved a bid for printing services.

“Obviously, we are approaching the end of our current contract, which was a five-year contract, and given the supply chain issues and stuff, I wanted to get ahead of it,” said Chief Technology Officer Shawn Britt. “We set out to make three goals in doing that. Those goals are stated as identifying potential cost savings, upgrading our current equipment, and having more built-in security.”

“In the end, we decided to go with Toshiba, the current vendor we have. The determining factors in selecting them were that they were our current provider, so we have a positive relationship with them, and overall their pricing was about

$6,000 less per month than all the other vendors. The last agreement we had with them, per quarter, was $5.82 per student, which rounded out to about $200,000 per year. This new agreement has it down to $4.96, which would be $170,000 per year. So total savings of $30,000 with upgraded equipment and security features.”

Britt identified a change in teaching methodology as a big reason for the cost decrease. With the introduction of prevalent technology and devices into the classrooms, Stanly County Schools doesn’t need to print as much material.

The Stanly County Board of Education

next meet February 7.

Stanly County Journal

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

This combination of photos released by NEA Studio shows a chandelier made from dried algae from designer Nina Edwards Ankers.

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

US Big Three auto companies commit to making cars that people don’t want

I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD with parents who were of the Greatest Generation. They lived and shouldered through the Great Depression, and then their lives and families were thrown into turmoil on Dec. 7, 1941. My grandfather worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C., and during World War II, my father served in the Pacific Theater.

Both my mother and father made a solemn vow that as long as they lived, they would never buy a German or a Japanese car. No matter how well they were made. They were the enemies. They were the ones who killed nearly half a million Americans. Period.

And that value system was transported to me. In honor of my parents’ values, I couldn’t in good conscience buy a Japanese or German car.

I’ve been thinking that after all these years, I may have to change my mind. The American auto companies, which are so often bailed out by U.S. taxpayers, have made a pronouncement that they intend, in the next few years, to stop making and assembling gas-engine cars. You know, the kind of cars that Henry Ford started rolling off the assembly line 100 years ago at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

Henceforth, virtually all American-made cars will be electric vehicles. Perhaps the corporate brass in Michigan’s auto executive offices thinks this makes them good global citizens. They are all in on the fight against global warming. They may be making a political bet that the federal government and more states are going to go the way of California and eventually mandate that every car produced must be battery-operated. But there is also a good deal of virtue-signaling going on here by the folks at Ford and General Motors.

It’s a free country, and if they want to start rolling millions of EVs off the assembly lines, so be it.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

But it’s one thing to make cars that appeal to members of the Sierra Club and quite another to produce automobiles that the typical buyer wants. And guess what? So far, most people have turned a decisive thumbsdown on EVs. (Incidentally, I’m personally agnostic on electric vehicles. I’ve driven Teslas, and they are wonderful smooth-driving vehicles. But they have problems, too, such as getting stranded with no juice in the middle of nowhere.)

So far, only about 6% of new cars sold are electric vehicles. And polls show that only about half of Americans prefer an EV over a traditional car. Much larger majorities oppose the government telling us what kind of car we can buy.

Incidentally, the one state that far outpaces the rest of the country in EV sales (with about 1 in 5 new car sales being battery-operated) is California. But, hey, Detroit: Sorry, California isn’t the country.

All of this is to say that there’s a decent chance the American auto companies’ shift to all EVs is going to fail. This could even be the most epic failure for American car companies since Ford introduced the Edsel. (For youngsters, that was the 1950s ugly car that nobody wanted to buy.)

Meanwhile, and this is the especially sad part of the story, at least one company realizes the tomfoolery of making only electric cars. And that company is the Japanese automaker Toyota. Akio Toyoda, the president and grandson of the founder of the giant Japanese car company, is going to buck the trend.

“People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” Toyoda recently told news reporters. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend, so they can’t speak out loudly.”

America has become the greatest exporter of destructive ideas

AT THE PRESENT TIME, China is the greatest threat to world stability, Russia is the world’s premier aggressornation, and Islamist groups are the primary exporters of terror and (religious) totalitarianism.

And, for the first time in history, America is the world’s major exporter of destructive ideas.

This is hard for me to write. One of my books is titled “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph.” It contrasts American values with leftist values and makes the case that the American value system is the finest ever devised. I define American values — what I call the “American Trinity” — as “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin for “From many, one”), the three American mottoes found on American coins and banknotes.

No other country has those three national mottoes. The book maintains that any country can adopt those values and any country that does adopt those values will be a good society. Its citizens will be the freest in the world and that country will prosper.

Indeed, those values are the reason Americans have been the freest people in the world, and America has been, far and away, the greatest land of opportunity in human history.

But America has been gradually abandoning its unique value system and is consequently becoming a less free, less humane, less prosperous, and more corrupt country. In fact, at this moment, America is no longer the best country, the exceptional country, it has been since 1776. There may not yet be a better country. But that is cold comfort.

We are in the incredible position of being feared by many other relatively free societies; more than a few European countries actually reject America’s current values. And they are right to do so.

The most obvious example of America in decline is the perverse American doctrines surrounding transgender issues: the sex (“gender”) of any individual is not a given fact, “men give birth,” men who say they are women may compete in women’s sports, and physicians and children’s

hospitals are right to surgically cut off the healthy breasts of young women and even girls who say they are boys.

America’s war on truth, science and children has rendered America increasingly an outlier in the Western world.

More and more European countries are rejecting the perverse worlds of Yale and virtually every other American university, of The New York Times and virtually every other mainstream left-wing medium, of Boston Children’s Hospital and virtually every other children’s hospital, and of the University of Minnesota Medical School and virtually every other medical school.

Switzerland has just announced that as far as the Swiss nation and government are concerned, sex is not “nonbinary.” In Switzerland, there are only two sexes, as has been the case in essentially every civilization in recorded history because that is the reality.

As reported by AP (but apparently not in The New York Times or elsewhere in the mainstream left-wing media), Swiss citizens “are entered into the civil registry as male or female, with no other option.” The Swiss Federal Council declared, “The binary gender model is still strongly anchored in Swiss society.”

Sweden — the American Left’s most admired society until it broke with the rest of the West by allowing its children to stay in school during the COVID-19 hysteria — has also broken with America on the transgender issue. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare ended the practice of prescribing puberty blockers for minors under age 18; and as of December, mastectomies will only be offered in the rarest of circumstances.

Thomas Linden, a head of the National Board, announced, “Young people who suffer from gender dysphoria need to be able to quickly receive an investigation and be offered adequate care measures, based on the health and medical services’ assessments of the care needs. Good psychosocial care is fundamental.”

In other words, if a Swedish teenage girl says she is a boy, Sweden will offer “psychosocial” care, almost never

Toyoda wasn’t done. “I believe we need to be realistic about when society will be able to fully adopt Battery Electric Vehicles,” he explained. “And frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals.”

Toyoda is right on all counts. There’s scant evidence that EVs will reduce pollution levels more than traditional cars — in part because most of the energy for the batteries comes from burning fossil fuels. And because the batteries themselves create waste issues. How can it be that a Japanese CEO is more plugged into the tastes, preferences, and buying habits of American car buyers than those based here at home? (Yes, I know Toyota has many plants in the United States.)

You would think that U.S. automakers would understand a basic red, white and blue reality, which is that Americans have a special and long-standing love affair with their cars. They aren’t going to trade in their Mustangs, Camaros, Cadillacs, and trucks for an EV. For many of us, this would be akin to taking away our firstborn.

What’s sadder still is that the Japanese seem to understand American car buyers better than the execs in Detroit. Honda and Toyota were the first to recognize that people wanted more fuel-efficient cars when gas prices more than tripled in the 1970s.

All of this means that if GM, Ford, and Chrysler speed forward with their commitment to convert to 100% EVs, I’m going to have to break my long-standing pledge to my parents to “buy American” and never purchase a Japanese car. The American companies will have given me no choice. Sorry, this is 2023, not 1923, when Henry Ford said you could have a Model T in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.

Incidentally, as this “woke” green energy fad fades into the sunset, as it almost assuredly will, and the American auto companies see their sales crash, they’d better not come begging for yet another taxpayer bailout.

hormone blockers, let alone a mastectomy.

Between Sweden’s new policy on gender dysphoria and its allowing children to stay in school throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, an American must sadly conclude that at this time in history, Sweden cares for its young people considerably more than America does.

In England, last October, the National Health Service (NHS) announced, in the words of the Daily Mail, that “Children who believe they are trans are probably just going through a short-lived phase.” Therefore, logic and morality say, we should not make permanent life-altering changes to their bodies with drugs and surgery.

In addition, “The NHS England draft guidelines are part of the health service’s plan to close the highlycontroversial Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock clinic, the country’s only gender identity service for children. GIDS is scheduled to shut its doors in the spring after a review ruled that the service was unsafe.”

Typical of the changes taking place in the U.K. regarding the transgender issues, Stella O’Malley, a psychotherapist and director of Genspect, an international transgender care group based in England, advised: “Professionals working with children need to... make sure they aren’t inadvertently causing harm by providing short term relief that leads to long term distress... At Genspect... we don’t think changing pronouns helps anyone — it creates more problems than it resolves.”

In France, the National Academy of Medicine has issued a statement advocating “psychosocial support” rather than hormone blockers and surgery for young people with gender dysphoria.

Finland had already enacted a similar policy decision as early as 2020. Thirteen European countries now reject the American “nonbinary” attack on human sexuality and children.

Sadly, with regard to children’s well-being, there are many countries in which American parents would rather raise their child.

I never imagined I would ever believe that. I wish you a Happier New Year.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His commentary on Deuteronomy, the third volume of “The Rational Bible,” his five-volume commentary on the first five books of the Bible, was published in October.

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.”

SIDELINE REPORT

COLLEGE

FOOTBALL

Bush, Tebow make College Football Hall of Fame

Atlanta

Reggie Bush, whose Heisman Trophy victory for Southern California in 2005 was later vacated because of NCAA violations, is among 18 players in the latest College Football Hall of Fame class. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman in 2007, was also elected to the Hall by the National Football Foundation, along with Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon and Michael Bishop of Kansas State.

Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who played at Memphis, was also among those inducted.

NFL

recovery

Orchard Park, N.Y.

Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin say the Bills safety was moved to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery.

It’s uplifting sign of the remarkable progress Hamlin has made a week after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati.

Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was “doing well.” He was listed in stable condition at Buffalo General Medical Center.

SPORTS GAMBLING

Bismarck, N.D.

A North Dakota House panel has heard arguments on a measure to allow voters to decide if sports betting should be legalized outside tribal casinos across the state. The committee recommended against passage Monday, but the resolution will get a floor vote later. Supporters say the state could generate millions of dollars in taxes if it legalizes the industry. Opponents say it would worsen gambling problems for a relatively small increase in revenue. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2018 cleared the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting. More than 30 states have legalized it so far.

NBA 76ers’ proposed Chinatown arena gets pushback

Philadelphia Opponents of a proposed sports arena in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood have announced formation of a coalition of several dozen groups that will receive assistance from a national civil rights legal organization. They say the Chinatown Coalition to Oppose the Arena includes more than 40 Chinatown community groups, nonprofits and business organizations.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund says it will look at legal strategies. The Philadelphia 76ers announced plans last summer to build a $1.3 billion arena just a block from the community’s gateway arch with a planned opening in 2031. The development company says it plans to work with the community to help shape the project.

Panthers’ Foreman, Saints’ Davenport trade punches, ejected

The duo had words after rising from the Superdome turf.

kick-started a 14-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that tied the score at 7.

The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Carolina

running back D’Onta Foreman was having a strong season finale until he and Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport exchanged punches and got ejected in the third quarter on Sunday.

“In the heat of my moment, I kind of lost my cool,” Foreman said. “He (Davenport) did hit me, and at the end of the day I never let any man put his hands on me. But honestly, I’ve got to be better with keeping my cool.”

The scuffle took place moments after Davenport chased Foreman down and tackled him from behind on a 1-yard run on the sixth play of the third quarter.

When Panthers tight end Ian Thomas tried to step between them, Davenport reached around and hit Foreman with an open left hand on the right side of the running back’s helmet. Foreman responded by lunging at Davenport and punching him in the middle of his face mask with his right hand.

Soon afterward, both fifthyear players were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and their ejections forced them to miss the rest of the Panthers’ 10-7 comeback win that left both teams with 7-10 records.

Foreman, who rushed for a career-high 914 yards this season, had run for a team-high 68 yards on 12 carries before his ejection, including consecutive 20- and 11-yard gains on the opening series of the second half. Those runs

The Panthers won on Eddy Pinero’s 42-yard field goal as time ran out.

“I was proud of the guys for finishing,” said Foreman, who watched the end from a television in Carolina’s locker room. “That’s part of our DNA.”

Davenport did not start but made three tackles. His absence shortened the Saints’ end rotation to three, with starters Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson being spelled by Tanoh Kpassagnon.

Davenport left the locker room quickly after the game and did not speak to reporters.

“It certainly looked to me like Marcus gave him a little slap or something,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “I don’t know what happened. My thoughts are I don’t ever want us to be put in that po -

sition.”

The other half of Carolina’s backfield duo, Chuba Hubbard, finished with 69 yards on 21 attempts.

“We’ve got to make sure that we keep the team first,” Carolina interim coach Steve Wilks said. “I love and respect (Foreman). He apologized to his teammates. But Chuba stepped up in a big way and did some outstanding things. That’s what this team is all about. When one guy goes down, the next guy is there to pick up the load.”

It was the second time a Saints defensive player was ejected during a home game. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was ejected from a Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay after shoving running back Leonard Fournette, a scuffle that began when Lattimore and Tom Brady yelled at one another after an incomplete pass.

Bears get No. 1 pick after Texans rally for win at Indy

Carolina will pick ninth after a 7-10 season

CHICAGO — Thanks to an old friend, the Chicago Bears are on the clock for the NFL Draft.

Chicago will pick No. 1 for the first time since 1947 after it lost 29-13 to the Minnesota Vikings in its season finale on Sunday. It was the 10th straight loss for the Bears (3-14), extending a franchise record, and the 14 losses overall also marked the most in team history. The Panthers will select ninth overall.

Even with all that misery, the Bears were headed for the No. 2 selection before Lovie Smith coached Houston to a wild 3231 victory at Indianapolis. Davis Mills passed for three touchdowns as the Texans (3-13-1) rallied for their second win in three games.

It was Smith’s last game with Houston. He was fired by the Texans on Sunday night.

“We wanted to leave the season with a good taste in our mouth and to do it that way where you have to scratch and claw, we’ve lost a few games right at the end, overtime and all of that,” Smith said right after the win. “So it was good to see those guys kind of finish this one.”

The 64-year-old Smith coached the Bears from 2004-12, going 8163 and making the playoffs three times, including a loss in the Su-

per Bowl.

Smith and Houston lost 23-20 at Chicago on Sept. 25. That was the Bears’ last home win of the season.

“You get down to the last game, of course, and I understand the outside things that were out there as far as our football team,” Smith said. “You practice hard this week to win and as you see, it’s one thing to give it lip service.”

Chicago’s No. 1 overall selection should make for an intriguing runup to the first round of the draft on April 27.

“That’s something we’ll talk about in the future,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “I don’t really have a reaction one way or the other right now. Just that I’m focused on our guys and doing the exit interviews for tomorrow.”

Quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis are among the top prospects, but the Bears traded up to take Justin Fields at No. 11 overall in 2021. Fields made great strides in his second season, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushing for 1,143 yards and

eight more TDs. But Fields’ passing ability remains a concern.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter also could be in the mix for the defensively challenged Bears if they stay at No. 1.

The Cardinals will pick third overall, followed by the Colts. The Seahawks hold Denver’s fifth overall pick and the Lions will select sixth with a pick acquired from the Rams at No. 6. The Raiders, Falcons, Panthers and Eagles (Saints’ pick) round out the top 10.

Carolina beat New Orleans in the season finale for both teams

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

Bills’ Hamlin back in Buffalo to continue

North Dakota considers sports betting outside tribal casinos

Different Dakota: SD State wins 1st FCS title over ND State

The Associated Press

FRISCO, Texas — A different Dakota is celebrating a national championship nearly two decades after the border-state rivals moved up together to the Division I level.

“I continue to think back in 2004 and wondering how it was going to work out. Well, this is pretty sweet how it’s worked out,” coach John Stiegelmeier said after South Dakota State won its first Football Championship Subdivision title Sunday.

Mark Gronowski threw three touchdowns and ran 51 yards for another score as the Jackrabbits won 45-21 win over North Dakota State, which lost for the first time in its 10 FCS title game appearances since the move from NCAA Division II.

As a true freshman two seasons ago, Gronowski tore the ACL in his left knee on the opening series of

the FCS title game. Now nearly 20 months after a loss in that unprecedented spring finale, and after the quarterback missed the entire 2021 season, the Jackrabbits (14-1) are national champs in Stiegelmeier’s 26th season at his alma mater.

“It’s really a storybook ending for us,” Gronowski said.

Amar Johnson rushed for 126 yards and Isaiah Davis had 119 for his ninth 100-yard game this season, and both scored touchdowns for South Dakota State. Gronowski, who completed 14 of 21 passes for 223 yards had his scoring run on the third play of the second half to stretch the lead to 38-14.

“We knew NDSU was going to fight until the end of the game, and we knew that we had to come out in the second half and just start fast, score early,” Gronowski said.

Cam Miller threw for 260 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for the Bison (12-3), who went from Fargo to Frisco for the 10th time in 12 seasons.

“So tough to lose,” Bison coach Matt Entz said. “Not something we like to do, not something we’re

going to make a habit of at NDSU. But I’m more concerned about our players right now. ... They’ll bounce back, I know that.”

The Jackrabbits have won the last four meetings between the Missouri Valley Football Conference rivals, all in less than two years. The previous three had been in regular season games for the Dakota Marker trophy that wasn’t up for grabs in the MLS soccer stadium nearly 1,000 miles from the border of their states. Their 114th meeting since 1903 was only the fifth in the FCS playoffs, and first in the title game.

South Dakota State’s only other FCS title game appearance was a last-minute loss to Sam Houston State in May 2021 after the lower-division season was pushed back to the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Jackrabbits beat NDSU in that abbreviated regular season, then again later that fall before a 23-21 win last October.

“It means the world to me,” Gronowski said. “There’s no better feeling in the world.”

Pfeiffer men open USA South schedule with road loss

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

MISENHEIMER — USA South conference play is underway for the Pfeiffer University men’s basketball team after falling to N.C. Wesleyan in an 80-60 road loss on Jan. 7.

Attempting to correct course after a dismal start to the 2022-23 campaign, the Falcons (37, 0-1 USA South) had previously snapped a five-game losing skid with a 30-point home victory over Mid-Atlantic Christian (5-6, 0-0 USCAA) last week before succumbing to the surging Bishops (10-3, 2-0 USA South).

Fifth-year Pfeiffer coach Pete Schoch and his team will now look to regain a sense of rhythm as its sixth season as a USA South member continues and its young roster gains valuable experience. Compared to last year’s older squad that finished with a 12-11 record (9-5 USA South), more than half of this roster is freshmen.

In their conference-opening loss, the Falcons experienced turnover problems and were outrebounded by a margin of 46-24 as they failed to erase the Bishops’ 13-point halftime lead.

Freshman guard M.J. Armstrong had a teamhigh 12 points and five rebounds and sophomore guard Daymon Beckwith posted eight points.

Freshman guard Ty Black added nine points off the bench.

D espite a 43.6% shooting percentage from the field, Pfeiffer’s 60 points were a season-low after averaging more than 76 points per game up to that point.

It was a tough shooting night for fifth-year guard and Oakboro native Taylan Rowe, who has posted a team-high 29.5 minutes played per game. Rowe — a former West Stanly star — was a key player in the Falcons’ 2020-21 season that resulted in a 10-2 record and a USA South East Division Tournament appearance where he scored 19 points in a championship win over Averett.

The Falcons returned to play on Jan. 10 with a road game at Brevard College (4-9, 0-2 USA South) and will now host their first conference home game of the year as Mary Baldwin (7-6, 2-0 USA South) travels to Misenheimer’s Merner Gym on Jan. 13.

P feiffer has faced the Fighting Squirrels only twice in school history. The Falcons had wins of 108-71 and 108-90 last season.

Despite a 43.6% shooting percentage from the field, Pfeiffer’s 60 points were a seasonlow after averaging more than 76 points per game up to that point.

PGA Tour commissioner on LIV: ‘It’s product versus product’

he outlined a 2023 schedule of elevated tournaments that average $20 million in prize money.

The Associated Press

KAPALUA, Hawaii — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan described a landscape Sunday of two rival leagues going down different paths, even as the PGA Tour is still trying to formulate plans for a revamped structure in 2024.

“We’re at a point now where it’s product versus product,” Monahan said.

He spoke in a formal setting for the first time since the Tour Championship in August, when

The PGA Tour began its year at Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded league that Greg Norman launched in June, finished its inaugural year with eight tournaments.

LIV Golf does not resume until Feb. 23-26 at Mayakoba Golf Resort in Mexico, which had hosted a PGA Tour event every year since 2007. The prize fund at each LIV event is $25 million, with $5 million directed toward a team competition.

Including bonuses, Dustin Johnson made just over $35.6 million in eight events.

Outside the ropes, there’s the matter of LIV’s antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, and the tour’s countersuit against LIV. The original lawsuit filed in August is not set for trial until January 2024, with a deadline to file for summary judgment at the end of June.

Monahan said he can only pay attention to what the PGA Tour is doing.

“What they have is very different from what we have,” he said. “We’re going down our path, and they’re going down theirs.”

LIV Golf is known for its 54hole events with no cuts and a shotgun start, combining individual scores with 12 four-man teams. The circuit is still await-

ing word on whether it will receive points from the Official World Golf Ranking.

Outside of the challenge from LIV Golf, the tour is working on a restructured schedule that players hope will have some staying power of a decade or longer. Key players have referred to this year as a bridge to 2024.

The main idea is to bring the best players more often and to give fans a better sense of knowing who is playing and where. LIV Golf, for example, requires its players to be in all 14 events on its schedule, whenever that is completed.

There also is a push for smaller fields. The Sentry Tournament of Champions is the first of five events this year without a cut. The

other is the Match Play in Texas, which could be on its last leg, and the three FedEx Cup postseason events.

Even if the elevated events in 2024 have limited fields, Monahan said he felt it was important that there still be a cut.

“I’ve always felt a cut is important to the sport,” he said. “Depending where we end up in the field, that’s absolutely a consideration.”

Monahan said he expects to announce a fall schedule as early as March during The Players Championship. It will be a chance for some players to secure their status for 2024, and he expects even the top players might want to compete.

The Saudi-backed upstart product starts its second season in late February

The Jackrabbits beat the Thundering Herd for the fourth straight time

Jon Rahm walks across the 10th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event on Sunday in Kapalua, Hawaii.

South Dakota State fullback Michael Morgan is hugged by teammate Jaxon Janke after scoring a touchdown during the FCS Championship Game against North Dakota State on Sunday in Frisco, Texas.

AP PHOTO

AP PHOTO

The Falcons are set to host Mary Baldwin on Jan. 13

N.C. Treasurer delivers over half a million in found funds to state education officials

By A.P. Dillon The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Last week, N.C. State Treasurer Dale Folwell delivered a check for over half a million dollars to State Superintendent

“At a time when so many schools are in need of money and resources, especially in rural and inner-city districts, every penny found to further North Carolina’s educational mission is a blessing,” Folwell said in a press release. “I see that need not only as a member of SBE, but as chairman of the Local Government Commission, which reviews and approves financing for school projects throughout North Carolina.”

Folwell presented a check for $519,029.16 to Truitt and Davis at the regularly scheduled State

Board of Education meeting. The treasurer’s office had identified funds that were the result of unclaimed stock dividends that had apparently been misdirected.

Shares of stock had been issued in the name of “Department of Education State of North Carolina” based on a Prudential Financial group life insurance plan the state board of education had once held.

“Upon the shares and accrued dividends being deemed unclaimed and held by Prudential for the required holding period, the property was placed with DST’s Unclaimed Property Division (UPD), commonly called NCCash.com,” according to the press release from Folwell’s office.

“As keeper of the public purse, a North Carolina taxpayer and a believer in the power of education to change a person’s trajectory in life to achieve upward mobility and the joy of achievement, I am hon-

ored to return this money to its rightful owners so that it can be put to use where it’s most needed,” Folwell said.

Truitt told North State Journal that no decision has been made yet as to what will be done with the newly found money.

Folwell and his office have routinely highlighted the NCCash program for citizens in the state to find out whether or not they have unclaimed funds.

According to the program’s website, $105,158,116 has been returned to citizens in the state between Jul. 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Folwell tells North State Journal $110 million was claimed using the program last year. The largest payout to date was around $1.7 million to a single individual.

More information, including how to find out if you are owed money, can be found at https:// www.nccash.com/.

Elevated US traffic deaths slipped in 1st 9 months of 2022

DETROIT — The number of traffic deaths on U.S. roadways fell slightly during the first nine months of 2022, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths continued to rise.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year, down 0.2% from the same period of 2021.

The agency also estimates that fatalities dropped slightly in the third quarter of the year, the second straight quarterly decline after seven quarters of year-overyear increases.

