North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 52

Hurricanes dazzle at 2023 NHL Stadium Series, B2

Republicans push to expedite Graham statue

Washington, D.C.

U.S. Sens. Ted Budd and Thom Tillis have introduced a resolution to expedite the installation of a statue of the Reverend William Franklin ‘‘Billy’’ Graham, Jr. into the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall Collection.

Three steps remain in the process of placing the statue in the Capitol, and this resolution would force the Joint Committee on the Library of Congress (JCL) to complete those steps without further delay. Those steps include approval of the full-sized clay model and pedestal design of a statue within 30 days, approval of the completed statue within 30 days and determining a permanent display location within 30 days of approving the completed statue.

Eight of the state’s 14 representatives in the U.S. House also support the resolution.

NSJ STAFF

NCDHHS:

opioid overdose deaths up 22%

Raleigh

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services released its 2021 statistics showing opioid overdose deaths were up 22% from the previous year.

NCDHHS says the rise in overdose deaths in recent years is driven by illegal manufactured fentanyl, with 77% of the deaths likely involving the substance.

“North Carolina’s communities and families are meeting the tragedy of overdose deaths and the opioid crisis head on, every day,” said NCDHHS Secretary Kody H. Kinsley. “With the right treatment and support, recovery is possible, and individuals can go on to live full and productive lives. Our goal is to break the costly cycle of addiction and the smartest investment we can make to do that is expanding Medicaid.”

The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the crisis, the department added. Overdose deaths have increased 72% since 2019, with a 40% jump in 2020 during the first year of the pandemic.

NSJ STAFF

State treasurer Folwell blasts nonprofit hospital executive pay in report

Top execs raked in over $1.75 billion between 2010 and 2021

By A.P. Dillon North

State Journal RALEIGH — During a Feb. 15 press conference, State Treasurer Dale Folwell unveiled a report detailing the high pay of executives of nonprofit hospitals operating in the state.

“You’ve heard me say before that what we’re dealing with in the health care industry is like an onion,” said Folwell. “The more we peel it, the more we cry. And the situation is getting far worse.”

“What you’re going to see from this report - if you can even imag-

GOP pushes ahead with Medicaid expansion at NCGA

By Matt Mercer North State Journal

RALEIGH — NC House Republicans approved an updated Medicaid expansion bill last week that would see North Carolina become the 40th state to back adding as many as 600,000 to the government-backed entitlement program.

ine the situation getting worsewe are seeing a massive transfer of wealth from workers to hospital executives,” Folwell said. He added the healthcare executives were incented to raise profits but apparently not raise care quality or lower costs.

The report, titled “Nonprofit Hospital Executive Pay,” gives an overview of how the pay for top officials in charge of nonprofit health facilities doubled their paychecks in less than five years. According to the report North Carolina hospitals paid $1.75 billion to their top executives from 2010 to 2021. Around 20% of that pay went to top executives, translating to a collective $308.8 mil-

See FOLWELL , page A2

The finalized package and rules are still far from complete, however, as the NC Senate Republican leadership will look to add additional regulatory changes, including overhauling the state’s “Certificate of Need” restrictions.

The NC House Republicans’ bill, HB 76, was approved by a vote of 96-23 including unanimous support of NC House Democrats.

entering office in 2017, Cooper has repeatedly made Medicaid expansion a significant part of his agenda, at times berating the General Assembly to act.

One of Gov. Cooper’s first moves in office was to notify the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that North Carolina would expand Medicaid bureaucratically; the Republican-led legislature then swifty acted to prevent him from doing so.

“This Republican legislature has fought Medicaid expansion every step of the way… They’ve done a complete about face over the last few months.”

“I’m asking for you to support Medicaid expansion because it is a smart and necessary investment in our state,” said state Rep. Donny Lambeth (R-Forsyth). “Think about the people you represent who will actually benefit from this.”

Gov. Roy Cooper

The move to how, not if, to expand Medicaid marks a substantial victory for two-term Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. An advocate of expansion since

Report: Post-pandemic teacher turnover rate remains mostly unchanged

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The latest State of the Teaching Profession report presented to the State Board of Education shows the teacher attrition rate in the state mostly remained steady during the 2021-22 school year.

The report showed the teacher attrition rate, also referred to as the teacher turnover rate, came in at 7.78% for the 12-month period of March 2021 to March 2022.

That’s a drop of .4% over the previous pre-pandemic year’s reported 8.2% rate.

“It’s a positive sign that last

year’s attrition rate for the state was about on par with what it was before the pandemic,” State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said in a press release. “It indicates that things are stabilizing following a tremendous period of uncertainty in the 2020-21 school year.”

According to the report, before the pandemic the teacher turnover rate had declined from 9% in 2015-16 down to 7.5% in 2018-19 and 2019-20. The report notes 3,103 teachers left for various personal reasons, 393 were terminated by districts, 1,369 were listed as leaving “beyond the control” of the local districts, around 2,400 left for “other

reasons” and 507 left to teach in another state.

Visiting International Faculty (VIF) and Teach for America (TFA) teachers had the highest attrition rates across all teacher categories. Of the total 510 VIF teachers, overall attrition was 88.7% and 85.5% left before their contract was up. Of TFA’s 257 teachers, the overall attrition rate was just over 25% with nearly 23% leaving before the end of their contract. Of the 93,832 public school teachers employed last year, around 7,298 were no longer em-

In 2019, the state operated without a signed budget due to a stalemate over the program, along with education spending and other issues.

When NC Senate Republican leaders announced their flip to supporting expansion in 2022, Cooper told Politico, “All these years, we’ve been expanding our coalition of people who have begun to realize that this is an absolute necessity and that North Carolina is being foolish and deadly in refusing to expand Medicaid. This Republican legislature has fought Medicaid expansion every step of the way … They’ve done a complete about face over the last few months.

STAN GILLILAND | FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Fireworks go off as Carter-Finley Stadium is lit red during the national anthem before the NHL Stadium Series game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals on Saturday in Raleigh.

lion over 12 years. Examples given by Folwell and his staff included Atrium CEO Gene Woods collecting $9.8 million, a 473% pay increase, in just a six-year period leading up to 2021. Similarly, Mission Health CEO Ronald Paulus saw his compensation rise 726% in less than a decade.

Hospital executive compensation during the pandemic stayed on the rise despite taking $1.5 billion in COVID relief funds. The report says that of the 175 executives across the eight healthcare systems, only 35 took a pay deduction that was not triggered by a departure during 2020.

Other 2020 pandemic-related findings included an average CEO compensation of $3.4 million with the top 40 hospital executives collecting a total of $77.2 million in 2020. The report equates the over $77 million as “enough to pay the average salaries of 1,412 teachers.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16

2 Corinthians 7:4

Thankfulness or unthankfulness is largely a matter of the attitude of our heart.

Two men look at the same scene. One sees the defects and the imperfections and the other sees the beauty and the brightness.

If you cannot find things to be thankful for today, and every day — the fault is in yourself, and you ought to pray for a changed heart — a heart to see God’s goodness and to praise Him.

A joyful heart transfigures all the world around us. It finds something to be thankful for in the barest circumstances, even in the dark night of the soul. Let us train ourselves to see the beauty and the goodness in God’s world, and in our own circumstances — and then we shall stop grumbling, and be content and thankful in all situations.

What men and women find in the life—depends on what they are themselves. We hear some people talk of the coldness of the world. They find no love anywhere, no gratitude, no appreciation, no sympathy, no tenderness. Others, living in like circumstances and conditions—find only brightness, beauty, gladness, and tenderness wherever they go. The same skies are dull and dreary to one—and glorious with their deep, wonderful blue to another. The same fields are dreary and desolate to one eye—and filled with splendid beauty to another. Each person’s heart—casts its own hue and tinge upon all other lives.

Two people listen to the same voice: and while one hears what seems to him to be terrifying thunder, the other hears the entrancing strains of angels’ songs.

The report describes medical debt incurred by patients during the pandemic and says that some nonprofit hospitals in the state “billed more than $149 million to poor patients who should have received charity care,” and that the state’s largest nonprofit hospitals “encouraged thousands of North Carolinians to sign up for “medical credit cards” that can charge up to 18% interest,” the report states.

Folwell pointed out that the report is incomplete because it does not include outside compensation paid to CEOs and top executives.

An example given by the treasurer is UNC Health’s CEO William Roper who was paid $5.5 million as a result of sitting on boards of outside organizations that did business with the state.

Another factor impeding the report’s estimation of executive compensation is a lack of ability to view hospital tax filings. Folwell said loopholes in the current law governing those filings meant that over

“Two men looked out from their prison bars

One saw the mud, the other saw the stars!”

This same difference is seen in the way life’s experiences appear to different people. To one pessimistic class, everything seems discouraging. They see only the troubles, the difficulties, the hindrances, the disheartenments. They talk always in sad tone of their burdens, tasks, duties, disappointments, and trials. There is no blue sky in their picture, and no stars shine down upon them.

Then there are others who always look upon life optimistically. They are never discouraged. They are not disturbed by the perplexing things which they meet. They expect to have struggles; since with only easy life—there can be no progress, no victories, no struggling upward, and they grow only the braver and more resolute in battle. They meet obstacles and hindrances; but they are not disheartened by them, and turn them into stepping stones for upward striving. They suffer defeats and

three in ten of the nonprofit hospitals were able to keep their filings out of the public view.

Suggested transparency remedies asking lawmakers to “require publicly owned hospitals to abide by the same transparency standards as other nonprofit hospitals that publish tax filings.” In the same vein, the report suggests “policy makers should reconsider allowing hospitals to conceal the structure of their top executives’ compensation in contracts.”

Folwell also said that the report did not include some of the latest data his office had just received via public records requests submitted to UNC Health.

In his closing, Folwell recalled his earlier remarks about the NC Chamber’s president asking him to stop calling the healthcare system a “cartel.”

“I want to tell everybody at the same time, I will stop using the word cartel when they stop acting like one,” Folwell said.

reverses; but they are not dismayed, only learning from their failures how to keep from being defeated again. Everywhere they go they hear music, and everywhere they find something beautiful and good. All will admit that the man with the optimistic spirit—gets far more out of life, and makes far more of life, than his pessimistic neighbor. It is a great deal better to see blue sky and stars—than only dull, dreary clouds. It is a more noble thing to hear angel music — than thunders in the voices that break on our ears. Happiness or unhappiness is, therefore, not so much a matter of external conditions—as of heart attitude. We gather in life—what our habit of heart has fitted us for gathering.

J.R. Miller was a pastor and former editorial superintendent of the Presbyterian Board of Publication from 1880 to 1911. His works are now in the public domain.

Various experts joined Folwell for the press event, which was streamed on his department’s Facebook page.

Those joining the treasurer included Dr. Vivian Ho, James A. Baker III Institute Chair in Health Economics at Rice University; Dr. Hossein Zare, professor and assistant scientist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Dr. Ge Bai, professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and professor of accounting at the Carey Business School.

Support for the report also came from Ardis Watkins, executive director of the State Employees Association of North Carolina.

Ho called the report “a wake-up call to anyone who sits on the board of a nonprofit hospital.”

Zare remarked that while nonprofit hospitals are required to justify community benefits spending at the tax level, it was hard to tell what

these entities were really doing.

“Lack of transparency on definitions and spending creates a wide variation across nonprofit hospitals in the amount of tax benefit and charity care/community benefits,” Zare said. “A new standard is needed.”

A set of peer-reviewed reports commissioned by Folwell showed nonprofit hospitals received over $1.8 billion in tax breaks in 2020, but the majority of hospitals didn’t justify their exemptions through an equivalent level of charity care.

A statement from the North Carolina Hospital Association called the report a “distraction” from what they called a secretive selection process for the new third-party administrator for the State Health Plan and called questioning executives’ commitment to improve the health of patients and communities egregious.

The full report can be accessed on the N.C. State Health Plan website: https://www.shpnc.org/what-the-

They know it’s the right thing to do.”

Much of the Republican plan centers on what they believe is an “out” if the federal government stops paying 90% of costs or if the nonfederal share costs cannot be met with the dedicated funding sources outlined in the bill.

Those sources are increases in revenue from the gross premiums tax due to NC Health Works coverage, increases in intergovernmental transfers due to NC Health Works coverage, hospital health advancement assessments enacted as part of the bill, and “savings to the state attributable to NC Health Works coverage that correspond to general fund budget reductions to other state programs.

The North Carolina Hospital Association, which has strongly backed Medicaid expansion for years, released a statement in support of the NC House Republican bill.

“Passing Medicaid expansion and HASP is a bipartisan issue.

Members of all political parties want communities that are healthy and hospital doors that are open. We look forward to continuing to work with members of the General Assembly to make this a good bill that will help hundreds of thousands of our neighbors and that we can all point to with pride,” said Steve Lawler, president and chief executive officer of the North Carolina Healthcare Association.

HASP, the Healthcare Access and Stabilization Program, will

pump billions into the state’s hospitals from Medicaid reimbursements. The tradeoff for the state’s hospitals is to pay an assessment as part of North Carolina’s 10% share of expenses.

Some Republicans supporting the bill also point to a “sweetener” in Medicaid expansion as a reason to pass the bill. The American Rescue Plan Act offers an additional 5 percentage points on the state’s federal Medicaid match to be applied to the existing Medicaid population for 2 years. North Carolina would qualify for the higher federal match, which would result in $900 million per year in additional federal Medicaid receipts for 2 years.

Yet despite assurances that hospitals, particularly in rural areas will benefit from Medicaid expan-

sion, the Foundation for Government Accountability says expansion has actually contributed to the closing of more hospitals.

According to a research study, FGA found that, “While expansion proponents are fixated on one side of the ledger — uncompensated care costs — they often ignore the effect of shifting untold numbers of able-bodied adults from private insurance (whether through their employer or the individual market) onto Medicaid, which has lower provider reimbursement rates.”

“Since Medicaid pays roughly 60% of what private insurance reimburses, expansion states ultimately lose money on every patient they crowd out of their existing private coverage and shift onto Medicaid,” the study’s executive summary

adds.

The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a nonpartisan organization made up of policy experts and state legislators around the country, is also sceptical of Medicaid expansion.

In a Jan. 30, 2023 update, ALEC research stated that expansion has led to $100 billion in waste, fraud, and improper spending.

“Additionally, the data is mixed on whether expanding Medicaid translates to better health outcomes. A recent National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) study casts doubt on the claim many proponents make about Medicaid expansion saving lives,” the report states. “Regardless, many Americans have reported longer wait times, provider shortages and de-

FOLWELL from page A1

MEDICAID from page A1

“Be joyful always!”

“In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy!”

FILE PHOTO

Left, State Treasurer Dale Folwell released a report concerning hospital executive pay on Feb. 15, 2023. Right, A doctor talks to a patient in this undated file photo.

“The Starry Night” (1889) is a painting by Vincent van Gogh which is now in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

N. Carolina House, Senate pass gun rights bills

By Matt Mercer North State Journal

RALEIGH — Both sides of the General Assembly approved separate gun rights bills in a flurry of activity on Jones Street last week.

In the NC House, a bill that would allow licensed conceal carry holders to carry in educational facilities used in places of religious worship passed by a 77-43 vote with six Democrats joining Republicans in support.

The bill, HB 49, carves out specific exceptions to the prohibition of weapons on educational property. That includes ensuring the property is not owned by a local board of education or county commission, is not property of a public or private institution of higher education, does not post a notice prohibiting carrying a concealed handgun on the premises, and is only carried on the property outside of school operating hours.

In the NC Senate, a couple of stand alone bills were rolled into SB 41, the Guarantee 2nd Amendment Freedom and Protections Act.

The bill adds concealed carry for certain law enforcement facility employees, repeals the state’s Pistol Purchase Permit system, and creates a statewide firearm safe storage awareness initiative. The Senate’s bill passed on a party-line vote.

Following the legislative action for the week, gun rights groups applauded the moves in the state legislature.

Grass Roots North Carolina, the top state gun rights organization, said, “Grass Roots North Carolina would like to thank Senate Republicans – particularly Senators Danny Britt, Warren Daniel, and Ralph Hise – for a highly organized effort in not only passing legislation long sought by North Carolina gun rights supporters. In particular, we thank them for rejecting unconstitutional ‘red flag’ gun confiscation schemes by which people’s guns can be confiscated, with little or no evidence or wrongdoing.”

GRNC added, “If enacted, the bill will remove yet another of the

ostensibly ‘gun free’ zones that attract mass killers. That measure, plus removing obstructions placed by certain sheriffs on the ability of lawful North Carolinians to buy handguns for self-protection, will vastly improve safety in our state.”

The National Rifle Association also supported the bills, saying in a statement thanking legislators for fighting to protect the rights of North Carolina’s law-abiding citizens and advancing Second Amendment freedom.

The pistol permit purchase system places North Carolina in a

minority of states – just 10 nationwide have some form of a permit licensing system for buyers. Dating back to over 100 years ago, each county sheriff is required to conduct a criminal background check to determine if the applicant is “of good moral character” and then issuing the permit.

Supporters of the bill point out that the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) conducts the same background checks. The NICS system is operated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Audit: Hertford elections director violated purchase policies

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — A new investigative audit conducted by the N.C. State Auditor’s office has fund the Hertford County elections director violated purchase policies. The audit was promoted by two allegations submitted to the agency’s tipline.

The audit found that the Hertford County director of elections violated policy by purchasing $19,995 in services from a company, RA Enterprises, LLC, owned by the former Chairman of the Hertford County Board of Commissioners. The purchases involved sanitization and cleaning during the pandemic.

The timeline of purchase issues spans from July to October 2020. At that time, the elections director

“According to the audit, the elections director failed to obtain “approved purchase orders for services from the former Chairman’s company despite the county’s prohibition.”

State Auditor report

for the county was Shelia Privott.

She is still listed in that capacity on the county’s website.

According to the audit, the elections director failed to obtain “approved purchase orders for services from the former Chairman’s

company despite the county’s prohibition against purchasing from a company in which a county employee has a financial interest.”

She also failed to obtain quotes from other vendors for services under $5,000 as well as failing to solicit competitive bids for services over $5,000.

The audit recommends disciplinary action for the elections director and for the Hertford County Board of Commissioners to develop disclosure processes for companies where a commission member may have an ownership interest.

Hertford County Commissioners response to the audit said they have “reviewed and acknowledged” the audit’s findings and have “immediately and proactively implemented internal fiscal control measures” to fix the issues raised in the audit.

The third aspect of the bill, the firearm safe storage awareness initiative, would bring three state agencies: the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), and Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) to launch a two-year statewide initiative to educate the public about proper firearm storage and to distribute gun locks. Following the implementation a report to the Joint Oversight Committee on Health and Human Services detailing progress is to be made by Sept. 1, 2024.

“If enacted, the bill will remove yet another of the ostensibly ‘gun free’ zones that attract mass killers.”

Grass Roots North Carolina statement

Board of Education approves creation of 42 remote academies

State

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — The creation of 42 remote or virtual academies across the state was approved by members of the State Board of Education (SBE) at its Feb. 2 meeting.

The academies will be scattered in districts across the state and will open in 2023-24. The remote learning schools will be run by local public school districts. The academies will be subject to the accountability rules that apply to conventional brick-and-mortar schools, per the SBE.

Legislation (SL 2022-59) passed last year instructed the SBE to begin implementing the academies.

As defined by the SBE and legislation, remote academies are public schools where instruction is mainly online and may use a combination of synchronous and asynchronous instruction.

“The need for widespread remote instruction was an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic during the 2020-21 school year, but some families and students have expressed a preference to continue learning remotely even as previously closed schools reopened,” an SBE press release states.

A full list of the remote academies and their locations can be found under SBE meetings located on the N.C. Department of Public Instruction’s website.

“The need for widespread remote instruction was an immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but some families and students have expressed a preference to continue learning remotely.”

State Board of Education statement

AP PHOTO, FILE Stickers await voters after they cast their votes on Election Day at Glenwood Center in Greensboro.

AP PHOTO

North Carolina state Sen. Danny Britt, a Robeson County Republican, promotes his legislation easing gun access requirements at the Legislative Building in Raleigh, N.C., on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023.

north STATEment

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL

The comedic Biden White House

CAPITOL HILL STAFFERS and campaign managers are busy people. Talking in short-hand by referring to one line in a crazy movie or comedy skit saves time and effort for all involved. Mental images convey far more content than words ever can in less than five seconds.

This situation absolutely requires a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part.

The Biden Administration is proving to be an on-going, daily treasure trove of incidents that can be compared to any number of sophomoric movies or cartoons. Unfortunately for the rest of the country, they seem to be the only ones who don’t get it yet. Which makes it even more humorous and yet, sad and poignant at the same time.

Whenever the president tries to assure us as a nation that all is well with the border, inflation, gas prices and debt, the only thing that comes to mind is Kevin Bacon as Omega pledge “Chip Diller” in his ROTC uniform calmly saying “Remain Calm! All is Well!” at the end of “Animal House”.

He was thereupon trampled by a maddened crowd who knew “all was not well” in the fair town of Faber.

“Inflation is coming down. ... Food inflation is coming down…“(g)as prices are down $1.50 a gallon since their peak” Biden asserted in his State of the Union speech. He didn’t explain it was his policies that caused inflation and gas prices to skyrocket in the first place. Ty Webb used the same delusional thinking while explaining life to his caddy, Danny Noonan in “Caddyshack”: “There’s a force in the universe that makes things happen, Danny. And all you have to do is get in touch with it, stop thinking, let things happen, and be the ball”.

President Biden can’t “be the ball” and just make inflation disappear overnight just by saying so. He is not in touch with that force in the universe.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphatically stated “President Biden is the best communicator we have in the White House!” On cue on my mind’s digital recorder, I saw and heard Dean Wormer of Faber College intone in a deeply exasperated manner: “Mr. Biden. Two C’s, two D’s, and an F. That’s a 1.2 grade average. Congratulations. You’re at the top of the pledge class”.

VP Kamala Harris says Biden is “probably one of the boldest and strongest American presidents we have had”. Sure, if he is being compared to fictional movie presidents such as Merkin Muffley, spectacularly played

EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS

by Peter Sellers in “Dr. Strangelove”. “Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here. This is the War Room!” Was only one of his memorable buffoonish lines.

But not when Biden is compared to any real US presidents in our entire 243-year history. It is hard to think of a least-bold or strong president to be honest — if you know of one, please let us know.

VP Harris declared, after Biden let a Chinese spy balloon surveil the entire country for a week, “Let’s be clear: first of all, as it relates to the Chinese balloon, we shot it down because it needed to be shot down”. Biden spokesman John Kirby followed up with: “I can tell you the president doesn’t regret the way we handled the first balloon.”

Both could have told the truth about White House policy if they just had repeated what Otter said to his Delta brothers after being thrown offcampus: “I think that this situation absolutely required a really futile and stupid gesture be done on somebody’s part”.

“And we were just the guys to do it!” every member of Biden’s sycophantic team could have said in unison.

Setting aside the physical and mental health of President Biden for the moment, experienced businessmen and women who listen to any of Biden’s public policy pronouncements must shake their heads and think, if not say out loud, the same thing Principal Max Anderson said to Adam Sandler as “Billy Madison” after his closing argument in a debate:

“Mr. Madison, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul”. Comedy reflects truth but does so under the umbrella of free speech which protects against slander and libel. It would be so much better to have a president and administration which did not conjure up such humorous images.

But we don’t. 2024 can’t get here soon enough.

Here’s why Nikki Haley’s presidential candidacy is driving Democrats crazy

NIKKI HALEY, who was former President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the United Nations for nearly two years, announced her 2024 presidential candidacy last week, making her the second major Republican contender to do so behind Trump, who declared his in November shortly after the 2022 midterm elections.

“I didn’t change my last name when I got married to a white guy,” Rangappa tweeted in a back and forth with Twitter users who accused her of being a hypocrite because she, too, does not go by her first name (Renuka) professionally.

“Take it from me, the first minority female governor in history, America is not a racist country.”

Nikki Haley, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

Predictably, Haley is already facing questions from the media and her critics on the left about the time she served in Trump’s administration and statements she made about it after she left. What has been even more predictable are the unhinged reactions to the former South Carolina governor’s candidacy from the supposedly “woke” contingent of the Democratic party.

During her announcement, Haley talked about how Democrats including President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris frequently either talk about or insinuate that America is a “racist country.”

“The American people know better. My immigrant parents know better,” Haley stated. “And take it from me, the first minority female governor in history, America is not a racist country.”

This did not sit well with the racial arsonists on the left, who proceeded to revive a longstanding and false argument that Haley is, in so many words, “running away from her Indian heritage” for political gain by using her middle name.

Haley’s full name as it is listed on her birth certificate is Nimarata Nikki Randhawa, and she says she has gone by the “Nikki” since she was a child. She got married in 1996 to Michael Haley, and took his last name.

CNN legal and national security analyst Asha Rangappa, a lecturer at Yale and a former FBI agent, had previously taken issue in 2020 with Haley declaring that America was not a racist country, and in a sincedeleted tweet from that time, Rangappa wrote, “Right. Is that why you went from going by Nimrata [sic] to ‘Nikki’?”

When she was confronted about the tweet last week, Rangappa proceeded to double down on her insinuation that Haley was trying to pass herself off as “white,” including when she married Michael Haley.

New York Times writer/CNN commentator Wajahat Ali also got in on the act, announcing on Twitter that he had “just submitted a piece on Nikki Nimrata [sic] Haley shamefully using her Indian heritage to launder white supremacy and GOP talking points. It was cathartic for the soul.”

“So why did she change her name then?” Atlantic writer Jemele Hill ignorantly wondered, as did CBS News anchor Tanya Rivero, who asked the same question.

These racially-charged attacks on Haley were aided and abetted by the “Politico” news outlet, which ran a piece on the day she declared her intentions to run for president with the headline “Nikki Haley’s complicated racial dance.”

One thing that for years has kept Democrat movers and shakers and their media allies up at night is the fear that one day they’d finally lose their iron-like grip on the minority voters who for decades now have been central to many of their election victories.

Haley’s candidacy represents a threat to that grip, which began to loosen under Trump, and that is why in their view she must not just be defeated but also discredited and shown to be a “traitor” to women and minorities.

Throughout her six years as governor, Haley proved to be a formidable Republican leader, so her detractors on the left and in the press should not be so quick to underestimate her because, as she’s shown since she made her announcement, the attacks could very well come back to bite them.

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.

Getting past the debt blame game

Autopilot Medicare cost growth is the single greatest contributor to the mounting fiscal imbalance.

THE BARBS EXCHANGED at the State of the Union address remind us of the ease with which each party feels it can blame the other for the worsening of federal indebtedness year after year, Congress after Congress, and presidential administration after administration. These routinized charges are not only counterproductive, they are inaccurate. My comprehensive study of the issue shows that the U.S. has soaring debt not primarily because of actions taken by any current officeholder, but because of a stream of legislation enacted between 1965 and 1972. The study was motivated by dissatisfaction with the uninformative way these questions are typically discussed in a political context. Partisans, ideologues and interest groups have become adept at framing these questions in ways designed to cast blame on their political opposition. All one needs to do is to only count deficit-increasing actions taken upon the other party’s accession to power, excluding from the picture any previous policy decisions. Presto! The other party is found at fault for the mounting debt.

The only fair and thorough way to analyze the issue is to examine the entirety of the federal budget, quantifying each policy’s contribution to the problem irrespective of when it was enacted. Doing this reveals that nearly three-fifths of the worsening federal fiscal gap is the product of legislation enacted during the aforementioned time period.

Specifically, it was spawned by the enactments of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, along with subsequent expansions of both programs as well as to Social Security in 1971-1972. Astoundingly, all policy decisions combined over the last 50 years have not contributed as much to the widening fiscal gap as the decisions made in those few eventful years.

Autopilot Medicare cost growth is the single greatest contributor to the mounting fiscal imbalance, as documented by recurring reports from the Congressional Budget Office. While there have been isolated expansions of the program over the years as well as countervailing efforts to contain its cost growth, the largest component of Medicare’s excess growth was unleashed in its original enacting legislation in 1965.

Medicaid growth is another significant contributor to the mounting problem, but its history is different. Its excess cost growth is due in part to its 1965 origination and to expansions in 1971-1972, but even more so to subsequent expansions, most recently in the 2010 Affordable Care Act.

Social Security would be in financial balance

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

were it not for a dramatic expansion and enactment of automatic growth provisions in 1972. Lawmakers have yet to determine how to finance these ongoing increases, which today pose an intensifying threat to the program’s solvency.

While my study was conducted as an informational antidote to partisan finger-pointing, it may be worth noting that those bearing largest responsibility for the current problem include one long-ago Democratic president, Lyndon B. Johnson, and one Republican, Richard Nixon (both working with a Congress then under unified Democratic control).

While the perennial problem is driven by legislative decisions made more than five decades ago, deficits in particular years can be greatly affected by legislation during or leading up to those years. For example, the year my study was published (2021) exhibited historically elevated deficit spending. The vast majority of this spending was enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic, in the last year of the Trump administration and the first year of the Biden administration. Huge though this spending was, it was mostly temporary and did not cause the long-term problem.

Officeholders prefer not to acknowledge these realities because of the bipartisan popularity of the programs driving the worsening fiscal problem. It’s easier to allege, falsely, that the only threats to these programs are their enemies in the opposing party. Politicians emphasize partisan distinctions and proclaim their superior budgetary virtue by distracting voters with other federal budget policy disagreements, such as those over taxes and annual appropriations. Unfortunately, these sideshow policy battles simply don’t affect the fiscal situation nearly enough to correct it, no matter how they are resolved. Abraham Lincoln once said, “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could better judge what to do, and how to do it.” Where we are is clear; what to do is less so. Policymakers will naturally differ over how best to correct for miscalculations made long ago, but neither party can fix the situation by itself. Our debt problems will only worsen until legislators of both parties work together to moderate the operation of longstanding provisions of law that no current officeholder authored.

Charles Blahous is the J. Fish and Lillian F. Smith Chair at the Mercatus Center and a Visiting Fellow with the Hoover Institution.

Opinion first published in Meadville Tribune February 15, 2023

for school choice everywhere

THIS STORY could bring tears to your eyes. In Baltimore, Maryland, there are 23 schools in which not one single student tested “proficient in math.”

Our public schools are wasting millions of minds week after week while they spend billions upon billions of dollars on Lord knows what.

Disinformation Inc vs. the Founding Fathers

HOW MANY PEOPLE believe, really believe, in freedom of speech? Or, as Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes wrote, not just “free thought for those who agree with us but freedom for the thought that we hate”?

The answer is not as many as I supposed before reading my Washington Examiner colleague Gabe Kaminsky’s series of articles exposing “Disinformation Inc.”

Kaminsky’s first article, appearing Feb. 9, described how “well-funded ‘disinformation’ tracking groups are part of a stealth operation blacklisting and trying to defund conservative media, likely costing the news companies large sums in advertising dollars.”

Of course these firms pose as neutral nonpartisan groups whose only goal is to prevent inaccurate information from infecting the political dialogue. But one person’s disinformation is another person’s accurate advocacy.

And as with many media “fact-checkers” (my former Washington Examiner colleague Mark Hemingway wrote a classic takedown of the genre), so with Disinformation Inc., it turns out that all errors and falsehoods in journalism come from one end of the political spectrum. Hint: It’s not the political Left.

One key outfit is the Global Disinformation Index, based in Britain, and two affiliated U.S.-based nonprofit groups. GDI produces a “dynamic exclusion list” rating media outlets on “disinformation risk.” It says it wants to suppress content that “is morally reprehensible or patently inoffensive” and “without redeeming social value.”

Its exclusion list reportedly includes the Washington Examiner, and its 10 “riskiest” outfits are all, to one extent or another, on the political Right. Disclosure: Those which have printed my writings over the years include the American Spectator, the American Conservative, RealClearPolitics and the New York Post.

GDI’s CEO Clare Melford said that topics on which the group identified “disinformation” include COVID vaccination, masking rules, abortion and alleged voter fraud. These are all issues on which there is robust disagreement on both facts and moral values.

Unsurprisingly, GDI gives “least risky” ratings to sources including The New York Times, The Washington Post (for which I worked for seven years), the Associated Press, BuzzFeed and HuffPost. This despite the fact that, as Kaminsky points out, BuzzFeed was the first to publish the fraudulent Steele dossier, charging former President Donald Trump with collusion with Russia, and HuffPost charged that the accurate October 2020 New York Post story on Hunter Biden’s laptop was “Russian disinformation,” even though Biden has subsequently confirmed that the laptop was his.

Can we all agree these are schools that aren’t proficient in teaching math — or just about any course, for that matter?

A Fox News investigation calculated that Baltimore spends an average of $21,000 per student. How could the teachers unions possibly spend that much money and accomplish almost no learning?

With a dreadful record like this, it would be natural to think Baltimore must have the worst schools in the nation. Maybe not.

It turns out things may be worse in Illinois.

According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education reviewed by Wirepoints, an investigative journalism center, there were 30 schools last year, 22 of which are in the Chicago area, that failed to lift even one student to gradelevel reading.

Wait, it gets worse. The state has more than 50 schools in which not a single student had achieved grade-level math.

Wouldn’t the proper response be to shut down these schools that are robbing children of an education?

Not in Illinois. In fact, the state educators rated the performance of several of these abysmal schools — are you ready for this? — “commendable.” This takes grade inflation to a whole new level of absurdity.

Of course, the decision by teachers unions and education administrators to shut down the schools for a year or more didn’t help. But the test results in many of these schools weren’t much better before the pandemic. And don’t blame a shortage of money. Many of these Chicago schools are spending up to $30,000 per child.

What we have here is a case of widespread educational child abuse.

All over the country, our public schools are delivering failing results. Last year, test scores nationally reached a several-decade low. The schools that had by far superior test scores to the public schools in almost every state were Catholic schools.

Now, think about this for a moment. If we really

cared about the future of our children, wouldn’t we just contract out the nation’s thousands of rotten school systems to the Catholic dioceses around the country? Or throw in Jewish schools, charter schools, Montessori schools, home schools — or whatever works?

In most highly populated inner-cities where public schools are especially deficient, the mostly minority children can receive a better education in Catholic schools — at roughly half the cost of the public schools.

If there is a silver lining here, it is that there are some states that have rapidly expanded their school choice programs, allowing the education dollars to follow the students wherever their families choose to send them. Arizona, Florida, Iowa and West Virginia have already done so, with Texas, Tennessee and Utah considering bold moves toward universal school choice for families that can’t afford private alternatives.

Some 40 years ago, a famous national study on the condition of America’s schools warned of a “crisis of mediocrity” in education. Today, things have deteriorated so much that mediocrity would be an improvement and is considered “commendable.”

University of Chicago economists have estimated that the loss of education just from the COVID-19 shutdowns will cost the nation trillions of dollars of lost income and productivity from the diminished earning potential of our children throughout their whole lives.

A mind is a terrible thing to waste. And our public schools are wasting millions of minds week after week while they spend billions upon billions of dollars on Lord knows what. It’s time for bold new approaches. There are thousands of private and religious schools that have proven they know how to teach children, and instead of achieving 0% reading and math proficiency, they reach nearly 100%. Education reform is simple: Put our children, our nation’s greatest assets, in these schools.

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.”

Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters must be signed; include the writer’s phone number, city and state; and be no longer than 300 words. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@nsjonline.com.

The conclusions that conservative outlets peddle disinformation and left-leaning outlets are reliable have been cast in doubt by two of the biggest stories of calendar year 2023.

