UNC shocked the college football and greater sports world last week by hiring eight-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Belichick to lead the Tar Heels football team. Belichick attended Carolina’s men’s basketball game against La Salle, being introduced and speaking to the Dean Dome crowd during halftime. See more in Sports.
Stein names 7 Cabinet members
Raleigh Governor-elect Josh Stein has announced his first seven cabinet members for his incoming administration. Two of his picks — Pamela Cashwell and D. Reid Wilson — are members of outgoing-Gov. Roy Cooper’s cabinet. His choices also include the first Hispanic cabinet member and the first American Indian female member. Wilson will move from being N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources secretary to lead the Department of Environmental Quality, while Cashwell — the first American Indian woman to head a cabinet department in North Carolina, according to Stein’s release — will move from the Department of Administration to the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. Stein chose Central Piedmont Community College Trustee Gabriel J. Esparza to lead the Department of Administration. Leslie Cooley Dismukes, who served under Stein in the state Justice Department, was picked to lead the Department of Adult Correction. Devdutta Sangvai, a Duke University School of Medicine professor, will replace Kody Kinsley as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. He is a recent past president of Duke Regional Hospital and is currently president of the North Carolina Medical Board. The Department of Revenue will be led by McKinley Wooten Jr., currently the agency’s assistant secretary for tax processing, research and equity. Jocelyn Mitnaul Mallette, an attorney and Air Force veteran, was picked to lead the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
The 2022 analysis found monitoring and measurement issues at DPS
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — A new audit report has found issues with the distribution of $112 million in Hurricane Florence funds. The North Carolina Office
of the State Auditor’s (OSA) new audit on the North Carolina Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) distribution of the funds found that from Feb. 1, 2021, to Dec. 31, 2023, DPS had distributed $18 million in Hurricane Florence to recipients with “limited monitoring.” For the same period, $94 million in funds went out without ensuring
The overall recovery costs are estimated to surpass $53 billion
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — The General Assembly’s House Select Committee on Helene Recovery met for the first time Dec. 11 to discuss current appropriations and future funding needs.
“It’s probably gonna be years in the recovery process,” Rep. Dudley Greene (R-Avery), the committee co-chair, said. “We’ve got a long way to go.”
Fiscal Research Division’s Mark White gave an overview of the appropriations by the General Assembly to date, which total $1.13 billion across three bills. Two of the bills were passed and enacted in October: $273 million in Session Law 2024-51 and $604.15 million in Session Law 2024-53.
An additional $225 million was passed in Senate Bill 382, which Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed due to other provisions in the bill unrelated to hurricane relief. The General Assembly completed an overrode of the veto on Dec. 11.
Presentations were also given by Samaritan’s Purse Senior Director of North American Ministries Jason Kimak, N.C. Office of State Budget and Management’s Kristin Walker and N.C. Baptist Men/Baptists on Mission
LGC to monitor Town of Speed
The commission also approved $79.9 million in spending
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — At its December meeting, the Local Government Commission approved multiple spending items and adopted a resolution regarding the financial monitoring of the Edgecombe County town of Speed.
The Local Government Commission (LGC) directed the town of Speed, with about 60 residents, to contract with public accountants to manage its financial affairs, with potential consequences including loss of charter control if the town does not comply. The LGC gave the town 30 days to confirm engagement in that contract and must open its financial and accounting records to LGC personnel.
The LGC, chaired by North Carlina Treasurer Dale Folwell, monitors the financial well-being of more than 1,100 local government units.
Several financing projects were approved during the meeting, including substantial investments in infrastructure, public facilities and community development. These approvals span various counties and involve different types of financial mechanisms like installment purchases, revenue bonds and state revolving fund loans.
LGC spending approvals for December included:
• Pineville (Mecklenburg County): $16.5 million for a new fire station
• Brunswick County: $33 million for sewer project bond refunding
• Inlivian (Mecklenburg County): $26 million for a lowincome housing development
I’m going to miss the creativity and the courage and the hard work of the state employees.”
Dale Folwell, North Carolina state treasurer
“We’ve got a long way to go.” Committee Co-chair Rep. Dudley Greene (R-Avery)
ASHLEY WHITE / NORTH STATE JOURNAL
the word | O Come, Emmanuel
As we approach the fourth Sunday of Advent, the final purple candle — often called the Angel’s Candle — is lit to symbolize love. This week, our reflections focus on God’s ultimate act of love in sending his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. Few hymns encapsulate the Advent season’s themes of hope, peace, joy and love as powerfully as “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” This ancient hymn, steeped in biblical imagery, prepares our hearts for the celebration of Christ’s coming while calling us to marvel at God’s love.
The text of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” originates from the “O” Antiphons, a series of seven liturgical verses sung during the final days of Advent. Each antiphon starts with the exclamation “O” and highlights a unique name or title for the Messiah, drawn from Old Testament prophecies. The antiphons build anticipation, pointing to the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a savior, culminating in the final antiphon — “O Emmanuel” — meaning “God with us.”
The antiphons are:
O Wisdom (Sapientia) of our God Most High, guiding creation with power and love: come to teach us the path of knowledge! (Isaiah 11:2-3).
O Leader (Adonai) of the House of Israel, giver of the Law to Moses on Sinai: come to rescue us with your mighty power! (Exodus 19:16).
O Root (Radix) of Jesse’s stem, sign of God’s love for all his people: come to save us without delay! (Isaiah 11:1).
O Key (Clavis) of David, opening the gates of God’s eternal Kingdom: come and free the prisoners of darkness! (Isaiah 22:22).
O Radiant Dawn (Oriens), splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death. (Malachi 4:2).
O King (Rex) of all nations and
• Duck (Dare County): $2 million for a land acquisition
• Carolina Beach (New Hanover County): $2 million for a boardwalk restroom replacement
• Wilson (Wilson County): $400,000 for lead service line inventory
Folwell also held his 95th and final “Ask Me Anything” call with the media on Dec. 3. His monthly call with reporters earned him a “Sunshine Award“ for transparency in government operations from the N.C. Open
Mobilization Consultant Paul Langston.
Division of Emergency Management Director and Deputy Homeland Security Advisor William C. Ray, who is overseeing the state’s post-Helene recovery efforts, also provided information to the committee.
Kimrak told lawmakers his organization has thousands of work orders in just a handful of counties: 1,672 in Watauga, 1,488 in Buncombe and 601 across Mitchell and Yancey counties.
Kimrak said more than 31,000 volunteers are doing work, and the organization has launched a Hurricane Helene Rebuild Program. Citizens impacted can apply for the program, which covers items such as manufactured home replacements, repairs to stick-built homes, new stick-built home construction, furniture assistance, and church grants.
The Hurricane Helene Rebuild Program is “free of charge” to Helene survivors in Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Madison, Mitchell, Yancey and Watauga counties and Johnson County in Tennessee. For more information, contact USDisasterRecovery@samaritan.org by email or call 828-588-4663.
In her presentation, Walker highlighted the critical recovery challenges, including the estimated 275,000 households applying for federal assistance and the fact that 95% of the homes with FEMA-verified flood damage do not have flood insurance.
Walker cited long-lasting issues like higher construction costs and survivors’ loss of income. Additionally, electric infrastructure that serves some 2 million homes has been impacted, and 163 water and sewer systems were damaged.
priest and hymnwriter known for his work preserving ancient hymns. Neale’s translation, which first appeared in 1851, beautifully captures the essence of the original Latin, balancing its solemn tone with its hope-filled message.
The hymn’s melody, known as Veni Emmanuel, is equally ancient, dating to a 15th-century French funeral hymn. It was adapted by Thomas Helmore in 1856 and paired with Neale’s text.
Each verse of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” reflects on one of the O Antiphons, drawing from the rich imagery of Old Testament prophecy.
“O come, O come, Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel” speaks to the longing of God’s people for deliverance, fulfilled in Christ, the promised savior.
“O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny” points to Jesus as the branch from Jesse’s line (Isaiah 11:1), bringing freedom from sin.
“O come, Thou Dayspring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here” celebrates Christ as the light who breaks through the darkness, echoing Malachi 4:2: “The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.”
keystone of the Church: come and save man, whom you formed from the dust! (Isaiah 9:6).
O Emmanuel, our King and Giver of Law: come to save us, Lord our God! (Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23).
In the original Latin terms, the poetic structure of the antiphons creates a reverse acrostic ”Ero cras,” which means “I shall be with you tomorrow.” The entire design reinforces the promise of Christ’s imminent arrival, both in the first coming at Bethlehem and in his return. By the 12th or 13th century, these antiphons were arranged into a Latin hymn, “Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.” In the mid-19th century, the text was rediscovered and translated into English by John Mason Neale, an Anglican
Government Coalition in 2022.
“If you look at the demands of being the keeper of the public purse and if you look at my chronological age, I don’t have a lot of time to waste keeping information from you all that you deserve,” Folwell said when asked to reflect on holding the media calls. “And that’s the way I’ve always treated this office.”
He said the questions posed during the calls helped him and his staff to get back to reporters about their questions “on a timely basis.” Folwell also thanked his staff for their hard work and commit-
The refrain, “Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel,” serves as both a promise and a declaration of hope. It reminds us that God has not abandoned his people.
“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” invites us to prepare our hearts to receive Christ. It is a hymn of expectation but also of assurance — that God’s promise has been fulfilled in the coming of Jesus. The love revealed in the manger at Bethlehem is the same love that sustains us today and gives us hope for Christ’s return.
Through this hymn, we join a chorus of believers across centuries and cultures who have celebrated the arrival of Jesus and his message of hope, peace, joy and love.
ment to holding the media calls over his tenure as treasurer.
“I’m going to miss the creativity and the courage and the hard work of the state employees,” Folwell said.
Folwell said the transition planning with Brad Briner, the incoming treasurer, is going well, and Folwell said he was committed to making it as smooth as possible. Folwell also indicated he did not know if Briner would continue the Ask Me Anything calls.
Folwell was elected state treasurer in 2016 and has served for two terms. He will depart the of-
“We must resolve to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter,” Walker said. “We know that works.” Approximately 400 hazardous waste facilities were also impacted, and there were “at least” 6,000 miles of roads damaged, as well as more than 1,000 bridges, according to Walker. She estimated an overall cost of $53.6 billion, of which $41.1 billion are estimated direct costs.
The governor’s proposal for state-recommended funding is $3.9 billion. Federal funding requests currently total $25.6 billion, including $8 billion in expected eligibility-based federal funding and $17.6 billion in new federal funding requests. Walker noted that $9.1 billion in state reserves are available, with $5.5 billion left over if the governor’s requested amount is fulfilled.
“The initial request that’s been
put forward to this General Assembly was $3.9 billion, so that leaves us with $17.8 billion that would go unfunded,” Walker said of the gap between the governor’s proposal to the legislature and the estimated funds needed.
Walker said of the $954 million appropriated by the legislature so far, $335 million is tied to matching federal disaster assistance and $331 million is spread out across various loans to local governments, businesses, water/ wastewater systems and underground storage tanks.
Langston told lawmakers that N.C. Baptist Men/Baptists on Mission Mobilization’s feeding kitchen has served more than half a million meals since the hurricane hit and is doing recovery and rebuild work at 16 sites across the impacted counties. He urged the committee to bolster the N.C. Office of State Budget Management’s Disaster Recov-
ery unit in the long term to address Helene needs, calling them a “tremendous partner.” According to Ray’s presentation, the N.C. Department of Emergency Management’s numbers show that 272,734 individuals have applied for FEMA assistance, and $14.9 million in FEMA funding has been provided to disaster survivors. Additionally, Ray said 4,996 households remain in “transitional sheltering,” more than $1.2 million in rental assistance has been approved for 440 applicants, and 56 direct housing units are being used by 127 Helene survivors. As of Dec. 4, FEMA’s website had indicated that of the 100 trailers for temporary housing promised for North Carolina, only 27 had been delivered. According to an extensive report by The Blaze on the housing situation in the affected areas, some
fice in 2025 after unsuccessfully running for governor this past election cycle.
“I love fixing things,” Folwell said of his plans after he exits public office. “I love saving money. … Going forward — 28 years in public service, 20 years in Raleigh — I’m looking forward to getting back to my routine and my family. … Not just family, but friends and my community back in Winston-Salem.” Folwell’s final call with the media can be viewed on the YouTube channel of the Office of the State Treasurer at youtube. com/@NCDST.
700 families in need of temporary housing are registered with EmergencyRV.org.
Ray gave a rundown of the resources deployed, including 3,100 National Guard troops and 1,686 first responders from 39 states, three U.S. territories and two countries, which Ray said was an “unprecedented” response.
FEMA’s Disaster Survivor Assistance Team has conducted 115,621 home visits, has had 55,348 survivor interactions and has 17 sites still operating in the state, Ray said.
Ray’s presentation did not mention that FEMA had dismantled its main worker village in Candler just before the Thanksgiving holiday. A Nov. 22 FEMA news release said the agency was also closing disaster recovery centers in Sparta, Dallas, Sylva and Old Fort.
Looking ahead to long-term needs, Ray highlighted housing resilience and replacement, debris removal, infrastructure repair, and help for local governments and nonprofit groups.
Greene closed the meeting citing his recent trip to Washington, D.C., to meet with North Carolina’s congressional members about Helene recovery efforts.
“I will say that North Carolina’s delegation seems completely engaged and supportive, and hopefully that we’ll be hearing something before the end of the year, hopefully before Christmas,” said Greene. “It’d be a good Christmas package to get this done. So we hope to be hearing something from that shortly.”
The Committee’s next meeting date has not been set, but it will send a letter to incoming House Speaker Rep. Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) requesting that their work be extended through 2025.
PUBLIC DOMAIN
“Nativity” by Antonio da Correggio (circa 1528) is a painting in the collection of the Old Masters Gallery of the Dresden State Art Collections in Dresden, Germany.
LGC from page A1
HELENE from page A1
JEFF ROBERSON / AP PHOTO
A person carries a chainsaw as cleanup begins in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Oct. 1 in Hot Springs.
COURTESY DALE FOLWELL
State Treasurer Dale Folwell held his final “Ask Me Anything” call with reporters before leaving office.
NC voters pass voting amendment by wide margin
The measure passed with more than 77% of the vote
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — The voters of North Carolina overwhelmingly approved a new state constitutional amendment that makes voting a citizen-only privilege in state elections.
Unofficial results as of Dec. 6 posted by the N.C. State Board of Elections show 5,393,545 votes were cast on the amendment question, with 4,184,680 voting in favor and 1,208,865 voting against — a passage percentage of 77.58%.
The amendment passed in 98 of the state’s 100 counties. The only counties where most voters cast their ballots against the measure were Durham (52.7%) and Orange (51.5%).
Session Law 2024-18 put the topic on the ballot this year, with voters asked to vote for or against “that only a citizen of the United States who is 18 years of age and otherwise possessing the qualifications for voting shall be entitled to vote at any election in this State.”
The Senate passed the amendment 40-4 and the House 99-12. Republicans in both chambers all voted for passage, while 16 Democrats across
Ninety-eight of North Carolina’s 100 counties voted in favor of a new state constitutional amendment that clarifies the requirements to vote in elections.
98
Counties of N.C.’s 100 that passed the
both chambers voted against it. House Democrats voting against the amendment were Reps. John Autry (Mecklenburg), Amber Baker (Forsyth), Mary Belk (Mecklenburg), Laura Budd (Mecklenburg), Becky Carney (Mecklenburg), Maria Cervania (Wake), Sarah Crawford (Wake), Rosa Gill (Wake), Pricey Harrison (Guilford), Marvin Lucas (Cumberland), Marcia Morey (Durham) and Renée Price (Durham). In the Senate, Democrat Sens. Val Applewhite (Cumberland), Graig Meyer (Orange), Natalie Murdock (Durham) and Gladys Robinson (Guilford) voted no. While the federal Illegal Immigration Reform and Im-
State fire marshal releases emergency rules for temporary Helene housing
Individuals must file an affidavit limiting occupancy to 180 days
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — North Carolina State Fire Marshal Brian Taylor announced the release of emergency rules aimed at aiding Hurricane Helene survivors to utilize temporary housing situations. The announcement came in a press release issued Dec. 11.
“The Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) reaffirms its commitment to supporting local governments in their efforts to provide safe and warm shelter for North Carolinians this winter,” the press release says.
The emergency rule speeds up temporary housing permitting and inspections in the 25 North Carolina counties affected by Hurricane Helene by streamlining the process.
The rule applies to Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon,
AUDIT from page A1
all recipients had a method to measure results.”
“As a result, there was an increased risk recipients could have misused funds without the misuse being detected and then corrected in a timely manner,” the findings state. “Consequently, DPS was limited in its ability to determine whether funds were achieving legislatively intended results.”
Legislation passed by the General Assembly in October 2018 established the Hurricane Florence Emergency Response Act, which, over time, accumulated allocations totaling more than $942 million. Part of the act requires the OSA to monitor and issue reports on the spending of those funds.
According to the current audit, DPS had disbursed $877 million (93%) of that total to recipients and the remaining $30.1 million in unused funding was transferred back to the State Emergency Response and Disaster Relief Fund as required by statute.
Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties, plus the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
To take advantage of the emergency rule, individuals need to fill out and sign an affidavit that limits occupancy to 180 days, after which the building reverts back to needing to comply with standard building codes. Additionally, the owners are required to assume all liability for construction and use of the temporary housing structure.
Under the emergency rule, temporary housing without electrical systems is exempt from permits and inspections, and those exemptions last for the duration of the state of emergency. Housing with electrical systems must be inspected by an electrical inspector before being activated.
Temporary housing must adhere to local zoning regulations and be strategically positioned. The temporary structures are limited to one story, cannot exceed 400 square feet and should be situated as much as possible away from hazardous areas such as flood zones
and steep slopes. Additionally, a minimum of 10 feet of separation from property lines to ensure safety and compliance is required.
Each temporary housing unit must meet specific livability requirements. This includes maintaining a minimum ceiling height of 6-foot-8, providing at least one egress door at least 32 inches wide, and ensuring emergency escape windows in sleeping areas. Additionally, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are mandatory, and the structure must have heating facilities capable of maintaining a temperature of 68 degrees. Natural ventilation is also required, with window and door openings specifications to ensure adequate air circulation and emergency exit routes.
The fire marshal’s emergency rule provides detailed specifications for the construction of temporary housing units, including precise requirements for foundations, floor joists, wall framing and roof construction.
There are also specific guidelines for electrical systems, with provisions for inspection before activating those systems.
migrant Responsibility Act of 1996 prohibits noncitizens from voting in federal elections, voting in local, municipal and state elections has been left up to the states to decide. Twelve states had citizen-only voting in some form before the 2024 election: Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Wyoming.
Seven of those 12 states have citizen-only voting in their state constitutions: Alabama, A rizo-
na, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, North Dakota and Ohio.
As of the 2024 election, the total number of citizen-only voting states now stands at 20 with the addition of North Carolina, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin.
All eight states have Republican-controlled legislatures, and the measure passed by majorities ranging from 62% in Kentucky to 86% in South Carolina.
Noncitizen voting has increasingly become a hot-button election issue over the last decade. Certain municipalities in states like California, Maryland, New York and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia, have made headlines over allowing noncitizens to vote.
On May 1, 2024, U.S. Rep. William Timmons (R-S.C.) introduced a citizens-only voting bill, H.R.8218. The act was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability on the same day it was introduced and has not been seen since.
Timmons’ bill followed a federal court dismissing a case challenging the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment of 2022 that allows noncitizens, including those who entered the country illegally, to vote in local Washington, D.C., elections so long as they lived in the district for 30 days.
The construction must use approved materials and techniques, such as minimum wood structural panel thicknesses for
tant State Budget Officer Thomas Cheek delegated OSBM’s authority to DPS for DPS to directly request funds from the Hurricane Florence Disaster Recovery Fund to meet requirements of the Session Law.”
Buffaloe also wrote, “DPS contends its authority is limited in withholding funding or providing oversight or grants such as those specifically appropriated in S.L. 2018-136.”
sheathing, proper nailing patterns, and bracing specifications to ensure structural integrity and basic safety.
Matthew federal disaster relief funds.
Alongside DPS, the audit lists the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) as one of the parties responsible for the spending. NCORR was established by Gov. Roy Cooper during his first term in office.
NCORR’s struggles in getting victims of Hurricanes Matthew (2016) and Florence (2018) back into their homes have been the subject of multiple legislative oversight hearings.
Recommendations to remedy the issue include DPS monitoring external recipients getting money from the Florence funding to make sure that spending is “timely” and in accordance with the act. OSA also said DPS should develop a process or set of policies that contain objectives for future recovery and relief funds, and be able to measure the progress in meeting those objectives.
future legislation regarding disaster recovery or other emergency relief funds.”
DPS Secretary Eddie Buffaloe disagreed with the audit’s findings in the agency’s response.
Additionally, the OSA recommended that the General Assembly should “consider including monitoring requirements in
“DPS was not specifically included in the legislation as ‘administering’ the funds to the external entities included in S.L. 2018-136,” Buffaloe wrote. “In fact, in November 2018 Assis-
As noted in the current audit report, OSA found similar problems in its April 2022 report on Florence funding. That report spanned Nov. 1, 2018, through Jan. 31, 2021, and found that DPS had “limited monitoring” and measurement issues of more than $1.28 billion. Former State Auditor Beth Wood later issued an audit of the Florence funds in November 2023 that said DPS had properly allocated and disbursed funds in “accordance with Hurricane Florence Recovery legislation.”
Additionally, in November 2022, the inspector general for the U.S. Housing and Urban Development agency issued an audit showing North Carolina’s disaster recovery program was not able to provide a “reasonable assurance” that it had property spent $2.5 million in Hurricane
The most recent oversight hearing was held in October, and NCORR Director Laura Hogshead was grilled about the governor’s Hurricane Helene spending proposal showing NCORR had a budget gap of $175 million. The gap surprised lawmakers since Hogshead’s agency has a budget of more than $1 billion. Testimony given by Cooper’s legislative counsel, Pryor Gibson, revealed the budget gap to actually be $221 million.
In the days that followed that hearing, DPS announced Hogshead was no longer an employee. DPS refused to clarify if she resigned or was fired, citing personnel file confidentiality as the reason for withholding the information.
CHUCK BURTON / AP PHOTO
Toppled trees are strewn in the yard and on a home in Wilmington after Hurricane Florence made landfall in September 2018.
amendment.
COURTESY N.C. DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE North Carolina Fire Marshal Brian Taylor announced emergency temporary housing rules for those impacted by Hurricane Helene.
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
EDITORIAL | FRANK HILL
The Coach Bill Belichick hire at Carolina
To those who say Belichick never coached in college, ask them if they think Einstein could have taught physics to high school students.
FOR A 48-HOUR period last week, UNC Chapel Hill was the center of the college football world ― not basketball.
Bill Belichick was hired to coach the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels. The most successful NFL coach in history with Super Bowl rings for eight of his 10 fingers ― six with the New England Patriots and two as defensive coordinator with the New York Giants ― agreed to come south at age 73 to establish, in his words, “a professional program at the collegiate level.”
It might be the earthquake that reshapes not only college football but the entire college athletic world in these days of the transfer portal, NIL and instant gratification.
Asking how much Belichick will make as coach is immaterial. (It is a $50 million, fiveyear contract guaranteed for the first three years.) Based on his initial comments and experience in the NFL, what Belichick brings to the table is far, far more important than the terms of his contract.
Like the greatest coaches of all time, Belichick views himself first and foremost as a teacher and a molder of men.
Such “philosopher-king coaches” are extremely rare. Carolina and Duke benefitted immensely from three of them: Dean Smith at Carolina; and Duke’s Coach K and Wallace Wade, who left behind three national titles in 1925, 1926 and 1930 at Alabama to become AD, head coach and intramural director in 1931. Read any of their biographies or talk to anyone who knew or played for them, and they all say the same things: They were tough but fair; they demanded excellence on the playing field or court as well as in the classroom and community; and they cared deeply
EDITORIAL | STACEY MATTHEWS
about their players and university at large.
These legendary coaches preached and demanded a “team-first” attitude. So does Belichick.
Look at what he did with the Patriots ― name any player besides Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and maybe Randy Moss who will be in the NFL Hall of Fame one day. Belichick took mostly average athletes who were smart and savvy and molded them into great teams by putting each player in situations to maximize their strength and minimize their deficiencies. The Patriots were known as the team that was meticulously prepared for each and every situation on the field.
And their defense — Carolina fans can say goodbye to teams such as JMU hanging 70 points on them. No more “Fly the Friendly Skies” of the Tar Heels secondary under a Belichick-coached defense.
Think the next great running back from Tarboro or in-state five-star talent will bypass Chapel Hill to go play for Georgia when he can play for Belichick?
Doubtful.
To those who say Belichick never coached in college, ask them if they think Einstein could have taught physics to high school students. By far the most important thing Belichick said at his press conference was say he would help every player get prepared for “life after football.” Less than 2% of all college football players wind up playing a single down in the NFL. Of those who do, they stay an average of 3.3 years before retirement.
In these days of NIL money, young men need to be taught how to handle and invest money and not squander it like so many before them. Belichick has promised to teach his Tar Heels players discipline, financial and time
The Daniel Penny ‘not guilty’ verdict was the right call
Alexandria OcasioCortez (D-N.Y.) accused Penny of being a “murderer” in Neely’s death.
LAST MONDAY, many Americans who had been closely following the Daniel Penny trial out of New York City collectively held their breath as they waited for the verdict to be announced. Would he be found guilty and face up to four years in prison or found not guilty and become a free man?
For those who are unfamiliar with the case, Penny, 26, took action on May 1, 2023, after a mentally ill homeless man with a lengthy criminal record, 30-year-old Jordan Neely, boarded the subway train and proceeded to act aggressively and threateningly toward other passengers, according to witnesses.
The Marine Corps veteran put Neely in a submission hold as two other riders also helped subdue him to try and neutralize the threat.
After officers and other first responders arrived on the scene, Neely was transferred to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Agitators took to the streets and disrupted the subway system soon after as politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) accused Penny of being a “murderer” in Neely’s death. Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) also added fuel to the fire by declaring that Neely, who was black, had been “lynched on the subway” by Penny, who is white.
All of this helped stoke the mob mentality that eventually led Soros-funded Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg to charge Penny,
who voluntarily turned himself in, with one count each of second-degree manslaughter and negligent homicide a month and a half after the incident.
As his trial began, many observers feared it wouldn’t be even close to a fair one, considering the venue and the fact that it appeared that public sentiment was divided on whether Penny did the right thing that day or went too far.
Those worries increased when, on the Friday before the verdict was announced, the jury indicated they were hopelessly deadlocked on the second-degree manslaughter count.
Soon after, the judge in the case, Justice Maxwell Wiley, dismissed the charge after being asked to do so by prosecutors and instructed the jurors to begin deliberations on the lesser negligent homicide charge.
For some trial observers, it appeared the fix was in, that both the judge and the prosecutors were trying to make it easier for the jury to convict Penny.
But that following Monday, Dec. 9, the jury returned with a unanimous “not guilty” verdict. And for those who believed Penny did what any concerned citizen would do in taking action after seeing the people around them endangered, a sigh of relief was breathed.
Deputy Wall Street Journal Editorial Page
Editor Daniel Henninger explained it this way: “(Big Apple) residents are basically OK with this result, since the alternative would have
management skills, and how to be a mature adult so they can be a success for their long life after football.
If he does nothing more than make sure players go to class, avoid sham classes such as the embarrassing AFAM class scandal a decade ago and graduate with a meaningful degree as Smith, Krzyzewski and Wade did, Belichick will have done UNC and the entire collegiate athletic world a tremendous public service.
The ACC was formed in 1953 out of the rib of the old 15-member Southern Conference to create a league of teams that could compete for national titles with much higher academic standards and entrance requirements than any other conference in the country (not named the Ivy League).
That is the reason why every institution in the ACC is viewed with respect by other universities. It is the main reason why SMU joined without being able to participate in any television revenue for the next decade.
If ACC teams want to forfeit any semblance of quality academic achievement for their student-athletes, by all means, they should leave and become a football factory and wind up being a .500 team in the Big Ten and SEC forever.
Bill Belichick may be the perfect candidate for the perfect time to set college athletics back on its original mission ― to train bold young leaders for the future of this nation.
Go Tar Heels!
been to confirm Mr. Bragg’s determination to imprison Mr. Penny for preventing yet another act of random, often fatal, violence.”
“The verdict is a clear dissent from the progressive criminal-justice theories of Mr. Bragg and his local allies,” Henninger also wrote, hinting at Bragg’s soft-on-crime reputation except in cases where convictions (like President-elect Donald Trump’s) earn him back pats and high-fives from social justice warriors.
Penny undoubtedly wants to move on with his life, which has been complicated by what’s unfolded over the last year and a half.
Whatever he decides to do, here’s hoping that between the acquittal, the way he’s handled himself and the support he’s getting from Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance and others will help him be able to successfully put all of this behind him.
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.
Trumpism is going global
Now is the hour of the entire world’s discontent.
BUCKLE YOUR SEATBELTS because President-elect Donald Trump has ignited a worldwide revolt against the arrogance of global elites.
We are entering a brand-new era of rebellion — man against the self-serving, outof-touch political machines that ignore the will of the governed.
Everywhere.
Look around.
The world is a mess. Entrenched political leaders and parties are being tumultuously evicted in Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia. In Britain, the Conservative Party grew government, lost its moorings and was chased from office, only to be replaced by an economically incompetent Labour Party that came into office, raised taxes on everything and everyone, and plunged the economy into recession. France just ousted its prime minister for the first time in decades, thrusting the “country into chaos,” as CNN put it.
Germany’s government is also on the verge of collapse. Chancellor Olaf Scholz has been forced to request a vote of confidence later this month.
Good luck with that. The Associated Press reports that “his three-party coalition” government collapsed last month.
In South Korea, the president invoked martial law, and now the citizens are demanding his impeachment.
In Japan, “the party (that) has ruled the country almost continuously” since 1955, according to BBC, was voted out in October.
Mexico and Canada have elected leftist boobs who are losing support by the day.
Way ahead of the pack is Argentina, where the “shock capitalist” President Javier Milei, who says, “I despise the state government,” won election a year ago and is an overnight international hero for his chainsaw approach to shrinking big government. Now is the hour of the entire world’s discontent.
Why are the dominoes of government tumbling so suddenly?
One word: Trump. The whole world has
COLUMN | NEWT GINGRICH
watched with fascination and even admiration the peaceful citizen uprising in America. The masses around the world are screaming, “We want Trumpism in our country.” They seem to be saying, “Make Britain great again. Make Germany, Japan, Korea, and Canada great again.”
The politicians, bureaucrats and elite academics are horrified. They should be.
The anger at the political class is boiling over with scalding resentment against government incompetence, fiscal mismanagement and statist directives that snatch away basic freedoms.
They have commanded us that you can’t have a gas stove, a gas car, a lawnmower or an air conditioner. Parents can’t send their kids to good schools.
My, how the tables have turned. The politicians who profess to care so much about the working classes are now despised by the voters.
The masses around the world are seeing the bounce in America’s step in the wake of the Trump election. The Trumpian message is prosperity, efficiency, fairness, home rule, and love of country.
It’s a virtual certainty that voters everywhere are going to demand commonsense Trumpian policies in their towns and countries. As Trump has said, every leader should put their own country first. Global government is dead for now.
It’s a grassroots power-to-the-people movement — something the left once believed in.
I wouldn’t want to be Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau or Scholz right now. The Trumpians are coming for you.
Good riddance.
Stephen Moore is a visiting fellow at the Heritage Foundation. He is also an economic advisor to the Trump campaign. His new book, coauthored with Arthur Laffer, is “The Trump Economic Miracle.”
President-elect Trump: The de facto president
Presidentelect Franklin Delano Roosevelt refused to work with President Herbert Hoover between the election and his inauguration on March 4, 1933.
IT IS CLEAR Donald J. Trump will be a remarkable second-term president. His courage and endurance over the last nine years have already made him a historic figure — even before he made the greatest comeback in American political history on Nov. 5.
The four years he spent out of office gave Trump time to think through how much he wanted to change the establishment. He was also able to consider what steps he could take to remove the dictatorial elements in the American system.
I thought his second term would start on his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. That is the date he will become president de jure, the Latin term for something being in the law. However, it never occurred to me that Trump’s fame, energy and drive — and President Joe Biden’s collapse — would lead to a totally new model. The actuality is that Trump has become the de facto president. De facto in Latin means “in reality or as a matter of fact.”
When French President Emmanuel Macron greeted Trump with the full honors of state during his recent trip to Paris, it was clear that the mantle of American power had shifted decisively to Trump.
When Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Macron to discuss Ukraine, it was clear where the center of world power resided.
The images of Trump and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni were a powerful contrast to Meloni’s recent meeting with Biden, in which she had to go find him and lead him back to a group photo. Furthermore, Meloni is a conservative populist. She is solving illegal immigration and creating economic growth in a manner similar to Trump.
The fact is Trump is the de facto president. He is the practical leader of the United States even before his inauguration. He is negotiating with leaders and sending signals about massive domestic and foreign policy changes. He is essentially eliminating Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris from the public stage by the sheer scale and energy of his activities.
Part of his de facto presidency comes from him being an effective leader compared to the ineffective leaders in the current White House.
Politico captured the startling change in a Dec. 9 piece headlined, “Biden shrinks from view ahead of Trump’s return to Washington.” According to the outlet: “Joe Biden is
president of the United States for 42 more days. But within the Democratic Party, on Capitol Hill — and even within his own administration — it feels like he left the Oval Office weeks ago.
“Biden has effectively disappeared from the radar in the wake of the Democrats’ bruising electoral loss. … ‘He’s been so cavalier and selfish about how he approaches the final weeks of the job,’ said a former White House official.
“‘There is no leadership coming from the White House,’ one Democrat close to senior lawmakers stated bluntly. ‘There is a total vacuum.’”
The American people agree that the torch has been passed from a liberal Democrat to Trump. A recent Rasmussen Reports poll showed that 55% of likely U.S. voters believe the election is a mandate to enact the policies on which Trump campaigned. About one-third (32%) disagree, but another 13% are not certain whether the election was a mandate.
With a 55%-to-33% lead, Trump can continue to push forward. If his energy and strategies work out, the 13% will probably join the pro-agenda side to give him a 2-to-1 advantage.
The importance of this change cannot be overstated.
Traditionally, presidential inaugurations occurred on March 4.
Candidate Abraham Lincoln had to wait four months to take office. During that time, lame-duck President James Buchanan allowed the slave-owning secessionists enormous leeway to break apart the Union. The country was much worse off when Lincoln was finally sworn in than it was when he was elected.
Similarly, President-elect Franklin Delano Roosevelt refused to work with President Herbert Hoover between the election and his inauguration on March 4, 1933. The American economy grew substantially weaker during the waiting period.
These two experiences convinced the country to adopt the 20th Amendment, moving the presidential inauguration to Jan. 20 and avoiding six weeks of confusion and potential problems.
Now in the real-time age of the internet, unending daily challenges and an absentee White House, we need de facto President Trump more than we need the absentee president de jure.
Newt Gingrich is former speaker of the U.S. House.
It’s time for a national conversation about left-wing violence
EVEN BEFORE WE KNEW the targeted killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione was politically motivated, many leftists were justifying, celebrating and rationalizing the shooting. There’s a real debate going on in some quarters of the progressive left over whether slaying CEOs is a bad thing.
And it’s unsurprising.
Of course, if any MAGA professors or journalists were online publicly defending the killing of perceived political enemies, there would be thousands of wringing hands lamenting the menacing rhetoric of conservatism. And rightly so.
But the unhinged demonization of the health care insurance industry, the pharmaceutical industry and Big Oil are now the norm. A generation of college students have been indoctrinated into believing the profit motive is killing people when the opposite is true.
And there’s a clear ideological continuum between those who rationalize the shooting of a CEO and rationalize the murder and rape of Jews by Palestinian terrorists and rationalize the burning down of cities for “social justice.”
One expects Mangione’s writing will be largely indistinguishable from what a person hears from elected progressives and pundits. Yet few will ponder why a seemingly rational Ivy League-educated engineer decided to become a hitman.
Instead, the public is incessantly warned that white supremacists are gathering in the shadows, readying to spring their coup. So dangerous were these alleged impending “major civil disturbances” in 2023 that the Justice Department created a new category of extremists to “track and counter” the “anti-government or anti-authority violent extremism.”
When Black Lives Matter rioting enveloped the nation, causing billions in damage, destroying thousands of lives, one could barely get anyone in the media to admit it was even happening. To the left, parents who protest school boards over critical race theory and mask mandates are “domestic terrorists,” but those who burn down cities are “mostly peaceful.”
The left has been prone to violence since Year Zero. In the early 1900s, the United States was awash in communist and anarchist bombings, culminating in the deaths of more than 30 people on Wall Street in 1920. Most cultural depictions of the ’60s upheavals were of a genteel, peace-loving movement, but it was imbued with extremists, as well.
By the 1970s, left-wing terrorist groups such as the Weather Underground were setting off bombs at the Capitol, police stations, the Pentagon and state attorneys general offices. In an 18-month period between 1971 and 1972, there were an amazing 2,500 bombings in the U.S. by leftist groups.
Worse, then as now, violence was often ignored or idealized by the “intellectual” left. When I was young, self-style socialists would sometimes commemorate mass murderers such as Che Guevara or Mao Zedong on T-shirts. Today, feted contemporary public intellectuals such as Ta-Nehisi Coates write bestselling books celebrating terrorism. The late Kathy Boudin, a former Weather Underground member who was involved in a Brinks truck robbery that killed three innocent people, operated Columbia University’s “Center for Justice” for decades.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Angela Davis, widely considered a hero by younger progressives, who not only championed murders and terrorist regimes her entire career but bought two guns used in a courtroom kidnapping shootout perpetrated by the Black Panthers in 1970, when three hostages and a superior court judge were killed in Marin County, California.
There is simply no comparable mainstreaming of right-wing extremists.
It was James Hodgkinson who walked onto an Alexandria, Virginia, baseball field in 2017 and opened fire at a Republican congressional delegation. He was a Bernie Sanders fan. Certainly, no reporter ran around the halls of Congress asking every elected Democrat if they were going to lower the rhetorical temperature. Nor did they do so when a left-wing assassin showed up at the house of Justice Brett Kavanaugh, promising to “stop roe v wade from being overturned” by “shooting for 3” justices. After years of hearing the demonizing of the Supreme Court, the man showed up with a Glock, zip ties, duct tape and various other tools.
When Paul Pelosi was attacked by a deranged man, the entire media conversation revolved around conservative rhetoric. When we had two attempted assassinations of Donald Trump, most of the left could barely stop calling him Hitler.
None of this is to maintain there isn’t rightwing violence. Of course, there is. It’s simply to say that we should acknowledge that a lot of our contemporary political violence emanates from the left. And a lot of it is girded by the hardleft progressive turn in mainstream America’s politics.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most recent, “The Rise of Blue Anon,” is available now.
Murphy to Manteo Jones & Blount
EAST
Chemicals found in Camp Lejeune drinking water banned by EPA Onslow County banning the cancer-causing chemicals TCE and PCE both of which were found in the drinking water on Camp Lejeune years ago Contaminated drinking water had been the focus of a decades-long investigation stemming — many of whom developed certain types of cancers — who lived on base primarily n the 1980s The chemicals are know n to cause cancer and damage organs and are sometimes found in degreases glues, arts and crafts supplies, and brake cleaners.
NSJ
High school students charged with weapons on campus Craven County Two high school students are facing charges after CO2 replica handguns were found on campus Monday. Craven Count y deputies said it happened around 11 a.m. at New Ber n High School. Deputies said the t wo freshmen students were seen with
NATION & WORLD
Feds propose protection for hellbenders following Helene
The population of large salamanders in western North Carolina was severely impacted by the hurricane
By Brittany Peterson
The Associated Press
YOU NEVER FORGET your first time seeing a giant salamander, according to Andy Hill.
He was a teenager, standing thigh-high in the Watauga River outside Boone, casting a line on an early fall day when he saw his first eastern hellbender. The salamander stretched 2 feet long and was camouflaged among rocks beneath the clear water.
“You never lose your sense of wonder and otherworldliness when you see one,” said Hill, who now works as the Watauga Riverkeeper for MountainTrue, a nonprofit protecting natural ecosystems in western North Carolina, home to part of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
The ancient species, which
An eastern hellbender salamander is held near its cage, where it will stay for 48 to 60 hours after relocation, near the
evolved on the supercontinent Pangaea and outlived the dinosaurs, was submitted for federal protection Friday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. If the proposal is adopted after a period of public comment, the creatures will be protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Their population in the U.S. has rapidly declined in recent decades; dams, industry and flooding have threatened their habitat and ability to reproduce and find food. Today, just 12% of eastern hellbenders are successfully reproducing.
Hellbenders in the Blue Ridge Mountains had been considered the healthiest population of the eastern subspecies but were devastated this fall by Hurricane Helene. Thousands were displaced or found dead amid rubble. Others were found in flooded church basements and returned to the river.
But some rivers are so polluted, there’s still a “do not touch” advisory for people.
Tierra Curry burst into tears
when she learned of the proposed protection.
“I just think it’s a moral failure that we’re pushing them to the brink of extinction,” said Curry, a senior scientist at the Center for Biological Diversity.
The slimy, brown creature with a broad, flat head may never win a beauty contest, but it is famous as the largest amphibian in North America.
The hellbender breathes dissolved oxygen in the water through its skin. Water that becomes slow-moving, warm or polluted holds less oxygen.
Over the past five years, two dams were removed on the Watauga River to help improve water quality and reconnect hellbender communities. The most recent one came down this summer — and two months later, Helene upended life not just for people but also for animals like the hellbender.
For those working to ensure the species’ survival, the newly proposed federal protection couldn’t come soon enough, said
Erin McCombs, Southeast conservation director for American Rivers.
“We have to be paying more attention to the health of our nation’s rivers and streams, and that means paying more attention to the critters that live in them,” she said. “When species like the hellbender, which are reliant on free-flowing and clean water, are declining, alarms need to be going off because we’ll feel the impacts next.”
The Center for Biological Diversity petitioned and won protection for the Ozark subspecies of hellbenders in 2011 and for Missouri hellbenders, another population of eastern hellbender, in 2021. The group sued, seeking protection for all eastern hellbenders. As of this week, all hellbenders in the U.S. are protected or slated for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
Hill hopes the new federal protection will usher in “bold strategies” to help the species recover.
“It’s going to take a massive effort,” he said.
Duke lacrosse rape accuser publicly admits she lied
The high-profile case was dropped in 2007 when Crystal Mangum’s story fell apart
By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press
RALEIGH — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her — making national headlines that stirred tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes — has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story.
Crystal Mangum, who is black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn’t true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.”
“I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t, and that was wrong,” Mangum, 46, said in the interview, which was released last Monday. The interview was recorded last month at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where Mangum is incarcerated for fatally stabbing her boyfriend in 2011.
The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum’s story fell apart under legal scrutiny. The state
attorney general’s office concluded there was no credible evidence an attack ever occurred, and its investigation found no DNA, witness or other evidence to confirm Mangum’s story.