Agency Acting Administrator

Ann Carlson says in a prepared statement Monday that there’s still more work to do to address a crisis on the nation’s roads. She’s urging people to drive safely and watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state traffic safety officials, said the reduction in deaths is welcome, but it follows an unprecedented twoyear surge in roadway deaths and dangerous driving.

The number of deaths is down by only 65 from January through September. “Today’s news is a small step forward for safer roads,” the group said, blaming the spike in the 2020 and 2021 on

unsafe driver behavior including speeding, impaired and distracted driving and lack of seat belt use.

Fatalities began to rise two years ago when roads were largely empty due to stay-at-home orders in many states. With less traffic, speeds increased as did reckless and impaired driving, leading to a record spike in deaths last year, authorities have said. Many people weren’t wearing seat belts, the government said.

NHTSA says its estimates typically are close to actual numbers. Final figures for 2022 won’t be released until later.

NHTSA said that Americans continue to drive more than during the height of the pan-

demic, with preliminary Federal Highway Administration data showing a 1.6% increase in vehicle miles traveled in the first nine months of last year. As a result, the estimated fatality rate for the period fell to 1.3 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, compared with 1.32 a year earlier.

The number of cyclists killed rose 8% through September of last year, the agency estimated, while motorcyclist deaths rose 5% and pedestrian deaths were up 2%.

Fatalities on rural interstates rose 12% during the first nine months of 2022, and crashes involving at least one large truck were up 10%, according to NHTSA estimates.

But deaths fell 10% on urban

collector and local roads, and dropped 10% among children younger than 16. Speeding-related crashes fell 2% during the period, and decreased 7% among people who weren’t wearing seat belts.

Nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2021, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the roads. The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since NHTSA began its fatality data collection system in 1975.

In an effort to reduce the deaths, the federal government is sending $5 billion in aid to cities and localities to slow vehicles, carve out bike paths and nudge commuters to public transit.

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

Drivers work their way out of Dallas during rush hour, July 1, 2016.

Catherine Truitt and N.C. State Board of Education chairman Eric Davis.

FILE PHOTO

N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell.

obituaries

Donna Love Hobbs

November 3, 1964 - January 7, 2023

Donna Love Hobbs 58, of Locust, passed away January 7, 2023, at Novant Health Mint Hill, NC.

Mrs. Hobbs was born on November 3, 1964 in Stanly county to the late Bobby and Shirley Love.

She is survived by her loving husband Ronald “Ronnie” Hobbs of Locust, Her son Brandon (Melissa) Moose Stepdaughter Lisa (Bobby) Suarez, Stepson Brian Hobbs. Her Sister Michele Love and Stepbrother Alan Carpenter. Nieces; Nicci (Bryan) Kelley and Sierra Bowers.

Grandchildren Weston, Whitney, Jack, Chase, Josiah, Kelsey, Ryder, Bella, Denim, Kailani and Brandon.

She is predeceased by… Her Mother Shirley Barbee Love; Father Bobby Love, and Sister Sherry Love Bowers.

She loved and was very proud of her Son and viewed her nieces as daughters. Donna always filled the gap. To the grandchildren. She was simply Nana Fav. She LOVED her babies with all of her heart. Her grandchildren were her prize possession. Her family was her world. She loved Jesus, She loved her family, and she loved others well. From her husband Ronnie, “Donna was the love of my life, my soul mate. Not a night went by we didn’t tell each other we love you. Every night and every morning. I’m going to miss you so much.”

Francis "Frank" Beckner Fry

May 4, 1953 - January 4, 2023

Francis “Frank” Beckner Fry, 69, of Albemarle, passed away Wednesday, January 4, 2023 in Atrium Health Stanly.

Mr. Fry was born May 4, 1953 in Lexington, NC to the late James Lewis Fry and Mary Frances Beckner Fry.

He worked in real-estate with Century 21 (now Center Town Realty), High Rock Realty, and broker in charge/owner of Advantage Residential Specialist.

Frank is survived by his wife, Rev. Kaye Fry of the home. He is also survived by a son, Zebulon Lewis Fry of Charlotte, NC; daughter, Kathryn “Katy” Elizabeth Fry (partner Jack) of Lexington, NC, and three grandchildren, Grace Fry, Jessica Fry and Bodhi Fry. He was also preceded in death by a brother, James Lewis Fry, Jr.

Virginia Dix Andrews

September 27, 1921 - January 4, 2023

Virginia Dix Andrews, 101, of Oakboro, passed away Wednesday, January 4, 2023 in her daughter’s home.

She was born September 27, 1921 to the late Adam Dix and Lillie Carelock Dix. Virginia was a member of Red Cross Baptist Church. She enjoyed the outdoors, gardening, and writing poems. She loved her grandkids, and she was a friend to all that she met.

Virginia was preceded in death by her first husband, Vernon Smith and her second husband, Harvey Andrews. She is survived by a daughter, Olivia Lambert of New London; three grandchildren, Gina Anderson of Salisbury, Deanna Burleson (Shane) of Albemarle and Randy Lambert (Amber) of Oakboro; eleven greatgrandchildren, Jacob Overcash, Amanda Shugart (Conrad), Owen Overcash, Clayton Earnhardt, Allyson Earnhardt, Christopher Earnhardt, Connor Burleson, Justin Burleson, Cody Burleson, Hunter Lambert and Morgan Mitchell; three great-greatgrandchildren, Linley Shugart, Finley Burleson and Kaleigh Burleson and special family members, Diane Smith and Doris Carpenter. Virginia is also preceded in death by a daughter, Kathy Smith and a sister Esther Huneycutt.

Arthur "Whitey" Burris

August 15, 1934 ~ January 6, 2023

Arthur David Burris, 88, of Albemarle, passed away Friday, January 6, 2023 at home, surrounded by his loving family and caregiver.

Whitey was born August 15, 1934 in North Carolina to the late Vanuel Lee Burris and the late Osia Edwards Burris.

He was also preceded in death by his wife of 54 years, Julia Ann Mayberry Burris; brother Newell Curtis Burris; and sisters, Dorothy Burris Efird and Lula Faye Burris Lamonds .

Whitey was a dedicated Christian that regularly attended East Albemarle Church of God. He was an avid boater and automotive mechanic. He also enjoyed taking beach trips and shopping with the girls on the weekend.

Survivors include son, Charles (Bonnie) David Burris of Albemarle, NC; grandchildren, Brian (Jessica) Burris, Jason (Hannah) Burris, Holly (Matthew) Knotts, Paige (Matthew) Smith; 5 greatgrandchildren and a grand-dog, Sheldon.

Helen Virginia Huneycutt

March 7, 1941 ~ January 5, 2023

Helen Virginia Griffin

Huneycutt, 81, of Locust, passed away peacefully on January 5, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.

She was born March 7, 1941, in Union County to the late Herman Roscoe Griffin and Hazel Virginia Kiker Griffin. She was also preceded in death by her loving husband, Jerry Dickson Huneycutt; her three brothers, Buck Griffin, Larry Griffin, and J.T. Griffin; her three sisters Ruby Griffin, Evelyn Hatley, and Freddie Fink; and her daughterin-law Christie Huneycutt.

She was the best Mom, Mawmaw, and Great Granny.

She is survived by her son Scott Huneycutt, daughter Dianne Earnhardt and husband Steve, and son Jerry Huneycutt and wife Lisa Delane; grandchildren, Hannah Pless and husband Chris, Kayla Marvin and husband James, Adam Huneycutt, Jared Huneycutt, Cameron Huneycutt, Cole Earnhardt and wife Anna, Grayson Huneycutt, William Putnam, Walter Putnam, and Weston Putnam; greatgrandchildren, Caden, Hadley, and baby girl Pless, Alyssa and Analeise Marvin, and Asher Huneycutt; brother-in-law, Robert Huneycutt and wife Nancy; sister-in-law, Clara Jewel Reid and husband Grayson, and sisters-in-law, Hilda Huneycutt and Phyllis Griffin; as well as many extended nieces and nephews.

Lowder

April 6, 1941 ~ January 5, 2023

James Lewis “Lew” Lowder was born April 6, 1941, in Albemarle, NC to Woodrow Wilson Lowder and Sadie Virginia Easley Lowder.

Scott Morton

December 30, 1965 ~ January 4, 2023

Thomas Scott Morton, 57, of Norwood, passed away January 4, 2023 at home.

Scott was born December 30,1965 in Stanly County to the late Thomas Frank and Ruby Nichols Morton. He was a 1984 graduate of South Stanly High School and graduated from NC State University and UNCC. He was a high school teacher. Scott loved to fish, hunt, and golf. He enjoyed all sports.

He is survived by his sister, Ginger Morton Govan (Bo Privette) of Albemarle; nephew, Robby Henderson, III of Albemarle; niece, Jessica Govan (Moe) of Loganville, GA; two great-nieces, Gabriella Henderson and Arianna Govan; two great-nephews, Yaseem and Roman Govan.

He attended Wingate College and graduated in 1961. He continued his education at North Carolina State University, graduating from the School of Textiles in 1966. He served in the North Carolina Army National Guard from 1966 to 1972. He loved the NC mountains and the home and community that he and wife JoAnne retired to and held many family vacations and gatherings.

Lewis was preceded in death by his parents and extended family Crendell Herrin and Judy Herrin.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, JoAnne Herrin Lowder; daughter, JoLynn Lowder Ensminger and husband Ronnie Ensminger of Charlotte, NC.; son, Jerry Lane Lowder, MD and wife Chiara Ghetti, MD of St. Louis, MO.; and six wonderful grandchildren that he adored and that all called him “Gramps”: Haleigh Ensminger, Braiden Ensminger, Kailyn Lowder, Ashley Lowder, Emily Lowder, and Emilio Lowder; brother-inlaw Ronnie Herrin; sister-inlaw Sue Herrin; sister-in-law Shirley Herrin and husband Terry Swanner; and many nieces and nephews.

Jewell Blalock

June 13, 1929 ~ January 6, 2023

Jewell Randall Blalock 93 of Norwood died Friday morning, January 6, 2023 at Trinity Place.

Jewell was born June 13, 1929 in Stanly County to the late Henry and Daisy Deese Randall. She was a graduate of Norwood High School Class of 1947. and a retiree of Collins and Aikman of Norwood. She was a charter member of Memorial Baptist Church.

She was preceded in death by her husband Tom Blalock, her brothers, Tommy and Gurney Randall and a sister Joyce Griffin.

She is survived by her sister Bettie Randall Greene of Midland. Two nephews, Randy Greene (Marsha) of Midland and Carroll Ray Randall of Albemarle. One niece Nina Williamson.

Eva Stein Miller

August 21, 1921 - January 2, 2023

Eva Ruth Stein Miller, 101, of Albemarle, passed away Monday, January 2, 2023 at Trinity Place. Mrs. Miller was born August 21, 1921 in Richmond County, NC to the late Joe Stein and Ollie Wilma Roscoe Stein. She retired from Wiscassett Mill Company, Albemarle. Eva was a member of Oak Grove Baptist Church.

Eva was preceded in death by her husband, James Lee Miller in 1968. She is survived by a daughter-in-law, Carol Russell Miller; eight grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Eva was also preceded in death by her sons, Phillip Miller, Ron Miller, Joe Miller and Steve Miller; a daughter, Wanda Dawn Almond; a brother, Carl Joseph Stein: a sister, Julia M. Hartline; two grandchildren, Kevin Miller and Tina Aiton and a greatgrandson, Brandon Miller.

Ruth Fitten

March 11, 1927 ~ January 5, 2023

Ruth Pinkston Fitton, 95, of Stanfield, passed away on Thursday, January 5, 2023, at PruittHealth -Town Center in Harrisburg.

Ms. Fitton was born on March 11, 1927, to the late James Robert and Ossie Elverson Pinkston. In addition to her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, Odell Preston Casteen; four sisters and seven brothers.

Survivors include, son, Ronald Lee Casteen and wife Kim; son, Michael Odell Casteen; daughter, Bonnie Casteen Gable; four grandchildren; nine greatgrandchildren; brother, Francis "Burt" Burton Pinkston.

James Lewis

2024 contest comes into view with hurdles for both parties

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Both political parties are opening the new year confronting critical questions about the people and policies they want to embrace as the next election speeds into view.

The challenges are particularly urgent for Republicans, who hoped to enter 2023 with a secure grip on one, if not both, chambers of Congress. Instead, an underwhelming midterm election yielded only a thin House majority that exposed fierce intraparty divisions as California Rep. Kevin McCarthy successfully fought for the speakership. And before the end of the month, the Republican National Committee must resolve a divisive leadership battle of its own.

A central figure in virtually everything is Donald Trump, the former president who transformed the GOP more than seven years ago and is still fighting to exert his will over Republicans in Congress, the RNC and Republican voters just as the next presidential primary season begins.

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel acknowledged, in an interview, that her party’s greatest political challenge ahead may come from within as party leaders navigate Trump’s outsized role.

“There’s so much at stake we can’t afford to be divided heading into 2024,” McDaniel said, promis-

ing that the RNC would be neutral in the looming presidential nomination process. “If we are divided, we will lose.”

For now, at least, Democrats appear to be far more united than their Republican counterparts.

But much depends on Joe Biden and whether the 80-year-old president will follow through on his plan to seek reelection. If he eschews another term — and a formal announcement may be months away — Democrats would be thrust into a murky future with no obvious popular alternatives.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who did not rule out another presidential bid of his own, said Democrats are also at a “pivotal moment,” facing cracks in their delicate political coalition among young people, African Americans, Latinos and working-class voters.

“It pains me very, very much that we’re seeing more and more working-class people voting Republican,” he said in an interview. “Politically, that is a disaster, and Democrats have to recognize that serious problem and address it.”

Though many voters may be

tired of the never-ending campaign that is U.S. politics, especially after a high-stakes midterm election in 2022, the tense dynamics guarantee the political spotlight will only burn brighter in the new year. If history is a guide, the opening presidential primary debates are just seven months away. And the debate stage is expected to be crowded — at least on the GOP side. No fewer than 10 high-profile Republicans are actively weighing 2024 presidential bids in open defiance of Trump, emboldened by the growing belief that the former president is as politically vulnerable as he’s ever been.

At the moment, Trump is the only announced candidate in the Republican primary. But a handful of candidates are expected to join by the end of March, while some higher-profile contenders — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, among them — believe they can wait until late spring or even early summer to make their intentions known.

Few believe Trump will be easy to topple in a GOP primary. Already, he has begun to lash out at wouldbe rivals by name, and he maintains a rock-solid grip among the party’s most active voters, who will dominate GOP primary contests.

Still, voters will have several options in a likely field that features DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and outgo-

ing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, among several others.

Steven Law, a key ally of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell who leads the Senate GOP’s leading super PAC, vowed to “play a much more assertive role” in shaping future Senate contests. That’s just as the incoming head of the Senate GOP campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., suggests that his committee will actively play in Republican primaries to ensure that candidates who can be more competitive with the broader general election audience advance. That’s a notable reversal from the committee’s current hands-off practice, which was blamed for elevating candidates who failed to expand their support beyond the base.

On paper, Senate Republicans have major opportunities ahead in red states like West Virginia, Montana and Ohio, where Democrats are up for reelection in 2024. To take full advantage, however, the GOP must avoid the same “candidate quality” issues that plagued the party in the November midterms as a slate of deeply flawed Trumpbacked candidates lost key Senate contests in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

“Recruitment is going to be job one, starting now,” Law said. “The first step is to do everything we can to get the best possible candidate in the field.”

New guidance: Use drugs, surgery early for obesity in kids

By Jonel Aleccia The Associated Press

Children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, including with medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13, according to new guidelines released Monday.

The longstanding practice of “watchful waiting,” or delaying treatment to see whether children and teens outgrow or overcome obesity on their own only worsens the problem that affects more than 14.4 million young people in the U.S. Left untreated, obesity can lead to lifelong health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

“Waiting doesn’t work,” said Dr. Ihuoma Eneli, co-author of the first guidance on childhood obesity in 15 years from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “What we see is a continuation of weight gain and the likelihood that they’ll have (obesity) in adulthood.”

For the first time, the group’s guidance sets ages at which kids and teens should be offered medical treatments such as drugs and surgery — in addition to intensive diet, exercise and other behavior and lifestyle interventions, said Eneli, director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

In general, doctors should offer adolescents 12 and older who have obesity access to appropriate drugs and teens 13 and older with severe obesity referrals for weight-loss surgery, though situations may vary.

The guidelines aim to reset the inaccurate view of obesity as “a personal problem, maybe a failure of the person’s diligence,” said Dr. Sandra Hassink, medical director for the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood weight, and a co-author

of the guidelines.

“This is not different than you have asthma and now we have an inhaler for you,” Hassink said.

Young people who have a body mass index that meets or exceeds the 95th percentile for kids of the same age and gender are considered obese. Kids who reach or exceed the 120th percentile are considered to have severe obesity. BMI is a measure of body size based on a calculation of height and weight.

Obesity affects nearly 20% of kids and teens in the U.S. and about 42% of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The group’s guidance takes into consideration that obesity is a biological problem and that the condition is a complex, chronic disease, said Aaron Kelly, co-director of the

Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“Obesity is not a lifestyle problem. It is not a lifestyle disease,” he said. “It predominately emerges from biological factors.”

The guidelines come as new drug treatments for obesity in kids have emerged, including approval late last month of Wegovy, a weekly injection, for use in children ages 12 and older. Different doses of the drug, called semaglutide, are also used under different names to treat diabetes. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, helped teens reduce their BMI by about 16% on average, better than the results in adults.

Within days of the Dec. 23 authorization, pediatrician Dr. Clau-

dia Fox had prescribed the drug for one of her patients, a 12-year-old girl.

“What it offers patients is the possibility of even having an almost normal body mass index,” said Fox, also a weight management specialist at the University of Minnesota. “It’s like a whole different level of improvement.”

The drug affects how the pathways between the brain and the gut regulate energy, said Dr. Justin Ryder, an obesity researcher at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“It works on how your brain and stomach communicate with one another and helps you feel more full than you would be,” he said.

Still, specific doses of semaglutide and other anti-obesity drugs have been hard to get because of recent shortages caused by man-

ufacturing problems and high demand, spurred in part by celebrities on TikTok and other social media platforms boasting about enhanced weight loss.

In addition, many insurers won’t pay for the medication, which costs about $1,300 a month. “I sent the prescription yesterday,” Fox said. “I’m not holding my breath that insurance will cover it.”

One expert in pediatric obesity cautioned that while kids with obesity must be treated early and intensively, he worries that some doctors may turn too quickly to drugs or surgery.

“It’s not that I’m against the medications,” said Dr. Robert Lustig, a longtime specialist in pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco. “I’m against the willy-nilly use of those medications without addressing the cause of the problem.”

Lustig said children must be evaluated individually to understand all of the factors that contribute to obesity. He has long blamed too much sugar for the rise in obesity. He urges a sharp focus on diet, particularly ultraprocessed foods that are high in sugar and low in fiber.

Dr. Stephanie Byrne, a pediatrician at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said she’d like more research about the drug’s efficacy in a more diverse group of children and about potential long-term effects before she begins prescribing it regularly.

“I would want to see it be used on a little more consistent basis,” she said. “And I would have to have that patient come in pretty frequently to be monitored.”

At the same time, she welcomed the group’s new emphasis on prompt, intensive treatment for obesity in kids.

“I definitely think this is a realization that diet and exercise is not going to do it for a number of teens who are struggling with this – maybe the majority,” she said.

AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., after speaking about his infrastructure agenda under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Covington, Ky.

AP PHOTO, FILE

This image provided by Novo Nordisk in January 2023, shows packaging for the company’s Wegovy drug.

Randolph record

Randolph drops to most-distressed tier in Commerce rankings

The North Carolina Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic wellbeing and assigns each a Tier designation. This Tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3.

County Tiers are calculated using four factors: Average unemployment rate; median household income; percentage growth in population; adjusted property tax base per capita

County Tier Changes

in 2023

Ten counties changed tiers in 2023. Counties moving to a less distressed tier include Avery, Caldwell, Cleveland, Pasquotank and Swain. Counties moving to a more distressed tier include Onslow, Pitt, Randolph, Surry and Transylvania.

#39 Tier 1

Last year - 42

The dental clinic provided by Randolph County Public Health will be returning and expanding with a school-based oral health program, which will include screening and education, thanks to a partnership with Kintegra Family Dental and a $375,000 grant. The new clinic will be located at 2222 S. Fayetteville Street in Asheboro and will be open every Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm. The clinic is set to serve children from a year old through high school who are residents of Randolph County and meet financial eligibility guidelines. Adults who have a dental emergency, such as dental pain or swelling, and who are financially eligible may also be seen for treatment. In addition, the dental health staff will visit all the Randolph County and Asheboro City Schools with the use of a mobile dental unit. The plan is to start off at eight of the schools with the highest number of free or reduced lunches and to eventually expand services to other elementary and middle schools in the future.

Search warrant leads to two arrests and seizure of illegal drugs

A recent series of search warrants issued in Randolph County has led to the arrest of three individuals and the seizure of a large quantity of illegal drugs. According to a press release from the sheriff’s office on December 14, 2022, the Vice and Narcotics Division searched a residence located at 5631 Parinna Drive in Trinity.

During that search, detectives claimed they located and seized fentanyl, methamphetamine, and marijuana. As a result of their findings, charges were brought up against Victoria Elaine Baity and Bret Thomas Doerle. Baity has been charged with felony possession of methamphetamine, felony possession of a schedule II substance, misdemeanor possession of marijuana up to ½ oz., misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia, and misdemeanor possession of marijuana paraphernalia. She was given a $5,000 secured bond. Doerle was charged with felony possession with intent to manufacture/sell/ deliver methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia.

Uses for Asheboro sites remain unclear

Eateries coming to some locations in city

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Plans for the former home of B.B. Walker Company – known to locals as Walker Shoe Company – in Asheboro have been kept mostly close to the vest despite widespread speculation.

There could be something forthcoming after the demolition of the building at the 414 East Dixie Dr. site.

One local real estate agent said the prospects for the location have generated considerable chatter. “There’s all sort of rumors all over town, and they’re all unfounded,” he said.

“It’s going to be a project.”

Either way, just the anticipation for what might be next for the location is fostering speculation.

Meanwhile, the downtown

SITES, page 2

Asheboro City Council updates subdivision review/approval regulations

Social district expanded to add additional businesses

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

ASHEBORO — The Asheboro city council met Thursday with a handful of public hearings on the agenda.

The council approved an amendment to the Zoo City Social District to slightly expand the map and to also make certain clarifications in specific regulations.

“What we are doing here is tweaking the boundaries of the social district just slightly to include possibly as many as four new businesses that want to be included in the social district,” said Mayor David Smith. “We are just trying to get our ordinance in line with what the state expects in addition to adding just a couple of little areas to this blueprint.”

The amendments in relation to the Zoo City Social District also includes further clarification of specific definitions, regulations,

and allowances.

All of the ordinance provisions will take effect on February 1.

The council also approved the closure of a portion of West Pritchard Street that had already been barricaded off.

The council then approved various text amendments that had been submitted for the purpose of updating a broad range of subdivision review/approval regulations.

“The topics include the review/ approval/appeal variance process, a number of technical standards to subdivision regulations, as well as approval expiration time frames for major residential subdivision development,” said Community Development Director Trevor Nuttall.

Text amendments included granting the city council sole authority to issue variances or requests to deviate, changing the formal approval authority for subdivisions from city council to Community Development staff, and adding expiration guidelines for subdivision sketch design plants.

In addition, it also included extending expiration durations for preliminary plats, changing plat certification language and dimensional requirements to improve the accuracy of certification language and reflect changes to the criteria established by state law and the register of deeds office for recording plats, clarification on street lighting responsibilities within new major subdivisions, and establishing private street design standards for larger planned unit developments and other minor changes.

“For the last two or three years, we’ve sat here many nights debating subdivision proposals, what was in the best interest of the future of Asheboro, and what we wanted Asheboro to look like, and this is a big step in the right direction,” Smith said on the amendments.

The council then held three legislative hearings.

The first was a request to rezone property at 564 Cox Avenue.

“This is a request from the

RCPH partners with Kintegra to bring back and expand dental services

NSJ PHOTO

The former B.B. Walker Company building during its recent demolition.

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

US Big Three auto companies commit to making cars that people don’t want

I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD with parents who were of the Greatest Generation. They lived and shouldered through the Great Depression, and then their lives and families were thrown into turmoil on Dec. 7, 1941. My grandfather worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C., and during World War II, my father served in the Pacific Theater.

Both my mother and father made a solemn vow that as long as they lived, they would never buy a German or a Japanese car. No matter how well they were made. They were the enemies. They were the ones who killed nearly half a million Americans. Period.

And that value system was transported to me. In honor of my parents’ values, I couldn’t in good conscience buy a Japanese or German car.