The Columbia Journalism Review’s exhaustive four-part series by former New York Times investigative reporter Jeff Gerth has shown how GDI’s “least risky” media sources generally, and The New York Times in particular, provided misleading and inaccurate coverage of the false charges that Trump colluded with Russia.

And the independent and left-leaning reporter Matt Taibbi and the liberal activist Michael Shellenberger, in investigating Twitter files at the invitation of new owner Elon Musk, showed how now-fired and extremely liberal Twitter executives were more skeptical of the Russian collusion hoax and the charges that the New York Post’s Biden laptop story was “Russian disinformation” than the media that shunned the story.

In other words, there’s a strong argument that the media sources on the honor roll of Disinformation Inc. did more to mislead the public during the Trump presidency and after than the media sources on its S-list.

And the misleaders did so with U.S. government help. As Kaminsky reported, GDI received $100,000 from the State Department’s Global Engagement Center and $250,000 from the congressionally funded National Endowment for Democracy, which had previously done yeoman’s work promoting democracy abroad. Should the U.S. government be financing suppression of speech?

More encouragingly, there’s some snapback. Two days after Kaminsky’s first article, Microsoft announced that Xandr, an ad firm it owns, was suspending its relationship with GDI. Perhaps Redmond, if not Silicon Valley, is wary of suppressing speech it doesn’t agree with.

Undoubtedly, the principals of the Disinformation Inc. complex Kaminsky has exposed are motivated by Trump’s many misstatements and distortions, and many probably consider him some sort of Hitler. But Trump’s presidency, however you view it, was not a Nazi regime. And his opponents have twisted and concealed the truth about as often, and arguably more effectively, than he has.

Stamping out robust political debate is an ugly business, the kind of thing that can happen when you suppress the speech of those you disagree with and thoughts you hate. The Founding Fathers had a better idea.

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

It’s now or never

NATION & WORLD

Drama of McCarthy’s election may open House to more cameras

The Associated Press

THE DIFFERENCE between a government-controlled camera that followed a climactic moment in Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s election as House speaker and one operated by a C-SPAN journalist was like a fuzzy black-and-white picture contrasted with sparkling, clear color.

In one, McCarthy strides up an aisle in the House chamber and disappears from view. A few people in the front turn to see where he’s going. After a minute, and some audible gasps, everyone stands to watch what the camera doesn’t show.

C-SPAN captured the entire scene, including the exasperated McCarthy’s tense, finger-pointing conversation with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and a GOP colleague held back from lunging at Gaetz.

Some in Congress and C-SPAN are seizing on that moment to ask that the House floor be more fully open to cameras in the interest of transparency. There’s been tangible movement in that direction.

McCarthy, as House speaker, has the final word. His office has signaled that changes are being considered. Already, government cameras have broadened their views.

“I’m guardedly optimistic that the speaker would consider independent media coverage, if not permanently, at least on request,” said Ben O’Connell, C-SPAN director of editorial operations. “We had a lot of positive feedback from both sides of the aisle.”

There’s been little change in how the public has seen House sessions since cameras were first brought in almost 44 years ago, according to Susan Swain, C-SPAN’s co-CEO. For the most part, the podium and lawmakers who come to the front to speak are shown, but little else. There are exceptions when other cameras are allowed, such as when a joint session of Congress is con-

TEACHERS from page A1 ployed in March 2022. That number is lower than the 7,735 teachers that left state employment in the 12 months prior.

The Northampton School district continued to have the highest turnover rate for the third year in a row with 18.92%.

During the 2020-21 school year, the district’s turnover rate was 26.1%. Northampton also had the highest turnover rate in 2010-20 with 28.1%.

The report cites 3,208 teachers remained in the state by teaching in another district; an increase of 316 over the 2020-21 school year. Teachers transferring from one district to another is called “mobility” and was what attributed to some districts reporting high rates of attrition.

“On average, 3.31% of the state’s teachers changed districts during the same 12-month

vened for the State of the Union.

The quirk that increased visibility that week in January was that, technically, at the time there was no speaker. Outgoing Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., consented to three C-SPAN cameras, O’Connell said. “We want to make it as accessible as possible, and I think cameras do that,” said Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, who has 25 co-sponsors for a resolution supporting C-SPAN’s bid.

Beyond the McCarthy drama, cameras offered other insights such as when polar political opposites Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., had a conversation. All of Pocan’s co-sponsors are Democrats, which give them little sway with McCarthy, R-Calif. But there’s been some GOP support for the concept, including from Gaetz.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, was quoted by CNN as saying, “What the American people were able to see unfold on the floor was a good thing for our democracy and our

period, resulting in an average district-level departure rate of about 11%. Yet some districts were reported to have combined attrition rates (including transfers to other districts) above 25%,” NCPDI’s press release says.

“It doesn’t reflect an exodus of teachers from the profession,” Truitt said of the staffing issues created by a combination of attrition and mobility. “But when you take into account that districts must replace the teachers moving to other districts, that often presents a real challenge, especially when districts must find replacement teachers with the right credentials, right experience and the right background.”

Truitt says the proposed Pathways to Excellence initiative that seeks to revamp state licensure and compensates teachers will help with attrition rates, in particular with first-year teachers,

republic.”

Given how the speaker’s vote played out in public, it wouldn’t surprise Pocan if McCarthy had little interest in more closely watched proceedings. But that hasn’t necessarily been the case.

McCarthy’s office didn’t necessarily mind how things looked during the vote and is open to greater access on certain occasions.

“We are exploring a number of options to open up the People’s House to ensure a more transparent and accessible Congress for the American people,” said Mark Bednar, a McCarthy spokesman.

The Senate has similar rules, but has gotten less attention because of the McCarthy vote.

Without fanfare, the government-controlled cameras have been offering some different views in recent weeks, observers said. There are eight cameras installed, up from six four years ago.

What’s uncertain is whether C-SPAN will get what it prefers: its own cameras, installed in the

through higher pay and more opportunity.

“It’s imperative that we provide more support for our beginning teachers,” Truitt said. “We have known that the licensure system in place right now does not consistently provide the level of support to those first-, secondand third-year teachers and this data is the latest proof of that. The licensure and compensation reform plan that we’re proposing would help remedy this by building in systems of support for beginning teachers early in their careers and would continue systematically throughout.”

Retirements during 2021-22 also declined over the previous school year. 1,114 teachers retired with full benefits last year compared to 1,522 in 2020-21.

The report’s vacancy data for the 2022-23 school year was revised after release. The vacancy report covers positions filled by

gallery overlooking the House floor, controlled robotically by journalists and available by pool to all news organizations.

McCarthy’s office is likely to move with caution, said Brendan Buck, who worked for then-Speakers John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Paul Ryan, R-Wis., and is now a partner at the communications firm Seven Letter.

“Once you give something, it’s hard to take it back,” he said.

“They have to make sure they are comfortable giving the access, knowing that it may be forever.”

Buck said he believed that some rank-and-file members of Congress would be more resistant than leadership. With Washington increasingly segregated by party, the House floor is one of the few places members have to get to know colleagues they might not normally spend time with, he said.

“They don’t want every conversation they have to have eyes and ears on it,” Buck said. That may not be a good reason to restrict cameras, but it may actually serve democracy, he said.

More cameras might also promote performing rather than legislating, a point Pocan conceded.

“But, honestly, people who are going to cause disruption are going to do it regardless,” he said.

Every time that a new speaker has been elected in the 22 years that O’Connell has been at C-SPAN, the company’s top executive dutifully writes to request access to the chamber by journalists with video cameras, he said.

Yet the speaker’s vote, where C-SPAN’s video was used widely by other television networks and on social media, led Swain to try again.

If changes are made, they would be tied directly to the night McCarthy was elected.

“It was a perfect crystallization of the argument for allowing independent media in the chamber on a more regular basis,” O’Connell said.

individuals not eligible for permanent employment, including long-term substitutes, retired teachers or provisionally licensed teachers.

As of the first day of the 202223 school year, there were roughly 5,540 vacancies compared to 3,792 the previous year. On the 40th day of the 2022-23 year, there were around 5,091 vacancies compared to 3,243 day 40 numbers during the previous school year.

According to NCDPI, longer term staffing needs of schools could be impacted by declining enrollments in the state’s fouryear and alternative education preparation programs.

Enrollments in education prep programs in 2022 dropped from a combined 8,498 candidates in 2021 to 4,941 in 2022. Four-year programs saw at 50% drop off with first-year enrollments declining from 5,545 to 2,478.

Virginia, Maryland, vie for new FBI headquarters

Springfield, Va.

Virginia lawmakers are making their final push to build a new FBI headquarters in their state, while Maryland officials try to persuade the federal government to put it in Maryland.

The Washington Post reports that the jockeying is happening as the General Services Administration gets closer to a decision in the decadeplus-long effort.

In a letter to the GSA and FBI, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a Republican, and most of the Virginia congressional delegation made a detailed case in hopes of swaying the federal government to prefer a site in Springfield, Virginia, instead of locations in Landover and Greenbelt in Maryland.

Virginia lawmakers also sought to compete more aggressively with Maryland on one component that Maryland has sought to elevate: that building the FBI in their community advances racial equity.

FBI spokeswoman Sofia Kettler said in a statement that proximity to Quantico was included because the FBI Academy “is a core part of FBI day-to-day operations, today and in the future.”

The Maryland and Virginia consultations with the GSA are expected to begin the week of Feb. 27 or March 6.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sturgeon’s exit leaves Scottish independence path unclear

London

With the resignation of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the decades-long campaign by Scottish nationalists to secede from the United Kingdom is losing its star politician and strongest communicator, at a time when efforts to hold a new vote on independence are at an impasse.

The Times of London said Sturgeon’s departure was a “huge boost to unionism,” and a “generational setback” to the independence cause. Financial Times columnist Robert Shrimsley said simply: “Nicola Sturgeon ran out of road.”

Sturgeon took the U.K. by surprise when she announced her resignation last week after eight years in office, saying she knew “in my head and in my heart” it was time to leave.

She will remain first minister for several more weeks while the Scottish National Party picks a new leader, a job for which there is no clear favorite. Potential successors include Angus Robertson, a Sturgeon ally who serves as Scotland’s constitution secretary, Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and Health Secretary Humza Yousaf.

Voting for the new party leader will open March 12 and close March 27.

Scottish voters opted by 55% to 45% to remain in the U.K. in a 2014 referendum that was billed as a oncein-a-generation decision.

Recent polls suggest Scots are about evenly split on the issue of independence. John Kampfner of think tank Chatham House said that with Sturgeon gone it’s possible “some of the air has gone out of the bubble” of the independence movement.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

AP PHOTO Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., left, pulls Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Ala., back as they talk with Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and others during the 14th round of voting for speaker as the House meets for the fourth day to try and elect a speaker and convene the 118th Congress in Washington, Friday, Jan. 6, 2023. At right is Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

AAC releases ’23 football slate with 6 new schools

Irving, Texas

The American Athletic Conference released its 2023 football schedule that includes the league’s six incoming teams, including the Charlotte 49ers. Each of the 14 AAC teams will play eight conference games in a single-division format. The top two teams in the standings will play in the conference championship game on Dec. 2. Florida Atlantic, North Texas, Rice, UAB and UTSA join Charlotte in officially becoming AAC members on July 1. The move from Conference USA will be completed at the same time that current AAC members Cincinnati, Houston and UCF depart for the Big 12. The 49ers will play their first AAC game at SMU on Sept. 30, host Navy in their first AAC home game on Oct. 14, and play at new in-state conference for East Carolina on Oct. 21.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

NC State falls out of AP men’s poll

Indianapolis

A week after NC State saw its 96-week run of being ranked in The Associated Press women’s basketball poll end, the men’s team also fell out of the Top 25.

The Wolfpack (21-7, 11-6 ACC), who lost at Syracuse last Tuesday before beating UNC on Sunday in Raleigh, received the most votes of any team that did not make it into the rankings, claiming 54 to No. 25 Texas A&M’s 125 in this week’s rankings. Duke (20-8, 11-6 ACC), which has won three straight, received three votes.

The Wolfpack women (18-9, 8-8 ACC), who beat rival UNC last week but then lost at Virginia Tech as the No. 23 team in the nation, received 30 votes in this week’s poll, one shy of being tied for 25th. The Tar Heels (19-8 10-6 ACC) fell five spots to No. 19, while Duke (23- 4, 13-3 ACC) stayed at No. 9.

Raleigh proves worthy of Stadium Series, B2

Stenhouse Jr. latest surprise Daytona 500 winner

The JTG Daugherty Racing driver won his third career Cup race and first since 2017

By Jenna Fryer The Associated

Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won the Daytona 500 in double overtime and under caution Sunday night in the longest running of “The Great American Race.”

Reich, Panthers pick Brown as next OC

The new Carolina coach has assembled a variety of experience levels and coaching schemes on offense

By Shawn Krest North State Journal

FRANK REICH became the first Carolina Panthers head coach with a background on the offensive side of the ball. His vision for the Panthers’ offense has now started to take shape as Reich has assembled the key parts of the 2023 team’s offensive coaching staff.

Reich’s assistants include a diverse mixture of experience levels and schemes, which should give Carolina a variety of approaches on offense going forward.

The biggest hire was at offensive coordinator, where Reich lured up-and-coming assistant Thomas Brown away from Sean McVay and the Rams.

this guy,” McVay said of Brown back in 2020. “I’d be so happy for him if he continues to ascend but sad for the Rams. I think he can do whatever he wants. I think he’s definitely a coordinator. I think he’s got head coach potential in terms of his leadership and the way he relates to guys. This guy’s a great coach. I don’t think there’s any sort of ceiling or limitations on what he’s able to accomplish at this level.”

“This guy’s a great coach. I don’t think there’s any sort of ceiling or limitations on what he’s able to accomplish”

Brown interviewed for other offensive coordinator and head coaching jobs the last two offseasons, and the Rams attempted to retain him, although McVay didn’t offer him the team’s vacant coordinator job when he was considering leaving for Carolina, instead hiring an external coordinator candidate, as has been his policy as head coach.

Rams coach Sean McVay on Thomas Brown

Brown has three years of NFL experience, winning a Super Bowl with Los Angeles and coaching running backs and tight ends while serving two years as McVay’s assistant head coach.

“I think that there’s no limit for

Brown served as offensive coordinator at the college level for Miami for three seasons and has coached running backs for five college teams, including Georgia, Wisconsin and South Carolina.

Brown was a college and NFL running back, and his extensive work with the ground game will pair with Duce Staley, one of Re-

The two overtimes pushed the 65th running of the race to a record 212 laps — a dozen laps beyond the scheduled distance and a whopping 530 miles.

Stenhouse’s win in a Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing — a single-car team owned by Tad and Jodi Geschickter along with former NBA player Brad Daugherty — was the third of his career. JTG is the first single-car team to win the Daytona 500 since The Wood Brothers Racing did it with Trevor Bayne in 2011. Jodi Geschickter is the first female car owner to win the Daytona 500, while Daugherty, who left the track earlier Sunday with an eye irritation, is the first black car owner to win the race.

Kyle Larson was collected in the race-ending crash after he jumped out of line too early in an attempt to win the race. His disappointment was alleviated by Stenhouse’s victory.

“Happy that Ricky won. I’m super happy. That’s all I could think about after I crashed, waiting to hear that he won,” Larson said. “He’s one of my best friends, so I was like yelling into my helmet when I helped push him to the lead there. I was hoping it was going to stay green so it would have been me or him win.

“I can’t wait to go get changed and go give him a big hug because he is one of my great buddies.”

“There’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500. That’s why it stings so much finishing second.”

Joey Logano, who was runner-up to Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Stenhouse’s only other victories came in 2017, at Talladega and the summer race at Daytona.

Now the 35-year-old from Olive Branch, Mississippi, has a repeat win at Daytona in NASCAR’s biggest race of the season. And it came in his first race reunited with crew chief Mike Kelly, who guided Stenhouse to a pair of Xfinity Series championships earlier in his career.

“I think this whole offseason Mike just preached how much we all believed in each other. They left me a note in the car that said they believe in me and to go get the job done,” Stenhouse said. “Man, this is unbelievable. This was the site of my last win back in 2017. We’ve worked really hard. We had a couple shots last year to get a win and fell short.

“It was a tough season, but man, we got it done, Daytona 500.”

Reigning Cup champion Joey Logano finished second in a Ford for Team Penske, which won the race last year with Austin Cindric. “Second is the worst, man,” Logano said. “Congratulations to Ricky. There’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500. That’s why it stings so much finishing second.”

Christopher Bell was third in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing and followed by Chris Buescher in a Ford for RFK Racing and pole-sitter Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports in a Chevrolet. It marked the first time the pole-sitter has finished in the top five since Bill Elliott in 2001. Action sports star Travis Pastrana finished 11th in his Daytona 500 debut, and Kevin Harvick was 12th in his final Daytona 500. Harvick is retiring at the end of the year.

Kyle Busch dropped to 0 for 18 in the Daytona 500 but contended for his new Richard Childress Racing team. He was the leader ahead of teammate Austin Dillon with three laps remaining in regulation when a spin by Daniel Suarez brought out the caution and sent the race to overtime.

“Back in 1998, that would be the win, boys,” Busch radioed his team in deliberate reference to how the late Dale Earnhardt won his only Daytona 500. There was no over-

See RACING, page B4

CHRIS O’MEARA | AP PHOTO

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. celebrates after winning Sunday’s Daytona 500.

JEFF LEWIS | AP PHOTO

The Panthers have hired Rams assistant head coach Thomas Brown to be their next offensive coordinator.

Hurricanes, Raleigh hit mark with Stadium

“We talked before the game that we had a chance to create an awesome memory, and we did.”

Sebastian Aho, Hurricanes center

The region again showed why it’s one of hockey’s most vibrant markets

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — It’s been a while since the Carolina Hurricanes have been able to show off at a big event.

At Saturday’s Stadium Series game at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium, the team — in its 25th season in North Carolina since relocating from Hartford — reminded the hockey world that it puts on as good of a show as any team in the NHL.

The result — a 4-1 win over the visiting Washington Capitals — was simply the cherry on top of an event that was postponed due to the pandemic but proved to be a triumphant victory for the Hurricanes, the Triangle and hockey in the Sun Belt.

“We talked before the game that we had a chance to create an awesome memory,” center Sebastian Aho said, “and we did. For us players, the whole organization, the fan base, the whole city — it’s awesome.”

There were concerns in the lead-up to the game about weather, traffic, ice conditions and the later-than-expected opening of the parking lots. But when the players lined up for the opening faceoff, the grills and smokers in the lots were out, the stands were full of 56,961 fans, and the temperature — in the low 40s — proved perfect for an outdoor game.

If the ice was an issue, it didn’t appear to be a problem for Martin Necas, who first showcased his speed and then dazzled the crowd with a backward-skating, between-the-legs effort that didn’t result in a goal but drew both a penalty and the awe of the crowd.

“I felt like it was almost better than some rinks where we play usually,” Necas said. “It didn’t really feel like we were playing outside. It was better than the standard, I would say.”

And even if the ice — which was much improved compared to Friday evening’s rain-delayed practice — wasn’t quite that good in everyone’s eyes, the players found ways to look past that.

“You score a goal,” said Aho of Necas, “it makes the ice a little better.”

Necas’ goal came on a one-timer from the left circle just before the midway point of the game, a shot that was eerily similar to the ones Alex Ovechkin — the Capitals captain who missed the game following the death of his father — has scored several times against the Hurricanes. Necas followed that with an assist on a 2-on-1 with Teuvo Teravainen, and the rout was on.

“They played at a different gear,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said, “and then they won most of the battles.”

Despite the chilly temperature, the crowd won its fight with the cold weather and provided an electric atmosphere.

Frederik Andersen, meanwhile, was cool as could be.

The Hurricanes goaltender allowed one goal on 25 shots, avenging his 2018 Stadium Series loss to the Capitals in Annapolis, Maryland.

He said in the weeks before the Stadium Series game that his favorite of the three outdoor games he had experienced was at Dodger Stadium in 2014 with Anaheim. That day, Andersen watched from the bench as his goalie partner Jonas Hiller shut out the Kings.

After Saturday, he has a new favorite.

“I think this one’s tough to beat,” he said. “Just the anticipation around here, the fan base — they deserved this for a long time. They showed up tonight and just performed as well as we did on the ice, so it’s cool to be able to reward them with a win.”

Necas in particular found yet another level again in his breakout season, finishing with three points and further solidifying the faith Brind’Amour has in the 24-year-old.

“We all knew it was there, and now he’s really starting to show it,” Brind’Amour said. “It was great for him to show it on a big stage.”

And it wasn’t just Saturday. The week showcased the countless ways the Triangle has embraced hockey. From the downtown fan festival on Friday and tailgating on Saturday to the once-in-a-lifetime chance for local youth hockey players to skate on the outdoor rink in the days after the main event, the past week was chock full of proof that Raleigh is, indeed, a hockey town.

NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson agreed, and he seemed ready to do it all over again.

“It’s great for Raleigh, great for North Carolina, great for NC State. … We told (the NHL) we’d like to do it every three to five years,” he said.

His comments came in the minutes before the NC State Icepack took the ice to face the rival Tar Heels in a battle of club hockey teams — one that drew an estimated 24,000 fans.

It was the final act that proved, yet again, Raleigh was more than up to the task.

“It was something that all of us won’t ever forget,” Necas said. “And, obviously, when you get the win, it feels much better. You know every second of it was a time you enjoy. You try to focus on the game, but you still feel the fans and the energy.

“It was my first outdoor game, and it was unbelievable.”

His coach agreed.

“Not having experienced one of those,” Brind’Amour said, “I don’t how it could be much better.”

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour walks on the Carter-Finley Stadium field during Saturday night’s Stadium Series game.

Hurricanes alumnus Chad LaRose (59) hugs Brooks Brind’Amour after he scored a goal while former player Shane Willis (25) and Brooks’ father, Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour, join in the celebration during Monday’s Alumni Game at Carter-Finley Stadium.

Stadium Series

A view of Carter-Finley Stadium during the NHL Stadium Series game held Saturday between the Carolina Hurricanes a nd Washington Capitals. The Hurricanes won 4-1.

Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook protects the puck while defended by Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary during Saturday’s Stadium Series game.

Herman leads Icepack at Frozen Finley

By Cory Lavalette North State Journal

RALEIGH — The NC State Icepack club hockey team not only go to have their moment on the outdoor rink at Carter-Finley Stadium, they made the most of it.

Freshman Zach Herman scored in the first minute of the game on a breakaway, on the power play in the second period, and capped off his hat trick with 3½ minutes remaining in the game to lead the Icepack to a 7-3 win over rival UNC in front of an estimated 24,000 fans in the Frozen Finley game on Monday.

“I had two, but then they pulled it within two,” Herman said of the Tar Heels cutting the lead to 4-2 early in the third period on UNC forward Dan O’Hear’s second goal of the game. “And so at that point, I’m sitting there and I’m like, ‘I don’t care if I have zero right now, can we just get out of this game on top?’ … But, obviously, it’s always in the back of your head. I didn’t think it went in at first. And then I turned around and, you know, people were screaming.”

It was another triumph in a week of wins for the Wolfpack, who knocked off the Tar Heels in wrestling and men’s and women’s basketball in the past week while also hosting the Hurricanes’ Stadium Series game against the Capitals on Saturday.

“I think this is just the cherry on top to a hockey weekend in Raleigh that I’m not sure anyone really ever could have imagined,” Icepack coach Tim Healy said.

The NC State Icepack club hockey team celebrates after scoring during their 7-3 win over rival UNC during Monday night’s Frozen Finley outdoor game.

Left, Legendary NC State basketball players Dereck Whittenburg, left, and David Thompson — who won NCAA titles with the Wolfpack in 1983 and 1974, respectively — introduce the Hurricanes before the Stadium Series game on Saturday. Above, Capitals forward Anthony Mantha and Hurricanes forward Jordan Martinook fight during the second period of Saturday’s Stadium Series game.

ALL PHOTOS BY STAN GILLILAND | FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL

TRENDING

Red McCombs:

The former owner of two NBA teams and an NFL franchise died Sunday at his home in San Antonio. He was 95. McCombs owned the NBA’s Spurs twice, the Nuggets and the NFL’s Vikings. McCombs also owned various businesses that included auto dealerships, the oil and gas companies and real estate fims, cattle ranches and radio stations. McCombs also played a big role in Formula One’s return to the U.S. as one of the largest investors in the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

Meyers Leonard:

The 7‑foot center is getting another chance at the NBA nearly two years after he used an anti‑Semitic slur while playing a video game that was being livestreamed. The Bucks have reportedly agreed on a 10‑day contract with Leonard, opening the door for him to play in an NBA game for the first time since January 2021. For his career, Leonard has averaged 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds on 48% shooting and 39% from 3‑point range with Portland and Miami.

Lance Stroll:

The Aston Martin driver has been ruled out of preseason

Formula One testing this week after he was injured in a bicycle accident. The team says the Canadian driver was hurt while training in Spain but didn’t give any more details of how the incident happened or the nature Stroll’s injuries. The team expects a “quick recovery” and there will be an update on his health before the Bahrain Grand Prix starts the season next week.

PANTHERS from page B1

ich’s first coaching hires for the Panthers. Another former NFL running back and a running backs coach for more than a decade with the Eagles (where he worked on the same staff as Reich) and Lions, Staley interviewed for offensive coordinator positions and was rumored to be a candidate for that job with the Panthers after he was hired in an unspecified role early in Reich’s term.

Both coaches’ emphasis on the run game fits with Reich’s priority and the Panthers’ current roster. The team leaned heavily on the run

Tyler Reddick, front, Kyle Larson (5) and Erik Jones slide on the grass after colliding in Turn 4 during Sunday’s Daytona 500.

Beyond the box score

POTENT QUOTABLES

NBA

Celtics star Jayson Tatum put on a record-setting show Sunday in Salt Lake City, scoring an All-Star Game-record 55 points, and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s squad ended LeBron James’ hold on All-Star captain supremacy by beating Team LeBron 184 -175. Tatum had 27 of his points in the third quarter, another All-Star Game record for any period. The former Duke standout was the first pick by Antetokounmpo in the starters’ portion of the All-Star draft.

NC State basketball coach Kevin Keatts on if the Wolfpack’s 77‑69 over UNC on Sunday was extra meaningful.

Richard Petty on his team being stripped of the Petty name and rebranded Legacy Motor Club by fellow seven‑time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.

PRIME NUMBER

226

The team record for games played with the Panthers held by long snapper J.J. Jansen, who re-signed with the team on Monday and will return for a 15th season with the franchise.

game last season and, with Carolina unlikely to be able to move up to select a game-breaking quarterback in this year’s draft, it’s likely the Panthers will need to rely on running the ball behind a game-manager quarterback.

Despite that, the Rams and Eagles offenses, where Brown and Staley cut their NFL coaching teeth, were known for being creative and aggressive with the passing game, so Panthers fans shouldn’t expect a “cloud of dust” offense this season.

Given Brown’s relative lack of NFL coaching experience, Reich also brought in some veteran coach-

The Michigan-Michigan State rivalry paused Saturday night before the game between the schools’ men’s basketball teams as the Wolverines honored the victims of the shooting that killed three MSU students and injured five more. The U-M band playing the Spartans’ alma mater while Crisler Arena was dimly lit with green and white lights.

NHL

ing talent to help with the game planning. Longtime NFL and college head coach Jim Caldwell, who interviewed for the Panthers’ head coaching job this offseason as well, was brought in to serve as a special assistant and report directly to Reich. Caldwell is a veteran of more than 110 NFL games as head coach, and he served as offensive coordinator for the Ravens. He’s also been quarterbacks coach for four different NFL teams, winning a Super Bowl with Tony Dungy’s Colts and John Harbaugh’s Ravens. Caldwell’s hiring means that

Brittney Griner is headed back to the Phoenix Mercury. Griner, who was a free agent, re-signed with the Mercury on a one-year contract. The 32-year-old, who spent 10 months in Russian jail on drug charges, last played for Phoenix in 2021, averaging 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in helping the team reach the WNBA Finals.

Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews, who hasn’t played since Jan. 28, said he is dealing with symptoms of long COVID -19 and chronic immune response syndrome after he was placed on injured reserve last week. Toews, 34, missed the 2020 -21 season with what he described as chronic immune response syndrome. After spending his entire career with Chicago, Toews is eligible for free agency after this season.

three of the nine men who interviewed for the Panthers’ head coaching job are now on the staff, with Reich and Caldwell joining Ejiro Evero, who was hired as Reich’s defensive coordinator. Evero and Brown also worked together on McVay’s Rams staff, giving both coordinators roots in the same coaching tree.

Reich rounded out his offensive staff by hiring Josh McCown as quarterbacks coach. McCown spent nearly two decades as an NFL quarterback, mainly playing a backup role with a dozen different teams, including the Panthers in 2008 and

RACING from page B1 time then and Earnhardt won under caution.

Busch wound up 19th after the race-ending crash in the second overtime.

“I think this is the first time I led lap 200, so I wish it was 1998 rules. But, no, it’s just par for the course, just used to it and come down here every year to just find out when and where I’m going to crash and what lap I come out of the care center,” Busch said. “Who won? I don’t even know who lucked into it.”

Busch was told Stenhouse was

2009. He also played for the Eagles in 2019 and 2020, when Staley was on the staff. Caldwell and McCown’s background in the passing game will help add perspective to the two former running backs — Staley and Brown — also contributing to the Panthers’ offensive scheming.

The team will now turn its attention to the roster as the NFL free agency and draft prep process hit high gear over the coming weeks. But Reich has taken a big step forward in bringing the team into contention with a deep, diverse coaching staff.

the victor.

“There you have it,” he replied.

Seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson made his return to the series and ran inside the top 15 for most of the race. He was collected in one of the crashes in overtime and finished 31st. Johnson has returned from two years racing in the IndyCar Series as part owner of Legacy Motor Club and he plans to enter a handful of races.

Brad Keselowski led a race-high 42 laps but finished 22nd. He declined to speak to reporters after dropping to 0 for 14 in a race he desperately wants to win.

ROB GRAY | AP PHOTO

WNBA

ELAINE THOMPSON | AP PHOTO

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

CARLOS OSORIO | AP PHOTO

“It’s been strange to me.”

“It’s not a rivalry, right? So why would I care?”

ADRIAN KRAUS | AP PHOTO

MATT KELLEY | AP PHOTO

MATT SLOCUM | AP PHOTO

PHELAN M. EBENHACK | AP PHOTO

More restaurants are trying monthly subscriptions

Total Cash & Bond Proceeds

$2,760,585,766

Add Receipts $61,648,626

Less Disbursements $176,779,699

Reserved Cash $125,000,000

Unreserved Cash Balance Total $6,555,363,294

Disaster reimbursements: $0

Groups supporting the Gonzalez family say companies have not done nearly enough to control content in the areas of child sexual abuse, revenge porn and terrorism, especially in curbing computer algorithms’ recommendation of that content to users. They also say that courts have read the law too broadly.

“Congress never could have anticipated when it passed Section 230 that the internet would develop in the ways it has and that it would be used by terrorists in the ways it has,” said Mary McCord, a former Justice Department official who authored a brief on behalf of former national security officials.

Mohan said YouTube is able to keep people from seeing almost anything that violates the company’s rules, including violent, extremist content. Just 1 video in 1,000 makes it past the company’s screeners, he said.

Recommendations have emerged as the focus of the Supreme Court case. Google and its supporters argue that even a narrow ruling for the family would have far-reaching effects.

“Recommendation algorithms are what make it possible to find the needles in humanity’s largest haystack,” Kent Walker and Google’s other lawyers wrote in their main brief to the Supreme Court.

“If we undo Section 230, that would break a lot of the internet tools,” Walker said in an interview.

Some sites might take down a lot of legitimate content in a display of excessive caution. Emerging forces and marginalized communities are most likely to suffer from such a heavy hand, said Daphne Keller of the Stanford Cyber Policy Center, who joined with the American Civil Liberties Union in support of Google.

The justices’ own views on the issue are largely unknown, except for Thomas’.

He suggested in 2020 that limiting the companies’ immunity would not devastate them.

“Paring back the sweeping immunity courts have read into Section 230 would not necessarily render defendants liable for online misconduct. It simply would give plaintiffs a chance to raise their claims in the first place. Plaintiffs still must prove the merits of their cases, and some claims will undoubtedly fail,” Thomas wrote..

The Associated Press CONSUMERS ARE willing to pay monthly subscription fees for streaming services, pet food and even toilet paper. And now some restaurants are betting they’ll do the same for their favorite meals.

Large chains like Panera and P.F. Chang’s as well as neighborhood hangouts are increasingly experimenting with the subscription model as a way to ensure steady revenue and customer visits. Some offer unlimited drinks or free delivery for a monthly fee; others will bring out your favorite appetizer each time you visit.

They’re following a trend: The average American juggled 6.7 subscriptions in 2022, up from 4.2 in 2019, according to Rocket Money, a personal finance app.

“This is just another way for customers to provide a level of support and joy and love for our offerings,” said Matt Baker, the chef at Gravitas, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Washington.

For $130 per month, Gravitas Supper Club subscribers get a three-course takeout meal for two. Baker said Gravitas shifted to takeout during the pandemic but saw demand fizzle once its dining room reopened. The Sup-

per Club — which serves about 60 diners per month — keeps that revenue flowing.

The upscale Chinese chain P.F. Chang’s also saw an opportunity to increase to-go orders with its subscription plan, which launched in September. For $6.99 per month, members get free delivery, among other perks.

Other restaurants are experimenting with memberships, which let diners pre-pay toward their visits.

El Lopo, a San Francisco bar, has 26 members in its Take-CareOf-Me Club. They pay either $89 per month for $100 in dining credits or $175 per month for $200 in credits. When members come in, El Lopo starts bringing out their favorite dishes. Each visit, they can gift a free drink to anyone in the bar.

El Lopo owner Daniel Azarkman started the club in March

2021 to encourage patrons to return as the pandemic eased. Now, he’s hearing from restaurants all over the country who are interested in starting similar programs.

“What it really achieves is getting them in more often,” he said.

Rick Camac, executive director of Industry Relations at the Institute of Culinary Education, said he expects many more restaurants to offer subscriptions in the coming years. Consumers are accustomed to them, he said, and the regular monthly income helps restaurants manage their cash flow.

But not all subscription programs have had success. In 2021, On the Border Mexican Grill introduced its Queso Club, which offered free cheese dip for a year for $1. The program stopped taking new subscribers a year later.

Edithann Ramey, On the Border’s chief marketing officer, said more than 150,000 people signed up for the Queso Club, and members visited seven times more often than the average guest. But the Dallas-based chain wasn’t making enough to cover the cost of the dip.

On the Border is now retooling the program and expects to reintroduce it later this year. It may charge more or move to a month-

ly model, Ramey said, but the subscription element will remain.

“It’s becoming kind of a hot trend and we want to stay as a leading brand,” Ramey said.

Taco Bell is also tinkering with its $10 Taco Lover’s Pass, which lets subscribers get a taco every day for a month. The pass was introduced in January 2022 and again in October; it generated buzz, but the chain is trying to think of ways to make it more valuable to consumers, said Dane Matthews, Taco Bell’s Chief Digital Officer. A subscription could promise faster service, for example, or unlock unique menu items.

St. Louis-based Panera had nearly 40 million members in its loyalty program in early 2020, but it wanted to convince them to drop in more often. So it launched a subscription program that offered unlimited coffee and tea for $8.99 per month. Customers started coming in several times a week, and about one-third of the time they bought food.

Last year, Panera expanded the subscription. Now, members can pay $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year for unlimited hot and cold drinks. Annual subscribers also get free delivery.