Despite their names being cleared, Jim Cooney, one of the former players’ lawyers at the time, told The Associated Press that Mangum’s allegations caused an “enormous tornado of destruction” for countless people involved, including the accused men. They were wrongfully vilified nationally as “racially motivated rapists,” Cooney said.
The Durham prosecutor who championed Mangum’s case, Mike Nifong, was disbarred for lying and misconduct. Prosecu-
Crystal Mangum, who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape, addresses the media during a 2008 news conference in Durham.
al loss, but it did a lot of damage to a lot of people. We see that too often in the criminal justice system. The prosecutor was punished, but nowhere near what he should have gotten, but at least we know he’ll never practice law again.”
The former lacrosse players reached an undisclosed settlement with Duke University in 2007 after suing it for the handling of the rape allegations.
Mangum, who was convicted of second-degree murder in 2013 and is eligible to be released from prison as early as 2026, told the podcast interviewer that she hopes the three falsely accused men can forgive her.
“I want them to know that I love them, and they didn’t deserve that,” she said.
Durham-based podcaster Kat DePasquale said she wrote to Mangum because she was curious about the case that received so much attention. Mangum replied that she wanted to talk.
Pelosi has hip replacement surgery after fall Washington, D.C.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had hip replacement surgery Saturday at a U.S. military hospital in Germany after falling while at an event in Luxembourg with other members of Congress. Pelosi, 84, “is well on the mend,” said Ian Krager, a spokesman for the California Democrat, in a statement. She was in Europe with a bipartisan congressional delegation to mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. Pelosi tripped and fell while at an event and fractured her hip, according to people who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Canada’s finance minister resigns, testing Trudeau
Toronto
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces the biggest test of his political career after Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, long one of his most powerful and loyal ministers, announced Monday that she was resigning from the Cabinet. It was a move that stunned the country and raised questions about how much longer the unpopular Trudeau can stay in his job. Freeland, who was also deputy prime minister, said that Trudeau had told her Friday that he no longer wanted her to serve as finance minister and that he offered her another role in the Cabinet.
Va. man convicted of funneling money to Islamic State Alexandria, Va. A northern Virginia man targeted by an FBI sting operation has been convicted on terrorism charges for collecting funds on behalf of the Islamic State group. Mohammed Chhipa, 35, of Springfield, was convicted late Friday afternoon on all five counts against him, including providing material support to a terrorist organization, after a weeklong trial at the U.S. District Court in Alexandria. The jury deliberated for about three hours. Prosecutors said Chhipa met several times with an undercover FBI operative who gave him hundreds of dollars on multiple occasions in 2021 and 2022, earmarked for a Syrian woman and Islamic State group member known as Umm Dujanah.
tors at the time declined to press charges against Mangum for the false accusations.
“I am proud of Crystal even if it came decades too late,” Joe Cheshire, a Raleigh lawyer who defended Duke player Collin Finnerty in the case, told North State Journal. “The truth is always a wonderful thing to have. We always knew that these boys did not sexually assault Crystal Mangum in any way.
“The district attorney, in my opinion, also knew that, but he was out for as much publicity as he could get. Unfortunately for him, he took on the wrong lawyers, and he used lies instead of the truth Not only did that cause him tremendous person-
Mangum’s apology struck Cooney as sincere and “a good first step,” but he said the decision to forgive her is ultimately up to the three former lacrosse players.
“It’s going to be a part of their biography for the rest of their lives and part of their obituaries,” Cooney said of the three men.
“The boys are all doing really well,” Cheshire told NSJ. “Of course, they are men now, but they survived the trauma and may have even been better for their ability to just survive and go forward. It was one of the great joys and challenges of my life (to defend them).”
North State Journal’s Dan Reeves contributed to this report.
France rushes aid to Mayotte after Cyclone Chido Mamoudzou, Mayotte France used ships and military aircraft to rush rescuers and supplies to Mayotte on Monday after the tiny French island territory off Africa was battered by its worst cyclone in nearly a century. Authorities fear hundreds and possibly thousands of people have died. Survivors wandered through streets littered with debris, searching for water and shelter, after Cyclone Chido leveled entire neighborhoods Saturday when it hit Mayotte, the poorest territory of France and, by extension, the European Union. French President Emmanuel Macron said he will declare a national mourning period and planned to visit in the coming days.
SARA D. DAVIS / AP PHOTO
MIKE STEWART / AP PHOTO
Watauga River near Boone in June.
catastrophe
questions about when normal
shelter-in-place or stay-at-home
majority of Americans “new normal.” end of this month.
China lied about the origin of the tried to tell the world there were only worldwide panic, economic collapse and being thrown out of work.
taxpayer at least $2.4 trillion in added Federal Reserve backup liquidity to the the U.S. dollar were not the reserve to fund any of these emergency fear of rampant in ation and currency aberrant ways and decisions through Diplomacy has obviously not worked world of 21st century health, hygiene communist regimes never take the blame remorse, because that is not what They take advantage of every weakness pushing until they win or the event happens such as the Chernobyl believe that event, not the Star Wars to the dissolution of the Soviet Union Chernobyl. already talking about the possibility debt we owe them as one way to get they have caused the US. Don’t hold your “Jubilee” to happen but ask your elected accountable in tangible nancial ways for expected to operate as responsible citizens of nation.
Cooper stated during don’t know yet” if the asked as to the vague ones like “we of this state who undetermined thousands of cases asked and then had questions about get asked, there is people to treat those can start getting back or are people who sick. levels become a bad society were supposed course, is my family. I’m worried I will. After the 2009 pandemic, all of this brings up prefer not to repeat. most everyone has
we begin to get back to normal
The 3 big questions
The comfort
How China will pay for this COVID-19 catastrophe
WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”
ONE THING IS CERTAIN; after this COVID-19 virus dissipates around the globe and in the United States, China will pay for this catastrophe one way or another.
fallen into place. I understand the seriousness of the virus and the need to take precautions, but I’m uneasy with how people who simply ask questions about the data, and when things can start getting back to normal are treated in some circles with contempt.
WALTER E. WILLIAMS
They’re treated as though we as a society simply must accept without question what the government tells us about when it’s safe to begin the process of returning back to normalcy.
Fixing college corruption
Perhaps COVID-19 is China’s Chernobyl.
No. The government works for us, and we have the right to ask those questions. And the longer stay-at-home orders are in place all over the country, and the stricter some of them get in states, such as Michigan, the more people, sitting at home feeling isolated and/or anxious about when they can get back to providing for their families, will demand answers.
AMERICA’S COLLEGES are rife with corruption. The nancial squeeze resulting from COVID-19 o ers opportunities for a bit of remediation. Let’s rst examine what might be the root of academic corruption, suggested by the title of a recent study, “Academic Grievance Studies and the Corruption of Scholarship.” The study was done by Areo, an opinion and analysis digital magazine. By the way, Areo is short for Areopagitica, a speech delivered by John Milton in defense of free speech.
Sponsored
by
business & economy
In order to put the crisis caused by China in perspective, zero worldwide pandemics can trace their source to the United States over our 231-year history. At least four in the 20th century alone can be directly traced to China: 1957 “Asian u,” 1968 “Hong Kong u,” 1977 “Russian u” and the 2002 SARS outbreak. There is evidence that the massive 1918 “Spanish u” pandemic also had its origins in China.
Since when did questioning government at all levels become a
Leaders at the local and state levels should be as forthcoming as they can be with those answers — and again, not vague answers, but answer with details that give their statements believability.
We should all continue to do what we can to keep our families, ourselves, and our communities safe. But we should also still continue to ask questions about the data, because while reasonable stay-at-home measures are understandable, they should also have an expiration date.
Honeywell weighs jettisoning aerospace division
This is all new to Americans, and it is not normal. Not in any way, shape, or form. So while we should remain vigilant and stay safe, at the same time we shouldn’t get comfortable with this so-called “new normal.”
Not one little bit.
Authors Helen Pluckrose, James A. Lindsay and Peter Boghossian say that something has gone drastically wrong in academia, especially within certain elds within the humanities. They call these elds “grievance studies,” where scholarship is not so much based upon nding truth but upon attending to social grievances. Grievance scholars bully students, administrators and other departments into adhering to their worldview. The worldview they promote is neither scienti c nor rigorous. Grievance studies consist of disciplines such as sociology, anthropology, gender studies, queer studies, sexuality and critical race studies.
Stacey Matthews has also written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah and is a regular contributor to RedState and Legal Insurrection.
Honeywell said that it may calve its aerospace division from the conglomerate, sending shares up more than 2% before the opening bell Monday.
The announcement arrives about one month after Elliott Investment Management revealed a stake of more than $5 billion in the aerospace, automation and materials company.
the seriousness of the virus and the need uneasy with how people who simply ask when things can start getting back to circles with contempt. as a society simply must accept without tells us about when it’s safe to begin the normalcy. us, and we have the right to ask those stay-at-home orders are in place all over the them get in states, such as Michigan, feeling isolated and/or anxious about providing for their families, will demand levels should be as forthcoming as they and again, not vague answers, but answer statements believability. what we can to keep our families, safe. But we should also still continue because while reasonable stay-at-home they should also have an expiration date. and it is not normal. Not in any way, should remain vigilant and stay safe, at comfortable with this so-called “new
In 2017 and 2018, authors Pluckrose, Lindsay and Boghossian started submitting bogus academic papers to academic journals in cultural, queer, race, gender, fat and sexuality studies to determine if they would pass peer review and be accepted for publication. Acceptance of dubious research that journal editors found sympathetic to their intersectional or postmodern leftist vision of the world would prove the problem of low academic standards.
In a letter sent to Honeywell’s board, Elliott said the company needed to simplify its structure as it deals with uneven execution, inconsistent financial results and an underperforming stock price.
Elliott wants the Charlotte company to separate its automation and aerospace businesses.
Several of the fake research papers were accepted for publication. The Fat Studies journal published a hoax paper that argued the term bodybuilding was exclusionary and should be replaced with “fat bodybuilding, as a fat-inclusive politicized performance.” One reviewer said, “I thoroughly enjoyed reading this article and believe it has an important contribution to make to the eld and this journal.”
written under the pseudonym Sister Toldjah RedState and Legal Insurrection.
The board of Honeywell International Inc. has been exploring strategic options for the company since earlier this year. It has said there will be an update in late January when it releases its fourth-quarter earnings results.
A number of American conglomerates, like General Electric and Dow Chemical, have already broken up their companies to become nimbler. Shares of Honeywell have trailed the S&P 500 index by a wide margin this year.
Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.
The company, which makes everything from eye solution to barcode readers, is already shifting. Since last December, Honeywell announced plans to spin off its advanced materials business and entered an agreement to sell its personal protective equipment business, as it has made several acquisitions.
Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month.
Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during a recent coronavirus press brie ng that “we just don’t know yet” if state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May.
We need transparency and honesty from our
There is 100% agreement, outside of China, that COVID-19 originated in Wuhan Province probably from the completely unregulated and unsanitary wet markets. Some believe it came out of a
Lenten and Easter seasons provide a message of
“THIS IS in it” (Psalm I know that working from be glad” as and dad, the have to be pandemic.
THIS WEEK, according to members and state and local governments, Americans the curve in the novel coronavirus outbreak. muted — after all, trends can easily reverse have abided by recommendations and orders. to stay at home; they’ve practiced social they’ve donned masks.
If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to the justi cation for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like must do this out of an abundance of caution.”
The result: a reduction in expected hospitalization According to the University of Washington Metrics and Evaluation model most oft Trump administration, the expected need peak outbreak was revised down by over ventilators by nearly 13,000 and the number
Cushman & Wakefield’s annual global index ranks shopping areas based on the rent prices they command
“Our Struggle Is My Struggle: Solidarity Feminism as an Intersectional Reply to Neoliberal and Choice Feminism,” was accepted for publication by A lia, a feminist journal for social workers. The paper consisted in part of a rewritten passage from Mein Kampf. Two other hoax papers were published, including “Rape Culture and Queer Performativity at Urban Dog Parks.” This paper’s subject was dog-on-dog rape. But the dog rape paper eventually forced Boghossian, Pluckrose and Lindsay to prematurely out themselves. A Wall Street Journal writer had gured out what they were doing.
By Colleen Barry The Associated Press
Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.
MILAN — Shoppers laden with bags from Fendi, Loewe, Prada and other designer labels clog the narrow sidewalks of Milan’s swankiest shopping street, bringing joy to the purveyors of high-end luxury goods this, and every, holiday season.
Some papers accepted for publication in academic journals advocated training men like dogs and punishing white male college students for historical slavery by asking them to sit in silence on the oor in chains during class and to be expected to learn from the discomfort. Other papers celebrated morbid obesity as a healthy life choice and advocated treating privately conducted masturbation as a form of sexual violence against women. Typically, academic journal editors send submitted papers out to referees for review. In recommending acceptance for publication, many reviewers gave these papers glowing praise.
There’s even more to celebrate this year: A commercial real estate company has crowned Via Montenapoleone as the world’s most expensive retail destination, displacing
Political scientist Zach Goldberg ran certain grievance studies concepts through the Lexis/Nexis database, to see how often they appeared in our press over the years. He found huge increases in the usages of “white privilege,” “unconscious bias,” “critical race theory” and “whiteness.” All of this is being taught to college students, many of whom become primary and secondary school teachers who then indoctrinate our young people.
“Honeywell is now wellpositioned for significant transformational alternatives, and we are continuing our deeper, more granular exploration of their feasibility and possible timing,” Chairman and CEO Vimal Kapur said in a statement. “Honeywell’s board of directors remains committed to maximizing shareholder value creation, and any decision will be evaluated against that goal.”
It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of
To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about
The cavalier manner virus, covered up its spread 3,341 related deaths has millions of Americans needlessly The crisis has cost the debt plus trillions more markets and nancial outlets. currency, we would not measures without immediate depreciation. China has to pay for their economic and nancial to bring China into the and fair trade. Totalitarian or express sincere regret totalitarian governments they nd in adversaries adversaries push back. That is, unless an exogenous meltdown in 1986. Some program of Reagan, led
Here’s the problem: We still don’t know questions that will allow the economy to
Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick.
First, what is the true coronavirus fatality important because it determines whether be open or closed, whether we ought to pursue more liberalized society that presumes wide
For me, making. As Corinthians a iction, so a iction, with God.” If you are re ect on this God’s example this di cult con dent we In this same neighbors In Concord, money to buy health care
AInflation remains stubbornly above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target
By Christopher Rugaber The Associated Press
I doubt whether the coronaviruscaused nancial crunch will give college and university administrators, who are a crossbreed between a parrot and jelly sh, the guts and backbone to restore academic respectability. Far too often, they get much of their political support from campus grievance people who are members of the faculty and diversity and multicultural administrative o ces.
The best hope lies with boards of trustees, though many serve as yes-men for the university president. I think that a good start would be to nd 1950s or 1960s catalogs. Look at the course o erings at a time when college graduates knew how to read, write and compute, and make them today’s curricula. Another helpful tool would be to give careful consideration to eliminating all classes/majors/minors containing the word “studies,” such as women, Asian, black or queer studies. I’d bet that by restoring the traditional academic mission to colleges, they would put a serious dent into the COVID-19 budget shortfall.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans hoping for lower borrowing costs for homes, credit cards and cars may be disappointed after this week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The Fed’s policymakers are likely to signal fewer interest rate cuts next year than were previously expected. The officials are set to reduce their benchmark rate, which affects many consumer and business loans, by a quarter-point to about 4.3% when their meeting ends Wednesday. At that level, the rate would be a full point below the four-decade high it reached in July 2023. The policymakers had kept their key rate at its peak for more than a year to try to quell inflation until slashing the rate by a half-point in September and a quarter-point last month.
The problem is that while inflation has dropped far be -
Walter E. Williams is a professor of economics at George Mason University.
, April 15,
Since when did questioning government at all levels become a thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed
My rst concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After su ering from the H1N1 virus (swine u) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat.
We’ve seen case fatality rates — the number the number of identi ed COVID-19 cases and the denominator are likely wrong. We people have actually died of coronavirus. number has been overestimated, given that of death, particularly among elderly patients, sources suggest the number is dramatically many people are dying at home.
Perhaps COVID-19 is Senators in Washington of China forgiving $1.2 China to “pay” for the damage breath waiting for a Chinese representatives to hold It is about time they are the world like any other
But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone
Hill, senio
Even more importantly, we have no clue actually have coronavirus. Some scientists of identi ed cases could be an order of magnitude number of people who have had coronavirus
It’s okay to ask questions about when we begin to get back to normal
The comfort and hope
WITH MOST STATES under either shelter-in-place or stay-at-home orders thanks to local or state governments, a majority of Americans are having to adjust to what is being called the “new normal.”
Milan’s Via Montenapoleone usurps Fifth Ave. as fanciest shopping street
Some of these orders extend at least through the end of this month. Virginia’s stay-at-home orders go into June.
Here in North Carolina, Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper stated during a recent coronavirus press brie ng that “we just don’t know yet” if the state’s stay-at-home orders will extend into May.
New York’s Fifth Avenue.
The latest version of American firm Cushman & Wakefield’s annual global index, which ranks shopping areas based on the rent prices they command, is a sign of Via Montenapoleone’s desirability as an address for luxury readyto-wear, jewelry and even pastry brands.
“THIS IS THE DAY the lord has made, in it” (Psalm 118:24).
I know that during this challenging time working from home or losing a job, it may be glad” as the Bible tells us to do. However, and dad, the Easter holiday has reminded have to be thankful and hopeful for, even pandemic.
If he does decide to extend it, questions should be asked as to the justi cation for it. And the answers should not be vague ones like “we must do this out of an abundance of caution.”
Miani, president of the Montenapoleone District association.
It will need to be explained in detail to the people of this state who are being told to remain jobless and at home for an undetermined amount of time why models predicting hundreds of thousands of cases are reliable.
The average rent on the Milan Street has surged to 20,000 euros per square meter ($2,047 per square foot), compared with $2,000 per square foot on an 11-block stretch of upper Fifth Avenue.
Via Montenapoleone’s small size — just 350 meters (less than one-quarter mile) long — and walking distance to services and top cultural sites are among the street’s key advantages, according to Guglielmo
“Not everything can fit, which is a benefit’’ since the limited space makes the street even more exclusive and dynamic, said Miani, whose group also represents businesses on the intersecting side streets that together with Via Montenapoleone form an area known as Milan’s Fashion Quadrilateral.
For me, my faith is an important part making. As I celebrated Easter with my Corinthians 1:4, which reminds us our Lord a iction, so that we may be able to comfort a iction, with the comfort which we ourselves God.”
To date, I’ve gone along with what the state has asked and then mandated that we do, but along the way I’ve also had questions about the data. State Republican leaders have, too.
Unfortunately, when certain types of questions get asked, there is sometimes a disturbing tendency among some people to treat those simply questioning the data and asking when we can start getting back to normal as though they are conspiracy theorists or are people who otherwise don’t care if they get themselves or others sick.
Lenten and Easter seasons provide a message of hope that we will once again enjoy sporting events, concerts, family gatherings, church services and many more after our own temporary sacri ces are over.
ited the area this year through November, but there’s no way to say how many were big spenders vs. window shoppers. The average shopper on Via Montenapoleone spent 2,500 euros per purchase between August and November — the highest average receipt in the world, according to the tax-free shopping firm Global Blue.
The biggest brands on the street make 50 million euros to 100 million euros in annual sales, Miani said, which goes a long way to paying the rent.
Tiffany & Co. is preparing to take up residence on Via Montenapoleone, and long-time tenant Fendi is expanding.
If you are celebrating the Easter season, re ect on this message and be comforted, God’s example and comfort all those in this di cult time. Through faith and by con dent we will emerge out of this pandemic In this same spirit, I continue to be inspired neighbors helping neighbors. In Concord, a high school senior named money to buy a 3-D printer and plastic health care workers out of his own home.
Since when did questioning government at all levels become a bad thing? That is what free citizens living in a free society were supposed to do, last I checked.
My rst concern as we go along in all this, of course, is my family. I’m worried about them catching the virus, and I’m worried I will. After su ering from the H1N1 virus (swine u) during the 2009 pandemic, I’ve been trying to take extra precautions, because all of this brings up way too many memories of a painful experience I’d prefer not to repeat.
The Montenapoleone District says 11 million people vis-
fallen into place. I understand to take precautions, but questions about the data, normal are treated in some They’re treated as though question what the government process of returning back No. The government questions. And the longer country, and the stricter the more people, sitting when they can get back answers. Leaders at the local and can be with those answers with details that give their We should all continue ourselves, and our communities to ask questions about the measures are understandable, This is all new to Americans, shape, or form. So while the same time we shouldn’t normal.”
The street is a magnet for holiday shoppers who arrive in Maseratis, Porsches and even Ferraris, the sports car’s limited trunk space notwithstanding. Lights twinkle overhead, boutique windows feature mannequins engaged in warm scenes of holiday fun, and passersby snap photos of expertly decorated cakes in
Not one little bit.
Stacey Matthews has also and is a regular contributor
But what also makes me lose sleep is how easily most everyone has
Fed likely to slow rate cuts with inflation pressures still elevated
low its peak of 9.1% in mid2022, it remains stubbornly above the Fed’s 2% target. As a result, the Fed, led by Chair Jerome Powell, is expected to signal a shift to a more gradual approach to rate cuts in 2025. Economists say that after cutting rates for three straight meetings, the central bank will likely do so at every other gathering, or possibly even less often than that.
“We’re on the cusp of a transition to them not cutting ev-
ery meeting,” said David Wilcox, a former senior Fed official who is an economist with Bloomberg Economics and the Peterson Institute for International Economics. “They’re going to slow the tempo of cuts.” The economy has fared better than officials expected it would as recently as September. And inflation pressures have proved more persistent. The presidential election added a wild card, too: President-elect Donald Trump has
promised to enact policies — from much higher taxes on imports to mass deportations of people living illegally in the United States — that most economists say threaten to accelerate inflation.
“Growth is definitely stronger than we thought, and inflation is coming in a little higher,” Powell said recently. “So the good news is we can afford to be a little more cautious” as the Fed’s officials seek to lower rates to what they consider a “neutral” level — one that neither spurs nor restricts growth.
Policymakers will also issue their quarterly projections for growth, inflation, unemployment and their benchmark interest rate over the next three years. In September, they had collectively envisioned that they’d cut rates four times next year. Economists now expect just two or three Fed rate cuts in 2025.
Fewer rate cuts by the Fed would mean that households and businesses would continue to face loan rates, notably for home mortgages, that would far exceed their levels before inflation began surging more than three years ago.
Some economists question whether the Fed even needs to cut this week. Inflation, excluding volatile food and energy costs, has been stuck at an annual rate of about 2.8% since March. A year ago, the
ANTONIO CALANNI / AP PHOTO
Montenapoleone Street in Milan, Italy, has overtaken Fifth Avenue in New York as the world’s most upscale shopping street.
The online retail giant pushed back on the findings
By Haleluya Hadero
The Associated Press
AT LEAST two internal Amazon studies found a link between how quickly the online retailer’s warehouse workers perform tasks and workplace injuries, but the company rejected many safety recommendations out of concern the proposed changes might reduce productivity, according to a U.S. Senate committee report.
The 160-page review issued Sunday night was compiled by the Democratic majority staff of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. The report is the final product of a probe into Amazon’s warehouse safety practices that U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders initiated last year.
The Vermont independent, a frequent critic of Amazon who chairs the panel, released an interim report in July that featured some findings from the investigation. The final report, which was mostly based on interviews with nearly 500 former and current Amazon workers, included more details, such as the two internal studies and the reactions they received inside the company.
Amazon pushed back on the findings Monday, saying in a blog post that Sanders “con-
tinues to mislead the American public” about the company’s safety practices and that the report was “wrong on the facts and features selective, outdated information that lacks context and isn’t grounded in reality.”
The Senate report said Amazon launched an internal study in 2021 to determine the maximum number of times a warehouse worker could perform the same physical tasks without increased risk of harm and potentially developing
2024 big for bitcoin, states could see a crypto policy blitz in 2025 despite risks
Critics say crypto investments are highly speculative
By Marc Levy The Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The new year will usher in the bitcoin-friendly administration of President-elect Donald Trump and an expanding lobbying effort in statehouses that, together, could push states to become more open to crypto and for public pension funds and treasuries to buy into it.
Proponents of the uniquely volatile commodity argue it is a valuable hedge against inflation, similar to gold.
Many bitcoin enthusiasts and investors are quick to criticize government-backed currencies as prone to devaluation and say increased government buyin will stabilize bitcoin’s future price swings, give it more legitimacy and further boost an already rising price.
But the risks are significant. Critics say a crypto investment is highly speculative, with so much unknown about projecting its future returns, and warn that investors should be prepared to lose money.
Only a couple of public pension funds have invested in cryptocurrency, and a new U.S. Gov-
FED from page A9
policymakers had forecast that that figure would have fallen to 2.4% by now and that they’d have cut their key rate by three-quarters of a point. Instead, inflation has become stuck at a higher level, yet the Fed has lowered its benchmark rate by a full point. Fed officials, including Pow-
ernment Accountability Office study on 401(k) plan investments in crypto, issued in recent days, warned it has “uniquely high volatility” and found no standard approach for projecting the future returns of crypto.
It has already been a landmark year for crypto, with bitcoin hitting $100,000, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission approving the first exchange-traded funds that hold bitcoin and crypto enthusiasts being cheered by Trump’s promise to make the United States the “bitcoin superpower” of the world.
Lawmakers in more states can expect to see bills in 2025 to make them crypto-friendly as analysts say crypto is becoming a powerful lobby, bitcoin miners build new installations and venture capitalists underwrite a growing tech sector that caters to cryptocurrencies.
Meanwhile, a new crypto-friendly federal government under Trump and Congress could consider legislation from Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) to create a federal bitcoin reserve on which states can piggyback.
A bill introduced last month in Pennsylvania’s House of Representatives sought to authorize the state’s treasurer and public pension funds to invest in bitcoin. It went nowhere before the legislative session ended, but it caused a stir.
ell, have said they still foresee inflation heading lower, however slowly, while their key rate is still high enough to restrain growth. As a result, reducing rates this week is more akin to letting up on a brake than stepping on an accelerator.
The potential for major changes to tax, spending and immigration policies under Trump is another reason for the
concluded that the “likelihood of back injury increases” along with the number of items picked and identified an upper limit on repetitive movements — 1,940 — per 10-hour shift, the report said.
The study recommended using software to implement breaks “according to each worker’s rate.” It suggested expanding an existing Amazon program that recommended “microbreaks” and making them mandatory for employees who worked above the maximum pace.
The team stated that the success of a mini pilot program to test out its idea would be conditional on “any negative impact to the (workers) or customer experience,” according to documents cited in the committee report.
Ultimately, Amazon did not make changes to reduce repetitive worker movements, the report said. The company told the Senate committee it chose not to do so due to “technical reasons” involving the proposed software program, the report said.
Amazon also said in its blog post that the Project Elderwand pilot program showed the study team’s suggested intervention was “ineffective.”
“(Sen. Bernie Sanders) continues to mislead the American public.” Amazon
musculoskeletal disorders.
The team conducting the Amazon study, known as Project Elderwand, focused on workers who picked items from robotic shelf units. The study
Amazon previously had undertaken another study, known as Project Soteria, in 2020 to identify risk factors for injuries and recommend policy changes that would improve worker safety. The multiteam initiative studied two policies Amazon implemented temporarily during the COVID-19 pandemic — giving workers more time off and pausing disciplinary measures “for workers who failed to meet speed requirements,” the report said.
The study found that both policies lowered injury risks and asked for their permanent adoption.
But company leaders denied the request, saying it might “negatively impact” productivity, according to Amazon documents cited in the Senate committee report. Amazon leaders also changed the focus of the Project Soteria study by telling the people conducting the review to provide recommendations on how to improve productivity without worsening worker injuries, the report said.
Amazon disputed the report’s characterization of the events.
“Project Soteria is an example of this type of team evaluation, where one team explored whether there’s a causal link between pace of work and injuries and another team evaluated the methodology and findings and determined they weren’t valid,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a written statement.
Nantel also said that information about Project Soteria was raised in a Washington state worker safety case in which Amazon was accused of four safety violations. A judge assigned to the case ruled in Amazon’s favor in July. Regulators are appealing the ruling.
“It’s unfortunate that the senator chose to ignore the facts and all of this context,” Nantel said.
The Senate committee report also alleged that Amazon manipulates its workplace injury data to portray its warehouses as safer than they are, an allegation the company disputed.
Amazon said it produced “thousands of pages of information and data” for the committee. The majority of staff, however, said the company failed to produce documents on the connection between the pace of work and injuries.
The authors of the committee report said they learned about the two internal studies from the Washington worker safety case, not Amazon.
states
buy
“I had a friend who is a rep down the road text me, ‘Oh my god, I’m getting so many emails and phone calls to my office,’ more than he ever did about any other bill,” said the measure’s sponsor, Republican Mike Cabell. Cabell — a bitcoin enthusiast who lost his reelection bid — expects his bill to be reintroduced by a colleague. And leaders of bitcoin advocacy group Satoshi Action say they expect bills based on their model bill to be introduced in at least 10 other states next year.
Keith Brainard, research director for the National Association of State Retirement Administrators, said he doesn’t expect many public pensions fund investment professionals, who oversee nearly $6 trillion in assets, to invest in crypto.
Pension fund professionals take risks they deem to be appropriate, but bitcoin investing has a short track record, might only fit into a niche asset class and may
not fit the risk-to-reward profile they seek.
“There might be a bit of dabbling in bitcoin,” Brainard said.
“But it’s difficult to envision a scenario in which pension funds right now are willing to make a commitment.”
In Louisiana, Treasurer John Fleming helped make the state the first to introduce a system by which people can pay a government agency in cryptocurrencies.
Fleming said he’s not trying to promote cryptocurrency but rather sees the step as a recognition that government must innovate and be flexible in helping people make financial transactions with the state. He said he would never invest his money, or the state’s, in crypto.
Fleming recalled meeting with a bitcoin lobbyist recently and came away unconvinced that bitcoin makes for a good investment.
“My concern is that at some point, it’ll stop growing, and
Fed to take a more cautious approach. Former Fed economists say the central bank’s staff has likely begun factoring the effects of Trump’s proposed corporate tax cuts into their economic analyses, but not his proposed tariffs or deportations, because those two policies are too difficult to assess without details. Tara Sinclair, an economist at George Washington University and former Treasury Department official, suggested that the uncertainty surrounding whether Trump’s policy changes will keep inflation elevated — and necessitating higher rates — could also lead the Fed to cut rates more gradually if at all.
then people will want to cash in,” Fleming said. “And when they do, it could tank the value of a bitcoin.”
In Pennsylvania, Treasury Department officials said they have the authority to decide for themselves if cryptocurrencies meet the agency’s investment standards under state law and don’t need new legislation.
Still, a highly volatile asset is ill-suited to the agency’s need for predictability, considering it writes millions of checks a year. The overwhelming majority of the roughly $60 billion it invests at any given time is in short-term, conservative investments designed for an investment period of months, officials there said.
Pension boards, which invest on a 30-year time horizon, may already hold small investments in companies involved in mining, trading and storing cryptocurrencies. But they have been slow to embrace bitcoin.
“It seems easier to explain not cutting than to find themselves in a position where they would have to raise rates in this political environment,” Sinclair said. Powell has said the Fed is seeking to lower its rate to the so-called “neutral” level. Yet there is wide disagreement among the policymakers about how high that rate is. Many economists peg it at 3% to 3.5%. Some economists think it could be higher.
DAMIAN DOVARGANES / AP PHOTO
A probe into Amazon’s warehouse safety practices was initiated last year.
KIN CHEUNG / AP PHOTO
In 2025,
could become more open to crypto for public pension funds and treasuries to
into it.
Schumer urges advanced tech to identify mysterious drones
Drones are being reported all along the East Coast
By Bianca Vázquez Toness and Dave Collins The Associated Press
BOSTON — After weeks of fear and bewilderment about the drones buzzing over parts of New York and New Jersey, elected officials are urging action to identify and stop the mysterious flights.
“There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said on “Fox News Sunday.”
“‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer,” he said.
National security officials have said the drones don’t appear to be a sign of foreign interference or a public safety threat. But because they can’t say with certainty who is responsible for the sudden swarms of drones over parts of New Jersey, New York and other eastern parts of the U.S. — or how they can be stopped — leaders of both political parties are demanding better technology and powers to deal with the drones.
Sen. Chuck Schumer called Sunday for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to deploy better drone-tracking technology to identify the drones and their operators.
“New Yorkers have tremendous questions about it,” Schumer, the Senate majority leader, told reporters about the drone sightings. “We are going to get the answers for them.”
The federal government did little to answer those questions in its media briefings Sunday morning. “There’s no question that people are seeing drones,” U.S. Homeland
Drones and points of light pictured near Lebanon Township, New Jersey, last week are among many recent sightings.
Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. “But I want to assure the American public that we are on it. We are working in close coordination with state and local authorities.”
Some of the drones reported above parts of New York and New Jersey have turned out to be “manned aircraft that are commonly mistaken for drones,” Mayorkas said. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast. And we are vigilant in investigating this matter.”
Last year, federal aviation rules began requiring certain drones to broadcast their remote identification, including the location of their operators. It’s not clear whether that information has been used to determine who is behind the drones plaguing locations over New York and New Jersey. Mayorkas’ office didn’t respond to questions about whether they’ve been able to identify drones using this capability.
Schumer wants the federal government to use a recently declassified radio wave technology in New York and New Jersey. The radio wave detector can be attached to a drone or airplane and can determine whether another flying object is a bird or a drone, read its electronic registration, and follow it back to its landing place. Schumer said state and local authorities do not have the authority to track drones.
On Sunday, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said federal officials were sending a drone detection system to the state.
“This system will support state and federal law enforce
ment in their investigations,” Hochul said in a statement. The governor did not immediately provide additional details, including where the system will be deployed.
Dozens of mysterious nighttime flights started last month over parts of New Jersey, raising concerns among residents and officials. Part of the worry
stems from the flying objects initially being spotted near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster. Drones are legal in New Jersey for recreational and commercial use, but they are subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions. Operators must be FAA certified.
Drones are now being reported all along the northern East Coast, with suspicious sightings in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia, according to news reports.
Some U.S. political leaders, including Trump, have called for much stronger action against the drones, including shooting them down.
Certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security have the power to “incapacitate” drones, Mayorkas said Sunday. “But we need those authorities expanded,” he said.
A bill before the U.S. Senate would enhance some federal agencies’ authority and give new abilities to local and state agencies to track drones. It would also start a pilot program allowing states and local authorities to disrupt, disable or seize a drone without prior consent of the operator.
“What the drone issue points out are gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department,” Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), Trump’s pick to be his national security adviser, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “Americans are finding it hard to believe we can’t figure out where these are coming from.’’
OpenAI, Musk legal battle reveals internal turmoil over avoiding AI ‘dictatorship’
Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing shift into a for-profit company
By Matt O’Brien
The Associated Press
A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD rivalry between tech leaders Elon Musk and Sam Altman over who should run OpenAI and prevent an artificial intelligence “dictatorship” is now heading to a federal judge as Musk seeks to halt the ChatGPT maker’s ongoing shift into a for-profit company.
Musk, an early OpenAI investor and board member, sued the artificial intelligence company earlier this year, alleging it had betrayed its founding aims as a nonprofit research lab benefiting the public good rather than pursuing profits.
Musk has since escalated the dispute, adding new claims and asking for a court order that would stop OpenAI’s plans to convert itself into a for-profit business more fully.
The world’s richest man, whose companies include Tesla, SpaceX and social media platform X, last year started his own rival AI company, xAI. Musk says it faces unfair competition from OpenAI and its close busi-
SHOPPING from page A9
pastry shop displays.
A visitor from China, Chen Xinghan, waited for a taxi with a half-dozen shopping bags lined up next to him on the sidewalk. He said he paid half the price for a luxury Fendi coat that he purchased in Milan than he would have at home.
ness partner Microsoft, which has supplied the huge computing resources needed to build AI systems such as ChatGPT.
“OpenAI and Microsoft together exploiting Musk’s donations so they can build a for-profit monopoly, one now specifically targeting xAI, is just too much,” says Musk’s filing that alleges the companies are violating the terms of Musk’s foundational contributions to the charity.
OpenAI filed a response Friday opposing Musk’s requested order, saying it would “debilitate OpenAI’s business” and mission to the advantage of Musk and his own AI company and is based on “far-fetched” legal claims. A hearing is set for January before U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers in Oakland, California.
At the heart of the dispute is a 2017 internal power struggle at the fledgling startup that led to Altman becoming OpenAI’s CEO.
Musk also sought to be CEO and, in an email, outlined a plan where he would “unequivocally have initial control of the company” but said that would be temporary. He grew frustrated after two other OpenAI co-founders said he would hold too much power as a major shareholder and chief executive if the startup succeeded in its
“I got a lot,’’ Chen acknowledged. “It’s a fantastic place, a good place for shopping.”
A few store windows down, Franca Da Rold, who was visiting Milan from Belluno, an Italian city in the Dolomites Mountain range, marveled at a chunky, meters-long knit scarf priced at 980 euros.
“I could knit that in one hour, using 12-gauge knitting
goal to achieve better-than-human AI known as artificial general intelligence, or AGI. Musk has long voiced concerns about how advanced forms of AI could threaten humanity.
“The current structure provides you with a path where you end up with unilateral absolute control over the AGI,” said a 2017 email to Musk from co-founders Ilya Sutskever and Greg Brockman. “You stated that you don’t want to control the final AGI, but during this negotiation, you’ve shown to us that absolute control is extremely important to you.”
In the same email, titled “Honest Thoughts,” Sutskever and Brockman also voiced concerns about Altman’s desire to be CEO and whether he was motivated by “political goals.” Altman eventually succeeded in becoming CEO and has remained so except for a period last year when he was fired and then reinstated days later after the board that ousted him was replaced.
OpenAI published the messages Friday in a blog post meant to show its side of the story, particularly Musk’s early support for the idea of making OpenAI a for-profit business so it could raise money for the hardware and computer power that AI needs. It was Musk, through his
needles as thick as my fingers and thick wool. Maximum two hours,’’ Da Rold said, but acknowledged the brand appeal. Despite upper Fifth Avenue getting bumped to the No. 2 spot on the Cushman & Wakefield list, the organization that serves as the Manhattan street’s guardian and chief promoter had praise for Montenapoleone’s achievement.
Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system
Providence, R.I. Rhode Island’s governor says cybercriminals could release personal data of many in the state as early as this upcoming week in a major cyberattack that hit the state’s online system for health and human services benefits. The state is urging residents to take action to protect their personal information. Anyone who has been involved in Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP and other programs such as Rhode Island Work may be impacted. The state has set up a toll-free hotline for information about the breach and how to protect personal data. The hackers are demanding a ransom.
Enbridge pipeline spills
70K gallons of oil
Oakland, Wis.
Officials say roughly 70,000 gallons of oil from a pipeline spilled into the ground in Wisconsin. It was discovered Nov. 11 in Jefferson County, 60 miles west of Milwaukee, by an Enbridge Energy technician. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel cited a federal accident report. Enbridge says the spill on the company’s Line 6 was caused by a faulty connection on a pump transfer pipe. The Canadian company says about 60% of the spill has been removed.
Former prosecutor to represent UnitedHealthcare murder suspect
New York
The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO has added a prominent defense lawyer to his legal team as Manhattan prosecutors work to return him from Pennsylvania to face a murder charge. Luigi Mangione will be represented by Karen Friedman Agnifilo, who was a high-ranking deputy in the Manhattan district attorney’s office for years before entering private practice.
wealth manager Jared Birchall, who first registered “Open Artificial Intelligence Technologies, Inc.,” a public benefit corporation, in September 2017. Then came the “Honest Thoughts” email that Musk described as the “final straw.”
“Either go do something on your own or continue with OpenAI as a nonprofit,” Musk wrote back. OpenAI said Musk later proposed merging the startup into Tesla before resigning as the co-chair of OpenAI’s board in early 2018.
Musk didn’t respond to emailed requests for comment sent to his companies Friday.
Asked about his frayed relationship with Musk at a New York Times conference last week, Altman said he felt “tremendously sad” but also characterized Musk’s legal fight as one about business competition.
“He’s a competitor and we’re doing well,” Altman said. He also said at the conference that he is “not that worried” about the Tesla CEO’s influence with President-elect Donald Trump. OpenAI said Friday that Altman plans to make a $1 million personal donation to Trump’s inauguration fund, joining a number of tech companies and executives who are working to improve their relationships with the incoming administration.
“Milan’s investment in its public realm is paying off, which is a win for their shoppers, businesses and city as a whole,’’ Madelyn Wils, interim president of the Fifth Avenue Association, said. But she also expressed confidence that with new investments and a record year for sales on Fifth Avenue, “we’ll be back on top in no time.”
Friedman Agnifilo’s law firm confirmed last week she had been retained to represent Mangione. Mangione was arrested last Monday after a customer at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, thought he resembled the person being sought by police in the Dec. 4 killing of Brian Thompson in Manhattan.
Japan bank apologizes over millions stolen from safe deposit boxes
Tokyo Japan’s biggest bank apologized after an employee allegedly stole more than 1 billion yen ($6.6 million) from customers’ safe deposit boxes. The bank, MUFG, said Monday it was investigating and that “several billion yen” might have been taken. The thefts occurred at two Tokyo branches of the bank from April 2020 until the problem was discovered in late October. MUFG Bank’s president and CEO Junichi Hanzawa told reporters the female employee responsible for managing the safe deposit boxes and their keys is suspected of stealing from the boxes of about 60 customers.
Over the last two weeks, I’ve driven across the country and (partially, at least) back again. If you’ve never done it, I can’t recommend it enough — from purple mountains to fruited plains, there’s so much to see in our beautiful, magnificent country.
Here’s a selection of some of my favorite pictures that will hopefully inspire you to take a trip of your own and, if you learn from my trials and tribulations, make sure to pick up roadside assistance coverage before you go.
PHOTOS BY JORDAN GOLSON / NORTH STATE JOURNAL
the Thursday SIDELINE REPORT
NCAA FOOTBALL
Michigan hires
former UNC assistant Lindsey as offensive coordinator, QBs coach Ann Arbor, Mich.
Former UNC assistant Chip Lindsey has been hired as Michigan’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. The Wolverines are bringing on Lindsey in an effort to revamp the team’s struggling offense. Lindsey left UNC when Mack Brown was fired. Lindsey landed at Michigan, where coach Sherrone Moore fired offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell. Lindsey has led offenses that averaged at least 30 points a game in nine of his 12 seasons as a full-time coach at the collegiate level.
NBA
Hornets get starting 5 for first time this year, lose Miller to injury
Charlotte Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller left Monday night’s 121-108 loss against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter with a sprained left ankle. He did not return, and his status moving forward is unclear. Miller first tweaked his ankle in front of the Hornets’ bench, then appeared to come down wrong on it a short while later. Miller hobbled off the court and headed straight to the locker room. The injury comes in the first game the Hornets were able to get their projected starting five on the floor together this season.