I’ve been thinking that after all these years, I may have to change my mind. The American auto companies, which are so often bailed out by U.S. taxpayers, have made a pronouncement that they intend, in the next few years, to stop making and assembling gas-engine cars. You know, the kind of cars that Henry Ford started rolling off the assembly line 100 years ago at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

Henceforth, virtually all American-made cars will be electric vehicles. Perhaps the corporate brass in Michigan’s auto executive offices thinks this makes them good global citizens. They are all in on the fight against global warming. They may be making a political bet that the federal government and more states are going to go the way of California and eventually mandate that every car produced must be battery-operated. But there is also a good deal of virtue-signaling going on here by the folks at Ford and General Motors.

It’s a free country, and if they want to start rolling millions of EVs off the assembly lines, so be it.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

But it’s one thing to make cars that appeal to members of the Sierra Club and quite another to produce automobiles that the typical buyer wants. And guess what? So far, most people have turned a decisive thumbsdown on EVs. (Incidentally, I’m personally agnostic on electric vehicles. I’ve driven Teslas, and they are wonderful smooth-driving vehicles. But they have problems, too, such as getting stranded with no juice in the middle of nowhere.)

So far, only about 6% of new cars sold are electric vehicles. And polls show that only about half of Americans prefer an EV over a traditional car. Much larger majorities oppose the government telling us what kind of car we can buy.

Incidentally, the one state that far outpaces the rest of the country in EV sales (with about 1 in 5 new car sales being battery-operated) is California. But, hey, Detroit: Sorry, California isn’t the country.

All of this is to say that there’s a decent chance the American auto companies’ shift to all EVs is going to fail. This could even be the most epic failure for American car companies since Ford introduced the Edsel. (For youngsters, that was the 1950s ugly car that nobody wanted to buy.)

Meanwhile, and this is the especially sad part of the story, at least one company realizes the tomfoolery of making only electric cars. And that company is the Japanese automaker Toyota. Akio Toyoda, the president and grandson of the founder of the giant Japanese car company, is going to buck the trend.

“People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” Toyoda recently told news reporters. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend, so they can’t speak out loudly.”

America has become the greatest exporter of destructive ideas

AT THE PRESENT TIME, China is the greatest threat to world stability, Russia is the world’s premier aggressornation, and Islamist groups are the primary exporters of terror and (religious) totalitarianism.

And, for the first time in history, America is the world’s major exporter of destructive ideas.

This is hard for me to write. One of my books is titled “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph.” It contrasts American values with leftist values and makes the case that the American value system is the finest ever devised. I define American values — what I call the “American Trinity” — as “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin for “From many, one”), the three American mottoes found on American coins and banknotes.

No other country has those three national mottoes. The book maintains that any country can adopt those values and any country that does adopt those values will be a good society. Its citizens will be the freest in the world and that country will prosper.

Indeed, those values are the reason Americans have been the freest people in the world, and America has been, far and away, the greatest land of opportunity in human history.

But America has been gradually abandoning its unique value system and is consequently becoming a less free, less humane, less prosperous, and more corrupt country. In fact, at this moment, America is no longer the best country, the exceptional country, it has been since 1776. There may not yet be a better country. But that is cold comfort.

We are in the incredible position of being feared by many other relatively free societies; more than a few European countries actually reject America’s current values. And they are right to do so.

The most obvious example of America in decline is the perverse American doctrines surrounding transgender issues: the sex (“gender”) of any individual is not a given fact, “men give birth,” men who say they are women may compete in women’s sports, and physicians and children’s

hospitals are right to surgically cut off the healthy breasts of young women and even girls who say they are boys.

America’s war on truth, science and children has rendered America increasingly an outlier in the Western world.

More and more European countries are rejecting the perverse worlds of Yale and virtually every other American university, of The New York Times and virtually every other mainstream left-wing medium, of Boston Children’s Hospital and virtually every other children’s hospital, and of the University of Minnesota Medical School and virtually every other medical school.

Switzerland has just announced that as far as the Swiss nation and government are concerned, sex is not “nonbinary.” In Switzerland, there are only two sexes, as has been the case in essentially every civilization in recorded history because that is the reality.

As reported by AP (but apparently not in The New York Times or elsewhere in the mainstream left-wing media), Swiss citizens “are entered into the civil registry as male or female, with no other option.” The Swiss Federal Council declared, “The binary gender model is still strongly anchored in Swiss society.”

Sweden — the American Left’s most admired society until it broke with the rest of the West by allowing its children to stay in school during the COVID-19 hysteria — has also broken with America on the transgender issue. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare ended the practice of prescribing puberty blockers for minors under age 18; and as of December, mastectomies will only be offered in the rarest of circumstances.

Thomas Linden, a head of the National Board, announced, “Young people who suffer from gender dysphoria need to be able to quickly receive an investigation and be offered adequate care measures, based on the health and medical services’ assessments of the care needs. Good psychosocial care is fundamental.”

In other words, if a Swedish teenage girl says she is a boy, Sweden will offer “psychosocial” care, almost never

Toyoda wasn’t done. “I believe we need to be realistic about when society will be able to fully adopt Battery Electric Vehicles,” he explained. “And frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals.”

Toyoda is right on all counts. There’s scant evidence that EVs will reduce pollution levels more than traditional cars — in part because most of the energy for the batteries comes from burning fossil fuels. And because the batteries themselves create waste issues. How can it be that a Japanese CEO is more plugged into the tastes, preferences, and buying habits of American car buyers than those based here at home? (Yes, I know Toyota has many plants in the United States.) You would think that U.S. automakers would understand a basic red, white and blue reality, which is that Americans have a special and long-standing love affair with their cars. They aren’t going to trade in their Mustangs, Camaros, Cadillacs, and trucks for an EV. For many of us, this would be akin to taking away our firstborn.

What’s sadder still is that the Japanese seem to understand American car buyers better than the execs in Detroit. Honda and Toyota were the first to recognize that people wanted more fuel-efficient cars when gas prices more than tripled in the 1970s.

All of this means that if GM, Ford, and Chrysler speed forward with their commitment to convert to 100% EVs, I’m going to have to break my long-standing pledge to my parents to “buy American” and never purchase a Japanese car. The American companies will have given me no choice. Sorry, this is 2023, not 1923, when Henry Ford said you could have a Model T in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.

Incidentally, as this “woke” green energy fad fades into the sunset, as it almost assuredly will, and the American auto companies see their sales crash, they’d better not come begging for yet another taxpayer bailout.

hormone blockers, let alone a mastectomy.

Between Sweden’s new policy on gender dysphoria and its allowing children to stay in school throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, an American must sadly conclude that at this time in history, Sweden cares for its young people considerably more than America does.

In England, last October, the National Health Service (NHS) announced, in the words of the Daily Mail, that “Children who believe they are trans are probably just going through a short-lived phase.” Therefore, logic and morality say, we should not make permanent life-altering changes to their bodies with drugs and surgery.

In addition, “The NHS England draft guidelines are part of the health service’s plan to close the highlycontroversial Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock clinic, the country’s only gender identity service for children. GIDS is scheduled to shut its doors in the spring after a review ruled that the service was unsafe.”

Typical of the changes taking place in the U.K. regarding the transgender issues, Stella O’Malley, a psychotherapist and director of Genspect, an international transgender care group based in England, advised: “Professionals working with children need to... make sure they aren’t inadvertently causing harm by providing short term relief that leads to long term distress... At Genspect... we don’t think changing pronouns helps anyone — it creates more problems than it resolves.”

In France, the National Academy of Medicine has issued a statement advocating “psychosocial support” rather than hormone blockers and surgery for young people with gender dysphoria.

Finland had already enacted a similar policy decision as early as 2020. Thirteen European countries now reject the American “nonbinary” attack on human sexuality and children.

Sadly, with regard to children’s well-being, there are many countries in which American parents would rather raise their child.

I never imagined I would ever believe that. I wish you a Happier New Year.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His commentary on Deuteronomy, the third volume of “The Rational Bible,” his five-volume commentary on the first five books of the Bible, was published in October.

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.”

SIDELINE REPORT

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Bush, Tebow make College Football Hall of Fame Atlanta

Reggie Bush, whose Heisman Trophy victory for Southern California in 2005 was later vacated because of NCAA violations, is among 18 players in the latest College Football Hall of Fame class. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman in 2007, was also elected to the Hall by the National Football Foundation, along with Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon and Michael Bishop of Kansas State.

Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who played at Memphis, was also among those inducted.

NFL Bills’ Hamlin back in Buffalo to continue recovery

Orchard Park, N.Y.

Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin say the Bills safety was moved to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery.

It’s uplifting sign of the remarkable progress Hamlin has made a week after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati.

Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was “doing well.” He was listed in stable condition at Buffalo General Medical Center.

SPORTS GAMBLING

North Dakota considers sports betting outside tribal casinos Bismarck, N.D.

A North Dakota House panel has heard arguments on a measure to allow voters to decide if sports betting should be legalized outside tribal casinos across the state. The committee recommended against passage Monday, but the resolution will get a floor vote later. Supporters say the state could generate millions of dollars in taxes if it legalizes the industry. Opponents say it would worsen gambling problems for a relatively small increase in revenue. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2018 cleared the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting. More than 30 states have legalized it so far.

NBA 76ers’ proposed Chinatown arena gets pushback

Philadelphia Opponents of a proposed sports arena in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood have announced formation of a coalition of several dozen groups that will receive assistance from a national civil rights legal organization. They say the Chinatown Coalition to Oppose the Arena includes more than 40 Chinatown community groups, nonprofits and business organizations.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund says it will look at legal strategies. The Philadelphia 76ers announced plans last summer to build a $1.3 billion arena just a block from the community’s gateway arch with a planned opening in 2031. The development company says it plans to work with the community to help shape the project.

Panthers’ Foreman, Saints’ Davenport trade punches, ejected

The duo had words after rising from the Superdome turf.

NEW ORLEANS — Carolina

running back D’Onta Foreman was having a strong season finale until he and Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport exchanged punches and got ejected in the third quarter on Sunday.

“In the heat of my moment, I kind of lost my cool,” Foreman said. “He (Davenport) did hit me, and at the end of the day I never let any man put his hands on me. But honestly, I’ve got to be better with keeping my cool.”

The scuffle took place moments after Davenport chased Foreman down and tackled him from behind on a 1-yard run on the sixth play of the third quarter.

When Panthers tight end Ian Thomas tried to step between them, Davenport reached around and hit Foreman with an open left hand on the right side of the running back’s helmet. Foreman responded by lunging at Davenport and punching him in the middle of his face mask with his right hand.

Soon afterward, both fifthyear players were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and their ejections forced them to miss the rest of the Panthers’ 10-7 comeback win that left both teams with 7-10 records.

Foreman, who rushed for a career-high 914 yards this season, had run for a team-high 68 yards on 12 carries before his ejection, including consecutive 20- and 11-yard gains on the opening series of the second half. Those runs

kick-started

The

“I was proud of the guys for finishing,” said Foreman, who watched the end from a television in Carolina’s locker room. “That’s part of our DNA.”

Davenport did not start but made three tackles. His absence shortened the Saints’ end rotation to three, with starters Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson being spelled by Tanoh Kpassagnon.

Davenport left the locker room quickly after the game and did not speak to reporters.

“It certainly looked to me like Marcus gave him a little slap or something,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “I don’t know what happened. My thoughts are I don’t ever want us to be put in that po -

sition.”

The other half of Carolina’s backfield duo, Chuba Hubbard, finished with 69 yards on 21 attempts.

“We’ve got to make sure that we keep the team first,” Carolina interim coach Steve Wilks said. “I love and respect (Foreman). He apologized to his teammates. But Chuba stepped up in a big way and did some outstanding things. That’s what this team is all about. When one guy goes down, the next guy is there to pick up the load.”

It was the second time a Saints defensive player was ejected during a home game. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was ejected from a Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay after shoving running back Leonard Fournette, a scuffle that began when Lattimore and Tom Brady yelled at one another after an incomplete pass.

Bears get No. 1 pick after Texans rally for win at Indy

Carolina will pick ninth after a 7-10 season

The Associated Press

CHICAGO — Thanks to an old friend, the Chicago Bears are on the clock for the NFL Draft.

Chicago will pick No. 1 for the first time since 1947 after it lost 29-13 to the Minnesota Vikings in its season finale on Sunday. It was the 10th straight loss for the Bears (3-14), extending a franchise record, and the 14 losses overall also marked the most in team history. The Panthers will select ninth overall.

Even with all that misery, the Bears were headed for the No. 2 selection before Lovie Smith coached Houston to a wild 3231 victory at Indianapolis. Davis Mills passed for three touchdowns as the Texans (3-13-1) rallied for their second win in three games.

It was Smith’s last game with Houston. He was fired by the Texans on Sunday night.

“We wanted to leave the season with a good taste in our mouth and to do it that way where you have to scratch and claw, we’ve lost a few games right at the end, overtime and all of that,” Smith said right after the win. “So it was good to see those guys kind of finish this one.”

The 64-year-old Smith coached the Bears from 2004-12, going 8163 and making the playoffs three times, including a loss in the Su-

per Bowl.

Smith and Houston lost 23-20 at Chicago on Sept. 25. That was the Bears’ last home win of the season.

“You get down to the last game, of course, and I understand the outside things that were out there as far as our football team,” Smith said. “You practice hard this week to win and as you see, it’s one thing to give it lip service.”

Chicago’s No. 1 overall selection should make for an intriguing runup to the first round of the draft on April 27.

“That’s something we’ll talk about in the future,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “I don’t really have a reaction one way or the other right now. Just that I’m focused on our guys and doing the exit interviews for tomorrow.”

Quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis are among the top prospects, but the Bears traded up to take Justin Fields at No. 11 overall in 2021. Fields made great strides in his second season, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushing for 1,143 yards and

eight more TDs. But Fields’ passing ability remains a concern.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter also could be in the mix for the defensively challenged Bears if they stay at No. 1.

The Cardinals will pick third overall, followed by the Colts. The Seahawks hold Denver’s fifth overall pick and the Lions will select sixth with a pick acquired from the Rams at No. 6. The Raiders, Falcons, Panthers and Eagles (Saints’ pick) round out the top 10.

Carolina beat New Orleans in the season finale for both teams

The Associated Press

a 14-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that tied the score at 7.

Panthers won on Eddy Pinero’s 42-yard field goal as time ran out.

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

Snotherly, Payne maintain rapid scoring paces

Randolph Record

HERE ARE SOME notable performances from around area high schools last week:

In girls’ basketball, Southwestern Randolph defeated host Eastern Randolph 59-52, as Jordin George had 15 points.

Still, it was a special week for Eastern Randolph senior Breck Snotherly, who eclipsed the 1,000-point mark with the Wildcats. Plus, she has more points from her time at Winston-Salem Christian.

Snotherly racked up 32 points in the Southwestern Randolph game. The next night, Snotherly produced 21 points when Eastern Randolph defeated host Jordan-Matthews 5811.

She capped the week with 34 points when Eastern Randolph defeated visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy 58-42 on Friday night.

Boys’ basketball

In Trinity’s 88-59 home romp

past Providence Grove, Dominic Payne racked up 30 points, Dylan Hodges had 26 points, and Brandon Campbell notched 18 points.

Payne, a junior guard, reached the 1,000-point career mark in late December.

Davonte Brooks tallied 29 points when Eastern Randolph beat visiting Southwestern Randolph 70-55. Later in the week, Timothy Brower pumped in 22 points to lead five Eastern Randolph players in double figures in a 96-51 drilling of visiting UCA.

Randleman topped visiting UCA 68-42, with Greg Price scoring 22 points. Ashton Troutman’s 23 points paced UCA.

Jerquarius Stanback’s 26 points carried Asheboro past visiting Oak Grove 74-56 in a Mid-Piedmont Conference opener.

Wrestling

Uwharrie Charter Academy, the host school, went 10-0 across

two days in the Pin Down Autism Super Duals.

The Eagles smashed most of the competition. The closest meet came with a 51-21 beating of Southeast Guilford. Lorenzo Alston of UCA went 10-0. Posting 9-0 records for UCA were Jack McArthur, Aldo Hernandez, Carson Robinson, and Grayson Roberts. Corbin Grissom was 8-0 and Jair Ulloa went 7-0, while Brandon Jordan and Caden Bond both won nine matches and Brennan Worrell won eight times.

At Walnut Cove, Asheboro won all five meets Saturday in the Rick Williams Duals at South Stokes.

The Blue Comets won against Patrick (Va.) County (by 42-31), Elkin (63-12), South Stokes (6016), Reagan (51-28), and Starmount (42-30).

Xavier Santos (113 pounds), Diego Gutierrez (120, 126), and Michael Brady (182) all went 5-0 for Asheboro.

Tyshaun Goldson

RACING

Moffitt takes spot in Trans Am Series

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

DRIVER THAD MOFFITT will compete full-time in the Trans Am Series in 2023.

Moffitt, the grandson of Richard Petty, has joined the Scott Lagasse Racing team.

Moffitt and Trans Am president John Clagett unveiled the No. 43 Safety-Kleen Chevrolet Camaro that Moffitt will pilot in his championship effort for TeamSLR.

“I can’t wait to join the Trans Am Series in 2023,” Moffitt said.

“The TA2 class is one of the most competitive places to race in all of motorsports, and it will be great to have a chance to race against the huge fields that include champions like Rafa Matos, Mike Skeen, and Thomas Merrill. The series races at some of the most historic tracks in the country, with high-profile events like the Music City Grand Prix and Detroit Grand Prix. I am so grateful

to have this opportunity.”

Moffitt, 22, is a former Wheatmore student. He’s the son of Brian and Rebecca Petty-Moffitt.

Moffitt spent six seasons in the ARCA Menards Series, earning 10 top-fives and 29 top-10 finishes in 49 starts between the National, East, and West series. In 2022, Moffitt competed part-time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. He’s also the 2016 Southeast Limited Late Models champion.

“I am so proud that Thad is going to be running in the Trans Am series,” Petty said in a statement. “I think it is a wonderful opportunity for him to drive in such a competitive series and learn road racing. I love that we’re able to bring the No. 43 to Trans Am, and it will be so special to see a member of our family race that Petty blue Camaro.”

Moffitt will make his Trans Am debut when the 2023 season begins Feb. 23-26 at Sebring (Fla.)

International Raceway.

To prepare for that debut, Moffitt will participate in preseason testing Jan. 25-26 at Sebring under the guidance of fatherand-son duo Scott Lagasse and Scott Lagasse Jr. The TeamSLR co-owners have combined to win more than 100 races and seven championships across a variety of series and styles of racecars, from paved ovals to road courses to dirt tracks.

“We’ve been very impressed with Thad’s work ethic and his desire to compete,” Scott Lagasse Jr. said in a statement. “TA2 is a great place to learn race craft, and with more and more NASCAR races on road and street courses, it’s an excellent way for drivers to increase their versatility. You can hustle a TA2 car for an entire race, just like qualifying laps. Trans Am is growing, and it gets more competitive each year. There are a lot of great racers, and it takes a lot to win each race.”

Randleman, boys’ basketball

Goldston, a sophomore, had quite a week in a pair of victories for the Tigers.

He rolled up 19 points and six rebounds when Randleman defeated visiting Uwharrie Charter Academy 68-42.

Then came Goldston’s 15 points, six rebounds, and three blocked shots in a 4943 victory at Providence Grove.

Goldston holds team-leading marks of 16.1 points, 7.7 rebounds per game, and 2.1 blocked shots per game.

With an 11-5 record entering this week, the Tigers already eclipsed last season’s eightwin mark.

PREP FOOTBALL NOTES

Brown works on compiling staff before full move

New Asheboro coach finishes duties at Providence Grove

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

CLIMAX – New Asheboro football coach Calvin Brown is still finishing his time at Providence Grove.

While no longer the football coach of the Patriots, Brown is remaining at the school in other roles, including as athletics director, through Jan. 20.

Then he makes the full transition to Asheboro.

In more than a month’s time between his introduction as Asheboro’s coach and completely leaving Providence Grove, Brown said he hopes to have in place most of his new staff with the Blue Comets.

“I’d like to have everything lined up,” he said.

Brown, who spent seven seasons as Providence Grove’s coach, said last month that he hasn’t been involved in the process to hire a new coach for the Patriots.

Oak Grove promotes assistant

Oak Grove hired Rob Creason as its next football coach, promoting him from assistant coach.

He replaces Mark Holcomb, who was the only coach in the program’s six seasons and moved on to become the coach at Bishop McGuinness.

Creason is a physical education teacher at Oak Grove.

Oak Grove is in the Mid-Piedmont Conference along with Asheboro, so that league will have at least two new football coaches in 2023.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL Randleman’s Tyshaun Goldston puts up a shot against South Davidson in last month’s holiday tournament.

RANDOLPH RECORD

Calvin Brown

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Eastern Randolph’s Brecken Snotherly prepares to launch a shot last week against Uwharrie Charter Academy.

Thad Moffitt, left, poses with his grandfather Richard Petty in connection with the announcement regarding the young driver’s next opportunity.

N.C. Treasurer delivers over half a million in found funds to state education officials

By A.P. Dillon The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Last week, N.C. State Treasurer Dale Folwell delivered a check for over half a million

“At a time when so many schools are in need of money and resources, especially in rural and inner-city districts, every penny found to further North Carolina’s educational mission is a blessing,” Folwell said in a press release. “I see that need not only as a member of SBE, but as chairman of the Local Government Commission, which reviews and approves financing for school projects throughout North Carolina.”

Folwell presented a check for $519,029.16 to Truitt and Davis at the regularly scheduled State

Board of Education meeting. The treasurer’s office had identified funds that were the result of unclaimed stock dividends that had apparently been misdirected.

Shares of stock had been issued in the name of “Department of Education State of North Carolina” based on a Prudential Financial group life insurance plan the state board of education had once held.

“Upon the shares and accrued dividends being deemed unclaimed and held by Prudential for the required holding period, the property was placed with DST’s Unclaimed Property Division (UPD), commonly called NCCash.com,” according to the press release from Folwell’s office.

“As keeper of the public purse, a North Carolina taxpayer and a believer in the power of education to change a person’s trajectory in life to achieve upward mobility and the joy of achievement, I am hon-

ored to return this money to its rightful owners so that it can be put to use where it’s most needed,” Folwell said.

Truitt told North State Journal that no decision has been made yet as to what will be done with the newly found money.

Folwell and his office have routinely highlighted the NCCash program for citizens in the state to find out whether or not they have unclaimed funds.

According to the program’s website, $105,158,116 has been returned to citizens in the state between Jul. 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Folwell tells North State Journal $110 million was claimed using the program last year. The largest payout to date was around $1.7 million to a single individual.

More information, including how to find out if you are owed money, can be found at https:// www.nccash.com/.

Elevated US traffic deaths slipped in 1st 9 months of 2022

DETROIT — The number of traffic deaths on U.S. roadways fell slightly during the first nine months of 2022, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths continued to rise.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year, down 0.2% from the same period of 2021.

The agency also estimates that fatalities dropped slightly in the third quarter of the year, the second straight quarterly decline after seven quarters of year-over-year increases.

Agency Acting Administra-

tor Ann Carlson says in a prepared statement Monday that there’s still more work to do to address a crisis on the nation’s roads. She’s urging people to drive safely and watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state traffic safety officials, said the reduction in deaths is welcome, but it follows an unprecedented two-year surge in roadway deaths and dangerous driving.

The number of deaths is down by only 65 from January through September. “Today’s news is a small step forward for safer roads,” the group said, blaming the spike in

the 2020 and 2021 on unsafe driver behavior including speeding, impaired and distracted driving and lack of seat belt use.

Fatalities began to rise two years ago when roads were largely empty due to stay-at-home orders in many states. With less traffic, speeds increased as did reckless and impaired driving, leading to a record spike in deaths last year, authorities have said. Many people weren’t wearing seat belts, the government said.

NHTSA says its estimates typically are close to actual numbers. Final figures for 2022 won’t be released until later.

NHTSA said that Americans continue to drive more than during

the height of the pandemic, with preliminary Federal Highway Administration data showing a 1.6% increase in vehicle miles traveled in the first nine months of last year. As a result, the estimated fatality rate for the period fell to 1.3 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, compared with 1.32 a year earlier.

The number of cyclists killed rose 8% through September of last year, the agency estimated, while motorcyclist deaths rose 5% and pedestrian deaths were up 2%.

Fatalities on rural interstates rose 12% during the first nine months of 2022, and crashes involving at least one large truck were up 10%, according to NHTSA estimates.

But deaths fell 10% on urban col-

lector and local roads, and dropped 10% among children younger than 16. Speeding-related crashes fell 2% during the period, and decreased 7% among people who weren’t wearing seat belts.

Nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2021, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the roads. The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since NHTSA began its fatality data collection system in 1975.

In an effort to reduce the deaths, the federal government is sending $5 billion in aid to cities and localities to slow vehicles, carve out bike paths and nudge commuters to public transit.

The Associated Press

FILE PHOTO

N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell.

Drivers work their way out of Dallas during rush hour, July 1, 2016.

AP PHOTO

obituaries

Helen Marie Allred

March 20, 1936 — January 8, 2023

Helen Marie Carter Allred, 86, went to be with the Lord on January 8, 2023 at her home surrounded by her family. She was born in Randolph County to Robert and Lucy Owens Carter.

She worked at Commonwealth Hosiery Mills for 25 years. She loved her family and always took great care of them. She enjoyed going to camp meetings, gardening, and sewing. She is preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Jessie Allred, parents, brothers: Aubrey, George, Robert, Folger, and Bruce Carter; and sisters: Shirley Boyd, and Lucille Stevens.