Chris Hosford, a communications consultant in southern California, joined Panera’s subscription plan a year ago. He passes four or five Paneras on his regular routes and often stops to grab a coffee and a bite to eat.

“It’s not a huge amount of savings for me — probably $5-10 in the average month,” Hosford said. “But I’m good with that.”

Women of Country Music celebrated at NC Museum of History

By Emmie Brooks North State Journal

RALEIGH — The North Carolina Museum of History now has an exhibit available for visitors called The Power of Women in Country Music. A perfect history-dense exhibition for country music lovers, the exhibit will be available until Apr. 2, 2023.

Micheal Ausbon, decorative arts curator for the museum of history and executive mansion has been curating for over five years at the museum. Ausbon is the co-curator for The Power of Women in Country Music alongside Katie Edwards.

As the pair worked on preparing the exhibit on loan from the GRAMMY museum in Los Angeles, Ausbon said they were excited to “add our North Carolina touch.”

The exhibit features international artists such as Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, and Taylor Swift, but also spotlights North Carolina female artists such as Rhiannon Giddens and Kasey Tyndall.

“The title of this exhibition was

Stronger Together: The Power of Women in Country Music,” Ausbon said. “Kind of an overall theme that is so important is that even though these women broke all these barriers, people like Dolly did not take their fame and fortune and run with it alone, they all supported each other, even from the very beginning.” Visitors to the exhibition have the opportunity to explore costumes, instruments, and other artifacts of a full roster of 70 female country artists. Alongside the displays are stories, quotes, and blurbs about historic Carolina country. Country

music having deep roots in North Carolina’s soil creates a special atmosphere for native visitors to experience.

“This is a very focused exhibit. We have done other exhibits with women being the focus, but I think this one incorporates all the different cultures and histories of these women coming together to perform this part that is so embedded in our history,” Ausbon said. “Country music is not just country music, it’s gospel, it’s blues, it’s rockabilly, it’s all these things that are already in North Carolina but has been reworked in a new way.”

In conjunction with The Power of Women in Country Music exhibit, The North Carolina Museum of History launched a new event series, Southern Songbirds. Kara Leinfelder, producer of Southern

Songbirds, began planning these events to correspond with the exhibit and to showcase North Carolina female country artists.

“I lived in Nashville for six years and I saw so much music there,” Leinfelder said. “I was like there has to be a lot of music, that has to be a part of it.”

Jim Lauderdale, North Carolina native and legend, emcees the Southern Songbird events and creates the uplifting energy for the artists performing each time.

One of the things I love most about this state is the music,” Leinfelder said. “Our museum is wonderful and we have amazing exhibits, but to add an experience that supports what the exhibits are teaching, it just makes it so much better for people to feel engaged and a part of what we’re doing.”

"It's becoming kind of a hot trend and we want to stay as a leading brand."

Edithann Ramey, On the Border Mexican Grill

SUPREME COURT from page B5

PHOTOS BY EMMIE BROOKS | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Left, costumes and instruments featured in "Power of Women in Country Music" exhibit. Right, Jim Lauderdale emcees Southern Songbird series as part of exhibit events.

COUNTY NEWS

Uwharrie Brewing

to hold grand opening event this Saturday

Uwharrie Brewing, the first brewery to open its doors in Albemarle, is set to hold its grand opening this Saturday, February 25. The ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Chamber of Commerce will take place at 2 pm, followed by great beer, food trucks, and the Tomahawk Range Mobile Booth until 11 pm. Joy and the Gent will also be playing music at the event from 8 pm until 10 pm. Uwharrie Brewing will officially become Stanly County’s second brewery, following the opening of the Brew Room in Locust this past Summer. The brewery is located in an old firehouse building off 121 N. 3rd Street in Albemarle.

Pfeiffer University

announces Fall 2022

dean’s list

Pfeiffer University recently announced its dean’s list recipients for their Fall 2022 semester. To be named to the dean’s list, students must have earned at least a GPA of 3.5 and have been enrolled in 12 semester credit hours. Students from Stanly County who were honored include Onalase Baucom of Locust, Mary Bowers of Albemarle, Allison Burrage of Richfield, Jackie Burris of Albemarle, Adison Campbell of Norwood, Ashley Cody of Richfield, Abria

Currie of Albemarle, Jessica

Donaldson of Richfield, Lawson

Eudy of Stanfield, Ruth Fallen of Albemarle, Lucie Featherstone of Albemarle, Hayden Furr of New London, Sydney Hall of Badin, Joshua Hartsell of Albemarle, Kylie Hathcock of Albemarle, Mattie Hinson of Norwood, Marina Hooker of New London, Kellie Johnson of Norwood, Benjamin Judge of New London, William Little of Albemarle, Brady Parker of Oakboro, Courtney Perry of Stanfield, Summer Pulliam of Richfield, Cortney Queen of Albemarle, Lia Rain of Stanfield, Jack Rummage of Richfield and Jaden Sherrill of Albemarle, Mary Stewart of Norwood, Lily Taylor of Misenheimer, Kaidyn Waggoner of Albemarle.

Stanly commissioners approve additional opioid settlement funding

By Jesse Deal North State Journal

ALBEMARLE — At its February 20 meeting, the Stanly County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution that authorizes the county to enter into new opioid settlement agreements with Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, Allergan, and Teva.

With the five new national pharmacy settlements totaling $21 billion, Stanly County is expected to receive an additional $3.738 million over thirteen years from the Wave Two Settlements in order to locally address opioid misuse disorder. The combined projected allocations for the county from both the first and second round of settlements now sits at $8.4 million.

“In order to receive these Wave Two Settlements, Stanly Coun-

ty must sign on to each of these five new national pharmacy settlements,” County Manager Andy Lucas told the commissioners.

“And then also there’ll be a supplement to the MOA that we have with the North Carolina Department of Justice, which governs how the opioid settlement funds are used at the local level. That supplement is being referred to as the SAAF (Supplement Agreement for Additional Funds from Additional Settlements of Opioid), and the deadline to do that is April 18.”

In the county’s official resolution, it notes that it experienced 27 overdose deaths attributed to opioid misuse in 2021, with a rate of 43 per 100,000 residents, exceeding the statewide rate of 38.5 per 100,000 residents. Between 2000 and 2021, the opioid overdose epidemic claimed the lives

“The opioid crisis doesn’t differentiate between economic status, community status, what sex you are or what color you are — it’s an equal opportunity offender.”

Rep. Wayne Sasser

of over 32,000 citizens statewide.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now estimates the total economic burden of prescription opioid misuse alone in the U.S. is $78.5 billion a year, including the costs of healthcare, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal

State treasurer reacts to litigation filed over State Health Plan contract change

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — As expected, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC has filed litigation paperwork over the change in the State Health Plan’s third-party administrator contract that was awarded to Aetna earlier this year.

Both Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC and UMR, Inc. filed protests over the decision to award the contract to Aetna, however, the State Health Plan’s Board of Trustees rejected the claims. Per a statement from Folwell’s office, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC has filed a request for a contested case hearing in the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings and a petition for judicial review in Durham County Superior Court in the matter.

“We are disappointed, but not surprised that these legal challenges were taken,” Folwell’s statement says. “We are looking forward to vigorously defending the unanimous decision of the State Health Plan Board of Trustees - consisting of members appointed by the governor, president pro-tempore of the Senate, speaker of the House, and the treasurer - to accept the recommendation of the Plan’s professional staff. We continue to be intently focused on the needs of our members who teach, protect and otherwise serve the people of North Carolina and taxpayers like them.”

All documents and filings related to the third-party administrator contract are available for public viewing via a portal on the State Health Plan’s website.

“We continue to be intently focused on the needs of our members who teach, protect and otherwise serve the people of North Carolina and taxpayers like them.”

State Treasurer Dale Folwell

justice involvement.

“We need some treatment facilities in Stanly County because there are problems here that we will continue to have until we start addressing them,” House District 67 Rep. Wayne Sasser (R-Stanly) told SCJ following the Wave One Settlements. “Hopefully, we do a better job with the opioid settlement money than we did with the tobacco settlement money because we need it to get people off drugs and hopefully save lives. The opioid crisis doesn’t differentiate between economic status, community status, what sex you are or what color you are — it’s an equal opportunity offender.”

The Stanly County Board of Commissioners will hold its next meeting on March 6 in the Gene McIntyre Room at Stanly Commons.

5 2017752016

8

This file photo from Sept. 11, 2019 shows medications in a locked storage area that are slated for destruction.

We stand corrected:

To report an error or a suspected error, please send NSJ an email: corrections@nsjonline.com with “Correction request” in the subject line.

NC congressman, senator Broyhill dies at 95

The Associated Press

JIM BROYHILL , a longtime North Carolina Republican congressman who served briefly in the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy before losing a bid to keep the job, died early Saturday at age 95, his family said.

Broyhill, a scion of the Broyhill Furniture business in the North Carolina foothills that brought jobs and prestige to the region, died at Arbor Acres retirement home in Winston-Salem, according to his son, Ed. He had suffered from congestive heart failure for years that worsened in recent months, his son said Saturday.

The moderate Republican served more than 23 years in the House. He was considered a reliable conservative who helped North Carolina turn into a competitive two-party state, particularly as the GOP made national gains in the 1980s with Ronald Reagan.

In a video interview in honor of receiving a state award in 2015, Broyhill recalled the dearth of Republicans on the first state ballot he filled out in 1948.

“I was determined that I’m going to do what I could to see if we could not develop a two-party system in our state,” Broyhill said.

“And I think I had a great deal to accomplish that, but with the help and the leadership of many other people.”

GOP Gov. Jim Martin appointed Broyhill to replace Republican Sen. John East when East died by suicide in June 1986.

Broyhill had already won the Senate GOP primary a month earlier against David Funderburk, who had the support of Sen. Jesse Helms’ national organization that backed hardline Republicans. East wasn’t seeking reelection due to medical issues.

The Senate appointment was viewed as an asset to help Broyhill in his fall general election against former Gov. Terry Sanford, a Democrat and outgoing Duke University president. Sanford narrowly defeated Broyhill in two elections that November -- one to serve out the rest of 1986 and another for

the next six years.

Expected initially to be a lowkey affair, the campaign took on the intensity of a modern, more divisive campaign. Reagan came to Charlotte to campaign for Broyhill. In a recent interview, Martin said he’s unsure whether appointing Broyhill to the Senate ultimately aided his campaign.

“He wasn’t able to spend as much time campaigning because he was intensely dependable on fulfilling his Senate duties,” Martin said.

Broyhill’s Capitol Hill career began with a surprising U.S. House victory in 1962.

When Democrats attempted to redraw the district of the lone Republican in the House delegation after the 1960 census in hopes of defeating him, the adjoining district became more Republican, according to a biography of Martin. That opened the door for Broyhill, who had worked at the family business for close to two decades, to upset Democratic incumbent

Hugh Quincy Alexander.

While he never served in a Republican-controlled chamber until his Senate appointment, Broyhill flexed his political muscles for Republican presidential administrations in the House and built support for their agendas with Democrats.

In the interview highlighting his 2015 award, Broyhill recalled legislation he helped pass to create the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Broyhill’s family and others cited his efforts to create energy policies, and deregulate the telecommunications, pharmaceutical and trucking industries.

Frank Drendel, founder of coaxial cable producer CommScope based in Hickory, said on Saturday that Broyhill’s work to get a law passed in 1978 so that cable companies could connect their cables to other utility poles helped the cable industry soar.

Broyhill “set an example that sadly we don’t have much of today and that is to cross the aisle and

come up with solutions that are nonpartisan,” said former Glaxo Wellcome CEO Bob Ingram, a North Carolina resident who knew Broyhill while working in Washington. “He wanted to get to the best answer to solve problems.”

After his 1986 defeat, Broyhill served on North Carolina’s Economic Development Board. Martin later picked him to serve in his second-term Cabinet as commerce secretary, saying he had “impeccable connections with North Carolina industry.”

A native of Lenoir, James Thomas Broyhill graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1950, according to his official congressional biography. His father, J.E. Broyhill, began the family’s furniture dynasty in 1926 as the Lenoir Chair Company and was a well-known Republican in his own right.

“Jim added to that and made his contribution in a huge way as a member of Congress,” Martin said. “That family tradition has given an enormous boost to the Republican Party.” Ed Broyhill is now a Republican National Committee member.

Recently retired Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who was recruited by Broyhill to run for Congress more than 30 years ago, said he would be remembered as “a gentlemen and a statesman,” and called him a “mentor and confidant.”

“I always knew I could trust his advice and counsel because he viewed everything through the lens of what’s best for the country,” Burr said.

Current Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper praised Broyhill on Saturday in a tweet for his commitment and service to the state.

The congressman was preceded in death by his son, Philip. In addition to Ed Broyhill, other survivors of Broyhill include his wife of 71 years, Louise R. Broyhill; his daughter, Marilyn Broyhill Beach of Winston-Salem; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Broyhill’s funeral will be Feb. 28 at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, with a graveside service later that day in Wilkes County.

METABOLISM

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ GRANADOSSOTO, ERMELANDO NMN (U /M/27), ATTEMPTED POSSESSION OF COCAINE, 2/19/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ HARTSELL, CALEB JONAS (W /M/30), FAIL REGISTER SEX OFFENDER(F), 02/17/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ LILES, LEO THOMAS (B /M/39), BREAKING OR ENTERING (M), 02/17/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ FREEMAN, MICHAEL CURTIS (W /M/40), PWIMSD SCH II CS, 02/15/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ LEARY, ANGELO NMN (B /M/51), FAIL REGISTER SEX OFFENDER(F), 02/15/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ BROWER, COREY JASON (B /M/34), DRIVING WHILE IMPAIRED, 02/14/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ CHAMBERS, NORMAN (B /M/30), UNSAFE PASSING YELLOW LINE (I), 02/14/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ LOWDER, ADAM NICHOLAS (W /M/43), INCEST, 02/14/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ VANHOY-WALKER, ANTHONY SNEAD (W /M/26), ROBBERY WITH DANGEROUS WEAPON, 02/14/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

♦ HOBBS, DASHEEM LAWRENCE (B /M/31), PWIMSD HEROIN, 02/13/2023, Stanly County Sheriff’s Office

The Associated Press THE COOLEST THING on social media these days may be celebrities and regular folks plunging into frigid water or taking ice baths.

The touted benefits include improved mood, more energy, weight loss and reduced inflammation, but the science supporting some of those claims is lukewarm.

Kim Kardashian posted her foray on Instagram. Kristen Bell says her plunges are “brutal” but mentally uplifting. And Lizzo claims ice plunges reduce inflammation and make her body feel better.

Here’s what medical evidence, experts and fans say about the practice, which dates back centuries.

THE MIND

You might call Dan O’Conor an amateur authority on cold water immersion. Since June 2020, the 55-year-old Chicago man has plunged into Lake Michigan almost daily, including on frigid winter mornings when he has to shovel through the ice.

“The endorphin rush … is an incredible way to wake up and just kind of shock the body and get the engine going,” O’Conor

said on a recent morning when the air temperature was a frosty 23 degrees. Endorphins are “feel good” hormones released in response to pain, stress, exercise and other activities.

With the lake temperature 34 degrees, the bare-chested O’Conor did a running jump from the snow-covered shore to launch a forward flip into the icy gray water. His first plunge came early in the pandemic, when he went on a bourbon bender and his annoyed wife told him to “go jump in the lake.” The water felt good that June day. The world was in a coronavirus funk, O’Conor says, and that made him want to continue. As the water grew colder with the seasons, the psychological effect was even greater, he said.

“My mental health is a lot stronger, a lot brighter. I found some Zen down here coming down and jumping into the lake and shocking that body,” O’Conor said.

Dr. Will Cronenwett, chief of psychiatry at Northwestern University’s Feinberg medical school, tried cold-water immersion once, years ago while visiting Scandinavian friends on a Baltic island. After a sauna, he jumped into the ice-cold water for a few minutes and had what he called an intense and invigorating experience.

“It felt like I was being stabbed with hundreds of millions of really small electrical needles,” he said. “I felt like I was strong and powerful and could do anything.”

But Cronenwett says studying cold water immersion with a gold-standard randomized controlled trial is challenging because devising a placebo for cold plunges could be difficult.

There are a few theories on how it affects the psyche.

Cronenwett says cold water immersion stimulates the part of the nervous system that controls the resting or relaxation state. That may enhance feelings of well-being.

It also stimulates the part of the nervous system that regulates fight-or-flight stress response. Doing it on a regular basis may dampen that response, which could in turn help people feel better able to handle other stresses in their lives, although that is not proven, he said.

“You have to conquer your own trepidation. You have to muster the courage to do it,” he said. “And when you finally do it, you feel like you’ve accomplished something meaningful. You’ve achieved a goal.”

THE HEART

Cold water immersion raises blood pressure and increases stress on the heart. Studies have shown this is safe for healthy people and the effects are only temporary. But it can be dangerous for people with heart trouble, sometimes leading to life-threatening irregular heartbeats, Cronenwett said. People with heart conditions or a family history of early heart disease should consult a physician before plunging, he said.

Repeated cold-water immersions during winter months have been shown to improve how the body responds to insulin, a hormone that controls blood sugar levels, Mercer noted. This might help reduce risks for diabetes or keep the disease under better control in people already affected, although more studies are needed to prove that.

Cold water immersion also activates brown fat — tissue that helps keep the body warm and helps it control blood sugar and insulin levels. It also helps the body burn calories, which has prompted research into whether cold water immersion is an effective way to lose weight. The evidence so far is inconclusive.

IMMUNE SYSTEM

Anecdotal research suggests that people who routinely swim in chilly water get fewer colds, and there’s evidence that it can increase levels of certain white blood cells and other infection-fighting substances.

Among the biggest unanswered questions: How cold does water have to be to achieve any health benefits? And will a quick dunk have the same effect as a long swim?

“There is no answer to ‘the colder the better,’” Mercer said. “Also, it depends on the type of response you are looking at. For example, some occur very quickly, like changes in blood pressure. ... Others, such as the formation of brown fat, take much longer.” O’Conor plunges year-round, but he says winter dunks are the best for “mental clarity,” even if they sometimes last only 30 seconds.

PHOTO VIA AP

President Ford talks with North Carolina Congressman Jim Broyhill, left, and Sen. Jesse Helms, center, during a Republican fund raising visit to Raleigh in this Nov. 14, 1975 photo.

Celebs tout ice baths, but science on benefits is lukewarm

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

James Clapper can’t stop lying

IN AN INTERVIEW with The Washington Post’s “fact-checker,” former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper contends that Politico misled the public about a letter he and 50 other former intel officials signed during the 2020 presidential campaign warning that the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story could be Russian deception. “There was message distortion,” Clapper tells The Washington Post. “All we were doing was raising a yellow flag that this could be Russian disinformation. Politico deliberately distorted what we said. It was clear in paragraph five.”

presidential debates? Why didn’t Clapper send a follow-up statement clarifying his position after the Politico headline purportedly “distorted” the letter? Did he not see the piece until now — just as Republicans are about to investigate?

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse.

It was not clear, at all. The purpose of the letter, apparent then as it is now, was to discredit the Post’s scoop and provide Democrats and the media with ammunition to reject it. Of course, intel officials couldn’t definitively say that Hunter’s emails, which implicated Joe Biden as a business partner, were concocted by Vladimir Putin’s spooks. They had no access to the laptop. The purpose was to enlist former intel chiefs to cast doubt on the story. A perfunctory CYA paragraph doesn’t change anything.

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse. As soon as the story broke, Schiff claimed that “we know” — a phrase he used numerous times — that the emails had been planted by the Kremlin. By then, though, everyone understood the congressman was an irredeemable liar. The director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, issued a statement stressing that, actually, there was no evidence to back Schiff’s claims.

That’s when Politico reported that more than 50 former senior intelligence officials had signed a letter asserting that the laptop “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” The most notable signees were Clapper, a man who ran a domestic surveillance program and then lied about it to Congress, and former CIA director John Brennan, a man who once oversaw an operation of illegal spying on a Senate staffer, and then also lied about it to the American people.

The letter worked exactly as intended. “Look,” Biden said during the last 2020 presidential debate when asked about the laptop, “there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plan.” On “60 Minutes,” Biden called the story “disinformation from the Russians.” Clapper tells The Washington Post that he had absolutely no idea how the former vice president had framed the contents of the letter — which is, to be generous, implausible nonsense.

If Clapper’s letter was merely a good-faith warning, then why didn’t any of the other signees push back against Biden’s contention during their numerous television appearances? Did none of them watch the

All the Post’s pedantic “fact check” does is offer the signees, and itself, cover. The Washington Post excuses the media’s (ongoing) suppression of the Hunter Biden story by arguing that the “leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta,” which “may have contributed to Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016,” made journalists extra cautious about relaying uncorroborated information. That contention is gravely undercut by the hundreds of pieces and columns the Post ran based on the Democratic oppo research that contained what was almost surely Russian disinformation. Any skeptical journalist would have also immediately identified the letter, and the Politico piece, as a nakedly partisan attempt to undermine the legitimacy of a story.

Indeed, the New York Post’s Hunter story had far more substantiation than any of the histrionic Russia-collusion pieces that the public was subjected to during the Trump years. The Post detailed how it came into possession of its evidence. It interviewed the owner of the Delaware computer shop where Hunter had abandoned his laptop. It provided Hunter’s signature on a receipt. The Post had on-the-record sources with intimate knowledge of Hunter’s business dealings. They had onthe-record interviews with people who claimed to have interactions with the presidential candidate — incidents we now know Biden had lied about for years. And later, the emails were authenticated by forensic specialists at other outlets, as well.

Virtually the entire censorious journalistic establishment, including The Washington Post, with the help of tech giants and former spooks, limited the story’s exposure by either banning it outright as disinformation, creating the impression that it didn’t meet proper journalistic standards or implying that it had been planted by Russians. The media wasn’t going to allow another Hillary Clinton-like scandal to sink the prospects of a Democrat. And Clapper played a big part in that deception.

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 answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

THIS WEEK, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that our nation’s young girls are in a state of absolute emotional and mental crisis.

According to the CDC, 57% of high school girls said they were depressed in 2021, compared with 36% in 2011; 30% said they had considered suicide, compared with 19% in 2011. The numbers had also increased markedly for high school boys: 29% of high school boys reported depressive symptoms, up from 21% in 2011; 14% of high school boys had considered suicide, up from 13% a decade before.

Naturally, our nation’s pseudoscientific experts blame societal intolerance and lack of sexual sensitivity. Never mind the fact that more kids than ever are declaring themselves members of nonexistent identity groups (Demisexual! Gender nonbinary!), mistakenly self-diagnosing with Tourette’s syndrome or gender dysphoria, and claiming victimhood at the hands of a cruel society — a society that rewards and cheers all such claims. Never mind that we’ve now undergone a gender revolution in which we’ve declared biological sex itself passe, treated heterosexual norms as taboo and misogynistic and attempted to wipe away — along with actual sexual predation — much normal behavior in the name of #MeToo.

No, says the CDC, the problem — as always — is with society’s demands. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the CDC recommends “teaching kids about sexual consent, managing emotions, and asking for what they need”; furthermore, “Schools should encourage gender and sexuality alliances, provide safe spaces and people for LGBTQ+ students to go to for support, and ensure enforcement of antiharassment policies.”

Yes, the answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

Or, alternatively, any society that attempts to destroy all rules, roles and intermediate institutions laden with traditional values will end up

abandoning its children — all in the name of tolerance and diversity. We have robbed young men of a sense of meaning: we’ve told them that they need not be providers, protectors or defenders, and that even aspiring to do so makes them bigoted remnants of the past. Instead, young men are told that they ought to relegate themselves to the role of “male feminists,” condemning their own “toxic masculinity” while shying away from the commitments that turn boys into men.

We have robbed young women of any sense of place, time or purpose: we’ve told them that they need not seek out a husband, aspire to bear and rear children or make preparations to build a home. Instead, we’ve told them that they can run from their own biology, declaring themselves boys rather than girls, delaying childbearing indefinitely, pursuing the things that are supposedly truly important: sexual license, more work hours, sipping wine at brunch with single friends.

We have done all of this because children do not lie at the top of our civilizational hierarchy: the interests of adults do. Increasingly, adults in the West see children as either a burden and thus avoid having them, or as validators of their own sense of subjective self-identity, requiring indoctrination into more liberal forms of social organization.

And now children are paying the price.

The social Left has been in control of virtually all levers of culture and policy for decades. Now they demand more control in order to alleviate the consequences of the chaos they have created. The answer, of course, is precisely the opposite: the reinvigoration of traditional sources of wisdom and values, the re-inculcation of morality and obligation. If our society does not quickly reverse field, the consequences for our young people will be utterly disastrous.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Young Americans are losing their minds. The social left is to blame.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Bieniemy leaves Chiefs for OC role with Commanders

Eric Bieniemy has agreed to be the Commanders’ offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The team announced Saturday that the two-time Super Bowl-winning assistant with Kansas City will be joining Washington.

Bieniemy now gets the chance to show what he can do without Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The 54-year-old emerged from a pool of more than a half-dozen candidates as Washington’s choice for the job following the Chiefs’ second championship in his five seasons as their offensive coordinator. The longtime NFL assistant has interviewed for numerous head coaching jobs.

NBA Westbrook to sign with Clippers

Los Angeles

After being waived by the Jazz, Russell Westbrook is expected to sign with the Clippers. The nine-time All-Star will sign with the Clippers after completing a contract buyout on the remaining $47 million he is owed on his expiring deal. Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game during a rocky tenure with the Lakers. The move would reunite Westbrook with Paul George, his former teammate in Oklahoma City. George had lobbied for the Clippers to land Westbrook.

NHL Blues trade O’Reilly, Acciari to Maple

Leafs

St. Louis

The Blues are looking to the future after trading captain and center Ryan O’Reilly along with center Noel Acciari to the Maple Leafs on Friday night. St. Louis acquired Toronto’s 2023 first-round draft pick and 2024 second-round draft pick and Ottawa’s 2023 third-round pick from the Maple Leafs along with AHL forwards Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette. The trade comes with St. Louis sitting eight points out of a playoff spot with a 26-25-3 record entering play Saturday.

The Blues traded forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the Rangers on Feb. 9.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UNLV freshman football player

Las Vegas

Dethroned King: Petty hurt as Johnson takes over race team

The Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Richard Petty may still reign as NASCAR’s King, but with Jimmie Johnson wresting control of Petty’s old race team, he is definitively not the boss.

The Hall of Famer essentially has been stripped of power inside his former eponymous team that rapidly rebranded and rebuilt since November. Johnson and Petty are the only living seven-time NASCAR champions — and that appears to be where the similarities end inside Legacy Motor Club’s front office.

The 85-year-old Petty, who is officially Legacy’s ambassador, said Saturday he has bruised feelings and little say in the direction of the race team since Johnson bought into the ownership group.

“It’s been strange to me,” Petty said. “Most of the time, I ran the majority of the show. Jimmie brought all his people in. His way of running things and my way of running things are probably a little bit different. We probably agree on about 50% of what it really comes down to.”

Ahead of the Daytona 500, an unfiltered Petty said he was irked by Johnson’s rise in power. “Yes, it does” bother him, he said.

But Petty conceded it was “probably time for a change” because through several incarnations of his race team — the latest Petty GMS — his cars had never risen above the middle of the pack. GMS founder Maury Gallagher, chairman of Allegiant Air, purchased Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021 and Petty, whose 200 Cup wins as a driver are a record, served as the front man. Johnson told The Associated Press he was “disappointed” that Petty publicly expressed his displeasure, adding: “Of course, we’ll have conversations.”

thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

“He’s not expressed them to me, for starters,” Johnson said. “Honestly, there are a lot of moving pieces to this. There are business decisions that are taking place between Mr. Gallagher and the Petty family before I ever arrived. Those are details that are just not my place to say. “But a lot of what Richard is speaking to is based on business decisions that he and his family have made and they aren’t relative to my involvement.”

One of Johnson’s first decisions: Strip the Petty name that dates in NASCAR to 1949.

“When Jimmie came in, it was

going to be hard to be Johnson Petty GMS,” Petty said. “Jimmie’s thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

The Level Cross native remains NASCAR’s most recognizable personality, wearing his feathered Charlie 1 Horse hats, dark glasses and cowboy boots. He’s never stopped signing autographs, making personal appearances or glad-handing sponsors, though even those responsibilities seem more uncertain under Johnson’s reign.

“They don’t take over the racing part, they take over the front office,” Petty said. “With sponsorships, appearances and all that stuff, Jimmie’s crowd is kind of controlling that. That’s something I never had to put up with, I guess.”

Petty did tip his hat to Johnson’s business acumen: Johnson’s connections with Gibson guitars and music industry relationships, including entertainment giant Live Nation, were instrumental in landing legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses on the hood of Erik Jones’ No. 43 Chevrolet.

“He’s basically going to wind up running the show in four or five years completely,” Petty said. “He’ll probably be the majority owner or the owner of our operation. They’re looking at things completely differently.”

Trea Turner settling in for long future in Philadelphia

The Associated Press CLEARWATER, Fla. — The past few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for Trea Turner. They included a World Series title in Washington, a trade to Los Angeles — and then an 11-year, $300 million contract that brought him back to the NL East.

The one constant amid all that:

dies

UNLV announced that defensive lineman Ryan Keeler died Monday. He was 20. No cause of death was given. Keeler, who is from Chicago, transferred to UNLV from Rutgers last year. He played in seven games as a redshirt freshman this past season, totaling eight tackles and a sack. Keeler, who made the academic All-Mountain West team, had a 3.80 GPA.

“We are devastated to have lost a member of our Rebel family,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said in a statement.

Turner has played with some pretty impressive teammates. And that’s not about to change.

“I’ve been on some really, really good teams with some great players — last year being one of them,”

Turner, the former NC State standout, said Sunday. “That’s kind of the beauty and the difficult thing about baseball. The best teams don’t always win. Just because we got a lot of talent in here and a lot of good guys, and they made it to the World Series last year, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.

You’ve got to put in the work.”

The Phillies seemed to understand that this offseason. Yes, they won the National League pennant last year, but they were also an 87win wild card appearing in the postseason for the first time in over a decade. And Philadelphia shares a division with teams in Atlanta and New York that appear formidable for the foreseeable future.

Signing Turner, a 29-year-old

shortstop who has been an AllStar the past two years, showed the Phillies are willing to stay aggressive, too.

It also gave Turner some stability. Washington declined quickly after winning the World Series in 2019. The Nationals eventually dealt both Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers two seasons later. That put Turner right back in the postseason for a couple years.

All that moving — plus a pan-

demic and a lockout that created doubts about whether baseball would be played at all — could wear on anyone. But now Turner has a long-term deal with another strong team.

“That’s something that me, my wife and my family wanted, was just, not have to rent anymore, not have to move around, not have to worry about getting traded,” he said. “A lot of guys, probably overwhelming majority, don’t get to choose where they get to play for

their career. Luckily enough, I was in a situation where I could pick. I’m stuck here, and nobody can tell me otherwise, so I think I’m really happy about that, that security.”

Turner’s deal included a full notrade provision.

In Philadelphia’s clubhouse at spring training, Turner’s locker is right next to Bryce Harper’s. The two played together in Washington before Harper signed with the Phillies before the 2019 season.

The two living seven-time Cup champions are at odds over Johnson’s rebranding

The former NC State infielder signed a $300 million contract with the Phillies during the offseason

AP PHOTO

Former NASCAR driver Richard Petty, center, poses for a photo with Jimmie Johnson, left, and Erik Jones, right, at Daytona International Speedway last week.

AP PHOTO

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner smiles during a spring training workout last Friday in Clearwater, Florida.

“Jimmie’s

Richard Petty

Actor, writer and director Ben Affleck addresses the media regarding his new movie “Air” during NBA All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City.

Stanly sends 4 basketball teams to state playoffs

Both Albemarle squads were included in the NCHSAA tournaments

By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal

ALBEMARLE — While the regular season and conference play have both finished up for local high school basketball teams, four Stanly County squads will continue into the postseason.

Over the weekend, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association released its finalized brackets for the 2022-23 boys’ and girls’ basketball state playoffs.

Two boys’ teams (Albemarle and West Stanly) and two girls’ teams (Albemarle and North Stanly) each received a bid to play in Tuesday’s first round of the NCHSAA championships.

Three out of those four contests, which were all after press time, were home matchups for the Stanly teams.

With ‘Air,’ Affleck tells lesser-known Jordan story

The film tells the story of the NBA superstar and Nike’s union

The Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — Ben Affleck was 12 years old in 1984 and growing up in the Boston area. The Celtics were NBA champions. The Red Sox and Patriots were respectable. The Bruins got swept in the first round of the playoffs.

And that also was when Nike was betting much of its future on Michael Jordan.

Part of that tale will be told in the upcoming film “Air,” which Affleck directed and stars in alongside Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman and more.

Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Damon plays then-Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro — who was tasked with finding a way of saving what was then the company’s fledgling basketball division.

Affleck did it with one key character absent: Jordan is not

shown in the movie.

“What I wanted to try to accomplish was to have Michael Jordan have the effect in the story that he has in the world, which is that obviously the vast majority of people don’t know and have never met Michael Jordan — and yet they know about him, and they know what he means and they might talk about him,” Affleck said. “So, in a way, he’s like a presence that’s felt and discussed and everybody else around him is there. But you never see his face.”

Nike wound up signing Jordan — who had yet to play an NBA game — to a $2.5 million, fiveyear deal.

It was a huge gamble.

Spoiler alert, with apologies to the movie that gets released April 5: It worked out.

Jordan Brand generated $4.7 billion in revenue in 2021, the Jumpman logo is iconic, Nike has become one of the world’s most powerful and recognizable companies, and Jordan won six NBA championships, became a billionaire, and now owns the Charlotte

Hornets.

And since most viewers will already know all those things, Affleck took on the challenge of telling lesser-known parts of the story. “The movie has to do realistic, it has to do authentic, and it has to surprise the audience,” Affleck said. “Because if what happens is something that the audience can predict, even if they like it, they go along with it, it’s ordinary, it’s boring. It’s just not what I want to do.”

The trailer, released last week, is up to 6 million views. Affleck was at All-Star weekend to help promote Friday’s celebrity game, and ads for the film were shown on the jumbo scoreboards over the court.

Affleck said he has met with Jordan about the movie.

“Somebody asked me what you’re doing from Boston and making a movie about the Chicago guy,” Affleck said in an interview with a number of media outlets. “Michael Jordan sort of transcends, I think, rivalry.”

In the boys’ brackets, the No. 10 Bulldogs (14-12) hosted No. 23 Starmount (12-12) in the 1A Western region, while the No. 30 Colts (13-13) traveled to No. 3 West Caldwell (24-2) for a 2A Western region matchup.

In the girls’ brackets, the No. 4 Bulldogs (21-4) hosted No. 29 Mitchell (9-15) in the 1A Western region. The No. 9 Comets (20-4) hosted No. 24 Pine Lake Prep (9-15) in the 2A Western region.

Five other Stanly teams — for the boys, North Stanly (13-12), South Stanly (7-17), Gray Stone boys (0-21), and for the girls, West Stanly (8-17) and Gray Stone girls (4-18) — did not receive playoff bids.

Looking ahead, the second round of NCHSAA playoff action is set for Thursday night, followed by a third round on Saturday and a fourth round next Tuesday; regionals are set for March 4 and the state championships will be played on March 11.

Out of the four local squads to make the playoffs, only one of them is coming off a conference championship victory.