NCAA FOOTBALL
Colorado two-way star Hunter wins Heisman Trophy
New York
Two-way star Travis Hunter of Colorado won the Heisman Trophy. The big-play wide receiver and lockdown cornerback dominated on both sides of the ball for coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes, joining late running back Rashaan Salaam in 1994 as the only players in school history to take home college football’s most prestigious individual award.
Heel turn: Belichick takes over as Tar Heels’ coach
The NFL coaching legend takes his first college coaching job at UNC
By Shawn Krest North State Journal
CHAPEL HILL — If one moment captured just how surreal the scene was in Chapel Hill on Thursday, it was this: Bill Belichick cut himself off mid-sentence and apologized.
“That’s a long answer to a short question,” he said. “You know I love to ramble on in press conferences.”
Somehow, some way, the grim face of joyless NFL dominance was cracking jokes on campus. Surefire first-ballot
Pro Football Hall of Famer Bill Belichick is now UNC’s head coach.
ument hundreds of pages long spelling out exactly how the football program needed to be organized. Belichick downplayed the bible rumors.
“Don’t believe everything you read in the papers,” he said. “I don’t have a 400-page document … and to think I was going to hand it over. … Come on.”
“One story I’ve always heard was, Billy’s first words were, ‘Beat Duke.”
Bill Belichick, on spending part of his childhood in Chapel Hill
The rumors first surfaced a week earlier, mere days after Mack Brown had coached his last game with the Tar Heels. Belichick had interviewed for the job and impressed the Carolina decision-makers.
Most observers dismissed it as a mutual publicity stunt — UNC showing just how in-demand its coaching vacancy was and Belichick keeping his name afloat on the coaching carousel. However, as the days went by, the story gained legs. Belichick interviewed again, then reportedly presented UNC with his organizational bible — a doc-
Still, it was clear that UNC had begun organizing the football program in Belichick’s image. Along with the legendary Patriots coach, UNC also hired Mike Lombardi, a former Patriots GM, to fill the same newly created role with Carolina. He was reportedly already busy working the transfer portal while Belichick was hamming it up at his introductory presser. Lineman Aidan Banfield, a UNC freshman who had earlier entered the portal, withdrew before Belichick was done speaking.
For his part, Belichick, who was known for a prickly approach to the media and short, gruff press conference answers consisting of “Do your job,” and “We’re on to Cincinnati,” showed he was capable of adjusting to the college environment. He accepted a sleeveless hoodie — his typical NFL sideline fashion choice — with the UNC logo from the school chancellor and
See BELICHICK , page B3
The highlights of a new hire
ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO, the Pro Football Writers of America had a major problem to discuss at their annual meeting during Super Bowl week.
The problem was related to the PFWA’s Media Access Policy, a long, detailed agreement, negotiated with the NFL, that spells out the rights and responsibilities of NFL beat writers.
The policy is extensive. The current version is 4,516 words and has 24 separate sections, covering everything from how often teams have to make players available for interviews to game- day media parking.
Occasionally, a coach or team will violate the policy, and the PFWA brings the violation to the league’s attention for disciplinary action to be taken to allow the beat writers to do their job.
The problem under discussion at the 2010 Super Bowl meeting? Bill Belichick had hacked the policy.
According to legend, Belichick took a highlighter to the document and found everything that he was required to do for the media. He then changed colors and highlighted any vague or imprecise language in the policy.
Year after year, week after week, late night after late night, Bill Belichick found that key to victory more often than the other 31 coaches in the league.
The policy requires a coach to make his offensive and defensive coordinators available on a weekly basis. A quick check of the 2010 New England roster shows that no coaches on the staff had those titles. So Belichick and the Patriots were exempt from that requirement.
Teams must make position coaches available to the media on a regular basis. Once a year is “a regular basis.” And heaven forbid any policy use the word “should” instead of “must” or refer to “reasonable access.”
Belichick took the time to break down the media policy, the same as the Jets or Bills offensive schemes, scouting it thoroughly and methodically, looking for weaknesses. And he took the time to do it while in the dead center of an 18-year stretch of dominance that saw the team win six Super Bowls (they had already won three, with three still to come) and reach the big game nine times (they’d gone four times, with five to follow).
Why did he do it? Because, quite simply, that’s what Bill Belichick does. He’s the Jurassic Park velociraptor, systematically probing the electric fence for weaknesses then exploiting it.
One Patriots outlet counted nine separate NFL rules changes between 2004 and 2018 that resulted from Belichick taking advantage of loopholes in the current rulebook. The language leaves gray area around the weekly injury report? Or which five players on offense are ineligible to catch a pass? Or how substitutions between plays are handled? Belichick and his highlighter pens found a way to take advantage and get an edge.
NFL coaches pride themselves on attention to detail and
See KREST, page B4
BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO
New UNC coach Bill Belichick, center, holds up a sweatshirt that belonged to his father when he was on the coaching staff at UNC in the 1950s as Chancellor Lee Roberts, left, and athletic director Bubba Cunningham, right, look on.
ADRIAN KRAUS / AP PHOTO
Then-New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick prepares for a game in Buffalo. After winning six Super Bowls and the second-most NFL games in history, Belichick is in search of his first college victory.
COLUMN | SHAWN KREST
TRENDING
Quentin Jackson:
The former point guard of NC State’s 1987 ACC champions was sentenced to 84 months in prison and ordered to pay $3 million in restitution. The 58-year-old former Harlem Globetrotter pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Jackson conspired to obtain fraudulent COVID-19 small business loans, making it appear he was paying employees
Randy Moss:
The Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receiver is being treated for cancer and recovering from major surgery. Moss said a cancerous mass was found in his bile duct, between his pancreas and liver. He had surgery to put a stent in his liver on Thanksgiving and then underwent a six-hour procedure about a week ago to remove the cancer.
Bill Belichick:
The UNC head coach reportedly contacted the New York Jets about their head coaching vacancy before accepting the job with the Tar Heels. The 72-year-old Belichick was introduced last week as Carolina’s football coach, but the former New England Patriots coach recently reached out to Robert Saleh on Oct. 8. There were no meetings or formal discussions between Belichick and the Jets.
Beyond the box score
POTENT QUOTABLES NBA
“Why is UNC in a J V tier? We shouldn’t be JV in anything we do, ever.”
UNC Board of Trustees member Jennifer Lloyd on the school’s hiring of Bill Belichick (pictured).
“Kids are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.”
New Marshall head coach Tony Gibson; more than two dozen players have entered the transfer portal, forcing the team to turn down a bowl bid.
PRIME NUMBER
The number of 3-pointers surrendered by NC Central’s women’s basketball team in a 139-59 loss at Tennessee. The 30 treys are a single-game record for women’s college basketball and also exceed the records for men’s basketball and the NBA.
The Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls set the NBA record for most on 75 attempts in Friday’s 109-95 Bulls win in Chicago. Charlotte shot 8 of 46 from 3, while Chicago wa s 14-of-51 for a combined .227 accuracy rate. Charlotte’s Brandon Miller (pictured) wa s 3 of 15, Miles Bridges 0-for- 6 and Vasilije Micic 1 of 7.
Former Panthers quarterback Teddy Bridgewater coached his high school alma mater to a state championship. coaching Miami Northwestern High, led the Bulls to a 41- 0 win in the Florida Class 3A title game The
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain has a meniscus tear in his lef t knee that requires surgery, and McCain, who played at Duke, was averaging a NBA rookie-best 15.3 points The 20-year-old guard has scored 20 or more points in eight games this season.
Blake Horvath accounted for 311 yards and four touchdowns to lead Nav y to a 31-13 victor y over No 19 Army Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 204 yards and two more TDs Nav y snapped a two-game losing streak in the series. The teams entered with a combined 19 victories, the most in the 125-game histor y of the series.
NHL EDGE showcases speed
The league’s puck and player tracking give an in-depth look at several metrics
By Cory Lavalette North State Journal
RALEIGH — Last season, the NHL unveiled NHL EDGE, the league’s attempt to offer fans puck and player tracking information designed to give an in-depth look at the speed and skill of hockey. The technology has been in place in every NHL arena since 2021, but it wasn’t presented to the public other than in broadcasts until last season.
Infrared cameras above the rink track sensors in pucks and player jerseys. The data collected reveals skating and shot speeds, skating distance and more. When the league launched the public site, it made available the statistics starting with the 2021-22 season.
I’ve admittedly been a little slow to really look into this data, which makes this article possible. Without perusing the Carolina Hurricanes’ NHL EDGE data, I’m going to guess which players rank best this season in four categories, then reveal who the actual top player is while also finding who is at the bottom of the list.
The statistics were compiled through last Friday’s games.
TOP SKATING SPEED
Forwards
My guess: Martin Necas
NHL EDGE: Necas, 24.49 mph
Slowest top skating speed: Jackson Blake, 21.08
Picking the Hurricanes’ fast-
est skater was a slam dunk, and it isn’t even the player on the team who has won an All-Star Weekend Fastest Skater competition. Necas not only has the Hurricanes’ highest top speed on the team by more than 1 mph, but his top speed of 24.49 mph is the fastest recorded in the NHL this season, besting the 24.26 of Edmonton’s Mattias Janmark. Janmark’s teammate Connor McDavid is widely considered the game’s fastest skater, but his top speed of 23.85 mph ranks seventh on the season. The league average top speed among forwards is 21.98 mph, a number topped by nine of Carolina’s 12 most-used forwards. Andrei Svechnikov, the aforementioned All-Star winner, has maxed out at 22.64 mph. Surprisingly, the rookie came in last, with Blake’s top-end speed checking in at 21.08 mph.
Defense
My guess: Jaccob Slavin
NHL EDGE: Slavin, 24.19 mph
Slowest top skating speed: Shayne Gostisbehere, 20.72 mph
Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov has one of the hardest shots in hockey.
I cheated a bit on this one because I saw somewhere that Slavin had eclipsed 24 mph. I knew that was really good, but I didn’t know that it was the fastest speed burst of any defenseman in the league this season and the fourth-best top speed of any player. The next fastest defenseman is Toronto’s Jake McCabe at 23.67 mph.
Gostisbehere came in with a team-low 20.72-mph burst, under the league average of 21.36 mph for defensemen.
TOP SHOT SPEED
Forwards
My guess: Martin Necas
NHL EDGE: Necas, 94.62 mph
Slowest top shot speed: Blake, 74.44 mph
If you’ve seen Necas wind up for a one-timer from the left circle on the power play, you probably guessed this one, too. Three other Hurricanes forwards eclipsed a top shot speed of 90 mph: Jack Roslovic (91.48), Jack Drury (90.70) and Sebastian Aho (90.54).
Blake again shows up at the bottom at 74.44 mph. The
league average of top shooting speeds for forwards is 83.01 mph, which eight of 12 Carolina forwards eclipsed. Buffalo’s Tage Thompson is the only forward to go over 100 mph this season with his league-best 104.69-mph blast.
Defense
My guess: Dmitry Orlov
NHL EDGE: Orlov, 98.44 mph
Slowest top shot speed: Sean Walker, 88.20 mph
Shortly after Orlov winds up for a slap shot during a home game, I take my eyes off the ice and look to the scoreboard, where the speed is reported. His shot is booming, so I’m not surprised I guessed correctly. Walker’s 88.20 mph was barely edged by Jalen Chatfield’s 88.22 mph, and both were just a touch under the league average of 88.51 mph. Four defensemen have topped 100 mph, led by Utah’s Michael Kesselring with a 103.77 shot. Orlov — who eclipsed 101 mph in two of the previous three seasons — was 0.15 mph from being in the top 10.
20-MPH SPEED BURSTS
Forwards
My guess: Martin Necas
NHL EDGE: Necas, 159 Fewest speed bursts over 20 mph: Blake and Drury, 15
I’m 4 for 4 — three cheers for the eye test! Necas has broken 20 mph 159 times this season, an average of nearly 5.5 times per game. Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon is first with an astonishing 256, and McDavid is second with 163. The league’s forwards are averaging 33.5, a total 10 of the Hurricanes’ 12 forwards have exceeded.
Drury joins Blake with the fewest 20-mph speed bursts
among Carolina forwards with 15.
Defense
My guess: Jalen Chatfield
NHL EDGE: Walker, 32 Fewest speed bursts over 20 mph: Gostisbehere, 7 Walker nipped Chatfield by one for the most by Carolina defensemen with 32, while Gostisbehere’s total was one fewer than Orlov’s eight. The average for defense is 12.6, which Slavin exceeded with 21, though Brent Burns came up short with 11. While Slavin is not in the top 10 in this category, he is tied for the third-most 22-mph bursts among defensemen with four.
OFFENSIVE ZONE TIME
Forwards
My guess: Jordan Martinook
NHL EDGE: Aho, 50% Least offensive zone time: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, 44.2%
First, a note: These statistics are compiled at even-strength play. Aho’s 50% is the best in the league among forwards, and Carolina holds eight of the top nine spots in the league. My guess, Martinook, is third in the league at 48.5%, one-tenth behind Seth Jarvis. Even Kotkaniemi’s team-low 44.2% is much better than the league average of 41.3%.
Defense
My guess: Jalen Chatfield
NHL EDGE: Gostisbehere, 50.3% Least offensive zone time: Slavin, 46.4%
Gostisbere, Walker (50.1) and Chatfield (47.5) are the top three in the league, and Orlov, Burns and Slavin are all in the top 10. The league average for defensemen is the same as the forwards at 41.3%.
Key exits highlight early in-state transfer portal action
With the first transfer portal opening last week, local teams saw some key departures
By Ryan Henkel North State Journal
WE’RE LIVING IN a new era of college football with NIL and the transfer portal changes, and that means transfers now play a big part in roster construction either in terms of what you can add or what you can lose.
The transfer portal opened last week and will stay open until Dec. 28, but there will also be a second window that opens in the spring from April 16 through April 25.
A change this year is that the length of time the portal window is open has been reduced from 45 days to 30 days total.
Off the bat, the portal has hit local programs hard as there have already been a few key flights to the transfer portal.
One of the first to announce their departure was NC State sophomore wide receiver KC Concepcion.
Last year’s ACC Rookie of the Year had a tough go this season, seeing a decrease in nearly all of his stats from his first year.
Concepcion ended the season with 18 fewer receptions, nearly 300 fewer yards and four fewer touchdowns through the air as he was interestingly schemed for a lot more jet sweeps and run options.
BELICHICK from page B1
chuckled when AD Bubba Cunningham donned a sleeveless sports coat.
Belichick also displayed the sideline sweater his father wore as a UNC assistant from 1953 to ’55, and he wore a Carolina blue argyle tie to the event.
Belichick, a preschooler while his dad was in Chapel Hill, admitted to not remembering much from the era.
“One story I’ve always heard was, Billy’s first words were, ‘Beat Duke.,” he offered.
There was no question Belichick won the press conference after making a career of turning
passing touchdowns plus two touchdowns on the ground in 2024, helping lead Duke to a 9-3 record.
“I’ve got a ton of respect for Maalik Murphy,” said Duke coach Manny Diaz. “Our story as a program … it doesn’t happen to this degree without Maalik. He’s been everything we could have hoped for and more in his time with us. I’m excited for him and his future, and I’m glad that we were a part of each other’s story.”
However, Diaz and the Blue Devils were quick to address that loss, landing a commitment from Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah just two days later.
Mensah, a rising sophomore, threw for 2,723 yards, 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions as he helped lead the Green Wave to a 9-4 record and an appearance in the Gasparilla Bowl.
Austin Blaske and Aidan Banfield as well as linebacker Amare Campbell — withdrew their names from the portal following the hire.
The Tar Heels still have a few names in the portal, incuding defensive lineman Travis Shaw, offensive lineman Howard Sampson and kicker Noah Burnette, but with Belichick now the head of the program, UNC should see an influx of some top talent.
“I think the recruiting process belongs to everyone in terms of making this an attractive destination for the athlete,” Belichick said in his introductory press conference. “But it’s also part of the head coaching job to ensure that the student-athletes, you’re giving them what they want, and there’s not always a fit there sometimes. But this university has so much to offer and our football program has so much to offer, so I think we’ll be able to attract good, quality players.”
Luckily for the Wolfpack, it seems that they’re going to be returning a lot of their other key offensive pieces: Quarterback CJ Bailey, running back Hollywood Smothers and tight end Justin Joly have all committed for another season.
“There’s a lot of reasons behind some of these decisions, and some of them will probably never be told, but I look at all these openings that you end up with, whether its a player leaving for the NFL early, graduating and running out
them into wars of attrition where no one emerged unscathed. Still, there are concerns over the hiring.
Belichick has never coached at the college level — either as a head coach or an assistant. Many aspects of the job — recruiting, donors and boosters, dealing with young players away from home for the first time — will be brand new to him.
“I’ve always wanted to coach in college football, and it just never really worked out,” he said. “I had some good years in the NFL, so that was OK. But this is really a dream come true.”
Cunningham also addressed the lack of experience at this level.
of eligibility or a player deciding to go to another school, every one of these is an opportunity for a young man to join our team because someone else has left,” said NC State coach Dave Doeren.
Another tough blow in the state was the announcement from Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy that he would be entering the transfer portal and forgoing the Gator Bowl.
The sophomore quarterback, who transferred from Texas, racked up 2,933 yards and 26
“I got over the hump of college coaching experience with (UNC women’s coach Damon) Nahas and (field hockey coach Erin) Matson,” he said, referring to new hires who each won national championships in their first year on the job.
At age 72, Belichick’s longevity in his new role was also called into question. Reports surfaced that he was pushing for his son, Stephen, to be named as coach in waiting upon his hiring. There were also rumors that Belichick would sign just a three-year deal, although the contract he agreed upon was reportedly for the standard five.
“I feel like doing it a long time,”
Similar to Murphy, the California native is primarily a pocket passer, as he accumulated just 132 yards and one touchdown on the ground this year.
One of the most interesting situations to follow though will be that of the UNC Tar Heels.
When the portal opened, UNC was still without a head coach, so the program saw a bit of an exodus. The hiring of eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick, however, has flipped a few of those players back in.
A trio of starters — linemen
Belichick said. “I’m good to go.”
Then there’s the call of the NFL. Belichick has 302 career wins, just 26 off Don Shula’s alltime record. Will early success at UNC allow him to get a job in the pros to continue his pursuit of Shula?
“I didn’t come here to leave,” Belichick said. Belichick got right to work, with rumors swirling about his choices for assistant coaches and coordinators. He also brought UNC’s top recruit — East Forsyth quarterback Bryce Baker — back into the fold. Baker had been committed to UNC but held off on signing in the early period due to the coaching
The portal isn’t just impacting the big three in-state programs either. Wake Forest, ECU, Appalachian State and Charlotte are all feeling the effects of tough seasons with the flight of more than a few players.
It’s especially difficult for the latter three, who all fired head coaches, but just as the portal taketh, new coaches will be able to utilize the portal to rebuild. College football continues to evolve, and we’ll just have to wait and see how programs change and adapt with it.
change. He is now enrolling at Carolina in January and met the Tar Heels crowd at a home basketball game over the weekend. Belichick still has plenty of work to do on the recruiting and transfer portal class as his staff takes shape.
For one day, though, the mood was optimistic, and everything seemed possible. After all, football’s Darth Vader was pleasant and chatty.
“As a coach, you go where you want to go (for scouting trips) and send assistants on the other trips,” he said. “You always made the trip to Carolina.”
On this trip, he decided to stick around a while.
JEFF CHIU / AP PHOTO
LYNNE SLADKY / AP PHOTO
Former Duke quarterback Maalik Murphy prepares to pass during the first half of a game at Miami. Murphy entered the transfer portal and will miss the Blue Devils’ Gator Bowl game.
NCHSAA football state championships set to begin
UNC Chapel Hill and NC State will host the four matchups
By Jesse Deal North State Journal
AFTER A SEASON of exciting matchups, the 2024 North Carolina high school football playoffs are reaching their end with state championship games this weekend in Raleigh and Chapel Hill.
These matchups feature five teams without a loss this season, seven teams that had undefeated conference records and one team that is playing in its first championship game.
Seven of the eight state finalists have reached a championship game before, and six of them have come away with at least one title.
1A Championship Game: No. 1 Tarboro vs. No. 5 Corvian Community Dec. 21 at 3 p.m.
Carter‑Finley Stadium
Raleigh
Tarboro is on hunting for its 10th state championship in 16 tries as it faces the first charter school to ever reach a NCHSAA football state championship game. The Vikings have blown out their competition during their recent playoff games, while Corvian has prevailed through one- to twoscore victories.
TARBORO VIKINGS
Record: 13-1 (5-0 Four Rivers Conference)
Key wins: 59-6 home win over Wilson Prep, 50-0 home win over Pender, 71-0 home win over Warren County Top players: Junior running back Kamerin McDowell-Moore, junior quarterback/ defensive end Tyler Powell, senior running back Mason Satterfield
Championship history: 9-6 record (wins in 1965, 1984, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021)
CORVIAN COMMUNITY CARDINALS
Record: 15-0 (7-0 Catawba Shores Conference)
Key wins: 28-19 road win over Mountain Heritage, 14-7 road win over Mount Airy, 27-14 road win over Eastern Randolph Top players: Senior running back/defensive end Cam Johnson, senior quarterback AJ Jackson Jr., junior linebacker Jayden Summers Championship history: No state championship appearances
2A Championship Game: No. 1 Northeastern vs. No. 3 Monroe Dec. 21 at 6:30 p.m. Kenan Stadium Chapel Hill
In a battle between two teams with perfect records, one of
BOSTON COLLEGE ATHLETICS
Rolesville defensive end
Jayden Fry
Northeastern or Monroe will leave the 2A state title game with its only loss of the season. The Eagles are hoping to win their first state title in 55 years.
Key wins: 24-14 home win over Whiteville, 46-28 home win over James Kenan, 42-7 home win over West Craven Top players: Senior quarterback Trevaris Jones, senior wide receiver, Tyell Saunders, senior linebacker Maurice Bowser Championship history: 1-4 record (win in 1969)
MONROE REDHAWKS
Record: 14-0 (5-0 Rocky River Conference)
Key wins: 41-15 home win over Brevard, 41-23 road win over Shelby, 48-21 home win over West Stokes Top players: Senior quarterback Kaegan Chambers, senior wide receiver Jordan Young, junior running back Nymir Kendall Championship history: 1-3 record (win in 2015)
3A Championship Game: No. 2 Seventy-First vs. No. 8 West Charlotte Dec. 21 at 11 a.m. Carter Finley Stadium Raleigh
As the biggest underdog out of the eight teams playing for a state championship, West Charlotte now faces an undefeated Falcons team. Seventy-First has outscored its past three opponents by a margin of 141-14.
SEVENTY-FIRST FALCONS
Record: 15-0 (7-0 United 8 Conference)
Key wins: 43-7 home win over Jacksonville, 48-7 home win over J.H. Rose, 50-0 home win over North Brunswick
Top players: Senior quarterback Deandre Nance, senior running back/linebacker Donavan Frederick, senior defensive end Hector Baustista Championship history: 3-1-1 record (wins in 1970, 1986, 2008)
WEST CHARLOTTE LIONS
Record: 12-2 (5-2 Queen City Conference)
Key wins: 36-20 road win over Hickory, 39-13 road win over Dudley, 58-0 road win over Erwin Top players: Sophomore
Clawson steps down at Wake Forest
Five of N.C.’s seven FBS teams will have new coaches
By Shawn Krest North State Journal
FIVE OF THE STATE’S seven FBS programs will have new coaches next season after Dave Clawson stepped down at Wake Forest on Monday.
Clawson, who had coached the Demon Deacons since 2014, is the third winningest coach in school history, behind Jim Grobe and Peahead Walker, who each had 77. Clawson finished 67-69 at Wake, the best win-loss record by a Deacs coach since Walker, who finished his carer at the school in 1950.
Clawson started his coaching career immediately after college. He spent 10 seasons as an assistant on staffs at Albany, Buffalo, Lehigh and Villanova before becoming head coach at Fordahm in 1999. After going 0-11 in his first season, he posted a winning record with the Rams in his third year and reached the FCS playoffs in his fourth. He left for Richmond in 2004 and went to the playoffs twice in four seasons, winning national coach of the year honors in 2005.
Following a year as offensive coordinator at Tennessee, Clawson took over the Bowling Green program in 2009, reaching a bowl game in his fifth season. He then left for Wake, where, following backto-back 3-9 seasons, he strung together seven straight bowl bids from 2016 to 2022.
Wake also reached the ACC Championship Game and cracked the AP Top 10, the highest ranking in the school’s history, in 2021. Clawson also won ACC coach of the year that season. Clawson recorded a 10-win season at all four coaching stops, the only college coach in DI history who can make that claim.
“Coaching at Wake Forest has been the honor of my career,” Clawson said in a statement from the school. “This is a special place with extraordinary people, and I am deeply grateful for the relationships I’ve built over the last 11 years. Together, we achieved things that many thought impossible, and I step down know-
ing I gave everything I had for this program and University. I want to thank our players, coaches and staff for their unwavering support and dedication since my arrival to help build a sustainable winning program. With that, I am so grateful for our student body, fans and so many special Wake Foresters who invested their time, efforts and money into helping us win. While this chapter is ending, my pride in what we’ve built here will never fade. After completing my 25th season as a head coach and 36th-straight in college football, the timing is right for me and my family to step away into this new role within Wake Forest University.”
According to reports by ESPN, Clawson was also concerned about the changing nature of college sports, as well as Wake Forest’s uncertain place in major college football going forward. Wake is one of the smaller schools in FBS. Clawson reportedly compared his decision to similar moves by Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett and Washington coach Chris Petersen, both of whom decided to resign. “Dave Clawson has been the
epitome of integrity, innovation, and excellence in college football,” said Wake Forest Director of Athletics John Currie. “He elevated Wake Forest football to unprecedented heights, not only through success on the field but also by fostering the development of young men as leaders in life. Quite simply, Dave Clawson ‘s leadership, competitive drive and strategic instincts have made football at Wake Forest important, and a flagship program for our entire community and University at a scale that might have been unimaginable to most when he arrived 11 years ago.” Clawson will remain with Wake Forest in an advisory role for at least a year. After recharging his coaching batteries, he may consider a return to the sideline. In the meantime, Wake Forest needs to find a replacement for one of the most successful coaches in school history, and it will be getting a late start to the coaching carousel. The Deacs currently have the only head coaching vacancy at a power conference school, and most of the candidates have already either been
4A Championship Game: No. 5 Rolesville vs. No. 1 Grimsley
Dec. 20 at 7 p.m. Kenan Stadium Chapel Hill
Riding a 13-game winning streak, Rolesville is set to challenge a 15-0 Grimsley squad that allowed a season-high 28 points on Dec. 6. The Rams have posted at least 38 points in each of their past three playoff — all as a road underdog.
ROLESVILLE RAMS
Record: 14-1 (5-0 Northern Conference)
Key wins: 38-31 road win over Cardinal Gibbons, 49-6 road win over Cleveland, 44-6 road win over Richmond
Top players: Senior quarterback Braden Atkinson, senior running back Devon Thomas, senior defensive end Jayden Fry Championship history: 0-1 record
GRIMSLEY WHIRLIES
Record: 15-0 (7-0 Metro Conference)
Key wins: 35-23 home win over Weddington, 35-28 home win over Hough, 42-14 home win over Charlotte Catholic Top players: Junior quarterback Faizon Brandon, senior running back Mitchell Summers, senior defensive end Bryce Davis Championship history: 1-1 record (win in 2020)
KREST from page B1
tireless devotion to their job, sleeping in their office in an effort to find the one clue on game film that will give them an edge over that week’s opponent.
And year after year, week after week, late night after late night, Belichick found that key to victory more often than the other 31 coaches in the league.
The Patriots were often called the Evil Empire by the rest of the league, but Belichick wasn’t Darth Vader or the Emperor. He was Dolores Umbridge or Dwight Schrute, putting on reading glasses and poring over paperwork to do his evil bidding.
Yes, Belichick is coaching a college team for the first time in his career. Yes, his Patriots teams struggled in the couple seasons after their Hall of Fame quarterback left. Some observers are taking that as a sign that Belichick’s UNC experiment is a disaster in the making.
College is completely different from the NFL, they say. He’ll have to deal with recruiting, boosters, classes schedules for players, all these things he never dealt with before.
extended or taken jobs. Army’s Jeff Monken, Toledo’s Jason Candle, James Madison’s Bob Chesney and former West Virginia coach Neal Brown have all been mentioned as potential picks.
Whoever gets chosen will be the latest domino to fall in a changing of the guard across the state. Duke’s Manny Diaz, who just finished his first season with the Blue Devils, is now second among North Carolina’s FBS schools in job tenure, behind NC State’s Dave Doeren (12 years).
Next season, the state’s seven head coaches will have a total of 20 years experience in their current jobs, down from 53 years in 2024. It’s the lowest total tenure for the state’s coaches since 1993, when the state’s six coaches (Charlotte didn’t have a program yet) had a combined 19 years.
North Carolina’s four ACC coaches will have a combined 17 years of experience, down from 40 this past season. That will be the lowest since 2015, when David Cutcliffe was in his eighth year at Duke, Larry Fedora his fourth at UNC, Doeren his third and Clawson his second.
In other words, someone threw Br’er Belichick into the brier patch. An NCAA manual just begging to be picked apart is what gets him up in the morning. Belichick will carve it, and everything else that’s unfamiliar to him about college football, the same way he’s done with everything else.
In fact, he already has.
When he interviewed for the UNC job, rumors leaked out that he’d presented the school with a 400-page organizational bible, spelling out, in detail, his vision of how a college program should be organized. He also had a separate bible of equal length for potential suitors in the NFL, according to reports.
Belichick denied that at his introductory press conference with very specific phrasing.
“I don’t have a 400-page document,” he said, leaving the door wide open for documents of any other length. And is there anyone that doesn’t think a copy of the NCAA rules and regulations, highlighted in a rainbow of colors, has already been moved into an office at Kenan Stadium?
Belichick will outwork, outscheme and out-specify everyone in the ACC. He will drive everyone nuts, from opposing coaches to the media to the commissioner. Rules will likely change. Loopholes will close. And out will come the highlighters once again.
College football is about to get hacked.
CHUCK BURTON / AP PHOTO
Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson argues a call during the second half of a game against Ole Miss.
down by the river
Jake Xerxes Fussell brings folk, folklore to the river
Saxapahaw’s Haw River Ballroom is one of the state’s most majestic venues
By Dan Reeves North State Journal
SAXAPAHAW — Like the songs Jake Xerxes Fussell plucks from history to record and perform — crafted from the rusted artifacts of centuries past, scrap metal and iron repurposed into something singular and picturesque — the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw carries the same parts and ethos.
In the early 1900s, the Haw River powered the Saxapahaw Spinning Mill, turning its water wheels and driving the machinery by harnessing the kinetic energy of flowing water. Several decades later, only the structural bones remained to rust, but a renaissance in the small community of Saxapahaw started to flourish.
In 2011, Chapel Hill’s Heather LaGarde envisioned a Shangri La of sorts, built from materials left behind, where artists, musicians, families and children could gather. Almost 15 years later, the Haw River’s kinetic energy powers not a cotton mill but the atmosphere at the Haw River Ballroom — one of North Carolina’s most popu-
lar live music venues for musical artists and patrons.
The location’s storied pastoral setting was the perfect fit for Columbus, Georgia’s Jake Xerxes Fussell. His performance last Friday evening harnessed that same kinetic energy from the Haw River and spirit of its past, something which, judging from his onstage countenance, sound and chosen songbook, had already brought with him.
It’s no surprise Fussell is the son of a folklorist, historian and photographer, given his brand of creative output, which consists primarily of traditional folk and blues songs. Still, not so much from the Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger bucket, but instead the calls and cries of fishmongers, people of the land and the common clay of old America. He’s a rarity at a time when nearly everything has been redone, rebooted, bought, sold and bought again. What sets Fussell apart
is his complete and utter lack of pretension.
He’s a young guy, around 40 years old, who wears the same hat and sits on a chair, playing his guitar, singing old songs he wants new audiences to fall in love with the same way he did. But his following of fans is built on his interpretations and the way in which he presents long-forgotten ballads and refrains.
What captured the seated audience at Haw River Ballroom last Friday night was partly songs from previous records fans have familiarized themselves with. However, Fussell’s alternating of songs — choosing the thick, warm tone of a Telecaster-emitting a confluence of Mark Knopfler and Daniel Lanois- for one and his acoustic for others accompanied by upright bassist and timekeeper Ben Whiteley — left the room spellbound.
Between songs, some from his latest release, “When I’m Called,” Fussell engaged the audience with self-deprecating humor as a throwback while explaining the origins and backstories of the songs he chose, all of which are “traditional and in the public domain.” All but one. Three or four songs in, a few opening lyrics pricked the ears of some in attendance, but it wasn’t an old or traditional tune. To everyone’s surprise, it was Fussell’s take on Nick Lowe’s “I Love the Sound of Breaking Glass” from his 1978 release “Jesus is Cool.”
Whatever history, magic or mythology already existed at the Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw before Jake Xerxes Fussell performed was only elevated by that of his very own.
PJ WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Jake Xerxes Fussell, left, performs on stage with upright bassist Ben Whiteley at Haw River Ballroom in Saxapahaw on Dec. 13.
The location’s storied pastoral setting was the perfect fit for Fussell.
PJ WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Musician Jake Xerxes Fussell plays his Fender Telecaster at Haw River Ballroom last Friday.
Starlight is projected on the walls and ceiling of Haw River Ballroom.
Rock pioneer Brenda Lee shines in new documentary ‘I just wanted to sing’
Lee, 80, had her first hit record at age 15 and went on to sell more than 100 million albums
By Mark Kennedy The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Come and take a trip to the giddy birth of rock ’n’ roll through the eyes of one of its pioneers — Brenda Lee.
The “I’m Sorry” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” hitmaker who shared stages with both Elvis Presley and the Beatles is a guide to those heady years in “American Masters — Brenda Lee: Rockin’ Around,” which premiered Monday on PBS.
“That era can never be repeated again,” she told The Associated Press on the eve of the broadcast. “That was an era when the money wasn’t thought about, the fame wasn’t thought about. I know that sounds crazy, but it is true. The artists of that time were there to do their thing, and they loved it, whether they got paid or not.”
Lee, 80, had her first hit record in 1960 at age 15 and went on to sell more than 100 million albums. In the ’60s, she earned more Hot 100 singles in the United States — 46 — than any recording artist besides the Beatles, Presley or Ray Charles. She won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.
She is the rare artist inducted into both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, moving effortlessly in her career between country, pop, rock and rockabilly sounds.
“I never classified myself as a
“I never classified myself as a ballad singer, as a rock singer, as a country singer or anything. I just wanted to sing.”
ballad singer, as a rock singer, as a country singer or anything. I just wanted to sing,” she said in the interview. “Some artists can sing it all. Not me. I have to love what I’m singing or it’s not believable.”
The documentary draws on the commentary of musicologists and such stars as Keith Urban, Tanya Tucker, Trisha Yearwood, Jackie DeShannon, Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo.
“I had no trouble getting people to talk about Brenda and why she matters and why we should look to her,” said director Barbara Hall. “This is what’s possible when you just get your head down and stay focused and do what you know you’re good at and don’t give up.”
Lee was the daughter of an Atlanta carpenter who died in a construction accident when she was just 8. Her mother soon was
forced to work in the cotton mill.
When she was 10, country music singer Red Foley put her on his national TV program “Ozark Jubilee.” By age 12, she had appeared on various network TV variety shows.
The portrait that emerges is a rare one for the music industry: the story of a young woman who is protected and nurtured. Lee credited producer Owen Bradley, her manager Dub Allbritten and the musicians she worked with for looking out for her and treating her like a little sister.
“I hear horror stories about children in show business, but I certainly didn’t have that experi-
ence, and I’m grateful for that,” said Lee. “It was like I was one of the group, and that was so important to me.”
The holidays are when Lee shines most, with her hit “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” in high rotation. In 2023, it topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time, 65 years after the song’s debut.
“She is in your house every Christmas,” said Hall. “She is a part of something that so many Americans celebrate. So, I’m hoping that people will embrace her story and her music once they get reintroduced to it.”
She recorded it at age 13 in July 1958, not exactly a snowy time in the South. The air conditioner was cranked up in the recording studio and there was a Christmas tree set up to get everyone in the mood. It initially was a bigger hit abroad and later got a boost in the 1990 film “Home Alone.”
“You get a wonderful song, and it may lay around for a few years like ‘Rockin’ did, but if it’s as wonderful as ‘Rockin’ was, it’ll show its head sooner or later, and that’s what happened,” Lee said.
Hall, who worked on a 2017 “American Masters” documentary on Patsy Cline, said she tried to find any dirt on Lee and simply couldn’t. Even when Lee broke her leg during the shoot and had to be hospitalized, she was gracious and kind.
“If my leg was broken in 10 places and I had to be in a rehab facility, I’d probably be in a bad mood the whole time,” Hall said. “She was cracking jokes and everyone in the room felt like she was their friend.”
‘Kraven the Hunter’ flops, ‘Moana 2’ tops box office again
Sony’s latest attempt to mine the Spider-Man universe misfires
By Lindsey Bahr
The Associated Press
THE SPIDER-MAN spinoff
“Kraven the Hunter” got off to a disastrous start in North American theaters this weekend.
The movie starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson earned only $11 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, making it one of the worst openings for a Marvel-adjacent property. Its box office take was even less t han the film “Madame Web.”
The weekend’s other major studio release was Warner Bros.’ animated “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” which made $4.6 million. Made for about $30 million, the movie is set 183 years before the events of “The Lord of the Rings” films and was fast-tracked to ensure New Line did not lose the rights to Tolkien’s novels. Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have been working on future live-action films for the franchise.
Meanwhile, the top of the charts again belonged to “Moana 2” and “Wicked.”
“Moana” added $26.6 million to its domestic total in its third weekend and $57.2 million internationally, bringing its global tally to $717 million. It’s now the fourth highest-grossing film of the year, surpassing “Dune: Part Two.”
“Wicked,” which is in its fourth weekend, brought in another $22.5 million to take second place. The Universal musical has made more than $359 million domestically and over $500 million worldwide.
“Gladiator II” also made $7.8 million, bringing its domestic total to $145.9 million in four weeks.
“Kraven the Hunter” is the latest misfire from Sony in its attempt to mine the Spider-Man universe for spinoff franchises without the lucrative web-slinger himself.
“Kraven” joins “Madame Web” and “Morbius” in franchise ad-
ditions that fell flat with both audiences and critics. The one exception on this roller coaster journey has been the “Venom” trilogy, which has made more than $1.8 billion worldwide. The R-rated “Kraven the Hunter” was directed by J.C. Chandor and faced a number of delays, partly due to the Hollywood strikes. It was shot nearly three years ago and originally slated to hit theaters in January 2023. The film cost a reported $110 million to produce and was co-financed by TSG. Internationally, it made $15 million, but its potential for longevity appears limited: It currently carries a 15% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes and got a C grade on CinemaScore from opening weekend audiences.
“It’s not always a guarantee that you’ll be able to connect with audiences when you have a spinoff character,” said
Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “General audiences seem to want to know exactly what they’re getting.” Several awards contenders opened in limited release over the weekend, including Paramount’s “September 5” about ABC’s coverage of the Munich Olympics hostage crisis. Amazon MGM and Orion’s “Nickel Boys,” based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winner about an abusive reform school in Florida, opened in two theaters in New York. It averaged $30,422 per screen and will be expanding to Los Angeles before going nationwide in the coming weeks. Some big hitters are on the way in the home stretch of the 2024 box office. “Mufasa” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” will hit in the coming weeks along with a bevy of arthouse and adult
releases like “Babygirl,” “Nosferatu” and “A Complete Unknown.” The box office has seen a
dramatic recovery since June, when it was down nearly
PHOTO
Singer Brenda Lee, pictured in 2023 and at 14 in 1959, is the subject of a new documentary.
Brenda Lee
ORION PICTURES / AMAZON / MGM VIA AP
Ethan Herisse stars in “Nickel Boys,” based on Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer-winning novel about an abusive reform school in Florida.
JAY MAIDMENT / SONY PICTURES VIA AP
Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars in box office flop “Kraven the Hunter.”
Angels of the Water
An inspiring form of relief emerged for
Former state Sen. Deanna Ballard has seen firsthand the devastation of Hurricane Helene and will be telling the recovery stories from western North Carolina for North State Journal.
By Deanna Ballard Special
to North State
Journal
MARSHALL —More than two months after Hurricane Helene tore through Madison County, recovery is well underway. Amid the rebuilding efforts, an inspiring form of relief has emerged for adolescent girls in the historic town of Marshall: gardening, creating art, practicing yoga and singing cherished ballads handed down through generations of Appalachian musicians.
Leading these efforts is the Partnership for Appalachian Girls’ Education (PAGE), a nonprofit organization empowering girls in grades 6-12 with meaningful educational experiences and compassionate mentorship. Many of these young women face significant challenges, from the uncertainty to struggles with mental health.
Founded in 2010, PAGE was built on a vision to help rural girls dream big and acquire the tools they need to build successful futures. When the storm hit,
newly appointed executive director Rebecca Stephens and other PAGE personnel jumped into action, drawing on years of trust and connection within the community. With swift and heartfelt determination, they reached out through phone calls, social media and home visits to ensure their girls were accounted for.
Yet as the immediate crisis passed, they recognized that healing from such devastation would require more than physical safety. It would demand a strong, nurturing network to help the girls navigate the emotional toll of the storm — particularly after the isolation of the pandemic.
Within just three weeks, PAGE established a temporary base of operations in a trailer behind Madison Middle School because their office downtown was destroyed. Stephens and her team quickly mobilized, delivering more than 100 care packages filled with essential items, such as food and hygiene products, as well as educational materials, like STEM kits, books, and recipes. They established after-school self-care offerings to help the girls process what had happened and encouraged them to participate in hurricane relief however they could.
“After any difficult, traumatic event, it is vital to have time to process and heal in a space that promotes things like creativity and friendship, as the after-school program does,” Amy Stemann, PAGE literature program coordinator, said. “It is also awesome for me as a teacher
to get to know some of my current and future students in a different context than the academic classroom.”
One high schooler, Destiny Chandler, served at a hurricane relief station established in Lonesome Mountain Store. Chandler credits PAGE for equipping her with a new personal mission: “Helping people and any creatures I can. It made me realize how close we are as a community. And seeing people who had lost everything made me want to help them.”
The sky’s the limit for the types of projects and experiences PAGE offers adolescent girls of Appalachia. Originally founded as a humanities-based organization with a heavy focus on storytelling and the arts, they’ve recently expanded to include STEM activities, skilled labor training, and wellness practices.
“They get to meet a lot of women who are in science, which is exciting,” says Stephens.
In collaboration with various professionals in their field, PAGE provides interdisciplinary learning experiences that complement traditional education. The organization partners with UNC Asheville’s Skillset program to teach the girls carpentry and trade skills. Skillset plans to bring their mobile workshop van loaded with power tools for PAGE’s Summer Story Lab — a program in which the girls collect stories about Appalachian foodways and use their craftsmanship to build wooden picnic tables and eating utensils.
And in an incredible turn of events, these inspired young women made history by dipping their toes into the world of citizen science. Working with local scientist Pete Dixon, PAGE’s
aquatic ecology program allowed the girls to connect with the teeming wildlife of Laurel Creek in new and innovative ways. They documented more than 50 different kinds of dragonfly nymphs and even discovered a rare species never before found in the area. Their findings were uploaded to the iNaturalist database and published in the scientific journal Argia.