She is survived by her daughters: Sara Bumby (Harold), Rose Mary Rose (Doug), and Ruth Ann Huffman (Ed), son: Gurney Allred (Carol).

Grandchildren: Amanda Allred, Cheryl Posten, Harold Bumby III, Karen Austin, Kristi Borgman, Leah Schlesselman, Esther Martian, Jessica, Angela, and Shanti Rose, and Emily Bennett.

Great-grandchildren: Nicholas Allred, Tommy, Jacob, and Bethany Posten, CJ Brogden, Evie and Sylvia Austin, and Josiah, Archer, Reynah, and Ronan Bumby. Sister Alpha Routh, and Brother James Carter.

Daniel Thomas Phillips

May 3, 1954 — January 7, 2023

Danny Phillips, age 68, of Hamlet, NC died on Saturday, Jan. 7th, 2023 at Richmond Co. Hospice Haven. Danny was born in Boston, Mass on May 3rd, 1954 to John F. (Jack) Phillips and Geraldine (Gerry) Muse Phillips. Dan ingested lead based paint as a toddler as he was teething. He began experiencing seizures and was not expected to live. By God's grace and medical miracles, he survived, but with significant cognitive disabilities/mental retardation. He resided in a State Hospital outside of Boston, Mass for many of his formative years until 1967 when he was reunited with his family in Hollywood, Fla.

Dan was an active participant in the NC Special Olympics. He won several gold medals for bowling and track & field events. He also enjoyed making latch-hook rugs and giving them away after he completed one. He counted the days until his birthday every year and looked forward to receiving a birthday card from one of his brothers with a dollar bill in it. He thought he was rich.

Danny was predeceased by his mother, Gerry Muse Phillips and his brother and sister-in-law, Doug and Debbie Phillips. He is survived by his father, John F. (Jack) Phillips of Carthage, NC; his sister, Dovie Phillips Thole (Will) of Charlotte, NC; his brother David Phillips (Roseanne) of Etowah, NC; and his brother, Dean Phillips (Stephanie) of Green Mountain, NC. Dan had many nieces, nephews, and grand nieces and nephews including Brianna Brizo-Phillips, age 4, who said "his Mama is waiting for him" when she learned of his imminent passing.

Char Ann VerBryck Lee

April 16, 1945 — January 1, 2023

On January 1, 2023, Char VerBryck Lee, age 77, left this earth. She was born Char Ann VerBryck, on April 16, 1945, and raised in Fort Wayne Indiana by her parents Bill and Dorothea VerBryck.

Char is survived by her husband William Lee, stepdaughter Tia Lee, sister Marica VerBryck Kane and brother-in-law Jim Kane, three grandchildren and a niece and two nephews.

Char was best known for her sense of style and attention to detail. She spent her career as the CFO of several hydroelectric projects developed by William H. Lee, her husband of 50 years.

Char was a member of the Good Shepherd Church where she enjoyed singing in the choir for many years. She was a long-time member of the Weed and Wind Garden Club and the Thursday Study Book Club. She loved animals, gardening and interior design and cooking wonderful meals for family and friends.

Charlotte Richards Hall

January 26, 1927 — January 5, 2023

Charlotte Richards Hall, 95, of Bear Creek, passed away on Thursday, January 5, 2023 surrounded by her loved ones at her home.

Mrs. Hall was born in Johnston County, Rhode Island, on January 26, 1927, the daughter of James Henry and Eva May Bailie Richards.

Charlotte loved to paint, and crochet. She enjoyed going out to lunch with her friends. Charlotte spent many hours working in her garden, and sitting back with a good book. In addition to her parents, Charlotte is preceded in death by her husband, William V. Hall, Jr.

She is survived by her sons, William "Bill" Hall and wife Linda of Florence, SC, and James Richards Hall and wife Cindy of Snow Camp; daughter, Melanie Leonard and husband Don of Asheboro; grandchildren, Stacy White (Chad) of Florence, SC, Steven Blackmon (April) of Siler City, Courtney Thomas (Josh) of Norfolk, VA, Glenn Nicks (Dara) of Chesapeake, VA; and great grandchildren, Kaylie, Eli, Gabe, Sean, Sasha, Javier, Victoria, Andrea, Kate, Tanner and Tucker; and great-great grandchild, Auggie.

Amber French

November 7, 1991 - January 5, 2023

Amber Elizabeth French, 31, of Randleman, died suddenly, Thursday, January 5, 2023, from injuries sustained from an automobile accident.

Amber was born in Rockingham County, NC on November 7, 1991. She was a graduate of Randleman High School. She loved her family and friends, but her boys were her everything.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Mike and Renee Lackey and Michael Phillips.

Surviving are her sons, Mason Shumaker and Lyric Lewis; mother and stepfather, Kristin and Allen Cox; father and stepmother, Dorian and Errin French; sisters, Brittney Aviles (Joel), Cassidy Cox (Lee), Gracie Cox, Natalie Cox, Alyssa French; grandparents, Linda Phillips, Jay and Connee French; and aunts, Laura WIlliams and Stephanie Schwartz.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. (But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." (1Corinthians 13: 4-8)

Dorothy Jean Steed Welch Horney

March 14, 1927 — January 1, 2023

Dorothy Jean Steed Welch Horney, 95, of Siler City passed away peacefully on January 1, 2023, at Universal Health Care, Ramseur, NC.

Mrs. Horney was born on March 14, 1927, in Broadway, NC to William Penn Steed and Nora Tillman Thomas Steed. She spent her early life in Greensboro, NC before making Chatham County her home. She was preceded in death by her parents, her first husband, Clyde Welch, her husband of 52 years: Harry Lee Horney; daughter: Jeanne W. Stone; and her many brothers and sisters.

Jean was a member of Brush Creek Baptist Church for over 70 years. She served and led many of the church’s committees, sang in the choir and taught Sunday School for decades. She worked alongside her husband, Harry Lee, and his brothers and wives to build Carolina Stockyard into one of the largest livestock auction companies in the southeast.

She is survived by her son, Mike Welch and wife Wanda of Carlsbad, NM; daughter, Patty Neinast and husband Mark of Gastonia, NC; son in law: Jerry Stone of Siler City; grandchildren: Michael Welch and wife Deanna, Wendy Welch Chesser and husband Rev. Rody Chesser, John Gaddy, Jason Gaddy, Jessica Stone Roman and husband Junior Roman, Justin Stone, Will Neinast and wife, Kathryn Painter Neinast, and Dr. Claire Neinast Quinn and husband, Jake Quinn; 22 great grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

The Phillips family is very thankful for Rita Rape-Kerr and her husband Dennis who cared for Danny in their home in Hamlet, NC for the past 12 years. Rita was Danny's Mama 2." She and Dennis loved him as one of their own. His room was Panther's Blue. He especially loved going camping and on cruises with them.

Robert Elliott Frickey, Jr.

December 13, 1940 — December 30, 2022

Robert “Bob” Elliott Frickey, Jr., 82, passed away at UNC Rex Hospital on December 30, 2022 of complications from Parkinson’s disease, which he bravely fought for over 18 years.

Bob was predeceased by his mother, Mozelle McNiell and father Robert Frickey, Sr., sister Jerry Peterson, and brother Glen Frickey.

Bob is survived by his wife of 46 years, Anne Frickey, sons, Robert Frickey III (Judy) of Sacramento, California, Jonathan Frickey of Greensboro, and Michael Frickey (Tiffany) of Raleigh, and five granddaughters, Elliott, Jacqueline, Margaret, Eleanor, and Charlotte.

Corey Aaron Petrea

January 14, 1991 — January 1, 2023

Corey Aaron Petrea, age 31, passed away on January 1, 2023 at his home.

Corey was born in Statesville, NC on January 14, 1991 to David Petrea and Alicea Snyder. Corey was a proud United States Army Veteran and enjoyed fishing and trying different foods. He loved to help people and had a great sense of humor. Most of all, he was a loving father to his daughter, Harper. Corey is preceded in death by his father, David Petrea; paternal grandfather, Harry Petrea; and maternal grandparents, Roger and Patricia Snyder.

Corey is survived by his wife, Haylie Palmieri of Asheboro; daughter, Harper Petrea of Asheboro; mother, Alicea Howard of Asheboro; and nephew, Josiah Rape of Monroe.

Bob was born on Governors Island in New York City, but spent his early years on a tobacco farm in Harnett County, later moving to Siler City. He graduated from Jordan-Matthews High School in 1959 where he was President of the Student Council.

Bob graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Mathematics. He was employed by General Electric and Lockheed Martin as deep space analyst at Pirinçlik Air Base near Diyarbakir, Turkey. While working abroad, he met his wife Anne in Copenhagen, Denmark where she was working as a tourism guide.

After retiring in 1997, Bob returned to Siler City, staying busy gardening, playing cards especially bridge, and pursuing various small construction projects.

Robert Slone

May 17, 1946 - January 3, 2023

Robert Randall Slone, age 76, of Asheboro, NC passed away peacefully at his residence on Tuesday, January 3rd, 2023.

Robert was born on May 17, 1946. He proudly served his country in the Army and then went to serve in the Navy afterwards. He continued to serve by joining the Randolph County Sheriff's Office and was a deputy for years which he enjoyed. He retired as a policeman from UNCG Weather Spoon Art Gallery, doing what he loved most.

Robert was a beloved brother, husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather who loved spending time with his family.

Robert was a member of Bailey’s Grove Baptist Church. He loved to brag about his granddaughter's accomplishments and took pride in doing so. His greatest joy was becoming a great grandfather to Wyatt Nelson.

Robert was preceded in death by his parents, Geraldine and Kelly Slone; brother, Ronnie Slone; and wife, Sharon Slone. He is survived by his wife, Lucy Slone of Asheboro, NC; sister, Wanda Hanson of Gastonia, NC; daughter, Patricia (Eric) Wilkerson of Greensboro, NC; son, Michael (Trinnie) Slone of Siler City, NC; stepdaughter, Leigh Ann (Will) Issac of Kentucky; step-son, Marvin Christiansen of Iowa; granddaughters, Amanda (CJ) Nelson of Randleman, NC and Madison Beane of Concord, NC, Alexa Christiansen of Iowa; great grandson, Wyatt Nelson; and many nieces and nephews.

Kenneth Grant York

January 10, 1949 ~ January 4, 2023

Kenneth Grant York, 73, pa ssed away Wednesday, January 4th, 2023 at Kindred Hospital. Born January 10, 1949 in Mt. Airy, NC, he was the son of the late Ralph Grant York, and Vera Mae Smith York.

Kenneth graduated Class of 1967 from Randleman High School. He was enlisted in the US Army from 1969-1971 until his honorable discharge. He worked for Coca Cola for 13 years until starting his own company, Y&H Trucking, which he owned and operated until his retirement.

Kenneth enjoyed fishing at the Outer Banks. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Mike York.

Kenneth is survived by his wife of 54 years, Patricia York; son, Kenneth Allen York and his wife Brittany; grandchildren, Dylan York, Savanah York, Makenzie Duvall, Madison Duvall, and Lailah Duvall; and his siblings, Pat Davis and her husband Randy, Janice Pell and her husband Reid, and Dennis York and his wife Sheryl.

STATE & NATION

2024 contest comes into view with hurdles for both parties

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Both political parties are opening the new year confronting critical questions about the people and policies they want to embrace as the next election speeds into view.

The challenges are particularly urgent for Republicans, who hoped to enter 2023 with a secure grip on one, if not both, chambers of Congress. Instead, an underwhelming midterm election yielded only a thin House majority that exposed fierce intraparty divisions as California Rep. Kevin McCarthy successfully fought for the speakership. And before the end of the month, the Republican National Committee must resolve a divisive leadership battle of its own.

A central figure in virtually everything is Donald Trump, the former president who transformed the GOP more than seven years ago and is still fighting to exert his will over Republicans in Congress, the RNC and Republican voters just as the next presidential primary season begins.

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel acknowledged, in an interview, that her party’s greatest political challenge ahead may come from within as party leaders navigate Trump’s outsized role.

“There’s so much at stake we can’t afford to be divided heading into 2024,” McDaniel said, promis-

ing that the RNC would be neutral in the looming presidential nomination process. “If we are divided, we will lose.”

For now, at least, Democrats appear to be far more united than their Republican counterparts.

But much depends on Joe Biden and whether the 80-year-old president will follow through on his plan to seek reelection. If he eschews another term — and a formal announcement may be months away — Democrats would be thrust into a murky future with no obvious popular alternatives.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who did not rule out another presidential bid of his own, said Democrats are also at a “pivotal moment,” facing cracks in their delicate political coalition among young people, African Americans, Latinos and working-class voters.

“It pains me very, very much that we’re seeing more and more working-class people voting Republican,” he said in an interview. “Politically, that is a disaster, and Democrats have to recognize that serious problem and address it.”

Though many voters may be

tired of the never-ending campaign that is U.S. politics, especially after a high-stakes midterm election in 2022, the tense dynamics guarantee the political spotlight will only burn brighter in the new year. If history is a guide, the opening presidential primary debates are just seven months away. And the debate stage is expected to be crowded — at least on the GOP side. No fewer than 10 high-profile Republicans are actively weighing 2024 presidential bids in open defiance of Trump, emboldened by the growing belief that the former president is as politically vulnerable as he’s ever been.

At the moment, Trump is the only announced candidate in the Republican primary. But a handful of candidates are expected to join by the end of March, while some higher-profile contenders — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, among them — believe they can wait until late spring or even early summer to make their intentions known.

Few believe Trump will be easy to topple in a GOP primary. Already, he has begun to lash out at wouldbe rivals by name, and he maintains a rock-solid grip among the party’s most active voters, who will dominate GOP primary contests.

Still, voters will have several options in a likely field that features DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and outgo-

ing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, among several others.

Steven Law, a key ally of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell who leads the Senate GOP’s leading super PAC, vowed to “play a much more assertive role” in shaping future Senate contests. That’s just as the incoming head of the Senate GOP campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., suggests that his committee will actively play in Republican primaries to ensure that candidates who can be more competitive with the broader general election audience advance. That’s a notable reversal from the committee’s current hands-off practice, which was blamed for elevating candidates who failed to expand their support beyond the base.

On paper, Senate Republicans have major opportunities ahead in red states like West Virginia, Montana and Ohio, where Democrats are up for reelection in 2024. To take full advantage, however, the GOP must avoid the same “candidate quality” issues that plagued the party in the November midterms as a slate of deeply flawed Trumpbacked candidates lost key Senate contests in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

“Recruitment is going to be job one, starting now,” Law said. “The first step is to do everything we can to get the best possible candidate in the field.”

New guidance: Use drugs, surgery early for obesity in kids

By Jonel Aleccia The Associated Press

Children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, including with medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13, according to new guidelines released Monday.

The longstanding practice of “watchful waiting,” or delaying treatment to see whether children and teens outgrow or overcome obesity on their own only worsens the problem that affects more than 14.4 million young people in the U.S. Left untreated, obesity can lead to lifelong health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

“Waiting doesn’t work,” said Dr. Ihuoma Eneli, co-author of the first guidance on childhood obesity in 15 years from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “What we see is a continuation of weight gain and the likelihood that they’ll have (obesity) in adulthood.”

For the first time, the group’s guidance sets ages at which kids and teens should be offered medical treatments such as drugs and surgery — in addition to intensive diet, exercise and other behavior and lifestyle interventions, said Eneli, director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

In general, doctors should offer adolescents 12 and older who have obesity access to appropriate drugs and teens 13 and older with severe obesity referrals for weight-loss surgery, though situations may vary.

The guidelines aim to reset the inaccurate view of obesity as “a personal problem, maybe a failure of the person’s diligence,” said Dr. Sandra Hassink, medical director for the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood weight, and a co-author

of the guidelines.

“This is not different than you have asthma and now we have an inhaler for you,” Hassink said.

Young people who have a body mass index that meets or exceeds the 95th percentile for kids of the same age and gender are considered obese. Kids who reach or exceed the 120th percentile are considered to have severe obesity. BMI is a measure of body size based on a calculation of height and weight.

Obesity affects nearly 20% of kids and teens in the U.S. and about 42% of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The group’s guidance takes into consideration that obesity is a biological problem and that the condition is a complex, chronic disease, said Aaron Kelly, co-director of the

Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“Obesity is not a lifestyle problem. It is not a lifestyle disease,” he said. “It predominately emerges from biological factors.”

The guidelines come as new drug treatments for obesity in kids have emerged, including approval late last month of Wegovy, a weekly injection, for use in children ages 12 and older. Different doses of the drug, called semaglutide, are also used under different names to treat diabetes. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, helped teens reduce their BMI by about 16% on average, better than the results in adults.

Within days of the Dec. 23 authorization, pediatrician Dr. Clau-

dia Fox had prescribed the drug for one of her patients, a 12-year-old girl.

“What it offers patients is the possibility of even having an almost normal body mass index,” said Fox, also a weight management specialist at the University of Minnesota. “It’s like a whole different level of improvement.”

The drug affects how the pathways between the brain and the gut regulate energy, said Dr. Justin Ryder, an obesity researcher at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“It works on how your brain and stomach communicate with one another and helps you feel more full than you would be,” he said.

Still, specific doses of semaglutide and other anti-obesity drugs have been hard to get because of recent shortages caused by man-

ufacturing problems and high demand, spurred in part by celebrities on TikTok and other social media platforms boasting about enhanced weight loss.

In addition, many insurers won’t pay for the medication, which costs about $1,300 a month. “I sent the prescription yesterday,” Fox said. “I’m not holding my breath that insurance will cover it.”

One expert in pediatric obesity cautioned that while kids with obesity must be treated early and intensively, he worries that some doctors may turn too quickly to drugs or surgery.

“It’s not that I’m against the medications,” said Dr. Robert Lustig, a longtime specialist in pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco. “I’m against the willy-nilly use of those medications without addressing the cause of the problem.”

Lustig said children must be evaluated individually to understand all of the factors that contribute to obesity. He has long blamed too much sugar for the rise in obesity. He urges a sharp focus on diet, particularly ultraprocessed foods that are high in sugar and low in fiber.

Dr. Stephanie Byrne, a pediatrician at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said she’d like more research about the drug’s efficacy in a more diverse group of children and about potential long-term effects before she begins prescribing it regularly.

“I would want to see it be used on a little more consistent basis,” she said. “And I would have to have that patient come in pretty frequently to be monitored.”

At the same time, she welcomed the group’s new emphasis on prompt, intensive treatment for obesity in kids.

“I definitely think this is a realization that diet and exercise is not going to do it for a number of teens who are struggling with this – maybe the majority,” she said.

AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., after speaking about his infrastructure agenda under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Covington, Ky.

AP PHOTO, FILE

This image provided by Novo Nordisk in January 2023, shows packaging for the company’s Wegovy drug.

HOKE COUNTY

Hoke improves ranking but stays in most-distressed Commerce tier

#36 Tier 1

Last year - 24

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Bucks varsity basketball teams play against Southern Lee

The Hoke County Bucks girls’ and boys’ basketball teams hosted conference opponents, Southern Lee, last Friday Night in Raeford. In the first game, the lady Bucks lost to the Cavaliers with a close final score of 41-40. With this recent loss, they’ve entered into seventh place in the conference with a 0-4 record. Fortunately, the boys managed to turn the night around, defeating the visiting team 56-43. Salah Sutton led all scorers with an impressive 17 points in the victory. With last week’s win, the boys are now 2-2 in the conference series, making them fourth overall in the 3A/4A Conference 24. Both varsity teams will have conference matchups against Union Pines and Pinecrest this week.

Fort Bragg soldiers investigated for illegal drug activity

Officials recently confirmed that there is an ongoing investigation into possible illegal drug activity among several of its stationed soldiers. Currently, it has not been confirmed what kind of illegal drug activity is currently taking place. The soldiers are, however, assigned to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command unit. According to Special Operations Command, several soldiers were questioned last week and have been released back to their units, with at least two having been cleared. There have not been any arrests or charges filed at this time, though the 13 soldiers who were questioned have their records flagged, which prevents them from engaging in activities like transferring units, moving to another base, or receiving awards.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being and assigns each a Tier designation. This Tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3.

County Tiers are calculated using four factors: Average unemployment rate; median household income; percentage growth in population; adjusted property tax base per capita

County Tier Changes in 2023

Ten counties changed tiers in 2023. Counties moving to a less distressed tier include Avery, Caldwell, Cleveland, Pasquotank and Swain. Counties moving to a more distressed tier include Onslow, Pitt, Randolph, Surry and Transylvania.

N.C. Treasurer delivers over half a million in found funds to state education officials

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Last week, N.C. State Treasurer Dale Folwell delivered a check for over half a million dollars to State Superintendent Catherine Truitt and N.C. State Board of Education chairman Eric Davis.

“At a time when so many schools are in need of money and resources, especially in rural and inner-city districts, every penny found to further North Carolina’s educational mission is a blessing,” Folwell said in a press release. “I see that need not only as a member of SBE, but as chairman of the Local Government Commission, which reviews and approves financing for school projects throughout North Carolina.”

Folwell presented a check for $519,029.16 to Truitt and Davis at the regularly scheduled State Board of Education meeting. The treasurer’s office had identified funds that were the result of unclaimed stock dividends that had apparently been misdirected.

Shares of stock had been issued in the name of “Department

of Education State of North Carolina” based on a Prudential Financial group life insurance plan the state board of education had once held.

“Upon the shares and ac-

crued dividends being deemed unclaimed and held by Prudential for the required holding period, the property was placed with DST’s Unclaimed Property Division (UPD), commonly called

Ex-Sen. Burr: SEC probe into trading over with ‘no action’

The Associated Press

RALEIGH — The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has concluded its investigation of former Sen. Richard Burr related to investment sales early in the coronavirus pandemic without taking any action, Burr said on Friday.

Burr, a Republican who didn’t seek reelection in November after three Senate terms, and Gerald Fauth, the brother of Burr’s wife, had been scrutinized for potential insider trading by the SEC. Fauth’s attorney said separately Friday that the SEC probe of his client is also over with no such trading found.

Burr and other members of Congress had been the focus of public criticism for aggressive trading in early 2020, before the economic threat from the virus

was widely known.

Burr had already been cleared of wrongdoing by the Justice Department of President Donald Trump’s administration for offloading $1.6 million from his portfolio in January and February 2020. But the SEC continued to investigate, according to federal court filings made public in fall 2021.

“This week, the SEC informed me that they have concluded their investigation with no action,” Burr said Friday in a written statement released by his lawyer. Burr, who formally left the Senate on Tuesday as GOP Ted Budd was sworn in to succeed him, said he was “glad to have this matter in the rearview mirror as I begin my retirement from the Senate following nearly three decades of public service.” Fauth attorney Joseph Warin

said separately: “The SEC has closed its investigation into our client. We are thrilled that the SEC and the DOJ appropriately closed their investigations without any findings of insider trading.”

An SEC spokesperson said later Friday that the agency doesn’t comment on the opening or closing of a possible investigation.

A letter dated Wednesday from an SEC regional official to Warin said that “based on the information we have as of this date, we do not intend to recommend an enforcement action ... against Mr. Fauth.”

Both Burr and Fauth were being investigated under the STOCK Act, which makes it illegal for members of Congress to act on inside information gained

NCCash.com,” according to the press release from Folwell’s office. “As keeper of the public purse, a North Carolina taxpayer and a believer in the power of education to change a person’s trajectory in life to achieve upward mobility and the joy of achievement, I am honored to return this money to its rightful owners so that it can be put to use where it’s most needed,” Folwell said.

Truitt told North State Journal that no decision has been made yet as to what will be done with the newly found money.

Folwell and his office have routinely highlighted the NCCash program for citizens in the state to find out whether or not they have unclaimed funds.

According to the program’s website, $105,158,116 has been returned to citizens in the state between Jul. 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Folwell tells North State Journal $110 million was claimed using the program last year. The largest payout to date was around $1.7 million to a single individual.

More information, including how to find out if you are owed money, can be found at https:// www.nccash.com/.

FILE PHOTO

N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell.

Big developers are threatening the essence of Hoke County

HOKE COUNTY has burst into a new life as the community moved on from the isolation of pandemic living. And this was most apparent, at least to this longtime resident, by how many new businesses opened their doors. Downtown Raeford is vibrant, something that has felt absent these last few years. There are new shops, as well as old businesses with new ideas.

But just as it helps to acknowledge the good, identifying the bad is equally important. Right now, the bad is the arrival of developers, who see a thriving, resurgent community, and have come looking to take advantage of it.

At least a dozen stories of unfair development plans are circulating in our community, and all of them embody everything Hoke County isn’t. Perhaps the most instance is the attempt by J and K Contractors to rezone property off of Posey Farm Road from a Residential/Agricultural zoning to Highway/Commercial.

This application, backed by the owner of the company, Jamal Shahbain, was meant to allow them to build a storage center for the company’s construction vehicles and equipment. There were a couple of major flaws, however. One, the application didn’t obey the basic requirements of Hoke County’s ordinance with regard to the kind of road access required. And two, this is a neighborhood filled with children. Children will be leaving for or returning home from school at the same time as their construction vehicles are arriving to or leaving from job sites.