The Albemarle girls defeated North Stanly in Friday’s Yadkin Valley Conference tournament title game, adding to a 12-game win streak that has continued since Jan 6. Led by sophomore point guard Amari Baldwin, the Bulldogs posted a 64-58 win, beating the Comets for the third time since Dec. 27.

The Albemarle boys’ team is coming off a 6638 overtime loss to Mount Pleasant (16-10) in the semifinals of their YVC tournament. The Bulldogs had previously defeated South Stanly in the opening round. Robinson (20-6) later took the YVC tournament title with a win over the Tigers and was rewarded with a No. 7 seed in the 2A Western Region.

In the Rocky River Conference tournaments, the West Stanly boys defeated Central Academy (7-17) before falling to eventual winner Monroe (12-9). The West Stanly girls also lost to Monroe (17-7) before Parkwood (20-5) went on to win the conference championship.

12

Length, in games, of the Albemarle girls’ basketball team’s winning streak heading into the NCHSAA playoffs

Nations: No clarity on neutrality, no Olympics for Russia

The United States joined 34 nations in a statement about eligibility for athletes from the combative nation

The Associated Press

THE GOVERNMENTS of 35 nations released a statement Monday calling on the IOC to clarify the definition of “neutrality” as it seeks a way to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into international sports and, ultimately, next year’s Paris Olympics.

“As long as these fundamental issues and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete detail on a workable ‘neutrality’ model are

not addressed, we do not agree that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed back into competition,” read the statement.

Among those signing the statement were officials from the United States, Britain, France, Canada and Germany. Those five countries brought nearly one-fifth of all athletes to the Tokyo Games in 2021. Other countries that had suggested an Olympic boycott was possible if the war continues — such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark — also signed onto the statement, which did not go so far as to mention a boycott.

The statement was the product of a Feb. 10 summit in London between government leaders, who heard from Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said Russia athletes had no place at the Paris Games as long as the country’s invasion of Ukraine continues.

The International Olympic Committee is trying to find a way to allow Russians into the Olympics, citing the opinion of United Nations human rights experts who believe Russians and Belarusians should not face discrimination simply for the passports they hold. The IOC wants competitors from those countries who have not supported the war to be able to compete as neutral athletes, with no symbols of their countries allowed.

Assistant Secretary of State Lee Satterfield signed the statement

on behalf of the United States. In a separate statement, she emphasized the need for the IOC to provide clarity on the definition of neutrality.

“The United States will continue to join a vast community of nations to hold Russia and Belarus — and the bad actors who dictate their actions — accountable for this brutal war,” Satterfield said. “Russia has proven, time and again, it has no regard for and is incapable of following the rules — in international sport and in international law.”

While acknowledging there was an argument for them to compete as neutral athletes, the government officials noted in the joint statement how closely sports and

politics are intertwined in Russia and Belarus. Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago Friday and Belarus has been Russia’s closest ally.

When the war started, the IOC recommended sports organizations bar Russians from competitions, labeling it as a measure for those athletes’ safety. That stance changed at the start of this year.

Last week, IOC president Thomas Bach said the IOC stood in solidarity with Ukraine’s athletes, but also that sports has to respect the human rights of all athletes.

“History will show who is doing more for peace. The ones who try to keep lines open, to communicate, or the ones who want to isolate or divide,” Bach said.

Monday’s statement, while calling for clarity from the IOC, said the quickest way for Russia to get back into the international sports scene would be “by ending the war they started.”

ROB GRAY | AP PHOTO

Russian athletes stand on the podium during the medals ceremony for the men’s 50-kilometer cross-country race at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

AP PHOTO

Democratic governor signs GOP-backed tax cut in Kentucky

The Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday signed a Republican-backed tax cut bill, saying he hopes it provides relief for Kentuckians struggling with consumer prices amid stubbornly high inflation. Beshear’s action on the measure — which will lower the state’s individual income tax rate — comes after the proposal drew Democratic opposition as it moved through the GOP-dominated legislature.

The governor, who is facing a tough reelection campaign this year in Republican-trending Kentucky, announced in a social media video that he was signing the tax cut measure.

“I hope as we get through this period where, again, groceries cost too much, that this helps everybody out there at least a little bit,” Beshear said.

The governor’s action ended days of suspense over whether he would sign or veto the measure.

A top Senate Republican openly dared the governor to veto the bill as the Senate debated the bill.

Responding to the governor’s bill-signing decision Friday, the state GOP accused Beshear of trying to take credit for Republican-backed policies.

“He has spent countless hours attacking Republicans for this policy approach and left the members of his own party out to dry on it,” the state Republican Party said in a statement. “What’s different between last year and this

one? There’s an election this November.”

For Republican lawmakers, the newly signed bill is another step toward achieving a long-running policy goal to phase out individual income taxes in Kentucky.

The measure signed by Beshear will lower the state’s individual income tax rate by a half-percentage point to 4%, effective Jan. 1, 2024. It follows up on last year’s

tax overhaul, which resulted in a reduction of the tax rate from 5% to 4.5% at the start of this year. Beshear vetoed last year’s bill revamping portions of the state tax code. He objected to provisions that extended the sales tax to many more services. Republican lawmakers easily overrode his veto. As an alternative, the governor last year backed an unsuccessful effort to temporarily

cut the state sales tax rate to take some of the sting out of rising inflation that fueled higher consumer prices. Beshear on Friday acknowledged that the deeper income tax cut could have potential “longterm repercussions” for funding state services. But he pointed to the state’s strong economy, which has fueled record-setting revenue collections, as justification for

signing the follow-up tax cut.

In January, state General Fund receipts rose 6.2% compared with the same month a year ago, state Budget Director John Hicks reported recently. General Fund collections have grown 5.8% for the first seven months of the current fiscal year, he said. The General Fund pays for most state services, including education, health care and public safety. Kentucky has set records for private-sector investments and job creation during Beshear’s tenure as governor. Amid the economic growth, the Democratic governor has acknowledged the hardships that inflation has caused for Kentuckians. He continued that message in his bill-signing announcement Friday.

“Things are tough out there,” Beshear said. “Inflation is real. And while gas prices have come down, a grocery store bill is still way too high. And while this issue is temporary, it’s still going to last for some time into the foreseeable future, and our people need relief.”

Democratic lawmakers opposing the tax-cut measure said many Kentuckians won’t reap savings from the reduction. And they noted that last year’s legislation extended the state sales tax to more services, which they said created new tax burdens.

Beshear’s decision to sign the top GOP legislative priority comes as a dozen Republican candidates compete for their party’s nomination for governor in the May primary. Beshear’s bid for a second term is drawing national attention to see if the popular incumbent can win again in the red state. Beshear has won praise for his responses to devastating tornadoes and flooding, as well as a string of economic development and infrastructure successes.

GOP opens another investigation of Afghanistan withdrawal

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Several Biden Cabinet members, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a letter Friday from House Republicans as they launched the second investigation into the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, sent a series of letters to senior leadership at the White House, Department of Defense, State Department and others requesting a tranche of documents related to the end of America’s longest war.

“The Biden Administration was tragically unprepared for the Afghanistan withdrawal and their decisions in the region directly resulted in a national security and humanitarian catastrophe,” Comer said in a statement. “Every relevant department and agency should be prepared to cooperate and provide all requested information.”

Republicans have been vowing to press President Joe Biden’s administration on what went wrong as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and the U.S. left scores of Americans and thousands of Afghans who helped them over the years in grave danger. Now with the power of the gavel, GOP lawmakers are elevating that criticism into aggressive congressional oversight, and on a topic that has been met with bipartisan support in the past.

In a statement, the State Department said that while it does not comment on congressional correspondence, the agency is commit-

ted to working with congressional committees.

“As of November 2022, the Department has provided more than 150 briefings to bipartisan Members and staff on Afghanistan policy since the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan,” the statement continued. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letters Friday come nearly one month after Rep. Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, opened his own investigation into the deadly withdrawal, requesting documents from Secretary of State Ant-

ony Blinken. McCaul’s letter outlined a request for all communications around the lead-up to pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. He also made it clear that his committee, which has jurisdiction over the matter, also plans to investigate the after-effects of the withdrawal, including on the hundreds of thousands of Afghan allies left behind.

The Trump administration agreed late in its term to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan in May 2021, with the former president saying in 2020, “Now it’s time for somebody else to do that work.” But Republicans are intent on re-

minding Americans that it was Biden who was in charge when the Taliban took over.

And the criticism over the issue began in a bipartisan manner, with several Democrat-led committees pledging to investigate what went wrong in the days and weeks after the withdrawal.

U.S. officials have said they were surprised by the quick collapse of the military and the government, prompting sharp congressional criticism of the intelligence community for failing to foresee it.

In a congressional hearing last spring, senators questioned whether there is a need to reform how in-

telligence agencies assess a foreign military’s will to fight. Lawmakers pointed to two key examples: U.S. intelligence believed that the Kabul government would hold on for months against the Taliban, and more recently believed that Ukraine’s forces would quickly fall to Russia’s invasion. Both were wrong.

Military and defense leaders have said the Afghanistan collapse was built on years of missteps, as the U.S. struggled to find a successful way to train and equip Afghan forces.

Last year, a watchdog group concluded it was decisions by Trump and Biden to pull all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan that were key factors in the collapse of that nation’s military.

The report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, mirrors assertions made by senior Pentagon and military leaders in the aftermath of the withdrawal. Military leaders have made it clear that their recommendation was to leave about 2,500 U.S. troops in the country, but that plan was not approved.

In February 2020, the Trump administration signed an agreement with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, in which the U.S. promised to fully withdraw its troops by May 2021. The Taliban committed to several conditions, including stopping attacks on American and coalition forces. The stated objective was to promote a peace negotiation between the Taliban and the Afghan government, but that diplomatic effort never gained traction before Biden took office in January 2022.

AP PHOTO, FILE

The Kentucky state Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., is pictured on April 7, 2021.

AP PHOTO

House Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., opens a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing on the border, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

STATE & NATION

Congressional Budget Office projects higher unemployment, slow exit from inflation

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Congressional Budget Office said it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year with the unemployment rate jumping to 5.1% — a bleak outlook that was paired with a 10-year projection that publicly held U.S. debt would nearly double to $46.4 trillion in 2033.

The office’s updated 10-year Budget and Economic Outlook outlined stark expectations for the decade ahead, where Social Security would be unable to pay full benefits to recipients in 2032 — with a roughly 20 % reduction in benefits across the board — and the net interest costs on U.S. debt would eclipse what the nation spends on defense.

“The debt trajectory is unsustainable,” CBO director Phillip Swagel told journalists at a press conference after the report’s afternoon release. The CBO can’t tell Congress what to do, he said, “but at some point, something has to give — whether it’s on spending or revenue.”

The latest figures seemed to affirm the worst fears of many U.S. consumers and businesses. But in a reminder that the U.S. economy has seldom behaved as anticipated through the pandemic and its aftermath, the employment forecast looks very different from the pace of hiring so far this year.

The CBO estimated that just 108,000 jobs will be added in 2023, but employers added 517,000 jobs in January alone. It also assumes that inflation will

ease from 6.4% to 4.8% this year, far more pessimistic than Federal Reserve officials who in December said inflation would fall to 3.5%.

The CBO separately pointed to the risks of not increasing the government’s legal borrowing authority, noting that the Treasury Department could exhaust its current “extraordinary measures” to keep the government running while President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy jostle over a deal.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote to congressional leadership

last month, stating that her agency will use creative accounting measures to buy time until Congress can pass legislation that will either raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority or suspend it again for a period of time.

If tax receipts from this year’s filing season fall short of estimated amounts, the U.S. could hit its statutory debt ceiling earlier than July, according to the nonpartisan organization, which provides independent analyses of budget and economic issues to Congress.

Following the CBO issuing its

report, Senate Democrats reiterated their calls for Republicans to help pass legislation to increase the nation’s borrowing authority. Then, they said, lawmakers could turn their attention to funding the government and addressing the solvency of Medicare and Social Security.

“We don’t want to cut benefits. We don’t want to privatize. We don’t want to do the kinds of things that Republicans have talked about in that area,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of Social Security.

“And we have some plans to make it solvent, which you’ll hear from down the road.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said the report “paints a dire picture.”

“If we don’t get serious about reining in spending, reducing annual budget deficits and bringing down the debt, the country will end up spending more on interest payments than the programs that actually benefit Americans,” Grassley said.

The outlook warns about rising yearly budget deficits. In 2033, the CBO anticipates that the yearly shortfall in tax revenues relative to spending would exceed $2.85 trillion, more than double the deficit in 2022. Publicly held debt was roughly equal to U.S. gross domestic product in 2022, but it would climb to 118% of GDP by 2033.

The office says the biggest drivers of rising debt in relation to GDP are increasing interest costs and spending for Medicare and Social Security.

“Biden’s numerous bailouts and massive government expansion disguised as COVID relief has blown out spending and exacerbated our debt disaster,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee. “House Republicans must rein-in the unbridled spending and restore fiscal sanity in Washington before it’s too late.”

One reason why the CBO expects a slowdown this year are the actions taken by the Fed. The U.S. central bank has been trying to reduce inflation by raising its benchmark interest rates. Earlier this month the Fed raised its key interest rate a quarter-point, its eighth hike since March of last year.

The CBO expects growth to pick up once the Fed has tamed inflation and pulls back on its benchmark rates.

Republicans to adopt loyalty pledge for debate participants

By Steve Peoples

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Republican presidential candidates will be blocked from the debate stage this summer if they do not sign a pledge to support the GOP’s ultimate presidential nominee, according to draft language set to be adopted when the Republican National Committee meets next week.

The proposal sets up a potential clash with former President Donald Trump, who has raised the possibility of leaving the Republican Party and launching an independent candidacy if he does not win the GOP nomination outright. While RNC officials and Trump aides downplay that possibility, such a move could destroy the GOP’s White House aspirations in 2024 and raise existential questions about the party’s future.

“After the primary, it is imperative to the health and growth of our Republican Party, as well as the country, that we all come together and unite behind our nominee to defeat Joe Biden and the Democrats,” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to The Associated Press when asked about the loyalty pledge.

As many as a dozen Republicans are expected to enter the 2024 presidential contest as the GOP braces for an all-out civil war in the months ahead.

Much of the party is eager to

move past Trump and his divisive politics, but in reality, Republican leaders have few, if any, tools to control the former president given his popularity with the GOP’s most passionate voters. RNC leaders are hopeful that a loyalty pledge, while ultimately unenforceable, would generate some shared commitment to unity, albeit a fragile one, as the presidential primary season takes off.

A senior Trump aide could not say whether the former president would sign the pledge to support the eventual nominee but suggested privately that he plans to participate in the debates. Campaign spokesman Ste-

ven Cheung declined to answer the question directly as well.

“President Trump is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party and will be the nominee,” Cheung said. “There is nobody who can outmatch President Trump’s energy or the enthusiasm he receives from Americans of all backgrounds.”

Facing similar concerns in 2016, Trump signed a similar loyalty pledge that was not tied to debates, but he later reneged as the primary campaign became more contentious. At the very first Republican primary debate that year, Trump was the only candidate on stage who refused to commit to support-

ing the party’s eventual nominee unless it was him.

And just last December, Trump shared an article on social media encouraging him to seek a third-party bid to punish the GOP should Republican primary voters select another presidential nominee in 2024. Meanwhile, there is no such threat on the Democratic side.

Virtually every Democrat thought to have presidential aspirations has already promised to unite behind President Joe Biden, assuming the 78-year-old Democrat follows through on his plan to seek a second term. Biden may face token resistance from a lower-profile intra-party rival — activist and author Marianne Williamson is exploring another White House bid, for example — but the Democratic president would face little pressure to appear on the debate stage before the fall of 2024 for the general election debates, should they occur.

The Republican loyalty pledge is among several provisions likely to be adopted as the RNC’s Temporary Standing Committee on Presidential Debates meets to determine the rules governing which candidates may participate in the GOP’s upcoming debate season — and which media networks will host the events.

The committee is considering between 10 and 12 debates to begin in late July at the Reagan Library in California or at the RNC’s summer meeting in Milwaukee, the host of

the GOP’s next national convention. Committee officials are sorting through proposals from as many as 18 media companies eager to host a debate. They include major television networks like CNN, MSNBC and Fox and lower-profile conservative favorites like Newsmax, according to people directly involved in the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.

While the likes of CNN and NBC hosted Republican primary debates in 2016, Republican officials suggest it would be a mistake to assume they will be selected this time around given widespread disdain for the networks among the party’s base. Representatives from each network will pitch the RNC in person next Wednesday and Thursday.

While there are many moving pieces, GOP leaders are most concerned about the party’s ability to come together after what promises to be a divisive primary election season.

Dave Bossie, a former Trump aide and current RNC member leading the debate committee, noted that the committee is modeling its 2024 loyalty pledge after the 2016 pledge that every Republican candidate signed.

“All Republicans can agree that Joe Biden has been a disaster for America,” Bossie said. “Therefore, it should be easy for every candidate to pledge unity toward defeating the radical Biden administration.”

AP PHOTO

An employee restocks meats at a grocery store on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, in North Miami, Fla.

AP PHOTO

The Republican National Committee logo is shown on the stage as crew members work at the North Charleston Coliseum, Jan. 13, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate.

Randolph record

Rep. Hudson visits Randolph Emergency Services in Asheboro

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson (NC-09) made a stop in Asheboro last Thursday with Congress out of session.

In a visit to Randolph County’s Emergency Services department, Hudson was able to thank first responders for their work and tour the building. He visited the 911 call center and spoke with county leaders.

A day earlier, Hudson opened his new flagship district office in Southern Pines.

“As your Congressman, I am committed to delivering results for families throughout our region and providing top-notch customer service from our offices in both Washington, D.C. and North Carolina,” said Hudson at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. “I look forward to helping more constituents navigate federal government agencies like the VA (Veteran’s Affairs) and being accessible to hear your needs, thoughts, and concerns on key issues facing our community and nation.”

In addition to the new office, U.S. Rep. Hudson also has office locations in Washington, D.C. and Fayetteville.

Board of Education accepts grant to help supply new SROs

Artie the Elephant moved to Tennessee elephant sanctuary

Artie, a 40-year-old elephant who arrived at the North Carolina Zoo from Zimbabwe at age 15, was recently relocated to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, on January 31. “Meeting Artie’s needs at this stage of his life as an older bull was a priority,” said Pat Simmons, CEO and Director of the NC Zoo. “The decision for Artie to move to The Elephant Sanctuary, given their large habitat spaces, excellent husbandry facilities, and multiple African elephant residents, provides Artie with the best opportunities for lifetime care and social well-being as he ages.” The decision to move Artie came after months of collaboration between the sanctuary in Tennessee through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Human remains found in Staley linked to missing person

Earlier this month, human remains were found in Staley and were connected to a missing person report filed in 2021. According to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, the office received word that a citizen had stumbled upon the remains of Steven Tyler Tuttle while walking in a wooded area near Shady Grove Church Road. Last Tuesday, the State Medical Examiner’s Office made a positive identification between the remains and Tuttle. Tuttle, who was initially reported as missing in June 2021, was last seen in Liberty, North Carolina. At the time that the missing person’s report was filed, the sheriff’s office searched multiple locations based on the information collected from the community but was ultimately unable to locate Tuttle. The cause of death has yet to be determined, and the case is still under investigation. If you have any information pertaining to this case, please contact the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office at (336) 318-6698.

Superintendent to request supplement increase for classified employees from commissioners

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

ASHEBORO — The Randolph County Board of Education met Monday, February 20, with mostly financial updates and dealings on the agenda.

Superintendent Stephen Gainey presented to the board a current expense request to be brought before the Randolph Board of Commissioners in May for a supplement in-

crease for classified employees.

“The new current expense request will be a supplement increase for classified employees by 1.5%,” Gainey said. “The total cost of this additional current expense request will be $430,000, and if approved, it would take our supplement percentage for classified employees from 3.75% to 5.25%.”

“Many times when the state does raises, classified employees get missed. We’ve talked about our 197 locally paid employees. Most of them are classified employees. There are no teachers on local pay. There’s no locally paid assistant principals or locally paid principals. I feel very good about this additional request. We have a lot of work-

force needs in the classified employee group.”

The board was also presented with the findings from their 202122 audit.

“I’m pleased to announce that our opinion form for your financial statements is unmodified, which is the best opinion you can get, and in school finance terms, it’s an A+,” said Shannon Dennison, CPA with Anderson Smith & Wike PLLC who did Randolph County Schools audit.

According to the audit, as of June 30, 2022, Randolph County Schools had a general fund balance of $5.2 million and a capital outlay fund of $2.2 million. Dennison also touched on the district’s child nutri-

NC congressman, senator Broyhill dies at 95

The Associated Press JIM BROYHILL , a longtime North Carolina Republican congressman who served briefly in the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy before losing a bid to keep the job, died early Saturday at age 95, his family said.

Broyhill, a scion of the Broyhill Furniture business in the North Carolina foothills that brought jobs and prestige to the region, died at Arbor Acres retirement home in Winston-Salem, according to his son, Ed. He had suffered from congestive heart failure for years that worsened in recent months, his son said Saturday.

The moderate Republican served more than 23 years in the House. He was considered a reliable conservative who helped North Carolina turn into a competitive two-party state, particularly as the GOP made national gains in the 1980s with Ronald Reagan.

In a video interview in honor of receiving a state award in 2015, Broyhill recalled the dearth of Republicans on the first state ballot he filled out in 1948.

“I was determined that I’m going to do what I could to see if we could not develop a two-party system in our state,” Broyhill said.

“And I think I had a great deal to accomplish that, but with the help and the leadership of many other people.”

GOP Gov. Jim Martin appointed Broyhill to replace Republican

Sen. John East when East died by suicide in June 1986.

Broyhill had already won the Senate GOP primary a month earlier against David Funderburk, who had the support of Sen. Jesse Helms’ national organization that backed hardline Republicans. East wasn’t seeking reelection due to medical issues.

The Senate appointment was viewed as an asset to help Broyhill in his fall general election against former Gov. Terry Sanford, a Democrat and outgoing Duke University president. Sanford narrowly defeated Broyhill in two elections that November -- one to serve out

the rest of 1986 and another for the next six years.

Expected initially to be a lowkey affair, the campaign took on the intensity of a modern, more divisive campaign. Reagan came to Charlotte to campaign for Broyhill. In a recent interview, Martin said he’s unsure whether appointing Broyhill to the Senate ultimately aided his campaign.

“He wasn’t able to spend as much time campaigning because he was intensely dependable on fulfilling his Senate duties,” Martin said.

Broyhill’s Capitol Hill career began with a surprising U.S. House victory in 1962.

When Democrats attempted to redraw the district of the lone Republican in the House delegation after the 1960 census in hopes of defeating him, the adjoining district became more Republican, according to a biography of Martin. That opened the door for Broyhill, who had worked at the family business for close to two decades, to upset Democratic incumbent Hugh Quincy Alexander.

While he never served in a Republican-controlled chamber until his Senate appointment, Broyhill flexed his political muscles for Republican presidential administrations in the House and built support for their agendas with Democrats.

In the interview highlighting his 2015 award, Broyhill recalled legislation he helped pass to create the U.S. Consumer Product Safe -

tion fund.

“Last year, you gained $2.56 million in funds for child nutrition, so you have $6.9 million in cash in the child nutrition program,” Dennison said. “Last year was a little unique in that it was continuing on from COVID, so all the students received free meals, and the federal reimbursement rate was higher than a normal year, so I would not expect that to remain a trend next year.”

However, the sizable savings will allow Randolph County Schools to be able to operate without much disturbance from rising food prices, at least for a little while, according to Dennison.

“I’m just thankful it’s pretty healthy right now because it will probably take a hit,” said board chair Gary Cook. “They’ve done a good job of managing it and keeping it up. I guess planning for a rainy day was pretty smart.”

The board then approved the second reading of the school calendar

See BOE, page 2

ty Commission. Broyhill’s family and others cited his efforts to create energy policies, and deregulate the telecommunications, pharmaceutical and trucking industries.

Frank Drendel, founder of coaxial cable producer CommScope based in Hickory, said on Saturday that Broyhill’s work to get a law passed in 1978 so that cable companies could connect their cables to other utility poles helped the cable industry soar.

Broyhill “set an example that sadly we don’t have much of today and that is to cross the aisle and come up with solutions that are nonpartisan,” said former Glaxo Wellcome CEO Bob Ingram, a North Carolina resident who knew Broyhill while working

See BROYHILL, page 2

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

U.S. Representative Richard Hudson speaks with local leaders during a visit to the Randolph County Emergency Center in Asheboro on Thursday.

PHOTO VIA AP Rep. Jim Broyhill, R-N.C., addresses reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference, Sept. 21, 1985.

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

James Clapper can’t stop lying

IN AN INTERVIEW with The Washington Post’s “fact-checker,” former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper contends that Politico misled the public about a letter he and 50 other former intel officials signed during the 2020 presidential campaign warning that the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story could be Russian deception. “There was message distortion,” Clapper tells The Washington Post. “All we were doing was raising a yellow flag that this could be Russian disinformation. Politico deliberately distorted what we said. It was clear in paragraph five.”

presidential debates? Why didn’t Clapper send a follow-up statement clarifying his position after the Politico headline purportedly “distorted” the letter? Did he not see the piece until now — just as Republicans are about to investigate?

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse.

It was not clear, at all. The purpose of the letter, apparent then as it is now, was to discredit the Post’s scoop and provide Democrats and the media with ammunition to reject it. Of course, intel officials couldn’t definitively say that Hunter’s emails, which implicated Joe Biden as a business partner, were concocted by Vladimir Putin’s spooks. They had no access to the laptop. The purpose was to enlist former intel chiefs to cast doubt on the story. A perfunctory CYA paragraph doesn’t change anything.

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse. As soon as the story broke, Schiff claimed that “we know” — a phrase he used numerous times — that the emails had been planted by the Kremlin. By then, though, everyone understood the congressman was an irredeemable liar. The director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, issued a statement stressing that, actually, there was no evidence to back Schiff’s claims.

That’s when Politico reported that more than 50 former senior intelligence officials had signed a letter asserting that the laptop “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” The most notable signees were Clapper, a man who ran a domestic surveillance program and then lied about it to Congress, and former CIA director John Brennan, a man who once oversaw an operation of illegal spying on a Senate staffer, and then also lied about it to the American people.

The letter worked exactly as intended. “Look,” Biden said during the last 2020 presidential debate when asked about the laptop, “there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plan.” On “60 Minutes,” Biden called the story “disinformation from the Russians.” Clapper tells The Washington Post that he had absolutely no idea how the former vice president had framed the contents of the letter — which is, to be generous, implausible nonsense.

If Clapper’s letter was merely a good-faith warning, then why didn’t any of the other signees push back against Biden’s contention during their numerous television appearances? Did none of them watch the

All the Post’s pedantic “fact check” does is offer the signees, and itself, cover. The Washington Post excuses the media’s (ongoing) suppression of the Hunter Biden story by arguing that the “leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta,” which “may have contributed to Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016,” made journalists extra cautious about relaying uncorroborated information. That contention is gravely undercut by the hundreds of pieces and columns the Post ran based on the Democratic oppo research that contained what was almost surely Russian disinformation. Any skeptical journalist would have also immediately identified the letter, and the Politico piece, as a nakedly partisan attempt to undermine the legitimacy of a story.

Indeed, the New York Post’s Hunter story had far more substantiation than any of the histrionic Russia-collusion pieces that the public was subjected to during the Trump years. The Post detailed how it came into possession of its evidence. It interviewed the owner of the Delaware computer shop where Hunter had abandoned his laptop. It provided Hunter’s signature on a receipt. The Post had on-the-record sources with intimate knowledge of Hunter’s business dealings. They had onthe-record interviews with people who claimed to have interactions with the presidential candidate — incidents we now know Biden had lied about for years. And later, the emails were authenticated by forensic specialists at other outlets, as well.

Virtually the entire censorious journalistic establishment, including The Washington Post, with the help of tech giants and former spooks, limited the story’s exposure by either banning it outright as disinformation, creating the impression that it didn’t meet proper journalistic standards or implying that it had been planted by Russians. The media wasn’t going to allow another Hillary Clinton-like scandal to sink the prospects of a Democrat. And Clapper played a big part in that deception.

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 answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

THIS WEEK, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that our nation’s young girls are in a state of absolute emotional and mental crisis.

According to the CDC, 57% of high school girls said they were depressed in 2021, compared with 36% in 2011; 30% said they had considered suicide, compared with 19% in 2011. The numbers had also increased markedly for high school boys: 29% of high school boys reported depressive symptoms, up from 21% in 2011; 14% of high school boys had considered suicide, up from 13% a decade before.

Naturally, our nation’s pseudoscientific experts blame societal intolerance and lack of sexual sensitivity. Never mind the fact that more kids than ever are declaring themselves members of nonexistent identity groups (Demisexual! Gender nonbinary!), mistakenly self-diagnosing with Tourette’s syndrome or gender dysphoria, and claiming victimhood at the hands of a cruel society — a society that rewards and cheers all such claims. Never mind that we’ve now undergone a gender revolution in which we’ve declared biological sex itself passe, treated heterosexual norms as taboo and misogynistic and attempted to wipe away — along with actual sexual predation — much normal behavior in the name of #MeToo.

No, says the CDC, the problem — as always — is with society’s demands. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the CDC recommends “teaching kids about sexual consent, managing emotions, and asking for what they need”; furthermore, “Schools should encourage gender and sexuality alliances, provide safe spaces and people for LGBTQ+ students to go to for support, and ensure enforcement of antiharassment policies.”

Yes, the answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

Or, alternatively, any society that attempts to destroy all rules, roles and intermediate institutions laden with traditional values will end up

abandoning its children — all in the name of tolerance and diversity. We have robbed young men of a sense of meaning: we’ve told them that they need not be providers, protectors or defenders, and that even aspiring to do so makes them bigoted remnants of the past. Instead, young men are told that they ought to relegate themselves to the role of “male feminists,” condemning their own “toxic masculinity” while shying away from the commitments that turn boys into men.

We have robbed young women of any sense of place, time or purpose: we’ve told them that they need not seek out a husband, aspire to bear and rear children or make preparations to build a home. Instead, we’ve told them that they can run from their own biology, declaring themselves boys rather than girls, delaying childbearing indefinitely, pursuing the things that are supposedly truly important: sexual license, more work hours, sipping wine at brunch with single friends.

We have done all of this because children do not lie at the top of our civilizational hierarchy: the interests of adults do. Increasingly, adults in the West see children as either a burden and thus avoid having them, or as validators of their own sense of subjective self-identity, requiring indoctrination into more liberal forms of social organization.

And now children are paying the price.

The social Left has been in control of virtually all levers of culture and policy for decades. Now they demand more control in order to alleviate the consequences of the chaos they have created. The answer, of course, is precisely the opposite: the reinvigoration of traditional sources of wisdom and values, the re-inculcation of morality and obligation. If our society does not quickly reverse field, the consequences for our young people will be utterly disastrous.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Young Americans are losing their minds. The social left is to blame.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Bieniemy leaves Chiefs for OC role with Commanders

Eric Bieniemy has agreed to be the Commanders’ offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The team announced Saturday that the two-time Super Bowl-winning assistant with Kansas City will be joining Washington.

Bieniemy now gets the chance to show what he can do without Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The 54-year-old emerged from a pool of more than a half-dozen candidates as Washington’s choice for the job following the Chiefs’ second championship in his five seasons as their offensive coordinator. The longtime NFL assistant has interviewed for numerous head coaching jobs.

NBA Westbrook to sign with Clippers

Los Angeles

After being waived by the Jazz, Russell Westbrook is expected to sign with the Clippers. The nine-time All-Star will sign with the Clippers after completing a contract buyout on the remaining $47 million he is owed on his expiring deal. Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game during a rocky tenure with the Lakers. The move would reunite Westbrook with Paul George, his former teammate in Oklahoma City. George had lobbied for the Clippers to land Westbrook.

NHL Blues trade O’Reilly, Acciari to Maple Leafs

St. Louis

The Blues are looking to the future after trading captain and center Ryan O’Reilly along with center Noel Acciari to the Maple Leafs on Friday night. St. Louis acquired Toronto’s 2023 first-round draft pick and 2024 second-round draft pick and Ottawa’s 2023 third-round pick from the Maple Leafs along with AHL forwards Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette. The trade comes with St. Louis sitting eight points out of a playoff spot with a 26-25-3 record entering play Saturday.

The Blues traded forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the Rangers on Feb. 9.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UNLV

freshman football player dies

Las Vegas

UNLV announced that defensive lineman Ryan Keeler died Monday. He was 20. No cause of death was given. Keeler, who is from Chicago, transferred to UNLV from Rutgers last year. He played in seven games as a redshirt freshman this past season, totaling eight tackles and a sack. Keeler, who made the academic All-Mountain West team, had a 3.80 GPA.

“We are devastated to have lost a member of our Rebel family,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said in a statement.

Dethroned King: Petty hurt as Johnson takes over race team

The Associated Press DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Richard Petty may still reign as NASCAR’s King, but with Jimmie Johnson wresting control of Petty’s old race team, he is definitively not the boss.

The Hall of Famer essentially has been stripped of power inside his former eponymous team that rapidly rebranded and rebuilt since November. Johnson and Petty are the only living seven-time NASCAR champions — and that appears to be where the similarities end inside Legacy Motor Club’s front office.

The 85-year-old Petty, who is officially Legacy’s ambassador, said Saturday he has bruised feelings and little say in the direction of the race team since Johnson bought into the ownership group.

“It’s been strange to me,” Petty said. “Most of the time, I ran the majority of the show. Jimmie brought all his people in. His way of running things and my way of running things are probably a little bit different. We probably agree on about 50% of what it really comes down to.”

Ahead of the Daytona 500, an unfiltered Petty said he was irked by Johnson’s rise in power. “Yes, it does” bother him, he said.

But Petty conceded it was “probably time for a change” because through several incarnations of his race team — the latest Petty GMS — his cars had never risen above the middle of the pack. GMS founder Maury Gallagher, chairman of Allegiant Air, purchased Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021 and Petty, whose 200 Cup wins as a driver are a record, served as the front man. Johnson told The Associated Press he was “disappointed” that Petty publicly expressed his displeasure, adding: “Of course, we’ll have conversations.”

thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

“He’s not expressed them to me, for starters,” Johnson said. “Honestly, there are a lot of moving pieces to this. There are business decisions that are taking place between Mr. Gallagher and the Petty family before I ever arrived. Those are details that are just not my place to say. “But a lot of what Richard is speaking to is based on business decisions that he and his family have made and they aren’t relative to my involvement.”

One of Johnson’s first decisions: Strip the Petty name that dates in NASCAR to 1949.

“When Jimmie came in, it was

going to be hard to be Johnson Petty GMS,” Petty said. “Jimmie’s thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

The Level Cross native remains NASCAR’s most recognizable personality, wearing his feathered Charlie 1 Horse hats, dark glasses and cowboy boots. He’s never stopped signing autographs, making personal appearances or glad-handing sponsors, though even those responsibilities seem more uncertain under Johnson’s reign.

“They don’t take over the racing part, they take over the front office,” Petty said. “With sponsorships, appearances and all that stuff, Jimmie’s crowd is kind of controlling that. That’s something I never had to put up with, I guess.”

Petty did tip his hat to Johnson’s business acumen: Johnson’s connections with Gibson guitars and music industry relationships, including entertainment giant Live Nation, were instrumental in landing legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses on the hood of Erik Jones’ No. 43 Chevrolet.

“He’s basically going to wind up running the show in four or five years completely,” Petty said. “He’ll probably be the majority owner or the owner of our operation. They’re looking at things completely differently.”