One participant was so inspired by the program she’s considering studying biology in college.
PAGE is as successful as it is because of the incredible team of dedicated leaders pouring their time and energy into the rising generation of female Appalachian trailblazers. Debbie Chandler is a shining example of this commitment. An essential member since day one, “Miss Debbie” has provided bus transportation for the girls, worked with school personnel to recruit fellows in need, and served as a “food angel” providing healthy meals.
A project near and dear to her heart is teaching the girls the old Appalachian ballads passed down through her family, songs that tell stories of survival and resilience. Through the healing power of music, Chandler reminds the girls of the lineage of strength from which they come.
Board member Emily McGinty aptly describes her as “the glue that holds it all together.”
PAGE’s success is also fueled by the power of partnerships.
Grants, private foundations and individual estate gifts enable the organization to remain free for participants while providing salaries for their four employees.
Staying true to its mission of supporting the local community, PAGE also pays stipends to pro-
Zakir Hussain, one of India’s biggest and most prolific classical musicians, dead at 73
He collaborated with George Harrison, Mickey Hart and Yo-Yo Ma
By Sheikh Saaliq The Associated Press
NEW DELHI — Zakir Hussain, one of India’s most accomplished classical musicians who defied genres and introduced tabla to global audiences, died on Sunday. He was 73.
The Indian classical music icon died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease, at a hospital in San Francisco, his family said in a statement.
“His prolific work as a teacher, mentor and educator has left an indelible mark on countless musicians. He hoped to inspire the next generation to go further. He leaves behind an unparalleled legacy as a cultural ambassador and one of the greatest musicians of all time,” the statement read.
Hussain was the most recognizable exponent of tabla, a pair of hand drums that is the main percussion instrument in Indian classical music. Considered the greatest tabla player of his generation, Hussain had a career that spanned six decades in which he collab -
orated with the likes of singer-songwriter George Harrison, jazz saxophonist Charles Lloyd, drummer Mickey Hart and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.
The son of legendary tabla artist Alla Rakha, Hussain was born in 1951 in Mumbai and was taught how to play the
instrument by his father at the age of 7. A child prodigy, he was touring by age 12 and performing alongside India’s classical music legends during his teens.
In an interview that was shared widely on social media in India, Hussain says his
father welcomed him into the world after he was born by speaking tabla rhythms into his ears. “I was brought home, handed over to my dad in his arms. The tradition was that the father is supposed to recite a prayer in the baby’s ear ... So,
gram facilitators, many of whom are local educators. In this year alone, more than 100 donors contributed individual gifts, allowing even more young women to explore new possibilities.
Looking ahead, PAGE is currently seeking a STEM coordinator to expand its engineering and skilled labor training — equipping girls with tools to serve in hurricane relief efforts and break barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields.
As PAGE continues to elevate educational experiences for young women and empower them to give back to their community, they humbly invite support to continue their innovative programming. This holiday season, consider contributing to PAGE’s mission by visiting their website at pageprograms.com or tinyurl.com/nsj-page.
Much like dragonfly nymphs emerging from water to spread their wings, the young women of Madison County are being given opportunities to transform their lives and futures through education. With the support of caring adults, these girls are achieving feats they once thought impossible. Stephens encapsulates the heart of PAGE’s mission.
“The voice of rural girls almost never makes it out of here,” she said. “These rural girls are important, and we need to tell their stories too.”
To listen to some reimagined Appalachia ballads, grab sister duo Rising Appalachia’s folk music album “Drenched in Place,” which celebrates mountain communities drenched in strength, love and beauty rising above the high waters. My particular favorite: “Stand like an Oak.” Hear the sisters’ music at risingappalachia.com.
he takes me in his arms, puts his lips to my ear and recites the tabla rhythms into my ears,” Hussain said in the interview, verbally imitating the rhythmic pattern of the instrument.
Both Alla Rakha and Hussain were given the honorific “Ustad,” an Urdu word that means master.
In 1973, Hussain formed the Indian jazz fusion band “Shakti” with jazz guitarist John McLaughlin. The band played acoustic fusion music that combined Indian music with elements of jazz, introducing a new sound to Western audiences.
In 2024, Hussain became the first musician from India to win three Grammy awards in the same year.
Hussain’s “Shakti” won Best Global Music Album, and his collaboration with Edgar Meyer, Béla Fleck and flutist Rakesh Chaurasia won Best Global Music Performance and Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. He had earlier won a Grammy in 2009.
In 2023, Hussain received the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian award.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called Hussain a “true genius who revolutionized the world of Indian classical music” and “an icon of cultural unity.”
“He also brought the tabla to the global stage, captivating millions with his unparalleled rhythm,” Modi wrote in a post on the social platform X. Hussain is survived by his wife and two daughters.
adolescent girls in the historic town of Marshall
MUSTAFA QURAISHI / AP PHOTO
Indian drum maestro Zakir Hussain, pictured at the “Living Dream Concert” in 2009, has died at 73.
COURTESY REBECCA STEPHENS, PAGE
Left, floodwaters from Hurricane Helene decimated downtown Marshall. Right, young girls laugh while in a circle at the PAGE program in Madison County.
COURTESY RED ROOSTER COFFEE ROASTER
Q&A: How Chalamet transformed into Dylan for ‘A Complete Unknown’
The actor’s performance in the James Mangolddirected film has drawn near-universal praise
By Jake Coyle The Associated Press
NEW YORK — How many roads must a man walk down to play Bob Dylan?
Quite a few, at least, if you’re
Timothée Chalamet. Off and on for some six years, Chalamet has been obsessively working toward his performance in “A Complete Unknown.” He has visited Dylan’s childhood home, learned how to play the guitar (and the harmonica) and immersed himself in the early ’60s New York that Dylan emerged out of — even if much of it has faded with history by now.
“Cafe Wha? was funny because they have Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan painted along the staircase and everything, but now it’s just, like, Aerosmith covers,” Chalamet says, chuckling. “I was like. ‘I don’t think this is what it was like when Bob was here.’”
Chalamet has been building his Dylan for so long that he’s been seen playing Dylan songs while in costume as Willy Wonka and on the set of “Dune.” His “Dune” co-star, Oscar Isaac (who famously played a fictional Dylan-adjacent folk musician in “Inside Llewyn Davis”), said, “My first thought, it sounded like a really bad idea.”
Isaac certainly wasn’t the only one to doubt whether Chalamet, or anyone, could tackle someone as iconic and enigmatic as Dylan.
But Chalamet’s performance — complete with singing and guitar playing — in the James Mangold-directed film, which opens in theaters Dec. 25, has drawn near-universal praise.
Chalamet, in an interview, recently spoke about how he navigated the biggest acting challenge of his career.
AP: There might not be a much more daunting undertaking for an actor than playing Dylan. How did you decide you wanted to do it?
Chalamet: I obviously felt like you can’t go near that if you’re not ready to do it. Equally, I had five years to work on this, or six, so there was no truncated process at
any point. If you play any real-life figure, it’s sort of a gift. There’s the reality of how it happened. But with a musician, your education becomes twofold, or tenfold, because there’s not only the record of what he went through in his work but the feeling he can give you as a person — which for me, with Bob’s music, was exponential.
Where did you begin?
Chalamet: Weirdly, it was the press conferences. This came to me in an email in 2018. Bob Dylan, to me, was limited to the good friend of my father’s in New York, growing up, who had a striking black-and-white portrait of Dylan on his apartment wall. I didn’t know much of his music. You know, stuff like “Blowing in the Wind” or “Time’s They Are a-Changin’” are so enwoven in American culture that, of course, I knew those. I just went up YouTube and, before songs popped up, the San Francisco press conference popped up in ’65. I was just so fascinated to see an art-
ist who was a definitive figure of the ’60s but who clearly was as much a thinker as he was a forward-facing entertainer.
Did you get anything from the D.A. Pennebaker documentary ‘Don’t Look Back’?
Chalamet: The great thing about “Don’t Look Back” is it’s just really raw. There aren’t the talking heads. It’s what’s great about Suze Rotolo’s book. It’s really raw. It’s rawer than a lot of the other books about Bob Dylan. It’s very clear-sighted about the young relationship she had with Bob. With an artist of such reverence, it’s important as an actor not to simply revere him. Then you’ll do justice to the people that already revere him, but to everyone else in the room, they won’t get it.
When do you first pick up a guitar?
Chalamet: I picked up a guitar on “Call Me By Your
Name” because I pluck out the chords of a song in that film. So, I had, like, a really rudimental experience with that. I think sometime in 2018 I had my first lesson with this great guitar teacher named Larry Saltzman who, at some point, became less of a teacher and more a co-sanity artist through COVID. I think we were keeping each other sane. We would Zoom three, four times a week and doing songs that never made it into the movie.
What songs did you gravitate toward?
Chalamet: All of it. I really liked all of it. I like the more intimate songs like “Girl From the North Country” or “Boots of Spanish Leather” or “One Too Many Mornings” or “Tomorrow Is a Long Time.” But then I also liked “North Country Blues” and “Rocks and Gravel” or “Ballad of Hollis Brown” — things where you hear the iron ore in Bob’s
voice, the North Country in Minnesota, the Hibbing. So much of the movie is about the onset of fame for Dylan and his rejection of the expectations others have for him. Were you able to connect with that experience?
Chalamet: Yeah, absolutely, in ways that are more unspoken than I could be definitive about. I just do. I don’t know how to use more words than that. And it was empowering to play someone that really just bucked off all pressure. You haven’t met Dylan, but have you thought about what you’d ask him if you did?
Chalamet: I think I’d just say thank you, really. Not thank you for the opportunity to meet or thank you for the opportunity to play the role. Thank you for his music and his art and his work.
Sundance unveils lineup including Lopez, Questlove
The
By Lindsey Bahr The Associated Press
NEXT YEAR’S Sundance Film Festival will feature Jennifer Lopez singing and dancing in Bill Condon’s “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” and Questlove exploring the legacy of Sly & The Family Stone.
The Sundance Institute unveiled 87 feature films set to premiere at the 2025 festival, kicking off Jan. 23 in Park City, Utah.
Now in its 41st year, the festival remains a place of discovery for independent cinema and emerging voices. Because of its January timing, it’s also a gathering that arrives alongside the presidential inauguration. At the 2017 festival following Donald Trump’s first inauguration, Main Street was taken over by a lively women’s march full of celebrities.
“Sundance as a festival has endured as a place to gather through inaugurations every four years, through different cultural moments and political moments,” said festival director Eugene Hernandez. “We have a program that both engages with the world and also offers at the very same time an escape.”
Narrative films and documentaries premiering this year will touch on politicized topics like “stand your ground” laws, incarceration, the right to die and book banning. But Sundance
doesn’t program by theme or have mandates about topics, said Kim Yutani, the festival’s director of programming. “I think what you see across the program are stories that are told with real authenticity. There’s an innovative quality to many of these films,” Yutani said. Documentaries are always a highlight at Sundance, where the conversation starts and often continues through the year into the Oscar race. Mstyslav Chernov follows his Oscar-winning “20 Days in Mariupol” with “2000 Meters to Andriivka,” which looks at a Ukrainian platoon on a mission to liberate a village from Russian occupation.
“Free Leonard Peltier” looks at the Indigenous activist who has spent most of his life in prison since his conviction in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents in South Dakota. He was denied parole in July. Hernandez further spotlighted Barry Levinson and Robert May’s episodic series “Bucks County, USA,” about political divides in small town America and the friendship of two teenage girls despite their opposing views.
There are also several docs about famous musicians and actors, including Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s “Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Ge-
nius),” Shoshannah Stern’s “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore,” Amy Berg’s “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” and Matt Wolf’s “Peewee as Himself.” Elegance Bratton also looks at the roots of house music in “Move Ya Body: The Birth of House.” Some performances that may have people talking into the year include: Benedict Cumberbatch in “The Thing with Feathers,” about a father processing the loss of his wife; Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones in “Train Dreams,” about a railroad day laborer from the “Sing Sing” writer and director; John Lithgow and Olivia Colman as father and daughter in “Jimpa”; Lopez in Condon’s
“Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)” by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson is an official selection of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
lush and vibrant musical adaptation; Lily Gladstone and Youn Yuh-jung in Andrew Ahn’s “The Wedding Banquet”; Josh O’Connor in “Rebuilding”; and Ben Whishaw and Rebecca Hall in “Peter Hujar’s Day,” about New York’s downtown art scene in the 1970s, from Ira Sachs. This will be one of the last years the festival is primarily based out of Park City. Over the past year, the Sundance Institute has been exploring options for host cities starting in 2027. Finalists include Salt Lake City (with some events still in Park City), Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati. An announcement is expected in the first quarter of 2025.
Edward Norton, left, and Timothée Chalamet star in “A Complete Unknown.”
2025 festival will premiere 87 feature films
deceased, late of Cumberland county, hearbynotifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersignedon or before march 20, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All debtors of the decedent are required to make immediate payment to the undersigned, this 19th day of december, 2024 Executor: Jessica C. Bohnert Address: 1084 Runick st. Fayetteville N.C. 28306 Of the estate of Patricia Denise Smith, Deceased Estate File # 24E002803-250
NOTICE ESTATE OF ANNIE TEAGUE WARREN Cumberland County, North Carolina Estate file #24E002937-250 Executor’s Notice Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Annie Teague Warren, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claims to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of March, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE The undersigned having qualified as Executor of the Estate of George Ray Yourgal, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claims to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of March, 2025, (which date is three months after day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 2nd day of December, 2024 Robert Eugene Yourgal (Executor) 408 Wildey Road Seaford, VA. 23696 Of the Estate of George Ray Yourgal, Deceased
NOTICE
All persons firms and corporations having claims against James Michael Rogers, deceased of Cumberland County, NC are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before March 19, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 19 day of December, 2024. Dalton Osborn Brunson, executor, 8014 Kalmia Lane, Hope Mills, NC 28348
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having qualified as the Administrator of the Estate of George Truitt Nunnery, decedent, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to present them to the Administrator named below on or before March 07th, 2024. Or, this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 5th day of December, 2024. James Douglas Nunnery 5125 Pondwood Drive Stedman, NC 28391 Published on December 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2024.
NOTICE
In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ESTATE OF ELIZABETH MACRAE HALSEY
CUMBERLAND County Estate File No. 24E001515-250 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Elizabeth MacRae Halsey, deceased, of Cumberland County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Davis W. Puryear, Administrator, at 4317 Ramsey St., Fayetteville, NC 28311, on or before the 1st day of March, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the Decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above. This the 21st day of November, 2024. Davis W. Puryear Administrator of the Estate of Elizabeth MacRae Halsey Davis W. Puryear Hutchens Law Firm Attorneys for the Estate 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, NC 28311 Run dates: November 28, December 5, December 12 and December 19, 2024
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
In the General Court of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E002833-250 Administrator’s/Executrix’s Notice
The undersigned, having qualified as Administrator/ Executrix of the Estate of Jeannette Faye Horne, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all Persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present a claim to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of March 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 2nd day of December 2024 Wendy Ann Rogers 6025 Kingsland Drive Fayetteville NC 28306 Of the Estate of Jeannette Faye Horne, Deceased
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
County of Cumberland
In The General Court of Justice
Superior Court Division Estate File#24EOO2877-250
ADMINISTRATOR’S/EXECUTORS NOTICE
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Dorothy Joyce Livingston, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons,firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of March,2025(which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice)or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned.This 13th day of December, 2024. John ALAN LIVINGSTON 368 Windermere Drive Fayetteville, NC 28314 Of the Estate of Dorothy Joyce Livingston, Deceased.
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
In The General Court Of Justice County of Cumberland Superior Court Division Estate File# 24E1499
Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice
The undefined having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Jerome Hope Manning, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of March 2025 (which date is 3 months after the date of the first publication notice or this notice) will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 19th day of December 2024.
Natasha Manning – Administrator 705 Keystone Park Drive Unit 40 Morrisville, NC 27560 Of the Estate of Jerome Hope Manning, Deceased
NOTICE
ESTATE OF IRIS WILLIAMS DARDEN
Cumberland County, North Carolina Estate file # 24E002917-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Iris Williams Darden, deceased, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claims to the undersigned on or before the 12th day of March, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 12th day of December, 2024.
David Kenneth Darden, Jr., Executor 3983 Final Approach Drive Eastover, NC 28312 Of the Estate of Iris Williams Darden, Deceased
Executor’s Notice IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION ESTATE FILE 24E002827 State of North Carolina Cumberland County NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of Mary Ann Bissette, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms or corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned at 205 Fairfield Road, Fayetteville, North Carolina 28303, on or before February 28, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 28th day of November, 2024. Constance Bissette Greene Executor of the Estate of Mary Ann Bissette, Deceased c/o Gilliam Law Firm, PLLC J. Duane Gilliam, Jr., Attorney PO Box 53555 Fayetteville, NC 28305 11/28/2024,12/5/2024, 12/12/2024 and 12/19/2024
NOTICE
IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE
SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION
ESTATE FILE #2024-E-002826
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Elisabeth Piller Blakney, late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at 4916 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC, 28312, on or before March 25, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this the 19th day of December 2024. Robin Black, Administrator of the Estate of Elisabeth Piller Blakney. Address 4916 Clinton Road, Fayetteville, NC 28312.
NOTICE
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Ina Jernigan Davis, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of March, 2025, (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. Dated this 10th of December, 2024. Robert A. Davis, Executor of the Estate of Ina Jernigan Davis 244 Sowing Oak Drive San Marcos, TX 78666
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
County of Cumberland
In The General Court Of Justice Superior Court Division Estate File # 24E002852-250 Administrator’s/Executor’s Notice
The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of James A Jackson, Jr. deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to present their claim to the undersigned on or before 19 day of March, 2025 (which date is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the cecedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 19 day of December, 2024.
Jennifer J. Arno Administrator/Executor 10403 Colliers Chapel Church Road Linden, NC 28356 Of the Estate of James A Jackson Jr., Deceased
NOTICE
In The General Court of Justice Superior Court Division Before the Clerk Estate File #24-E002670-250 STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA CUMBERLAND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR NOTICE
Having qualified as executor of the estate of Candace M. Cox, deceased, late of Cumberland County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before March 19th, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This is the 19th day of December 2024.
Cameron T. Cox 7009 Byerly Drive, Hope Mills, North Carolina, 28348 Executor of the estate of Candace M. Cox
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND
The undersigned, Catheryn Ann Baxley and Robert Durant Carver, having qualified as Co-Executor’s of the Estate of Dorothy L. Carver aka Dorothy Leggett Carver, Deceased , late of Cumberland County, North Carolina, herby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned in care of the undersigned’s Attorney at their address on or before March 6, 2025 or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the above- named CoExecutor’s.
T his the 5th day of December, 2024. Catheryn Ann Baxley and Robert Durant Carver, CoExecutor’s Estate of Dorothy L. Carve aka Dorothy Leggett Carver Justin N. Plummer, Esq. Law Offices of Cheryl David 528 College rd. G reensboro, NC 27410
Telephone:(336)547-9999
Facsimile:(336)547-9477 December 5,12, 19 and 26, 2024.
NOTICE
Deborah Clayton has qualified as Administrator of the Estate of John David Clayton, deceased, late of Cumberland County, hereby notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present their claims to the undersigned on or before 5th day of March, 2025, (which is three months after the day of the first publication of this notice) or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All Debtors of the decedent are requested to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 5th day of December, 2024. Deborah Clayton, Administrator 137 Cloud Avenue Hamlet, North Carolina 28345 Estate of John David Clayton
NOTICE
NOTICE OF SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE’S FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY 24-SP-221 UNDER AND BY VIRTUE of the power and authority contained in that Deed of Trust by Gomrzarroyocastro LLC (“Borrower”), dated November 29, 2023 securing an indebtedness to GTR NV LLC in the original principal amount of
NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Lisa Bradfield, having qualified on the 4th day of December 2024, as Executor of the Estate of Barbara Bostelman (2024-E-1409), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 24th day of March, 2025, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address.
This 19th day of December 2024. Lisa Bradfield Executor ESTATE OF BARBARA BOSTELMAN David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 19, 2024, December 26, 2024, January 2, 2025, January 9, 2025
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, S&T BANK, having qualified as the Executor of the Estate of RALPH L. WINGROVE, Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said S&T BANK, at the address set out below, on or before March 27, 2025, or this notice may be pleaded in bar of any payment or recovery of same. All persons indebted to said Decedent will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the address set out below.
This the 16th day of December, 2024 S &T BANK Executor of the Estate of RALPH L. WINGROVE c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA NEW HANOVER COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS THE UNDERSIGNED, Mark Winton Johnson II, having qualified on the 3rd day of December 2024, as Administrator of the Estate of Stephany Del Re’ (2024-E-1662), deceased, does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said Estate that they must present them to the undersigned at DAVID E. ANDERSON, PLLC, 9111 Market Street, Suite A, Wilmington, North Carolina, 28411, on or before the 24th day of March, 2025, or the claims will be forever barred thereafter, and this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said Estate will please make prompt payment to the undersigned at the above address. This 19th day of December 2024. Mark Winton Johnson II Administrator ESTATE OF STEPHANY DEL RE’ David Anderson Attorney at Law 9111 Market St, Ste A Wilmington, NC 28411 Publish: December 19, 2024, December 26, 2024 January 2, 2025, January 9, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
ALL PERSONS, firms and corporations having claims against INA M. KING, deceased, of New Hanover County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before (March 6, 2025), or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This December 5, 2024. CAMERON KING 304 Gatefield Dr., Wilmington, NC 28412 Dec 5,12,19,26
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Estate of Richard Stephen Todd New Hanover County Estate File No. 24E1583
All persons and corporations having claims against Richard Stephen Todd, Deceased, of New Hanover County, North Carolina, are notified to present their claims to Victoria Lacivita, Administrator of the Estate of Richard Stephen Todd, at 221 Red Cross St. Apt. B Wilmington, NC 28401, on or before the 28th day of February, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of Richard Stephen Todd are requested to make immediate payment to the Administrator named above. This the 28th day of November, 2024. Victoria Lacivita, Administrator of the Estate of Richard Stephen Todd.
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF NEW HANOVER NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, BETTY R. WALKER, having qualified as the Executorof the Estate of LUCILLE WALKER MURRILL , Deceased, hereby notifies all persons, firms or corporations having claims against the Decedent to exhibit same to the said
BETTY R. WALKER, at the address set out below, on or before March 25, 2025, or this notice may be pleaded in bar of any payment or recovery of same.
All persons indebted to said Decedent will please make immediate payment to the undersigned at the address set out below.
This the 16TH day of DECEMBER, 2024.
BETTY R. WALKER
Executor OF THE ESTATE OF LUCILLE WALKER
MURRILL
c/o ROBERT H. HOCHULI, JR. 219 RACINE DR., SUITE #A6 Wilmington, NC 28405
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of JEFFERY ALAN REED, late of Wake County, North Carolina (24E004226-910), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 2nd day of March 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 28th day of November 2024.
Epifania D. Reed Administrator of the Estate of Jeffery Alan Reed c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526
(For publication: 11/28, 12/5, 12/12, 12/19/2024)
OF
FORECLOSURE
JAMES R. FITZGERALD DATED MAY 3, 2001 RECORDED IN BOOK NO. 3221, AT PAGE 351 IN THE CABARRUS COUNTY PUBLIC REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA
Under and by virtue of the power and authority contained in the above-referenced
of
Cabarrus County courthouse at 1:00 PM on December 30, 2024, the following described real estate and any improvements situated thereon, in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being more particularly described in that certain Deed of Trust executed by James R. Fitzgerald, dated May 3, 2001 to secure the original principal amount of $59,160.00, and recorded in Book No. 3221, at Page 351 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry. The terms of the said Deed of Trust may be modified by other instruments appearing in the public record. Additional identifying information regarding the collateral property is below and is believed to be accurate, but no representation or warranty is intended.
The record owner(s) of the property, according to the records of the Register of Deeds, is/ are Estate of James Fitzgerald C/O Shirley
Anthony Maselli or Genevieve Johnson, either of whom may act, having been substituted as Successor Trustee in said Deed of Trust by an instrument duly recorded in the Official Records of Cumberland County, North Carolina, in Book 12004, Page 0505, and the holder of the note evidencing said indebtedness having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will offer for sale at the courthouse door in Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, on December 30, 2024 at 11:00am and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: PARCEL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER(S): 040613-7198 ADDRESS: 6435 WORTHINGTON DRIVE FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28304 PRESENT RECORD OWNER(S): UNKNOWN HEIRS OF SYLVIA CROSSLEY THE LAND DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SITUATED IN THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND, AND IS DESCRIBED IN DEED BOOK 7464, PAGE 331 AS FOLLOWS: BEING ALL OF LOT NUMBER 9 OF THE TYSOR PROPERTY, PROPERTY OF BROADWELL LAND COMPANY SUBDIVISION, AND THE SAME BEING DULY RECORDED IN BOOK OF PLATS 49 AT PAGE 68, CUMBERLAND COUNTY REGISTRY, NORTH CAROLINA.
PARCEL ID: 0406-13-7198
Ford, administrator and Norma Fitzgerald and Kenneth Fitzgerald and Mary Williams and Heirs of Ernest Fitzgerald and Herlena Fitzgerald and Charlie E Fitzgerald and Unknown Heirs of James R. Fitzgerald and Subrana B Thompson.
The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS, WHERE IS. Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property offered for sale. Any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition expressly are disclaimed. This sale is subject to all prior liens and encumbrances and unpaid taxes and assessments including any transfer tax associated with the foreclosure. A deposit
of five percent (5%) of the amount of the bid or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required from the highest bidder and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. This sale will be held open ten days for upset bids as required by law. After the expiration of the upset period, all remaining amounts are IMMEDIATELY DUE AND OWING. Failure to remit funds in a timely manner will result in a Declaration of Default and any
Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. §45-21.23. Should the property be purchased by a third party, that party must pay the excise tax, as well as the court costs of Forty-Five Cents ($0.45) per One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) required by N.C.G.S. §7A-308(a)(1). The property to be offered pursuant to this notice of sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS, WHERE IS.” Neither the Trustee nor the holder of the note secured by the deed of trust/security agreement, or both, being foreclosed, nor the officers, directors, attorneys, employees, agents or authorized representative of either the Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition are expressly disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale. If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale
FROM YOU PERSONALLY. Samantha J. Kelley ROBERTSON, ANSCHUTZ, SCHNEID, CRANE & PARTNERS, PLLC Attorneys for the Substitute Trustee P.O. Box 160 Jacksonville, NC 28541-0160 Telephone: (470) 321-7112
Trustee or the holder of the note make any representation or warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at or relating to the property being offered for sale, and any and all responsibilities or liabilities arising out of or in any way relating to any such condition
THE
COLD MOON RISING
WHAT’S HAPPENING
RFK Jr. visits Capitol Hill ahead of his confirmation hearing
Washington, D.C.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has swept onto Capitol Hill. The nominee is reintroducing himself to senators as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s Health and Human Services Department. His arrival Monday was the start of a long process to win over senators. Health and Human Services, the world’s largest public health agency, has a broad reach overseeing food and medicines used every day.
“I’m open,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of his support for Kennedy’s nomination. “(But) if you come in and say I won’t consider myself successful unless I eliminate these vaccines, that could be problematic.”
More Cooper lieutenants staying on in Stein’s Cabinet
Raleigh Several more top lieutenants of outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper have agreed to work for fellow Democrat and successor Josh Stein’s administration. They include Cooper’s transportation and public safety secretaries and the state budget director — all of whom will stay in their current posts. Each of them have had significant roles responding to Hurricane Helene. Stein already said this week that two other Cooper department secretaries will be on his team as well — albeit leading new departments. Stein was elected governor last month and will take his oath of office next month.
$2.00
Albemarle Parks and Recreation awarded for Project Next Step
The department was recognized for its summer learning program
By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal
ALBEMARLE — At the Albemarle City Council meeting on Monday night, councilmembers honored Albemarle Parks and Recreation for recently winning two awards for its Project Next Step program.
The parks and rec department took home the Centralina Cross-Community Collaboration Award and the North Carolina Recreation and Parks Association Innovative Program Award for its summer learning program geared for Albemarle Middle School students. Born out of a shared goal project between the department and Stanly County
Schools, Project Next Step was designed to bridge the gap between the academic and physical needs of students in the Albemarle community while also improving their access to learning strategies and interactive opportunities with Stanly County Community College.
“This initiative was a collaboration between Stanly County Schools and Parks and Recreation,” Albemarle Mayor Ronnie Michael said. “Project Next Step provided academic enrichment and real world experiences to help set a foundation for success for Albemarle Mid-
“This initiative was a collaboration between Stanly County Schools and Parks and Recreation.”
Ronnie Michael, Albemarle mayor
dle School students. We also want to recognize parks and recreation for earning another prestigious award related to the Project Next Step program, as the North Carolina Recreation and Parks Association honored Albemarle Parks and Rec for the innovative program.”
Lisa Kiser, director of Albemarle Parks and Recreation,
See PARKS, page A2
U.S. News & World Report put the facility on its “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” list
By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal
ALBEMARLE — A Stanly County hospital has been included by U.S. News & World Report in the publication’s annual “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” list. Atrium Health Stanly is one of six Atrium Health hospitals in North Carolina that were recognized on the list under the “high performing” classification, which is rated as the highest level of achievement possible. Located at 301 Yadkin St. in Albemarle, the hospital was also designated by the outlet as a “Maternity Care Access Hospital” — an honor designated to facilities in areas that lack a variety of maternal care options for expectant parents.
“We are delighted to have six hospitals on U.S. News & World Report’s list of ‘Best Maternity Hospitals’ and to be included among the best-ofthe-best for maternity care,” Meghan Clithero, vice president of the women’s service line at Atrium Health, said in a company press release. “Our outstanding women’s care teams are dedicated to patient safety, innovative practices and health equity. We will continue to strive to provide unparalleled care to all our patients, ensuring that every family has access to the highest quality maternity services in their communities.”
“So proud of our facility! Way to go Atrium Health Stanly!”
Marietta Abernathy, vice president and facility executive director for Atrium Health Stanly
Atrium Health Stanly was joined on the list by Atrium Health Cabarrus (Concord), Atrium Health Pineville (Charlotte), Atrium Health Union (Monroe), Atrium Health Union West (Matthews), and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (Winston-Salem).
Rankings for the hospital maternity care list were determined on cesarean section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, as well as other objective measures of quality like severe unexpected
STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
COURTESY STANLYTV
Lisa Kiser, director of Albemarle Parks and Recreation, spoke to the Albemarle City Council about Project Next Step.
COURTESY ATRIUM HEALTH
Six Atrium Health hospitals in North Carolina were honored for their maternal care quality.
The last full moon of 2024 rose over the crisp Carolinas early Sunday, hanging in the sky like a bright white celestial Christmas ornament.
DAVID SINCLAIR FOR STANLY COUNTY JOURNAL
North State Journal
(USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)
Neal Robbins, Publisher
Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers
Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor
Jordan Golson, Local News Editor
Shawn Krest, Sports Editor
Dan Reeves, Features Editor
Jesse Deal, Reporter
P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer
BUSINESS
David Guy, Advertising Manager
Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607
TO SUBSCRIBE:
919-663-3232
STANLYJOURNAL.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Raleigh, NC and at additional mailing offices
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607
We stand corrected
To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline. com with “Correction request” in the subject line.
CRIME LOG
Dec. 10
• Kelli Rae Dunn, 35, was arrested for larceny of a motor vehicle, possession of methamphetamine, nine counts of financial card theft, possession of stolen goods, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Dec. 12
• Dustin James Barlow, 38, was arrested for driving while license revoked with impaired revocation and driving while license revoked.
Stephanie Jade Sides, 38, was arrested for financial card theft, habitual larceny, felony possession of cocaine, possession of controlled substance on prison/jail premises, simple possession of Schedule IV controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Dec. 14
Dylan Lewis Kessel, 22, was arrested for resisting a public officer.
• Elizabeth Garen Edwards, 48, was arrested for killing an animal by starvation and first-degree trespassing.
Dec. 15
Joshua Shane Longoria, 25, was arrested for fleeing/ eluding arrest with a motor vehicle, reckless driving with wanton disregard, failing to heed light or siren, possession of marijuana up to 1/2 oz, and driving while impaired.
Arrest made in Albemarle armed robbery
Michael Daniel Cochrane faces three different charges
By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle Police Department has taken a suspect into custody following an armed robbery on Dec. 12.
Michael Daniel Cochrane, 43, was arrested on Dec. 13 and charged with robbery with a dangerous weapon, fleeing in a motor vehicle to elude arrest and larceny of a motor vehicle. At approximately 3:10 p.m. the day before, the APD was dispatched to AK Tobacco & Vape — located at 2002 U.S.-52
in Albemarle — in reference to an armed robbery where Cochrane allegedly brandished a handgun at the store clerk.
The suspect obtained an undisclosed amount of money before fleeing the scene in a vehicle.
NC justices rule for restaurants in COVID-19 claims case
The state Supreme Court ruled against a clothing chain
By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press
RALEIGH — North Carolina’s Supreme Court issued mixed rulings Friday for businesses seeking financial help from the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring one insurer’s policy must cover losses some restaurants and bars incurred but that another insurer’s policy for a nationwide clothing store chain doesn’t due to an exception. The unanimous decisions by the seven-member court in the pair of cases addressed the requirements of “all-risk” commercial property insurance policies issued by Cincinnati and Zurich American insurance companies to the businesses. The companies who paid premiums saw reduced business and income, furloughed or laid off employees or even
MATERNITY from page A1
newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices and racial disparity reporting.
“So proud of our facility! Way to go Atrium Health Stanly!” Marietta Abernathy, vice president and facility executive director for Atrium
PARKS from page A1
spoke to the council about the project and its subsequent accolades.
“I want to recognize my other staff from E.E. Waddell who participated in this program and are working tonight at the center or trying to take comp time off — that’s Billy McRae and Brent Kirvin,” Kiser said. “We’re super excited that it was a statewide award that we won from North
closed from the coronavirus and resulting 2020 state and local government orders limiting commerce and public movement. North Carolina restaurants, for example, were forced for some time to limit sales to takeout or drive-in orders.
In one case, the 16 eating and drinking establishments who sued The Cincinnati Insurance Co., The Cincinnati Casualty Co. and others held largely similar policies that protected their building and personal property as well as any business income from “direct physical loss” to property not excluded by their policies.
Worried that coverage would be denied for claimed losses, the restaurants and bars sued and sought a court to rule that “direct physical loss” also applied to government-mandated orders, a court opinion said. A trial judge sided with them, but a panel of the intermediate-level Court of Appeals disagreed, saying such claims did not have to be accepted because there was no actual physical harm to the prop-
Health Stanly, wrote in a social media announcement.
Taking over following the promotion of former AHS executive Brian Freeman, Abernathy was promoted on Dec. 1 to her current directorial role after six and a half years at the Albemarle hospital, becoming the first female executive at the location.
In addition to fertility and
Carolina Recreation and Parks Association.”
Project Next Step was created to enact a 60-day structured environment where middle school students could participate in field trips throughout Stanly County in order to promote science, technology, engineering, arts and math learning experiences.
Building a new opportunity for those in search of one, Albemarle Parks and Rec noted that 51 of the 53 stu-
erty only a loss of business. But state Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls, writing for the court, noted the Cincinnati policies did not define “direct physical loss.” Earls also noted there were no specific policy exclusions that would deny coverage for viruses or contaminants. Earls said the court favored any ambiguity toward the policyholders because a reasonable person in their positions would understand the policies include coverage for business income lost from virus-related government orders.
“It is the insurance company’s responsibility to define essential policy terms and the North Carolina courts’ responsibility to enforce those terms consistent with the parties’ reasonable expectations,” Earls wrote.
In the other ruling, the Supreme Court said Cato Corp., which operates more than 1,300 U.S. clothing stores and is headquartered in Charlotte, was properly denied cover-
high-risk pregnancy specialists, Atrium Health women’s care provides maternity services and customized support at each stage of delivery. Atrium Health is part of Charlotte-based Advocate Health, which had 24 hospitals named to the “Best Hospitals for Maternity Care” list.
After APD detectives and officers located a vehicle matching the description of the suspect’s vehicle, a brief pursuit occurred as officers approached the fleeing vehicle.
Due to the driver’s dangerous driving and information already known at the time, the pursuit was terminated in the interest of public safety. However, the suspect’s unoccupied vehicle was later found and seized as evidence.
Cochrane was taken into custody without incident after he was located by authorities on Dec. 13.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Albemarle Police at 704-984-9500.
age through its “all-risk” policy. Zurich American Insurance Co. had refused to cover Cato’s alleged losses, and Cato sued.
But while Cato sufficiently alleged a “direct physical loss of or damage” to property, Earls wrote in another opinion, the policy contained a viral contamination exclusion that Zurich American proved applied in this case.
The two cases were among eight related to COVID-19 claims on which the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over two days in October. The justices have yet to rule on most of those matters.
The court did announce Friday that justices were equally divided about a lawsuit filed by then-University of North Carolina students seeking tuition, housing and fee refunds when in-person instruction was canceled during the 2020 spring semester. The Court of Appeals had agreed it was correct to dismiss the suit — the General Assembly had passed a law that gave colleges immunity from such pandemic-related legal claims for that semester. Only six of the justices decided the case — Associate Justice Tamara Barringer did not participate — so the 3-3 deadlock means the Court of Appeals decision stands.
“This recognition underscores our unwavering dedication to providing exceptional maternity care,” said Dr. Scott Rissmiller, executive vice president and chief physician executive for Advocate Health. “Our commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centered care ensures that families receive the highest quality of care during one of the most important times in their lives.”
dents acknowledged that they had never been selected to participate in a program before.
During a visit to the farm at Juneberry Ridge, students engaged with nature and completed hands-on activities with animals while speaking to local agricultural professionals. Program participants also completed a lengthy hike at Morrow Mountain and later provided their feedback on how they were able to mentally
and physically handle the task.
Elsewhere, Project Next Step students — many of whom stated to counselors their reservations about attending a higher-learning environment in the future — were exposed to field trips to colleges and universities so they could better visualize their own ability to learn and excel.
The Albemarle City Council is set to next meet on Jan. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
COURTESY ALBEMARLE PD
The Albemarle Police Department made an arrest on Dec. 13 in connection to an armed robbery the day before.
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH
A broken system
This is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN that an alleged murderer has become a folk hero, that literally millions of people in this country have taken his side — in social media, at least, if not as potential jurors — in a case of cold-blooded murder? What does it mean that the McDonald’s employees who reported him have had to resort to police protection to deal with the threats against them? It would be shocking, if it weren’t so understandable.
Our health care system is broken. It causes unbelievable suffering. Of course it is wrong to take pleasure in the murder of anyone. But understandable? Yes.
Luigi Mangione is “hot.” That certainly adds to his appeal. But what is driving the reaction to his crime is not his good looks but the almost universal frustration with health insurance companies, and the trials and tribulations of dealing with them.
The question: Is Trump listening? Does he get it?
The Affordable Care Act allowed millions of Americans to buy into a system that previously excluded them if they had preexisting conditions. I remember the bad old days, when you just couldn’t get health insurance if you weren’t healthy. I remember trying to purchase a PPO plan for my nanny, similar to what I received from my employer, who had gastritis.
She took a Nexium every day. That was enough for her to be turned down by all the PPO plans. The only plan I could buy for her was Kaiser Permanente’s HMO, which later saved her life, and then later failed to provide
The devils are here
The more we make, the more we spend on health care.
LAST WEEK, a deranged 26-year-old anti-capitalist allegedly shot to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, on the streets of New York.
The alleged shooter carried a manifesto with him, decrying the nature of America’s health care system:
“Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” The manifesto claimed that America spends more than any other country on health care, and yet “we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy,” and that this was due to insurance companies that “continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument.”
It is generally useless to argue with the criminally insane — and the alleged shooter in this case appears to have experienced a mental break some months ago due to both drug abuse and severe chronic back pain — but the problem is that the shooter’s view has become shockingly common.
Many Americans believe that American health care is uniquely deficient; far more disturbingly, a certain cadre of elite Americans now cheer murder because they’re upset with the health care system.
The first claim — that America’s health care system is uniquely terrible — is simply belied by the facts.
Health care, like any other service or good, is not free; it obeys the simple laws of economics, which suggest that scarcity is a basic condition of life.
her with the preventive care that should have diagnosed her cancer before it was Stage 4. Trust me, I can hold my own in the HMO horror stories that I used to tell on my talk radio show.
By the time my kids aged out of my own health insurance plan, the ACA — Obamacare — had made it possible to buy into PPO plans for individuals, without regard to preexisting conditions. Thank God, and the government.
Until you get sick.
Then you discover all the things that even the most expensive plans you can buy don’t cover. Then you discover the nightmare that is supposed to be the best health care system in the world. For some, maybe.
My daughter has long COVID. As anyone who suffers from it knows, and there are millions of people who do, long COVID does not just mean that it takes you longer than most to recover from COVID. The virus triggers a host of horrible syndromes, including chronic fatigue syndrome and postexertion malaise.
It leaves many of its sufferers housebound if not bed-bound. There is no known cure. So even the best doctors who specialize in it (and all seem to be “out of network”) are left trying to alleviate its symptoms with experimental treatments, using drugs off-label to see if they work. Almost none of it is covered by insurance. What are people without money to pay for all of it out of pocket supposed to do?
I used to be good at fighting with insurance companies. My sister, who used
to work for a major insurance company on health care claims, taught me all the tricks of getting supervisors, threatening to go to the state insurance commissioner, cutting through the bureaucracy.
I remember some years ago, I managed to help a secretary at my old firm reverse a decision denying her — on the eve of surgery — approval for desperately needed back surgery by intuiting the email address of the medical director and pretending to know him. But it takes more energy than people fighting serious illness can muster to also fight with insurance companies.
It’s gotten harder, and these days, I mostly give up and take out my credit card. This is how so many people end up bankrupt because of medical care costs. This is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
Asked what he would replace the Affordable Care Act with, Donald Trump said only that he had “concepts” of a plan. That just won’t do. Is he willing to reform the system — take on the private insurance lobby?
There is no sign that he is. And the industry, instead of hiring more private security for its leaders, needs to take on the frustration and anger that has come boiling to the surface in the reaction to the assassination of the CEO.
Greater transparency is essential. Better customer service is essential.
Something has to change.
Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.
Health care is not unlimited, nor can it be made so absent extraordinary spending levels.
The United States, as it turns out, follows the same pattern as nearly every other developed country: The more we make, the more we spend on health care. That is just as true for the U.K. or Norway as it is for the United States.
Furthermore, spending on health care is subject to the law of diminishing returns: additional moneys spent do not necessarily equate to additional life expectancy. That is true across countries as well. Finally, the United States’ population has a uniquely high proportion of overweight citizens, drug abusers and car accident victims. This affects overall life expectancy statistics negatively. This doesn’t mean the American health care system is ideal. Far from it.
Employer-based health insurance is a holdover from wage controls decades old; health insurers are not actually insurers at all — they are not in the business of assessing possible risk and then insuring against it; insurance regulations are abstruse and absurd, and the government’s subsidization schemes involve low reimbursement rates and shoddy coverage. The problems are myriad.