If that isn’t the kind of risk that the county’s planning office should strive to avoid, what is?

And it doesn’t end there. Shahbain, using at least 32 distinct companies he owns or manages, has purchased hundreds of acres of land across the county, most of which is either in the process of or has already been rezoned.

As an immigrant, it might be easy to say he embodies the American Dream, especially given his personal success. The problem is that all evidence – from filing for rezoning on properties his companies don’t own in multi-property bundles, only to withdraw the application when the

actual owner shows up to stop it, to the fact that he filed plans for a “lowincome housing” development with a starting price of $250,000 dollars –points to a single idea; that he is placing profit and personal success above the wellbeing of Hoke County.

I want to see this community grow and reshape itself so that it always matches the wants and needs of the citizens who live here. But this needs to be done safely and sustainably.

When speaking with Alexandra Pecore, resident of the Posey Farm Road community, wife to a disabled veteran, and a citizen leading the charge against the attempted development literally in many of their backyards, she said something that struck me. “[J and K Contractors and Mubarak Shahbain] are manipulating the data to have it say what they want it to say.” I think she has a point.

When all you see and hear is how great it is that Hoke County is growing, it becomes difficult to imagine the negatives, but they are very real. As more land is converted for commercial purposes, Hoke needs to be careful not to forget what makes it special.

Joe Sheets, who started the Posey Farm Road petition, says it best, in my opinion. “I assume that most families that have chosen to settle in this area have done so for the privacy and quiet that comes with living away from the city.”

Even if you didn’t move to a county renowned for its rural lifestyle for that reason, it’s doubtful you want the increased taxes from an inflated property value rooted in overdevelopment. So, the people of this wonderful community, which we all share that we all share, need to manage its growth carefully.

A new restaurant on Main Street in Raeford or a pool off a main road is one thing. It’s something completely different to overtake a quiet neighborhood with big businesses.

As long as this community keeps stepping up to protect what it values, it won’t matter how unreasonable the tactics used are because that’s the real American Dream.

through their official duties to benefit financially.

Burr drew significant attention because he was captured in a recording privately warning a group of influential constituents in early 2020 to prepare for economic devastation. Burr denied trading on private information, but he stepped aside from his position as chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee after the FBI obtained a search warrant to seize a cellphone.

Additional court filings stemmed from the case that had been brought by the SEC to force Fauth, who is a member of the National Mediation

Board, to comply with a subpoena. The agency argued that his close relationship with Burr and a phone call between the two, followed by calls to Fauth’s brokers, made Fauth’s testimony critical. Fauth had repeatedly cited his health as a reason for not complying with the SEC’s request for him to testify.

Burr, from Winston-Salem, was elected to the U.S. House in 1994, where he served for 10 years until he defeated Democrat Erskine Bowles in the 2004 Senate race to succeed thenSen. John Edwards. The mediation board upon which Fauth serves helps resolve disputed labor-management conflicts within the railroad and airline industries.

A weekly podcast getting to the facts across the state, around the world and at home HERE in Raeford, Hoke County, NC.

Hosted by:

Ruben Castellon, Hal Nunn and Chris Holland

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

US Big Three auto companies commit to making cars that people don’t want

I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD with parents who were of the Greatest Generation. They lived and shouldered through the Great Depression, and then their lives and families were thrown into turmoil on Dec. 7, 1941. My grandfather worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C., and during World War II, my father served in the Pacific Theater.

Both my mother and father made a solemn vow that as long as they lived, they would never buy a German or a Japanese car. No matter how well they were made. They were the enemies. They were the ones who killed nearly half a million Americans. Period.

And that value system was transported to me. In honor of my parents’ values, I couldn’t in good conscience buy a Japanese or German car.

I’ve been thinking that after all these years, I may have to change my mind. The American auto companies, which are so often bailed out by U.S. taxpayers, have made a pronouncement that they intend, in the next few years, to stop making and assembling gas-engine cars. You know, the kind of cars that Henry Ford started rolling off the assembly line 100 years ago at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

Henceforth, virtually all American-made cars will be electric vehicles. Perhaps the corporate brass in Michigan’s auto executive offices thinks this makes them good global citizens. They are all in on the fight against global warming. They may be making a political bet that the federal government and more states are going to go the way of California and eventually mandate that every car produced must be battery-operated. But there is also a good deal of virtue-signaling going on here by the folks at Ford and General Motors.

It’s a free country, and if they want to start rolling millions of EVs off the assembly lines, so be it.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

But it’s one thing to make cars that appeal to members of the Sierra Club and quite another to produce automobiles that the typical buyer wants. And guess what? So far, most people have turned a decisive thumbsdown on EVs. (Incidentally, I’m personally agnostic on electric vehicles. I’ve driven Teslas, and they are wonderful smooth-driving vehicles. But they have problems, too, such as getting stranded with no juice in the middle of nowhere.)

So far, only about 6% of new cars sold are electric vehicles. And polls show that only about half of Americans prefer an EV over a traditional car. Much larger majorities oppose the government telling us what kind of car we can buy.

Incidentally, the one state that far outpaces the rest of the country in EV sales (with about 1 in 5 new car sales being battery-operated) is California. But, hey, Detroit: Sorry, California isn’t the country.

All of this is to say that there’s a decent chance the American auto companies’ shift to all EVs is going to fail. This could even be the most epic failure for American car companies since Ford introduced the Edsel. (For youngsters, that was the 1950s ugly car that nobody wanted to buy.)

Meanwhile, and this is the especially sad part of the story, at least one company realizes the tomfoolery of making only electric cars. And that company is the Japanese automaker Toyota. Akio Toyoda, the president and grandson of the founder of the giant Japanese car company, is going to buck the trend.

“People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” Toyoda recently told news reporters. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend, so they can’t speak out loudly.”

America has become the greatest exporter of destructive ideas

AT THE PRESENT TIME, China is the greatest threat to world stability, Russia is the world’s premier aggressornation, and Islamist groups are the primary exporters of terror and (religious) totalitarianism.

And, for the first time in history, America is the world’s major exporter of destructive ideas.

This is hard for me to write. One of my books is titled “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph.” It contrasts American values with leftist values and makes the case that the American value system is the finest ever devised. I define American values — what I call the “American Trinity” — as “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin for “From many, one”), the three American mottoes found on American coins and banknotes.

No other country has those three national mottoes. The book maintains that any country can adopt those values and any country that does adopt those values will be a good society. Its citizens will be the freest in the world and that country will prosper.

Indeed, those values are the reason Americans have been the freest people in the world, and America has been, far and away, the greatest land of opportunity in human history.

But America has been gradually abandoning its unique value system and is consequently becoming a less free, less humane, less prosperous, and more corrupt country. In fact, at this moment, America is no longer the best country, the exceptional country, it has been since 1776. There may not yet be a better country. But that is cold comfort.

We are in the incredible position of being feared by many other relatively free societies; more than a few European countries actually reject America’s current values. And they are right to do so.

The most obvious example of America in decline is the perverse American doctrines surrounding transgender issues: the sex (“gender”) of any individual is not a given fact, “men give birth,” men who say they are women may compete in women’s sports, and physicians and children’s

hospitals are right to surgically cut off the healthy breasts of young women and even girls who say they are boys.

America’s war on truth, science and children has rendered America increasingly an outlier in the Western world.

More and more European countries are rejecting the perverse worlds of Yale and virtually every other American university, of The New York Times and virtually every other mainstream left-wing medium, of Boston Children’s Hospital and virtually every other children’s hospital, and of the University of Minnesota Medical School and virtually every other medical school.

Switzerland has just announced that as far as the Swiss nation and government are concerned, sex is not “nonbinary.” In Switzerland, there are only two sexes, as has been the case in essentially every civilization in recorded history because that is the reality.

As reported by AP (but apparently not in The New York Times or elsewhere in the mainstream left-wing media), Swiss citizens “are entered into the civil registry as male or female, with no other option.” The Swiss Federal Council declared, “The binary gender model is still strongly anchored in Swiss society.”

Sweden — the American Left’s most admired society until it broke with the rest of the West by allowing its children to stay in school during the COVID-19 hysteria — has also broken with America on the transgender issue. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare ended the practice of prescribing puberty blockers for minors under age 18; and as of December, mastectomies will only be offered in the rarest of circumstances.

Thomas Linden, a head of the National Board, announced, “Young people who suffer from gender dysphoria need to be able to quickly receive an investigation and be offered adequate care measures, based on the health and medical services’ assessments of the care needs. Good psychosocial care is fundamental.”

In other words, if a Swedish teenage girl says she is a boy, Sweden will offer “psychosocial” care, almost never

Toyoda wasn’t done. “I believe we need to be realistic about when society will be able to fully adopt Battery Electric Vehicles,” he explained. “And frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals.”

Toyoda is right on all counts. There’s scant evidence that EVs will reduce pollution levels more than traditional cars — in part because most of the energy for the batteries comes from burning fossil fuels. And because the batteries themselves create waste issues. How can it be that a Japanese CEO is more plugged into the tastes, preferences, and buying habits of American car buyers than those based here at home? (Yes, I know Toyota has many plants in the United States.)

You would think that U.S. automakers would understand a basic red, white and blue reality, which is that Americans have a special and long-standing love affair with their cars. They aren’t going to trade in their Mustangs, Camaros, Cadillacs, and trucks for an EV. For many of us, this would be akin to taking away our firstborn.

What’s sadder still is that the Japanese seem to understand American car buyers better than the execs in Detroit. Honda and Toyota were the first to recognize that people wanted more fuel-efficient cars when gas prices more than tripled in the 1970s.

All of this means that if GM, Ford, and Chrysler speed forward with their commitment to convert to 100% EVs, I’m going to have to break my long-standing pledge to my parents to “buy American” and never purchase a Japanese car. The American companies will have given me no choice. Sorry, this is 2023, not 1923, when Henry Ford said you could have a Model T in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.

Incidentally, as this “woke” green energy fad fades into the sunset, as it almost assuredly will, and the American auto companies see their sales crash, they’d better not come begging for yet another taxpayer bailout.

hormone blockers, let alone a mastectomy.

Between Sweden’s new policy on gender dysphoria and its allowing children to stay in school throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, an American must sadly conclude that at this time in history, Sweden cares for its young people considerably more than America does.

In England, last October, the National Health Service (NHS) announced, in the words of the Daily Mail, that “Children who believe they are trans are probably just going through a short-lived phase.” Therefore, logic and morality say, we should not make permanent life-altering changes to their bodies with drugs and surgery.

In addition, “The NHS England draft guidelines are part of the health service’s plan to close the highlycontroversial Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock clinic, the country’s only gender identity service for children. GIDS is scheduled to shut its doors in the spring after a review ruled that the service was unsafe.”

Typical of the changes taking place in the U.K. regarding the transgender issues, Stella O’Malley, a psychotherapist and director of Genspect, an international transgender care group based in England, advised: “Professionals working with children need to... make sure they aren’t inadvertently causing harm by providing short term relief that leads to long term distress... At Genspect... we don’t think changing pronouns helps anyone — it creates more problems than it resolves.”

In France, the National Academy of Medicine has issued a statement advocating “psychosocial support” rather than hormone blockers and surgery for young people with gender dysphoria.

Finland had already enacted a similar policy decision as early as 2020. Thirteen European countries now reject the American “nonbinary” attack on human sexuality and children.

Sadly, with regard to children’s well-being, there are many countries in which American parents would rather raise their child.

I never imagined I would ever believe that. I wish you a Happier New Year.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His commentary on Deuteronomy, the third volume of “The Rational Bible,” his five-volume commentary on the first five books of the Bible, was published in October.

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.”

SIDELINE REPORT

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Bush, Tebow make College Football Hall of Fame

Atlanta

Reggie Bush, whose Heisman Trophy victory for Southern California in 2005 was later vacated because of NCAA violations, is among 18 players in the latest College Football Hall of Fame class.

Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman in 2007, was also elected to the Hall by the National Football Foundation, along with Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon and Michael Bishop of Kansas State.

Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who played at Memphis, was also among those inducted.

NFL Bills’ Hamlin back in Buffalo to continue recovery

Orchard Park, N.Y.

Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin say the Bills safety was moved to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery. It’s uplifting sign of the remarkable progress Hamlin has made a week after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati. Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was “doing well.” He was listed in stable condition at Buffalo General Medical Center.

SPORTS GAMBLING

Bismarck, N.D.

A North Dakota House panel has heard arguments on a measure to allow voters to decide if sports betting should be legalized outside tribal casinos across the state. The committee recommended against passage Monday, but the resolution will get a floor vote later. Supporters say the state could generate millions of dollars in taxes if it legalizes the industry. Opponents say it would worsen gambling problems for a relatively small increase in revenue. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2018 cleared the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting. More than 30 states have legalized it so far.

Panthers’ Foreman, Saints’ Davenport trade punches, ejected

shortened the Saints’ end rotation to three, with starters Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson being spelled by Tanoh Kpassagnon.

The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Carolina

running back D’Onta Foreman was having a strong season finale until he and Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport exchanged punches and got ejected in the third quarter on Sunday.

“In the heat of my moment, I kind of lost my cool,” Foreman said. “He (Davenport) did hit me, and at the end of the day I never let any man put his hands on me. But honestly, I’ve got to be better with keeping my cool.”

The scuffle took place moments after Davenport chased Foreman down and tackled him from behind on a 1-yard run on the sixth play of the third quarter.

The duo had words after rising from the Superdome turf.

When Panthers tight end Ian Thomas tried to step between them, Davenport reached around and hit Foreman with an open left hand on the right side of the running back’s helmet. Foreman responded by lunging at Davenport and punching him in the middle of his face mask with his right hand.

Soon afterward, both fifth-

year players were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and their ejections forced them to miss the rest of the Panthers’ 10-7 comeback win that left both teams with 7-10 records.

Foreman, who rushed for a career-high 914 yards this season, had run for a team-high 68 yards on 12 carries before his ejection, including consecutive 20- and 11-yard gains on the opening series of the second half. Those runs

kick-started a 14-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that tied the score at 7.

The Panthers won on Eddy Pinero’s 42-yard field goal as time ran out.

“I was proud of the guys for finishing,” said Foreman, who watched the end from a television in Carolina’s locker room. “That’s part of our DNA.”

Davenport did not start but made three tackles. His absence

Davenport left the locker room quickly after the game and did not speak to reporters.

“It certainly looked to me like Marcus gave him a little slap or something,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “I don’t know what happened. My thoughts are I don’t ever want us to be put in that position.”

The other half of Carolina’s backfield duo, Chuba Hubbard, finished with 69 yards on 21 attempts.

“We’ve got to make sure that we keep the team first,” Carolina interim coach Steve Wilks said. “I love and respect (Foreman). He apologized to his teammates. But Chuba stepped up in a big way and did some outstanding things. That’s what this team is all about. When one guy goes down, the next guy is there to pick up the load.”

It was the second time a Saints defensive player was ejected during a home game. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was ejected from a Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay after shoving running back Leonard Fournette, a scuffle that began when Lattimore and Tom Brady yelled at one another after an incomplete pass.

Bears get No. 1 pick after Texans rally for win at Indy

Carolina

CHICAGO — Thanks to an old friend, the Chicago Bears are on the clock for the NFL Draft.

Chicago will pick No. 1 for the first time since 1947 after it lost 29-13 to the Minnesota Vikings in its season finale on Sunday. It was the 10th straight loss for the Bears (3-14), extending a franchise record, and the 14 losses overall also marked the most in team history. The Panthers will select ninth overall.

Even with all that misery, the Bears were headed for the No. 2 selection before Lovie Smith coached Houston to a wild 3231 victory at Indianapolis. Davis Mills passed for three touchdowns as the Texans (3-13-1) rallied for their second win in three games.

It was Smith’s last game with Houston. He was fired by the Texans on Sunday night.

“We wanted to leave the season with a good taste in our mouth and to do it that way where you have to scratch and claw, we’ve lost a few games right at the end, overtime and all of that,” Smith said right after the win. “So it was good to see those guys kind of finish this one.”

The 64-year-old Smith coached the Bears from 2004-12, going 8163 and making the playoffs three times, including a loss in the Su-

per Bowl.

Smith and Houston lost 23-20 at Chicago on Sept. 25. That was the Bears’ last home win of the season.

“You get down to the last game, of course, and I understand the outside things that were out there as far as our football team,” Smith said. “You practice hard this week to win and as you see, it’s one thing to give it lip service.”

Chicago’s No. 1 overall selection should make for an intriguing runup to the first round of the draft on April 27.

“That’s something we’ll talk about in the future,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “I don’t really have a reaction one way or the other right now. Just that I’m focused on our guys and doing the exit interviews for tomorrow.”

Quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis are among the top prospects, but the Bears traded up to take Justin Fields at No. 11 overall in 2021. Fields made great strides in his second season, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushing for 1,143 yards and

eight more TDs. But Fields’ passing ability remains a concern.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter also could be in the mix for the defensively challenged Bears if they stay at No. 1.

The Cardinals will pick third overall, followed by the Colts. The Seahawks hold Denver’s fifth overall pick and the Lions will select sixth with a pick acquired from the Rams at No. 6. The Raiders, Falcons, Panthers and Eagles (Saints’ pick) round out the top 10.

Dr. Tony Santangelo, DC, named NC Chiropractic Association Chiropractor of the Year, based on community service & the profression

Carolina beat New Orleans in the season finale for both teams

will pick ninth after a 7-10 season

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

North Dakota considers sports betting outside tribal casinos

Different Dakota: SD State wins 1st FCS title over ND State

ances since the move from NCAA Division II.

FRISCO, Texas — A different Dakota is celebrating a national championship nearly two decades after the border-state rivals moved up together to the Division I level.

“I continue to think back in 2004 and wondering how it was going to work out. Well, this is pretty sweet how it’s worked out,” coach John Stiegelmeier said after South Dakota State won its first Football Championship Subdivision title Sunday.

Mark Gronowski threw three touchdowns and ran 51 yards for another score as the Jackrabbits won 45-21 win over North Dakota State, which lost for the first time in its 10 FCS title game appear -

As a true freshman two seasons ago, Gronowski tore the ACL in his left knee on the opening series of the FCS title game. Now nearly 20 months after a loss in that unprecedented spring finale, and after the quarterback missed the entire 2021 season, the Jackrabbits (14-1) are national champs in Stiegelmeier’s 26th season at his alma mater.

“It’s really a storybook ending for us,” Gronowski said.

Amar Johnson rushed for 126 yards and Isaiah Davis had 119 for his ninth 100-yard game this season, and both scored touchdowns for South Dakota State.

Gronowski, who completed 14 of 21 passes for 223 yards had his scoring run on the third play of the second half to stretch the lead to 38-14.

“We knew NDSU was going to fight until the end of the game,

and we knew that we had to come out in the second half and just start fast, score early,” Gronowski said.

Cam Miller threw for 260 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for the Bison (12-3), who went from Fargo to Frisco for the 10th time in 12 seasons.

“So tough to lose,” Bison coach Matt Entz said. “Not something we like to do, not something we’re going to make a habit of at NDSU. But I’m more concerned about our players right now. ... They’ll bounce back, I know that.”

The Jackrabbits have won the last four meetings between the Missouri Valley Football Conference rivals, all in less than two years. The previous three had been in regular season games for the Dakota Marker trophy that wasn’t up for grabs in the MLS soccer stadium nearly 1,000 miles from the border of their states. Their 114th meeting since 1903

was only the fifth in the FCS playoffs, and first in the title game.

South Dakota State’s only other FCS title game appearance was a last-minute loss to Sam Houston State in May 2021 after the lower-division season was pushed back to the spring because of the

COVID-19 pandemic. The Jackrabbits beat NDSU in that abbreviated regular season, then again later that fall before a 23-21 win last October.

“It means the world to me,” Gronowski said. “There’s no better feeling in the world.”

PGA Tour commissioner on LIV: ‘It’s product versus product’

he outlined a 2023 schedule of elevated tournaments that average $20 million in prize money.

KAPALUA, Hawaii — PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan described a landscape Sunday of two rival leagues going down different paths, even as the PGA Tour is still trying to formulate plans for a revamped structure in 2024.

“We’re at a point now where it’s product versus product,” Monahan said.

He spoke in a formal setting for the first time since the Tour Championship in August, when

The PGA Tour began its year at Kapalua for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. LIV Golf, the Saudi-funded league that Greg Norman launched in June, finished its inaugural year with eight tournaments.

LIV Golf does not resume until Feb. 23-26 at Mayakoba Golf Resort in Mexico, which had hosted a PGA Tour event every year since 2007. The prize fund at each LIV event is $25 million, with $5 million directed toward a team competition.

Including bonuses, Dustin Johnson made just over $35.6 million in eight events.

Outside the ropes, there’s the matter of LIV’s antitrust lawsuit against the PGA Tour, and the tour’s countersuit against LIV. The original lawsuit filed in August is not set for trial until January 2024, with a deadline to file for summary judgment at the end of June.

Monahan said he can only pay attention to what the PGA Tour is doing.

“What they have is very different from what we have,” he said. “We’re going down our path, and they’re going down theirs.”

LIV Golf is known for its 54hole events with no cuts and a shotgun start, combining individual scores with 12 four-man teams. The circuit is still await-

ing word on whether it will receive points from the Official World Golf Ranking.

Outside of the challenge from LIV Golf, the tour is working on a restructured schedule that players hope will have some staying power of a decade or longer. Key players have referred to this year as a bridge to 2024.

The main idea is to bring the best players more often and to give fans a better sense of knowing who is playing and where. LIV Golf, for example, requires its players to be in all 14 events on its schedule, whenever that is completed.

There also is a push for smaller fields. The Sentry Tournament of Champions is the first of five events this year without a cut. The

other is the Match Play in Texas, which could be on its last leg, and the three FedEx Cup postseason events.

Even if the elevated events in 2024 have limited fields, Monahan said he felt it was important that there still be a cut.

“I’ve always felt a cut is important to the sport,” he said. “Depending where we end up in the field, that’s absolutely a consideration.”

Monahan said he expects to announce a fall schedule as early as March during The Players Championship. It will be a chance for some players to secure their status for 2024, and he expects even the top players might want to compete.

The

beat

for

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

South Dakota State fullback Michael Morgan is hugged by teammate Jaxon Janke after scoring a touchdown during the FCS Championship Game against North Dakota State on Sunday in Frisco, Texas.

The Saudi-backed upstart product starts its second season in late February

The Associated Press

Jon Rahm walks across the 10th green during the final round of the Tournament of Champions golf event on Sunday in Kapalua, Hawaii.

AP PHOTO

Kemp done being underestimated, aims to steer GOP past Trump

ATLANTA — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is done being underestimated.

Having vanquished both a Donald Trump-backed Republican challenger and Democratic star Stacey Abrams to win reelection, Kemp is looking to expand his influence in his second term, free from the caricature of the gun-toting, pickup-driving, migrant-catching country boy that emerged during his first campaign for governor.

A new vision of Kemp steering his party toward a non-Trumpian conservatism made its debut in his November victory speech after it became clear that he had defeated Abrams by a much larger margin in their rematch than he had in their tight 2018 matchup.

“This election proves that when Republicans stay focused on real-world solutions that put hardworking people first we can win now, but also in the future, y’all,” Kemp said.

Kemp pledged that night to “stay in the fight” and followed with concrete steps: He kept his political operation running and lent it to the unsuccessful Senate runoff campaign of Herschel Walker, while forming a federal political action committee that lets the governor influence races for Congress and president. He hasn’t ruled out running for the U.S. Senate in 2026 or even seeking the White House.

Beyond his own advancement, Kemp’s victory could provide a blueprint for Republicans in competitive states after voters rejected many of the Trump-molded candidates in 2022. It’s a less showy approach, aimed at luring inde -

pendents and moderates while still achieving conservative policy goals.

“If Republicans looking forward are focused on winning, I think a lot of folks will be calling Gov. Kemp and wanting his advice, but also trying to replicate the things he did here,” said Cody Hall, Kemp’s political adviser.

Kemp, now 59, was a real estate developer and state senator before Gov. Sonny Perdue appointed him secretary of state in 2010. Eight years later, Kemp was on his way to defeating an establishment candidate for the GOP nomination for governor when Trump’s endorsement supercharged his campaign, which focused on gun

rights and opposition to illegal immigration.

After Kemp defeated Abrams in the 2018 general election by just 1.4 percentage points, she accused him of using the secretary of state’s office to improperly purge likely Democratic voters. A federal court later rejected legal claims questioning Kemp’s actions.

In his first term, Kemp logged some big conservative achievements, including signing stringent abortion limits in 2019. He also made a diverse slate of appointments and kept his promise of $5,000 raises for public school teachers, moves aimed at solidifying his appeal to the middle in an anticipated Abrams rematch.

Kemp’s relationship with Trump began to deteriorate after the governor appointed Kelly Loeffler to the Senate instead of Trump’s preferred pick. Trump later took shots at Kemp over his decision to reopen businesses early in the COVID-19 pandemic, and the president’s rage boiled over when Kemp refused to help Trump and his allies overturn Joe Biden’s narrow victory in Georgia in the 2020 election — efforts that are now the subject of investigations by state and federal prosecutors.