Trea Turner settling in for long future in Philadelphia

The Associated Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The past few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for Trea Turner. They included a World Series title in Washington, a trade to Los Angeles — and then an 11-year, $300 million contract that brought him back to the NL East.

The one constant amid all that:

Turner has played with some pretty impressive teammates. And that’s not about to change.

“I’ve been on some really, really good teams with some great players — last year being one of them,”

Turner, the former NC State standout, said Sunday. “That’s kind of the beauty and the difficult thing about baseball. The best teams don’t always win. Just because we got a lot of talent in here and a lot of good guys, and they made it to the World Series last year, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.

You’ve got to put in the work.”

The Phillies seemed to understand that this offseason. Yes, they won the National League pennant last year, but they were also an 87win wild card appearing in the postseason for the first time in over a decade. And Philadelphia shares a division with teams in Atlanta and New York that appear formidable for the foreseeable future.

Signing Turner, a 29-year-old

shortstop who has been an AllStar the past two years, showed the Phillies are willing to stay aggressive, too.

It also gave Turner some stability. Washington declined quickly after winning the World Series in 2019. The Nationals eventually dealt both Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers two seasons later. That put Turner right back in the postseason for a couple years.

All that moving — plus a pan-

demic and a lockout that created doubts about whether baseball would be played at all — could wear on anyone. But now Turner has a long-term deal with another strong team.

“That’s something that me, my wife and my family wanted, was just, not have to rent anymore, not have to move around, not have to worry about getting traded,” he said. “A lot of guys, probably overwhelming majority, don’t get to choose where they get to play for

their career. Luckily enough, I was in a situation where I could pick. I’m stuck here, and nobody can tell me otherwise, so I think I’m really happy about that, that security.”

Turner’s deal included a full notrade provision.

In Philadelphia’s clubhouse at spring training, Turner’s locker is right next to Bryce Harper’s. The two played together in Washington before Harper signed with the Phillies before the 2019 season.

The two living seven-time Cup champions are at odds over Johnson’s rebranding

The former NC State infielder signed a $300 million contract with the Phillies during the offseason

AP PHOTO

Former NASCAR driver Richard Petty, center, poses for a photo with Jimmie Johnson, left, and Erik Jones, right, at Daytona International Speedway last week.

AP PHOTO

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner smiles during a spring training workout last Friday in Clearwater, Florida.

“Jimmie’s

Richard Petty

Randleman girls respond, claim PAC Tournament in overtime

Rally from Eastern Randolph creates drama

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

RAMSEUR — Randleman’s recovery from a few late-game glitches made the Tigers’ championship that much more impressive Friday night in the girls’ basketball final of the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament.

One thing the Tigers weren’t lacking was that internal belief that they would find a way to successfully defend their title.

“Coach (Brandon) Varner told us, ‘You’ve worked so hard for this,’” senior center Graycn Hall said. “We’re going to show how hard we’ve worked.”

That was just part of the conclusion as the drama unfolded in Randleman’s 57-55 overtime victory against host and second-seeded Eastern Randolph in front of an overflow crowd.

“They earned this,” Varner said of his players. “You play in a conference tournament championship game on their court. We had to earn it, and that’s what we should want.”

The regular-season champion Tigers (24-1) didn’t make a field goal in the overtime period, but they drained more free throws and made key defensive stops to come away with the prize they were seeking.

“That’s all I wanted was this tournament,” senior guard Elizabeth York said. “It’s always a bigger win when you win an away game.”

York sank two free throws at the 12-second mark to put the Tigers ahead and added another foul shot in the final second.

Eastern Randolph (17-7) wiped out a nine-point fourth-quarter deficit and scored the first four points of overtime.

“One more basket,” Wildcats coach Jeff Davis said of what was needed, noting that Randleman “is

a great defending team.”

Randleman needed the defense because the Tigers had a late stretch spanning the fourth quarter and overtime when they committed four consecutive turnovers, shot an air ball, had a shot blocked, and were guilty of another turnover.

Eastern Randolph’s rally consisted of Mackenzie Gee’s 3-pointer, two Brecken Snotherly free throws, and Snotherly’s tying fastbreak basket.

Hall countered with a basket on a low-post move before Whitaker hit a runner. York scored on a backdoor play with 41 seconds to go, but another turnover with a chance to seal the outcome nearly doomed the Tigers.

Snotherly was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 6.1 seconds remaining. She missed the first attempt, then drained the next two. That extended the game.

“We dug deep,” Davis said. “We gave everything we had. This is the one that’s going to keep us up at night.”

Kenly Whitaker’s basket off a rebound and Snotherly’s bucket put Eastern Randolph up 53-49.

“We can’t give up,” Hall said. “We were so close. I was trying to keep (my teammates) believing that

Maddie Small

we’re not losing.” Trouble brewed for the Wildcats as Logan Beaver, and Kenly Whitaker fouled out in Eastern Randolph’s first overtime game of the season. Randleman didn’t score in overtime until 1:22 was showing on the clock. In a 19-second span, Jordan Booker was good on four free throws to pull the Tigers even.

Hall’s foul shot gave Randleman a one-point edge before Snotherly connected on two free throws with 13.5 seconds to play. York did the rest of the scoring.

Snotherly, who was short on a would-be go-ahead shot in the final seconds of overtime, finished with 27 points despite double- and triple-team schemes to slow her down. She still found ways to create openings for herself and her teammates.

“She freelanced a little bit,” Davis said.

Hall racked up 21 points and 21 rebounds, and York and Booker both scored 15 points. The Tigers shot 21-for-24 on free throws.

Beaver added 10 points, and Whitaker had nine points for Eastern Randolph. Randleman has gone two full seasons without a loss in PAC competition.

Wildcats capture another prize, topple Trinity boys in PAC final

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

RAMSEUR — Timothy Brower was down on the court in pain in the first quarter of the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament’s boys’ basketball championship.

The Eastern Randolph guard delivered much of the punishment for the rest of Friday night’s game.

Brower’s 28 points helped propel the regular-season champion Wildcats in a 74-64 victory against visiting Trinity that marked their first conference tournament title in seven years.

Brower said he sensed his tumble was pleasing to the opposing team’s fans.

“It kind of hit me,” he said. “That turned something on inside me.”

The Wildcats sure know how to turn it on, and even though a 17-point lead shrunk to two points in the fourth quarter, they had what it took to turn away third-seeded Trinity.

It’s the winningest season in program history for Eastern Randolph (24-2).

“I knew we were going to have a good season, but I didn’t think it would be like this,” said senior guard Pierce Leonard, a transfer from Uwharrie Charter Academy.

The latest example from the Wildcats might have been fitting.

“It was how our boys persevered,” first-year coach Johnny Thomas said. “We’re not only showing people that we can be a fast team, we’re showing people that we can be a smart team. We can play halfcourt basketball, and in the process of playing half-court basketball, we can get the job done.

“We allowed ourselves to stay positive and stay motivated. So the highlight for me is walking away with not only the (regular-season) championship, but the tournament championship.”

Eastern Randolph’s Davonte Brooks, despite not feeling well at times, racked up 20 points, and Connor Carter’s 12 points came on four 3-point baskets.

“They run their system well,” Trinity coach Tim Kelly said. “They have so many different weapons. They’re the best team in our league.”

Brower, a sophomore, nearly doubled his season average of 14.9 points per game.

“I knew whoever was guarding me couldn’t guard me,” Brower said, dealing with what he described as a hyperextended knee.

“He got everywhere he wanted to get to,” Thomas said of Brower.

Despite now tripling last season’s eight-win total, this title game was far from automatic.

“We just couldn’t close out,” Kelly said of rallies that faded.

Dominic Payne racked up 25 points, Dylan Hodges had 15 of his 19 points in the first half, and Brandon Campbell tallied 12 points for Trinity (20-7).

Eastern Randolph ended the first quarter on a 20-3 stretch and extended its lead to 30-13 by scoring the first five points of the second quarter. Trinity’s 14-1 run changed the game’s complexion.

The Wildcats’ 38-31 halftime edge grew again as Brower put together a stellar third quarter. Trinity ended up in the bonus early in the second half, but the Bulldogs also encountered foul trouble as Campbell and Hodges picked up their fourth fouls with more than

Southwestern Randolph, girls’ basketball

Small had a couple of solid games last week in the Piedmont Athletic Conference Tournament.

She’s a senior captain on a team that has several key underclassmen.

Small, a forward, provided nine points when the Cougars defeated Trinity 47-46 in the PAC Tournament quarterfinals. She led Southwestern Randolph with 14 points in a 75-49 semifinal loss to Eastern Randolph.

PREP BASKETBALL

Teams embark on state playoffs

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record RANDLEMAN’S GIRLS

and Eastern Randolph’s boys’ teams are the highest-seeded teams from Randolph County in the basketball state playoffs.

The playoffs were to begin Tuesday night. All of the teams from the county are in the West Region.

Second-round games will be Thursday night, and third-round games Saturday, all slated on the courts of the higher seeds.

Girls

In Class 2-A, Piedmont Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champion Randleman (24-1) is the West Region’s No. 1 seed with an opening home game against No. 32 seed Bandys (11-14).

Three other PAC teams were in the Class 2-A field.

Southwestern Randolph (188), seeded 15th, was home against West Lincoln (15-10). No. 22 seed Trinity (12-13) went to No. 11 seed North Wilkes (22-5), while No. 25 seed Wheatmore (6-14) traveled to eighth-seeded East Rutherford (25-2).

seven minutes to play.

Still, Trinity shook off a 12-point hole, with Payne’s three-point play and his baseline jumper cutting the deficit to 59-57. The Bulldogs had a possession with a chance to tie or go ahead.

The next points came from Brooks on a putback of his own missed shot, then Brower drained a 14-foot jump before Carter’s 3 made it 66-59 with less than two minutes left.

“It felt awesome because no one thought we could do it,” Brower said.

The final score might have been closer, but Kelly didn’t want his team to back off.

“Why do that?” Kelly said. “Give yourself a chance to win.”

Leonard ended up on the PAC Tournament title-winning team for the second year in a row.

“I do what I got to do to allow us to win,” he said. It was the first time either team had reached a conference tournament final since 2016. Eastern Randolph also won that matchup.

In Class 1-A girls, Eastern Randolph (17-7) holds the No. 5 seed with a home date with No. 28 seed South Davidson (10-13).

Uwharrie Charter Academy (1115) is the No. 23 seed with a visit to No. 10 Christ the King (13-8).

Boys Eastern Randolph (24-2) already has the winningest team in program history and owns the PAC regular-season and tournament titles. To begin the state playoffs, the third-seeded Wildcats were to play No. 30 Cherryville (12-12) at home in the Class 1-A first round.

UCA (7-18) slid into the field as the No. 31 seed in Class 1-A, going to No. 2 seed South Stokes (22-4).

In Class 2-A, Southwestern Randolph had a strong late-season stretch and held the No. 9 seed and a home matchup with Burns (12-12). The Cougars had a 10-game winning streak before a PAC Tournament semifinal loss to visiting Trinity by one point. No. 15 seed Trinity (20-7), which lost to Eastern Randolph in Friday night’s tournament final, was slated to be home against No. 18 seed Newton-Conover (15-12) in Class 2-A. As the No. 20 seed, Randleman (15-11) headed to No. 13 seed High Point Andrews (17-9).

In Class 3-A, Mid-Piedmont Conference regular-season champion Asheboro is seeded No. 7 with a home game against No. 26 seed North Henderson (14-13).

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Members of the Randleman girls’ basketball team gather with the hardware after defeating host Eastern Randolph in overtime.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Eastern Randolph’s Timothy Brower goes up for a basket as Trinity’s Jacob Hodges, right, defends. Other Trinity players, left to right, Grayson Earls, Dylan Hodges and Dominic Payne look on.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Sean Adkins of Southwestern Randolph shoots over Wheatmore’s Kamdyn Wood in last week’s PAC Tournament.

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Maddie Small of Southwestern Randolph takes a shot against Trinity last week.

UCA duo, Southwestern Randolph’s Flores secure state titles

Randolph Record

GREENSBORO — Senior wrestler Aldo Hernandez became a three-time state champion, including two seasons in a row for Uwharrie Charter Academy, and two underclassmen from Randolph County schools also won state championships.

Hernandez captured the Class 1-A title at 138 pounds with a dominating performance across two days at the Greensboro Coliseum. Freshman teammate Lorenzo Alston won at 145 pounds.

In Class 2-A, it was a three-day meet, capped for Southwestern Randolph 220-pound sophomore Jose Flores with Saturday night’s championship.

Class 1-A

UCA had three runners-up, finishing third in the Class 1-A team standings.

Hernandez, who nabbed a state title in 2021 for Montgomery Central, concluded his final prep season with a 52-2 record. In the state tournament, he had a pin, a 10-3 decision, and then dominated Alleghany sophomore Cameron Worrick for a second-period technical fall in the final.

Alston’s first season resulted in a 54-2 record. He was efficient in the tournament with a pin and two major decisions, the latter coming by 11-3 against Robbinsville’s Willie Riddle in the cham-

pionship match.

UCA junior Ethan Hines (106), senior Grayson Roberts (170), and junior Jaden Maness (195) were runners-up. Hines, a junior, dropped a 1-0 decision to Avery County sophomore Cooper Foster in the title bout. Roberts, the 2022 champion at 160, lost a 1-0 decision to Avery County freshman Cael Dunn after recording a pair of pins in the tournament. Roberts ended his last season with a 50-5 record.

In the 195 final, Avery County senior Seth Blackledge pinned Maness, a junior, in 1:33.

Third place for the Eagles went to Carson Robinson (160), while teammate Alec Millikan (152)

Asheboro turns to Eastern Randolph alum as volleyball coach

By Bob Sutton Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — Kelly Smith has been hired as the new volleyball coach at Asheboro.

Smith will be the team’s third volleyball coach in three years. She replaces Kim Black, whose third stint as head coach of the program lasted just one year.

Smith, an Eastern Randolph alum, was coach of her alma mater’s volleyball team in 2017 and

2018 before going to Southern Guilford for three years. She spent time as the volleyball and girls’ basketball coach at Southern Guilford, though without a winning season.

She has been away from varsity competition during this school year.

“I felt like I wanted to come back into the gym,” Smith said of returning to the varsity level.

Smith was a volleyball and basketball standout at Eastern Ran-

was fourth. Eastern Randolph’s Adrian Lopez (126) placed third.

Class 2-A

Flores capped a 30-2 season by defeating Mt. Pleasant junior Colt Kluttz 3-0. He won three earlier matches by decision, including a 12-11 outcome against Walkertown J’Lynn Sheff in the semifinals.

Trinity junior Spencer May was the runner-up at 120, dropping 7-5 sudden-victory decision in the final to Eden Morehead junior Jared Thomas. May had three pins to reach the final, with two of those coming in the first periods. Providence Grove senior Colton

Wood was a repeat place winner, taking third at 285 pounds. His only loss was a one-point loss that went to overtime to Maiden’s DJ Spring, the eventual champion. He was sixth last year. Trinity had a solid showing, with Brayden Hall (113), Joey Smith (220) in fourth place, and Levi Dennis (126) in fifth place. Wheatmore had Trey Swaney (132) and Dominic Hittepole (160) both in fourth place.

Luke White (138) of Southwestern Randolph finished sixth.

Class 3-A

Asheboro senior Diego Gutierrez was the only one of the four Blue Comets entrants to win a bout in the tournament. He placed third at 120 with a 4-1 record to complete the season with a 41-2. His only loss in the tournament came in a 4-3 decision to East Henderson’s Gunner Marshall in the semifinals. Marshall was the eventual runner-up.

dolph, graduating in 2006. She played basketball collegiately at West Virginia and East Carolina. In 2022, Asheboro went 7-15 with a 4-6 record in the Mid-Piedmont Conference. Black, who guided the Blue Comets to the 1994 Class 3-A state championship, is the all-time winningest coach in Asheboro volleyball history with a 253-112 record.

Smith works as a physical education teacher at North Asheboro Middle School. She said in her

time with Asheboro City Schools that she has felt connected to the high school because of the close relationship between the district’s schools.

While she didn’t attend Blue Comets volleyball matches in 2022, she saw some practices because the high school team used the middle school gym while renovations took place at the high school. During the past few months, Smith has coached volleyball and girls’ basketball at the middle school. She said she intends to remain as the volleyball coach at North Asheboro Middle School with that season in the second half of the school year. With middle school operating for grades 6-12, she could have a seven-year connection with some players.

“It works perfect,” she said. Smith, who lives in Franklinville, said an Eastern Randolph-Asheboro non-conference volleyball match has been scheduled for 2023.

COURTESY PHOTO

Kelly Smith

PJ WARD-BROWN | NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Left, Uwharrie Charter Academy’s Aldo Hernandez picks up Alleghany’s Cameron Worrick in the Class 1-A state final at 138 pounds Right, Southwestern Randolph’s Jose Flores controls Mt. Pleasant’s Colt Kluttz during the 220-pound state final in Class 2-A.

Mary Thacker Bullins

February 18, 1949 — February 19, 2023

Mary Alberta Thacker Bullins, age 74, of Asheboro passed away on Sunday, February 19, 2023 at her home.

Mrs. Bullins was born in Norton,VA on February 18, 1949 to Jessie Earl and Mary Alice Shook Thacker. Mary was retired from Rampon Products and formerly attended Grace Baptist Church. In addition to her parents, Mary was preceded in death by her daughter, Tammy Lynn Lambeth, and her brothers, Carl, Lee, and Doyle Thacker. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Samuel Eugene Bullins; son, Bryan Bullins of the home; sister, Linda Combs of Indianapolis, IN; and brother, Tom Thacker of Kentucky.

Scott Bunting

August 26, 1948 — February 17, 2023

Samuel Scott Bunting, age 74, of Asheboro passed away peacefully on Friday, February 17, 2023.

Scott was born in Asheboro on August 26, 1948, to C. H. and Polly Bunting. Scott was a 1966 graduate of Farmer High School and graduated from Appalachian State University in 1971. He was formerly employed by Iredell County Schools. After suffering life altering injuries in an automobile accident in 1981 Scott was long time resident of Wesleyan Arms Nursing Home in High Point and most recently a resident of Clapp’s Nursing Home in Asheboro. Prior to his accident Scott enjoyed playing the piano and organ at his church, Bethel Baptist Church, in Iredell County. He was also a volunteer fireman for the Troutman Fire Department.

Scott is preceded in death by his parents, C. H. Bunting and Polly Bunting.

Scott is survived by the love of his life, Artie Poole Phillips, daughter Melissa Bunting of Troutman and daughter Kathryn Sowers (Trent) of Statesville, NC., brother Steve Bunting (Christi) of Randleman. He is also survived by three grandchildren, grandson, David Scott Meadows and granddaughters Taylor Sowers and Kenleigh Sowers and nephew Ben Bunting of New Bern, NC.

Elnora "Nora" Smith Weeks

March 20, 1939 — February 15, 2023

Elnora Smith " Nora" Weeks 83, of Randleman passed away Wednesday morning peacefully at her home.

Nora was born in Evinston, Florida on March 20, 1939, to Alvin Terry Smith and Rebecca Deese Smith.

She was a 1960 graduate of Berry College in Rome, Ga. with a bachelor's degree in education and was a retired teacher. Nora was a faithful servant of her Lord and Savior through teaching Sunday School, Bible School and running the church library in her home church of Westwood Baptist Church in Live Oak, Florida. After moving to North Carolina 18 years ago to be near her children and grandchildren, Nora became a member of First Baptist Church of Asheboro where she was a member of Teresa Campbell’s Sunday School class. Her biggest and most treasured accomplishment was being a loving devoted wife to Sam for 59 years. She also shared many years of cherished memories with her two dearest friends, Barbara Garrett and Judy Read of Live Oak, Florida for over 50 years.

Nora was predeceased by her parents, her husband Sam, her sister Jean Smith.

Left to cherish her memory are her children: Lisa Nixon (Clint) of Archdale, NC Jennifer Hicks (Marty) of Sophia, NC grandchildren Caleb Chauncy (Rachel) of Charleston, SC, Erin Presnell (Justin) of Climax, NC Emily Garner (Kendell) of Asheboro, NC and Jake Nixon of Randleman, NC; greatgrandchildren Aubryn Kate Presnell, Reagen Leigh Presnell, siblings: Allen Smith (Sarah) and Doris Freeman both of Georgia.

Bobby Gene Phelps, Jr.

December 9, 1952 — February 13, 2023

Bobby Gene Phelps, Jr., age 70, of Asheboro passed away on Monday, February 13, 2023 at Randolph Hospital.

Mr. Phelps was born in Davidson County on December 9, 1952 to Bobby Gene and Corrina Gillispe Phelps. Bobby served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps and was retired from Thomasville Furniture. In addition to his parents, Bobby was preceded in death by his aunt, Doris Bradley. He loved building anything, especially furniture and model cars. He loved playing cards, NASCAR, and in his younger years, loved working on cars.

Bobby was a good father and is survived by his sons, Steven Perez and his fiancée Ashley and Brandon Phelps; and sister, Faye Bowman. Memorials may be made to Soldiers' Angels, P.O. Box 96563, Washington, DC 20077-7550.

Sandra Dixon Hopson

October 18, 1943 — February 16, 2023

Sandra Dixon Hopson, 79, of Randleman, passed on February 16, 2023 at Wesley Long Hospital. She was born on October 18, 1943 to Clinton Rudolph and Sarah Elizabeth Dixon.

Mrs. Hopson was a native of Hillsborough. She loved gardening and planting flowers, and she loved to lay out in the sun at the beach. Earlier on in life, she was a stay at home mother before she retired from Belk. In addition to her parents, Sandra is preceded in death by her husband, Donald Hopson, and her brother, Richard Dixon.

She is survived by her daughter: Dawn Hopson Lowe of Sophia; son: Greg Hopson and his wife Tina of Trinity; grandchildren, Whitney Brewington (Michael), Shelby Smith, Garrett Hopson (Stephanie), and Sarah Hopson; great grandchildren, Jackson Brewington, and Savanna Brewington.

Norma Cain Arthur

d. February 15, 2023

Norma Cain Arthur, passed on February 15, 2023. She was born to David and Grace Davis Cain. She loved her husband of over 30 years, David Arthur, and all her family; especially her grandchildren. She retired from Analog Devices where she was a hazardous materials handler. Norma loved gardening and loved reading. She and David are members of Coble Evangelical Lutheran Church, Julian. She is preceded in death by her parents, and her sister Brenda Beane. She is survived by her loving husband, David, children, Jerry Harris Jr., Jimmy Harris, Christine Lyons (Jason), and Denise Shepherd (Nickolas); her grandchildren, Shannon Harris, Ian Shepherd (Morgan), Katina Durham (Jordan), Eliot Shepherd, Ayden Shepherd, Jade Barker (Nick), and Olin Shepherd; great-grandchildren, Zephyr, and Charlie Barker; sister, Linda Nelson (Ken), half-sister, Gail Hinesley, and half-brother David Cain.

Sara Russell Whitt

August 15, 1953 — February 14, 2023

Sara Jane Russell Whitt, 69, of Nashville, NC, passed away on February 14, 2023, in Roanoke, VA with her battle overcoming respiratory distress.

Sara Whitt was born in Randolph County to Judd and Marry Russell on August 15, 1953. She went to high school at Randolph High and graduated in 1971. She went on to earn an Associate Degree in Nursing from Randolph County Community College. She worked as a Licensed Practical Nurse for 48 years. She enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She received Employee of the Month multiple times and Division Hero for BAYADA home health nursing in 2022.

Sara is survived by; her husband, Gordon Whitt, of Nashville, NC, her son, John Whitt of Raleigh, NC, her daughter, Melissa Manley of Conroe, TX, her step-daughter Chrystal Donovan of Tallahassee, FL, as well as her sisters Nancy Hughes, Kathy Overcash and Teresa Mabe, her brother Joe Russell and her grandchildren Hayden Whitt (10), David Manley (3), Lexi Attaway (21), Isabella Castro (15), Ava Castro (18), and Aaron Castro (21). She is preceded in death by her mother, Mary Russell, and father, Judd Russell.

Harold Edward Auman

May 22, 1938 — February 13, 2023

Harold Edward Auman, 84, passed away February 13, 2023 following a brief hospital stay. He was born on May 22, 1938 to parents Virginia and Edward Auman in Randolph County, North Carolina. Being raised in the country, he liked to fish, hunt, and spend time in nature. During his military service, he was stationed in Texas, Georgia, and maneuvered in Germany. Upon his return, he combined his army fitness and passion for the outdoors to train as a wildlife law enforcement officer. He finished at the top of his class and worked as a game warden in the Great Smoky Mountains of North Carolina. He spent the rest of his career in security for General Motors in Ohio before returning to North Carolina in 1995.

In addition to his parents, Harold was preceded in death by his sister Laverne Williams, his brother Eugene Auman, and his brother-in-law Andy Hancock. He is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Sammye Jo Auman; son Jeffrey Auman and wife Jody of Marietta, OH; daughter Dr. Heidi Auman, husband Jason Chitwood and 3 grandchildren Tabitha, Mitchell and Hope of San Francisco, CA; sister Louise Hancock of Asheboro; brother Danny Auman and wife Debbie of Asheboro; brother-in-law Bobby Williams and sister-in-law Cleo Auman; many loving nieces and nephews.

Harold loved his children and grandkids and took every opportunity to playfully teach them the ways of country living (such as how to craft a good hiking stick, recognize a Barred Owl call, or protect yourself from Water Moccasins) and foster their interests in history and sports, especially supporting Cleveland teams.

Vivian Hall Bean

January 22, 1934 — February 17, 2023

Vivian Hall Bean, 89, of Seagrove, passed away on February 17, 2023, at Hospice House of Randolph, surrounded by her family.

Vivian was born on January 22, 1934, in Stokes County to James and Stella Bennett Hall. She worked at General Electric and Black & Decker until they closed their doors. Then she worked at America's Roadhouse until she left to care for her husband until he passed away.

Vivian loved her family with her whole heart. Nothing made her happier than when they came to visit or when she went to watch her grandchildren play ball. Vivian loved her church family and friends and talking on the phone with them. She will be greatly missed.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Ray Bean; brothers, Kenneth Hall, Vernon Hall (Sharon) and Garland Hall (Barbara). She is survived by her sons, Donald Bean (Annette) and Darrell Bean (Deana); daughter, Amy Johnson (Mike); brothers, Nathan Hall and Winfred Hall; sisters, Sarah Heasley (Wayne) and Janice Edwards (Donnie) and sister in-in-law, Juanita Hall. Grandchildren, Ivy Bean, Taylor Bean, Hayden Bean (Shanequa), Carson Bean (Kaity), Tucker Bean (Kerrie), Mack Johnson (Taylor), Ava Garner (Brandon), Sam Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson and Abby Johnson; great grandchild, Oaklynn Bean and, many nieces and nephews.

Cindy Joyce Barton

August 16, 1957 — February 12, 2023

Cindy Joyce Barton,65,of Troy, passed away on February 12, 2023 at First Health Moore Regional Hospital.

Cindy was born in Guilford County on August 16, 1957, to Warren and Ruth Moore Clodfelter. She was the Postmaster at Mt. Gilead Post Office and she loved picking up seashells, crocheting, and her family. She is survived by her husband, Robert Barton of the home; daughter, Ashley Campbell Paya (Alexander) of Washington State; son, Stephen Ray Campbell Jr and grandson, Kadin Campbell. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Cindy's honor to the Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation.

Congressional Budget Office projects higher unemployment, slow exit from inflation

The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Congressional Budget Office said it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year with the unemployment rate jumping to 5.1% — a bleak outlook that was paired with a 10-year projection that publicly held U.S. debt would nearly double to $46.4 trillion in 2033.

The office’s updated 10-year Budget and Economic Outlook outlined stark expectations for the decade ahead, where Social Security would be unable to pay full benefits to recipients in 2032 — with a roughly 20 % reduction in benefits across the board — and the net interest costs on U.S. debt would eclipse what the nation spends on defense.

“The debt trajectory is unsustainable,” CBO director Phillip Swagel told journalists at a press conference after the report’s afternoon release. The CBO can’t tell Congress what to do, he said, “but at some point, something has to give — whether it’s on spending or revenue.”

The latest figures seemed to affirm the worst fears of many U.S. consumers and businesses. But in a reminder that the U.S. economy has seldom behaved as anticipated through the pandemic and its aftermath, the employment forecast looks very different from the pace of hiring so far this year.

The CBO estimated that just 108,000 jobs will be added in 2023, but employers added 517,000 jobs in January alone. It also assumes that inflation will

ease from 6.4% to 4.8% this year, far more pessimistic than Federal Reserve officials who in December said inflation would fall to 3.5%.

The CBO separately pointed to the risks of not increasing the government’s legal borrowing authority, noting that the Treasury Department could exhaust its current “extraordinary measures” to keep the government running while President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy jostle over a deal.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote to congressional leadership

last month, stating that her agency will use creative accounting measures to buy time until Congress can pass legislation that will either raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority or suspend it again for a period of time.

If tax receipts from this year’s filing season fall short of estimated amounts, the U.S. could hit its statutory debt ceiling earlier than July, according to the nonpartisan organization, which provides independent analyses of budget and economic issues to Congress.

Following the CBO issuing its

report, Senate Democrats reiterated their calls for Republicans to help pass legislation to increase the nation’s borrowing authority. Then, they said, lawmakers could turn their attention to funding the government and addressing the solvency of Medicare and Social Security.

“We don’t want to cut benefits. We don’t want to privatize. We don’t want to do the kinds of things that Republicans have talked about in that area,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of Social Security.

“And we have some plans to make it solvent, which you’ll hear from down the road.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said the report “paints a dire picture.”

“If we don’t get serious about reining in spending, reducing annual budget deficits and bringing down the debt, the country will end up spending more on interest payments than the programs that actually benefit Americans,” Grassley said.

The outlook warns about rising yearly budget deficits. In 2033, the CBO anticipates that the yearly shortfall in tax revenues relative to spending would exceed $2.85 trillion, more than double the deficit in 2022. Publicly held debt was roughly equal to U.S. gross domestic product in 2022, but it would climb to 118% of GDP by 2033.

The office says the biggest drivers of rising debt in relation to GDP are increasing interest costs and spending for Medicare and Social Security.

“Biden’s numerous bailouts and massive government expansion disguised as COVID relief has blown out spending and exacerbated our debt disaster,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee. “House Republicans must rein-in the unbridled spending and restore fiscal sanity in Washington before it’s too late.”

One reason why the CBO expects a slowdown this year are the actions taken by the Fed. The U.S. central bank has been trying to reduce inflation by raising its benchmark interest rates. Earlier this month the Fed raised its key interest rate a quarter-point, its eighth hike since March of last year.

The CBO expects growth to pick up once the Fed has tamed inflation and pulls back on its benchmark rates.

Republicans to adopt loyalty pledge for debate participants

By Steve Peoples

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Republican presidential candidates will be blocked from the debate stage this summer if they do not sign a pledge to support the GOP’s ultimate presidential nominee, according to draft language set to be adopted when the Republican National Committee meets next week.

The proposal sets up a potential clash with former President Donald Trump, who has raised the possibility of leaving the Republican Party and launching an independent candidacy if he does not win the GOP nomination outright. While RNC officials and Trump aides downplay that possibility, such a move could destroy the GOP’s White House aspirations in 2024 and raise existential questions about the party’s future.

“After the primary, it is imperative to the health and growth of our Republican Party, as well as the country, that we all come together and unite behind our nominee to defeat Joe Biden and the Democrats,” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to The Associated Press when asked about the loyalty pledge.

As many as a dozen Republicans are expected to enter the 2024 presidential contest as the GOP braces for an all-out civil war in the months ahead.

Much of the party is eager to

move past Trump and his divisive politics, but in reality, Republican leaders have few, if any, tools to control the former president given his popularity with the GOP’s most passionate voters. RNC leaders are hopeful that a loyalty pledge, while ultimately unenforceable, would generate some shared commitment to unity, albeit a fragile one, as the presidential primary season takes off.

A senior Trump aide could not say whether the former president would sign the pledge to support the eventual nominee but suggested privately that he plans to participate in the debates. Campaign spokesman Ste-

ven Cheung declined to answer the question directly as well.

“President Trump is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party and will be the nominee,” Cheung said. “There is nobody who can outmatch President Trump’s energy or the enthusiasm he receives from Americans of all backgrounds.”

Facing similar concerns in 2016, Trump signed a similar loyalty pledge that was not tied to debates, but he later reneged as the primary campaign became more contentious. At the very first Republican primary debate that year, Trump was the only candidate on stage who refused to commit to support-

ing the party’s eventual nominee unless it was him.

And just last December, Trump shared an article on social media encouraging him to seek a third-party bid to punish the GOP should Republican primary voters select another presidential nominee in 2024. Meanwhile, there is no such threat on the Democratic side.

Virtually every Democrat thought to have presidential aspirations has already promised to unite behind President Joe Biden, assuming the 78-year-old Democrat follows through on his plan to seek a second term. Biden may face token resistance from a lower-profile intra-party rival — activist and author Marianne Williamson is exploring another White House bid, for example — but the Democratic president would face little pressure to appear on the debate stage before the fall of 2024 for the general election debates, should they occur.

The Republican loyalty pledge is among several provisions likely to be adopted as the RNC’s Temporary Standing Committee on Presidential Debates meets to determine the rules governing which candidates may participate in the GOP’s upcoming debate season — and which media networks will host the events.

The committee is considering between 10 and 12 debates to begin in late July at the Reagan Library in California or at the RNC’s summer meeting in Milwaukee, the host of

the GOP’s next national convention. Committee officials are sorting through proposals from as many as 18 media companies eager to host a debate. They include major television networks like CNN, MSNBC and Fox and lower-profile conservative favorites like Newsmax, according to people directly involved in the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.

While the likes of CNN and NBC hosted Republican primary debates in 2016, Republican officials suggest it would be a mistake to assume they will be selected this time around given widespread disdain for the networks among the party’s base. Representatives from each network will pitch the RNC in person next Wednesday and Thursday.

While there are many moving pieces, GOP leaders are most concerned about the party’s ability to come together after what promises to be a divisive primary election season.

Dave Bossie, a former Trump aide and current RNC member leading the debate committee, noted that the committee is modeling its 2024 loyalty pledge after the 2016 pledge that every Republican candidate signed.

“All Republicans can agree that Joe Biden has been a disaster for America,” Bossie said. “Therefore, it should be easy for every candidate to pledge unity toward defeating the radical Biden administration.”

AP PHOTO

An employee restocks meats at a grocery store on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, in North Miami, Fla.

AP PHOTO

The Republican National Committee logo is shown on the stage as crew members work at the North Charleston Coliseum, Jan. 13, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Complaints result in drug investigation, two arrested

Several formal complaints resulted in the investigation and search of a Raeford home this past Friday, resulting in the arrest of two individuals who were charged with multiple drug offenses. According to the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, the complaints about criminal activities taking place at the home of 116 Cardinal Avenue allowed officers to seek and receive a search warrant. When deputies executed the search warrant on Friday, multiple suspects were found inside the home. Deputies found roughly 53 grams of marijuana, edible THC gummies, seven grams of suspected cocaine, 10 Tramadol prescription pills, and drug paraphernalia. Drkshan Maurice Glass was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell/ deliver cocaine, possession with intent to sell/deliver schedule VI substance, possession with intent to sell/deliver a schedule IV controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Hoke County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond. Tiffany Darby was also arrested and charged with possession to sell/ deliver a scheduled IV controlled substance. She was given a $7,000 secured bond.