Which is why it is so absurd to lay the problems with American health care at the door of the “profit-driven CEOs.” It turns out that removing the profit margins on business does not make products, goods or services either more efficient or better. In fact, that precise ideology has crippled a variety of countries over the course of the last century.
What’s worse is that ideology often excuses murder. Because, after all, if health insurance CEOs are so cruel that they purposefully murder patients in order to earn a buck, why shouldn’t they be shot?
That’s the logic of comedian Bill Burr, who says, “I love that f---ing CEOs are f---ing afraid right now. You should be! By and large, you’re all a bunch of selfish greedy f--ing pieces of shit.” Or Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who says, “Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far.”
This is the devil’s logic. If murder of individuals is justified by dissatisfaction with the system, we no longer live in a republic. We live in an anarchic, Hobbesian world of violence of all against all. It turns out that life is filled with grievances and hardships. If the response to such grievances and hardships is murdering CEOs, what precisely is the limiting principle? Why not shoot bank CEOs for their decision-making? Why not murder oil company executives or hedge fund CEOs? The answer to flawed policy is better policy. But if you wish to see the American system torn down from within, you’re better off advocating bloodlust and murder. And unfortunately, there are an awful lot of Americans who seem willing to tear down the American system itself rather than attempting to discuss rational solutions to intransigent problems.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
Damaged Russian ships spilled estimated 3,700 tons of oil
State media said storms led to the spills in the Kerch Strait
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — An estimated 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil had spilled into the Kerch Strait after two Russian ships were seriously damaged by stormy weather, Russian state media reported Monday.
The two ships, the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product.
Social media footage from the scene showed a black liquid rising among the waves.
Preliminary estimates say that 3,700 tons of mazut leaked into the sea, Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing an unnamed source. In a statement, the leader of Russia’s nearby Krasnodar region, Gov. Veniamin Kondratev, said that the oil had not yet reached the shore.
An emergency rescue operation was launched Sunday after the Volgoneft-212 tanker ran aground and had its bow torn away in storm conditions, Russia’s Emergency Situations
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious.”
Paul Johnston, Greenpeace Research Laboratories
Ministry said. One sailor in the 13-man crew died, officials said.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was also left damaged and adrift with 14 crewmembers on board. It later ran aground about 260 feet from shore, close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region, from where the sailors were later rescued.
Russian officials confirmed the oil spill Sunday but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent.
In a statement, Greenpeace Ukraine said they will monitor the situation. The charity has had no presence in Russia since 2023, when it was designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government.
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious,” said Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace
Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the U.K.
“It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents and, in the current weather conditions, is likely to be extremely difficult to contain. If it is driven ashore, then it will cause fouling of the shoreline, which will be extremely difficult to clean up.”
The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.
It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” of the war and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
“The accidents on two rusty vessels in the Kerch Strait resulted in another large-scale environmental disaster of our war. Thousands of tons of fuel oil spilled from the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, causing tragic damage to the natural systems of the Azov and Black Seas,” he wrote in a post on X Monday.
King Charles III tries to rein in Andrew
The latest drama ensnaring Prince Andrew involves a Chinese spy
By Danica Kirka The Associated Press
LONDON — How do you solve a problem like Prince Andrew?
That’s the question facing King Charles III as the drama surrounding his 64-yearold brother roils Britain and the monarchy once again.
In the latest episode, a Chinese businessman has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew in an alleged effort to influence British elites on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. The man, identified Monday as Yang Tengbo, said he wasn’t involved in espionage and had “done nothing wrong or unlawful.”
The allegations represent the most high-profile example to date of a threat intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about: China’s increasing efforts to secretly influence politicians and other members of the British establishment to support the
country’s expansionist policies.
But the story also made news because it involves Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne but now a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his royal duties and charity roles, but the unflattering headlines kept coming. More recently, Charles has tried to persuade his brother to cut his expenses by leaving the sprawling royal estate he occupies west of London and moving to a cottage inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. But Andrew remains ensconced at the 30-room Royal Lodge.
The king needs to take more aggressive action to keep Andrew out of the public eye, such as barring him from processions and other royal events, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’’
While Andrew said in a statement that nothing sensitive was ever discussed and that he ceased contact with the Chi-
nese businessman as soon as concerns were raised, his constant brushes with scandal tarnish the work of the royal family, Owens said.
“Andrew is toxic, and he is very much damaged goods,” he added. “He can only, through his behavior, further undermine the reputation of the monarchy. It’s in the king’s best interest, it’s in the best interests of the future of the monarchy, for Andrew to take a step back.”
Britain’s most prominent anti-monarchy group used the latest scandal to call for a parliamentary inquiry into alleged royal corruption.
“When a Chinese spy befriends a royal, they want access to the British state. We must know if the royals have given them what they want,” said Graham Smith, leader of Republic, which seeks to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state.
Andrew has become a cautionary tale about the temptations and pitfalls of modern royalty.
When Andrew was born, he was second in line to the throne, the proverbial spare who was there to step in if disaster struck
the heir, his brother Charles.
But after Charles married, Andrew’s position dropped with every new child and grandchild. He now stands at eighth place in the royal pecking order.
While other senior royals spend much of their time opening recreation centers and meeting community leaders on behalf of their more exalted relations, Andrew initially took on bigger tasks.
After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.
But he was forced to step down in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Andrew had also been criticized for meeting with the son of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Even before that, some members of Parliament had raised
concerns about the sale of Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill Park, to a son-in-law of former Kazakh ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2007. The buyer allegedly paid 15 million pounds ($19 million) — 3 million pounds more than the asking price.
But Andrew’s links to Epstein have been his biggest problem.
Questions about the relationship resurfaced after Epstein was again arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2019. In an effort to silence criticism, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein and failed to show empathy for victims.
Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on Nov. 20, 2019, that he was stepping away from royal duties “for the foreseeable future.” In a statement, he called his association with Epstein “a major disruption to my family’s work.”
But that didn’t end the scandal.
In August 2021, one of Epstein’s victims sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work as the case moved through the legal process.
THE RUSSIAN SOUTHERN TRANSPORT PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE VIA AP
An image taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office shows the Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait in Russia on Sunday.
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH / AP PHOTO
Prince Andrew leaves after attending the Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk, England, in 2022.
STANLY SPORTS
Pfeiffer men’s basketball prepares for conference schedule
The Falcons are 3-4 in their first seven games of the 2024-25 campaign
By Jesse Deal Stanly County Journal
MISENHEIMER — With USA South conference play right around the corner, the Pfeiffer men’s basketball team snapped a four-game losing streak over the weekend for the squad’s largest win of the 2024-25 season so far.
The Falcons (3-4) reached triple digits on Saturday night for the first time since Jan. 18, 2023, as they pulled out a 104-88 home win over the Regent Royals (1-9) inside Merner Gym.
Junior forward and former North Stanly star Doug Smith led Pfeiffer with a team-high 18 points and 15 rebounds as one of five different Falcons who posted double-digit scoring efforts in the matchup.
Junior forward Justin Gaten (17 points, five rebounds), freshman guard Drake Stewart
(12 points, two blocks), and senior guard Alex Cunningham (10 points, one steal) each contributed to Pfeiffer’s point total, while senior guard Daymon Beckwith came off the bench to add 13 points of his own.
A total of 14 different Falcons scored in the contest.
Beckwith currently leads Pfeiffer in scoring with an average of 16.1 points per game; Smith is the squad’s rebound leader at 9.5 boards per game.
Cunningham (11.6 points), Gaten (10.5 points) and Smith (10 points) round out the Falcons’ top four scorers by average.
Eighth-year coach Pete Schoch and his Pfeiffer team are hoping to notch their first winning season since they came away from the 2021-22 campaign with a 12-11 record (9-5 USA South); last year’s team posted a 10-15 record (6-8 USA South).
This season, the Falcons began their nonconference schedule with a 2-1 record but then had a trio of consecutive losses prior to the team’s recent victory over Regent.
Pfeiffer now has a break before it travels to Averett (5 - 4, 0-2 ODAC) on Dec. 31, followed by another break prior to USA South conference play starting Jan. 7 with a home game against NC Wesleyan (6 -5).
Facing Averett on New Year’s Eve, Pfeiffer will look for its first road win of the season — a predicament that hampered the 2023-24 Falcons as they stumbled to a lopsided 4-10 record on the road despite winning six of their nine home games in Misenheimer.
From there, the Falcons are slated to close out the first few weeks of 2025 with back-to -back road matchups at Southern Virginia (6 -2) and Mary Baldwin (4-5) on Jan. 10 -11, and then home matchups versus Methodist (4 - 4) on Jan. 15 and Greensboro (1-9) on Jan. 18.
Pfeiffer has a 42-44 conference record since reclassifying from NCAA Division II to Division III and beginning USA South play during the 2018-19 season.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Amari Baldwin
Albemarle, girls’ basketball
Amari Baldwin is a senior point guard for the Albemarle girls’ basketball team. She has also played volleyball for the Bulldogs.
Albemarle is 7-2 on the season and riding a three-game winning streak. Baldwin has been the top player for the Bulldogs, averaging more than 30 points per game. She also has a double-figure scoring streak that passed 30 games earlier this month.
Among her most impressive performances so far this season were a 23-point, six-steal outing against Terry Sanford, a 26-point, 10-steal double-double against Uwharrie and a 31-point, 16-rebound, 10-steal triple-double against West Stanly. Baldwin recently committed to play basketball at Winston-Salem State.
Team accuses NASCAR on charter denial over federal antitrust suit
Michael Jordan is one of two team owners suing NASCAR in federal court
By Jenna Fryer
The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE — Front Row Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series last Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped.
Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing. Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case.
“Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) trans-
fer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina.
Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds. The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm.
Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don’t have
the same protections or financial gains that come from holding a charter.
Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved.
But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said.
“NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not approve it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was
now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.”
A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.”
“This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, threetime Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk.
The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements
with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses.
“23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. “Our efforts to expand — purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track — are integral to achieving this goal.
“It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.”
AP PHOTO / JOHN LOCHER
Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, watches during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race in November.
SIDELINE REPORT
NCAA FOOTBALL
Former Miami booster among those with sentences commuted by Biden
Washington Nevin Shapiro, the former Miami booster whose rogue involvement with the school led to a massive NCAA investigation and significant sanctions against the Hurricanes, had his sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme commuted by President Joe Biden. Shapiro was among the 1,499 recipients of commutations announced by the White House. Shapiro, who was initially sentenced in 2011 to serve 20 years in prison and repay his jilted investors nearly $83 million, will be officially listed as released on Dec. 22. Court records show Shapiro has been on home confinement since 2020.
NBA Point guard Schroder traded by Brooklyn to Golden State Las Vegas Golden State has acquired point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and guard Reece Beekman. The trade was agreed to on Saturday and finalized on Sunday when league rules allowed, with the Nets also receiving a package of second-round draft picks. Schroder averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists this season for the Nets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.
SKIING
Shiffrin recovering after abdominal surgery to clean out deep puncture wound suffered in race crash Beaver Creek, Colo. Mikaela Shiffrin is recovering after undergoing abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she received in a giant slalom crash two weeks ago. Shiffrin posted an update on Instagram.
There’s no timetable for Shiffrin’s return to racing after suffering bruises and the deep puncture to her hip area during a crash on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, while charging after her 100th career World Cup win. She has more wins than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.
New Marshall coach recruiting own players in transfer portal
More than two dozen players look to leave as the former Wolfpack defensive coordinator takes over
By John Raby The Associated Press
TONY GIBSON jumped right into recruiting at Marshall in his first college head coaching job after nearly three decades as an assistant.
It involved his own players.
The roster took an immediate hit after Charles Huff was named coach at Southern Miss on Sunday while Gibson, the defensive coordinator at NC State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later.
The transfer portal opened the next day. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players were in it.
Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He’s followed that up with phone calls, text messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday.
“Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.”
Many who entered the portal and can still come back were veterans, including all three quarterbacks who played this season: Braylon Braxton, Stone Earle and Cole Pennington. So did leading rusher A.J. Turner and three of the team’s top seven wide receivers. On defense, four of the seven leading tack-
lers are in the portal, including leading tackler Jaden Yates at linebacker.
Gibson signed a memorandum of understanding to coach at Marshall on Dec. 3. Huff, whose contract expired after this season and had never signed an extension, left one day after Marshall beat Louisiana-Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game. The Herd was supposed to play No. 19 Army in the Independence Bowl but was forced to pull out of the game because of a lack of players.
Under his five-year agreement, Gibson will be paid an annual salary of $1 million, compared with $750,000 for
Huff. Gibson’s buyout is $4 million if he accepts a job at another Division I school or with a professional league or team before February 2026. It will be reduced by $1 million each year after that.
Gibson, 52, has his doubts the buyout will come into play. He grew up in the small coal mining community of Van, West Virginia, and it has been his wish to move back to his native state. He has been an assistant at Power 4 schools for the past 24 seasons and said he’s moved his family 15 times in the past.
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am staying home,” Gibson said. “And it’s
going to be our last house. This I promise.”
During Gibson’s first of two stints on West Virginia’s staff, the Mountaineers regularly played Marshall in the Friends of Coal Bowl two decades ago. Despite Marshall going 0-7 in the series from 2006 to 2012, he’d like to see it return.
As for the games already penciled in, it will be a daunting task right away, and Gibson turned to athletic director Christian Spears for a mild scolding.
“Thank you for scheduling Georgia as my first game as a football coach,” Gibson said to the crowd’s laughter.
Horvath shines as Navy dominates Army
The bowl-bound teams set a record for the most combined wins entering the game
By Noah Trister
The Associated Press
LANDOVER, Md. — This was an Army-Navy game unlike any before it. The teams had combined for 19 victories this season before their annual clash, a record for the rivalry. Of course, only one of them would be responsible for No. 20 — the biggest win of them all.
“I think they’re like us. We want to be significant,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “I think we both were this year, and I think because of that maybe there was a little more significance, a little more interest maybe in this game.”
Blake Horvath outplayed Bryson Daily at quarterback, accounting for 311 yards and four touchdowns to help Navy beat No. 19 Army 31-13 on Sat-
urday. Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Navy (9-3) snapped a two -game losing streak in the series.
Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy vote this year, threw a touchdown pass of his own, but he was intercepted three times. Army (11-2) fell behind 14-0 in the second quarter and never completely recovered. The Black Knights were coming off a victory over Tulane in the American Athletic Conference title game — the first league championship in program history.
Navy, which won its first six games this season and also spent time in the Top 25, completed a sweep of Air Force and Army to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 2019.
“As excited and proud we were eight days ago, we’re as disappointed as we’ve ever been,” Army coach Jeff Monk-
en said. “It’s hard to lose that game. That one hurts a lot, especially when the trophy’s on the line and we’ve got a chance to keep that trophy at West Point. We didn’t do it.”
In front of a crowd that included President-elect Donald Trump at the Washington Commanders’ home stadium in Landover, Navy took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards, reaching the end zone on a 1-yard run by Horvath. Daily, who had been intercepted only once all season, had a pass picked off in the second quarter by Dashaun Peele. The Midshipmen took advantage of a short field, going ahead 14-0 on an 18-yard pass from Horvath to Brandon Chatman. Daily answered with a touchdown pass of his own — 23 yards to Hayden Reed.
Both teams were run heavy as expected, but they did combine for 25 pass attempts — including what was probably the biggest play of the game in the third quarter. After a field goal
made the score 14-10, Horvath connected with Eli Heidenreich, who broke free up the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown. That was Horvath’s 13th touchdown pass of the season and Heidenreich’s sixth touchdown reception — both tying school records.
Daily missed an open Casey Reynolds in the end zone early in the fourth, and Army settled for a field goal.
Navy then faced fourth down near midfield, but Landon Robinson — normally a nose guard — ran 29 yards on a fake punt. Although Robinson fumbled at the end of the play, the Midshipmen were able to recover.
Horvath’s 1-yard scoring run made it 28-13, and Daily was intercepted twice more before the end of the game. This was the first of two straight Army-Navy games in Navy’s home state of Maryland. Next year’s edition is in Baltimore.
RYAN FISCHER / THE HERALD-DISPATCH VIA AP
Marshall University’s head football coach Tony Gibson speaks during his introductory press conference last week.
Isa Blondell Burleson Moore
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
March 23, 1937 –Dec. 13, 2024
April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023
Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.
Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.
Isa Blondell Burleson Moore, 87, of Albemarle passed away on December 13, 2024, in her home. Her funeral service will be at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 17, 2024 at Dunn’s Grove Baptist Church with Rev. Jeremy Holt officiating. Burial will follow at Sweet Home Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle on Monday evening from 6 until 8 p.m.
Born March 23, 1937, in Stanly County, NC, she was the daughter of the late James Everette Burleson and Effie Lee Drake Burleson. She was a member of Dunn’s Grove Baptist Church and was a retired employee of EJ Snyder and worked at Allison Manufacturing and later in life worked at Ingles.
Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Garfield.
Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.
She is survived by six children, Joni James of New London, Kathy Hunter of Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, Sherry Lynn Hudson of Albemarle, Susan Eudy of New London, Frankie Moore of Albemarle, Curtis Moore of Albemarle, a brother Eddie Burleson of New London, two sisters Elvene Bowers of Albemarle and Vicki Diggs of Albemarle, 13 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by a daughter Teresa Crowell, two grandchildren, Michael Sossamon and Ryan Blalock, and a great-grandson James Harris,
Douglas Alto Jones
Jan. 25, 1943 – Dec. 10, 2024
Douglas Alto Jones, 81, of New London, peacefully passed away on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at his home surrounded by his family. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening, December 12, 2024, from 6-8 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle, NC. The funeral and burial will be scheduled at a later date in DeFuniak Springs, Florida.
Doug was born January 25,
Nell Marie Poplin Andrews
Dwight Farmer
January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023
Dec. 12, 1936 – Dec. 13, 2024
Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.
Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran.
Nell Marie Poplin Andrews, 88, of Albemarle, passed away on Friday, December 13, 2024, in the Union County Hospice House. Her graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, in Fairview Memorial Park. Her family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle from 9:3010:30 a.m. prior to the service.
He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.
Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.
Born December 12, 1936, in Stanly County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Martin Christmas Poplin and Ollie Bee Ridenhour Poplin. She was a laundromat attendant at Coy’s of East Albemarle for over 25 years and was a former employee of Allison Manufacturing for many years.
He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.
He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty.
She was preceded in death by her husband Virgil Leo Andrews in 1975. She is survived by a son Ricky Andrews and wife Bobbie of Albemarle, 2 sisters Shirley Poplin Morton of Albemarle and Diane Poplin Blalock of New London, one granddaughter Christy Vanhoy and husband Jeff of Garden City, SC, and three great-grandchildren Garrett Burleson, Andrew Burleson, and Lindsay Vanhoy.
Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.
She was preceded in death by a son Jimmy Andrews and a sister Jeanett Poplin Parker and two brothers, Martin Junior Poplin and Billy Poplin. The family wishes to thank the staff of Hospice of Union County for their compassionate care of Marie during her time there.
1943, in Walton Co., Florida to the late Howard and Eva Jones. He is lovingly survived by his children, Amy Jones of Albemarle, Kathy Phillips and her husband Nelson of New London, and Kevin Jones and his wife Ashley of Sumter, SC. Those also left to cherish his memory are his grandchildren, Kirk Schofield (Hailey), Nikki Williams, Joshua Phillips, Kelsey Phillips, Madison Jones, and Jackson Jones, greatgrandchildren, Addie, Myles, and Daisy, and sisters, Carolyn Rutherford, Janice McKee (Billy), and Peggy Miller (Terry).
Doug was preceded in death by his wife Babrbara Ann Jones in 2021.
Doug was the best dad, grandpa and great grandpa. To know him was to love him and he will be dearly missed by all those who knew him. He loved to garden and taking care of his yard. Most importantly he loved all his grandchildren.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Jones family.
Pamela Kay Haris McDaniel
James Roseboro
June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023
March 26, 1954 –Dec. 12, 2024
James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.
Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.
Pamela Kaye Haris McDaniel, 70, of Albemarle passed away Thursday, December 12, 2024, in Atrium Health Stanly. Her graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, December 16, 2024, in Fairview Memorial Park with Rev. Kelly Crisco officiating. The family will receive friends on Sunday evening from 6 until 8 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.
Born March 26, 1954, in Cabarrus County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Lewis Nash Harris and Mary Laura Gray. She retired from nursing after having worked at Stanly Regional Medical Center and later Bethany Woods Nursing Center. She enjoyed shopping and traveling to the beach. Her grandchildren were her greatest joy.
He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.
Mrs. McDaniel is survived by her husband of 56 years, Jacob McDaniel. Other survivors include two children Laura M. Crisco (Kelly) of Albemarle and Chad Thomas McDaniel (Miranda) of Albemarle, a brother Wayne Gray of Mt. Pleasant and sister Cindy Isenhour of Harrisburg, and four grandchildren Zachary Crisco (Katy), Kayelee Hudson (Alec), Jacob McDaniel and Sawyer McDaniel. She was preceded in death by brothers Michael Harris and Tommy Harris.
Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina.
Mickey Ronal Thompson
Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.
Oct. 15, 1944 – Dec. 11, 2024
Mickey Ronal Thompson, 80, of Albemarle, passed away on Wednesday December 11th, 2024. No service will be held per his wishes. Born October 15th, 1944, in Stanly County, NC, to Bennett and Nellie Thompson. Mickey spent his life enjoying bass fishing, motorcycle cruising, and working on his classic cars. He will be forever loved and missed.
He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.
He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.
He is survived by his longtime partner of 19 years, Bonnie Lou Dennis, of Albemarle, NC. While he had no children or grandchildren of his own, he is survived by the family who welcomed and loved him as their own. Bonnie’s daughter, Kimberly Ann Graves, and her husband, Dwight David Graves of Shallotte, NC. As well as Bonnie’s granddaughter, Ashlen Graves Linkous of Gastonia, NC.
Those who wish to share their condolences may visit Bonnie Dennis at her home.
He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.
Raymond Daniel Eudy
John B. Kluttz
Renus George Nash
Aug. 19, 1930 – Dec. 11, 2024
March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023
Aug. 9, 1940 – Dec. 9, 2024
October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023
John grew up in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.
When John purchased his first Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!
Raymond Daniel Eudy, 94, of Albemarle peacefully passed away on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at his home surrounded by his family. Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Stanly Gardens of Memory officiated by Pastor Ron Loflin. The family will receive friends on Saturday, December 14, 2024, from 1–1:45 p.m. prior to the service at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle. Raymond was born August 19, 1930, in Stanly County to the late Daniel and Hilda Eudy. He is lovingly survived by his daughters, Sandra Huneycutt of Albemarle and Jo Ann Wise (Terry) of Albemarle. Those also left to cherish his memory are grandchildren, Brooke Ritchie, Travis Wise (Melissa), Andrew Simpson (Brooke), greatgrandchildren, Calista Goins, Cameron Simpson, Cassidy Simpson, Riley Gathings (Seth), Coleman Ritchie, Ian Wise, and Abby Wise.
Renus George Nash, 84, of Albemarle, peacefully passed away on Monday, December 9, 2024, at his home surrounded by his family. Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, December 12, 2024, at the Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care Chapel in Albemarle officiated by Pastor Mickey Howard. Burial will take place at the New London Cemetery. The family will receive friends at 12:30 p.m. prior to the service.
Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.
Raymond was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine Eudy in 2022. He is also preceded in death by great-grandchild Lyla Wise. Raymond was a loving dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa. To know him was to love him! He was the most loving, humble person and always saw the good in everyone. He loved to fish and loved to watch Westerns. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily.
Renus was born on August 9, 1940, in Stanly County to the late Ray and Olar Nash. He is lovingly survived by his wife Kay Frances Nash of 65 years. Those also left to cherish his memory are his children, Philomela “Mena” Dennis and her husband Reggie of Albemarle, Lorraine Eudy and her husband Dale of Albemarle, grandchildren, Chad Dennis (Martha), Steven Dennis (Felicia), great-grandchildren, Shelby Privette (CJ), Colin Dennis, Matthew Dennis, and Caroline Dennis, great, greatgrandchildren, Caden, and Westin, and his favorite K9 companion, Brownie.
Renus was preceded in death by his twin sister, Margaret Lorene Nash, and eight other siblings, Virginia Capra, Irene Almond, Fenton Nash, Clyde Nash, Thaddeus (Pat) Nash, Delma Nash, and Victor Nash, and two great-grandchildren, Bentley and Madison.
Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC. Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.
The family would like to express a sincere thank you to the staff of Tillery Compassionate Care and the drivers for Meals on Wheels.
While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.
Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Eudy family.
John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.
This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men. John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.
Renus was known for his love for Mrs. Kay and more importantly, he loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He was an active member of Tabernacle Independent Baptist Church until his health declined. Renus read his bible every day at 4 p.m. and all knew not to bother him during this time. He never missed an opportunity to eat a good plate of fish. He was a great husband, dad, grandpa, and great-grandpa. To know him was to love him. His humble spirit was cherished by all, but his lack of patience made for great stories! In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care (960 N 1st St, Albemarle, NC 28001) Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Nash family.
Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.
She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, outfits for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.
Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.
2023
Darrick
Doris Jones Coleman
STATE & NATION
ABC
agrees to $15M toward Trump’s presidential library in defamation settlement
George Stephanopoulos wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming the victim of that rape”
By Michael R. Sisak
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
As part of the settlement made public Saturday, ABC News posted an editor’s note to its website expressing regret over Stephanopoulos’ statements during a March 10 segment on his “This Week” program. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.
The settlement agreement describes ABC’s presidential library payment as a “charitable contribution,” with the money earmarked for a non-profit organization that is being estab -
lished in connection with the yet-to-be-built library.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas said. A Trump spokesperson declined comment.
Man pleads guilty in phony bribery scheme involving Bidens
Former FBI informant
Alexander Smirnov alleged a Ukrainian energy company had paid the president and his son
By Alanna Durkin Richer and
Jaimie
Ding
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a separate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income.
An attorney for Smirnov, 44, declined to comment after the hearing in Los Angeles federal court. Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a
sentence of between four and six years in prison when he’s sentenced next month.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his February arrest on charges that he told his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, according to charging documents.
No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice president.
While Smirnov’s identity wasn’t publicly known before the indictment, his claims played a
The settlement agreement was signed Friday, the same day a Florida federal judge ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for separate depositions in the case next week. The settlement means that sworn testimony is no longer required.
The agreement bore Trump’s
bold, distinct signature and an electronic signature with the initials GRS in a space for Stephanopoulos’ name. Debra OConnell, the president of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, also e-signed the agreement.
ABC News must transfer the $15 million for Trump’s library to an escrow account that’s being managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days, according to the agreement. The network must also pay Brito’s legal fees within 10 days.
While sizeable, ABC’s contribution to Trump’s presidential library will likely cover just a fraction of the cost. Former President Barack Obama’s library in Chicago, for example, was estimated to cost $830 million as of 2021.
Trump sued ABC and Stephanopoulos in federal court in Miami days after the network aired the segment, in which the longtime “Good Morning America” anchor and “This Week” host repeatedly misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits against Trump.
During a live “This Week” interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Stephanopoulos wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and
“defaming the victim of that rape.”
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
In the first of the lawsuits to go to trial, Trump was found liable last year of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. A jury ordered him to pay her $5 million.
In January, at a second trial in federal court in Manhattan, Trump was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
Trump is appealing both verdicts.
Carroll, a former advice columnist, went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury Manhattan department store across the street from Trump Tower, after they crossed paths at an entrance.
Trump denied her claim, saying he didn’t know Carroll and never ran into her at the store.
After Trump lashed out, calling Carroll a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell her memoir, she sued him for unspecified monetary damages and sought a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials.
major part in the Republican effort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark a House impeachment inquiry into Biden. Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.
During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov also claimed the Russians probably had recordings of
Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine’s capital where he had stayed was “wired” and under their control — information he said was passed along to him by four high-level Russian officials.
But Hunter Biden had never traveled to Ukraine, according to Smirnov’s indictment.
Smirnov claimed to have contacts with Russian intelligence-affiliated officials and told authorities after his arrest this year that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing
a story” about Hunter Biden. The case against Smirnov was brought by special counsel David Weiss, who also prosecuted Hunter Biden on gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced this month after being convicted at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to federal charges in the tax case. But he was pardoned this month by his father, who said he believed “raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”
EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump talks with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos before a town hall in Philadelphia in 2020.
K.M. CANNON / LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL VIA AP
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer’s office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Feb. 20, 2024.
COLD MOON RISING
The last full moon of 2024 rose over the crisp Carolinas early Sunday, hanging in the sky like a bright white celestial Christmas ornament.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
RFK Jr. visits Capitol Hill ahead of his confirmation hearing
Washington, D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has swept onto Capitol Hill. The nominee is reintroducing himself to senators as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s Health and Human Services Department. His arrival Monday was the start of a long process to win over senators. Health and Human Services, the world’s largest public health agency, has a broad reach overseeing food and medicines used every day.
“I’m open,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of his support for Kennedy’s nomination. “(But) if you come in and say I won’t consider myself successful unless I eliminate these vaccines, that could be problematic.”
More Cooper lieutenants staying on in Stein’s Cabinet
Raleigh Several more top lieutenants of outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper have agreed to work for fellow Democrat and successor Josh Stein’s administration. They include Cooper’s transportation and public safety secretaries and the state budget director — all of whom will stay in their current posts. Each of them have had significant roles responding to Hurricane Helene. Stein already said this week that two other Cooper department secretaries will be on his team as well — albeit leading new departments. Stein was elected governor last month and will take his oath of office next month.
$2.00
WSFCS employees to receive additional supplement before holidays
The $750 payment is definitely not a bonus for odd tax reasons
By Ryan Henkel North State Journal
WINSTON-SALEM
—
School district employees will be receiving a bit of extra support this holiday season thanks to some extra money in district coffers.
At its Dec. 10 meeting, the WSFCS Board of Education approved a “December Appreciation” supplement for employees.
“We are very excited to bring this forward tonight
to be able to compensate our employees from all of our different employee groups right before the holidays,” said Superintendent Tricia McManus. “We were able to do this, number one, through a PRC that already exists for our certified teachers and certified staff, but also through funds due to people taking on additional loads and with vacancies that are there. So money going back into the hands of people that have taken on additional loads was very important to us.”
The supplement will be an equal distribution to all employees totaling $750, and while it will more than like -
ly be paid in a separate check, it will be paid to all employees before the holidays, according to McManus.
“The only way for us to use the funds as we see fit is to call this a supplement,” said Chief Financial Officer Thomas Kranz. “Getting into calling it a bonus generates other issues that we cannot deal with. You’re going to get the $750 as gross and then you’ll have your tax situations. It’ll be taxed at a regular tax rate.”
Those eligible for the supplement include those in permanent positions including part-time and retirees, longterm substitute employees and substitute bus drivers who
NC Medicaid expansion hits enrollment goal ahead of projections
600,000 people have enrolled in half the time as expected
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — More than 600,000 people have enrolled in North Carolina’s new Medicaid coverage for low-income adults about a year after the program’s expansion, reaching the state’s enrollment goal for the program in about half the time that was originally projected, the governor’s office announced on Monday.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, a vocal advocate for Medicaid expansion throughout his two terms in office, called the enrollment numbers a “monumental achievement.”
“From day one, we set out to get people covered and get them care. Now, more than 600,000 people have the peace of mind that they can go to the doctor, get needed medications and manage their chronic health conditions
— that’s life-changing,” Cooper said. Cooper will leave office at the end of the year because of term limits. Despite opposition in the GOP-controlled General Assembly for several years, Medicaid expansion in North Carolina passed with bipartisan support last year after Congress offered states more financial incentives to join the program. The federal government foots 90% of the expansion costs under the program. In just the first few weeks of the program’s rollout, the state had 300,000 North Carolinians — half of its goal — enroll in Medicaid expansion. North Carolina is part of a handful of Southern states that now participate in the program. More than a third of expansion enrollees come from rural communities, according to Cooper’s office. About 4.1 million prescriptions related to heart health, diabetes and other diseases have been filled so far because of the new coverage, the governor’s office said.
have worked 25 of the past 30 student instructional days. While WSFCS is collaborating with staffing agencies such as ESS and SCC to provide the supplements to employees, the cost is fully a district expense of approximately $5.3 million.
The board also approved an easement with Piedmont Natural Gas for upgrades to the natural gas lines installed at East Forsyth High School and a contract with Instructional Empowerment to provide professional development services at Mount Tabor High, North Forsyth High and Kimmel Farm Elementary.
The WSFCS Board of Education will next meet Jan. 14.
NC justices rule for restaurants in COVID-19 claims case
The state Supreme Court ruled against a clothing chain
By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press
RALEIGH — North Carolina’s Supreme Court issued mixed rulings Friday for businesses seeking financial help from the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring one insurer’s policy must cover losses some restaurants and bars incurred but that another insurer’s policy for a nationwide clothing store chain doesn’t due to an exception. The unanimous decisions by the seven-member court in the pair of cases addressed the requirements of “all-risk” commercial property insurance policies issued by Cincinnati and Zurich American insurance companies to the businesses.
The companies that paid premiums saw reduced business and income, furloughed or laid
See COVID, page A2
DAVID SINCLAIR FOR TWIN CITY HERALD
the conversation”
North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)
Neal Robbins, Publisher
Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers
Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor
Jordan Golson, Local News Editor
Shawn Krest, Sports Editor
Dan Reeves, Features Editor
Ryan Henkel, Reporter
P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer
BUSINESS
David Guy, Advertising Manager
Published each Thursday as part of North State Journal
1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607
TO SUBSCRIBE:
919-663-3232
NSJONLINE.COM
Hunter dies after bear shot in tree falls on him
The Virginia man was standing 10 feet away from the tree
The Associated Press
LUNENBURG COUNTY, Va. — A Virginia man has died after a bear in a tree shot by one of his hunting partners fell on him, state wildlife officials said.
The incident occurred Dec. 9 in Lunenburg County, which is between Richmond and Danville, Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources said in a statement.
A hunting group was following the bear when it ran up the tree, the department said. As the group retreated from the tree, a hunter shot the bear. The animal fell onto another hunter who was standing about 10 feet from the bottom of the tree.
The department identified the man as Lester C. Harvey, 58, of Phenix, Virginia. A member of the group rendered first aid before Harvey was rushed to two different hospitals. He died from his injuries Friday, the wildlife department stated.
An obituary for Harvey, a married father of five with eight grandchildren, said he was a self-employed contractor and avid outdoorsman.
Similar incidents have occurred in recent years.
In 2018, a man in Alaska was critically injured after his hunting partner shot a bear on a ridge. The animal tumbled down a slope into the man, who was also struck by rocks dislodged by the bear.
Another man was injured in 2019 after his hunting partner shot a bear in a tree in North Carolina. The bear fell out of the tree and began biting the hunter. The man and the animal then tumbled off a cliff. The hunter was taken to a hospital, while the bear was later found dead.
Republicans continue winning trend in partisan school boards
Eighty-one percent of partisan seats up for grabs went to Republican candidates
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
Of the partisan school boards holding an election this year, Republicans picked up control of seven more, going from 31 to 38. THURSDAY
RALEIGH — Election results this year continue a trend of Republicans gaining control of school boards and winning more school board races than Republicans. In 2013, only 10 school boards out of the state’s 115 statewide districts held partisan elections, but as the number of partisan board races has grown, so have Republican gains. During 2022’s elections, 41
of the 83 districts holding elections that year were partisan races and Republicans picked up 20 while Democrats took four. Of the 137 partisan seat races that year, Republicans won 103 (75%) and Democrats won 34 (25%).
For the 2024 November election, of the 292 school board seats on ballots across North Carolina, 170 were partisan races, or roughly 52%. Not considering any possible recounts and based on the unofficial results, Republicans continued to dominate, winning 138 seats or 81%. Democrats won 26 or 15.2%.
There were 53 districts considered partisan in the lead up to the 2024 election. Four districts became partisan due to legislation passed during the 2023-24 long session: Catawba, Hickory City, Newton-Conover City, Pamlico and Polk. Of the partisan school boards holding an election this year, Republicans picked up control of seven more, going from 31 to 38. Democrats
NC justices rule for restaurants in COVID-19 claims case
The state Supreme Court ruled against a clothing chain
By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press
RALEIGH — North Carolina’s Supreme Court issued mixed rulings Friday for businesses seeking financial help from the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring one insurer’s policy must cover losses some restaurants and bars incurred but that another insurer’s policy for a nationwide clothing store chain doesn’t due to an exception.
The unanimous decisions by the seven-member court in the pair of cases addressed the requirements of “all-risk” commercial property insurance policies issued by Cincinnati and Zurich American insurance companies to the businesses.
The companies who paid premiums saw reduced business and income, furloughed or laid off employees or even
COVID from page A1
off employees or even closed from the coronavirus and resulting 2020 state and local government orders limiting commerce and public movement. North Carolina restaurants, for example, were forced for some time to limit sales to takeout or drive-in orders.
In one case, the 16 eating and drinking establishments who sued The Cincinnati Insurance Co., The Cincinnati Casualty Co. and others held largely similar policies that protected their building and personal property as well as any business income from “direct physical loss” to property not excluded by their policies.
Worried that coverage would be denied for claimed losses, the restaurants and bars sued and sought a court to rule that “direct physical loss” also ap -
closed from the coronavirus and resulting 2020 state and local government orders limiting commerce and public movement. North Carolina restaurants, for example, were forced for some time to limit sales to takeout or drive-in orders.
In one case, the 16 eating and drinking establishments who sued The Cincinnati Insurance Co., The Cincinnati Casualty Co. and others held largely similar policies that protected their building and personal property as well as any business income from “direct physical loss” to property not excluded by their policies.
Worried that coverage would be denied for claimed losses, the restaurants and bars sued and sought a court to rule that “direct physical loss” also applied to government-mandated orders, a court opinion said. A trial judge sided with them, but a panel of the intermediate-level Court of Appeals disagreed, saying such claims did not have to be accepted because there was no actual
plied to government-mandated orders, a court opinion said. A trial judge sided with them, but a panel of the intermediate-level Court of Appeals disagreed, saying such claims did not have to be accepted because there was no actual physical harm to the property — only a loss of business.
But state Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls, writing for the court, noted the Cincinnati policies did not define “direct physical loss.” Earls also noted there were no specific policy exclusions that would deny coverage for viruses or contaminants. Earls said the court favored any ambiguity toward the policyholders because a reasonable person in their positions would understand the policies include coverage for business income lost from virus-related government orders.
physical harm to the property — only a loss of business. But state Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls, writing for the court, noted the Cincinnati policies did not define “direct physical loss.” Earls also noted there were no specific policy exclusions that would deny coverage for viruses or contaminants. Earls said the court favored any ambiguity toward the policyholders because a reasonable person in their positions would understand the policies include coverage for business income lost from virus-related government orders.
“It is the insurance company’s responsibility to define essential policy terms and the North Carolina courts’ responsibility to enforce those terms consistent with the parties’ reasonable expectations,” Earls wrote.
In the other ruling, the Supreme Court said Cato Corp., which operates more than 1,300 U.S. clothing stores and is headquartered in Charlotte,
“It is the insurance company’s responsibility to define essential policy terms and the North Carolina courts’ responsibility to enforce those terms consistent with the parties’ reasonable expectations,” Earls wrote.
In the other ruling, the Supreme Court said Cato Corp., which operates more than 1,300 U.S. clothing stores and is headquartered in Charlotte, was properly denied coverage through its “all-risk” policy. Zurich American Insurance Co. had refused to cover Cato’s alleged losses, and Cato sued.
But while Cato sufficiently alleged a “direct physical loss of or damage” to property, Earls wrote in another opinion, the policy contained a viral contamination exclusion that Zurich American proved applied in this case. The two cases were among
did not add to their tally, but did maintain control over the same six they held heading into the November election; Anson, Guilford, Lenoir, Madison, Vance and Washington. The number of partisan school board races will rise in 2026. Two districts passed referendums this November changing the method of their elections from nonpartisan to partisan; Alexander County Schools District with 52.78% in favor and Rowan-Salisbury Schools District with 55.4% in favor. Race and referendum results for each county can be accessed using the Elections Results Dashboard on the NC State Board of Elections website at er.ncsbe.gov.
was properly denied coverage through its “all-risk” policy. Zurich American Insurance Co. had refused to cover Cato’s alleged losses, and Cato sued.
But while Cato sufficiently alleged a “direct physical loss of or damage” to property, Earls wrote in another opinion, the policy contained a viral contamination exclusion that Zurich American proved applied in this case.
The two cases were among eight related to COVID-19 claims on which the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over two days in October. The justices have yet to rule on most of those matters.
The court did announce Friday that justices were equally divided about a lawsuit filed by then-University of North Carolina students seeking tuition, housing and fee refunds when in-person instruction was canceled during the 2020 spring semester. The Court of Appeals had agreed it was correct to dismiss the suit — the General Assembly had passed a law that gave colleges immunity from such pandemic-related legal claims for that semester. Only six of the justices decided the case — Associate Justice Tamara Barringer did not participate — so the 3-3 deadlock means the Court of Appeals decision stands.
eight related to COVID-19 claims on which the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over two days in October. The justices have yet to rule on most of those matters.
The court did announce Friday that justices were equally divided about a lawsuit filed by then-University of North Carolina students seeking tuition, housing and fee refunds when in-person instruction was canceled during the 2020 spring semester. The Court of Appeals had agreed it was correct to dismiss the suit — the General Assembly had passed a law that gave colleges immunity from such pandemic-related legal claims for that semester. Only six of the justices decided the case — Associate Justice Tamara Barringer did not participate — so the 3-3 deadlock means the Court of Appeals decision stands.
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: forsythcommunity@northstatejournal.com | Weekly deadline is Monday at noon
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
TRIAD STRAIGHT TALK | SEN. JOYCE KRAWIEC
Free speech for me but not for thee
If you don’t want to hear what a speaker has to say, don’t go to the event.
I’VE TALKED BEFORE about the lack of free speech on college campuses; sadly, it’s continuing in full force. The death of free speech is occurring on college campuses all around our country, but many students are beginning to push back and are getting traction.
Campus Reform reveals some unbelievable stories from colleges around the country. We don’t have to depend on the Mainstream Media for a firsthand view. The reporters of Campus Reform are students themselves, right there on the battlefront.
Universities are the places where parents send their children to grow and learn. They used to be encouraged to engage in debate and free speech and to think for themselves. These institutions have become places where the exact opposite is happening. Young people are punished for dissenting opinions, and some even face violence on campus from the far left-wing socialists there if they dare to express a view different than the left orthodoxy. Research shows that in many cases, conservative students selfcensor for fear of being ostracized by peers or punished by professors.
I know you’ve heard the stories of conservative speakers being disinvited to campus because of leftist complaints and even threats of violence. Some speakers who did manage to show up have had pies thrown at them, heckling so they couldn’t be heard and even destruction within the facility where they were
The devils are here
The more we make, the more we spend on health care.
LAST WEEK, a deranged 26-yearold anti-capitalist allegedly shot to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, on the streets of New York.