Trump vowed revenge against Kemp, but the governor pressed forward. In 2021, Kemp signed into law a sweeping Republican-sponsored overhaul of state elections inspired by Trump’s false claims of fraud in the 2020 election. He also pushed through a bill loosening gun laws.

Trump endorsed former Sen. David Perdue as a primary challenger to the governor. Kemp, who never publicly challenged Trump or even responded directly to his tirades, ended up crushing Perdue in the primary. In the meantime, his distance from Trump provided Kemp with credibility among independents and even some Democrats.

“It’s just given him a gravitas you can’t buy,” said Brian Robinson, a Republican political consultant.

Even some Democrats acknowledge Kemp’s increasing political strength after his nearly 8 percentage-point victory over Abrams. State Rep. Al Williams, long close to Abrams, said Kemp is “at the height of his powers” going into a second term.

Steven Law, who leads the political action committee aligned

with Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, said Kemp did what savvy political heavyweights do: He helped his party while establishing and protecting his own brand.

“We’ve had a party where Trump has had a decisive gravitational pull, and here’s a person in Brian Kemp who just stayed apart from that orbit, made his own calls, decided things his way — not in opposition to Trump, but at the same time not in obedience to him,” Law said, calling Kemp’s balancing act “remarkable.”

Kemp’s future political path remains unclear, but he has options.

In Georgia, he’s never been identified as having open national ambitions, either for the presidency or Senate, and Robinson noted that Kemp “has never spoken of Washington fondly.”

Law demurred when asked whether McConnell or his team has broached the possibility of Kemp running for the Senate in 2026, when Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff would face voters again.

There’s also the possibility of a vice presidential bid or a future Cabinet post. Perhaps most likely is a larger role in the Republican Governors Association: He’s now on the RGA’s executive committee and could become chair in 2025 or 2026.

Hall said Kemp wants to help other states elect conservatives who advocate “freedom and liberty and personal responsibility” while promoting education, a strong economy and good jobs. “Whatever he can do to help more folks like that get elected, I’m sure he will,” Hall said.

The governor could also take firmer control of GOP machinery if he backs an effort to push out Georgia Republican Chair David Shafer, a Trump ally.

“He is carrying around bags of political capital like the Monopoly man,” Robinson said, marveling at what he calls Kemp’s “clear and very empowering” mandates from the primary and general election. “Go ahead and put a monocle and top hat on him.”

Elevated US traffic deaths slipped in 1st 9 months of 2022

DETROIT — The number of traffic deaths on U.S. roadways fell slightly during the first nine months of 2022, but pedestrian and cyclist deaths continued to rise.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 31,785 people were killed in crashes from January through September last year, down 0.2% from the same period of 2021.

The agency also estimates that fatalities dropped slightly in the third quarter of the year, the second straight quarterly decline after seven quarters of year-overyear increases.

Agency Acting Administrator Ann Carlson says in a prepared statement Monday that there’s still more work to do to address a crisis on the nation’s roads. She’s urging people to drive safely and watch out for vulnerable road users such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

The Governors Highway Safety Association, a group of state traffic safety officials, said the re -

duction in deaths is welcome, but it follows an unprecedented twoyear surge in roadway deaths and dangerous driving.

The number of deaths is down

by only 65 from January through September. “Today’s news is a small step forward for safer roads,” the group said, blaming the spike in the 2020 and 2021 on

unsafe driver behavior including speeding, impaired and distracted driving and lack of seat belt use.

Fatalities began to rise two years ago when roads were largely empty due to stay-at-home orders in many states. With less traffic, speeds increased as did reckless and impaired driving, leading to a record spike in deaths last year, authorities have said. Many people weren’t wearing seat belts, the government said.

NHTSA says its estimates typically are close to actual numbers. Final figures for 2022 won’t be released until later.

NHTSA said that Americans continue to drive more than during the height of the pandemic, with preliminary Federal Highway Administration data showing a 1.6% increase in vehicle miles traveled in the first nine months of last year. As a result, the estimated fatality rate for the period fell to 1.3 deaths per 100 million miles traveled, compared with 1.32 a year earlier.

The number of cyclists killed rose 8% through September of

last year, the agency estimated, while motorcyclist deaths rose 5% and pedestrian deaths were up 2%.

Fatalities on rural interstates rose 12% during the first nine months of 2022, and crashes involving at least one large truck were up 10%, according to NHTSA estimates.

But deaths fell 10% on urban collector and local roads, and dropped 10% among children younger than 16. Speeding-related crashes fell 2% during the period, and decreased 7% among people who weren’t wearing seat belts.

Nearly 43,000 people were killed on U.S. roads in 2021, the highest number in 16 years as Americans returned to the roads. The 10.5% jump over 2020 numbers was the largest percentage increase since NHTSA began its fatality data collection system in 1975.

In an effort to reduce the deaths, the federal government is sending $5 billion in aid to cities and localities to slow vehicles, carve out bike paths and nudge commuters to public transit.

The Associated Press

AP PHOTO

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp speaks at The Neighborhood Lot on July 29, 2022, in McDonough, Ga.

AP PHOTO

Drivers work their way out of Dallas during rush hour.

James (Frank) Baker

December 8, 1938 ~ January 9, 2023

Mr. James Franklin (Frank) Baker of Raeford NC went to be with his Lord and Savior on January 09, 2023, at the age of 84.

Frank was born in Cumberland County on December 08, 1938, to the late Wilbur and Gertrude Baker.

He was a member of the Raeford United Methodist Church, and a board member of the Hoke County Parks and Recreation where he also line danced. In his spare time, he enjoyed cooking at the church, singing in the church choir, and community choir. Frank was an ECU alumnus and avid fan. To relax, he loved to sit in his swing under the beach house, enjoying the breeze. He was loved by his family and friends in the community and will be missed dearly.

Frank is survived by his wife Joan Baker; three sons, Michael Baker of Pinehurst, Jeff Baker of Fayetteville, and Doug Baker (Julie) of Raeford; four grandchildren, Caroline, Chloe, Cutler, and Saige; and a brother, Tommy Baker (Lucy) of Lillington.

Evelyn (Miller) Thompson

1944 ~ 2023

Ms. Evelyn Thompson age, 78 went home to rest with her heavenly father on January 6, 2023. She was preceded in death by her husband Raymond D. Thompson.

She leaves to cherish her loving memories her daughter, Alice Eva Thompson; son, Larry D. Miller; ten grandchildren along with a host of other family and friends. Evelyn will be greatly missed.

Dixie Martin Wagers

February 1, 1955 ~ January 5, 2023

Mrs. Dixie Martin Wagers of Parkton, NC passed away on January 5, 2023, at the age of 67.

Dixie was born in Madison County Iowa on February 1, 1955, to the late Philip and Diana Martin.

She is preceded in death by her first husband, George Thackeray Sr., and her brother Daniel Martin.

She loved quilting and was part of a local quilting group called “The Blockheads”. She was a wonderful grandmother and adored her grandchildren.

Dixie is survived by her husband, Terry Wagers; two siblings, Douglas Martin (Ginny) of Zebulon, NC, and Deborah Martin of Zebulon, NC; two sons, George Thackeray Jr. of Parkton, NC, and Geoffrey Thackeray (Lydia) of Parkton, NC; a daughter, Rachel Hensley (James) of Kingstree, SC.; an adopted daughter, Tiffany Carlisle of Texas; and a multitude of grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom she treated like her own children.

STATE & NATION

2024 contest comes into view with hurdles for both parties

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Both political parties are opening the new year confronting critical questions about the people and policies they want to embrace as the next election speeds into view.

The challenges are particularly urgent for Republicans, who hoped to enter 2023 with a secure grip on one, if not both, chambers of Congress. Instead, an underwhelming midterm election yielded only a thin House majority that exposed fierce intraparty divisions as California Rep. Kevin McCarthy successfully fought for the speakership. And before the end of the month, the Republican National Committee must resolve a divisive leadership battle of its own.

A central figure in virtually everything is Donald Trump, the former president who transformed the GOP more than seven years ago and is still fighting to exert his will over Republicans in Congress, the RNC and Republican voters just as the next presidential primary season begins.

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel acknowledged, in an interview, that her party’s greatest political challenge ahead may come from within as party leaders navigate Trump’s outsized role.

“There’s so much at stake we can’t afford to be divided heading into 2024,” McDaniel said, promis-

ing that the RNC would be neutral in the looming presidential nomination process. “If we are divided, we will lose.”

For now, at least, Democrats appear to be far more united than their Republican counterparts.

But much depends on Joe Biden and whether the 80-year-old president will follow through on his plan to seek reelection. If he eschews another term — and a formal announcement may be months away — Democrats would be thrust into a murky future with no obvious popular alternatives.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who did not rule out another presidential bid of his own, said Democrats are also at a “pivotal moment,” facing cracks in their delicate political coalition among young people, African Americans, Latinos and working-class voters.

“It pains me very, very much that we’re seeing more and more working-class people voting Republican,” he said in an interview. “Politically, that is a disaster, and Democrats have to recognize that serious problem and address it.”

Though many voters may be

tired of the never-ending campaign that is U.S. politics, especially after a high-stakes midterm election in 2022, the tense dynamics guarantee the political spotlight will only burn brighter in the new year. If history is a guide, the opening presidential primary debates are just seven months away. And the debate stage is expected to be crowded — at least on the GOP side. No fewer than 10 high-profile Republicans are actively weighing 2024 presidential bids in open defiance of Trump, emboldened by the growing belief that the former president is as politically vulnerable as he’s ever been.

At the moment, Trump is the only announced candidate in the Republican primary. But a handful of candidates are expected to join by the end of March, while some higher-profile contenders — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, among them — believe they can wait until late spring or even early summer to make their intentions known.

Few believe Trump will be easy to topple in a GOP primary. Already, he has begun to lash out at wouldbe rivals by name, and he maintains a rock-solid grip among the party’s most active voters, who will dominate GOP primary contests.

Still, voters will have several options in a likely field that features DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and outgo-

ing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, among several others.

Steven Law, a key ally of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell who leads the Senate GOP’s leading super PAC, vowed to “play a much more assertive role” in shaping future Senate contests. That’s just as the incoming head of the Senate GOP campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., suggests that his committee will actively play in Republican primaries to ensure that candidates who can be more competitive with the broader general election audience advance. That’s a notable reversal from the committee’s current hands-off practice, which was blamed for elevating candidates who failed to expand their support beyond the base.

On paper, Senate Republicans have major opportunities ahead in red states like West Virginia, Montana and Ohio, where Democrats are up for reelection in 2024. To take full advantage, however, the GOP must avoid the same “candidate quality” issues that plagued the party in the November midterms as a slate of deeply flawed Trumpbacked candidates lost key Senate contests in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

“Recruitment is going to be job one, starting now,” Law said. “The first step is to do everything we can to get the best possible candidate in the field.”

New guidance: Use drugs, surgery early for obesity in kids

By Jonel Aleccia The Associated Press

Children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, including with medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13, according to new guidelines released Monday.

The longstanding practice of “watchful waiting,” or delaying treatment to see whether children and teens outgrow or overcome obesity on their own only worsens the problem that affects more than 14.4 million young people in the U.S. Left untreated, obesity can lead to lifelong health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

“Waiting doesn’t work,” said Dr. Ihuoma Eneli, co-author of the first guidance on childhood obesity in 15 years from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “What we see is a continuation of weight gain and the likelihood that they’ll have (obesity) in adulthood.”

For the first time, the group’s guidance sets ages at which kids and teens should be offered medical treatments such as drugs and surgery — in addition to intensive diet, exercise and other behavior and lifestyle interventions, said Eneli, director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

In general, doctors should offer adolescents 12 and older who have obesity access to appropriate drugs and teens 13 and older with severe obesity referrals for weight-loss surgery, though situations may vary.

The guidelines aim to reset the inaccurate view of obesity as “a personal problem, maybe a failure of the person’s diligence,” said Dr. Sandra Hassink, medical director for the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood weight, and a co-author

of the guidelines.

“This is not different than you have asthma and now we have an inhaler for you,” Hassink said.

Young people who have a body mass index that meets or exceeds the 95th percentile for kids of the same age and gender are considered obese. Kids who reach or exceed the 120th percentile are considered to have severe obesity. BMI is a measure of body size based on a calculation of height and weight.

Obesity affects nearly 20% of kids and teens in the U.S. and about 42% of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The group’s guidance takes into consideration that obesity is a biological problem and that the condition is a complex, chronic disease, said Aaron Kelly, co-director of the

Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“Obesity is not a lifestyle problem. It is not a lifestyle disease,” he said. “It predominately emerges from biological factors.”

The guidelines come as new drug treatments for obesity in kids have emerged, including approval late last month of Wegovy, a weekly injection, for use in children ages 12 and older. Different doses of the drug, called semaglutide, are also used under different names to treat diabetes. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, helped teens reduce their BMI by about 16% on average, better than the results in adults.

Within days of the Dec. 23 authorization, pediatrician Dr. Clau-

dia Fox had prescribed the drug for one of her patients, a 12-year-old girl.

“What it offers patients is the possibility of even having an almost normal body mass index,” said Fox, also a weight management specialist at the University of Minnesota. “It’s like a whole different level of improvement.”

The drug affects how the pathways between the brain and the gut regulate energy, said Dr. Justin Ryder, an obesity researcher at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“It works on how your brain and stomach communicate with one another and helps you feel more full than you would be,” he said.

Still, specific doses of semaglutide and other anti-obesity drugs have been hard to get because of recent shortages caused by man-

ufacturing problems and high demand, spurred in part by celebrities on TikTok and other social media platforms boasting about enhanced weight loss.

In addition, many insurers won’t pay for the medication, which costs about $1,300 a month. “I sent the prescription yesterday,” Fox said. “I’m not holding my breath that insurance will cover it.”

One expert in pediatric obesity cautioned that while kids with obesity must be treated early and intensively, he worries that some doctors may turn too quickly to drugs or surgery.

“It’s not that I’m against the medications,” said Dr. Robert Lustig, a longtime specialist in pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco. “I’m against the willy-nilly use of those medications without addressing the cause of the problem.”

Lustig said children must be evaluated individually to understand all of the factors that contribute to obesity. He has long blamed too much sugar for the rise in obesity. He urges a sharp focus on diet, particularly ultraprocessed foods that are high in sugar and low in fiber.

Dr. Stephanie Byrne, a pediatrician at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said she’d like more research about the drug’s efficacy in a more diverse group of children and about potential long-term effects before she begins prescribing it regularly.

“I would want to see it be used on a little more consistent basis,” she said. “And I would have to have that patient come in pretty frequently to be monitored.”

At the same time, she welcomed the group’s new emphasis on prompt, intensive treatment for obesity in kids.

“I definitely think this is a realization that diet and exercise is not going to do it for a number of teens who are struggling with this – maybe the majority,” she said.

AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., after speaking about his infrastructure agenda under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Covington, Ky.

AP PHOTO, FILE

This image provided by Novo Nordisk in January 2023, shows packaging for the company’s Wegovy drug.

Forsyth continues to stay in second tier of Commerce rankings

The North Carolina Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being and assigns each a Tier designation.

This Tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3.

County Tiers are calculated using four factors: Average unemployment rate; median household income; percentage growth in population; adjusted property tax base per capita.

County Tier Changes in 2023

Ten counties changed tiers in 2023. Counties moving to a less distressed tier include Avery, Caldwell, Cleveland, Pasquotank and Swain. Counties moving to a more distressed tier include Onslow, Pitt, Randolph, Surry and Transylvania.

#61 Tier 2

Last

year - #63

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Company to open facility in Winston-Salem

Rowan County

Nelipak Corporation, a leading global healthcare packaging manufacturer, will invest at least $11.8 million to establish a flexible packaging production site in WinstonSalem. The company says it will create at least 36 new jobs in Forsyth County and expects to make additional investments and job creation at the site over the next five years.

Nelipak, headquartered in Cranston, Rhode Island, is a leading global manufacturer of rigid and flexible packaging solutions for medical device, diagnostic, pharmaceutical drug delivery, and other demanding healthcare applications. Nelipak has 1,400 employees and 10 production sites globally, including five sites in North America and five sites in Europe. The new North Carolina location, a 110,000-square-foot site with class-7 clean room space, will become one of its flagship locations enabling Nelipak to replicate the industry-leading flexible packaging production capabilities it currently operates in Europe.

Positions at the new site will include site management, machine operators, quality technicians, material handlers, and warehouse personnel.

Although wages will vary depending on position, the overall expected average annual salary is $57,526, which is above Forsyth County’s overall average annual wage of $57,351. These new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $2 million.

A performance-based grant of $72,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help with Nelipak’s expansion to North Carolina.

QB Sam Hartman announces transfer to Notre Dame

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Sam Hartman is transferring to Notre Dame, giving the Fighting Irish a dynamic quarterback for coach Marcus Freeman’s second season.

Hartman, a three-year starter at Wake Forest, was widely regarded as the top quarterback in

the transfer portal. He announced his decision Thursday by tweeting pictures of himself in a Notre Dame uniform.

The 23-year-old Hartman holds the Atlantic Coast Conference record for passing touchdowns with 110. He has one year of eligibility remaining.

He completed a career-best 63.1% of his passes this past sea-

son for 3,701 yards with 38 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, leading the Demon Deacons to an 8-5 record and a victory in the Gasparilla Bowl on Dec. 23.

In 2021, Hartman threw for 4,228 yards and 39 touchdowns as Wake Forest went 11-3, finished 15th in the final AP poll and lost the ACC title game to Pitt.

Hartman threw 16 TD pass-

Convictions, prison time: A look at college admissions scam

The Associated Press

MORE THAN 50 people were convicted in the sprawling college admissions bribery scheme that embroiled elite universities across the country and landed a slew of prominent parents and athletic coaches behind bars.

The case dubbed Operation Varsity Blues by authorities revealed a scheme to get the children of rich parents into top-tier schools with fake athletic credentials and bogus entrance exam scores.

The ringleader of the scheme, corrupt admissions consultant Rick Singer, was sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison on Wednesday, nearly four years after the first arrests were made in March 2019.

Here’s a look at the Varsity Blues investigation and where the cases stand now:

How did authorities uncover the scheme?

Federal investigators stumbled across the scandal after an executive they were targeting in an unrelated securities fraud scheme told them that a Yale soccer coach had offered to help his daughter get into the school in exchange for bribes. Authorities set up a sting in a Boston hotel room in April 2018 and recorded the coach, Rudy Meredith, soliciting a bribe from the father.

Investigators heard Singer’s name for the first time when Meredith mentioned him during that

meeting. Meredith began cooperating that same month with investigators, who recorded phone calls and an in-person meeting between himself and Singer that revealed the extent of the bribery scheme.

Authorities then convinced Singer to cooperate with them and to record incriminating phone calls and in-person meetings with those involved with his scheme. His cooperation helped prosecutors build the case against dozens of parents, coaches and others.

Who has been convicted?

Of the more than 50 people charged in the case, all but a handful ended up pleading guilty.

Among the most high-profile parents who admitted to charges were “Full House” actor Lori Loughlin and her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, who paid $500,000 in bribes to get their two daughters into the University of Southern California as crew team recruits, even though neither of them played the sport. They helped create fake athletic profiles for their daughters by sending Singer photos of the teens posing on rowing machines.

Others who pleaded guilty include “Desperate Housewives” star Felicity Huffman, who paid $15,000 to boost her older daughter’s SAT scores.

An heir to the Hot Pockets fortune also admitted to paying Singer $100,000 to have a proctor cor-

rect her two daughters’ ACT exam answers. The former chairman of a global law firm, the onetime chief executive of a media company and a former owner of a California wine business were among others who pleaded guilty.

Only two parents accused of working with Singer ended up going to trial. Gamal Abdelaziz, a former casino executive, and John Wilson, a former Staples Inc. executive, were both convicted at trial last year.

Abdelaziz, of Las Vegas, was charged with paying $300,000 to get his daughter into the University of Southern California as a basketball recruit even though she didn’t even make it onto her high school’s varsity team.

Wilson, who heads a Massachusetts private equity firm, was accused of paying $220,000 to have his son designated as a USC water polo recruit and an additional $1 million to buy his twin daughters’ ways into Harvard and Stanford. They have both appealed their convictions to the federal appeals court in Boston.

What have the punishments been?

Before Singer’s sentence, the longest sentence in the case had gone to Gordon Ernst, the former Georgetown University tennis coach who once coached former President Barack Obama’s family. He was sentenced in July to 2 1/2 years in prison for pocketing

es for the Demon Deacons as a freshman in 2018, but was relegated to a backup role the following year, playing in four games and preserving a year of eligibility. He then got an extra year because of the pandemic.

Notre Dame went 9-4 under Freeman, who took over as coach after Brian Kelly departed for LSU. The Fighting Irish began the season ranked No. 5 in the AP Top 25 but lost their first two games. They moved back into the rankings with a late five-game winning streak and are currently 19th. Notre Dame concluded its season with a 45-38 victory over No. 20 South Carolina in the Gator Bowl.

more than $3 million in bribes in exchange for helping parents cheat their kids’ way into the school.

Jorge Salcedo, a former University of California, Los Angeles, men’s soccer coach, was sentenced to eight months behind bars for accepting $200,000 in bribes to designate applicants as athletic recruits. Michael Center, a former men’s tennis coach at the Universi-

The Associated Press

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DEATH NOTICES

♦ John Dick Beamer, 97, of Surry County, died January 4, 2023.

♦ Danny Lee Bowling, 74, of Winston-Salem, died January 5, 2023.

♦ Joe Bill Cheek, 83, of Winston-Salem, died January 4, 2023.

♦ Carl Wayne Cooper, 67, of Harnett County, died January 6, 2023.

♦

Harold Virgil Corn, 89, of Surry County, died January 5, 2023.

♦ Sonia Renae Duncan, 57, of Winston-Salem, died January 3, 2023.

♦ David Lee “Dave” Edwards, 91, of WinstonSalem, died January 7, 2023.

♦

Brenda Sue Sneed Everhart, 70, of King, died January 7, 2023.

♦ Ruby Jacqueline Hairston,56, died January 5, 2023.

♦

Ester May Handy, 97, of Surry County, died January 5, 2023.

♦ Mable Johnson Huffman, 98, of Forsyth County, died January 8, 2023.

♦ Shirley Ann Leagans Hughes, 84, of WinstonSalem, died January 6, 2023.

♦

Jerald Martin “Marty” Jasperse, 65, of Thomasville, died January 4, 2023.

♦

Paul Ashburn Manuel, 93, of Forsyth County, died January 6, 2023.

♦

Grace Stevens Price, 95, of Forsyth County, died January 3, 2023.

♦

Richard Sheets, 88, of Clemmons, died January 4, 2023.

♦

Tonya Lynn Boothe Smith, 49, of King, died January 6, 2023.

♦

Stephanie “Jill” Stephens, 59, of Walkertown, died January 7, 2023.

♦

Mark Allen Werkman, 69, of Winston Salem, died January 4, 2023.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

America has become the greatest exporter of destructive ideas

At the present time, China is the greatest threat to world stability, Russia is the world’s premier aggressor-nation, and Islamist groups are the primary exporters of terror and (religious) totalitarianism.

And, for the first time in history, America is the world’s major exporter of destructive ideas.

This is hard for me to write. One of my books is titled “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph.” It contrasts American values with leftist values and makes the case that the American value system is the finest ever devised. I define American values — what I call the “American Trinity” — as “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin for “From many, one”), the three American mottoes found on American coins and banknotes.

No other country has those three national mottoes. The book maintains that any country can adopt those values and any country that does adopt those values will be a good society. Its citizens will be the freest in the world and that country will prosper.

Indeed, those values are the reason Americans have been the freest people in the world, and America has been, far and away, the greatest land of opportunity in human history.

But America has been gradually abandoning its unique value system and is consequently becoming a less free, less humane, less prosperous, and more corrupt country. In fact, at this moment, America is no longer the best country, the exceptional country, it has been since 1776. There may not yet be a better country. But that is cold comfort.

We are in the incredible position of being feared by many other relatively free societies; more than a few European countries actually reject America’s current values. And they are right to do so.

The most obvious example of America in decline is the perverse American doctrines surrounding transgender issues: the sex (“gender”) of any individual is not a given fact, “men give birth,” men who say they are women may compete in women’s sports, and physicians and children’s hospitals are right to surgically cut off the healthy breasts of young women and even girls who say they are boys.

America’s war on truth, science and children has rendered America increasingly an outlier in the Western world.

More and more European countries are rejecting the perverse worlds of Yale and virtually every other American university, of The New York Times and virtually every other mainstream left-wing medium, of Boston Children’s Hospital and virtually every other children’s hospital, and of the University of Minnesota Medical School and virtually every other medical school.

Switzerland has just announced that as far as the Swiss nation and government are concerned, sex is not “nonbinary.” In Switzerland, there are only two sexes, as has been the case in essentially every civilization in recorded history because that is the reality.

As reported by AP (but apparently not in The New York Times or elsewhere in the mainstream left-wing media), Swiss citizens “are entered into the civil registry as male or female, with no other option.” The Swiss Federal Council declared, “The binary gender model is still strongly anchored in Swiss society.”