Fayetteville Dogwood Festival announces spring dates and headliners

The beloved Spring Dogwood Festival, a non-profit, communityfocused organization committed to providing a variety of familycentered activities, is returning to Downtown Fayetteville this April 27 until April 30. This year, the festival has announced that Buckcherry and David Nail will headline the event, in addition to the usual rides, food vendors, shopping, and attractions. For a more detailed breakdown of the Spring Dogwood Festival schedule and additional information, please follow their social media pages or visit their website at https://www. thedogwoodfestival.com/newfolder.

HOKE COUNTY

Hoke County Schools to pay retention bonus for bus drivers and monitors

Board of Education submits bids for auditing services

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

RAEFORD — The Hoke County Board of Education met Tuesday, February 7, with a few contract matters on the agenda.

The board was presented with the option to renew a $27,750 contract with Anderson Smith and Wike, PLLC – who have been serving Hoke County Schools for 10 years – for auditing services for the 2022-23 school year.

“They specialize in school audits and currently audit 75 out of the 115 school districts within the state of North Carolina,” said Finance Officer Wannaa Chavis.

“The lead auditor has 30 years of experience in school auditing, and the second auditor that usually comes with him has 15 years of experience, and they normally have two other auditors with them as well. Last year one of those four members was a former finance officer with 30 years of experience.”

However, concerns arose among the board members over

the length of time that Hoke County Schools has been with a single auditor.

“I remember 10 years ago when we got with them, the auditor, Dale Smith, talked about how we shouldn’t have the same auditor for such a long period of time because you start developing relationships,” said board member Rosa McAllister-McRae. “You start getting to know one another, and I think at that time, we had had someone for about 30 years. They talked about how it should be a five-year span, and then we should sort of move on.”

Beyond that, board member Keisha Gill brought up an ongoing issue the district had been having regarding overlapping payments for bus drivers and teacher assistants that many on the board felt the auditor should have caught.

“Regardless of what samples he was given, there should have been one sample in there that he was able to review because I’m just kind of curious why with the samples that were given to him, he didn’t catch any of that. As long as that went on, there should have been at least one sample that identified the issue there.”

Following those concerns, the board voted to direct the administrator to put out an RFP for auditing services to look for a replacement firm. Board member McAllister-McRae was the lone nay.

The board also approved the 2022-23 Summer Program Plan.

“The summer program plan is available for our students in grades 3 through 12 who passed the course but were not proficient on the end-of-grade or end-ofcourse assessments,” said Director of Testing and Accountability Melissa Ward. “So during the program, our students will receive remediation and be given the opportunities to be successful on the required state assessments. The program would begin after the instructional year, which would be June 2, and would conclude by June 29.”

After being tabled in their last meeting, the board was presented again with a potential contract with Global Teaching Partners, a third-party international teacher acquisition organization.

“It’s a cultural exchange program that is a three-year initial J-1 visa with the option to extend

State treasurer reacts to litigation filed over State Health Plan contract change

By A.P. Dillon North State Journal

RALEIGH — As expected, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC has filed litigation paperwork over the change in the State Health Plan’s third-party administrator contract that was awarded to Aetna earlier this year.

Both Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC and UMR, Inc. filed protests over the decision to award the contract to Aetna, however, the State Health Plan’s Board of Trustees rejected the claims.

Per a statement from Folwell’s office, Blue Cross Blue Shield of NC has filed a request for a contested case hearing in the North Carolina Office of Administrative Hearings and a petition for judicial review in Durham County Superior Court in the matter.

“We are disappointed, but not surprised that these legal challenges were taken,” Folwell’s statement says. “We are looking forward to vigorously defending the unanimous decision of the State Health Plan Board of Trustees - consisting of members appointed by the governor, president pro-tempore of the Senate, speaker of the House, and the treasurer - to accept the recommendation of the Plan’s professional staff. We continue to be intently focused on the needs of our members who teach, protect and otherwise serve the people of North Carolina and taxpayers like them.”

All documents and filings related to the third-party administrator contract are available for public viewing via a portal on the State Health Plan’s website.

“We continue to be intently focused on the needs of our members who teach, protect and otherwise serve the people of North Carolina and taxpayers like them.”

State Treasurer Dale Folwell

for two years,” said Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Shawn O’Connor. “Essentially, when we have teachers that are on J-1 visas, they will be here for five years. Now, we are coming to the end of a lot of our initial five-year commitments. So we are coming to a point where teachers are going back to their home countries because J-1 visas do come with a two-year criteria of being back in your home country residence before you can seek another visa.”

“The teachers that we get through this are teachers that are coming here knowing the North Carolina standards that they would be teaching in whatever their respective field would be. They handle the licensure requirements, they do international background checks before anyone is even vetted to be offered on a roster for us to hire, and so there are a lot of benefits in working with a third party, most importantly that we’re not an issuer of visas ourselves as an organization.”

According to O’Connor, Hoke County Schools currently has 30 international faculty working at

See BOE, page 2

COURTESY PHOTO

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson and Moore County officials cut the ribbon on Hudson’s new office in Southern Pines.

ence of 423 students less than what was projected in our initial budget allotment.”

The difference accounts for about $804,520.52 in funding that will return to the state’s budget. Ac cording to Chavis, some of the dif ferences in actual enrollment num bers can be attributed to an uptick

in enrollment in charter schools.

Finally, the board approved a new partnership and contract with Global Teaching Partners for the acquisition of international teachers.

“This is a new organization that will be an international partnership that will sponsor our J-1 Visa teachers and international faculty, which was previously referred to as our visiting international faculty or VIF,” said Assistant Superintendent

According to O’Connor, Hoke County Schools currently has established partnerships with Participate (8 teachers in the district) and Education Partners Internationals (22 teachers), which are officially recognized cultural exchange programs by the US Department of

State and provide J-1 Visas, meaning these teachers go through federal screening. These visas cover three years and can be extended for an additional two.

North Carolina and South Carolina.

nine schools and representing eight countries.

“Global does the initial orientation where they bring people through RDU, and then they go through kind of like a cultural boot camp of what to expect in a public school in not only North Carolina but the United States. They get them arranged with a driver’s license, living arrangements, how to get their utilities set up, how to insure a car, get a car, all those kinds of things so that by the time they start with us, they’re not worried about those things.”

“We’re not just filling vacancies with these individuals,” O’Connor said. “The people that we have gotten, their attrition rate, which means they come back every year and don’t quit their job, is so much lower than all of our other teachers. They typically stay their five years, and a lot of them are very effective teachers. These are quality individuals who want to be here to teach our kids, and with the J-1 Visa, they’re here for five years.”

However, the board had concerns with the program, namely the cost and the desire for domestic teachers.

Some of the other services these partners cover are teaching experience reviews, educational program audits, instructional and behavioral interviews and observations, english language proficiency assessments, cultural adaptiveness assessments, state licensure reviews, international background checks, and specifically Global Teaching Partners helps provide specific NC teacher training.

Global Teaching Partners, however, is located in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, and they do all of their business only in

For the first part, O’Connor explained that, in fact, the district would be paying less per international teacher than a domestic one.

“The cost is $17,500 [to Global Teaching PArtners for each hire], but we don’t pay full retirement for these individuals. We also don’t pay certain benefits for these individuals. In the past, the way that this has worked out is that an international teacher may cost us just at the base pay, $52,000. And then we pay $17,500 to the company that pays for all that, which puts us at around $69,000, but the state still reimburses that teacher position as if it is paying benefits, so the state reimburses as $74,000 or whatever it might be for that position. So we’re not paying an extra $17,500 on top of what a regular teacher in that position would make.”

Hoke County Schools currently has 30 international employees from eight different countries across nine different schools. The Hoke County Board of Education will next meet February 14.

However, the board still had big concerns over outsourcing teachers.

“We should try the best way possible to recruit here in the states,” said Board Chair Angela Southerland.

“If we have this $17,500 available, maybe we should use that as a sign-on bonus or something, but we need to do something here in the states if we have people graduating from college. I think we should try here first. We have one contract [for international teachers] in place that’s already being negotiated, so I don’t think we need all of them right now. I think we should take this money and try to find someone here.”

After discussion, the motion for the contract failed.

Finally, the board approved a bus driver retention bonus for both regular and yellow bus drivers and bus monitors.

“The bonus is to show appreciation to these staff members for their hard work, dedication, and long hours that have been completed on a daily basis,” said Assistant Superintendent of Operations and Information Systems Dr. Chad Hunt. “The approach will allow a staff member that has served as either a bus monitor or a regular yellow bus driver during the 2022-23 academic year to receive a maximum bonus allowance of $1,450.”

“The approach will allow a staff member that has served as either a bus monitor or a regular yellow bus driver during the 2022-23 academic year to receive a maximum bonus allowance of $1,450.”

Dr. Chad Hunt

Hosted by:

“The bonus amount is determined by the number of hours that the staff member has contributed in the capacity of a bus monitor or bus driver,” Hunt continued. “If the staff member has worked in either capacity between 10 to 60 hours, the staff member will receive a $362.50 bonus. If they serve in that capacity between 61 and 120 hours, the staff member will receive $725. And if they serve in that capacity over 121 hours, that staff member will receive the full total of $1,450. The staff member would have served in this capacity in accumulation of these hours during this academic year from the first day of school through February 28, 2023. The bonus will be a one-time payment which will be paid on March 17, 2023. Under option one, the school system will incur an approximate total cost of $241,943.”

According to Hunt, there are currently about 97 bus drivers who qualify for the maximum bonus.

The Hoke County Board of Education will next meet March 14.

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

James Clapper can’t stop lying

IN AN INTERVIEW with The Washington Post’s “fact-checker,” former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper contends that Politico misled the public about a letter he and 50 other former intel officials signed during the 2020 presidential campaign warning that the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story could be Russian deception. “There was message distortion,” Clapper tells The Washington Post. “All we were doing was raising a yellow flag that this could be Russian disinformation. Politico deliberately distorted what we said. It was clear in paragraph five.”

presidential debates? Why didn’t Clapper send a follow-up statement clarifying his position after the Politico headline purportedly “distorted” the letter? Did he not see the piece until now — just as Republicans are about to investigate?

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse.

It was not clear, at all. The purpose of the letter, apparent then as it is now, was to discredit the Post’s scoop and provide Democrats and the media with ammunition to reject it. Of course, intel officials couldn’t definitively say that Hunter’s emails, which implicated Joe Biden as a business partner, were concocted by Vladimir Putin’s spooks. They had no access to the laptop. The purpose was to enlist former intel chiefs to cast doubt on the story. A perfunctory CYA paragraph doesn’t change anything.

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse. As soon as the story broke, Schiff claimed that “we know” — a phrase he used numerous times — that the emails had been planted by the Kremlin. By then, though, everyone understood the congressman was an irredeemable liar. The director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, issued a statement stressing that, actually, there was no evidence to back Schiff’s claims.

That’s when Politico reported that more than 50 former senior intelligence officials had signed a letter asserting that the laptop “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” The most notable signees were Clapper, a man who ran a domestic surveillance program and then lied about it to Congress, and former CIA director John Brennan, a man who once oversaw an operation of illegal spying on a Senate staffer, and then also lied about it to the American people.

The letter worked exactly as intended. “Look,” Biden said during the last 2020 presidential debate when asked about the laptop, “there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plan.” On “60 Minutes,” Biden called the story “disinformation from the Russians.” Clapper tells The Washington Post that he had absolutely no idea how the former vice president had framed the contents of the letter — which is, to be generous, implausible nonsense.

If Clapper’s letter was merely a good-faith warning, then why didn’t any of the other signees push back against Biden’s contention during their numerous television appearances? Did none of them watch the

All the Post’s pedantic “fact check” does is offer the signees, and itself, cover. The Washington Post excuses the media’s (ongoing) suppression of the Hunter Biden story by arguing that the “leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta,” which “may have contributed to Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016,” made journalists extra cautious about relaying uncorroborated information. That contention is gravely undercut by the hundreds of pieces and columns the Post ran based on the Democratic oppo research that contained what was almost surely Russian disinformation. Any skeptical journalist would have also immediately identified the letter, and the Politico piece, as a nakedly partisan attempt to undermine the legitimacy of a story.

Indeed, the New York Post’s Hunter story had far more substantiation than any of the histrionic Russia-collusion pieces that the public was subjected to during the Trump years. The Post detailed how it came into possession of its evidence. It interviewed the owner of the Delaware computer shop where Hunter had abandoned his laptop. It provided Hunter’s signature on a receipt. The Post had on-the-record sources with intimate knowledge of Hunter’s business dealings. They had onthe-record interviews with people who claimed to have interactions with the presidential candidate — incidents we now know Biden had lied about for years. And later, the emails were authenticated by forensic specialists at other outlets, as well.

Virtually the entire censorious journalistic establishment, including The Washington Post, with the help of tech giants and former spooks, limited the story’s exposure by either banning it outright as disinformation, creating the impression that it didn’t meet proper journalistic standards or implying that it had been planted by Russians. The media wasn’t going to allow another Hillary Clinton-like scandal to sink the prospects of a Democrat. And Clapper played a big part in that deception.

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 answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

THIS WEEK, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that our nation’s young girls are in a state of absolute emotional and mental crisis.

According to the CDC, 57% of high school girls said they were depressed in 2021, compared with 36% in 2011; 30% said they had considered suicide, compared with 19% in 2011. The numbers had also increased markedly for high school boys: 29% of high school boys reported depressive symptoms, up from 21% in 2011; 14% of high school boys had considered suicide, up from 13% a decade before.

Naturally, our nation’s pseudoscientific experts blame societal intolerance and lack of sexual sensitivity. Never mind the fact that more kids than ever are declaring themselves members of nonexistent identity groups (Demisexual! Gender nonbinary!), mistakenly self-diagnosing with Tourette’s syndrome or gender dysphoria, and claiming victimhood at the hands of a cruel society — a society that rewards and cheers all such claims. Never mind that we’ve now undergone a gender revolution in which we’ve declared biological sex itself passe, treated heterosexual norms as taboo and misogynistic and attempted to wipe away — along with actual sexual predation — much normal behavior in the name of #MeToo.

No, says the CDC, the problem — as always — is with society’s demands. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the CDC recommends “teaching kids about sexual consent, managing emotions, and asking for what they need”; furthermore, “Schools should encourage gender and sexuality alliances, provide safe spaces and people for LGBTQ+ students to go to for support, and ensure enforcement of antiharassment policies.”

Yes, the answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

Or, alternatively, any society that attempts to destroy all rules, roles and intermediate institutions laden with traditional values will end up

abandoning its children — all in the name of tolerance and diversity. We have robbed young men of a sense of meaning: we’ve told them that they need not be providers, protectors or defenders, and that even aspiring to do so makes them bigoted remnants of the past. Instead, young men are told that they ought to relegate themselves to the role of “male feminists,” condemning their own “toxic masculinity” while shying away from the commitments that turn boys into men.

We have robbed young women of any sense of place, time or purpose: we’ve told them that they need not seek out a husband, aspire to bear and rear children or make preparations to build a home. Instead, we’ve told them that they can run from their own biology, declaring themselves boys rather than girls, delaying childbearing indefinitely, pursuing the things that are supposedly truly important: sexual license, more work hours, sipping wine at brunch with single friends.

We have done all of this because children do not lie at the top of our civilizational hierarchy: the interests of adults do. Increasingly, adults in the West see children as either a burden and thus avoid having them, or as validators of their own sense of subjective self-identity, requiring indoctrination into more liberal forms of social organization.

And now children are paying the price.

The social Left has been in control of virtually all levers of culture and policy for decades. Now they demand more control in order to alleviate the consequences of the chaos they have created. The answer, of course, is precisely the opposite: the reinvigoration of traditional sources of wisdom and values, the re-inculcation of morality and obligation. If our society does not quickly reverse field, the consequences for our young people will be utterly disastrous.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Young Americans are losing their minds. The social left is to blame.

SPORTS

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Bieniemy leaves Chiefs for OC role with Commanders

Eric Bieniemy has agreed to be the Commanders’ offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The team announced Saturday that the two-time Super Bowl-winning assistant with Kansas City will be joining Washington.

Bieniemy now gets the chance to show what he can do without Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes.

The 54-year-old emerged from a pool of more than a half-dozen candidates as Washington’s choice for the job following the Chiefs’ second championship in his five seasons as their offensive coordinator. The longtime NFL assistant has interviewed for numerous head coaching jobs.

NBA Westbrook to sign with Clippers

Los Angeles

After being waived by the Jazz, Russell Westbrook is expected to sign with the Clippers. The nine-time All-Star will sign with the Clippers after completing a contract buyout on the remaining $47 million he is owed on his expiring deal.

Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game during a rocky tenure with the Lakers. The move would reunite Westbrook with Paul George, his former teammate in Oklahoma City. George had lobbied for the Clippers to land Westbrook.

NHL Blues trade O’Reilly, Acciari to Maple Leafs

St. Louis

The Blues are looking to the future after trading captain and center Ryan

O’Reilly along with center Noel Acciari to the Maple Leafs on Friday night. St. Louis acquired Toronto’s 2023 first-round draft pick and 2024 second-round draft pick and Ottawa’s 2023 third-round pick from the Maple Leafs along with AHL forwards Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette. The trade comes with St. Louis sitting eight points out of a playoff spot with a 26-25-3 record entering play Saturday.

The Blues traded forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the Rangers on Feb. 9.

Dethroned King: Petty hurt as Johnson takes over race team

The two living seven-time Cup champions are at odds over Johnson’s rebranding

The Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Richard Petty may still reign as NASCAR’s King, but with Jimmie Johnson wresting control of Petty’s old race team, he is definitively not the boss.

The Hall of Famer essentially has been stripped of power inside his former eponymous team that rapidly rebranded and rebuilt since November. Johnson and Petty are the only living seven-time NASCAR champions — and that appears to be where the similarities end inside Legacy Motor Club’s front office.

The 85-year-old Petty, who is officially Legacy’s ambassador, said Saturday he has bruised feelings and little say in the direction of the race team since Johnson bought into the ownership group.

“It’s been strange to me,” Petty said. “Most of the time, I ran the majority of the show. Jimmie brought all his people in. His way of running things and my way of running things are probably a little bit different. We probably agree on about 50% of what it really comes down to.”

Ahead of the Daytona 500, an

unfiltered Petty said he was irked by Johnson’s rise in power. “Yes, it does” bother him, he said.

But Petty conceded it was “probably time for a change” because through several incarnations of his race team — the latest Petty GMS — his cars had never risen above the middle of the pack. GMS founder Maury Gallagher, chairman of Allegiant Air, purchased Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021 and Petty, whose 200 Cup wins as a driver are

a record, served as the front man.

Johnson told The Associated Press he was “disappointed” that Petty publicly expressed his displeasure, adding: “Of course, we’ll have conversations.”

“He’s not expressed them to me, for starters,” Johnson said. “Honestly, there are a lot of moving pieces to this. There are business decisions that are taking place between Mr. Gallagher and the Petty family before I ever arrived. Those are details

that are just not my place to say.

“But a lot of what Richard is speaking to is based on business decisions that he and his family have made and they aren’t relative to my involvement.”

One of Johnson’s first decisions: Strip the Petty name that dates in NASCAR to 1949.

“When Jimmie came in, it was going to be hard to be Johnson Petty GMS,” Petty said. “Jimmie’s thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

The Level Cross native remains NASCAR’s most recognizable personality, wearing his feathered Charlie 1 Horse hats, dark glasses and cowboy boots. He’s never stopped signing autographs, making personal appearances or glad-handing sponsors, though even those responsibilities seem more uncertain under Johnson’s reign. “They don’t take over the racing part, they take over the front office,” Petty said. “With sponsorships, appearances and all that stuff, Jimmie’s crowd is kind of controlling that. That’s something I never had to put up with, I guess.”

Petty did tip his hat to Johnson’s business acumen: Johnson’s connections with Gibson guitars and music industry relationships, including entertainment giant Live Nation, were instrumental in landing legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses on the hood of Erik Jones’ No. 43 Chevrolet. “He’s basically going to wind up running the show in four or five years completely,” Petty said. “He’ll probably be the majority owner or the owner of our operation. They’re looking at things completely differently.”

Trea Turner settling in for long future in Philadelphia

The former NC State infielder signed a $300 million contract with the Phillies during the offseason

The Associated Press CLEARWATER, Fla. — The past few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for Trea Turner. They included a World Series title in Washington, a trade to Los Angeles — and then an 11-year, $300 million contract that brought him back to the NL East.

The one constant amid all that: Turner has played with some pretty impressive teammates. And that’s not about to change.

“I’ve been on some really, really good teams with some great players — last year being one of them,” Turner, the former NC State standout, said Sunday. “That’s kind of the beauty and the difficult thing about baseball. The best teams don’t always win. Just because we got a lot of talent in here and a lot of good guys, and they made it to the World Series last year, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.

You’ve got to put in the work.”

The Phillies seemed to understand that this offseason. Yes, they won the National League pennant last year, but they were also an 87win wild card appearing in the postseason for the first time in over a decade. And Philadelphia shares a division with teams in Atlanta and New York that appear formidable for the foreseeable future.

Signing Turner, a 29-year-old

shortstop who has been an AllStar the past two years, showed the Phillies are willing to stay aggressive, too.

It also gave Turner some stability. Washington declined quickly after winning the World Series in 2019. The Nationals eventually dealt both Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers two seasons later. That put Turner right back in the postseason for a couple years.

All that moving — plus a pan-

demic and a lockout that created doubts about whether baseball would be played at all — could wear on anyone. But now Turner has a long-term deal with another strong team.

“That’s something that me, my wife and my family wanted, was just, not have to rent anymore, not have to move around, not have to worry about getting traded,” he said. “A lot of guys, probably overwhelming majority, don’t get to choose where they get to play for

their career. Luckily enough, I was in a situation where I could pick. I’m stuck here, and nobody can tell me otherwise, so I think I’m really happy about that, that security.”

Turner’s deal included a full notrade provision. In Philadelphia’s clubhouse at spring training, Turner’s locker is right next to Bryce Harper’s. The two played together in Washington before Harper signed with the Phillies before the 2019 season.

Dr. Tony Santangelo, DC, named NC Chiropractic Association Chiropractor of the Year, based on community service & the profression

AP PHOTO

Former NASCAR driver Richard Petty, center, poses for a photo with Jimmie Johnson, left, and Erik Jones, right, at Daytona International Speedway last week.

AP PHOTO

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner smiles during a spring training workout last Friday in Clearwater, Florida.

With ‘Air,’ Affleck tells lesser-known Jordan story

The film tells the story of the NBA superstar and Nike’s union

The Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY — Ben Affleck was 12 years old in 1984 and growing up in the Boston area. The Celtics were NBA champions. The Red Sox and Patriots were respectable. The Bruins got swept in the first round of the playoffs.

And that also was when Nike was betting much of its future on Michael Jordan.

Part of that tale will be told in the upcoming film “Air,” which Affleck directed and stars in alongside Matt Damon, Viola Davis, Jason Bateman and more.

Affleck plays Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and Damon plays then-Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro — who was tasked with finding a way of saving what was then

the company’s fledgling basketball division.

Affleck did it with one key character absent: Jordan is not shown in the movie.

“What I wanted to try to accomplish was to have Michael Jordan have the effect in the story that he has in the world, which is that obviously the vast majority of people don’t know and have never met Michael Jordan — and yet they know about him, and they know what he means and they might talk about him,” Affleck said. “So, in a way, he’s like a presence that’s felt and discussed and everybody else around him is there. But you never see his face.”

Nike wound up signing Jordan — who had yet to play an NBA game — to a $2.5 million, fiveyear deal.

It was a huge gamble.

Spoiler alert, with apologies to the movie that gets released April 5: It worked out.

Jordan Brand generated $4.7

billion in revenue in 2021, the Jumpman logo is iconic, Nike has become one of the world’s most powerful and recognizable companies, and Jordan won six NBA championships, became a billionaire, and now owns the Charlotte Hornets.

And since most viewers will already know all those things, Affleck took on the challenge of telling lesser-known parts of the story.

“The movie has to do realistic, it has to do authentic, and it has to surprise the audience,” Affleck said. “Because if what happens is something that the audience can predict, even if they like it, they go along with it, it’s ordinary, it’s boring. It’s just not what I want to do.”

The trailer, released last week, is up to 6 million views. Affleck was at All-Star weekend to help promote Friday’s celebrity game, and ads for the film were shown on the jumbo scoreboards over

the court.

Affleck said he has met with Jordan about the movie.

“Somebody asked me what you’re doing from Boston and

making a movie about the Chicago guy,” Affleck said in an interview with a number of media outlets. “Michael Jordan sort of transcends, I think, rivalry.”

Russian athletes stand on the podium during the medals ceremony for the men’s 50-kilometer cross-country race at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Nations: No clarity on neutrality, no Olympics for Russia

The United States joined 34 nations in a statement about eligibility for athletes from the combative nation

The Associated Press

THE GOVERNMENTS of 35 nations released a statement Monday calling on the IOC to clarify the definition of “neutrality” as it seeks a way to allow Russian and Belarusian athletes back into international sports and, ultimately, next year’s Paris Olympics.

“As long as these fundamental issues and the substantial lack of clarity and concrete detail on a workable ‘neutrality’ model are

not addressed, we do not agree that Russian and Belarusian athletes should be allowed back into competition,” read the statement.

Among those signing the statement were officials from the United States, Britain, France, Canada and Germany. Those five countries brought nearly one-fifth of all athletes to the Tokyo Games in 2021. Other countries that had suggested an Olympic boycott was possible if the war continues — such as Poland, Latvia, Lithuania and Denmark — also signed onto the statement, which did not go so far as to mention a boycott.

The statement was the product of a Feb. 10 summit in London between government leaders, who heard from Ukrainian President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Zelenskyy said Russia athletes had no place at the Paris Games as long as the country’s invasion of Ukraine continues.

The International Olympic Committee is trying to find a way to allow Russians into the Olympics, citing the opinion of United Nations human rights experts who believe Russians and Belarusians should not face discrimination simply for the passports they hold. The IOC wants competitors from those countries who have not supported the war to be able to compete as neutral athletes, with no symbols of their countries allowed.

Assistant Secretary of State Lee Satterfield signed the statement

on behalf of the United States. In a separate statement, she emphasized the need for the IOC to provide clarity on the definition of neutrality.

“The United States will continue to join a vast community of nations to hold Russia and Belarus — and the bad actors who dictate their actions — accountable for this brutal war,” Satterfield said. “Russia has proven, time and again, it has no regard for and is incapable of following the rules — in international sport and in international law.”

While acknowledging there was an argument for them to compete as neutral athletes, the government officials noted in the joint statement how closely sports and

politics are intertwined in Russia and Belarus. Russia invaded Ukraine a year ago Friday and Belarus has been Russia’s closest ally.

When the war started, the IOC recommended sports organizations bar Russians from competitions, labeling it as a measure for those athletes’ safety. That stance changed at the start of this year. Last week, IOC president Thomas Bach said the IOC stood in solidarity with Ukraine’s athletes, but also that sports has to respect the human rights of all athletes.

“History will show who is doing more for peace. The ones who try to keep lines open, to communicate, or the ones who want to isolate or divide,” Bach said.

Monday’s statement, while calling for clarity from the IOC, said the quickest way for Russia to get back into the international sports scene would be “by ending the war they started.”

ROB GRAY | AP PHOTO

Actor, writer and director Ben Affleck addresses the media regarding his new movie “Air” during NBA All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City.

Democratic governor signs GOP-backed tax cut in Kentucky

The Associated Press FRANKFORT, Ky. — Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday signed a Republican-backed tax cut bill, saying he hopes it provides relief for Kentuckians struggling with consumer prices amid stubbornly high inflation.

Beshear’s action on the measure — which will lower the state’s individual income tax rate — comes after the proposal drew Democratic opposition as it moved through the GOP-dominated legislature.

The governor, who is facing a tough reelection campaign this year in Republican-trending Kentucky, announced in a social media video that he was signing the tax cut measure.

“I hope as we get through this period where, again, groceries cost too much, that this helps everybody out there at least a little bit,” Beshear said.

The governor’s action ended days of suspense over whether he would sign or veto the measure.

A top Senate Republican openly dared the governor to veto the bill as the Senate debated the bill.

Responding to the governor’s bill-signing decision Friday, the state GOP accused Beshear of trying to take credit for Republican-backed policies.

“He has spent countless hours attacking Republicans for this policy approach and left the members of his own party out to dry on it,” the state Republican Party

said in a statement. “What’s different between last year and this one?

There’s an election this November.”

For Republican lawmakers, the newly signed bill is another step toward achieving a long-running policy goal to phase out individual income taxes in Kentucky.

The measure signed by Beshear will lower the state’s individual income tax rate by a half-percentage point to 4%, effective Jan. 1, 2024.

It follows up on last year’s tax overhaul, which resulted in a reduction of the tax rate from 5% to 4.5% at the start of this year.

Beshear vetoed last year’s bill revamping portions of the state tax code. He objected to provisions that extended the sales tax to many more services. Republican lawmakers easily overrode his veto. As an alternative, the governor last year backed an unsuccess-

ful effort to temporarily cut the state sales tax rate to take some of the sting out of rising inflation that fueled higher consumer prices.

Beshear on Friday acknowledged that the deeper income tax cut could have potential “longterm repercussions” for funding state services. But he pointed to the state’s strong economy, which has fueled record-setting revenue collections, as justification for

signing the follow-up tax cut.

In January, state General Fund receipts rose 6.2% compared with the same month a year ago, state Budget Director John Hicks reported recently. General Fund collections have grown 5.8% for the first seven months of the current fiscal year, he said. The General Fund pays for most state services, including education, health care and public safety. Kentucky has set records for private-sector investments and job creation during Beshear’s tenure as governor.

Amid the economic growth, the Democratic governor has acknowledged the hardships that inflation has caused for Kentuckians. He continued that message in his bill-signing announcement Friday.

“Things are tough out there,” Beshear said. “Inflation is real. And while gas prices have come down, a grocery store bill is still way too high. And while this issue is temporary, it’s still going to last for some time into the foreseeable future, and our people need relief.”

Democratic lawmakers opposing the tax-cut measure said many Kentuckians won’t reap savings from the reduction. And they noted that last year’s legislation extended the state sales tax to more services, which they said created new tax burdens.

Beshear’s decision to sign the top GOP legislative priority comes as a dozen Republican candidates compete for their party’s nomination for governor in the May primary.

Beshear’s bid for a second term is drawing national attention to see if the popular incumbent can win again in the red state. Beshear has won praise for his responses to devastating tornadoes and flooding, as well as a string of economic development and infrastructure successes.

GOP opens another investigation of Afghanistan withdrawal

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Several Biden Cabinet members, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, received a letter Friday from House Republicans as they launched the second investigation into the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, sent a series of letters to senior leadership at the White House, Department of Defense, State Department and others requesting a tranche of documents related to the end of America’s longest war.

“The Biden Administration was tragically unprepared for the Afghanistan withdrawal and their decisions in the region directly resulted in a national security and humanitarian catastrophe,” Comer said in a statement. “Every relevant department and agency should be prepared to cooperate and provide all requested information.”

Republicans have been vowing to press President Joe Biden’s administration on what went wrong as the Taliban swept to power in Afghanistan in August 2021 and the U.S. left scores of Americans and thousands of Afghans who helped them over the years in grave danger. Now with the power of the gavel, GOP lawmakers are elevating that criticism into aggressive congressional oversight,

and on a topic that has been met with bipartisan support in the past.

In a statement, the State Department said that while it does not comment on congressional correspondence, the agency is committed to working with congressional committees.

“As of November 2022, the Department has provided more than 150 briefings to bipartisan Members and staff on Afghanistan policy since the withdrawal of U.S.

forces from Afghanistan,” the statement continued. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The letters Friday come nearly one month after Rep. Mike McCaul, the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, opened his own investigation into the deadly withdrawal, requesting documents from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. McCaul’s letter outlined a request for all communications

around the lead-up to pulling U.S. troops out of Afghanistan. He also made it clear that his committee, which has jurisdiction over the matter, also plans to investigate the after-effects of the withdrawal, including on the hundreds of thousands of Afghan allies left behind.

The Trump administration agreed late in its term to withdraw U.S. forces from Afghanistan in May 2021, with the former president saying in 2020, “Now it’s time for somebody else to do that work.” But Republicans are intent on reminding Americans that it was Biden who was in charge when the Taliban took over. And the criticism over the issue began in a bipartisan manner, with several Democrat-led committees pledging to investigate what went wrong in the days and weeks after the withdrawal.

U.S. officials have said they were surprised by the quick collapse of the military and the government, prompting sharp congressional criticism of the intelligence community for failing to foresee it.

In a congressional hearing last spring, senators questioned whether there is a need to reform how intelligence agencies assess a foreign military’s will to fight.

Lawmakers pointed to two key examples: U.S. intelligence believed that the Kabul government would hold on for months against

the Taliban, and more recently believed that Ukraine’s forces would quickly fall to Russia’s invasion. Both were wrong.

Military and defense leaders have said the Afghanistan collapse was built on years of missteps, as the U.S. struggled to find a successful way to train and equip Afghan forces.

Last year, a watchdog group concluded it was decisions by Trump and Biden to pull all U.S. troops out of Afghanistan that were key factors in the collapse of that nation’s military.

The report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, mirrors assertions made by senior Pentagon and military leaders in the aftermath of the withdrawal. Military leaders have made it clear that their recommendation was to leave about 2,500 U.S. troops in the country, but that plan was not approved.

In February 2020, the Trump administration signed an agreement with the Taliban in Doha, Qatar, in which the U.S. promised to fully withdraw its troops by May 2021. The Taliban committed to several conditions, including stopping attacks on American and coalition forces. The stated objective was to promote a peace negotiation between the Taliban and the Afghan government, but that diplomatic effort never gained traction before Biden took office in January 2022.

AP PHOTO, FILE

The Kentucky state Capitol in Frankfort, Ky., is pictured on April 7, 2021.

AP PHOTO

House Oversight Chairman Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., opens a House Committee on Oversight and Accountability hearing on the border, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023, in Washington, D.C.

Eleanor Locklear

April 15, 1943 ~ February 14, 2023

Mrs. Eleanor Locklear, of Shannon, NC went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, at the age of 79.

Eleanor was born on April 15, 1943, to the late Wilson and Mary Cook. She was preceded in death by her husband of almost 60 years, Marvin Locklear. She was a beloved member of Praise and Worship Ministries of Red Springs, NC where she taught Sunday school for many years.

Eleanor is survived by her two children, David and Barbara Locklear.

Robin Christine McGarry

August 8, 1959 ~ February 11, 2023

Robin Christine McGarry went to be with our Lord and Savior on February 11, 2023, in her home, at the age of 63.

Robin was born in Florida on August 08, 1959, and was the daughter of the late Thomas Haywood Ward and Linda Ward. She was a member of Rockfish Church in Raeford, NC. She spent a lot of her spare time helping with church activities.

Robin was an amazing woman who brought joy to everyone she met. She enjoyed helping people in need, and was a member of the community outreach.

She is survived by her husband, Robert McGarry; her mother, Linda Ward; her brother, Craig Ward and his wife Patty; her nephews, Cale Ward (Kelsey), and Nathan Ward (Kim) and daughter Sadie; her uncles Raymond Ward, Larry Hall (Alice), Gene Ward (Bonnie), John Eden (Donna) and daughter Hope Bates, Arnold Newton (Debbie) and son Justin Newton. Her cousin Clay Ward (Emmie) and daughter Mary Dempsey.