The alleged shooter carried a manifesto with him, decrying the nature of America’s health care system: “Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” The manifesto claimed that America spends more than any other country on health care, and yet “we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy,” and that this was due to insurance companies that “continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument.” It is generally useless to argue with the criminally insane — and the alleged shooter in this case appears to have experienced a mental break some months ago due to both drug abuse and severe chronic back pain — but the problem is that the shooter’s view has become shockingly common.
Many Americans believe that American health care is uniquely deficient; far more disturbingly, a certain cadre of elite Americans now cheer murder because they’re upset with the health care system. The first claim — that America’s health care system is uniquely terrible — is simply belied by the facts.
Health care, like any other service or good, is not free; it obeys the simple laws of economics, which suggest that
speaking. A couple of these speakers were folks like Justice Clarence Thomas and Condoleezza Rice. You can’t get any more dangerous than that.
Speakers from the left are generally welcomed without much incident. A North Carolina university even invited a porn star to come speak. I’m still trying to figure out what intellectual benefit could have been derived from her presentation. But that’s just me.
A college in Illinois had campus police tell conservative students they would be locked up for handing out copies of the U.S. Constitution. Imagine that. The document describing the history of our founding is too dangerous for young eyes.
At the University of NebraskaLincoln, a teaching assistant went off on the president of a student conservative group. The group was recruiting students to join their organization. The teaching assistant gestured with her middle finger and yelled profanities at the student, calling her a “neo-fascist” and “Nazi.” What a teachable moment that must have been.
We hear a lot about tolerance. Where’s the tolerance for opposing views? We are a very diverse group of people in this country, and each should accept the differences of opinion.
It appears that intellectual debate has been suffocated by political correctness. Especially on college campuses, the PC crowd is on steroids. Campuses should
be the places where more free speech and the sharing of ideas are celebrated and promoted. Instead, the violent mob has been allowed to dictate what other students may hear. By protecting these young people from any dissenting views, they are becoming more fragile and less resilient. Adversity teaches us many lessons.
In the late 1800s, only 1% of all 18 - to 24-year-olds were enrolled in higher education. Today, that number is roughly 40% of all within that age group. That means around 20 million young people are attending these institutions. If college students are only allowed to hear and discuss one side of the argument, how will they learn to confront opposing views?
A survey by Freedom for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE) found that a majority of students agree with disinviting guest speakers they disagree with. A majority also does not realize the U.S. Constitution protects hate speech. We should teach our young people to be “tolerant” of other views. Shouting down speakers and throwing things at them is not acceptable behavior. If you don’t want to hear what a speaker has to say, don’t go to the event. You don’t have to be a college student to figure that out.
Sen. Joyce Krawiec has represented Forsyth County and the 31st District in the North Carolina Senate since 2014. She lives in Kernersville.
scarcity is a basic condition of life.
Health care is not unlimited, nor can it be made so absent extraordinary spending levels.
The United States, as it turns out, follows the same pattern as nearly every other developed country: The more we make, the more we spend on health care. That is just as true for the U.K. or Norway as it is for the United States. Furthermore, spending on health care is subject to the law of diminishing returns: additional moneys spent do not necessarily equate to additional life expectancy. That is true across countries as well. Finally, the United States’ population has a uniquely high proportion of overweight citizens, drug abusers and car accident victims. This affects overall life expectancy statistics negatively. This doesn’t mean the American health care system is ideal. Far from it.
Employer-based health insurance is a holdover from wage controls decades old; health insurers are not actually insurers at all — they are not in the business of assessing possible risk and then insuring against it; insurance regulations are abstruse and absurd, and the government’s subsidization schemes involve low reimbursement rates and shoddy coverage. The problems are myriad.
Which is why it is so absurd to lay the problems with American health care at the door of the “profit-driven CEOs.” It turns out that removing the profit margins on business does not make products, goods or services either more efficient or
better. In fact, that precise ideology has crippled a variety of countries over the course of the last century. What’s worse is that ideology often excuses murder. Because, after all, if health insurance CEOs are so cruel that they purposefully murder patients in order to earn a buck, why shouldn’t they be shot?
That’s the logic of comedian Bill Burr, who says, “I love that f---ing CEOs are f---ing afraid right now. You should be! By and large, you’re all a bunch of selfish greedy f---ing pieces of shit.” Or Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who says, “Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far.”
This is the devil’s logic.
If murder of individuals is justified by dissatisfaction with the system, we no longer live in a republic. We live in an anarchic, Hobbesian world of violence of all against all. It turns out that life is filled with grievances and hardships. If the response to such grievances and hardships is murdering CEOs, what precisely is the limiting principle? Why not shoot bank CEOs for their decision-making? Why not murder oil company executives or hedge fund CEOs?
The answer to flawed policy is better policy. But if you wish to see the American system torn down from within, you’re better off advocating bloodlust and murder. And unfortunately, there are an awful lot of Americans who seem willing to tear down the American system itself rather than attempting to discuss rational solutions to intransigent problems.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
Damaged Russian ships spilled estimated 3,700 tons of oil
State media said storms led to the spills in the Kerch Strait
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — An estimated 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil had spilled into the Kerch Strait after two Russian ships were seriously damaged by stormy weather, Russian state media reported Monday.
The two ships, the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product.
Social media footage from the scene showed a black liquid rising among the waves.
Preliminary estimates say that 3,700 tons of mazut leaked into the sea, Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing an unnamed source. In a statement, the leader of Russia’s nearby Krasnodar region, Gov. Veniamin Kondratev, said that the oil had not yet reached the shore.
An emergency rescue operation was launched Sunday after the Volgoneft-212 tanker ran aground and had its bow torn away in storm conditions, Russia’s Emergency Situations
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious.”
Paul Johnston, Greenpeace Research Laboratories
Ministry said. One sailor in the 13-man crew died, officials said.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was also left damaged and adrift with 14 crewmembers on board. It later ran aground about 260 feet from shore, close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region, from where the sailors were later rescued.
Russian officials confirmed the oil spill Sunday but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent.
In a statement, Greenpeace Ukraine said they will monitor the situation. The charity has had no presence in Russia since 2023, when it was designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government.
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious,” said Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace
Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the U.K.
“It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents and, in the current weather conditions, is likely to be extremely difficult to contain. If it is driven ashore, then it will cause fouling of the shoreline, which will be extremely difficult to clean up.”
The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.
It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” of the war and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
“The accidents on two rusty vessels in the Kerch Strait resulted in another large-scale environmental disaster of our war. Thousands of tons of fuel oil spilled from the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, causing tragic damage to the natural systems of the Azov and Black Seas,” he wrote in a post on X Monday.
King Charles III tries to rein in Andrew
The latest drama ensnaring Prince Andrew involves a Chinese spy
By Danica Kirka The Associated Press
LONDON — How do you solve a problem like Prince Andrew?
That’s the question facing King Charles III as the drama surrounding his 64-yearold brother roils Britain and the monarchy once again.
In the latest episode, a Chinese businessman has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew in an alleged effort to influence British elites on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. The man, identified Monday as Yang Tengbo, said he wasn’t involved in espionage and had “done nothing wrong or unlawful.”
The allegations represent the most high-profile example to date of a threat intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about: China’s increasing efforts to secretly influence politicians and other members of the British establishment to support the
country’s expansionist policies.
But the story also made news because it involves Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne but now a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his royal duties and charity roles, but the unflattering headlines kept coming. More recently, Charles has tried to persuade his brother to cut his expenses by leaving the sprawling royal estate he occupies west of London and moving to a cottage inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. But Andrew remains ensconced at the 30-room Royal Lodge.
The king needs to take more aggressive action to keep Andrew out of the public eye, such as barring him from processions and other royal events, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’’
While Andrew said in a statement that nothing sensitive was ever discussed and that he ceased contact with the Chi-
nese businessman as soon as concerns were raised, his constant brushes with scandal tarnish the work of the royal family, Owens said.
“Andrew is toxic, and he is very much damaged goods,” he added. “He can only, through his behavior, further undermine the reputation of the monarchy. It’s in the king’s best interest, it’s in the best interests of the future of the monarchy, for Andrew to take a step back.”
Britain’s most prominent anti-monarchy group used the latest scandal to call for a parliamentary inquiry into alleged royal corruption.
“When a Chinese spy befriends a royal, they want access to the British state. We must know if the royals have given them what they want,” said Graham Smith, leader of Republic, which seeks to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state.
Andrew has become a cautionary tale about the temptations and pitfalls of modern royalty.
When Andrew was born, he was second in line to the throne, the proverbial spare who was there to step in if disaster struck
the heir, his brother Charles.
But after Charles married, Andrew’s position dropped with every new child and grandchild. He now stands at eighth place in the royal pecking order.
While other senior royals spend much of their time opening recreation centers and meeting community leaders on behalf of their more exalted relations, Andrew initially took on bigger tasks.
After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.
But he was forced to step down in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution. Andrew had also been criticized for meeting with the son of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Even before that, some members of Parliament had raised
concerns about the sale of Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill Park, to a son-in-law of former Kazakh ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2007. The buyer allegedly paid 15 million pounds ($19 million) — 3 million pounds more than the asking price.
But Andrew’s links to Epstein have been his biggest problem.
Questions about the relationship resurfaced after Epstein was again arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2019. In an effort to silence criticism, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein and failed to show empathy for victims.
Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on Nov. 20, 2019, that he was stepping away from royal duties “for the foreseeable future.” In a statement, he called his association with Epstein “a major disruption to my family’s work.”
But that didn’t end the scandal.
In August 2021, one of Epstein’s victims sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work as the case moved through the legal process.
THE RUSSIAN SOUTHERN TRANSPORT PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE VIA AP
An image taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office shows the Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait in Russia on Sunday.
KIRSTY WIGGLESWORTH / AP PHOTO
Prince Andrew leaves after attending the Christmas service at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Norfolk, England, in 2022.
Forsyth SPORTS
Cooper presents Brind’Amour with Order of the Long Leaf Pine
The Hurricanes’ coach won a Stanley Cup in Carolina player and has led the team to the playoffs six consecutive seasons since becoming coach
By Bob Sutton
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was presented with the state’s highest honor by Gov. Roy Cooper following Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Brind’Amour received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which is given to people who have made significant contributions to the state and their community.
“I went into the locker room after the game and told the players that this guy wouldn’t want me to do what I was about to do because this guy is all about his players and all about team,” Cooper said.
Cooper was in the Hurricanes locker room prior to the game to read the starting lineup before returning amid the postgame celebration. The 67-year-old Cooper has long been a supporter of the Hurricanes and frequently attends home games.
“What he has meant to North Carolina is extraordinary, both as a player, as a coach, as a parent, involvement in youth hockey,” Cooper said. “When you think about all of the jobs the Carolina Hurricanes have brought to North Carolina and their success. … This guy has created a culture of winning.”
Brind’Amour is in his sev-
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Eric Wiley
enth season as Carolina’s coach and has led the team to the postseason six consecutive seasons, ending the franchise’s nine-season playoff drought in 2019. He was captain of the franchise’s only Stanley Cup championship team in 2006 and had his No. 17 jersey retired by the team in 2011.
“It’s not about me,” Brind’Amour said. “We’ve got such a good group. I was a part of a group of great people all along.”
Cooper has previously pre-
sented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine to retired Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. Cooper said he’ll present the honor to former UNC men’s basketball coach Roy Williams next week.
Cooper, a Democrat, is finishing his second four-year term as governor. He was prevented from seeking reelection because of term limits.
Cooper had a suggestion for Brind’Amour.
“Coach, it’s time to get that Stanley Cup this time,” he said.
Walkertown, boys’ basketball
Eric Wiley is a junior for the Walkertown basketball team. He also played football for the Wolfpack, getting 11 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns this season.
On the hardwood, Wiley is second on Walkertown in points, assists and steals per game. He’s added four points to his scoring average and more than doubled his assists averaged over last season.
Last week in a loss to West Stokes, Wiley led the Wolfpack with 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting. He also tied for the team lead with two steals and added an assist and a rebound.
Team accuses NASCAR on charter denial over federal antitrust suit
By Jenna Fryer
The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE — Front Row
Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series last Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped.
Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing.
Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case.
“Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina.
Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds.
The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm.
Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don’t have the same protections or financial
gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said.
“NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not ap-
prove it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.”
A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.”
“This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, threetime Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk.
The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses.
“23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition
can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. “Our efforts to expand — purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track — are integral to achieving this goal.
“It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.”
Michael Jordan is one of two team owners suing NASCAR in federal court
AP PHOTO / JOHN LOCHER
Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, watches during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race in November.
JOSH LAVALLEE / GETTY IMAGES VIA CAROLINA HURRICANES
Gov. Roy Cooper, right, presents Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine in the Carolina locker room following the team’s 4-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Sunday in Raleigh.
SIDELINE REPORT
NCAA FOOTBALL
Former Miami booster among those with sentences commuted by Biden
Washington Nevin Shapiro, the former Miami booster whose rogue involvement with the school led to a massive NCAA investigation and significant sanctions against the Hurricanes, had his sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme commuted by President Joe Biden. Shapiro was among the 1,499 recipients of commutations announced by the White House. Shapiro, who was initially sentenced in 2011 to serve 20 years in prison and repay his jilted investors nearly $83 million, will be officially listed as released on Dec. 22. Court records show Shapiro has been on home confinement since 2020.
NBA Point guard Schroder traded by Brooklyn to Golden State
Las Vegas Golden State has acquired point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and guard Reece Beekman. The trade was agreed to on Saturday and finalized on Sunday when league rules allowed, with the Nets also receiving a package of second-round draft picks. Schroder averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists this season for the Nets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.
SKIING
Shiffrin recovering after abdominal surgery to clean out deep puncture wound suffered in race crash Beaver Creek, Colo. Mikaela Shiffrin is recovering after undergoing abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she received in a giant slalom crash two weeks ago. Shiffrin posted an update on Instagram.
There’s no timetable for Shiffrin’s return to racing after suffering bruises and the deep puncture to her hip area during a crash on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, while charging after her 100th career World Cup win. She has more wins than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.
MLB Freeman’s walk-off grand slam ball sells for $1.56M at auction Laguna Niguel, Calif. Freddie Freeman’s historic walk-off grand slam ball from Game 1 of the World Series sold for $1.56 million at auction. The bidding at SCP Auctions went into the late hours of Saturday night, according to a statement from the auction house. It didn’t say who bought the ball. Freeman, the Dodgers first baseman, came to the plate on a sprained right ankle with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Yankees. He hit the first pitch 413 feet for the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history for the 6-3 win.
New Marshall coach recruiting own players in transfer portal
More than two dozen players look to leave as the former Wolfpack defensive coordinator takes over
By John Raby The Associated Press
TONY GIBSON jumped right into recruiting at Marshall in his first college head coaching job after nearly three decades as an assistant. It involved his own players. The roster took an immediate hit after Charles Huff was named coach at Southern Miss on Sunday while Gibson, the defensive coordinator at NC State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later.
The transfer portal opened the next day. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players were in it.
Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He’s followed that up with phone calls, text
messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday.
“Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.”
Many who entered the portal and can still come back were veterans, including all three quarterbacks who played this season: Braylon Braxton, Stone Earle and Cole Pennington. So did leading rusher A.J. Turner and three of the team’s top seven wide receivers. On defense, four of the seven leading tacklers are in the portal, including leading tackler Jaden Yates at linebacker.
Gibson signed a memorandum of understanding to coach at Marshall on Dec. 3. Huff, whose contract expired after this season and had never signed an extension, left one day after Marshall beat Louisiana-Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game. The Herd
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am staying home. And it’s going to be our last house. This I promise.”
Marshall coach Tony Gibson, a West Virginia native
was supposed to play No. 19 Army in the Independence Bowl but was forced to pull out of the game because of a lack of players. Under his five-year agreement, Gibson will be paid an annual salary of $1 million, compared with $750,000 for Huff. Gibson’s buyout is $4 million if he accepts a job at another Division I school or with a professional league or team before February 2026. It will be reduced by $1 million each year after that.
Gibson, 52, has his doubts the buyout will come into play.
He grew up in the small coal mining community of Van, West Virginia, and it has been his wish to move back to his native state. He has been an assistant at Power 4 schools for the past 24 seasons and said he’s moved his family 15 times in the past.
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am staying home,” Gibson said. “And it’s going to be our last house. This I promise.” During Gibson’s first of two stints on West Virginia’s staff, the Mountaineers regularly played Marshall in the Friends of Coal Bowl two decades ago. Despite Marshall going 0-7 in the series from 2006 to 2012, he’d like to see it return.
As for the games already penciled in, it will be a daunting task right away, and Gibson turned to athletic director Christian Spears for a mild scolding.
“Thank you for scheduling Georgia as my first game as a football coach,” Gibson said to the crowd’s laughter.
Horvath shines as Navy dominates Army
The bowl-bound teams set a record for the most combined wins entering the game
By Noah Trister The Associated Press
LANDOVER, Md. — This was an Army-Navy game unlike any before it. The teams had combined for 19 victories this season before their annual clash, a record for the rivalry.
Of course, only one of them would be responsible for No. 20 — the biggest win of them all.
“I think they’re like us. We want to be significant,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “I think we both were this year, and I think because of that maybe there was a little more significance, a little more interest maybe in this game.”
Blake Horvath outplayed Bryson Daily at quarterback, accounting for 311 yards and four touchdowns to help Navy beat No. 19 Army 31-13 on Saturday. Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Navy (9-3) snapped a two -game losing streak in the series.
Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy vote this year, threw a touchdown pass of his own, but he was intercepted three times. Army (11-2) fell behind 14-0 in the second quarter and never completely recovered. The Black Knights were coming off a victory over Tulane in the American Athletic Conference title game — the first league championship in program history.
Navy, which won its first six games this season and also spent time in the Top 25, completed a sweep of Air Force and
Midshipmen celebrate during the first half of the Army-Navy game, in Landover, Maryland.
Army to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 2019.
“As excited and proud we were eight days ago, we’re as disappointed as we’ve ever been,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “It’s hard to lose that game. That one hurts a lot, especially when the trophy’s on the line and we’ve got a chance to keep that trophy at West Point. We didn’t do it.”
In front of a crowd that included President-elect Donald Trump at the Washington Commanders’ home stadium in Landover, Navy took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards, reaching the end zone on a 1-yard run by Horvath.
Daily, who had been intercepted only once all season,
had a pass picked off in the second quarter by Dashaun Peele. The Midshipmen took advantage of a short field, going ahead 14-0 on an 18-yard pass from Horvath to Brandon Chatman. Daily answered with a touchdown pass of his own — 23 yards to Hayden Reed. Both teams were run heavy as expected, but they did combine for 25 pass attempts — including what was probably the biggest play of the game in the third quarter. After a field goal made the score 14-10, Horvath connected with Eli Heidenreich, who broke free up the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown.
Daily missed an open Casey Reynolds in the end zone early in the fourth, and Army settled for a field goal.
Navy then faced fourth down near midfield, but Landon Robinson — normally a nose guard — ran 29 yards on a fake punt. Although Robinson fumbled at the end of the play, the Midshipmen were able to recover.
Horvath’s 1-yard scoring run made it 28-13, and Daily was intercepted twice more before the end of the game. This was the first of two straight Army-Navy games in Navy’s home state of Maryland. Next year’s edition is in Baltimore.
That was Horvath’s 13th touchdown pass of the season and Heidenreich’s sixth touchdown reception — both tying school records.
DANIEL KUCIN JR. / AP PHOTO
RYAN FISCHER / THE HERALD-DISPATCH VIA AP
Marshall University’s head football coach Tony Gibson speaks during his introductory press conference last week.
the stream
MrBeast jumps to TV, Little Big Town’s holiday special, Squid Game: Unleashed
Clint Eastwood’s latest, “Juror #2,” lands on Max
The Associated Press
THE GRIPING Vatican-based thriller “Conclave” about picking a new pope and Stephanie Hsu starring in the dark comedy “Laid” as a woman whose former lovers keep unexpectedly dying are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Dwayne Johnson stars as Santa’s bodyguard in the movie “Red One,” internet star MrBeast hosts his own reality competition show on Prime Video called “Beast Games,” and Little Big Town hosts a Christmas special on NBC.
MOVIES TO STREAM
What goes on inside the Vatican before white smoke flows out of the Sistine Chapel? “Conclave” (streaming now on Peacock), about the election of a new pope, is a gripping thriller that imagines how the gathering of cardinals could go. The film, directed by Edward Berger and based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, stars Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal tasked with running the conclave. Nominated for six Golden Globes, “Conclave” is a major Oscar contender and one of the rare recent adult-oriented dramas to succeed at the box office. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a deliriously fun watch in the way that tense, smart thrillers with an ensemble of great actors can be.”
It was easy to miss Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” in cinemas, but the 94-year-old’s latest arrives Friday on Max. And “Juror #2,” despite its small theatrical footprint, has been much praised by critics. In it, Nicholas Hoult plays a juror in a murder trial who’s struggling with a moral dilemma.
A sled-full of new Christmas movies arrive every year, with hopes of establishing themselves as a new holiday classic. Of them, “Red One” (now streaming on Prime Video) is distinguished by being the biggest, most garishly wrapped one yet. In the $250 million movie, Dwayne Johnson stars as the bodyguard for a more militaristic Kris Kringle (J.K. Simmons), who teams up with a deadbeat hacker (Chris Evans) to rescue Santa after he’s kidnapped. In my review, I wrote that “there is ample time during ‘Red One’ to ponder who, exactly, put a
Marvel-ized Santa on their wish list.”
Mati Diop’s “Dahomey,” one of the year’s nonfiction highlights, is not to be missed. Diop, the French Senegalese director of “Atlantics,” documents the return of 26 art works seized by French troops during the 1890s from the African kingdom (now southern Benin). In the film, currently streaming on Mubi, Diop casts a wide and fantastic net in chronicling their voyage home, with a wide array of voices debating the ethics and meaning of reparations — including even those of the Dahomey treasures, themselves.
MUSIC TO STREAM
’Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. That is, until you see “Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry” on NBC, available to stream on Peacock. What says “happy holidays” more than some of country music’s modern greats bringing their twang from the famous Nashville stage to the family living room?
A group of great guests, proba-
bly — and those include Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Sheryl Crow, Kirk Franklin, Josh Groban, Kate Hudson and Orville Peck.
SHOWS TO STREAM
A new docuseries on Apple TV+ reveals the habits and behaviors of animals in the wild. Filmmakers spent three years tracking 77 unique species in 24 countries and capturing everything from jumping spider courtship dances to a killifish in Trinidad breathing through its tail when out of the water. Hugh Bonneville narrates “The Secret Lives of Animals, “ is streaming on Apple TV+. Stephanie Hsu stars in a new dark comedy for Peacock as Ruby, a woman whose former lovers keep unexpectedly dying in mysterious, outrageous ways. Ruby and her best friend AJ (Zosia Mamet, doing her wry observational bit) dig into the past to make sense of what’s happening and save lives. The process prompts Ruby to learn hard truths about herself. “Laid” is based on an Australian series. There are also a number of fun
guest stars including
Internet star MrBeast, (real name: Jimmy Donaldson) — whose YouTube channel has more subscribers than any other — is now the host of his own reality competition show on Prime Video called “Beast Games.” Contestants wear tracksuits and compete in wild games for a $5 million prize. It’s like “Squid Game,” without the dying. “Beast Games” premieres Thursday on Prime Video.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY Season 2 of “Squid Game” drops on Netflix the day after Christmas, but you and your family can get an early start if you’re already itching for a fight to the death. The streamer is inviting subscribers to download Squid Game: Unleashed, an online battle royale for up to 32 players. It includes familiar season 1 competitions like Glass Bridge and Red Light Green Light, as well as deadly new devices like buzzsaws,
and
Finneas O’Connell, Chloe Fineman
Josh Segarra. “Laid” premieres Thursday on Peacock.
“Beast Games,” “Juror #2” and “The Secret Lives of Animals” are streaming on a screen near
Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry” is streaming on NBC and Peacock.
STATE & NATION
ABC agrees to $15M toward Trump’s presidential library in defamation
George Stephanopoulos
wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming the victim of that rape”
By Michael R. Sisak
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — ABC News
has agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
As part of the settlement made public Saturday, ABC News posted an editor’s note to its website expressing regret over Stephanopoulos’ statements during a March 10 segment on his “This Week” program. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.
The settlement agreement describes ABC’s presidential library payment as a “charitable contribution,” with the money earmarked for a non-profit organization that is being estab -
lished in connection with the yet-to-be-built library.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas said. A Trump spokesperson declined comment.
Man pleads guilty in phony bribery scheme involving Bidens
Former FBI informant
Alexander Smirnov alleged a Ukrainian energy company had paid the president and his son
By Alanna Durkin Richer and Jaimie Ding
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a separate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income.
An attorney for Smirnov, 44, declined to comment after the hearing in Los Angeles federal court.
Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a
sentence of between four and six years in prison when he’s sentenced next month.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his February arrest on charges that he told his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, according to charging documents.
No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice president.
While Smirnov’s identity wasn’t publicly known before the indictment, his claims played a
The settlement agreement was signed Friday, the same day a Florida federal judge ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for separate depositions in the case next week. The settlement means that sworn testimony is no longer required.
The agreement bore Trump’s
settlement
bold, distinct signature and an electronic signature with the initials GRS in a space for Stephanopoulos’ name. Debra OConnell, the president of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, also e-signed the agreement.
ABC News must transfer the $15 million for Trump’s library to an escrow account that’s being managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days, according to the agreement. The network must also pay Brito’s legal fees within 10 days.
While sizeable, ABC’s contribution to Trump’s presidential library will likely cover just a fraction of the cost. Former President Barack Obama’s library in Chicago, for example, was estimated to cost $830 million as of 2021.
Trump sued ABC and Stephanopoulos in federal court in Miami days after the network aired the segment, in which the longtime “Good Morning America” anchor and “This Week” host repeatedly misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits against Trump.
During a live “This Week” interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Stephanopoulos wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and
“defaming the victim of that rape.”
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
In the first of the lawsuits to go to trial, Trump was found liable last year of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. A jury ordered him to pay her $5 million.
In January, at a second trial in federal court in Manhattan, Trump was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
Trump is appealing both verdicts.
Carroll, a former advice columnist, went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury Manhattan department store across the street from Trump Tower, after they crossed paths at an entrance.
Trump denied her claim, saying he didn’t know Carroll and never ran into her at the store.
After Trump lashed out, calling Carroll a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell her memoir, she sued him for unspecified monetary damages and sought a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials.
major part in the Republican effort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark a House impeachment inquiry into Biden. Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.
During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov also claimed the Russians probably had recordings of
Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine’s capital where he had stayed was “wired” and under their control — information he said was passed along to him by four high-level Russian officials. But Hunter Biden had never traveled to Ukraine, according to Smirnov’s indictment.
Smirnov claimed to have contacts with Russian intelligence-affiliated officials and told authorities after his arrest this year that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing
a story” about Hunter Biden. The case against Smirnov was brought by special counsel David Weiss, who also prosecuted Hunter Biden on gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced this month after being convicted at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to federal charges in the tax case. But he was pardoned this month by his father, who said he believed “raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”
EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump talks with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos before a town hall in Philadelphia in 2020.
K.M. CANNON / LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL VIA AP
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer’s office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Feb. 20, 2024.
Randolph record
COLD MOON RISING
The last full moon of 2024 rose over the crisp Carolinas early Sunday, hanging in the sky like a bright white celestial Christmas ornament.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
RFK Jr. visits Capitol Hill ahead of his confirmation hearing
Washington, D.C.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has swept onto Capitol Hill. The nominee is reintroducing himself to senators as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s Health and Human Services Department. His arrival Monday was the start of a long process to win over senators. Health and Human Services, the world’s largest public health agency, has a broad reach overseeing food and medicines used every day.
“I’m open,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of his support for Kennedy’s nomination. “(But) if you come in and say I won’t consider myself successful unless I eliminate these vaccines, that could be problematic.”
More Cooper lieutenants staying on in Stein’s Cabinet
Raleigh
Several more top lieutenants of outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper have agreed to work for fellow Democrat and successor Josh Stein’s administration. They include Cooper’s transportation and public safety secretaries and the state budget director — all of whom will stay in their current posts. Each of them have had significant roles responding to Hurricane Helene. Stein already said this week that two other Cooper department secretaries will be on his team as well — albeit leading new departments. Stein was elected governor last month and will take his oath of office next month.
Asheboro receives grant funding for downtown greenspace
The city received $300,000, which will be put toward the David and Pauline Jarrell Center City Garden project
By Ryan Henkel Randolph Record
ASHEBORO — The City of Asheboro took a big step toward beginning a longplanned downtown greenspace project.
At its regular business meeting earlier this month, the Asheboro City Council accepted a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant award totaling nearly $300,000. The grant will be put to -
ward the David and Pauline Jarrell Center City Garden project, a three-acre public, open space with a total projected buildout cost of $1.4 million located in walking distance from downtown Asheboro.
“This is a funding source that we began pursuing about two years ago,” assistant city manager Trevor Nuttall said. “That just shows you the complexity and the multiple layers that we were confronting as we went after project funds.”
“This is something that in perpetuity, should benefit all of Asheboro and Randolph County.”
David Smith
ward elements that were not funded in this initial award,” Nuttall said.
The funding from the grant could be utilized for walkways, trails, a parking lot, perimeter fencing and a bathroom facility.
In addition, city staff plans to continue petitioning for additional funding.
“We are hopeful that we are also able to add elements to this grant now that we have successfully cleared the review to potentially receive some additional funding to -
The grant requires a dollar-to-dollar match from the city in order to access the funds, although Nuttall said the city is working toward reassigning $240,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds for that.
“This is something that in perpetuity, should benefit all of Asheboro and Randolph County,” Mayor David Smith said. “They’re not making any more green space or land. This is a historic piece of property, right in our downtown, that will ultimately, when it’s complete, be a huge asset to our community.”
Nuttall said: “It’s also important to note that this
See PROJECT, page A2
Land donation could lead to larger Victory Junction
No specific plans have been announced following Richard Petty’s latest contribution to the camp
By Bob Sutton Randolph Record
RANDLEMAN — NASCAR legend Richard Petty has donated approximately 403 acres of land to Victory Junction, though there’s no clearly identified plan for expansion of the facility.
In making last week’s announcement, it’s possible Victory Junction could grow considerably. The eight parcels of land are adjacent to the camp’s current 140 acres. “As we envision the future of Camp, the land will remain a topic of strategic discussions,” said Mark Curran, board chair of Victory Junction. “We will be sure to use
this thoughtful gift in ways that both secure the future of Camp and provide even more life-changing camp experiences for children.”
Victory Junction is a yearround camp facility for children with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions, with the services and experiences coming at no cost to the families. The camp provides what are described as life-changing camp experiences that are exciting, fun, and empowering, in a medically safe environment.
It opened in 2004 to honor the memory of Adam Petty, who was Richard Petty’s grandson.
Kyle Petty, the father of Adam and son of Richard, spearheaded the movement to create Victory Junction. He said this latest gift for the family should aid in the longevity of the camp.
“We will be sure to use this thoughtful gift in ways that both secure the future of Camp and provide even more life-changing camp experiences for children.”
Mark Curran, Victory Junction board chair
“When I see the joy and the smiles this camp brings to kids and their families, I can still feel Adam’s giving spirit,” Kyle Petty said. “I want to make sure Camp is here in 100 years, and we hope this gift inspires others to support Victory Junction so that it remains a place of joy for generations to come.” Richard Petty, who remains
an active board member of Victory Junction, said: “My family and I are dedicated to leaving a legacy. By donating an additional 403 acres, we hope to ensure the camp can continue serving even more children.”
The camp’s grounds include 84 acres originally donated by Richard Petty and his now-late wife, Lynda, to launch the building of the camp 20 years ago.
Chad Coltrane, CEO of Victory Junction, said this latest donation is in line with maintaining Adam Petty’s legacy.
“We are eternally grateful to the Petty family for this incredibly generous gift, and we are honored to continue supporting Adam’s legacy,” Coltrane said. “There is a larger-than-life heart that lights up when campers are at Victory Junction. That light and the love it signifies will beat a little brighter at Camp this year.”
THE RANDOLPH COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
DAVID SINCLAIR FOR RANDOLPH RECORD
North State Journal
(USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)
Neal Robbins, Publisher
Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers
Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor
Jordan Golson, Local News Editor
Shawn Krest, Sports Editor
Dan Reeves, Features Editor
Bob Sutton, Randolph Editor
Ryan Henkel, Reporter
P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer
BUSINESS
David Guy, Advertising Manager
Next edition approaching for Leadership Randolph
Applications for the 10-month class of 2025 must be in by Jan. 1
By Bob Sutton Randolph Record
ASHEBORO — The dead-
line to apply for the next edition of the Leadership Randolph program is about two weeks away.
Adam Deathe, the new president of the Asheboro/ Randolph Chamber of Commerce, said applications must be received by Jan. 1 to be considered for the Class of 2025. The 10-month program is designed to have 28 participants. They will tour certain areas of the county and hear
Dec. 10
TO SUBSCRIBE: 919-663-3232
We stand corrected To report an error or a suspected error, please email: corrections@nsjonline. com with “Correction request” in the subject line.
THURSDAY DEC 19
FRIDAY DEC 20
SATURDAY DEC 21
SUNDAY DEC 22
MONDAY DEC 23
TUESDAY DEC 24
WEDNESDAY DEC
James Michael Branch, 50, of Randleman, was arrested by Randolph County Sheriff’s Office (RCSO) for reconnecting utility signal causing property damage and injury to personal property.
Dec. 11:
• John Edward Marshall, 40, of Asheboro, was arrested by Asheboro Police Department (APD) for misdemeanor larceny, possession of stolen goods, simple possession of Schedule II controlled substance, possession of marijuana up to 1/2 oz, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Issiah Montrell Mack, 20, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for violation of domestic violence protective order.
Jachin Arthur Edwards, 33, of Archdale, was arrested by Archdale Police Department (ArPD) for failure to appear and possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Edward Anthony Starnes, 31, of Greensboro, was arrested by RCSO for reconnecting utility signal causing property damage.
Dec. 12:
Michael Lamar Miller, 28, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for assault inflicting serious injury.
Brandon Tyler Perdue, 35, of Lexington, was arrested by RCSO for possession of methamphetamine, possession of stolen motor vehicle, larceny of motor vehicle, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
PROJECT from page A1
from various speakers from a cross-section of leadership roles within the county.
“We encourage people to fill in the application as soon as possible as there is typically a rush at the end,” Deathe said Monday.
Information from the Chamber says that participants will interact with business and community leaders.
There’s an orientation and a one-day retreat. For nine months, a daylong session is held (usually on the first Thursday).
“Whether you are interested in contributing to our quality of life, or simply desire to better understand your community and how things happen, I highly recommend this leadership pro -
Melinda Sue Overton, 43, of Randleman, was arrested by APD for felony possession of Schedule II controlled substance, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Antwain Addias Person, 31, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for open container violation and disorderly conduct.
Dec. 13:
• Christian Jacob McDowell, 26, of Randleman, was arrested by RCSO on a bill of indictment.
Johnterro Barnard King, 26, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for communicating threats.
Stephanie Annette Weaver Pallas, 42, of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for interfering with electronic monitoring device and failure to appear.
Shakia Montia Rawls, 30, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for possession with intent to sell/deliver marijuana and maintaining a vehicle/dwelling for controlled substances.
Dec. 14:
• Carolina Pineda McWhorter Lopez, 37, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for failure to appear.
• Joshua Clay Bunch, 37, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for failure to appear, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, assault on government official, resisting arrest, and injury to personal property.
• Samuel Eugene Bullins, 74,
gram,” Asheboro mayor David Smith, a graduate of the program, said in a testimonial. “You will find it to be interesting and informative.”
Among the program’s objectives is to identify emerging leaders in the community and create a foundation to foster interpersonal relationships among participants. Deathe said selection criteria remains the same as in the past.
Tuition for Leadership Randolph is $750 per Chamber member participant and $850 per nonmember. The fee includes all transportation, program materials and lunches.
The program has had more than 900 graduates since it was established in 1988.
of Asheboro, was arrested by RCSO for assault by strangulation and false imprisonment.
Dec. 15:
John Christopher Sykes, 43, of Randleman, was arrested by APD for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.
Joshua Adam Rich, 37, of Star, was arrested by APD for possession of methamphetamine, driving while license revoked, fictitious registration, open container violation, and no registration.
Christopher Alan Roberts, 25, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for assault on a female, communicating threats, and failure to appear.
Wesley Chadric Agner, 47, of Archdale, was arrested by ArPD for assault causing serious bodily injury, assault on a female, and false imprisonment.
Danny Roosevelt Ruffin, 41, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Bernardo Maurice Suitt, 33, of Raeford, was arrested by RCSO for failure to appear and communicating threats.
Dec. 16:
• Courtney Kristina Connell, 36, of Asheboro, was arrested by APD for failure to appear, resisting arrest, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Guide
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Randolph County:
Dec.
20-21
Windsong Pottery –
Holiday Open House
We will have lots of new pottery coming out each weekend for your gifts for Christmas. You might even find those special pieces for you. Come out and enjoy your ride to Farmer, just 18 miles from the town of Seagrove in Randolph County.
6109 Brantley Gordon Road Denton
Holiday Tours at Linbrook Hall
10 a.m. to noon, 2-4 p.m., 6-8 p.m.
Come join us for our most popular event of the year, guided tours of Linbrook Hall decorated for the holiday season! Guided tours of the 36,000-square-foot Linbrook Hall include seeing all three floors immaculately decorated for Christmas complete with more than 30 Christmas trees and thousands of Christmas lights. There will be three tours per day: 10 a.m. to noon, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 21
Seagrove Potters
Holiday Open House
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Join the Seagrove Potters this season for their Annual Holiday Open House. You’re invited to celebrate the holiday season on a self-guided pottery tour. Starting on Dec. 7 through Dec. 21 weekends, the pottery shops of Seagrove have special events planned on Saturdays and some on Sundays. Free and open to the public!
Christmas with the Kringles
Noon to 2:30 p.m.
would not initiate the project, but it would be the first step to securing funds as we work to figure out the mechanism to provide the funding match. Once we work through the matching element of this, we will have a significant first phase of construction which will lead to a project that won’t be complete, but will be usable and something people can be proud of.”
The council also held two public hearings for rezoning requests with the first being for 1.35 acres of property located at 1449 and 1453 Old Liberty Road to go from Medium Density Residential (R10) to Light Industrial Conditional Zoning (I1 - CZ).
The second hearing was for 0.4 acres of property located at 305 Old Liberty Road to go from General Commercial (B2) to R10 in order to construct two family dwelling structures. Following the hearings, the council approved both requests. The council also approved a request for satellite annexation of 44.15 acres of property located near 801 Hub Morris Road. The Asheboro City Council will next meet Jan. 9.
Dec. 21, Dec. 28
It’ll be a holly jolly season at the Orchard as we celebrate our Christmas with the Kringles. Adventures weekends this holiday season! Join Santa and Mrs. Claus for a fun-filled day with holiday cheer, baby cow visits, cookie decorating, hayrides and more! Learn more, book your spot and let the festivities begin. Reservations are required in advance at 336-824-5263. 506 Parks Crossroads Church Road Ramseur
Lights, Santa, Action! 5:30-9 p.m.
In late November, Kersey Valley transforms into a winter wonderland with more than 1 million LED lights! Enjoy photo ops throughout the farm. Visit with Santa and the Grinch, shop for gifts at Santa’s Workshop, then sneak around back to the Reindeer Stalls and see the elves at work. Reserve your night now!
1615 Kersey Valley Road Archdale Randolph
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH
A broken system
WHAT DOES IT MEAN that an alleged murderer has become a folk hero, that literally millions of people in this country have taken his side — in social media, at least, if not as potential jurors — in a case of cold-blooded murder? What does it mean that the McDonald’s employees who reported him have had to resort to police protection to deal with the threats against them? It would be shocking, if it weren’t so understandable.
Our health care system is broken. It causes unbelievable suffering. Of course it is wrong to take pleasure in the murder of anyone. But understandable? Yes.
Luigi Mangione is “hot.” That certainly adds to his appeal. But what is driving the reaction to his crime is not his good looks but the almost universal frustration with health insurance companies, and the trials and tribulations of dealing with them.
The question: Is Trump listening? Does he get it?
The Affordable Care Act allowed millions of Americans to buy into a system that previously excluded them if they had preexisting conditions. I remember the bad old days, when you just couldn’t get health insurance if you weren’t healthy. I remember trying to purchase a PPO plan for my nanny, similar to what I received from my employer, who had gastritis.
She took a Nexium every day. That was enough for her to be turned down by all the PPO plans. The only plan I could buy for her was Kaiser Permanente’s HMO, which later saved her life, and then later failed to provide
The devils are here
The more we make, the more we spend on health care.
LAST WEEK, a deranged 26-year-old anti-capitalist allegedly shot to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, on the streets of New York.
The alleged shooter carried a manifesto with him, decrying the nature of America’s health care system:
“Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” The manifesto claimed that America spends more than any other country on health care, and yet “we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy,” and that this was due to insurance companies that “continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument.”
It is generally useless to argue with the criminally insane — and the alleged shooter in this case appears to have experienced a mental break some months ago due to both drug abuse and severe chronic back pain — but the problem is that the shooter’s view has become shockingly common.
Many Americans believe that American health care is uniquely deficient; far more disturbingly, a certain cadre of elite Americans now cheer murder because they’re upset with the health care system.
The first claim — that America’s health care system is uniquely terrible — is simply belied by the facts.
Health care, like any other service or good, is not free; it obeys the simple laws of economics, which suggest that scarcity is a basic condition of life.
her with the preventive care that should have diagnosed her cancer before it was Stage 4. Trust me, I can hold my own in the HMO horror stories that I used to tell on my talk radio show.
By the time my kids aged out of my own health insurance plan, the ACA — Obamacare — had made it possible to buy into PPO plans for individuals, without regard to preexisting conditions. Thank God, and the government.
Until you get sick.
Then you discover all the things that even the most expensive plans you can buy don’t cover. Then you discover the nightmare that is supposed to be the best health care system in the world. For some, maybe.
My daughter has long COVID. As anyone who suffers from it knows, and there are millions of people who do, long COVID does not just mean that it takes you longer than most to recover from COVID. The virus triggers a host of horrible syndromes, including chronic fatigue syndrome and postexertion malaise.
It leaves many of its sufferers housebound if not bed-bound. There is no known cure. So even the best doctors who specialize in it (and all seem to be “out of network”) are left trying to alleviate its symptoms with experimental treatments, using drugs off-label to see if they work. Almost none of it is covered by insurance. What are people without money to pay for all of it out of pocket supposed to do?
I used to be good at fighting with insurance companies. My sister, who used
to work for a major insurance company on health care claims, taught me all the tricks of getting supervisors, threatening to go to the state insurance commissioner, cutting through the bureaucracy.
I remember some years ago, I managed to help a secretary at my old firm reverse a decision denying her — on the eve of surgery — approval for desperately needed back surgery by intuiting the email address of the medical director and pretending to know him. But it takes more energy than people fighting serious illness can muster to also fight with insurance companies.