Sweden — the American Left’s most admired society until

it broke with the rest of the West by allowing its children to stay in school during the COVID-19 hysteria — has also broken with America on the transgender issue. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare ended the practice of prescribing puberty blockers for minors under age 18; and as of December, mastectomies will only be offered in the rarest of circumstances.

Thomas Linden, a head of the National Board, announced, “Young people who suffer from gender dysphoria need to be able to quickly receive an investigation and be offered adequate care measures, based on the health and medical services’ assessments of the care needs. Good psychosocial care is fundamental.”

In other words, if a Swedish teenage girl says she is a boy, Sweden will offer “psychosocial” care, almost never hormone blockers, let alone a mastectomy.

Between Sweden’s new policy on gender dysphoria and its allowing children to stay in school throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, an American must sadly conclude that at this time in history, Sweden cares for its young people considerably more than America does.

In England, last October, the National Health Service (NHS) announced, in the words of the Daily Mail, that “Children who believe they are trans are probably just going through a short-lived phase.” Therefore, logic and morality say, we should not make permanent life-altering changes to their bodies with drugs and surgery.

In addition, “The NHS England draft guidelines are part of the health service’s plan to close the highly-controversial Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock clinic, the country’s only gender identity service for children. GIDS is scheduled to shut its doors in the spring after a review ruled that the service was unsafe.”

Typical of the changes taking place in the U.K. regarding the transgender issues, Stella O’Malley, a psychotherapist and director of Genspect, an international transgender care group based in England, advised: “Professionals working with children need to... make sure they aren’t inadvertently causing harm by providing short term relief that leads to long term distress... At Genspect... we don’t think changing pronouns helps anyone — it creates more problems than it resolves.”

In France, the National Academy of Medicine has issued a statement advocating “psychosocial support” rather than hormone blockers and surgery for young people with gender dysphoria.

Finland had already enacted a similar policy decision as early as 2020. Thirteen European countries now reject the American “nonbinary” attack on human sexuality and children.

Sadly, with regard to children’s well-being, there are many countries in which American parents would rather raise their child.

I never imagined I would ever believe that. I wish you a Happier New Year.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His commentary on Deuteronomy, the third volume of “The Rational Bible,” his five-volume commentary on the first five books of the Bible, was published in October.

SCANDAL from page 1

ty of Texas at Austin, was sentenced to six months in prison for taking a $100,000 bribe

Loughlin was sentenced to two months in prison while Giannulli got five months behind bars. Huffman was sentenced to 14 days. Some parents avoided prison time entirely. The toughest punishment among the parents went to Wilson, who was sentenced to 15 months in prison. A judge has al-

lowed Wilson to remain free while he appeals his conviction.

Did anyone beat the charges?

Just before leaving office, President Donald Trump pardoned Robert Zangrillo, a prominent Miami developer and investor who was charged with paying $250,000 to get his daughter into USC as a transfer in 2018.

William Ferguson, a former Wake Forest University coach, en-

tered into a deferred prosecution agreement with prosecutors that will make the case against him go away with the payment of a fine as long as he follows certain conditions.

A judge in September ordered a new trial for Jovan Vavic, the former USC water polo coach accused of taking more than $200,000 in bribes. Jurors found Vavic guilty, but the judge concluded that some evidence introduced by the government in Vavic’s fraud and bribery

case was unreliable and that prosecutors erred in their argument to jurors about some of the alleged bribe money.

One parent linked to the case, Amin Khoury, was acquitted of charges that he paid off a Georgetown University tennis coach to get his daughter into the school. Khoury wasn’t accused of working with Singer, but authorities alleged he used a middleman he was friends with in college at Brown University to bribe Ernst.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ BARNES, JERRY LAMARKA was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 825 THURROCK CT on 1/7/2023

♦ BRASWELL, DAVID RYAN was arrested on a charge of P/W/I/S/D SCHED IV at 2931 NORTHBRIDGE RD on 1/7/2023

♦ BROWN, DWAYNE PATRICK was arrested on a charge of COMMUNICATING THREATS at 201 W FOURTH ST on 1/5/2023

♦ BRYANT, ARTHUR EMMETT was arrested on a charge of LARCSWITCH PRICETAG at 4550 KESTER MILL RD on 1/5/2023

♦ CALLOWAY, BOBBY ELDRIDGE was arrested on a charge of POSS HEROIN at 1800 JACKSON ST on 1/5/2023

♦ Casper, Brent Douglas (M/52)

Arrest on chrg of 1) Larceny/ misdemeanor (M), 2) 2nd Degree Trespass (M), 3) 2nd Degree Trespass (M), 4) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), and 5) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/6/2023

03:35.

♦ Casper, Brent Douglas (M/52) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking/larcfelony (F), 2) Larceny After B&e (F), and 3) Vand-personal Prop (M), at 2823 Nc 66 South, Kernersville, NC, on 1/5/2023 13:23.

♦ Casper, Rusty Dale (M/54) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking/larc-felony (F), 2) Larceny After B&e (F), and 3) Vand-personal Prop (M), at 801 Lake Dr, Kernersville, NC, on 1/5/2023 13:23.

♦ Charles, Steeve Adly (M/27) Arrest on chrg of Drugs - Embezzlement / Employ, F (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/4/2023 10:45.

♦ COBB, RSHAWNDA EVELYN was arrested on a charge of DISORDERLY CONDUCT at 500 N TRADE ST on 1/5/2023

♦ COOK, WILLIE JAMAL was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 1853 TRELLIS LN on 1/6/2023

♦ E WINGS, AMASHA DANTELLA

was arrested on a charge of FELON ADW/SER INJURY at 2111 PETERS CREEK PW on 1/8/2023

♦ Gordon, Matthew Chase (M/38) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 7428 Riverview Knoll Ct, Clemmons, NC, on 1/7/2023 01:56.

♦ GUNTHER, GREGORY JOSEPH was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 2125 CLOVERDALE AV on 1/9/2023

♦ HART, DONALD LEE was arrested on a charge of KIDNAPPING at 4357 OLD GREENSBORO RD on 1/6/2023

♦ HEATWOLE, GARY VIC was arrested on a charge of DRUNK / DISRUPTIVE at 840 MILL WORKS ST on 1/7/2023

♦ Higgins, Darius Lawuan (M/31) Arrest on chrg of Drugsposs Controlled Substancemethamphetamine>less Than 1, (M), at 2779 Darrow Rd/poindexter St, Walkertown, NC, on 1/6/2023 20:55.

♦ JENNINGS, TIMOTHY JOMAINE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-

SIMPLE at 930 N PATTERSON AV on 1/7/2023

♦ JIMENEZ, GUILLERMO JR was arrested on a charge of IMPAIRED DRIVING DWI at 1764 RICHARD ALLEN LN on 1/5/2023

♦ Johnson, Clarence David (M/35) Arrest on chrg of 2nd Degree Trespass (M), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/6/2023 10:44.

♦ KISER, CHASE DELANE was arrested on a charge of VIO. PROTECTIVE ORDER BY COURTS ANOTHER STATE/ INDIAN TRIBE at 7726 NORTH POINT BV on 1/9/2023

♦ Koonts, Donnie Ray (M/37) Arrest on chrg of 1) Rec/poss Stole Mv (F), 2) Probation Violation (F), 3) Resisting Arrest (M), 4) Speeding To Elude Arrest (F), 5) NdlSuspended / Revoked (M), 6) Stop Light Violation (M), and 7) Passing - Improper Where Signs, Markers Or Markings Forbid (M), at 3421 Old Vineyard Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 1/6/2023 11:35.

Cory

America’s war on truth, science and children has rendered America increasingly an outlier in the Western world.

SIDELINE REPORT

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Bush, Tebow make College Football Hall of Fame

Atlanta

Reggie Bush, whose Heisman Trophy victory for Southern California in 2005 was later vacated because of NCAA violations, is among 18 players in the latest College Football Hall of Fame class. Florida quarterback Tim Tebow, who won the Heisman in 2007, was also elected to the Hall by the National Football Foundation, along with Dwight Freeney of Syracuse; Luke Kuechly of Boston College; LaMichael James of Oregon and Michael Bishop of Kansas State.

Former Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams, who played at Memphis, was also among those inducted.

NFL

recovery

Orchard Park, N.Y.

Doctors who treated Damar Hamlin say the Bills safety was moved to a hospital in Buffalo to continue his recovery.

It’s uplifting sign of the remarkable progress Hamlin has made a week after going into cardiac arrest and having to be resuscitated on the field during a game in Cincinnati. Hamlin was discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center in the morning and flown to Buffalo, where Dr. William Knight said he was “doing well.” He was listed in stable condition at Buffalo General Medical Center.

SPORTS GAMBLING

North Dakota considers sports betting outside tribal casinos Bismarck, N.D.

A North Dakota House panel has heard arguments on a measure to allow voters to decide if sports betting should be legalized outside tribal casinos across the state. The committee recommended against passage Monday, but the resolution will get a floor vote later. Supporters say the state could generate millions of dollars in taxes if it legalizes the industry. Opponents say it would worsen gambling problems for a relatively small increase in revenue. A U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2018 cleared the way for all 50 states to offer sports betting. More than 30 states have legalized it so far.

NBA 76ers’ proposed Chinatown arena gets pushback

Philadelphia Opponents of a proposed sports arena in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood have announced formation of a coalition of several dozen groups that will receive assistance from a national civil rights legal organization. They say the Chinatown Coalition to Oppose the Arena includes more than 40 Chinatown community groups, nonprofits and business organizations.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund says it will look at legal strategies. The Philadelphia 76ers announced plans last summer to build a $1.3 billion arena just a block from the community’s gateway arch with a planned opening in 2031. The development company says it plans to work with the community to help shape the project.

Panthers’ Foreman, Saints’ Davenport trade punches, ejected

The duo had words after rising from the Superdome turf.

NEW ORLEANS — Carolina

running back D’Onta Foreman was having a strong season finale until he and Saints defensive end Marcus Davenport exchanged punches and got ejected in the third quarter on Sunday.

“In the heat of my moment, I kind of lost my cool,” Foreman said. “He (Davenport) did hit me, and at the end of the day I never let any man put his hands on me. But honestly, I’ve got to be better with keeping my cool.”

The scuffle took place moments after Davenport chased Foreman down and tackled him from behind on a 1-yard run on the sixth play of the third quarter.

When Panthers tight end Ian Thomas tried to step between them, Davenport reached around and hit Foreman with an open left hand on the right side of the running back’s helmet. Foreman responded by lunging at Davenport and punching him in the middle of his face mask with his right hand.

Soon afterward, both fifthyear players were assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, and their ejections forced them to miss the rest of the Panthers’ 10-7 comeback win that left both teams with 7-10 records.

Foreman, who rushed for a career-high 914 yards this season, had run for a team-high 68 yards on 12 carries before his ejection, including consecutive 20- and 11-yard gains on the opening series of the second half. Those runs

kick-started

The

“I was proud of the guys for finishing,” said Foreman, who watched the end from a television in Carolina’s locker room. “That’s part of our DNA.”

Davenport did not start but made three tackles. His absence shortened the Saints’ end rotation to three, with starters Cameron Jordan and Carl Granderson being spelled by Tanoh Kpassagnon.

Davenport left the locker room quickly after the game and did not speak to reporters.

“It certainly looked to me like Marcus gave him a little slap or something,” Saints coach Dennis Allen said. “I don’t know what happened. My thoughts are I don’t ever want us to be put in that po -

sition.”

The other half of Carolina’s backfield duo, Chuba Hubbard, finished with 69 yards on 21 attempts.

“We’ve got to make sure that we keep the team first,” Carolina interim coach Steve Wilks said. “I love and respect (Foreman). He apologized to his teammates. But Chuba stepped up in a big way and did some outstanding things. That’s what this team is all about. When one guy goes down, the next guy is there to pick up the load.”

It was the second time a Saints defensive player was ejected during a home game. Cornerback Marshon Lattimore was ejected from a Week 2 loss to Tampa Bay after shoving running back Leonard Fournette, a scuffle that began when Lattimore and Tom Brady yelled at one another after an incomplete pass.

Bears get No. 1 pick after Texans rally for win at Indy

Carolina will pick ninth after a 7-10 season

The Associated Press

CHICAGO — Thanks to an old friend, the Chicago Bears are on the clock for the NFL Draft.

Chicago will pick No. 1 for the first time since 1947 after it lost 29-13 to the Minnesota Vikings in its season finale on Sunday. It was the 10th straight loss for the Bears (3-14), extending a franchise record, and the 14 losses overall also marked the most in team history. The Panthers will select ninth overall.

Even with all that misery, the Bears were headed for the No. 2 selection before Lovie Smith coached Houston to a wild 3231 victory at Indianapolis. Davis Mills passed for three touchdowns as the Texans (3-13-1) rallied for their second win in three games.

It was Smith’s last game with Houston. He was fired by the Texans on Sunday night.

“We wanted to leave the season with a good taste in our mouth and to do it that way where you have to scratch and claw, we’ve lost a few games right at the end, overtime and all of that,” Smith said right after the win. “So it was good to see those guys kind of finish this one.”

The 64-year-old Smith coached the Bears from 2004-12, going 8163 and making the playoffs three times, including a loss in the Su-

per Bowl. Smith and Houston lost 23-20 at Chicago on Sept. 25. That was the Bears’ last home win of the season.

“You get down to the last game, of course, and I understand the outside things that were out there as far as our football team,” Smith said. “You practice hard this week to win and as you see, it’s one thing to give it lip service.”

Chicago’s No. 1 overall selection should make for an intriguing runup to the first round of the draft on April 27.

“That’s something we’ll talk about in the future,” Bears coach Matt Eberflus said. “I don’t really have a reaction one way or the other right now. Just that I’m focused on our guys and doing the exit interviews for tomorrow.”

Quarterbacks Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud and Will Levis are among the top prospects, but the Bears traded up to take Justin Fields at No. 11 overall in 2021. Fields made great strides in his second season, throwing for 2,242 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushing for 1,143 yards and

eight more TDs. But Fields’ passing ability remains a concern.

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter also could be in the mix for the defensively challenged Bears if they stay at No. 1.

The Cardinals will pick third overall, followed by the Colts. The Seahawks hold Denver’s fifth overall pick and the Lions will select sixth with a pick acquired from the Rams at No. 6. The Raiders, Falcons, Panthers and Eagles (Saints’ pick) round out the top 10.

Carolina beat New Orleans in the season finale for both teams

The Associated Press

a 14-play, 82-yard touchdown drive that tied the score at 7.

Panthers won on Eddy Pinero’s 42-yard field goal as time ran out.

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

AP PHOTO

Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr., left, is among the favorites to be the first overall pick.

Bills’ Hamlin back in Buffalo to continue

STATE & NATION

2024 contest comes into view with hurdles for both parties

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Both political parties are opening the new year confronting critical questions about the people and policies they want to embrace as the next election speeds into view.

The challenges are particularly urgent for Republicans, who hoped to enter 2023 with a secure grip on one, if not both, chambers of Congress. Instead, an underwhelming midterm election yielded only a thin House majority that exposed fierce intraparty divisions as California Rep. Kevin McCarthy successfully fought for the speakership. And before the end of the month, the Republican National Committee must resolve a divisive leadership battle of its own.

A central figure in virtually everything is Donald Trump, the former president who transformed the GOP more than seven years ago and is still fighting to exert his will over Republicans in Congress, the RNC and Republican voters just as the next presidential primary season begins.

RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel acknowledged, in an interview, that her party’s greatest political challenge ahead may come from within as party leaders navigate Trump’s outsized role.

“There’s so much at stake we can’t afford to be divided heading into 2024,” McDaniel said, promis-

ing that the RNC would be neutral in the looming presidential nomination process. “If we are divided, we will lose.”

For now, at least, Democrats appear to be far more united than their Republican counterparts.

But much depends on Joe Biden and whether the 80-year-old president will follow through on his plan to seek reelection. If he eschews another term — and a formal announcement may be months away — Democrats would be thrust into a murky future with no obvious popular alternatives.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who did not rule out another presidential bid of his own, said Democrats are also at a “pivotal moment,” facing cracks in their delicate political coalition among young people, African Americans, Latinos and working-class voters.

“It pains me very, very much that we’re seeing more and more working-class people voting Republican,” he said in an interview. “Politically, that is a disaster, and Democrats have to recognize that serious problem and address it.”

Though many voters may be

tired of the never-ending campaign that is U.S. politics, especially after a high-stakes midterm election in 2022, the tense dynamics guarantee the political spotlight will only burn brighter in the new year. If history is a guide, the opening presidential primary debates are just seven months away. And the debate stage is expected to be crowded — at least on the GOP side. No fewer than 10 high-profile Republicans are actively weighing 2024 presidential bids in open defiance of Trump, emboldened by the growing belief that the former president is as politically vulnerable as he’s ever been.

At the moment, Trump is the only announced candidate in the Republican primary. But a handful of candidates are expected to join by the end of March, while some higher-profile contenders — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, among them — believe they can wait until late spring or even early summer to make their intentions known.

Few believe Trump will be easy to topple in a GOP primary. Already, he has begun to lash out at wouldbe rivals by name, and he maintains a rock-solid grip among the party’s most active voters, who will dominate GOP primary contests.

Still, voters will have several options in a likely field that features DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and outgo-

New guidance: Use drugs, surgery early for obesity in kids

By Jonel Aleccia The Associated Press

Children struggling with obesity should be evaluated and treated early and aggressively, including with medications for kids as young as 12 and surgery for those as young as 13, according to new guidelines released Monday.

The longstanding practice of “watchful waiting,” or delaying treatment to see whether children and teens outgrow or overcome obesity on their own only worsens the problem that affects more than 14.4 million young people in the U.S. Left untreated, obesity can lead to lifelong health problems, including high blood pressure, diabetes and depression.

“Waiting doesn’t work,” said Dr. Ihuoma Eneli, co-author of the first guidance on childhood obesity in 15 years from the American Academy of Pediatrics. “What we see is a continuation of weight gain and the likelihood that they’ll have (obesity) in adulthood.”

For the first time, the group’s guidance sets ages at which kids and teens should be offered medical treatments such as drugs and surgery — in addition to intensive diet, exercise and other behavior and lifestyle interventions, said Eneli, director of the Center for Healthy Weight and Nutrition at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

In general, doctors should offer adolescents 12 and older who have obesity access to appropriate drugs and teens 13 and older with severe obesity referrals for weight-loss surgery, though situations may vary.

The guidelines aim to reset the inaccurate view of obesity as “a personal problem, maybe a failure of the person’s diligence,” said Dr. Sandra Hassink, medical director for the AAP Institute for Healthy Childhood weight, and a co-author

of the guidelines.

“This is not different than you have asthma and now we have an inhaler for you,” Hassink said.

Young people who have a body mass index that meets or exceeds the 95th percentile for kids of the same age and gender are considered obese. Kids who reach or exceed the 120th percentile are considered to have severe obesity. BMI is a measure of body size based on a calculation of height and weight.

Obesity affects nearly 20% of kids and teens in the U.S. and about 42% of adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The group’s guidance takes into consideration that obesity is a biological problem and that the condition is a complex, chronic disease, said Aaron Kelly, co-director of the

Center for Pediatric Obesity Medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“Obesity is not a lifestyle problem. It is not a lifestyle disease,” he said. “It predominately emerges from biological factors.”

The guidelines come as new drug treatments for obesity in kids have emerged, including approval late last month of Wegovy, a weekly injection, for use in children ages 12 and older. Different doses of the drug, called semaglutide, are also used under different names to treat diabetes. A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that Wegovy, made by Novo Nordisk, helped teens reduce their BMI by about 16% on average, better than the results in adults.

Within days of the Dec. 23 authorization, pediatrician Dr. Clau-

dia Fox had prescribed the drug for one of her patients, a 12-year-old girl.

“What it offers patients is the possibility of even having an almost normal body mass index,” said Fox, also a weight management specialist at the University of Minnesota. “It’s like a whole different level of improvement.”

The drug affects how the pathways between the brain and the gut regulate energy, said Dr. Justin Ryder, an obesity researcher at Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.

“It works on how your brain and stomach communicate with one another and helps you feel more full than you would be,” he said.

Still, specific doses of semaglutide and other anti-obesity drugs have been hard to get because of recent shortages caused by man-

ing Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, among several others.

Steven Law, a key ally of Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell who leads the Senate GOP’s leading super PAC, vowed to “play a much more assertive role” in shaping future Senate contests. That’s just as the incoming head of the Senate GOP campaign arm, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., suggests that his committee will actively play in Republican primaries to ensure that candidates who can be more competitive with the broader general election audience advance. That’s a notable reversal from the committee’s current hands-off practice, which was blamed for elevating candidates who failed to expand their support beyond the base.

On paper, Senate Republicans have major opportunities ahead in red states like West Virginia, Montana and Ohio, where Democrats are up for reelection in 2024. To take full advantage, however, the GOP must avoid the same “candidate quality” issues that plagued the party in the November midterms as a slate of deeply flawed Trumpbacked candidates lost key Senate contests in Arizona, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania.

“Recruitment is going to be job one, starting now,” Law said. “The first step is to do everything we can to get the best possible candidate in the field.”

ufacturing problems and high demand, spurred in part by celebrities on TikTok and other social media platforms boasting about enhanced weight loss.

In addition, many insurers won’t pay for the medication, which costs about $1,300 a month. “I sent the prescription yesterday,” Fox said. “I’m not holding my breath that insurance will cover it.”

One expert in pediatric obesity cautioned that while kids with obesity must be treated early and intensively, he worries that some doctors may turn too quickly to drugs or surgery.

“It’s not that I’m against the medications,” said Dr. Robert Lustig, a longtime specialist in pediatric endocrinology at the University of California, San Francisco. “I’m against the willy-nilly use of those medications without addressing the cause of the problem.”

Lustig said children must be evaluated individually to understand all of the factors that contribute to obesity. He has long blamed too much sugar for the rise in obesity. He urges a sharp focus on diet, particularly ultraprocessed foods that are high in sugar and low in fiber.

Dr. Stephanie Byrne, a pediatrician at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said she’d like more research about the drug’s efficacy in a more diverse group of children and about potential long-term effects before she begins prescribing it regularly.

“I would want to see it be used on a little more consistent basis,” she said. “And I would have to have that patient come in pretty frequently to be monitored.”

At the same time, she welcomed the group’s new emphasis on prompt, intensive treatment for obesity in kids.

“I definitely think this is a realization that diet and exercise is not going to do it for a number of teens who are struggling with this – maybe the majority,” she said.

AP PHOTO

President Joe Biden shakes hands with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., after speaking about his infrastructure agenda under the Clay Wade Bailey Bridge, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, in Covington, Ky.

AP PHOTO, FILE

This image provided by Novo Nordisk in January 2023, shows packaging for the company’s Wegovy drug.

Moore stays in least-distressed Commerce ranking

#87

Tier 3

Last year - #91

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Two arrested for robbery at gunpoint in Carthage church parking lot

Deputies from the Moore County Sheriff’s Office announced last Friday that they had arrested two individuals following an armed robbery in a church parking lot.

Deputies were called to Putnam Friend Church in Carthage the day after Christmas after receiving reports of a possible robbery. Upon arriving on the scene, deputies found a man who claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint after traveling from Asheboro for a meeting. According to the victim, the two assailants took his cash and a pair of shoes before fleeing the scene. On December 27, deputies arrested 20-year-old Zoe Elizabeth Thornton and 18-year-old QuaMek Antwain McCrimmon, both of whom were from Asheboro. Both Thornton and McCrimmon have been charged with felony robbery with a dangerous weapon and felony conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon. They were taken to the Moore County Detention Center and held under a $30,000 secured bond. Thornton and McCrimmon as scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

Two adults, one teen arrested following shooting near Aberdeen

Two adults and one teenager were arrested last week after they were connected to a shooting that took near the area of US 15-501 and Pinebluff Lake Road. After receiving a call about a possible shooting after 4 pm on Monday, January 2, deputies arrived on the scene and found a motorist who had been struck in the hand by a bullet. The victim was treated and released from First Health Moore Regional Hospital. Last Thursday, investigators executed a search warrant at a home in Southern Pines in connection with the shootings. Upon searching the residence, deputies found the vehicle involved in the shooting and several firearms. Kendrick Camall Purcell, 35, and Chaucey Yvonne Williams, 36, were both charged with felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury, discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle, and two counts of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. In addition to the arrests of Purcell and Williams, a 15-year-old male juvenile was taken into custody by the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce annually ranks the state’s 100 counties based on economic well-being and assigns each a Tier designation. This Tier system is incorporated into various state programs to encourage economic activity in the less prosperous areas of the state.

The 40 most distressed counties are designated as Tier 1, the next 40 as Tier 2 and the 20 least distressed as Tier 3.

County Tiers are calculated using four factors: Average unemployment rate; median household income; percentage growth in population; adjusted property tax base per capita

County Tier Changes in 2023

Ten counties changed tiers in 2023. Counties moving to a less distressed tier include Avery, Caldwell, Cleveland, Pasquotank and Swain. Counties moving to a more distressed tier include Onslow, Pitt, Randolph, Surry and Transylvania.

N.C. Treasurer delivers over half a million in found funds to state education officials

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — Last week, N.C. State Treasurer Dale Folwell delivered a check for over half a million dollars to State Superintendent Catherine Truitt and N.C. State Board of Education chairman Eric Davis.