N. Carolina congressman, senator Broyhill dies at 95

The Associated Press

JIM BROYHILL , a longtime North Carolina Republican congressman who served briefly in the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy before losing a bid to keep the job, died early Saturday at age 95, his family said.

Broyhill, a scion of the Broyhill Furniture business in the North Carolina foothills that brought jobs and prestige to the region, died at Arbor Acres retirement home in Winston-Salem, according to his son, Ed. He had suffered from congestive heart failure for years that worsened in recent months, his son said Saturday.

The moderate Republican served more than 23 years in the House. He was considered a reliable conservative who helped North Carolina turn into a competitive two-party state, particularly as the GOP made national gains in the 1980s with Ronald Reagan.

In a video interview in honor of receiving a state award in 2015, Broyhill recalled the dearth of Republicans on the first state ballot he filled out in 1948.

“I was determined that I’m going to do what I could to see if we could not develop a two-party system in our state,” Broyhill said. “And I think I had a great deal to accomplish that, but with the help and the leadership of many other people.”

GOP Gov. Jim Martin appointed Broyhill to replace Republican Sen. John East when East died by suicide in June 1986.

Broyhill had already won the Senate GOP primary a month earlier against David Funderburk, who had the support of Sen. Jesse Helms’ national organization that backed hardline Republicans. East wasn’t seeking reelection due to medical issues.

The Senate appointment was viewed as an asset to help Broyhill in his fall general election against former Gov. Terry Sanford, a Democrat and outgoing Duke University president. Sanford narrowly defeated Broyhill in two elections that November — one to serve out the rest of 1986

and another for the next six years.

Expected initially to be a lowkey affair, the campaign took on the intensity of a modern, more divisive campaign. Reagan came to Charlotte to campaign for Broyhill. In a recent interview, Martin said he’s unsure whether appointing Broyhill to the Senate ultimately aided his campaign.

“He wasn’t able to spend as much time campaigning because he was intensely dependable on fulfilling his Senate duties,” Martin said.

Broyhill’s Capitol Hill career began with a surprising U.S. House victory in 1962.

When Democrats attempted to redraw the district of the lone Republican in the House delegation after the 1960 census in hopes of defeating him, the adjoining district became more Republican, according to a biography of Martin. That opened the door for Broyhill, who had worked at the family business for close to two decades, to upset Democratic incumbent Hugh Quincy Alexander.

While he never served in a Republican-controlled chamber until his Senate appointment, Broyhill flexed his political muscles for Republican presidential administrations in the House and built support for their agendas with Democrats.

In the interview highlighting his 2015 award, Broyhill recalled legislation he helped pass to create the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Broyhill’s family and others cited his efforts to create energy policies, and deregulate the telecommunications, pharmaceutical and trucking industries.

Frank Drendel, founder of coaxial cable producer CommScope based in Hickory, said on Saturday that Broyhill’s work to get a law passed in 1978 so that cable companies could connect their cables to other utility poles helped the cable industry soar. Broyhill “set an example that sadly we don’t have much of today and that is to cross the aisle and come up with solutions that are nonpartisan,” said former

Glaxo Wellcome CEO Bob Ingram, a North Carolina resident who knew Broyhill while working in Washington. “He wanted to get to the best answer to solve problems.”

After his 1986 defeat, Broyhill served on North Carolina’s Economic Development Board. Martin later picked him to serve in his second-term Cabinet as commerce secretary, saying he had “impeccable connections with North Carolina industry.”

A native of Lenoir, James Thomas Broyhill graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1950, according to his official congressional biography. His father, J.E. Broyhill, began the family’s furniture dynasty in 1926 as the Lenoir Chair Company and was a well-known Republican in his own right.

“Jim added to that and made his contribution in a huge way as a member of Congress,” Martin said. “That family tradition has given an enormous boost to the Republican Party.” Ed Broyhill is now a Republican National Committee member.

Recently retired Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who was recruited by Broyhill to run for Congress more than 30 years ago, said he would be remembered as “a gentlemen and a statesman,” and called him a “mentor and confidant.”

“I always knew I could trust his advice and counsel because he viewed everything through the lens of what’s best for the country,” Burr said.

Current Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper praised Broyhill on Saturday in a tweet for his commitment and service to the state.

The congressman was preceded in death by his son, Philip. In addition to Ed Broyhill, other survivors of Broyhill include his wife of 71 years, Louise R. Broyhill; his daughter, Marilyn Broyhill Beach of Winston-Salem; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Broyhill’s funeral will be Feb. 28 at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, with a graveside service later that day in Wilkes County.

President Ford talks with North Carolina Congressman Jim Broyhill, left, and Sen. Jesse Helms, center, during a Republican fund raising visit to Raleigh in this Nov. 14, 1975 photo.

PHOTOS VIA AP

STATE & NATION

Congressional Budget Office projects higher unemployment, slow exit from inflation

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Congressional Budget Office said it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year with the unemployment rate jumping to 5.1% — a bleak outlook that was paired with a 10-year projection that publicly held U.S. debt would nearly double to $46.4 trillion in 2033.

The office’s updated 10-year Budget and Economic Outlook outlined stark expectations for the decade ahead, where Social Security would be unable to pay full benefits to recipients in 2032 — with a roughly 20 % reduction in benefits across the board — and the net interest costs on U.S. debt would eclipse what the nation spends on defense.

“The debt trajectory is unsustainable,” CBO director Phillip Swagel told journalists at a press conference after the report’s afternoon release. The CBO can’t tell Congress what to do, he said, “but at some point, something has to give — whether it’s on spending or revenue.”

The latest figures seemed to affirm the worst fears of many U.S. consumers and businesses. But in a reminder that the U.S. economy has seldom behaved as anticipated through the pandemic and its aftermath, the employment forecast looks very different from the pace of hiring so far this year.

The CBO estimated that just 108,000 jobs will be added in 2023, but employers added 517,000 jobs in January alone. It also assumes that inflation will

ease from 6.4% to 4.8% this year, far more pessimistic than Federal Reserve officials who in December said inflation would fall to 3.5%.

The CBO separately pointed to the risks of not increasing the government’s legal borrowing authority, noting that the Treasury Department could exhaust its current “extraordinary measures” to keep the government running while President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy jostle over a deal.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote to congressional leadership

last month, stating that her agency will use creative accounting measures to buy time until Congress can pass legislation that will either raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority or suspend it again for a period of time.

If tax receipts from this year’s filing season fall short of estimated amounts, the U.S. could hit its statutory debt ceiling earlier than July, according to the nonpartisan organization, which provides independent analyses of budget and economic issues to Congress.

Following the CBO issuing its

report, Senate Democrats reiterated their calls for Republicans to help pass legislation to increase the nation’s borrowing authority. Then, they said, lawmakers could turn their attention to funding the government and addressing the solvency of Medicare and Social Security. “We don’t want to cut benefits. We don’t want to privatize. We don’t want to do the kinds of things that Republicans have talked about in that area,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of Social Security.

“And we have some plans to make it solvent, which you’ll hear from down the road.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said the report “paints a dire picture.”

“If we don’t get serious about reining in spending, reducing annual budget deficits and bringing down the debt, the country will end up spending more on interest payments than the programs that actually benefit Americans,” Grassley said.

The outlook warns about rising yearly budget deficits. In 2033, the CBO anticipates that the yearly shortfall in tax revenues relative to spending would exceed $2.85 trillion, more than double the deficit in 2022. Publicly held debt was roughly equal to U.S. gross domestic product in 2022, but it would climb to 118% of GDP by 2033.

The office says the biggest drivers of rising debt in relation to GDP are increasing interest costs and spending for Medicare and Social Security.

“Biden’s numerous bailouts and massive government expansion disguised as COVID relief has blown out spending and exacerbated our debt disaster,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee. “House Republicans must rein-in the unbridled spending and restore fiscal sanity in Washington before it’s too late.”

One reason why the CBO expects a slowdown this year are the actions taken by the Fed. The U.S. central bank has been trying to reduce inflation by raising its benchmark interest rates. Earlier this month the Fed raised its key interest rate a quarter-point, its eighth hike since March of last year.

The CBO expects growth to pick up once the Fed has tamed inflation and pulls back on its benchmark rates.

Republicans to adopt loyalty pledge for debate participants

By Steve Peoples The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Republican presidential candidates will be blocked from the debate stage this summer if they do not sign a pledge to support the GOP’s ultimate presidential nominee, according to draft language set to be adopted when the Republican National Committee meets next week.

The proposal sets up a potential clash with former President Donald Trump, who has raised the possibility of leaving the Republican Party and launching an independent candidacy if he does not win the GOP nomination outright. While RNC officials and Trump aides downplay that possibility, such a move could destroy the GOP’s White House aspirations in 2024 and raise existential questions about the party’s future.

“After the primary, it is imperative to the health and growth of our Republican Party, as well as the country, that we all come together and unite behind our nominee to defeat Joe Biden and the Democrats,” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to The Associated Press when asked about the loyalty pledge.

As many as a dozen Republicans are expected to enter the 2024 presidential contest as the GOP braces for an all-out civil war in the months ahead.

Much of the party is eager to

move past Trump and his divisive politics, but in reality, Republican leaders have few, if any, tools to control the former president given his popularity with the GOP’s most passionate voters. RNC leaders are hopeful that a loyalty pledge, while ultimately unenforceable, would generate some shared commitment to unity, albeit a fragile one, as the presidential primary season takes off.

A senior Trump aide could not say whether the former president would sign the pledge to support the eventual nominee but suggested privately that he plans to participate in the debates. Campaign spokesman Ste-

ven Cheung declined to answer the question directly as well.

“President Trump is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party and will be the nominee,” Cheung said. “There is nobody who can outmatch President Trump’s energy or the enthusiasm he receives from Americans of all backgrounds.”

Facing similar concerns in 2016, Trump signed a similar loyalty pledge that was not tied to debates, but he later reneged as the primary campaign became more contentious. At the very first Republican primary debate that year, Trump was the only candidate on stage who refused to commit to support-

ing the party’s eventual nominee unless it was him.

And just last December, Trump shared an article on social media encouraging him to seek a third-party bid to punish the GOP should Republican primary voters select another presidential nominee in 2024. Meanwhile, there is no such threat on the Democratic side.

Virtually every Democrat thought to have presidential aspirations has already promised to unite behind President Joe Biden, assuming the 78-year-old Democrat follows through on his plan to seek a second term. Biden may face token resistance from a lower-profile intra-party rival — activist and author Marianne Williamson is exploring another White House bid, for example — but the Democratic president would face little pressure to appear on the debate stage before the fall of 2024 for the general election debates, should they occur.

The Republican loyalty pledge is among several provisions likely to be adopted as the RNC’s Temporary Standing Committee on Presidential Debates meets to determine the rules governing which candidates may participate in the GOP’s upcoming debate season — and which media networks will host the events.

The committee is considering between 10 and 12 debates to begin in late July at the Reagan Library in California or at the RNC’s summer meeting in Milwaukee, the host of

the GOP’s next national convention. Committee officials are sorting through proposals from as many as 18 media companies eager to host a debate. They include major television networks like CNN, MSNBC and Fox and lower-profile conservative favorites like Newsmax, according to people directly involved in the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.

While the likes of CNN and NBC hosted Republican primary debates in 2016, Republican officials suggest it would be a mistake to assume they will be selected this time around given widespread disdain for the networks among the party’s base. Representatives from each network will pitch the RNC in person next Wednesday and Thursday.

While there are many moving pieces, GOP leaders are most concerned about the party’s ability to come together after what promises to be a divisive primary election season.

Dave Bossie, a former Trump aide and current RNC member leading the debate committee, noted that the committee is modeling its 2024 loyalty pledge after the 2016 pledge that every Republican candidate signed.

“All Republicans can agree that Joe Biden has been a disaster for America,” Bossie said. “Therefore, it should be easy for every candidate to pledge unity toward defeating the radical Biden administration.”

AP PHOTO

An employee restocks meats at a grocery store on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, in North Miami, Fla.

AP PHOTO

The Republican National Committee logo is shown on the stage as crew members work at the North Charleston Coliseum, Jan. 13, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Kernersville Little Theatre Presents

“Seussical” February 24March 5

Forsyth County

Just in time for Dr. Seuss’ birthday celebrations, Kernersville Little Theatre (KLT) presents “Seussical”

February 24 - March 5.

“Seussical” by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens is based on the works of Dr. Seuss, which weaves in 15 of his books, including familiar favorites such as Horton Hears a Who, The Cat in the Hat, Suitable for the youngest and oldest members of your family, Seussical is a fantastical, magical, feel-good musical that will keep everyone entertained.

“Seussical” is KLT”s annual Bring a Book to Life production, which supports providing books to students at Kernersville Elementary School, which is the host location for most of KLT’s productions. In addition to providing each student a book related to the show, the community theatre group performs during the school day for the entire student population. Tickets for Seussical are available online at www. kltheatre.com or https:// kernersvillelittletheatre. thundertix.com/events/204333. Advance ticket prices are $18 for adults, $16 for students/seniors, and $8 for children. Tickets are also available at the door during performances for $20 adults, $18 students/seniors, and $8 children.

KLT is a volunteer-driven, non-profit community theatre group producing 4 shows a year. The 2023 season, themed “Welcome to the Family!”also includes the previously produced “Proof” and “Arsenic and Old Lace,” as well as the upcoming “Into the Woods” (auditioning in April with performances in June. NSJ

N. Carolina congressman, senator Broyhill dies at 95

The Associated Press JIM BROYHILL , a longtime North Carolina Republican congressman who served briefly in the U.S. Senate to fill a vacancy before losing a bid to keep the job, died early Saturday at age 95, his family said.

Broyhill, a scion of the Broyhill Furniture business in the North Carolina foothills that brought jobs and prestige to the region, died at Arbor Acres retirement home in Winston-Salem, according to his son, Ed. He had suffered from congestive heart failure for years that worsened in recent months, his son said Saturday.

The moderate Republican served more than 23 years in the House. He was considered a reliable conservative who helped North Carolina turn into a competitive two-party state, particularly as the GOP made national gains in the 1980s with Ronald

Reagan. In a video interview in honor of receiving a state award in 2015, Broyhill recalled the dearth of Republicans on the first state ballot he filled out in 1948.

“I was determined that I’m going to do what I could to see if we could not develop a two-party system in our state,” Broyhill said. “And I think I had a great deal to accomplish that, but with the help and the leadership of many other people.”

GOP Gov. Jim Martin appointed Broyhill to replace Republican Sen. John East when East died by suicide in June 1986.

Broyhill had already won the Senate GOP primary a month earlier against David Funderburk, who had the support of Sen. Jesse Helms’ national organization that backed hardline Republicans. East wasn’t seeking reelection due to medical issues.

The Senate appointment was

Salem College Introduces Master of Health Administration Program

Will hold Online Open House on March 2

Twin City Herald

WINSTON-SALEM—Salem College is introducing a Master of Health Administration (MHA) degree program for fall 2023. Health Administration is an interdisciplinary field of expertise that focuses on the knowledge and skills necessary for the effective administration, management and leadership of health services delivery organizations.

S alem will offer an online open house explaining the new program on Thursday, March 2, 2023, at 6 p.m. Additional

information about the Master of Health Administration program and registration for the open house is available at salem. edu/mha.

“Demand for Master of Health Administration degrees continues to increase, and Salem has worked closely with industry leaders to build a program to prepare the next generation of health professionals,” said Dale Sanders, Director of the Master of Health Administration program at Salem College. “The demand for health administration mid-level leaders is expected to increase by more than 25 percent during the next 15 years as people transition out of healthcare as a result of attrition, retirement and

viewed as an asset to help Broyhill in his fall general election against former Gov. Terry Sanford, a Democrat and outgoing Duke University president. Sanford narrowly defeated Broyhill in two elections that November -- one to serve out the rest of 1986 and another for the next six years. Expected initially to be a lowkey affair, the campaign took on the intensity of a modern, more divisive campaign. Reagan came to Charlotte to campaign for Broyhill. In a recent interview, Martin said he’s unsure whether appointing Broyhill to the Senate ultimately aided his campaign.

“He wasn’t able to spend as much time campaigning because he was intensely dependable on fulfilling his Senate duties,” Martin said.

Broyhill’s Capitol Hill career began with a surprising U.S. House victory in 1962.

When Democrats attempted

career shifts.

“With the anticipated expansion of healthcare services across all sectors, there is an increased need for dynamic and impactful leadership,” he said.

“To meet this growth and demand head-on, Salem College will launch its inaugural class of Master of Health Administration students in fall 2023. I encourage anyone who wants to find out more about the program to attend our online open house on March 2.”

The Master of Health Administration program’s curriculum will feature small class sizes that will allow for significant use of team-based activities as well as project-based assignments that engage students in real-world experiences. The program’s internship or capstone requirement will provide opportunities for students to identify, conceptualize, and execute a learning experience important to the student and relevant to the field of health administration.

to redraw the district of the lone Republican in the House delegation after the 1960 census in hopes of defeating him, the adjoining district became more Republican, according to a biography of Martin. That opened the door for Broyhill, who had worked at the family business for close to two decades, to upset Democratic incumbent Hugh Quincy Alexander.

While he never served in a Republican-controlled chamber until his Senate appointment, Broyhill flexed his political muscles for Republican presidential administrations in the House and built support for their agendas with Democrats.

In the interview highlighting his 2015 award, Broyhill recalled legislation he helped pass to create the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Broyhill’s family and others cited his efforts to create energy policies, and deregulate the telecommunications, pharmaceutical and trucking industries.

Frank Drendel, founder of coaxial cable producer CommScope based in Hickory, said on Saturday that Broyhill’s work to get a law passed in 1978 so that cable companies could con-

See BROYHILL, page 2

Left, President Ford talks with North Carolina Congressman Jim Broyhill, left, and Sen. Jesse Helms, center, during a Republican fund raising visit to Raleigh in this Nov. 14, 1975 photo. Right top, Rep. Jim Broyhill, R-N.C., addresses reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference, Sept. 21, 1985. Right bottom, the state seal is seen in front of the NCGA. Broyhill who served briefly in the Senate in the mid-1980s has died. The family of Jim Broyhill confirmed he died early Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023 in Winston-Salem at the age of 95.

DEATH NOTICES

♦ Benjamin “Ben” Hastings Beeson, 39, of Clemmons, died February 16, 2023.

♦ Janice Long Billings, 84, of Winston-Salem, died February 15, 2023.

♦ Margaret Virginia Bowman, 81 of Winston-Salem, died February 15, 2023.

♦ Senator James Thomas Broyhill, 95, of Forsyth County, died February 18, 2023.

♦ Betty Lee Moser Flynt, 91, of Winston-Salem, died February 16, 2023.

♦ Pomposa Janeth Fuentes, 65, of Winston-Salem, died February 17, 2023.

♦ Joann Willard Hester, 85, of Forsyth County, died February 15, 2023.

♦ Leon Lindsay Huls Jr. (Bill), 86, of WinstonSalem, died February 15, 2023.

♦ William Monroe James, 83, of Davidson County, died February 16, 2023.

♦ Marlon L. Johnson, 79 of Clemmons, died February 18, 2023.

♦ Mazie Pruitt Matthews, 79, of Stokesdale, died February 18, 2023.

♦ McLean Mack Mitchell, 96, of Winston-Salem, died February 17, 2023.

♦ Peggy Lou Morris, 86, died February 17, 2023.

♦ Dairle Patterson Sr., 81, died February 16, 2023.

♦ Tracey L. Sheets, 54 of Mocksville, died February 17, 2023.

♦ Nancy Carroll Smith, 92 of Winston-Salem, died February 16, 2023.

♦ Nancy Ruth West Tuttle, 87, of Kernersville, died February 18, 2023.

The

THIS WEEK, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that our nation’s young girls are in a state of absolute emotional and mental crisis.

According to the CDC, 57% of high school girls said they were depressed in 2021, compared with 36% in 2011; 30% said they had considered suicide, compared with 19% in 2011. The numbers had also increased markedly for high school boys: 29% of high school boys reported depressive symptoms, up from 21% in 2011; 14% of high school boys had considered suicide, up from 13% a decade before.

Naturally, our nation’s pseudoscientific experts blame societal intolerance and lack of sexual sensitivity. Never mind the fact that more kids than ever are declaring themselves members of nonexistent identity groups (Demisexual! Gender nonbinary!), mistakenly selfdiagnosing with Tourette’s syndrome or gender dysphoria, and claiming victimhood at the hands of a cruel society — a society that rewards and cheers all such claims. Never mind that we’ve now undergone a gender revolution in which we’ve declared biological sex itself passe, treated heterosexual norms as taboo and misogynistic and attempted to wipe away — along with actual sexual predation — much normal behavior in the name of #MeToo.

No, says the CDC, the problem — as always — is with society’s demands. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the CDC recommends “teaching kids about sexual consent, managing emotions, and asking for what they need”; furthermore, “Schools should encourage gender and sexuality alliances, provide safe spaces and people for LGBTQ+ students to go to for support, and ensure enforcement of antiharassment policies.”

Yes, the answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

Or, alternatively, any society that attempts to destroy all rules, roles and intermediate institutions laden with

BROYHILL from page 1

nect their cables to other utility poles helped the cable industry soar.

Broyhill “set an example that sadly we don’t have much of today and that is to cross the aisle and come up with solutions that are nonpartisan,” said former Glaxo Wellcome CEO Bob Ingram, a North Carolina resident who knew Broyhill while working in Washington. “He wanted to get to the best answer to solve problems.”

After his 1986 defeat, Broyhill served on North Carolina’s Economic Development Board. Martin later picked him to serve in his second-term Cabinet as commerce secretary, saying he had “impeccable connections with North Carolina industry.”

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ AMOS, CHARLES EDWARD was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 1902 QUEEN ST on 2/16/2023

♦ BESS, DALE PATRICK was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 201 N CHURCH ST on 2/17/2023

♦ BROWN, JOHNNY LEE was arrested on a charge of WEAP-POSS BY FELON at 2444 SINK ST on 2/16/2023

♦ BRYANT, CHAMARAY DEVON was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 1600 N LIBERTY ST on 2/19/2023

♦ BURKS, SUMMER JADE was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE at 3411 OLD VINEYARD RD on 2/19/2023

♦ CALLEJA, ADILENE MEDINA was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE at 3047 GILMER AV on 2/15/2023

♦ DAVIS, JOHORDAN DEMORRIS was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 301 MEDICAL CENTER BV on 2/17/2023

♦ DUNKLEY, KAYLA SIMONE was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at 2115 PETERS CREEK PW on 2/15/2023

A native of Lenoir, James Thomas Broyhill graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1950, according to his official congressional biography. His father, J.E. Broyhill, began the family’s furniture dynasty in 1926 as the Lenoir Chair Company and was a well-known Republican in his own right.

“Jim added to that and made his contribution in a huge way as a member of Congress,” Martin said. “That family tradition has given an enormous boost to the Republican Party.” Ed Broyhill is now a Republican National Committee member. Recently retired Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., who was recruited by Broyhill to run for Congress more than 30 years ago, said he would be remembered as “a gentlemen and a

traditional values will end up abandoning its children — all in the name of tolerance and diversity. We have robbed young men of a sense of meaning: we’ve told them that they need not be providers, protectors or defenders, and that even aspiring to do so makes them bigoted remnants of the past. Instead, young men are told that they ought to relegate themselves to the role of “male feminists,” condemning their own “toxic masculinity” while shying away from the commitments that turn boys into men.

We have robbed young women of any sense of place, time or purpose: we’ve told them that they need not seek out a husband, aspire to bear and rear children or make preparations to build a home. Instead, we’ve told them that they can run from their own biology, declaring themselves boys rather than girls, delaying childbearing indefinitely, pursuing the things that are supposedly truly important: sexual license, more work hours, sipping wine at brunch with single friends.

We have done all of this because children do not lie at the top of our civilizational hierarchy: the interests of adults do. Increasingly, adults in the West see children as either a burden and thus avoid having them, or as validators of their own sense of subjective self-identity, requiring indoctrination into more liberal forms of social organization. And now children are paying the price.

The social Left has been in control of virtually all levers of culture and policy for decades. Now they demand more control in order to alleviate the consequences of the chaos they have created. The answer, of course, is precisely the opposite: the reinvigoration of traditional sources of wisdom and values, the re-inculcation of morality and obligation. If our society does not quickly reverse field, the consequences for our young people will be utterly disastrous.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

statesman,” and called him a “mentor and confidant.”

“I always knew I could trust his advice and counsel because he viewed everything through the lens of what’s best for the country,” Burr said.

Current Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper praised Broyhill on Saturday in a tweet for his commitment and service to the state.

The congressman was preceded in death by his son, Philip. In addition to Ed Broyhill, other survivors of Broyhill include his wife of 71 years, Louise R. Broyhill; his daughter, Marilyn Broyhill Beach of Winston-Salem; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

Broyhill’s funeral will be Feb. 28 at Centenary United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, with a graveside service later that day in Wilkes County.

Probation Violation (M), 2) Ofa/ fta-speed Competition (M), and 3) Ofa/ fta-misdemeanor Probation Violation (M), at 200 N Main St, Winston-salem, NC, on 2/15/2023 10:04.

♦ JOHNSON, KENDU MICHAEL was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 675 N MAIN ST on 2/16/2023

♦ King, Bryant Kensily (M/35) Arrest on chrg of Assault On Female (M), at 6320 Amp Dr, Clemmons, NC, on 2/16/2023

19:15.

♦ Lilly, Travis Jemell (M/33) Arrest on chrg of Fugitive Arrest (magistrate`s Order) (F), at 4260 Brownsboro Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 2/15/2023 13:00.

♦ Mittman, Jermaine Alexander (M/41) Arrest on chrg of Fugitive (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston Salem, NC, on 2/17/2023 08:20.

♦ MORALES, EDWIN ESTUARDO was arrested on a charge of VIO. PROTECTIVE ORDER BY COURTS ANOTHER STATE/ INDIAN TRIBE at 3705 POPLAR VALLEY LN on 2/17/2023

♦ PERDUE, SABRINA NICOLE was arrested on a charge of CONCEALING MDSE at 5420 UNIVERSITY PW on 2/17/2023

♦ PRIVETTE, BOBBY CHRISTOPHER was arrested on a charge of FRAUD-OBT PROPERTY at 101 SUMMIT SQUARE BV on 2/17/2023

♦ RAMOS, JAMOORE DAYSHAWN was arrested on a charge of COMMUNICATE

SALEM COLLEGE from page 1

Features of Salem College’s Master of Health Administration program include:

Fully online, cohort model

One residency weekend

Two years; six semesters (fall, spring, summer)

“Building on Salem College’s more than 250 year history of educating women, our Master of Health Administration program will cultivate the next generation of culturally proficient health administration leaders,” Sanders added. “Salem graduates will be fully prepared to address the complexities of health, healthcare and the factors that affect quality health for all.”

THREATS at SB 52/WALTOWN ST on 2/19/2023

♦ Reid, Raheine Devon (M/45) Arrest on chrg of 1) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F) and 2) Sex Offender Unlawfully On Premises. (F), at 5135 Ambercrest Dr, Winston-salem, NC, on 2/17/2023 10:16.

♦ SHIELDS, JOSHUA FRANKLIN was arrested on a charge of DISCH FA/OCC

DWELL at 2501 GREENWICH RD on 2/18/2023

♦ SIMMONS, SHANDI ALISE was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 320 E HANES MILL RD on 2/16/2023

♦ SINGLETARY, SHARNEKQUA SHARONDA was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE (FELONY) at 1999 BLOOMDALE DR on 2/19/2023

♦ Smith, Emmanuel William (M/20)

♦ SPRINGS, JECORI DENARD was arrested on a charge of ROBBERY at 201 N CHURCH ST on 2/15/2023

♦ SUAREZ, JUAN JOSE was arrested on a charge of PROBATION VIOLATION at 201 N CHURCH ST on 2/19/2023

♦ SUAREZ, JUAN JOSE was arrested on a charge of RESISTING ARREST at 2850 STOCKTON ST on 2/19/2023

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

Young Americans are losing their minds.

The social left is to blame.

“Join the conversation”

answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Bieniemy leaves Chiefs for OC role with Commanders

Eric Bieniemy has agreed to be the Commanders’ offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The team announced Saturday that the two-time Super Bowl-winning assistant with Kansas City will be joining Washington. Bieniemy now gets the chance to show what he can do without Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The 54-year-old emerged from a pool of more than a half-dozen candidates as Washington’s choice for the job following the Chiefs’ second championship in his five seasons as their offensive coordinator. The longtime NFL assistant has interviewed for numerous head coaching jobs.

NBA Westbrook to sign with Clippers

Los Angeles

After being waived by the Jazz, Russell Westbrook is expected to sign with the Clippers. The nine-time All-Star will sign with the Clippers after completing a contract buyout on the remaining $47 million he is owed on his expiring deal. Westbrook averaged 15.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 28.7 minutes per game during a rocky tenure with the Lakers. The move would reunite Westbrook with Paul George, his former teammate in Oklahoma City. George had lobbied for the Clippers to land Westbrook.

NHL Blues trade O’Reilly, Acciari to Maple

Leafs

St. Louis

The Blues are looking to the future after trading captain and center Ryan O’Reilly along with center Noel Acciari to the Maple Leafs on Friday night. St. Louis acquired Toronto’s 2023 first-round draft pick and 2024 second-round draft pick and Ottawa’s 2023 third-round pick from the Maple Leafs along with AHL forwards Mikhail Abramov and Adam Gaudette. The trade comes with St. Louis sitting eight points out of a playoff spot with a 26-25-3 record entering play Saturday.

The Blues traded forward Vladimir Tarasenko and defenseman Niko Mikkola to the Rangers on Feb. 9.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

UNLV freshman football player dies

Las Vegas

UNLV announced that defensive lineman Ryan Keeler died Monday. He was 20. No cause of death was given. Keeler, who is from Chicago, transferred to UNLV from Rutgers last year. He played in seven games as a redshirt freshman this past season, totaling eight tackles and a sack. Keeler, who made the academic All-Mountain West team, had a 3.80 GPA.

“We are devastated to have lost a member of our Rebel family,” UNLV coach Barry Odom said in a statement.

Dethroned King: Petty hurt as Johnson takes over race team

The Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Richard Petty may still reign as NASCAR’s King, but with Jimmie Johnson wresting control of Petty’s old race team, he is definitively not the boss.

The Hall of Famer essentially has been stripped of power inside his former eponymous team that rapidly rebranded and rebuilt since November. Johnson and Petty are the only living seven-time NASCAR champions — and that appears to be where the similarities end inside Legacy Motor Club’s front office.

The 85-year-old Petty, who is officially Legacy’s ambassador, said Saturday he has bruised feelings and little say in the direction of the race team since Johnson bought into the ownership group.

“It’s been strange to me,” Petty said. “Most of the time, I ran the majority of the show. Jimmie brought all his people in. His way of running things and my way of running things are probably a little bit different. We probably agree on about 50% of what it really comes down to.”

Ahead of the Daytona 500, an unfiltered Petty said he was irked by Johnson’s rise in power. “Yes, it does” bother him, he said.

But Petty conceded it was “probably time for a change” because through several incarnations of his race team — the latest Petty GMS — his cars had never risen above the middle of the pack. GMS founder Maury Gallagher, chairman of Allegiant Air, purchased Richard Petty Motorsports in 2021 and Petty, whose 200 Cup wins as a driver are a record, served as the front man. Johnson told The Associated Press he was “disappointed” that Petty publicly expressed his displeasure, adding: “Of course, we’ll have conversations.”

thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

“He’s not expressed them to me, for starters,” Johnson said. “Honestly, there are a lot of moving pieces to this. There are business decisions that are taking place between Mr. Gallagher and the Petty family before I ever arrived. Those are details that are just not my place to say. “But a lot of what Richard is speaking to is based on business decisions that he and his family have made and they aren’t relative to my involvement.”

One of Johnson’s first decisions: Strip the Petty name that dates in NASCAR to 1949.

“When Jimmie came in, it was

going to be hard to be Johnson Petty GMS,” Petty said. “Jimmie’s thinking further ahead with his crew and came up with a new name.”

The Level Cross native remains NASCAR’s most recognizable personality, wearing his feathered Charlie 1 Horse hats, dark glasses and cowboy boots. He’s never stopped signing autographs, making personal appearances or glad-handing sponsors, though even those responsibilities seem more uncertain under Johnson’s reign.

“They don’t take over the racing part, they take over the front office,” Petty said. “With sponsorships, appearances and all that stuff, Jimmie’s crowd is kind of controlling that. That’s something I never had to put up with, I guess.”

Petty did tip his hat to Johnson’s business acumen: Johnson’s connections with Gibson guitars and music industry relationships, including entertainment giant Live Nation, were instrumental in landing legendary rock band Guns N’ Roses on the hood of Erik Jones’ No. 43 Chevrolet.

“He’s basically going to wind up running the show in four or five years completely,” Petty said. “He’ll probably be the majority owner or the owner of our operation. They’re looking at things completely differently.”

Trea Turner settling in for long future in Philadelphia

The Associated Press CLEARWATER, Fla. — The past few years have been a bit of a whirlwind for Trea Turner. They included a World Series title in Washington, a trade to Los Angeles — and then an 11-year, $300 million contract that brought him back to the NL East.

The one constant amid all that:

Turner has played with some pretty impressive teammates. And that’s not about to change.

“I’ve been on some really, really good teams with some great players — last year being one of them,”

Turner, the former NC State standout, said Sunday. “That’s kind of the beauty and the difficult thing about baseball. The best teams don’t always win. Just because we got a lot of talent in here and a lot of good guys, and they made it to the World Series last year, doesn’t mean it’s going to happen again.

You’ve got to put in the work.”

The Phillies seemed to understand that this offseason. Yes, they won the National League pennant last year, but they were also an 87win wild card appearing in the postseason for the first time in over a decade. And Philadelphia shares a division with teams in Atlanta and New York that appear formidable for the foreseeable future.

Signing Turner, a 29-year-old

shortstop who has been an AllStar the past two years, showed the Phillies are willing to stay aggressive, too.

It also gave Turner some stability. Washington declined quickly after winning the World Series in 2019. The Nationals eventually dealt both Turner and Max Scherzer to the Dodgers two seasons later. That put Turner right back in the postseason for a couple years.

All that moving — plus a pan-

demic and a lockout that created doubts about whether baseball would be played at all — could wear on anyone. But now Turner has a long-term deal with another strong team.

“That’s something that me, my wife and my family wanted, was just, not have to rent anymore, not have to move around, not have to worry about getting traded,” he said. “A lot of guys, probably overwhelming majority, don’t get to choose where they get to play for

their career. Luckily enough, I was in a situation where I could pick. I’m stuck here, and nobody can tell me otherwise, so I think I’m really happy about that, that security.”

Turner’s deal included a full notrade provision.

In Philadelphia’s clubhouse at spring training, Turner’s locker is right next to Bryce Harper’s. The two played together in Washington before Harper signed with the Phillies before the 2019 season.

The two living seven-time Cup champions are at odds over Johnson’s rebranding

The former NC State infielder signed a $300 million contract with the Phillies during the offseason

AP PHOTO

Former NASCAR driver Richard Petty, center, poses for a photo with Jimmie Johnson, left, and Erik Jones, right, at Daytona International Speedway last week.

AP PHOTO

Phillies shortstop Trea Turner smiles during a spring training workout last Friday in Clearwater, Florida.

“Jimmie’s

Richard Petty

STATE & NATION

Congressional Budget Office projects higher unemployment, slow exit from inflation

The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Congressional Budget Office said it expects the U.S. economy to stagnate this year with the unemployment rate jumping to 5.1% — a bleak outlook that was paired with a 10-year projection that publicly held U.S. debt would nearly double to $46.4 trillion in 2033.

The office’s updated 10-year Budget and Economic Outlook outlined stark expectations for the decade ahead, where Social Security would be unable to pay full benefits to recipients in 2032 — with a roughly 20 % reduction in benefits across the board — and the net interest costs on U.S. debt would eclipse what the nation spends on defense.

“The debt trajectory is unsustainable,” CBO director Phillip Swagel told journalists at a press conference after the report’s afternoon release. The CBO can’t tell Congress what to do, he said, “but at some point, something has to give — whether it’s on spending or revenue.”

The latest figures seemed to affirm the worst fears of many U.S. consumers and businesses. But in a reminder that the U.S. economy has seldom behaved as anticipated through the pandemic and its aftermath, the employment forecast looks very different from the pace of hiring so far this year.

The CBO estimated that just 108,000 jobs will be added in 2023, but employers added 517,000 jobs in January alone. It also assumes that inflation will

ease from 6.4% to 4.8% this year, far more pessimistic than Federal Reserve officials who in December said inflation would fall to 3.5%.

The CBO separately pointed to the risks of not increasing the government’s legal borrowing authority, noting that the Treasury Department could exhaust its current “extraordinary measures” to keep the government running while President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy jostle over a deal.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen wrote to congressional leadership

last month, stating that her agency will use creative accounting measures to buy time until Congress can pass legislation that will either raise the nation’s $31.4 trillion borrowing authority or suspend it again for a period of time.

If tax receipts from this year’s filing season fall short of estimated amounts, the U.S. could hit its statutory debt ceiling earlier than July, according to the nonpartisan organization, which provides independent analyses of budget and economic issues to Congress.

Following the CBO issuing its

report, Senate Democrats reiterated their calls for Republicans to help pass legislation to increase the nation’s borrowing authority. Then, they said, lawmakers could turn their attention to funding the government and addressing the solvency of Medicare and Social Security.

“We don’t want to cut benefits. We don’t want to privatize. We don’t want to do the kinds of things that Republicans have talked about in that area,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said of Social Security.

“And we have some plans to make it solvent, which you’ll hear from down the road.”

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee, said the report “paints a dire picture.”

“If we don’t get serious about reining in spending, reducing annual budget deficits and bringing down the debt, the country will end up spending more on interest payments than the programs that actually benefit Americans,” Grassley said.

The outlook warns about rising yearly budget deficits. In 2033, the CBO anticipates that the yearly shortfall in tax revenues relative to spending would exceed $2.85 trillion, more than double the deficit in 2022. Publicly held debt was roughly equal to U.S. gross domestic product in 2022, but it would climb to 118% of GDP by 2033.

The office says the biggest drivers of rising debt in relation to GDP are increasing interest costs and spending for Medicare and Social Security.

“Biden’s numerous bailouts and massive government expansion disguised as COVID relief has blown out spending and exacerbated our debt disaster,” said Rep. Jodey Arrington, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee. “House Republicans must rein-in the unbridled spending and restore fiscal sanity in Washington before it’s too late.”

One reason why the CBO expects a slowdown this year are the actions taken by the Fed. The U.S. central bank has been trying to reduce inflation by raising its benchmark interest rates. Earlier this month the Fed raised its key interest rate a quarter-point, its eighth hike since March of last year.

The CBO expects growth to pick up once the Fed has tamed inflation and pulls back on its benchmark rates.

Republicans to adopt loyalty pledge for debate participants

By Steve Peoples

Associated Press

The

NEW YORK — Republican presidential candidates will be blocked from the debate stage this summer if they do not sign a pledge to support the GOP’s ultimate presidential nominee, according to draft language set to be adopted when the Republican National Committee meets next week.

The proposal sets up a potential clash with former President Donald Trump, who has raised the possibility of leaving the Republican Party and launching an independent candidacy if he does not win the GOP nomination outright. While RNC officials and Trump aides downplay that possibility, such a move could destroy the GOP’s White House aspirations in 2024 and raise existential questions about the party’s future.

“After the primary, it is imperative to the health and growth of our Republican Party, as well as the country, that we all come together and unite behind our nominee to defeat Joe Biden and the Democrats,” RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel said in a statement to The Associated Press when asked about the loyalty pledge.

As many as a dozen Republicans are expected to enter the 2024 presidential contest as the GOP braces for an all-out civil war in the months ahead.

Much of the party is eager to

move past Trump and his divisive politics, but in reality, Republican leaders have few, if any, tools to control the former president given his popularity with the GOP’s most passionate voters. RNC leaders are hopeful that a loyalty pledge, while ultimately unenforceable, would generate some shared commitment to unity, albeit a fragile one, as the presidential primary season takes off.

A senior Trump aide could not say whether the former president would sign the pledge to support the eventual nominee but suggested privately that he plans to participate in the debates. Campaign spokesman Ste-

ven Cheung declined to answer the question directly as well.

“President Trump is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party and will be the nominee,” Cheung said. “There is nobody who can outmatch President Trump’s energy or the enthusiasm he receives from Americans of all backgrounds.”

Facing similar concerns in 2016, Trump signed a similar loyalty pledge that was not tied to debates, but he later reneged as the primary campaign became more contentious. At the very first Republican primary debate that year, Trump was the only candidate on stage who refused to commit to support-

ing the party’s eventual nominee unless it was him.

And just last December, Trump shared an article on social media encouraging him to seek a third-party bid to punish the GOP should Republican primary voters select another presidential nominee in 2024. Meanwhile, there is no such threat on the Democratic side.

Virtually every Democrat thought to have presidential aspirations has already promised to unite behind President Joe Biden, assuming the 78-year-old Democrat follows through on his plan to seek a second term. Biden may face token resistance from a lower-profile intra-party rival — activist and author Marianne Williamson is exploring another White House bid, for example — but the Democratic president would face little pressure to appear on the debate stage before the fall of 2024 for the general election debates, should they occur.

The Republican loyalty pledge is among several provisions likely to be adopted as the RNC’s Temporary Standing Committee on Presidential Debates meets to determine the rules governing which candidates may participate in the GOP’s upcoming debate season — and which media networks will host the events.

The committee is considering between 10 and 12 debates to begin in late July at the Reagan Library in California or at the RNC’s summer meeting in Milwaukee, the host of

the GOP’s next national convention. Committee officials are sorting through proposals from as many as 18 media companies eager to host a debate. They include major television networks like CNN, MSNBC and Fox and lower-profile conservative favorites like Newsmax, according to people directly involved in the process who spoke on the condition of anonymity to share internal discussions.

While the likes of CNN and NBC hosted Republican primary debates in 2016, Republican officials suggest it would be a mistake to assume they will be selected this time around given widespread disdain for the networks among the party’s base. Representatives from each network will pitch the RNC in person next Wednesday and Thursday.

While there are many moving pieces, GOP leaders are most concerned about the party’s ability to come together after what promises to be a divisive primary election season.

Dave Bossie, a former Trump aide and current RNC member leading the debate committee, noted that the committee is modeling its 2024 loyalty pledge after the 2016 pledge that every Republican candidate signed.

“All Republicans can agree that Joe Biden has been a disaster for America,” Bossie said. “Therefore, it should be easy for every candidate to pledge unity toward defeating the radical Biden administration.”

AP PHOTO

An employee restocks meats at a grocery store on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, in North Miami, Fla.

AP PHOTO

The Republican National Committee logo is shown on the stage as crew members work at the North Charleston Coliseum, Jan. 13, 2016, in North Charleston, S.C., in advance of Fox Business Network Republican presidential debate.

COUNTY NEWS

Bulldog Pipe to expand with new Aberdeen facility

Bulldog Pipe, LLC, a veteran and family-owned extrusion company that manufactures highdensity polyethylene piping for an array of industries, including telecommunications, power utility, electrical, oil, and gas, has officially chosen Aberdeen to be the location of its second manufacturing facility. Though initially basing their operation in Mountain Grove, Missouri, the owner of Bulldog Pipe, Brandon McIntosh, has decided to expand operations closer to his home here in Moore County. The pipe company has leased a vacant industrial building on Taylor Street and plans to invest roughly $2.7 million and create 26 new full-time jobs in the area, with an average annual wage of roughly $50,000. If all goes well, Bulldog Pipe is expecting to hire an additional 29 full-time employees over the course of the next five years. Last Thursday, Governor Roy Cooper announced that the Town of Aberdeen would be awarded a $125,000 grant from the Building Reuse Grant Program to assist with the renovation of the new Bulldog Pipe location.

Aberdeen woman pleads

guilty to child abuse and attempted murder

Last Wednesday, Latajane Harrington appeared in front of the Moore County superior court and pled guilty to two counts of felony intentional child abuse and one count of attempted firstdegree murder. According to a press release from Moore County District Attorney Mike Hardinin, Harrington received a prison sentence of 12-15 years and five months. Harrington was initially arrested alongside her parents, all of whom lived in Aberdeen, on August 11, 2021. The three family members were arrested when Harrington’s infant son was admitted to FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital with internal bleeding from the brain, skull fractures, and additional bodily injuries. All three family members lived in their home on Meadowfield Circle in Aberdeen at the time. Harrington’s parents were charged with negligent child abuse and obstruction of justice, though no details about the parent’s charges were mentioned in the recent press release.

MOORE COUNTY

Hudson opens flagship office in Southern Pines

North State Journal

SOUTHERN PINES — Moore County’s member of Congress now has his flagship district office located in Southern Pines.

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for the 9th Congressional District’s newest office. Hudson, whose family moved to Southern Pines, is the first member of Congress to live and operate a primary office in Moore County in recent history.

“As your Congressman, I am committed to delivering results for families throughout our region and providing top-notch customer service from our offices in both Washington, D.C. and North Carolina,” said Rep. Hudson. “With our new primary district office here in Southern Pines, I look forward to helping more constituents navigate federal government agencies like the VA (Veteran’s Affairs) and being accessible to hear your needs, thoughts, and concerns on key issues facing our community and nation. Renee, Lane, and I have made Moore County our home and are thankful for the warm welcome by the community. We plan to be here for a long time.”

U.S. Rep. Hudson was joined at the open house by elected officials including Southern Pines Councilmembers Taylor Clem-

ent and Bill Pate, Moore County District Attorney Mike Hardin, Moore County Commissioner Jim Von Canon, Moore County Register of Deeds Bill Britton, Village of Pinehurst Mayor John Strickland, Village of Pinehurst Mayor Pro Tem Patrick Pizzella, Village of Pinehurst Treasurer Lydia Boesch, CEO of Moore County Chamber Linda Parsons, community leaders, members of local law enforcement, and local residents. The ceremony began with a prayer led by Dr. David Helms, the pastor of First Baptist Church in Southern Pines, where Rep. Hudson and his family attend church.

“We are really excited to have Rep. Hudson in Moore County, and we look forward to working with him,” said Moore County Commissioner Jim Von Canon. “At the end of the day, Richard always does what he says he will do, and we’re extremely excited to add him to our Moore County family.”

The office in Southern Pines is located at 340 Commerce Ave, Suite 16, Southern Pines, NC 28387, and is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment at the Southern Pines office, call (910) 910-1924.

In addition to the new office, U.S. Rep. Hudson also has office locations in Washington, D.C. and Fayetteville.

Board of Education approves pilot programs to

help recruit and retain bus drivers

MCS to seek input on transportation, school calendar

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal CAMERON

— The Moore County Board of Education met Monday, February 13.

The board was given an update on the state of the school’s operations department by the new Executive Officer for Operations, Jenny Purvis, who had been in that position since January 3, following the leave of former executive officer John Birath. However, the presentation mainly focused on the transportation department.

“As we look at transportation, transportation is something I hear as I go from site to site, and I also hear from parents,” Purvis said. “We’ve identified some issues and just want to be very transparent about those issues.”

“One of the main problems is poor communication. That’s communication between our transportation department and parents and our transportation department

and our schools, so we really identified the need to have good communication and increase that.”

Other areas identified were department efficiency, making the most out of what MCS has to offer, outdated mapping systems, incorrect information in systems, a need for creative solutions, and driver recruitment and retention.

Purvis listed a few positive steps forward – such as contracting a new mapping system, allowing additional paid time for drivers each week to go through potential communications, and posting to fill office vacancies – but she also stated that MCS would host three community input meetings planned for each area.

Area II will be on March 7 at Robbins Elementary from 6:30-8, Area I will be on March 14 at New Century MS from 6:30-8 and Area III will be on March 22 at Southern MS from 6:30-8.

“Returning Operational Excellence to Moore County Schools, whether it’s our bus transportation system, food service, maintenance, custodial, whatever, is a high priority for this board,” said Vice-Chair David Hensley.

Along with some of the other solutions, the board was presented with a School Bus Driver Recruitment and Retention Proposal to be piloted through the remainder of the school year.

“The first [idea] is that our drivers who have perfect attendance each month will receive a $50 bonus each month that they have perfect attendance,” said Superintendent Tim Locklair. “Many of our drivers currently have this, I believe about 60, and that shows how dedicated they are, showing up every day and driving those routes. They’d receive a $50 additional bonus each month with their pay. We’d estimate that to be a cost impact for the remainder of this year from $12,000-15,000.”

“Also, as part of this pilot proposal, we’d allot an additional $10 per day for drivers who are dual employees, which means maybe they’re a custodian at our schools and also drive our buses, or maybe they work in our cafeterias or are a teacher assistant,” continued Locklair. “We’d allot an additional $10 a day for divers that are dual employees and that drive AM and PM routes. That would be $200

per month and have a cost estimate anywhere, depending on hopefully if we recruit some more of our employees to join that, that would be an estimated cost from $36,000$50,000.

“These initiatives are really about retaining our dedicated school bus drivers that show up to work each day, transporting our students safely to and from school. The initiative of dual employees is really about a strategy to show appreciation for our current dual employees that drive a school bus route on top of their other duties and to provide a recruitment initiative for other employees who currently hold a school bus drivers license or CDL to begin driving a route.”

The board approved the pilot program, although Hensley recommended that the school system should do more and proposed a 5% bonus rather than the flat amounts.

“[The pilot] is just a start,” Locklair said in response. “Can we do more? Sure. We didn’t have the opportunity to analyze [the impact of a 5% bonus] this week, but that’s

See BOE, page 2

Pinehurst Council approves changes to fees and charges schedules

Council approves three new appoints to fill vacancies

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

PINEHURST — The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, February 14, with multiple appointments and fee schedule changes on the agenda.

The first two appointments that the council approved were to the Pinehurst Historic Preservation Commission.

“We have three vacancies currently on the Historic Preservation Commission,” said Village Manager Jeff Sanborn. “As is normally the case, we went through an interview process, and we have come up with two very high-quality candidates to fill two of those three positions.”

The voting panel presented two names to the council: Roxanne Vaitkus and Karl Ecker.

“We’ve lost three members, two of whom had legal experience, and so I felt in looking for new members that it would be important to have at least one person with legal experience,” said Historic Pres-

ervation Commission Chair John Taylor. “It turns out that of the four people we’ve interviewed so far, two of them had it, and so those are the two candidates that we are moving forward with. We still have two other candidates, plus a third that we have not interviewed yet, and we’d expect to be bringing forth a seventh nominee, hopefully in time for the March meeting. As we sit here tonight, we are down to four, which is the minimum we have to do business.”

The first appointment that the council approved was for Vaitkus.

“Historic preservation and restoration is really, really important,” Vaitkus said. “It’s what attracts tourists to the village, and it’s also what attracts residents to make an investment and become part of the community in Pinehurst. It’s what attracted my husband and I to Pinehurst 30 years ago. We had planned a golf trip from Chicago, and while my husband was on the golf course, I got lost wandering around the village on the curvilinear streets designed by Ulmstead and was smitten with the cottages and the gardens and just the whole historic ambiance and aesthetic of the village.

Together both of us said someday we want to live in Pinehurst.”

While Ecker wasn’t present for the meeting, the council approved his appointment anyway in order to help bolster the commission.

“Roxanne’s primary legal experience was not necessarily always in real estate, but Karl’s really was,” Taylor said. “He’s done a number of things, and he’s worked in Washington DC before. I think it was a pretty unanimous feeling between the panel that Roxanne and Karl were the two strongest of the four candidates that we had interviewed at that point. Karl brought significant experience in real estate law and understanding all of the things in the intersection of HPC and COA requirements with zoning and all that. I think he was a very strong candidate.”

The council also formally approved the appointment of Dana Van Nostrand as the Village Finance Officer.

“My background began as a CPA working with KPMG as an auditor focusing primarily on higher education, state government, and other not-for-profit clients,” Van Nos-

See PINEHURST, page 2

5 2017752016 $1.00

COURTESY PHOTO

U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson and Moore County officials cut the ribbon on Hudson’s new office in Southern Pines.

trand said. “I have then–in the last eight and half years–worked for the College of New Jersey, which is a state-funded, public college in New Jersey. My responsibilities there focused primarily on budget, strategic planning in terms of supporting that through the budgeting process, financial reporting, running the audits, and my experience there will serve me well here.”

The council then approved changes to the Fees and Charges Schedule in order to better cover the Village’s costs associated with them. For fire department fees, the first, second, third, and subsequent reinspections will be increased by 100%. So it will go from $50 to $100, from $100 to $200, and from $250 to $500. The fees associated with fire sprinklers and detection systems will have a $50

BOE, from page 1

something that we would commit to bringing back before the school board before the beginning of next school year. Is there another more aggressive proposal that we would put out there, like a 5%, or would we potentially propose a wagescale adjustment that would incorporate whatever that cost impact would be into just paying our school bus drivers more per hour? But this is just a pilot.”

Finally, the board approved an endorsement to gather public com-

Moore County

GOP Precinct Meetings

Moore GOP Headquarters 211 Central Park Ave Suite, Pinehurst, NC 28374

Pinehurst A1, Pinehurst A2

Saturday, February 11th

10 am - Noon

Pinehurst 82, Pinehurst C, Seven Lakes, Taylortown, Westmoore

Saturday, February 11th 1 pm - 3 pm

Eureka-Whlspering Pines, Carthage

Sunday, February 12th

2 pm - 4 pm

Pinehurst Bl, Bensalem, Cameron, DHR, Robbins

Saturday, February 18th

10 am - Noon

East Aberdeen, North Southern Pines, Pinebluff, Pinedene, South Southern Pines, West Aberdeen

Saturday, February 18th 1 pm - 3 pm

Eastwood, East

Knollwood, Little River, Vass, West End, West Knollwood

Sunday, February 19th 2 pm

minimum. Re-review fees will have a 50% increase to $150, and for express plan reviews that are needed to be done in less than 48 hours, the new fee will be $250.

“That’s going to cover the costs of us having to go back and reinspect places time and time again because, right now, we aren’t really completely covering those costs,” said Assistant Village Manager Doug Willardson. “In total, these aren’t going to bring in a lot of money for the village, but it would be about $2,000 to $3,000.”

Other fee changes include a $50 fee for the new nonconforming use certificates for short-term rentals, solid waste fees for refuse totes will increase from $48 to $70, and the Fair Barn cost will increase by 20% overall for all fees.

Finally, the council approved two new sponsorship positions to help promote the hiring of police and firefighters.

“We’re having a lot of difficulty

ment for the 2024-25 School Calendar. The calendars will go out on March 15 to the public, and the responses will be brought back before the board on April 10.

“I am so hopeful that our general assembly steps up and stops this nonsensical requirement forcing North Carolina public schools to stand alone in the nation in carrying their fall semester over into January,” Hensley said. “Our students deserve, for their mental health and for suicide prevention, to be able to complete their midterms and tests and all the stress-

in our recruitment of public safety folks, especially new and younger folks,” Sanborn said. “One of the things we’d like to do moving forward to try and bridge that gap is to take on the ability to hire fire and police cadets and then sponsor them through their academy experience. That way, they’re not needing to flip that bill themselves while trying to hold down another job or apply themselves. We think this might give us an edge moving forward.”

“I think it’s a very creative solution,” said Mayor John Strickland. “There’s a growing concern across the state of attracting people at a young age, as early on as possible, into the police and fire departments. So, what we’re doing here is something that hopefully the state will embrace and hopefully find some additional assistance in the future.”

The Village of Pinehurst Council will next meet February 28.

ful things at the end of the semester, and then drop their pencils, drop their backpacks and take a mental health break and enjoy the holiday break with their families and friends without the stress of having to return to school to still take their midterms and whatnot.”

“I know our delegation is working hard to make that happen for all of Moore County, if not all of North Carolina, so I’m hopeful that they’re successful because this is nonsensical.”

The Moore County Board of Education will next meet March 13.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County:

February 23

Friends of the Aberdeen Library Meeting

6pm

The Friends of the Aberdeen Library will hold a meeting every 4th Thursday of the month at the Aberdeen Fire Department. New members are always encouraged to attend and support the efforts!

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.

February 24

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.

Live Music: Whiskey Pines

7pm

Come out to Hatchet Brewing Company in Southern Pines to listen to live music from Whiskey Pines! Hatchet Brewing is located at 490 SW Broad Street in Southern Pines.

February 26

Sipping on Sunday 2pm

The Triangle Wine Company, located at 144 Brucewood Road in Southern Pines, is hosting Sipping on Sunday wine tastings! Wine down on your Sunday and enjoy sipping on a great selection!

•

•

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

James Clapper can’t stop lying

IN AN INTERVIEW with The Washington Post’s “fact-checker,” former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper contends that Politico misled the public about a letter he and 50 other former intel officials signed during the 2020 presidential campaign warning that the New York Post’s Hunter Biden laptop story could be Russian deception. “There was message distortion,” Clapper tells The Washington Post. “All we were doing was raising a yellow flag that this could be Russian disinformation. Politico deliberately distorted what we said. It was clear in paragraph five.”

presidential debates? Why didn’t Clapper send a follow-up statement clarifying his position after the Politico headline purportedly “distorted” the letter? Did he not see the piece until now — just as Republicans are about to investigate?

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse.

It was not clear, at all. The purpose of the letter, apparent then as it is now, was to discredit the Post’s scoop and provide Democrats and the media with ammunition to reject it. Of course, intel officials couldn’t definitively say that Hunter’s emails, which implicated Joe Biden as a business partner, were concocted by Vladimir Putin’s spooks. They had no access to the laptop. The purpose was to enlist former intel chiefs to cast doubt on the story. A perfunctory CYA paragraph doesn’t change anything.

The laptop lie began, as is often the case, with Adam Schiff, the California congressman who used the intelligence committee as a partisan disinfo clearinghouse. As soon as the story broke, Schiff claimed that “we know” — a phrase he used numerous times — that the emails had been planted by the Kremlin. By then, though, everyone understood the congressman was an irredeemable liar. The director of national intelligence, John Ratcliffe, issued a statement stressing that, actually, there was no evidence to back Schiff’s claims.

That’s when Politico reported that more than 50 former senior intelligence officials had signed a letter asserting that the laptop “has all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.” The most notable signees were Clapper, a man who ran a domestic surveillance program and then lied about it to Congress, and former CIA director John Brennan, a man who once oversaw an operation of illegal spying on a Senate staffer, and then also lied about it to the American people.

The letter worked exactly as intended. “Look,” Biden said during the last 2020 presidential debate when asked about the laptop, “there are 50 former national intelligence folks who said that what he’s accusing me of is a Russian plan.” On “60 Minutes,” Biden called the story “disinformation from the Russians.” Clapper tells The Washington Post that he had absolutely no idea how the former vice president had framed the contents of the letter — which is, to be generous, implausible nonsense.

If Clapper’s letter was merely a good-faith warning, then why didn’t any of the other signees push back against Biden’s contention during their numerous television appearances? Did none of them watch the

All the Post’s pedantic “fact check” does is offer the signees, and itself, cover. The Washington Post excuses the media’s (ongoing) suppression of the Hunter Biden story by arguing that the “leak of emails from the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta,” which “may have contributed to Donald Trump’s unexpected victory in 2016,” made journalists extra cautious about relaying uncorroborated information. That contention is gravely undercut by the hundreds of pieces and columns the Post ran based on the Democratic oppo research that contained what was almost surely Russian disinformation. Any skeptical journalist would have also immediately identified the letter, and the Politico piece, as a nakedly partisan attempt to undermine the legitimacy of a story.

Indeed, the New York Post’s Hunter story had far more substantiation than any of the histrionic Russia-collusion pieces that the public was subjected to during the Trump years. The Post detailed how it came into possession of its evidence. It interviewed the owner of the Delaware computer shop where Hunter had abandoned his laptop. It provided Hunter’s signature on a receipt. The Post had on-the-record sources with intimate knowledge of Hunter’s business dealings. They had onthe-record interviews with people who claimed to have interactions with the presidential candidate — incidents we now know Biden had lied about for years. And later, the emails were authenticated by forensic specialists at other outlets, as well.

Virtually the entire censorious journalistic establishment, including The Washington Post, with the help of tech giants and former spooks, limited the story’s exposure by either banning it outright as disinformation, creating the impression that it didn’t meet proper journalistic standards or implying that it had been planted by Russians. The media wasn’t going to allow another Hillary Clinton-like scandal to sink the prospects of a Democrat. And Clapper played a big part in that deception.

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 answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

THIS WEEK, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new data showing that our nation’s young girls are in a state of absolute emotional and mental crisis.

According to the CDC, 57% of high school girls said they were depressed in 2021, compared with 36% in 2011; 30% said they had considered suicide, compared with 19% in 2011. The numbers had also increased markedly for high school boys: 29% of high school boys reported depressive symptoms, up from 21% in 2011; 14% of high school boys had considered suicide, up from 13% a decade before.

Naturally, our nation’s pseudoscientific experts blame societal intolerance and lack of sexual sensitivity. Never mind the fact that more kids than ever are declaring themselves members of nonexistent identity groups (Demisexual! Gender nonbinary!), mistakenly self-diagnosing with Tourette’s syndrome or gender dysphoria, and claiming victimhood at the hands of a cruel society — a society that rewards and cheers all such claims. Never mind that we’ve now undergone a gender revolution in which we’ve declared biological sex itself passe, treated heterosexual norms as taboo and misogynistic and attempted to wipe away — along with actual sexual predation — much normal behavior in the name of #MeToo.

No, says the CDC, the problem — as always — is with society’s demands. As The Wall Street Journal reports, the CDC recommends “teaching kids about sexual consent, managing emotions, and asking for what they need”; furthermore, “Schools should encourage gender and sexuality alliances, provide safe spaces and people for LGBTQ+ students to go to for support, and ensure enforcement of antiharassment policies.”

Yes, the answer to five decades of social Leftism resulting in two generations unmoored from mental health is... more social Leftism!

Or, alternatively, any society that attempts to destroy all rules, roles and intermediate institutions laden with traditional values will end up

abandoning its children — all in the name of tolerance and diversity. We have robbed young men of a sense of meaning: we’ve told them that they need not be providers, protectors or defenders, and that even aspiring to do so makes them bigoted remnants of the past. Instead, young men are told that they ought to relegate themselves to the role of “male feminists,” condemning their own “toxic masculinity” while shying away from the commitments that turn boys into men.

We have robbed young women of any sense of place, time or purpose: we’ve told them that they need not seek out a husband, aspire to bear and rear children or make preparations to build a home. Instead, we’ve told them that they can run from their own biology, declaring themselves boys rather than girls, delaying childbearing indefinitely, pursuing the things that are supposedly truly important: sexual license, more work hours, sipping wine at brunch with single friends.

We have done all of this because children do not lie at the top of our civilizational hierarchy: the interests of adults do. Increasingly, adults in the West see children as either a burden and thus avoid having them, or as validators of their own sense of subjective self-identity, requiring indoctrination into more liberal forms of social organization.

And now children are paying the price.

The social Left has been in control of virtually all levers of culture and policy for decades. Now they demand more control in order to alleviate the consequences of the chaos they have created. The answer, of course, is precisely the opposite: the reinvigoration of traditional sources of wisdom and values, the re-inculcation of morality and obligation. If our society does not quickly reverse field, the consequences for our young people will be utterly disastrous.

Ben Shapiro, 38, is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.

COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

Young Americans are losing their minds. The social left is to blame.

Josephine "Effie" Taylor Ellis

March 21, 1946 - February 18, 2023

Josephine “Effie” Taylor Ellis, 76, of Southern Pines passed away at her home on Saturday, February 18th.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island March 21, 1946, she was the daughter of the late Francis Taylor and the late Lesley Bogert Taylor. Effie’s early years were divided between homes in Camden, SC and Newport, RI. In both locations, Effie’s main interests were her family, her dogs and her horses.

Effie is survived by her husband

M. Nixon “Nick” Ellis, her children Andrew Chew Ellis (Catherine) and Sassy Ellis Riley (Kevin). She is survived by her sisters Topsy, Patsy and Beverley Taylor. She has a granddaughter, Taylor Cameron Ellis.

Audrey Mae Jeffers Pitts

September 20, 1923 - February 13, 2023

Audrey Mae Jeffers Pitts, 99, of Pinehurst passed peacefully Monday, February 13th.

Born in Akron, OH, Sept. 20, 1923 she was the daughter of the late John Sterlie Jeffers and Essie A. Tozer Jeffers.

In the 1960’s she was heavily involved in advocating for her disabled son’s education. Audrey continued her own education at Cuyahoga Community College, and later Cleveland State University in 1973 with a BA in Sociology and Social Services.

Audrey was the wife of the late Delwin G. Pitts. She was the mother of Jeffrey Charles Pitts, Pamela Bander, husband Steven, and Keren Atkinson. She was the grandmother Matthew Bander, wife Laura and Chelsea Brooks Atkinson. She was the sister of the late Anita Jeffers, Dale Jeffers, and Arlene Jeffers Davis.

Charles E. Bronk

March 31, 1929 - February 16, 2023

Charles E. Bronk, “Charlie” an all around nifty guy. Born March 31st, 1929 in Brooklyn, NY passed peacefully at home with family present, on February 16, 2023. He attended Leonia High School where he met his wife of 71 years, Audrey Bronk. He served in the US Army from 1946 till his honorable discharge in 1948. He served as a corporal technician and was an expert marksman. Returning home he completed an Associate’s Degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Civically he introduced Indian Guides to Howard County, Maryland, designed the first Howard County YMCA outdoor pool and was very instrumental in the creation of the Howard County YMCA indoor facility. He and his wife Audrey moved to the Sandhills Area in 1993 residing first in Woodlake and then in Whispering Pines where they have resided for 26 years.

Charlie and Audrey were avid golfers and played many iconic courses including Pinehurst No 2, Pebble Beach, California and The Old Course in St Andrews, Scotland.

He is survived by his wife Audrey Bronk his son Kerry Bronk and grandson Eric Bronk, his son Jamie Bronk and wife Suzanne Tierney and grandchildren Alex “AJ” Bronk and Karly Bronk.

James G. (Jim) Owen

October 9, 1933 - February 14, 2023

James G. (Jim) Owen, passed away on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2023. Jim was born October 9, 1933 in Lynnville, TN to the late William R. Owen and Sadie E. Owen. He graduated from Albion College, Albion, MI, where he met his beloved wife Lois. Jim went on to earn a BA degree in education and then a Master’s degree as well as a Specialist degree from Wayne State University, Detroit, MI. He loved working with young people and served as a high school guidance counselor for many years.

When they retired, they built a home on Lake Auman in Seven Lakes, North Carolina and lived there for 21 years. Jim loved tennis, golf, bridge, poker, walking, hiking and most of all his family. Jim and Lois loved to travel visiting many countries and parts of the US. Jim was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend to many.

Jim leaves behind his loving wife, Lois Ann Owen, son Jeffrey Owen (Deceased); daughter Amy Owen; daughter Debra Owen Kwiatt, his grandchildren, Jaclyn Kwiatt, Stephanie Kwiatt and John Kwiatt. His brother William Robert Owen and Wife Betty Jo. And many loved nieces and nephews.

James A. (Jim) Januzik

May 25, 1949 - February 15, 2023

James A, (Jim) Januzik age 73 of Eastwood Peacefully passed away 15 February. Born 25 May 1949 to James F. and Carol Graf Januzik in Chicago IL.He is survived by his wife, Khristine (Khris) Evans Januzik, sisters Jill Joyce (Rodger) and Joanne Oler; sons Ian Weeks, Justin Januzik and daughter Jennifer Hulak; granddaughter, Corragan Goosey (Joe), grandsons Daniel Valentic, Christopher Hulak, Sagan Fraizer (N.M); niece Eren Simpson (Michael), nephew Kenan Tataragasi (Ariel) and his dog, Max. Jim was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Janice James. Jim served in the Airforce during the Viet Nam Era and received an honorable discharge.

Gerald F. (Gerry) Prange

December 31, 1922 - February 13, 2023

Gerald F. (Gerry) Prange, age 100, of Pinehurst, NC, died on February 13th, 2023.

Gerry was born December 31, 1922 in Lancaster, PA to Pearl and H. Frank Prange.

Gerry married his high school sweetheart, Mary M. Winnerling, of Lancaster, PA, who passed away December 2012, after celebrating 69 years of marriage. He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister June and Jack Collins. Gerry is survived by his daughter Judith Anne and Walter Havenstein of Pinehurst, NC daughter Carol Anne and JR Roscher of Pawley’s Island, SC, and a daughter Mary Elizabeth (Mollie) and Bruce Brenner of Lebanon, PA. He is also survived by grandson Walter and Mary Havenstein and great granddaughters Lindsey and Riley, grandson Ken and Amy Roscher and great grandsons

John Michael and Sam, Grandson Zack and Emily Henderson and granddaughter Katie and Asher Langenfeld and great grandson Grayson. Gerald is also survived by his sister Janis and Ray Sylte and many nieces and nephews.

Ross Elwin Moreton

September 27, 1940 - February 11, 2023

Ross Elwin Moreton, 82, passed away Saturday, February 11, 2023.

He was born September 27, 1940 in Watertown, New York, to the late George and Marian (Stillman) Moreton. Ross enjoyed a fulfilling career at Nova Southeastern University, as the dean of one of the doctoral programs.

Ross is survived by his wife of 26 years, Diane Lee (Paul) Moreton; three daughters, Tonya Boegel and husband Jason of Florida; Kristen Bechtol and husband Bobby of Florida; and Melody Moreton of Seven Lakes; a son, Scott Moreton and wife Emiko of Florida; a sister, Carole Pegram of Florida; five grandchildren, Jake Boegel, Taylor Boegel, Eva Bechtol, Kai Moreton, and Zen Moreton. Also surviving are several nieces and nephews.

Patricia Meyer Greene

June 10, 1928 - February 12, 2023

Patricia Meyer Greene went home to God in the early evening of February 12th after battling acute leukemia.

Patricia Anne Meyer was born in Auburn, NY on June 10, 1928 to the late Elizabeth Anne Heaton Meyer and John Herman Meyer of Auburn, NY. She married the late Francis Xavier Greene on May 7, 1949. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter Frances Anne Greene (1950) and her husband Francis Xavier Greene (2015).

She is survived by her children, Moira Greene Grogan (David); Nancy Elizabeth Greene; and Michael Francis Greene (Dawn). Surviving grandchildren include Kristina Robinson, Kerri Grogan Kosciesza (Jay), Sean Grogan, Taylor Greene Pennisi (Ben), Jordan Greene, Erica Leitner Varnedoe (Lee) and Michael Leitner. Surviving great grandchildren include Zoe and CJ Robinson, Aster Kosciesza, Carter Pennisi and Brandt Varnedoe.