“At a time when so many schools are in need of money and resources, especially in rural and inner-city districts, every penny found to further North Carolina’s educational mission is a blessing,” Folwell said in a press release. “I see that need not only as a member of SBE, but as chairman of the Local Government Commission, which reviews and approves financing for school projects throughout North Carolina.”

Folwell presented a check for $519,029.16 to Truitt and Davis at the regularly scheduled State Board of Education meeting. The treasurer’s office had identified funds that were the result of unclaimed stock dividends that had apparently been misdirected.

Shares of stock had been issued in the name of “Department

of Education State of North Carolina” based on a Prudential Financial group life insurance plan the state board of education had once held.

“Upon the shares and ac-

crued dividends being deemed unclaimed and held by Prudential for the required holding period, the property was placed with DST’s Unclaimed Property Division (UPD), commonly called

Moore County Schools bans TikTok, ByteDance entirely from district

Questions on budgetary processes raised by board members

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

CARTHAGE — The Moore County Board of Education met Monday with two major topics up for discussion.

The first topic the board was presented with was a recommendation from Superintendent Tim Locklair to adopt an amended 2022-2023 Budget Resolution for the first quarter to account for an increase of $6,518.343.07 from what they previously had budgeted.

However, Board Vice Chair David Hensley presented his own recommendation for utilizing the funding increase to cover some previously approved costs that had dipped into the district’s fund balance reserves.

“In order to decompress the classified staff’s salary and to hire an additional full-time counselor for Crain’s Creek to help address the situation out there, this school board did something that you should never really do, and that is we dipped into our fund balance in order to fund current operations,” Hensley said. “That fund balance is there for emergencies – and you also shouldn’t pay recurring costs such as classified staff salary raises and a new permanent position out of one-time use funds – but this school board, four or five months ago, when we implemented it, it was a bitter pill to choose, but we ultimately chose to get our classified staff where they needed to be and coupled with the need for a counselor at Crain’s Creek was important enough to break the glass and pull the emergency lever.”

“My recommendation is that we exhibit fiscal discipline and responsibility, and we put the [previously approved funding] back

in our fund balance rather than just give the administration $1.2 million to spend,” Hensley said. “That’s not to say that if a project comes up and we need something for that, the superintendent cannot come to us, but I just don’t want to give a blank check.”

Countering that recommendation, Dr. Locklair stated that, while he does not like using the fund balance for the recurring costs, a lot of the additional funding was tied to specific programs and funding requirements and couldn’t be used as Hensley implied.

However, more confusion arose from the superintendent’s statement, with it appearing that it was implied that in the initial budget that was drafted and approved, various things, such as CTE programs and SRO funding, were not already funded.

“I’m very, very, very concerned with a budget process where a bud-

NCCash.com,” according to the press release from Folwell’s office.

“As keeper of the public purse, a North Carolina taxpayer and a believer in the power of education to change a person’s trajectory in life to achieve upward mobility and the joy of achievement, I am honored to return this money to its rightful owners so that it can be put to use where it’s most needed,” Folwell said.

Truitt told North State Journal that no decision has been made yet as to what will be done with the newly found money.

Folwell and his office have routinely highlighted the NCCash program for citizens in the state to find out whether or not they have unclaimed funds.

According to the program’s website, $105,158,116 has been returned to citizens in the state between Jul. 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022. Folwell tells North State Journal $110 million was claimed using the program last year. The largest payout to date was around $1.7 million to a single individual.

More information, including how to find out if you are owed money, can be found at https:// www.nccash.com/.

FILE PHOTO

N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦

PARDUE, KATHRYN BROWN, 36, W, F, 1/8/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦ SHAMBERGER, BRANDON RYAN, 43, B, M, 1/7/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦

ROGERS, GAYLA LYNN, 34, W, F, 1/7/2023, Carthage PD

♦

♦

GALEAS, LACARA ALFREDO, 39, H, M, 1/7/2023, Whispering Pines PD

FISHER, TAMMY LYNN, 50, W, F, 1/7/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦

♦

RUSHING, MICHAEL WAYNE, 56, W, M, 1/6/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

MCRAE, JOHN DAVID, 55, B, M, 1/6/2023, Pinehurst PD

♦

♦

JONES, THOMAS WILLIAM, 36, B, M, 1/6/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

DAWKINS, WILLIAM BRANDON, 44, W, M, 1/6/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦

♦

ABRAMS, DUSTIN PHILLIP, 31, W, M, 1/6/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

WILLIAMS, CHAUCEY YVONNE, 36, B, F, 1/5/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦ VO, THANH DAT, 21, A, M, 1/5/2023, Aberdeen PD

♦

PURCELL, KENDRICK CAMALL, 35, B, M, 1/5/2023, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

BOE, from page 1

get is presented to the board with an incorrect assumption that the budget is complete and everything is fully funded,” Hensley said. “We were contemplating spending $1 million renovating a locker room while, apparently, the central office was withholding from us information that our CTE programs and our SROs weren’t funded at all. That’s what I refuse to believe. Either we have a very broken process, or there’s something else going on here. We need to table this until we can get to the bottom of what exactly our budget process was. Were these very important items left out of the budget that was presented to the board and never funded, or were they just, in fact, thrown in there, knowing there would eventually be money available? I just want to know what the process was.”

“The bottom line is we need to start exhibiting fiscal discipline and fiscal restraint because the cliff is right here, and we need to start planning for that.”

Following the tabling of the amended budget resolution, the Moore County Board of Education approved a resolution effectively banning TikTok and ByteDance, Ltd. in all capacities within Moore County Schools and More County Schools’ property.

“I am presenting a resolution asking to remove any and all programs and applications entitled as or emanating from TikTok and ByteDance, Ltd., and their subsidiaries from all software and hardware devices owned, leased, or operated by Moore County Schools, to filter

Board Vice Chair David Hensley

out TikTok and any other ByteDance, Ltd., applications and take all other necessary steps to prevent access to TikTok and ByteDance, Ltd. software and applications by those using wireless data transmission and any network controlled or operated by or used through Moore County Schools; and, to avoid any requirement or suggestion that a student use or access TikTok or a ByteDance, Ltd. program or application as a method of education or learning,” said Board Chair Robert Levy.

“We are not here trying to say that students don’t have the right

to go on the apps they want while they are outside of our purview,” Levy said. “That is a matter between their parents and themselves. The United States Congress, as well as the executive portion of the federal government, have eliminated TikTok from applications on government devices. TikTok and ByteDance are very closely associated with the government of China as well as the Chinese Communist Party, and we have a concern that such things are not secure for our students. We also have concerns that our students’ images are being digitized by foreign governments and are being utilized by foreign governments. That is not what we want to do. The resolution makes a determination that whatever educational advantages are to TikTok, they can be utilized in other ways and by other means. This is not political, at least from my understanding. This is something we’re doing to try and protect our computer system and to try and protect our students from the exploitation of their images.”

While TikTok and all forms of social media were already blocked on school networks for students, these extra steps also prevent teachers and staff from engaging with it as well and will keep it out of the classrooms entirely. This action is also one of the first by any district in North Carolina and even more broadly across the US to formally ban TikTok and ByteDance, Ltd. entirely from their schools.

The Moore County Board of Education will next meet February 13.

moore happening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County:

January 12

Fundraiser: Moore Philharmonic Orchestra 4pm – 8pm

Dine at Panera Bread of Southern Pines this Thursday to help support the Moore Philharmonic Orchestra! Between the hours of 4pm and 8pm, 20% of their sales will be donated to MPO!

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.

January 13

Civil War Series 1pm – 2:30pm

The Moore County Senior Enrichment Center is welcoming Dr. Matt Farina, who will be hosting a sixpart series on the American Civil War. The series will take place each Friday in January and February.

Cosmic Bowling 6pm

Enjoy fun for the whole family with Cosmic Bowling at Sandhills Bowling Center! Cosmic Bowling takes place every Friday and Saturday beginning at 6pm. The cost is $5.50 per game or $17.00 for two hours of unlimited bowling.

January 14

Free Wine Tasting 2 pm – 5pm

The Triangle Wine Company of Southern Pines will be offering free wine tastings every Saturday! Triangle Wine Company is located at 144 Brucewood Road.

“My recommendation is that we exhibit fiscal discipline and responsibility, and we put the [previously approved funding] back in our fund balance rather than just give the administration $1.2 million to spend. That’s not to say that if a project comes up and we need something for that, the superintendent cannot come to us, but I just don’t want to give a blank check.”

OPINION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

US Big Three auto companies commit to making cars that people don’t want

I GREW UP IN A HOUSEHOLD with parents who were of the Greatest Generation. They lived and shouldered through the Great Depression, and then their lives and families were thrown into turmoil on Dec. 7, 1941. My grandfather worked for the War Department in Washington, D.C., and during World War II, my father served in the Pacific Theater.

Both my mother and father made a solemn vow that as long as they lived, they would never buy a German or a Japanese car. No matter how well they were made. They were the enemies. They were the ones who killed nearly half a million Americans. Period.

And that value system was transported to me. In honor of my parents’ values, I couldn’t in good conscience buy a Japanese or German car.

I’ve been thinking that after all these years, I may have to change my mind. The American auto companies, which are so often bailed out by U.S. taxpayers, have made a pronouncement that they intend, in the next few years, to stop making and assembling gas-engine cars. You know, the kind of cars that Henry Ford started rolling off the assembly line 100 years ago at the Ford Motor Company in Detroit.

Henceforth, virtually all American-made cars will be electric vehicles. Perhaps the corporate brass in Michigan’s auto executive offices thinks this makes them good global citizens. They are all in on the fight against global warming. They may be making a political bet that the federal government and more states are going to go the way of California and eventually mandate that every car produced must be battery-operated. But there is also a good deal of virtue-signaling going on here by the folks at Ford and General Motors.

It’s a free country, and if they want to start rolling millions of EVs off the assembly lines, so be it.

COLUMN | DENNIS PRAGER

But it’s one thing to make cars that appeal to members of the Sierra Club and quite another to produce automobiles that the typical buyer wants. And guess what? So far, most people have turned a decisive thumbsdown on EVs. (Incidentally, I’m personally agnostic on electric vehicles. I’ve driven Teslas, and they are wonderful smooth-driving vehicles. But they have problems, too, such as getting stranded with no juice in the middle of nowhere.)

So far, only about 6% of new cars sold are electric vehicles. And polls show that only about half of Americans prefer an EV over a traditional car. Much larger majorities oppose the government telling us what kind of car we can buy.

Incidentally, the one state that far outpaces the rest of the country in EV sales (with about 1 in 5 new car sales being battery-operated) is California. But, hey, Detroit: Sorry, California isn’t the country.

All of this is to say that there’s a decent chance the American auto companies’ shift to all EVs is going to fail. This could even be the most epic failure for American car companies since Ford introduced the Edsel. (For youngsters, that was the 1950s ugly car that nobody wanted to buy.)

Meanwhile, and this is the especially sad part of the story, at least one company realizes the tomfoolery of making only electric cars. And that company is the Japanese automaker Toyota. Akio Toyoda, the president and grandson of the founder of the giant Japanese car company, is going to buck the trend.

“People involved in the auto industry are largely a silent majority,” Toyoda recently told news reporters. “That silent majority is wondering whether EVs are really OK to have as a single option. But they think it’s the trend, so they can’t speak out loudly.”

America has become the greatest exporter of destructive ideas

AT THE PRESENT TIME, China is the greatest threat to world stability, Russia is the world’s premier aggressornation, and Islamist groups are the primary exporters of terror and (religious) totalitarianism.

And, for the first time in history, America is the world’s major exporter of destructive ideas.

This is hard for me to write. One of my books is titled “Still the Best Hope: Why the World Needs American Values to Triumph.” It contrasts American values with leftist values and makes the case that the American value system is the finest ever devised. I define American values — what I call the “American Trinity” — as “Liberty,” “In God We Trust,” and “E Pluribus Unum” (Latin for “From many, one”), the three American mottoes found on American coins and banknotes.

No other country has those three national mottoes. The book maintains that any country can adopt those values and any country that does adopt those values will be a good society. Its citizens will be the freest in the world and that country will prosper.

Indeed, those values are the reason Americans have been the freest people in the world, and America has been, far and away, the greatest land of opportunity in human history.

But America has been gradually abandoning its unique value system and is consequently becoming a less free, less humane, less prosperous, and more corrupt country. In fact, at this moment, America is no longer the best country, the exceptional country, it has been since 1776. There may not yet be a better country. But that is cold comfort.

We are in the incredible position of being feared by many other relatively free societies; more than a few European countries actually reject America’s current values. And they are right to do so.

The most obvious example of America in decline is the perverse American doctrines surrounding transgender issues: the sex (“gender”) of any individual is not a given fact, “men give birth,” men who say they are women may compete in women’s sports, and physicians and children’s

hospitals are right to surgically cut off the healthy breasts of young women and even girls who say they are boys.

America’s war on truth, science and children has rendered America increasingly an outlier in the Western world.

More and more European countries are rejecting the perverse worlds of Yale and virtually every other American university, of The New York Times and virtually every other mainstream left-wing medium, of Boston Children’s Hospital and virtually every other children’s hospital, and of the University of Minnesota Medical School and virtually every other medical school.

Switzerland has just announced that as far as the Swiss nation and government are concerned, sex is not “nonbinary.” In Switzerland, there are only two sexes, as has been the case in essentially every civilization in recorded history because that is the reality.

As reported by AP (but apparently not in The New York Times or elsewhere in the mainstream left-wing media), Swiss citizens “are entered into the civil registry as male or female, with no other option.” The Swiss Federal Council declared, “The binary gender model is still strongly anchored in Swiss society.”

Sweden — the American Left’s most admired society until it broke with the rest of the West by allowing its children to stay in school during the COVID-19 hysteria — has also broken with America on the transgender issue. Sweden’s National Board of Health and Welfare ended the practice of prescribing puberty blockers for minors under age 18; and as of December, mastectomies will only be offered in the rarest of circumstances.

Thomas Linden, a head of the National Board, announced, “Young people who suffer from gender dysphoria need to be able to quickly receive an investigation and be offered adequate care measures, based on the health and medical services’ assessments of the care needs. Good psychosocial care is fundamental.”

In other words, if a Swedish teenage girl says she is a boy, Sweden will offer “psychosocial” care, almost never

Toyoda wasn’t done. “I believe we need to be realistic about when society will be able to fully adopt Battery Electric Vehicles,” he explained. “And frankly, BEVs are not the only way to achieve the world’s carbon neutrality goals.”

Toyoda is right on all counts. There’s scant evidence that EVs will reduce pollution levels more than traditional cars — in part because most of the energy for the batteries comes from burning fossil fuels. And because the batteries themselves create waste issues. How can it be that a Japanese CEO is more plugged into the tastes, preferences, and buying habits of American car buyers than those based here at home? (Yes, I know Toyota has many plants in the United States.)

You would think that U.S. automakers would understand a basic red, white and blue reality, which is that Americans have a special and long-standing love affair with their cars. They aren’t going to trade in their Mustangs, Camaros, Cadillacs, and trucks for an EV. For many of us, this would be akin to taking away our firstborn.

What’s sadder still is that the Japanese seem to understand American car buyers better than the execs in Detroit. Honda and Toyota were the first to recognize that people wanted more fuel-efficient cars when gas prices more than tripled in the 1970s.

All of this means that if GM, Ford, and Chrysler speed forward with their commitment to convert to 100% EVs, I’m going to have to break my long-standing pledge to my parents to “buy American” and never purchase a Japanese car. The American companies will have given me no choice. Sorry, this is 2023, not 1923, when Henry Ford said you could have a Model T in any color you wanted, as long as it was black.

Incidentally, as this “woke” green energy fad fades into the sunset, as it almost assuredly will, and the American auto companies see their sales crash, they’d better not come begging for yet another taxpayer bailout.

hormone blockers, let alone a mastectomy.

Between Sweden’s new policy on gender dysphoria and its allowing children to stay in school throughout the COVID-19 epidemic, an American must sadly conclude that at this time in history, Sweden cares for its young people considerably more than America does.

In England, last October, the National Health Service (NHS) announced, in the words of the Daily Mail, that “Children who believe they are trans are probably just going through a short-lived phase.” Therefore, logic and morality say, we should not make permanent life-altering changes to their bodies with drugs and surgery.

In addition, “The NHS England draft guidelines are part of the health service’s plan to close the highlycontroversial Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock clinic, the country’s only gender identity service for children. GIDS is scheduled to shut its doors in the spring after a review ruled that the service was unsafe.”

Typical of the changes taking place in the U.K. regarding the transgender issues, Stella O’Malley, a psychotherapist and director of Genspect, an international transgender care group based in England, advised: “Professionals working with children need to... make sure they aren’t inadvertently causing harm by providing short term relief that leads to long term distress... At Genspect... we don’t think changing pronouns helps anyone — it creates more problems than it resolves.”

In France, the National Academy of Medicine has issued a statement advocating “psychosocial support” rather than hormone blockers and surgery for young people with gender dysphoria.

Finland had already enacted a similar policy decision as early as 2020. Thirteen European countries now reject the American “nonbinary” attack on human sexuality and children.

Sadly, with regard to children’s well-being, there are many countries in which American parents would rather raise their child.

I never imagined I would ever believe that. I wish you a Happier New Year.

Dennis Prager is a nationally syndicated radio talk-show host and columnist. His commentary on Deuteronomy, the third volume of “The Rational Bible,” his five-volume commentary on the first five books of the Bible, was published in October.

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.”

John Fletcher

Tucker

September 1, 1932 - January 7, 2023

John Fletcher Tucker died peacefully at Reid Heart Center (FirstHealth) in Pinehurst, NC, on Saturday, January 7, 2023. He was born in Surry County, NC, on September 1, 1932. His family moved to Aberdeen, where he worked for several decades at Gulistan Carpet (later JP Stevens).

Johnny was the son of the late William Joel Tucker and Lou Duskey Tucker. He was preceded in death by his brother, Simon Tucker, his sister, Sylvia Smith Donathan, his nephew, Marshall J. Donathan and niece, Marie Donathan Doss Moore. He is survived by his great nephew, Rex Joel Doss (Lynn) of Conway, SC, his great nieces, Doreen D. Wicker of Pinehurst and Sue D. White of Greensboro, and his great nephew, Marshall James Donathan, Jr., of Pinehurst.

Edward Lee Brisson

February 24, 1952 - January 2, 2023

Edward Lee Brisson, 70 of Pinehurst, passed away on January 2, 2023 at FirstHealth Hospice House in Pinehurst.

Born on February 24, 1952 in Robeson County, NC to the late Dellie and Esther Brisson. He operated his own flooring business for over 50 years both in Greensboro and Southern Pines.

He was a big supporter of the Boy Scouts, Kiwanis Club and many rescue animal organizations. Edward loved golfing, deep sea fishing and his dogs, George and Buster.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Shelby Cashwell.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Karen Brisson; three brothers, Harvey Brisson, Dewey Brisson and Terry Brisson; also survived by other family and friends.

Joanne Walsh

January 2, 1931 - January 4, 2023

Joanne Walsh, 92 of Pinehurst, passed away on January 4, 2023 at Quail Haven in Pinehurst.

Born on January 2, 1931 in New Britain, Connecticut to the late Leonora and Fred Gross, Sr. Joanne graduated with a Bachelor Degree from the University of Connecticut School of Nursing.

She served as past President of Nutmeg Garden Club and volunteered in the schools and Manchester Memorial Hospital in CT.

After moving to Pinehurst, Joanne became a faithful member of Brownson Presbyterian Church in Southern Pines.

In addition to her parents, Joanne was preceded in death by her husband, William Michael Walsh, Sr.; one son, William Michael Walsh, Jr.; and brother, Fred John Gross, Jr.

She is survived by one daughter, Judith Lynn Blasko and her husband, Barry; three grandchildren, Elizabeth, Paul and Bethany; also survived by nieces, and other family and friends.

Mary LeAnne Lucas

November 4, 1968 - January 3, 2023

Mary LeAnne Lucas, 54, passed away on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital.

Anne was preceded in death by her father Jimmie Ray Lucas, her mother Carloyn Dowd-Lucas as well as her brother James Robert Lucas.

Anne is survived by her daughter, MacKenzie Carra Smith, of West End; her sisters: Meredith Lucas Marshburn (Andy) of West End, Nancy Elisabeth Beruk (Jeff) of Apex, Sarah Lucas Fann (Mike) of West End, and Caroline Rae Kosbe (Mark) of Cary; her nieces: Connor Lucas, Sophia Beruk, Harper Fann, and Andie James Clark; her nephews: Reid Marshburn, Nick Beruk, and Sawyer Fann; her cousins: Carla Killian of Jamestown and Tamera Owens of Bear Creek.

Anne graduated from Union Pines High School and later obtained an Associates Degree from Sandhills Community College and further continued her education at East Carolina University wherein she received a Bachelors of Science in Social Work.

James Renberg

1935 ~ 2023

James Renberg, 87, of Pinehurst, North Carolina passed away peacefully at home on January 4, 2023. He was born May 22, 1935, in Saratoga, Wisconsin, the son of Benjamin Axel and Sabina Mae (nee Knuteson) Renberg. He grew up in Olympia, Washington, and graduated from Olympia High School in 1953. Jim then spent a year at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois before transferring to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. There he became the first of a three-generational chain of Renbergs to gain a degree from Baylor.

While at Baylor he met and subsequently married Hettye Sue “Cissy” Downs. After both graduated from Baylor, Jim took a teaching post in history at Dixie Heights High School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. There he was a revered class sponsor and tough taskmaster in the classroom. The couple moved to Madison, Wisconsin where Jim began doctoral work at the University of Wisconsin. Jim’s first son, Eric James, was born there in October of 1963. From there the couple moved to Durham, North Carolina where Jim continued doctoral work at Duke University.

Matthew Ragsdale

January 31, 1976 ~ January 1, 2023

Matthew Wayne Ragsdale of Moore County age 46 died, in Moore Regional hospital on January 1, 2023.

He is survived by his wife Elizabeth Bruce Ragsdale, his 2 daughters Anna and Madelyn Ragsdale, his parents Murphy and Kathy Ragsdale of Southern Pines, and his brother Mitch Ragsdale of Longs, SC.

Please honor Matt by wearing something colorful and casual. Feel free to wear his favorite apparel Hawaiian, golf, or wrestling shirt.

Mildred Grey

May 15, 1934 ~ January 4, 2023

Mildred J. Grey 88 of Aberdeen, NC formerly of Biscoe, NC died 1-4-23 at her son’s home in Aberdeen, after a short illness. She was born to the late Lloyd Johnson and Virginia Johnson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernie Grey, infant son Ricky, infant grandson Zachery Grey, and brother Harold Johnson.

Mildred will be lovingly remembered by her son Chris Grey : grandchildren Brandon Grey, Zane Grey, and Taylor Grey : great-granddaughter Harper Grey : sister Thelma Hussey : numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

Anne’s greatest accomplishment was the birth of her daughter, MacKenzie Carra Smith. MacKenzie was her mother’s heart and soul and the light of her life. She frequently took her daughter to Greenville to visit the ECU campus in hopes of MacKenzie attending her alma mater. MacKenzie ultimately chose the mountains where she is currently attending Appalachian State University and working on her Bachelors Degree in cellular and molecular biology. She plans to apply for Graduate School in the future. Anne was extremely proud of MacKenzie’s educational pursuits.

Anne worked for FirstHealth Hospice but ultimately devoted her career to helping children and young adults with special needs. Anne was compassionate and able to assist her clients with their life needs.

Anne, like her parents, loved animals. She enjoyed caring for her 3 black barn cats that her daughter rescued. Anne was known to be a caring and generous person and enjoyed surprising others with special gifts.

Anne was the queen of humor and had the unique ability to captivate her audience with enticing stories full of hilarious nuances and witty banter. She was the life of the party and the comedian of the family. All that knew her begged for more stories and laughs. She brought joy and happiness into all of our lives.

He then took a teaching post at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas where his sons Christopher Ellis and Benjamin Robert were born in 1967 and 1969 respectively.

In 1991, he moved to Southern Pines, North Carolina to build a life with Sue Clagett Young. While they redid a historic home in town, Jim taught history at various schools in the area: Campbell College (now Campbell University), Methodist University, and St. Andrews University. Always open and eager to talk about history, Jim reveled in passing favored books on to his colleagues and his students. An avid bibliophile, Jim would never balk at perusing a bookstore and amassed a library of over 15,000 volumes, many of which were donated to the Fayetteville Public Library before his passing.

Jim also worked tirelessly as a political advocate on the local and national level with he and Sue caucusing for John Edwards in Iowa during his presidential run Jim was preceded in death by his mother, his father, his younger brother, George Axel, and his first wife, Hettye Sue Renberg Smith.

Survivors include his partner/ wife, Sue Young, and his three sons, Eric James Renberg, Christopher Ellis Renberg, and Benjamin Robert Renberg and wife April; two brothers, Gordon “John” Renberg and Stephen Peter Renberg; one sister, Bernita Ann “Bunny” Renberg Smith and two grandchildren, Elaine Kate Moore and Robert Charles Renberg.