It’s gotten harder, and these days, I mostly give up and take out my credit card. This is how so many people end up bankrupt because of medical care costs. This is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
Asked what he would replace the Affordable Care Act with, Donald Trump said only that he had “concepts” of a plan. That just won’t do. Is he willing to reform the system — take on the private insurance lobby?
There is no sign that he is. And the industry, instead of hiring more private security for its leaders, needs to take on the frustration and anger that has come boiling to the surface in the reaction to the assassination of the CEO.
Greater transparency is essential. Better customer service is essential.
Something has to change.
Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.
Health care is not unlimited, nor can it be made so absent extraordinary spending levels.
The United States, as it turns out, follows the same pattern as nearly every other developed country: The more we make, the more we spend on health care. That is just as true for the U.K. or Norway as it is for the United States. Furthermore, spending on health care is subject to the law of diminishing returns: additional moneys spent do not necessarily equate to additional life expectancy. That is true across countries as well. Finally, the United States’ population has a uniquely high proportion of overweight citizens, drug abusers and car accident victims. This affects overall life expectancy statistics negatively. This doesn’t mean the American health care system is ideal. Far from it.
Employer-based health insurance is a holdover from wage controls decades old; health insurers are not actually insurers at all — they are not in the business of assessing possible risk and then insuring against it; insurance regulations are abstruse and absurd, and the government’s subsidization schemes involve low reimbursement rates and shoddy coverage. The problems are myriad.
Which is why it is so absurd to lay the problems with American health care at the door of the “profit-driven CEOs.” It turns out that removing the profit margins on business does not make products, goods or services either more efficient or better. In fact, that precise ideology has crippled a variety of countries over the course of the last century.
What’s worse is that ideology often excuses murder. Because, after all, if health insurance CEOs are so cruel that they purposefully murder patients in order to earn a buck, why shouldn’t they be shot? That’s the logic of comedian Bill Burr, who says, “I love that f---ing CEOs are f---ing afraid right now. You should be! By and large, you’re all a bunch of selfish greedy f---ing pieces of shit.” Or Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who says, “Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far.”
This is the devil’s logic. If murder of individuals is justified by dissatisfaction with the system, we no longer live in a republic. We live in an anarchic, Hobbesian world of violence of all against all. It turns out that life is filled with grievances and hardships. If the response to such grievances and hardships is murdering CEOs, what precisely is the limiting principle? Why not shoot bank CEOs for their decision-making? Why not murder oil company executives or hedge fund CEOs? The answer to flawed policy is better policy. But if you wish to see the American system torn down from within, you’re better off advocating bloodlust and murder. And unfortunately, there are an awful lot of Americans who seem willing to tear down the American system itself rather than attempting to discuss rational solutions to intransigent problems.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
This is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
Damaged Russian ships spilled estimated 3,700 tons of oil
THE RUSSIAN SOUTHERN TRANSPORT PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE VIA AP
An image taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office shows the Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait in Russia on Sunday.
State media said storms led to the spills in the Kerch Strait
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — An estimated 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil had spilled into the Kerch Strait after two Russian ships were seriously damaged by stormy weather, Russian state media reported Monday. The two ships, the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product.
Social media footage from the scene showed a black liquid rising among the waves.
Preliminary estimates say that 3,700 tons of mazut leaked into the sea, Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing an unnamed source. In a statement, the leader of Russia’s nearby Krasnodar region, Gov. Veniamin Kondratev, said that the oil had not yet reached the shore.
An emergency rescue operation was launched Sunday after the Volgoneft-212 tanker ran aground and had its bow torn away in storm conditions, Russia’s Emergency Situations
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious.”
Paul Johnston, Greenpeace Research Laboratories
Ministry said. One sailor in the 13-man crew died, officials said.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was also left damaged and adrift with 14 crewmembers on board. It later ran aground about 260 feet from shore, close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region, from where the sailors were later rescued.
Russian officials confirmed the oil spill Sunday but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent.
In a statement, Greenpeace Ukraine said they will monitor the situation. The charity has had no presence in Russia since 2023, when it was designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government.
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious,” said Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace
King Charles III tries to rein in Andrew
The latest drama ensnaring Prince Andrew involves a Chinese spy
By Danica Kirka
The Associated Press
LONDON — How do you solve a problem like Prince Andrew?
That’s the question facing King Charles III as the drama surrounding his 64-yearold brother roils Britain and the monarchy once again.
In the latest episode, a Chinese businessman has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew in an alleged effort to influence British elites on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. The man, identified Monday as Yang Tengbo, said he wasn’t involved in espionage and had “done nothing wrong or unlawful.”
The allegations represent the most high-profile example to date of a threat intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about: China’s increasing efforts to secretly influence politicians and other members of the British establishment to support the
country’s expansionist policies.
But the story also made news because it involves Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne but now a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his royal duties and charity roles, but the unflattering headlines kept coming. More recently, Charles has tried to persuade his brother to cut his expenses by leaving the sprawling royal estate he occupies west of London and moving to a cottage inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. But Andrew remains ensconced at the 30-room Royal Lodge.
The king needs to take more aggressive action to keep Andrew out of the public eye, such as barring him from processions and other royal events, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’’
While Andrew said in a statement that nothing sensitive was ever discussed and that he ceased contact with the Chi-
nese businessman as soon as concerns were raised, his constant brushes with scandal tarnish the work of the royal family, Owens said.
“Andrew is toxic, and he is very much damaged goods,” he added. “He can only, through his behavior, further undermine the reputation of the monarchy. It’s in the king’s best interest, it’s in the best interests of the future of the monarchy, for Andrew to take a step back.”
Britain’s most prominent anti-monarchy group used the latest scandal to call for a parliamentary inquiry into alleged royal corruption.
“When a Chinese spy befriends a royal, they want access to the British state. We must know if the royals have given them what they want,” said Graham Smith, leader of Republic, which seeks to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state.
Andrew has become a cautionary tale about the temptations and pitfalls of modern royalty.
When Andrew was born, he was second in line to the throne, the proverbial spare who was there to step in if disaster struck
the heir, his brother Charles.
But after Charles married, Andrew’s position dropped with every new child and grandchild. He now stands at eighth place in the royal pecking order.
While other senior royals spend much of their time opening recreation centers and meeting community leaders on behalf of their more exalted relations, Andrew initially took on bigger tasks.
After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.
But he was forced to step down in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Andrew had also been criticized for meeting with the son of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Even before that, some members of Parliament had raised
Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the U.K.
“It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents and, in the current weather conditions, is likely to be extremely difficult to contain. If it is driven ashore, then it will cause fouling of the shoreline, which will be extremely difficult to clean up.”
The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.
It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” of the war and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
“The accidents on two rusty vessels in the Kerch Strait resulted in another large-scale environmental disaster of our war. Thousands of tons of fuel oil spilled from the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, causing tragic damage to the natural systems of the Azov and Black Seas,” he wrote in a post on X Monday.
concerns about the sale of Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill Park, to a son-in-law of former Kazakh ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2007. The buyer allegedly paid 15 million pounds ($19 million) — 3 million pounds more than the asking price.
But Andrew’s links to Epstein have been his biggest problem.
Questions about the relationship resurfaced after Epstein was again arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2019. In an effort to silence criticism, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein and failed to show empathy for victims.
Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on Nov. 20, 2019, that he was stepping away from royal duties “for the foreseeable future.” In a statement, he called his association with Epstein “a major disruption to my family’s work.”
But that didn’t end the scandal. In August 2021, one of Epstein’s victims sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work as the case moved through the legal process.
Johnie Mack Pinkley
Oct. 14, 2024 – Dec. 14, 2024
Johnie Mack Pinkley, age 78, of Asheboro, NC, passed away peacefully at home on December 14, 2024.
Johnie was born on October 14, 1946, in Greensboro, NC, to William Pinkley and Inez Jones.
A proud Navy veteran, Johnie carried a deep love for his family and the simple joys of life. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Darsel, with whom he shared 44 wonderful years of marriage. An avid Dallas Cowboys fan, Johnie also enjoyed fishing anywhere he could cast a line. He spent countless hours watching the INSP channel and Western movies, which were among his favorite pastimes.
Johnie is predeceased by his parents, William and Inez Pinkley.
He is survived by his loving wife, Darsel Pinkley; his daughters, Michelle Anderson (Nick), Mandy Hockenberry, and Tina Pinkley Meeks; his sister, Susan Campbell (Bobby); and numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
The family will hold a celebration of life on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Level Cross Community Center, 112 Branson Mill Rd, Randleman NC 27317.
Pugh Funeral Home is honored to serve the Pinkley Family.
Catherine Yvonne Mackeraghan
May 8, 1968 – Dec. 9, 2024
Our dearest Catherine Yvonne Mackeraghan, 56 of Pleasant Garden, NC sadly passed away on Monday December 9th, 2024. She was born on May 8th, 1968 in Alamance County, NC to Larry Douglas Allred and Diane Marie Powell.
She is survived by her father Larry Allred of Greensboro NC, Mother Diane Powell (Jerry Powell) of Gibsonville, NC, her husband and lifelong partner of 36 years Eric Mackeraghan. Her oldest daughter Lara Hall (Brandon Ritter) of Asheboro, NC, her youngest daughter Morgan Mackeraghan (Alex Graham) of Randleman, NC, and her Brother Jason Allred (Heather Allred) of King, NC. She was loved and adored by her two Grandchildren Colby Graham and Es’mae Ritter. Catherine loved her family in a big way and enjoyed time spent with them. She had such a soft and loving spirit. She was a joy to all and to all who loved her. Catherine was the sweetest soul. She will be deeply missed.
A celebration of life will be held for her on Saturday, December 21, 2024, from 2-4 p.m. at the home of her daughter.
Pugh Funeral Home is honored to serve the Mackeraghan family.
Clarenza “Clara” Young Green
July 13, 1945 – Dec. 13, 2024
Clarenza “Clara” Young Green age 79 of Jackson Springs, passed away on Friday, December 13, 2024.
Clara was born in Montgomery County, NC on July 13, 1945, to Doyle Simmons and Pothiner Young. Clara was one of twelve children. She was the type of person who never met a stranger and would help anyone. Clara had a huge heart and was a loving mother, grandmother, and sister. She worked as a sewer in a hosiery mill and loved to go fishing. Clara attended Center Baptist Church and was a wonderful cook known for her dressing and fried sweet potatoes. In addition to her parents, Clara is preceded in death by her husband, Oliver Green; grandsons, Benjamin, and Tyrek Kelly; sister, Hazel Gainey; and her brothers, T.C. Bowden, Jesse James Simmons, Larry Simmons, Vernon Simmons, and Jerry Simmons.
Clara is survived by her daughter, Barbara Young of Troy; sons, James Young (Joyce) of Hillsborough, Benjamin Young of Florida; daughter, Lisa Green of Jackson Springs; son, Jordan Green of Troy; and daughter, Brianna Green of the home; grandchildren, Preston Simmons, Princess Moore, Kendrick Green, Jamarion Green, Lucas Jackson and Terrell Marshall; brothers, William Simmons (Priscilla), Ward Simmons; sisters, Brenda Crouch, Daisy Simmons, and Donna Smith (Curtis).
The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at Pugh Troy Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. Troy, from noon to 12:50 p.m. The funeral service will follow at 1 p.m. with Pastor Gene Thomas officiating. Burial will follow the service at Freeman Hill Cemetery, Troy.
Pugh Troy Funeral Home is honored to serve the Green family.
Anne Wright Auman
Oct. 16, 1938 – Dec. 8, 2024
Anne Wright Auman, age 86, of Seagrove, passed away on December 8, 2024, at TerraBella of Asheboro.
Mrs. Auman was born in Seagrove on October 16, 1938, to Hoyt and Annie Weeks Wright. She was a graduate of Seagrove High School and was formerly employed with GE/Black & Decker, from which she retired. In addition to her parents, Anne was preceded in death by her husband, Hoyt Auman, and siblings, Sammy “Bud” Wright, Charles “CK” Wright, Patricia Wright King, and Peggy Demers. Along with her husband, she loved traveling the U.S. She is survived by her son, Jeff Auman and wife Kathy of Seagrove; and granddaughter, Andrea Auman and fiancé Troy Kinney.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 12, 2024, from 5-7 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home, 437 Sunset Avenue in Asheboro. A graveside service will be held on Friday, December 13, 2024, at 1 p.m. at the Seagrove Christian ChurchHilltop Memorial Cemetery with Dr. Bruce Dickerson officiating.
Louis Bonkemeyer Rumbley
June 13, 1935 – Dec. 13, 2024
Lois Delacy Bonkemeyer Rumbley, age 89, of Asheboro, passed away on December 13, 2024, at Randolph Hospice House.
Mrs. Rumbley was born in Asheboro on June 13, 1935, the middle child of 7 children, to Lucian and Corda Underwood Bonkemeyer. Lois was formerly employed in the textile industry and was the co-owner of her family’s businesses, Bonk’s Cleaners and Rumbley Brothers Upholstery. Lois enjoyed sewing and did alterations at Bonk’s Cleaners. Lois was a devoted Christian and attended Giles Chapel Church and First Assembly of God Church. She was a devoted homemaker, mother, and grandmother. In addition to her parents, Lois was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Allen Ray Rumbley, her infant child, Delacy Rumbley, and siblings, Edward Bonkemeyer, Loretta Bonkemeyer Williams, Bobby Bonkemeyer, Charles Bonkemeyer, and Donald Bonkemeyer.
She is survived by her daughters, Darlene Rumbley Reeder (Gary) of Franklinville and LuAnn Rumbley of Asheboro; grandchildren, Jared Reeder (Kristin), Luke Reeder (Nicki), Corey King (Danielle), Adam Cagle (Lyla Kelley), and Emily Cagle Needham (Bradford); eight great-grandchildren; and sister, Shelba Bonkemeyer Laughlin (Malcolm) of Asheboro.
A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at 2 p.m. at Randolph Memorial Park with Mike Thompson and Malcolm Laughlin officiating.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 840692, Dallas, TX 75284-0692 or Hospice of Randolph, 416 Vision Dr., Asheboro, NC 27203. Pugh Funeral Home in Asheboro is serving the Rumbley family.
Richard John Behr
Nov. 11, 1952 – Dec. 10, 2024
Richard John Behr, 72, of Randleman passed away Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at Westwood Health in Archdale, NC. He was born November 11, 1952 in Beechhurst, NY to William Frederick Behr and Claire Grace Power Behr.
Richard loved the ocean and spent most of his life on the water. He was manager and handyman of the fishing pier in Ft. Lauderdale.
Richard is survived by his two sisters, Elizabeth Schneider of Florida and Claire Rutan of Randleman; nephews Bill Schneider (Tani), Jim Schneider (Jessica), Bret Rutan; niece, Holly Schneider; great nephews, Christopher Schneider, Thomas Schneider, Andrew Schneider; great niece, Cindy Schneider. He is preceded in death by his parents, William and Claire and brother William Behr.
No services are planned.
Pugh Funeral Home is honored to serve the Behr family.
Jerry Lance McAllister
Dec. 19, 1958 – Dec. 7, 2024
Jerry Lance McAllister, 65, of Randleman, went home to be with his Lord and Savior on December 7, 2024, in Asheboro. He was born December 19, 1958, in Statesville, NC, to Charles McAllister and Bernice Holland McAllister.
Jerry was a loving and caring husband, father, paw-paw and pops. He was a pillar of strength for his family. He was a man of unwavering faith, always ready to lend a helping hand and share a kind word. Saved at a young age, he followed the Lord’s calling to serve as a youth leader, Deacon, Sunday school teacher, and other roles within his church. Jerry leaned on the Lord for wisdom and guidance and prayed daily for his family and friends. After retiring from the plastics industry, he found joy working at Grays Chapel Elementary School and Burge Flower Shop. Jerry was known for his kind heart, infectious laughter, and ability to listen and converse with anyone. He is remembered for bringing joy to everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him and making everyone feel loved and appreciated.
Jerry was a man of many passions. He loved spending time with his family, especially his grandsons, Clay and Carter, who adored him. He enjoyed collecting watches, was an avid reader, an aspiring novelist, a lover of music, and a lifelong learner, always seeking to expand his knowledge. Jerry enjoyed telling jokes and stories to family and friends to share a laugh. He was also known for his love of photography and Christmas fudge, a generational tradition he loved sharing with others during the holiday season. The people of Grays Chapel Elementary and Burge Flower Shop held a special place in his heart.
Jerry is survived by his loving wife, Lori, his high school sweetheart, and best friend of 42 years. Also survived by his daughter, Heidi Marley and husband AJ of Randleman; grandsons, Clay AndersonJames Marley and Carter LanceHolland Marley; brothers, Robert “Foster” McAllister (Karen) of Missouri, Chuck McAllister (Michelle) of Georgia; sister, Patrilla “Andy” Hollingsworth of Sophia; sister-in-law, Debby Beane (Franklin) of Randleman; brother-in-law, Gary McPherson; sister-in-law Eileen McPherson; mother and father-in-law, Jack and Madie McPherson; several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Jerry is preceded in death by his brothers-in-law, Mitchell McPherson and Dale Hollingsworth.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 12, 2024, from 6–8 p.m. at Pugh Funeral Home in the Eddie Pugh Memorial Chapel, 600 S. Main St. Randleman, NC. Funeral services will be Friday, December 13, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Forest Park Baptist Church with Reverend Joel McDuffie and Grayson King officiating. Interment will follow at Randolph Memorial Park.
Donations in Jerry’s honor may be sent to the Randleman Public Library, 42 W Academy St, Randleman, NC 27317, or Grays Chapel Elementary School, 5322 NC-22, Franklinville, NC 27248.
Pugh Funeral Home is honored to serve the McAllister family.
Ralph “Sparky” Groce
Oct. 15, 1936 – Dec. 10, 2024
The family of Ralph “Sparky” Groce is deeply saddened to announce his passing on December 10, 2024. Sparky was born on October 15, 1936, to Martha and Arthur Groce in Worthville, NC. After high school, he proudly served in the US Army before continuing his commitment to service as a deputy with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department until his retirement in 1992.
A loving father, husband, and friend, Sparky’s wisdom touched many lives. He was preceded in death by his parents, Martha and Arthur Groce; siblings, Ernerstein Jessup, Lee Groce, and JD Groce; daughter, Virginia “Lynn” Groce; and grandson, Liam Nelson. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Leigh Anne; stepdaughter, Brittney Nelson; stepson, Matthew Nelson (Brooke); his best buddy, Cohen; and their newest family member, Willow. He is also survived by his children, Sandra Allred (Michael), Jane Tuggle (Robert), Kenny Groce (Nancy), and Gail Hale (Richard); sisters, Linda Boyce and Margaret Stewart; and a host of grandchildren, greatgrandchildren, and extended family—some by blood, others by love. Let’s not forget his faithful dog and shadow, Niki, always by his side, ready to steal popcorn. Please join us in celebrating Sparky’s life at Bethany United Methodist Church in Franklinville, NC, on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at 1 pm. Visitation with the family will follow the service in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Samaritan’s Purse Operation WNC Hurricane Relief, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. Pugh Funeral Home is honored to serve the Groce family.
STATE & NATION
ABC agrees to $15M toward Trump’s presidential library in
George Stephanopoulos
wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming the victim of that rape”
By Michael R. Sisak
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
As part of the settlement made public Saturday, ABC News posted an editor’s note to its website expressing regret over Stephanopoulos’ statements during a March 10 segment on his “This Week” program. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.
The settlement agreement describes ABC’s presidential library payment as a “charitable contribution,” with the money earmarked for a non-profit organization that is being estab -
defamation settlement
lished in connection with the yet-to-be-built library.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas said. A Trump spokesperson declined comment.
Man pleads guilty in phony bribery scheme involving Bidens
Former FBI informant
Alexander Smirnov alleged a Ukrainian energy company had paid the president and his son
By Alanna Durkin Richer and
Jaimie
Ding
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a separate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income.
An attorney for Smirnov, 44, declined to comment after the hearing in Los Angeles federal court.
Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a
sentence of between four and six years in prison when he’s sentenced next month.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his February arrest on charges that he told his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, according to charging documents.
No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice president.
While Smirnov’s identity wasn’t publicly known before the indictment, his claims played a
The settlement agreement was signed Friday, the same day a Florida federal judge ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for separate depositions in the case next week. The settlement means that sworn testimony is no longer required.
The agreement bore Trump’s
bold, distinct signature and an electronic signature with the initials GRS in a space for Stephanopoulos’ name. Debra OConnell, the president of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, also e-signed the agreement.
ABC News must transfer the $15 million for Trump’s library to an escrow account that’s being managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days, according to the agreement. The network must also pay Brito’s legal fees within 10 days.
While sizeable, ABC’s contribution to Trump’s presidential library will likely cover just a fraction of the cost. Former President Barack Obama’s library in Chicago, for example, was estimated to cost $830 million as of 2021.
Trump sued ABC and Stephanopoulos in federal court in Miami days after the network aired the segment, in which the longtime “Good Morning America” anchor and “This Week” host repeatedly misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits against Trump.
During a live “This Week” interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Stephanopoulos wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and
“defaming the victim of that rape.”
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
In the first of the lawsuits to go to trial, Trump was found liable last year of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. A jury ordered him to pay her $5 million.
In January, at a second trial in federal court in Manhattan, Trump was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
Trump is appealing both verdicts.
Carroll, a former advice columnist, went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury Manhattan department store across the street from Trump Tower, after they crossed paths at an entrance.
Trump denied her claim, saying he didn’t know Carroll and never ran into her at the store.
After Trump lashed out, calling Carroll a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell her memoir, she sued him for unspecified monetary damages and sought a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials.
major part in the Republican effort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark a House impeachment inquiry into Biden. Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.
During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov also claimed the Russians probably had recordings of
Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine’s capital where he had stayed was “wired” and under their control — information he said was passed along to him by four high-level Russian officials.
But Hunter Biden had never traveled to Ukraine, according to Smirnov’s indictment.
Smirnov claimed to have contacts with Russian intelligence-affiliated officials and told authorities after his arrest this year that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing
a story” about Hunter Biden. The case against Smirnov was brought by special counsel David Weiss, who also prosecuted Hunter Biden on gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced this month after being convicted at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to federal charges in the tax case. But he was pardoned this month by his father, who said he believed “raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”
EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump talks with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos before a town hall in Philadelphia in 2020.
K.M. CANNON / LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL VIA AP
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer’s office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Feb. 20, 2024.
RandolpH SPORTS
A key for Asheboro has come on defense, like here last month against Southwestern Randolph, early in the season.
Blue Comets show different traits early in basketball season
Asheboro’s boys’ basketball team is making adjustments following a special season
By Bob Sutton Randolph Record
MOUNT HERMON — It looks different and might feel different for the Asheboro boys’ basketball team.
But the Blue Comets have been winning nonetheless in what might be a season of transition.
Following a 23-win season, coach Brian Nance said he knew there would be different challenges.
“They’re still cutting their teeth a little bit,” Nance said of his team.
Some of the high-scoring outcomes might not be as frequent for the Blue Comets, who entered this week with a 5-1 record.
They’ve already discovered there are different ways to succeed.
“It’s a lot different,” senior forward Osiris Rodriguez said.
“Right now, our defense is what we’re hanging our hat on.”
Brian Nance, Asheboro coach
“Trying to find some consistency in scoring.” In the meantime, there’s a reliance on defense.
“Right now, our defense is what we’re hanging our hat on,” Nance said.
That was largely the case
Randleman lineman set for Shrine Bowl
By Bob Sutton Randolph Record
is on the North Carolina roster for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas. It’s the offensive lineman’s
last scheduled football stop before enrolling at East Carolina. The Shrine Bowl pits top seniors from North Carolina against their counterparts from South Carolina. The game is slated for Saturday afternoon at Spartanburg (S.C.) High School. Players and staff members reported to Spartanburg on Sunday to begin a week of practices and other activities. Stokes is one of eight offensive linemen
selected for the North Carolina squad.
Earlier this month, Stokes was one of 19 signees under new East Carolina coach Blake Harrell, who had been interim coach until late in the season. That came just a few days after Stokes attended the Navy-East Carolina game to conclude the Pirates’ regular season.
“Big body, a big explosive kid that can certainly move bodies, move guys around and do some things there,” Harrell said of Stokes. Stokes is listed at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds. He has indicated that he’ll be a January enrollee at East Carolina, where
in last week’s 58-52 nonconference victory at Southern Alamance.
Elijah Woodle’s steal and basket gave the Blue Comets the lead early in the fourth quarter. He also scored the next two baskets, including a three-point play.
Then with Asheboro leading 53-52 in the final minute, Jewel Barrett-Riggins scored and the the Blue Comets followed that by forcing a turnover. Woodle sank two free throws with 19 seconds left.
“A win is a win,” Nance said.
PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH
“We gutted it out, and I told them, ‘Your defense carried us.’” Rodriguez finished with 19 points, Jalial Timmons had 15 points and Woodle added 13. Woodle, a senior guard, and Rodriguez are returning starters from last season. They know it’s a chore for the team to replace the output from Jerquarius Stanback (25 points per game) and sharpshooter Camden Walker (15.9).
“You get spoiled,” Nance said. “I think it could come.” Woodle said it’s clear the Blue Comets must work hard for their points.
“We just got to find the right spots,” Woodle said.
Woodle (9.3) and Rodriguez (8.9) were third and fourth in scoring last season for Asheboro. Southern Alamance coach
The former coach at Providence Grove has a good understanding of prep baseball in the region
By Bob Sutton Randolph Record
ASHEBORO — Glen Hunt will fill the role as interim coach of Asheboro’s baseball team for the 2025 season.
The school announced that Brad Rudisill, who was hired in June, is taking a leave of absence from coaching due to family matters.
“We deeply respect and support his decision and look forward to reconvening with him around the middle of April to discuss the future of his head coaching career here at Asheboro High School,” athletics director Wes Berrier said of Rudisill. Hunt, 55, is a veteran coach in the area and served last season as an Asheboro assistant to Brett Hoogkamp, whose final season included a 9-17 record.
“It wasn’t the plan (to be in charge),” Hunt said. “Kind of thrown back into it.” Hunt is in his second school year at Asheboro, arriving as part of football coach Calvin Brown’s staff. He had been with Brown at Providence Grove. Hunt spent plenty of time in the dugout with Providence Grove baseball teams. He was an assistant coach under Jerry Kidd and then held the position of head coach of the Patriots from 2020-23. His 2023 team had a 14-11 record. Hunt is also a former Bishop McGuinness coach. Hunt stayed involved with high school baseball at Asheboro.
Carolina signee
COURTESY PHOTO Glen Hunt
RECORD
Jonathan Stokes has been a staple on Randleman’s offensive line.
RANDOLPH RECORD
HOME PLATE MOTORS
Braeden Lamb
Uwharrie Charter Academy, boys’ basketball
Braeden Lamb of Uwharrie Charter Academy goes up for a shot against Bethany Community earlier this season.
UCA wrestlers take down Trinity
Some PAC basketball teams began conference competition last week
Randolph Record staff
ASHEBORO — Uwharrie Charter Academy’s wrestling team might be back on top in Piedmont Athletic Conference wrestling.
The Eagles defeated visiting Trinity 45-18 in last week’s dual meet in a clash between dual team state champions from last season.
UCA won all the bouts in weight classes lower than 150 pounds.
Last December, Trinity defeated UCA 36-30.
In other PAC openers for dual meets, Southwestern Randolph topped Randleman 49-30 and Wheatmore defeated Eastern Randolph 49-23. Boys’ basketball
Randleman picked up a big nonconference victory by winning 45-42 at Asheboro behind Jireh Price’s 18 points and Connor Cassidy’s 13 points. Osiris Rodriguez had 19 points for Asheboro.
Randleman also edged host Oak Grove 65-64 with Tyshaun Goldston’s 26 points and Cassidy’s 19 points leading the way.
Randleman began PAC play with a 44-30 decision against visiting Wheatmore as Goldston had 20 points.
• Southwestern Randolph opened its PAC schedule by winning 70-55 at Trinity as Zach Bruce posted 24 points. Nazir Station had 25 points for Trinity.
• UCA’s 59-47 victory at Providence Grove came with Braeden Lamb’s 24 points in the PAC game, while Providence Grove’s Will Dabbs had 23 points.
• Wheatmore’s Parker Kines racked up 21 points when the Warriors lost 51-45 at East Davidson in a nonleague game.
• Providence Grove’s Andrew Thomas posted 22 points and Dabbs had 17 points in a 52-45 nonconference road victory against Chatham Charter.
• Eastern Randolph began its season by winning 70-58 as Timothy Brower scored 20 points in a nonleague game at Lexington.
Girls’ basketball
Southwestern Randolph began PAC play by winning 70-21 at Trinity has Lenzie Martin had 16 points.
Southwestern Randolph’s Maddie Strider had 21 points in a 56-13 home whipping of nonleague foe North Stanly.
• Gracie Beane scored 17 points in Randleman’s PAC-opening 40-29 home victory against Wheatmore, ending the Tigers’ three-game losing streak.
• UCA’s Nevaeh Staples racked up 17 points in a 51-50 escape at Providence Grove in a PAC game. Laurel Bernhardt had 23 points for the Patriots. Staples had 14 points when the Eagles won 42-36 in a nonleague game at Mount Pleasant.
• Providence Grove fell 65-44 to visiting Western Alamance despite Bernhardt’s 24 points. The Patriots won a 60-24 nonleague game at Chatham Charter as Bernhardt had 17 points.
• Eastern Randolph went 1-2 in three nonconference games away from home, ending the week by topping Camden County 42-26. Raegan Beaver and Callie Craven had 13 points each in the 69-38 loss at Lexington.
Lamb is a senior forward for the Eagles, who’ve started the season by winning 10 of their first 11 games. They’ve matched last season’s win total. When UCA began its Piedmont Athletic Conference schedule last week, Lamb tallied 24 points in a 59‑47 victory against Providence Grove. That outcome pushed the team’s winning streak to three games. Last season, Lamb was UCA’s lone selection to the All PAC team.
“At least I’m familiar with all the guys coming back,” he said. Last year’s roster was packed with underclassmen, and the youth component will likely remain for the 2025 season.
“We were young,” Hunt said. “We’ve got to develop some more pitching.” Hunt said he also hopes it’s a benefit that he has an understanding of the team’s connection with city-owned McCrary
Dylan Eppley, who previously was girls’ coach at Providence Grove, said the Blue Comets demonstrated physically that was difficult to match. He said Asheboro might look different but appears to have adjusted.
“To lose that and then to be able to buy in to a somewhat different system is impressive,” Eppley said.
Rodriguez said there are traits that can help define the Blue Comets.
Park, where the team plays. Hunt said the Blue Comets’ nonconference schedule will include two-time reigning Class 1A state champion Uwharrie Charter Academy. Asheboro won’t play Providence Grove as that series has remained dormant since last playing in 2018.
Rudisill most recently had been Bunker Hill’s coach with a previous stop as Davie County’s coach. He’ll remain a teacher for exceptional children at Asheboro.
“Bringing our overall team energy, that’s our No. 1 thing,” Rodriguez said, knowing that Asheboro is facing “gritty teams that get you down to the bone.”
The Blue Comets are counting on Woodle and Rodriguez in leadership capacities.
“We need it,” Woodle said.
“We call the shots basically.” At least that has gone smoothly.
“We stepped into the leadership roles pretty easy,” Rodriguez said.
NCAA FOOTBALL
Former Miami booster among those with sentences commuted by Biden Washington Nevin Shapiro, the former Miami booster whose rogue involvement with the school led to a massive NCAA investigation and significant sanctions against the Hurricanes, had his sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme commuted by President Joe Biden. Shapiro was among the 1,499 recipients of commutations announced by the White House. Shapiro, who was initially sentenced in 2011 to serve 20 years in prison and repay his jilted investors nearly $83 million, will be officially listed as released on Dec. 22. Court records show Shapiro has been on home confinement since 2020.
he can participate in team activities and practices during the spring semester.
“He has played center, he can play guard, probably play tackle if we need him to,” Harrell said.
Randleman’s season ended in the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs. The Tigers had a 9-3 record.
Scotland coach Richard Bailey is the North Carolina team’s head coach for the Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.
The makeup of the North Carolina roster was in question in some areas going into last week because of players still on teams participating in the
NBA
Point guard Schroder traded by Brooklyn to Golden State
Las Vegas Golden State has acquired point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and guard Reece Beekman. The trade was agreed to on Saturday and finalized on Sunday when league rules allowed, with the Nets also receiving a package of secondround draft picks. Schroder averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists this season for the Nets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.
SKIING
Shiffrin recovering after abdominal surgery to clean out deep puncture wound suffered in race crash Beaver Creek, Colo. Mikaela Shiffrin is recovering after undergoing abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she received in a giant slalom crash two weeks ago. Shiffrin posted an update on Instagram. There’s no timetable for Shiffrin’s return to racing after suffering bruises and the deep puncture to her hip area during a crash on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, while charging after her 100th career World Cup win. She has more wins than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.
state playoffs. The results of regional finals made a few players available for the Shrine Bowl. For instance, defending Class 4A champion Weddington and defending Class 3A champion Hickory both lost, and they each had two Shrine Bowl selections. Normally, the Shrine Bowl is contested a week after state finals. But because the North Carolina High School Athletic Association pushed back the start of the state playoffs by one week in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the new dates are overlapping with the Shrine Bowl.
State championships
Corvian Community has
reached the Class 1A state championship game a few weeks after toppling then-unbeaten Eastern Randolph in the third round.
Corvian Community meets Tarboro in the final at 3 p.m. Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh. That comes after the 11 a.m. Class 3A title game between Fayetteville Seventy-First and West Charlotte. The Class 4A final between Greensboro Grimsley and Rolesville is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. The Class 2A final with Northeastern meeting Monroe is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Kenan Stadium.
PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD
HUNT from page B1
BLUE COMETS from page B1
RANDLEMAN from page B1
PJ WARD-BROWN / RANDOLPH RECORD
Eastern Randolph’s Cora Sparrow shoots over Lexington’s Angela Bobo and Jordyn Dearmon, left, during last week’s nonconference girls’ basketball game.
SIDELINE REPORT
pen & paper pursuits
this week in history
Clinton impeached, “It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered, Charlie Chaplin died
DEC. 19
1777: Gen. George Washington led his army of more than 12,000 soldiers to Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.
1998: President Bill Clinton was impeached by the U.S. House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice.
2008: President George W. Bush ordered a $17.4 billion emergency bailout of the U.S. auto industry.
DEC. 20
1803: The Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.
1946: The classic holiday film “It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered.
1989: The U.S. launched Operation Just Cause, sending troops into Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.
DEC. 21
1620: Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower went ashore at present-day Plymouth, Massachusetts, for the first time.
1864: During the Civil War, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman concluded their “March to the Sea” when they captured Savannah, Georgia.
1891: The first basketball game, devised by James Naismith, is believed to have been played at the Internation-
al YMCA Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts.
1944: During the World War II Battle of the Bulge, U.S. Brig. Gen. Anthony C. McAuliffe rejected a German demand for surrender, writing “Nuts!” in his official reply.
DEC. 22
1858: Opera composer Giacomo Puccini was born in Lucca, Italy.
1989: Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu the last of Eastern Europe’s hardline Communist rulers, was toppled from power.
DEC. 23
1823: The poem “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” was published in the Troy (New York) Sentinel; the verse, more popularly known as ’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” was later attributed to Clement C. Moore.
1913: The Federal Reserve System was created as President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Reserve Act.
1948: Former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese war leaders were executed in Tokyo.
1954: The first successful human kidney transplant took place at the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston.
DEC. 24
1814: The United States and Britain signed the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812.
1865: Several veterans of the Confederate Army formed a private social club in Pulaski, Tennessee, that was the original version of the Ku Klux Klan.
1914: During World War I, impromptu Christmas truces began to take hold along parts of the Western Front between British and German soldiers.
1943: President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower supreme commander of Allied forces in Europe as part of Operation Overlord.
1968: The Apollo 8 astronauts, orbiting the moon, read passages from the Old Testament Book of Genesis during a Christmas Eve telecast.
DEC. 25
A.D. 336: The first known commemoration of Christmas on Dec. 25 took place in Rome.
1066: William the Conqueror was crowned King of England.
1818: “Silent Night (Stille Nacht)” was publicly performed for the first time during the Christmas Midnight Mass at the Church of St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf, Austria.
1977: Comedian and filmmaker Sir Charles Chaplin died in Switzerland at age 88.
AP PHOTO
The classic holiday film
“It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, premiered on Dec. 20, 1946.
SUSAN WALSH / AP PHOTO
President Bill Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice for lying under oath on Dec. 19, 1998.
Gomez spotlights prioritizing mental health at Academy Women’s Luncheon in LA
The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles
By Jonathan Landrum Jr.
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — While surveying a room packed with Hollywood’s most influential figures, “Emilia Pérez” star Selena Gomez took center stage to spotlight a critical issue: Prioritizing mental health and supporting underserved communities often left behind in the conversation.
“It’s about taking action to ensure that underserved communities have access to mental health resources,” Gomez said at the Academy Women’s Luncheon. The singer-actor has been public about her mental health struggles, revealing she had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
In 2020, Gomez started the Rare Impact Fund and her Rare Beauty line of cosmetics, pledging to donate 1% of all sales to the fund to help expand mental health services
and education for young people.
“It’s about showing them that when we come together, we can make a real difference,” said Gomez, a Grammy- and Emmy-nominated performer who became a Golden Globes double nominee last Monday for her roles on “Emilia Pérez” and “Only Murders in the Building.”
“I know firsthand how isolation can make you feel at times,” she said. “But moments like this and talking to all these amazing women, it just reminds me that I’m not alone. We share. And when we stand together, we create a ripple effect that stretches far beyond our own lives.”
Gomez was the keynote speaker at the event held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures with attendees including Ariana Grande, Olivia Wilde, Amy Adams, Pamela Anderson, Sarah Paulson, Regina King, Rita Wilson, Ava DuVernay and Awkwafina.
Gomez talked about the importance of amplifying women’s voices and being proud while working on “Emilia
Pérez,” which she says featured “extraordinary” women from in front and behind the camera. She said the film’s director, Jacques Audiard, fostered the idea that “every single voice is heard and valued.”
“It reminded me of the power of community, supporting and lifting up each other — whether in film, music or life itself,” she said.
Many actors in attendance dressed in Chanel clothing, jewelry, shoes, makeup and accessories. The luxury fashion brand, which sponsored the event, has had a long association with film and women creatives since founder Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel saw an opportunity to put her designs in the movies and empower women in film.
Gomez paid homage to the event for highlighting women filmmakers and the efforts behind creating resources for those in the fellowship.
“It is honestly such an honor to be in this room with so many women that I love and have inspired me throughout the years,” she said.
Weike Wang’s ‘Rental House’ finds beauty, humor in marriage of opposites
The upside and downside of education, marriage and family are explored
By Ann Levin The Associated Press
VACATION RENTAL with the in-laws — for many, it’s a setup for disaster. In Weike Wang’s “Rental House,” it’s certainly that. It’s also an opportunity for Wang, a wildly gifted writer, to explore the upside and downside of education, marriage and family. Add to the mix an interracial couple where one partner hails from an Appalachian background like that of JD Vance and the other’s life was shaped by the policies of Chairman Mao, and you have all you need for a laugh-out-loud satire of American dysfunction. The heroes are Nate and Keru, who meet sort-of-cute at a Halloween party their senior year at Yale. She’s in a leopard-print turtleneck, plaid jacket and shiny gold pants to represent “a bad dress day.” He’s got a fin strapped to his back to stand for “great white,” as in shark, not, Keru later realizes, his status as another well-to-do Caucasian male at an Ivy League school. Nate is anything but that. His background is hillbilly, minus the elegy, the first generation in his family to go to college. Keru is first gen, too, hav-
ing emigrated to this country as a child with her Chinese parents. Both are whip smart. He studies fruit flies; she’s in consulting. Five years into their marriage, they invite each set of parents to spend a week at their Cape Cod beach house. By then, they’ve become doting parents of a giant sheepdog, Mantou, whose name means “steamed bun” in Chinese. As their parents arrive in staggered shifts, Wang gleefully pokes fun at each family’s prejudices and quirks. “To use a dishwasher is to admit
Wang’s novel is a poignant, profound meditation on this divided country enlivened by her dry wit and deadpan style.
defeat,” Keru’s demanding father tells Nate sternly. But the light-hearted tone darkens when Keru, stressed out by her in-laws’ visit, has a meltdown.
In the second half of the book, the stakes are higher. It’s five years later, and Keru is making gobs more money than her tenured professor husband though it requires 80-hour weeks. Easygoing Nate has been diagnosed with anxiety and even Mantou is depressed.
This time, they rent a house in a luxury development in the Catskills, where Keru must harness her considerable problem-solving skills to steer their little ship of a family through unexpected visits from nosy, obnoxious neighbors and Nate’s ne’er-do-well brother.
Though ostensibly a comedy of manners built around an opposites-attract couple, Wang’s novel, her third after “Chemistry” and “Joan Is Okay,” is a poignant, profound meditation on this divided country enlivened by her dry wit and deadpan style.
RIVERHEAD VIA AP
“Rental House” is Weike Wang’s third novel.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
Selena Gomez was the keynote speaker at the Academy Women’s Luncheon last week in Los Angeles.
Samuel L. Jackson is 76, Jane Fonda turns 87, Annie Lennox is 70, Eddie Vedder hits 60
THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.
DEC. 19
Actor Tim Reid is 80. Singer Janie Fricke is 77. Actor Jennifer Beals is 61. Basketball Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis is 60.
DEC. 20
Rock drummer Peter Criss (Kiss) is 79. Producer Dick Wolf (“Law & Order”) is 78. Musician Alan Parsons is 76. Author Sandra Cisneros is 70. Rock singer Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes) is 58. Filmmaker Todd Phillips is 54. Actor Jonah Hill is 41.
DEC. 21
Actor Jane Fonda is 87. Singer Carla Thomas is 82. Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas is 80. Actor Samuel L. Jackson is 76. Actor Jane Kaczmarek is 69. Country musician Lee Roy Parnell is 68. Actor-comedian Ray Romano is 67. Actor Kiefer Sutherland is 58.
DEC. 22
Actor Hector Elizondo is 88. Country singer and actor Red Steagall is 86. TV anchor Diane Sawyer is 79. Actor Ralph Fiennes is 62.
DEC. 23
Guitarist Jorma Kaukonen (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna) is 84. Actor-comedian Harry Shearer (“The Simpsons”) is 81. Singer Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam is 60.
DEC. 24
Dr. Anthony Fauci is 84. Recording company executive Mike Curb is 80. Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions is 78. Singer Ricky Martin is 53. TV personality Ryan Seacrest (TV: “Live with Kelly & Ryan”) is 50.
DEC. 25
Singer John Edwards of The Spinners is 80. Actor Gary Sandy (“WKRP In Cincinnati”) is 79. Country singer Barbara Mandrell is 75. Actor Sissy Spacek is 75.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
Actor and activist Jane Fonda turns 87 on Saturday.
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Samuel L. Jackson celebrates 76 on Saturday.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO TV personality Ryan Seacrest hits 50 on Wednesday.
AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam turns 60 on Monday.
the stream
MrBeast jumps to TV, Little Big Town’s holiday special, Squid Game: Unleashed
Clint Eastwood’s latest, “Juror #2,” lands on Max
The Associated Press
THE GRIPING Vatican-based thriller “Conclave” about picking a new pope and Stephanie Hsu starring in the dark comedy “Laid” as a woman whose former lovers keep unexpectedly dying are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: Dwayne Johnson stars as Santa’s bodyguard in the movie “Red One,” internet star MrBeast hosts his own reality competition show on Prime Video called “Beast Games,” and Little Big Town hosts a Christmas special on NBC.
MOVIES TO STREAM
What goes on inside the Vatican before white smoke flows out of the Sistine Chapel? “Conclave” (streaming now on Peacock), about the election of a new pope, is a gripping thriller that imagines how the gathering of cardinals could go. The film, directed by Edward Berger and based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, stars Ralph Fiennes as the cardinal tasked with running the conclave. Nominated for six Golden Globes, “Conclave” is a major Oscar contender and one of the rare recent adult-oriented dramas to succeed at the box office. In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr called it “a deliriously fun watch in the way that tense, smart thrillers with an ensemble of great actors can be.”
It was easy to miss Clint Eastwood’s “Juror #2” in cinemas, but the 94-year-old’s latest arrives Friday on Max. And “Juror #2,” despite its small theatrical footprint, has been much praised by critics. In it, Nicholas Hoult plays a juror in a murder trial who’s struggling with a moral dilemma.
A sled-full of new Christmas movies arrive every year, with hopes of establishing themselves as a new holiday classic. Of them, “Red One” (now streaming on Prime Video) is distinguished by being the biggest, most garishly wrapped one yet. In the $250 million movie, Dwayne Johnson stars as the bodyguard for a more militaristic Kris Kringle (J.K. Simmons), who teams up with a deadbeat hacker (Chris Evans) to rescue Santa after he’s kidnapped. In my review, I wrote that “there is ample time during ‘Red One’ to ponder who, exactly, put a
Marvel-ized Santa on their wish list.”
Mati Diop’s “Dahomey,” one of the year’s nonfiction highlights, is not to be missed. Diop, the French Senegalese director of “Atlantics,” documents the return of 26 art works seized by French troops during the 1890s from the African kingdom (now southern Benin). In the film, currently streaming on Mubi, Diop casts a wide and fantastic net in chronicling their voyage home, with a wide array of voices debating the ethics and meaning of reparations — including even those of the Dahomey treasures, themselves.
MUSIC TO STREAM
’Twas the week before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. That is, until you see “Little Big Town’s Christmas at the Opry” on NBC, available to stream on Peacock. What says “happy holidays” more than some of country music’s modern greats bringing their twang from the famous Nashville stage to the family living room?
A group of great guests, proba-
bly — and those include Dan + Shay, Kelsea Ballerini, Sheryl Crow, Kirk Franklin, Josh Groban, Kate Hudson and Orville Peck.
SHOWS TO STREAM
A new docuseries on Apple TV+ reveals the habits and behaviors of animals in the wild. Filmmakers spent three years tracking 77 unique species in 24 countries and capturing everything from jumping spider courtship dances to a killifish in Trinidad breathing through its tail when out of the water. Hugh Bonneville narrates “The Secret Lives of Animals, “ is streaming on Apple TV+. Stephanie Hsu stars in a new dark comedy for Peacock as Ruby, a woman whose former lovers keep unexpectedly dying in mysterious, outrageous ways. Ruby and her best friend AJ (Zosia Mamet, doing her wry observational bit) dig into the past to make sense of what’s happening and save lives. The process prompts Ruby to learn hard truths about herself. “Laid” is based on an Australian series. There are also a number of fun
guest stars including
Internet star MrBeast, (real name: Jimmy Donaldson) — whose YouTube channel has more subscribers than any other — is now the host of his own reality competition show on Prime Video called “Beast Games.” Contestants wear tracksuits and compete in wild games for a $5 million prize. It’s like “Squid Game,” without the dying. “Beast Games” premieres Thursday on Prime Video. VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY Season 2 of “Squid Game” drops on Netflix the day after Christmas, but you and your family can get an early start if you’re already itching for a fight to the death. The streamer is inviting subscribers to download Squid Game: Unleashed, an online battle royale for up to 32 players. It includes familiar season 1 competitions like Glass Bridge and Red Light Green Light, as well as deadly new devices like buzzsaws,
Finneas O’Connell, Chloe Fineman and Josh Segarra. “Laid” premieres Thursday on Peacock.
HOKE COUNTY
Swishin’ it was enough
Sophomore Gabriel McLeod (10) puts up a shot during Hoke County’s 58-49 loss at Richmond on Friday night. McLeod scored six points, but it wasn’t enough to halt a three-game losing streak for the Bucks. The team won’t play again until tournament play begins on Boxing Day. For more sports, turn to Page B1.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
RFK Jr. visits Capitol Hill ahead of his confirmation hearing
Washington, D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has swept onto Capitol Hill. The nominee is reintroducing himself to senators as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s Health and Human Services Department. His arrival Monday was the start of a long process to win over senators. Health and Human Services, the world’s largest public health agency, has a broad reach overseeing food and medicines used every day.
“I’m open,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of his support for Kennedy’s nomination. “(But) if you come in and say I won’t consider myself successful unless I eliminate these vaccines, that could be problematic.”
More Cooper lieutenants staying on in Stein’s Cabinet
Raleigh
Several more top lieutenants of outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper have agreed to work for fellow Democrat and successor Josh Stein’s administration. They include Cooper’s transportation and public safety secretaries and the state budget director — all of whom will stay in their current posts. Each of them have had significant roles responding to Hurricane Helene. Stein already said this week that two other Cooper department secretaries will be on his team as well — albeit leading new departments. Stein was elected governor last month and will take his oath of office next month.
$2.00
Commissioners make progress on two community-focused projects
Proposals for the domestic violence shelter and commercial kitchen were accepted
By Ryan Henkel North State Journal
RAEFORD — Hoke County has taken its next step in the process to construct two community-focused projects.
The Hoke County Board of Commissioners accepted two RFQ proposals at its Dec. 16 meeting, one for a domestic violence shelter and the other for a commercial kitchen, which will both be con-
structed on the same property.
“They’re relatively small projects compared to what we’re usually doing, but they are very important projects that the community is looking forward to, especially as we look to serve those who are vulnerable in our communities,” said Commissioner Allen Thomas.
Msquare Construction, a Fayetteville-based company, was the chosen contractor for both proposals, and the next step in the process will be for the commissioners to sit down and negotiate a price.
“I think a key piece to this is even though these are two dis-
tinct projects, they are both going to be on the same lot of land,” Thomas said. “So there may be benefits of one company being able to do both projects and coordinating everything on one lot of land versus having two different companies trying to coordinate with each other. There may also be cost savings of having one company doing both of those projects.”
The board also accepted an RFP from Oakes Grading for design-build services for the construction of a county-owned fuel point.
“What we want to do is get our own gas pumps for the
“They’re relatively small projects compared to what we’re usually doing, but they are very important projects that the community is looking forward to.”
Commissioner Allen Thomas
county,” said vehicle maintenance director Joel Gilchrist. “We’re dealing with Raeford
Three Rivers Land Trust conserves 407 acres near Fort Liberty, Camp Mackall
Land will help buffer against military training activities
North State Journal staff
THREE RIVERS Land Trust has permanently conserved 407 acres in Hoke County near Fort Liberty as part of an ongoing effort to protect training areas around the military installation.
The conservation easement, funded through Fort Liberty’s Readiness and Environmental Protection and Integration Program, will prevent future development on the land. It joins more than 4,000 acres of protected lands in the region.
“Ensuring that the soldiers on Fort Liberty have every training advantage possible is in everyone’s best interest,” said Travis Morehead, executive director of Three Rivers Land Trust.
“Knowing that these soldiers are routinely called upon to put their training into action for this nation makes this work very rewarding.”
The protected land will help reduce the impact of military training activities on nearby residents while preserving necessary training-space for Fort Liberty and Camp Mackall operations. See COUNTY, page A2
THE HOKE COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Laurinburg man sentenced in
multi-million dollar tobacco smuggling
case
Other NC men were also part of the international smuggling scheme
North State Journal staff
TWO NORTH CAROLINA men were sentenced to federal prison earlier this month for their roles in an international tobacco smuggling operation. Charlotte resident Jeffrey Doctor, 52, received 14 months while Samuel Baker, 46, of Laurinburg, was sentenced to 30 months. Both men appeared in federal court in Albany, New York.
The men participated in a scheme from 2013 to 2016 to smuggle cut rag tobacco into Canada for manufacturing contraband cigarettes. Baker admitted to laundering more than $19 million through the operation and agreed to forfeit $738,442 in proceeds. He was also fined $100,000. Doctor agreed to forfeit $503,850 in proceeds.
Federal investigators said the operation involved receiving funds from Canada to purchase tobacco, which was then stored in northeastern U.S. warehouses before being smuggled across the border. The conspirators avoided Canadian taxes and duties on cigarette sales, using profits to purchase more tobacco.
A third North Carolina resident, Edgar M. Baker, 51, of Southern Pines, received three years probation and a $75,000 fine for failing to report the conspiracy after learning about it.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the IRS Criminal Investigation division, along with Canadian authorities.
Sandy Grove assistant principal picked for state leadership program
Tiffany Tyler will be prepared for a future principal role
North State Journal staff
TIFFANY TYLER, assistant principal at Sandy Grove Middle School, has been selected for the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principals Association’s AP Accelerator program, a statewide initiative aimed at preparing promising administrators for principal roles. The program identifies
high-potential assistant principals and provides them with intensive leadership training and coaching from experienced educators. Participants typically transition into principal positions after 3-5 years of preparation focused on effectively leading high-needs schools.
Tyler, who earned her master’s in school administration from UNC Pembroke in 2019, previously served as a science teacher and instructional facilitator at East Hoke Middle School and as an instructional coach at Scurlock Elementary.
COUNTY from page A1
STOLEN TRACTOR
Oil, and they’re good, but sometimes we don’t know how much we’re paying and then sometimes we get double-billed. So I’m thinking that we should have our own destiny in our hands.”
The plans would be to construct a 12,000-gallon, above-ground, splittank fuel tank with two different dispensers — one for gasoline (6,000 gallons) and one for diesel (6,000 gallons) — all under a 30-by-30-foot canopy. The county plans to construct the fuel point on C.C. Steele Road. The proposed total cost of the project from Oakes Grading is approximately $820,000, but Project Manager Andrew Jacobs suggested the county could fund the project for only $665,000.
“Not much has changed other than us sourcing some things locally,” Jacobs said. “This group is coming out of Youngsville, so there were just some things we could do here cheaper and some things we have contacts for like for generators, our IT services, our crush and run, grading. So after some revising, we got down to this $665,000 number.”
Currently, the county is spending approximately $748,000 annually on fuel costs, according to Jacobs, and this project could ultimately save $170,000 annually, subject to change based on fuel pricing.
“With the current fuel consumption, the project would pay for itself in just under four years,” Jacobs said.
Finally, the board approved the acceptance of a hold-harmless agreement for water and sewer services.
“I want to thank the utilities commission for working so hard to make sure that the county has enough water for not only its current citizens, but also for our citizens of the future,” said vice chair Harry Southerland. “The agreement would hold the county and the county employees harmless if, in two years, there was not enough water in the east to do a new subdivision. It’s really for the new customers as opposed to our existing customers and mainly residential.”
The Hoke County Board of Commissioners will next meet Jan. 6.
COURTESY PHOTO
Sandy Grove Middle School Assistant Principal Tiffany Tyler has been selected to participate in a leadership program.
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH
A broken system
This
WHAT DOES IT MEAN that an alleged murderer has become a folk hero, that literally millions of people in this country have taken his side — in social media, at least, if not as potential jurors — in a case of cold-blooded murder? What does it mean that the McDonald’s employees who reported him have had to resort to police protection to deal with the threats against them? It would be shocking, if it weren’t so understandable.
Our health care system is broken. It causes unbelievable suffering. Of course it is wrong to take pleasure in the murder of anyone. But understandable? Yes.
Luigi Mangione is “hot.” That certainly adds to his appeal. But what is driving the reaction to his crime is not his good looks but the almost universal frustration with health insurance companies, and the trials and tribulations of dealing with them.
The question: Is Trump listening? Does he get it?
The Affordable Care Act allowed millions of Americans to buy into a system that previously excluded them if they had preexisting conditions. I remember the bad old days, when you just couldn’t get health insurance if you weren’t healthy. I remember trying to purchase a PPO plan for my nanny, similar to what I received from my employer, who had gastritis.
She took a Nexium every day. That was enough for her to be turned down by all the PPO plans. The only plan I could buy for her was Kaiser Permanente’s HMO, which later saved her life, and then later failed to provide
The devils are here
The more we make, the more we spend on health care.
LAST WEEK, a deranged 26-year-old anti-capitalist allegedly shot to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, on the streets of New York.
The alleged shooter carried a manifesto with him, decrying the nature of America’s health care system:
“Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” The manifesto claimed that America spends more than any other country on health care, and yet “we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy,” and that this was due to insurance companies that “continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument.”
It is generally useless to argue with the criminally insane — and the alleged shooter in this case appears to have experienced a mental break some months ago due to both drug abuse and severe chronic back pain — but the problem is that the shooter’s view has become shockingly common.
Many Americans believe that American health care is uniquely deficient; far more disturbingly, a certain cadre of elite Americans now cheer murder because they’re upset with the health care system.
The first claim — that America’s health care system is uniquely terrible — is simply belied by the facts.
Health care, like any other service or good, is not free; it obeys the simple laws of economics, which suggest that scarcity is a basic condition of life.
her with the preventive care that should have diagnosed her cancer before it was Stage 4. Trust me, I can hold my own in the HMO horror stories that I used to tell on my talk radio show.
By the time my kids aged out of my own health insurance plan, the ACA — Obamacare — had made it possible to buy into PPO plans for individuals, without regard to preexisting conditions. Thank God, and the government.
Until you get sick.
Then you discover all the things that even the most expensive plans you can buy don’t cover. Then you discover the nightmare that is supposed to be the best health care system in the world. For some, maybe.
My daughter has long COVID. As anyone who suffers from it knows, and there are millions of people who do, long COVID does not just mean that it takes you longer than most to recover from COVID. The virus triggers a host of horrible syndromes, including chronic fatigue syndrome and postexertion malaise.
It leaves many of its sufferers housebound if not bed-bound. There is no known cure. So even the best doctors who specialize in it (and all seem to be “out of network”) are left trying to alleviate its symptoms with experimental treatments, using drugs off-label to see if they work. Almost none of it is covered by insurance. What are people without money to pay for all of it out of pocket supposed to do?
I used to be good at fighting with insurance companies. My sister, who used
to work for a major insurance company on health care claims, taught me all the tricks of getting supervisors, threatening to go to the state insurance commissioner, cutting through the bureaucracy.
I remember some years ago, I managed to help a secretary at my old firm reverse a decision denying her — on the eve of surgery — approval for desperately needed back surgery by intuiting the email address of the medical director and pretending to know him. But it takes more energy than people fighting serious illness can muster to also fight with insurance companies.
It’s gotten harder, and these days, I mostly give up and take out my credit card. This is how so many people end up bankrupt because of medical care costs. This is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
Asked what he would replace the Affordable Care Act with, Donald Trump said only that he had “concepts” of a plan. That just won’t do. Is he willing to reform the system — take on the private insurance lobby?
There is no sign that he is. And the industry, instead of hiring more private security for its leaders, needs to take on the frustration and anger that has come boiling to the surface in the reaction to the assassination of the CEO.
Greater transparency is essential. Better customer service is essential.
Something has to change.
Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.
Health care is not unlimited, nor can it be made so absent extraordinary spending levels.
The United States, as it turns out, follows the same pattern as nearly every other developed country: The more we make, the more we spend on health care. That is just as true for the U.K. or Norway as it is for the United States. Furthermore, spending on health care is subject to the law of diminishing returns: additional moneys spent do not necessarily equate to additional life expectancy. That is true across countries as well. Finally, the United States’ population has a uniquely high proportion of overweight citizens, drug abusers and car accident victims. This affects overall life expectancy statistics negatively. This doesn’t mean the American health care system is ideal. Far from it.
Employer-based health insurance is a holdover from wage controls decades old; health insurers are not actually insurers at all — they are not in the business of assessing possible risk and then insuring against it; insurance regulations are abstruse and absurd, and the government’s subsidization schemes involve low reimbursement rates and shoddy coverage. The problems are myriad. Which is why it is so absurd to lay the problems with American health care at the door of the “profit-driven CEOs.” It turns out that removing the profit margins on business does not make products, goods or services either more efficient or better. In fact, that precise ideology has crippled a variety of countries over the course of the last century.
What’s worse is that ideology often excuses murder. Because, after all, if health insurance CEOs are so cruel that they purposefully murder patients in order to earn a buck, why shouldn’t they be shot? That’s the logic of comedian Bill Burr, who says, “I love that f---ing CEOs are f---ing afraid right now. You should be! By and large, you’re all a bunch of selfish greedy f---ing pieces of shit.” Or Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who says, “Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far.”
This is the devil’s logic. If murder of individuals is justified by dissatisfaction with the system, we no longer live in a republic. We live in an anarchic, Hobbesian world of violence of all against all. It turns out that life is filled with grievances and hardships. If the response to such grievances and hardships is murdering CEOs, what precisely is the limiting principle? Why not shoot bank CEOs for their decision-making? Why not murder oil company executives or hedge fund CEOs? The answer to flawed policy is better policy. But if you wish to see the American system torn down from within, you’re better off advocating bloodlust and murder. And unfortunately, there are an awful lot of Americans who seem willing to tear down the American system itself rather than attempting to discuss rational solutions to intransigent problems.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
Damaged Russian ships spilled estimated 3,700 tons of oil
THE RUSSIAN SOUTHERN TRANSPORT PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE VIA AP
An image taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office shows the Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait in Russia on Sunday.
State media said storms led to the spills in the Kerch Strait
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — An estimated 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil had spilled into the Kerch Strait after two Russian ships were seriously damaged by stormy weather, Russian state media reported Monday. The two ships, the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product.
Social media footage from the scene showed a black liquid rising among the waves.
Preliminary estimates say that 3,700 tons of mazut leaked into the sea, Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing an unnamed source. In a statement, the leader of Russia’s nearby Krasnodar region, Gov. Veniamin Kondratev, said that the oil had not yet reached the shore.
An emergency rescue operation was launched Sunday after the Volgoneft-212 tanker ran aground and had its bow torn away in storm conditions, Russia’s Emergency Situations
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious.”
Paul Johnston, Greenpeace Research Laboratories
Ministry said. One sailor in the 13-man crew died, officials said.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was also left damaged and adrift with 14 crewmembers on board. It later ran aground about 260 feet from shore, close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region, from where the sailors were later rescued.
Russian officials confirmed the oil spill Sunday but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent.
In a statement, Greenpeace Ukraine said they will monitor the situation. The charity has had no presence in Russia since 2023, when it was designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government.
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious,” said Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace
King Charles III tries to rein in Andrew
The latest drama ensnaring Prince Andrew involves a Chinese spy
By Danica Kirka
The Associated Press
LONDON — How do you solve a problem like Prince Andrew?
That’s the question facing King Charles III as the drama surrounding his 64-yearold brother roils Britain and the monarchy once again.
In the latest episode, a Chinese businessman has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew in an alleged effort to influence British elites on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. The man, identified Monday as Yang Tengbo, said he wasn’t involved in espionage and had “done nothing wrong or unlawful.”
The allegations represent the most high-profile example to date of a threat intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about: China’s increasing efforts to secretly influence politicians and other members of the British establishment to support the
country’s expansionist policies.
But the story also made news because it involves Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne but now a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his royal duties and charity roles, but the unflattering headlines kept coming. More recently, Charles has tried to persuade his brother to cut his expenses by leaving the sprawling royal estate he occupies west of London and moving to a cottage inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. But Andrew remains ensconced at the 30-room Royal Lodge.
The king needs to take more aggressive action to keep Andrew out of the public eye, such as barring him from processions and other royal events, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’’
While Andrew said in a statement that nothing sensitive was ever discussed and that he ceased contact with the Chi-
nese businessman as soon as concerns were raised, his constant brushes with scandal tarnish the work of the royal family, Owens said.
“Andrew is toxic, and he is very much damaged goods,” he added. “He can only, through his behavior, further undermine the reputation of the monarchy. It’s in the king’s best interest, it’s in the best interests of the future of the monarchy, for Andrew to take a step back.”
Britain’s most prominent anti-monarchy group used the latest scandal to call for a parliamentary inquiry into alleged royal corruption.
“When a Chinese spy befriends a royal, they want access to the British state. We must know if the royals have given them what they want,” said Graham Smith, leader of Republic, which seeks to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state.
Andrew has become a cautionary tale about the temptations and pitfalls of modern royalty.
When Andrew was born, he was second in line to the throne, the proverbial spare who was there to step in if disaster struck
the heir, his brother Charles.
But after Charles married, Andrew’s position dropped with every new child and grandchild. He now stands at eighth place in the royal pecking order.
While other senior royals spend much of their time opening recreation centers and meeting community leaders on behalf of their more exalted relations, Andrew initially took on bigger tasks.
After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.
But he was forced to step down in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Andrew had also been criticized for meeting with the son of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Even before that, some members of Parliament had raised
Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the U.K.
“It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents and, in the current weather conditions, is likely to be extremely difficult to contain. If it is driven ashore, then it will cause fouling of the shoreline, which will be extremely difficult to clean up.”
The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.
It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” of the war and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
“The accidents on two rusty vessels in the Kerch Strait resulted in another large-scale environmental disaster of our war. Thousands of tons of fuel oil spilled from the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, causing tragic damage to the natural systems of the Azov and Black Seas,” he wrote in a post on X Monday.
concerns about the sale of Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill Park, to a son-in-law of former Kazakh ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2007. The buyer allegedly paid 15 million pounds ($19 million) — 3 million pounds more than the asking price.
But Andrew’s links to Epstein have been his biggest problem.
Questions about the relationship resurfaced after Epstein was again arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2019. In an effort to silence criticism, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein and failed to show empathy for victims.
Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on Nov. 20, 2019, that he was stepping away from royal duties “for the foreseeable future.” In a statement, he called his association with Epstein “a major disruption to my family’s work.”
But that didn’t end the scandal. In August 2021, one of Epstein’s victims sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work as the case moved through the legal process.
HOKE SPORTS
Girls’ wrestling posts tournament win at Pinecrest
North State Journal staff
Boys’ basketball
THE LOSING streak for Hoke boys’ basketball has hit three games after the Bucks were swept in two home games and a road trip last week.
Hoke opened the week with Sandhills game at home against Lee County. The Bucks came out on the short end of a 56‑52 decision. Next was a trip to Richmond for another con ference game, and again, it was close but no cigar as Hoke fell, 58 49. All three Sandhills games this season have been de cided by less than 10 points. A nonconference game against HPCA resulted in a 78 58 loss. That puts the Bucks at 4 6, 1 2 in the Sandhills.
Junior Savion Kinston had 10 points and six rebounds against Lee, while Joshua Miles had a team high eight boards. Kin ston and sophomore Mach ai Brown shared scoring hon ors against Richmond, with 15 each. Kinston and senior Tel dryck Harley led at Richmond with seven rebounds each.
The Bucks now have a week to stew on the recent losses be fore they begin holiday tourna ment play after Christmas.
Girls’ basketball
The Lady Bucks saw their los ing streak hit six in a row with a pair of Sandhills Conference losses last week. Hoke host ed Lee County and fell, 40 28, then lost a road game at Rich mond, 67 23. The Bucks are now 1 8 on the year, 0 3 in the conference.
Karmen Campbell just missed
SPORTSBLAST / FACEBOOK
Hoke’s Darius Breeden (right) battles for possession of the ball with Richmond’s Jay Hamilton in the Bucks’ near-miss road loss.
a double double against Lee, posting a team high nine points and 10 rebounds. Freshman Patience Morton added three steals in the loss.
Hoke now hits the holiday tournament schedule, opening play with a game at West Char lotte this weekend.
Wrestling
The girls’ wrestling team had another successful trip, win ning the team championship at the Pinecrest Lady Patri
ot Invitational. Six Lady Bucks won first place in their weight classes: Azya Monroe (100), Sara Warren (107), Jianna Go mez (120), Jada Lebron (138), Zada English (145) and Zaria Robinson (235).
Miracle Lester took second at 126, and four Hoke wrestlers took third: Jordyn Simmons (100), Anastacia Pollard (132), Nadia Barber (152) and Noe lia Hipolito (165). All 14 Lady Bucks wrestlers placed sev enth or higher in their weight class.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Abbey Pullum and Korie Reese
Hoke County, rugby
Abbey Pullum and Korie Reese are both juniors at Hoke County. They’re also members of the USA Rugby U18 team. Pullum, who also plays soccer for Hoke, is team captain of the U18 Rugby squad.
The pair were chosen for the North Carolina all-star team, which finished second at an event at Guilford earlier this month, and last week went to Emory & Henry University in Virginia where they posted a pair of wins over a Tennessee all-star team.
Cooper presents Brind’Amour with Order of the Long Leaf Pine
The Hurricanes’ coach won a Stanley Cup in Carolina player and has led the team to the playoffs six straight seasons since becoming coach
By Bob Sutton The Associated Press
RALEIGH — Carolina Hurricanes coach
Rod Brind’Amour was presented with the state’s highest honor by Gov. Roy Cooper fol lowing Sunday’s 4 1 w in over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Brind’Amour received the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which is given to people who have made significant contributions to the state and their community.
“I went into the locker room after the game and told the players that this guy wouldn’t want me to do what I was about to do because this guy is all about his players and all about team,” Cooper said.
Cooper was in the Hurricanes locker room prior to the game to read the starting lineup before returning amid the postgame celebra tion. The 67 year old Cooper has long been a supporter of the Hurricanes and frequently at tends home games.
“What he has meant to North Carolina is ex traordinary, both as a player, as a coach, as a parent, involvement in youth hockey,” Cooper said. “When you think about all of the jobs the Carolina Hurricanes have brought to North Carolina and their success. … This guy has cre ated a culture of winning.”
Brind’Amour is in his seventh season as Car olina’s coach and has led the team to the post season six consecutive seasons, ending the fran chise’s nine season playoff drought in 2019. He was captain of the franchise’s only Stanley Cup championship team in 2006 and had his No. 17 jersey retired by the team in 2011.
“It’s not about me,” Brind’Amour said. “We’ve got such a good group. I was a part of a group of great people all along.”
Cooper has previously presented the Order of the Long Leaf Pine to retired Duke men’s bas ketball coach Mike Krzyzewski. Cooper said he’ll present the honor to former UNC men’s basketball coach Roy Williams next week. Cooper, a Democrat, is finishing his second four year term as governor. He was prevented from seeking reelection because of term limits.
Cooper had a suggestion for Brind’Amour.
“Coach, it’s time to get that Stanley Cup this time,” he said.
“This guy has created a culture of winning.”
Gov. Roy Cooper on Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour
SIDELINE REPORT
NCAA FOOTBALL
Former Miami booster among those with sentences commuted by Biden
Washington Nevin Shapiro, the former Miami booster whose rogue involvement with the school led to a massive NCAA investigation and significant sanctions against the Hurricanes, had his sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme commuted by President Joe Biden. Shapiro was among the 1,499 recipients of commutations announced by the White House. Shapiro, who was initially sentenced in 2011 to serve 20 years in prison and repay his jilted investors nearly $83 million, will be officially listed as released on Dec. 22. Court records show Shapiro has been on home confinement since 2020.
NBA Point guard Schroder traded by Brooklyn to Golden State
Las Vegas Golden State has acquired point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and guard Reece Beekman. The trade was agreed to on Saturday and finalized on Sunday when league rules allowed, with the Nets also receiving a package of second round draft picks. Schroder averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists this season for the Nets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.
SKIING
Shiffrin recovering after abdominal surgery to clean out deep puncture wound suffered in race crash Beaver Creek, Colo. Mikaela Shiffrin is recovering after undergoing abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she received in a giant slalom crash two weeks ago. Shiffrin posted an update on Instagram. There’s no timetable for Shiffrin’s return to racing after suffering bruises and the deep puncture to her hip area during a crash on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, while charging after her 100th career World Cup win. She has more wins than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.
MLB Freeman’s walk-off grand slam ball sells for $1.56M at auction Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Freddie Freeman’s historic walk off g rand slam ball from Game 1 of the World Series sold for $1.56 million at auction. The bidding at SCP Auctions went into the late hours of Saturday night, according to a statement from the auction house. It didn’t say who bought the ball. Freeman, the Dodgers first baseman, came to the plate on a sprained right ankle with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Yankees. He hit the first pitch 413 feet for the first walk off g rand slam in World Series history for the 6 3 win.
New Marshall coach recruiting own players in transfer portal
More than two dozen players look to leave as the former Wolfpack defensive coordinator takes over
By John Raby The Associated Press
TONY GIBSON jumped right into recruiting at Mar shall in his first college head coaching job after nearly three decades as an assistant. It involved his own players. The roster took an immedi ate hit after Charles Huff was named coach at Southern Miss on Sunday while Gibson, the de fensive coordinator at NC State, was announced as his replace ment less than an hour later.
The transfer portal opened the next day. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players were in it.
Gibson held a meeting short ly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce him self to the team. He’s followed that up with phone calls, text
messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday.
“Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news confer ence Thursday. “And kids that are 18 to 22 years old are going to make emotional decisions in stead of just breathing for a day or two.”
Many who entered the por tal and can still come back were veterans, including all three quarterbacks who played this season: Braylon Braxton, Stone Earle and Cole Pennington. So did leading rusher A.J. Turner and three of the team’s top sev en wide receivers. On defense, four of the seven leading tack lers are in the portal, including leading tackler Jaden Yates at linebacker.
Gibson signed a memoran dum of understanding to coach at Marshall on Dec. 3. Huff, whose contract expired af ter this season and had nev er signed an extension, left one day after Marshall beat Loui siana Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game. The Herd
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am staying home. And it’s going to be our last house. This I promise.”
Marshall coach Tony Gibson, a West Virginia native
was supposed to play No. 19 Army in the Independence Bowl but was forced to pull out of the game because of a lack of players. Under his five year agree ment, Gibson will be paid an annual salary of $1 million, compared with $750,000 for Huff. Gibson’s buyout is $4 mil lion if he accepts a job at anoth er Division I school or with a professional league or team be fore February 2026. It will be reduced by $1 million each year after that.
Gibson, 52, has his doubts the buyout will come into play.
He grew up in the small coal mining community of Van, West Virginia, and it has been his wish to move back to his na tive state. He has been an assis tant at Power 4 schools for the past 24 seasons and said he’s moved his family 15 times in the past.
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am stay ing home,” Gibson said. “And it’s going to be our last house. This I promise.”
During Gibson’s first of two stints on West Virginia’s staff, the Mountaineers regularly played Marshall in the Friends of Coal Bowl two decades ago. Despite Marshall going 0 7 in the series from 2006 to 2012, he’d like to see it return.
As for the games already penciled in, it will be a daunt ing task right away, and Gib son turned to athletic direc tor Christian Spears for a mild scolding.
“Thank you for scheduling Georgia as my first game as a football coach,” Gibson said to the crowd’s laughter.
Horvath shines as Navy dominates Army
The bowl-bound teams set a record for the most combined wins entering the game
By Noah Trister The Associated Press
LANDOVER, Md. — This was an Army Navy game un like any before it. The teams had combined for 19 victories this season before their annu al clash, a record for the rivalry.
Of course, only one of them would be responsible for No. 20 — the biggest win of them all.
“I think they’re like us. We want to be significant,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “I think we both were this year, and I think because of that maybe there was a little more significance, a little more inter est maybe in this game.”
Blake Horvath outplayed Bryson Daily at quarterback, accounting for 311 yards and four touchdowns to help Navy beat No. 19 Army 31 13 on Sat urday. Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Navy (9 3) snapped a two‑game losing streak in the series.
Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy vote this year, threw a touchdown pass of his own, but he was inter cepted three times. Army (11 2) fell behind 14 0 in the second quarter and never completely recovered. The Black Knights were coming off a victory over Tulane in the American Ath letic Conference title game — the first league championship in program history.
Navy, which won its first six games this season and also spent time in the Top 25, com pleted a sweep of Air Force and
Midshipmen celebrate during the first half of the Army-Navy game, in Landover, Maryland.
Army to win the Command er In Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 2019.
“As excited and proud we were eight days ago, we’re as disappointed as we’ve ever been,” Army coach Jeff Monk en said. “It’s hard to lose that game. That one hurts a lot, es pecially when the trophy’s on the line and we’ve got a chance to keep that trophy at West Point. We didn’t do it.”
In front of a crowd that in cluded President elect Don ald Trump at the Washington Commanders’ home stadium in Landover, Navy took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards, reaching the end zone on a 1 yard run by Horvath.
Daily, who had been inter cepted only once all season,
had a pass picked off in the second quarter by Dashaun Peele. The Midshipmen took advantage of a short field, go ing ahead 14 0 on an 18 yard pass from Horvath to Brandon Chatman. Daily answered with a touchdown pass of his own — 23 yards to Hayden Reed. Both teams were run heavy as expected, but they did com bine for 25 pass attempts — in cluding what was probably the biggest play of the game in the third quarter. After a field goal made the score 14 10, Hor vath connected with Eli Heid enreich, who broke free up the left sideline for a 52 yard touchdown. That was Horvath’s 13th touchdown pass of the season and Heidenreich’s sixth touch
down reception — both tying school records.
Daily missed an open Casey Reynolds in the end zone early in the fourth, and Army settled for a field goal.
Navy then faced fourth down near midfield, but Landon Robinson — normal ly a nose guard — ran 29 yards on a fake punt. Although Rob inson fumbled at the end of the play, the Midshipmen were able to recover.
Horvath’s 1 yard scoring run made it 28 13, and Daily was intercepted twice more before the end of the game.
This was the first of two straight Army Navy games in Navy’s home state of Mary land. Next year’s edition is in Baltimore.
DANIEL KUCIN JR. / AP PHOTO
RYAN FISCHER / THE HERALD-DISPATCH VIA AP
Marshall University’s head football coach Tony Gibson speaks during his introductory press conference last week.
Deborah Lee
June 26, 1954 – Dec. 13, 2024
It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Debi. Predeceased in her death are her parents, Robert Barth Sr. of Birmingham, Al. and Betty Poston Barth of Johnsonville, S.C. Husband of 26 years Dr. Frank McGrath Jr. Debi is survived by her loving husband, Reverend Thomas Lee of the home. One son, Chris Jackson and her grandchildren Madison and Matthew Jackson. Also, a daughter-in-law Ruby Jackson. Debi’s siblings are Paula Barth Comer (Joe) son Travis (Kim) and their daughters, Taylor and Kara of Trinity, NC. Robert Barth Jr. (Molly) and their daughters Katrinia PhD and Courtney of Raleigh, NC.
Debi was blessed with five bonus children. Ginny McGrath Queen (Doug) and Evan their son from Apex, NC. Tripp McGrath (Megan) of Garner, N.C. Thomas Lee Jr. (Katie) and their children Caroline, Joseph and James of Beverly Hills, MI. Suzi Lee Osborne (Mark) and their daughters Kathyrn and Julia of Sanford, NC. Alan Lee (Emily) and their sons Jack and Charlie of Winston-Salem NC.
Debi will be missed by family members and her cherished friends as she was always smiling and made friends with everyone she met. Her presence brought joy to so many and her laughter was contagious.
Debi was a dedicated instructor for 20 years at Fayetteville Technical Community College in the Dental Department and served 10 years with the Commission of Dental Accreditation. After retirement, she was passionate about her volunteer work with the Guardian ad Litem program.
Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church 333 N, Main St. Raeford, NC on Monday, December 16, 2024, at 11 a.m. with the Memorial Service starting at noon.
In lieu of flowers, Debi has requested donations be made to First Baptist Church of Raeford 333 N. Main St Raeford, NC, or your local animal shelter. Arrangements made with Crumpler Funeral Home of Raeford, NC.
Carolyn Jeanette Turner
Oct. 3, 1942 – Dec. 11, 2024
Ms. Carolyn Jeanette Beasley Turner, of Raeford, NC went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, at the age of 82. She was born in Cumberland County, NC on October 03, 1942, to the late Ervin Beasley Sr. and Erma Bundy Beasley.
Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her son, Bobby Turner. Carolyn was born and raised at Tabernacle Baptist Church, where she was a dedicated member her whole life. She was a people person and cared very much about her family and others. She loved planting and caring for her flowers. She loved the Lord unconditionally. She is survived by her son, Curtis Turner; her sisters, Nancy Carter and Shirley Godfrey; her granddaughter, Ashley Arellano; three great-grandchildren, Andy, Diana, and Lindsay; and her aunt, Dorothy Shepley. A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 15, 2024, from 2-3 p.m. at Tabernacle Baptist Church. A service will follow at 3:00 pm with Pastor Tommy Underwood officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Online condolences may be made on the Crumpler Funeral Home Website.
Stewart Mitchell Smith
Aug. 11, 1931 – Dec. 9, 2024
Stewart Mitchell Smith Jr., age 62 passed away on Monday, December 9, 2024.
A visitation for Stewart will be held Friday, December 20, 2024, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Raeford Evangelical Methodist, 379 W Palmer St, Raeford, NC. A funeral service will occur on Friday, December 20, 2024, at noon at Raeford Evangelical Methodist Church. A burial will take place on Friday, December 20, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Raeford City Cemetery. Stewart will be laid to rest in Raeford City Cemetery.
Carl Edward Dooley
Aug. 11, 1931 – Dec. 7, 2024
Carl Edward Dooley went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, December 7, 2024. He was 93 years old.
Carl was born in Humnoke, Arkansas, on August 11, 1931. He grew up working on the family farm in nearby Biscoe, Arkansas, and left the area at 17 to join the United States Air Force.
As a communications and crypto specialist, Carl served his country faithfully for 20 years, stationed at several bases across the United States and overseas, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand, Germany, and Japan.
Upon retiring from service in 1969, Carl worked various jobs before beginning his second career as Director of Maintenance at KnitAway in Raeford, North Carolina. He remained with the company through its transitions to Summerfield and Cheeseborough-Ponds, eventually retiring. Afterward, he returned to the plant, now Unilever, and served as a security guard for several more years.
Outside of work, Carl served faithfully as a member of the Evangelical Methodist Church. Over the years, he held many church offices and was an avid supporter of the youth group, the Bible Quiz Team, and the Men’s Sunday School Class, where he achieved perfect attendance for several years. As long as his health allowed, he never missed the monthly men’s class trips to local seafood restaurants for fellowship and dining.
Carl was a man of good character, impeccable work ethic, and a friend to all who took the time to know him. Always in a good mood, with a smile and an encouraging word, he was known for his willingness to help others whenever he could. Someone recently remarked, “He was a role model on how to treat people.” Perhaps this was because he genuinely loved people.
But no love surpassed the love he had for his family. Married for nearly 65 years, Carl was a devoted husband and father who found his greatest joy in his family’s happiness. He was a shining example of selfless and unconditional love.
He was preceded in death by his father, Henry H. Dooley; his mother, Viola Dooley; his sister, Della Irene Dooley; and two brothers, Oliver “Sonny” Dooley and Jeff Dooley.
He is survived by his loving wife, Norma Dooley; his son, Terry Dooley, and wife Cheri; his sister, Peggy Jackson (Melvin) of North Little Rock, Arkansas; his brother, Teddy Dooley, and wife Ann of Biscoe, Arkansas; his grandchildren, Ron Shaw of Alliance, Nebraska; Robert Shaw (Katie) of Cascade, Wisconsin; and Ryan Shaw (Eva) of Fort Moore, Georgia; seven greatgrandchildren; and several nieces and nephews who adored him. Extended family members include Helen Johnson and Maxine and Bill Colston, who have shown their love through steadfast support and friendship.
Services will be held on Thursday, December 12, at the Evangelical Methodist Church in Raeford. Visitation will begin at 1 p.m., followed by a Celebration of Life Service at 2 p.m. A graveside service will follow at Raeford Cemetery with military honors. The family would like to extend special gratitude to the phenomenal staff of Liberty Hospice—Donna B., Donna F., Christy, Ryan, Ben, and Tiffany— as well as Eric of Liberty Medical Specialties, Latisha McLaurin of Primary Health Choice, and various members of the VA. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Hospice Foundation of Hoke County, Inc. P.O Box 1584, Raeford, NC 28376.
Jessica M. Boahn
March 12, 1976 – Dec. 5, 2024
Jessica Marie Boahn, of Raeford, NC went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, December 05, 2024, at the age of 48.
She was born in Hampton, Virginia on March 12, 1976, to the late Treasa Irene Jamerson.
She was preceded in death by her loving mothers, Treasa Irene Jamerson and Karen Sue Boahn, and her grandmother, Gloria Jean Parker.
Jessica was a giving person who always looked out for everyone she loved. She was a lover of country music and diamond art.
Jessica is survived by her loving husband of 29 years, Matthew Harold Boahn; her dad, Carl Clarence Boahn; two sisters, Barbara Jean Mahone, and Christina Jones; her aunt Lorena Janella Cephas; five nieces and six nephews; two lifelong friends, Paula Winchester and Karen Boyd; and many other people who will miss her dearly.
Jessica will be laid to rest on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at 1 p.m. at Galatia Presbyterian Church, 8800 Galatia Church Rd, Fayetteville, NC 28304. Online condolences may be made on the Crumpler Funeral Home Website.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal.com
STATE & NATION
ABC agrees to $15M toward Trump’s presidential library in defamation settlement
George Stephanopoulos
wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming the victim of that rape”
By Michael R. Sisak
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — ABC News
has agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s pres idential library to settle a def amation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inac curate on air assertion that the president elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
As part of the settlement made public Saturday, ABC News post ed an editor’s note to its website expressing regret over Stepha nopoulos’ statements during a March 10 segment on his “This Week” program. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.
The settlement agreement describes ABC’s presidential li brary payment as a “charitable contribution,” with the money earmarked for a non profit or ganization that is being estab
lished in connection with the yet to be built library.
“We are pleased that the par ties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Ke das said. A Trump spokesperson de clined comment.
Man pleads guilty in phony bribery scheme involving Bidens
Former FBI informant
Alexander Smirnov alleged a Ukrainian energy company had paid the president and his son
By Alanna Durkin Richer and Jaimie Ding The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving Presi dent Joe Biden and his son Hunt er that became central to the Re publican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea to a felony charge in connection with the bogus sto ry, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a sepa rate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income.
An attorney for Smirnov, 44, declined to comment after the hearing in Los Angeles federal court.
Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a
sentence of between four and six years in prison when he’s sen tenced next month.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his Feb ruary arrest on charges that he told his FBI handler that execu tives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid Pres ident Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an infor mant for more than a decade when he made the explosive alle gations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only rou tine business dealings with Bu risma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, accord ing to charging documents. No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice president.
While Smirnov’s identity wasn’t publicly known before the indictment, his claims played a
The settlement agreement was signed Friday, the same day a Florida federal judge ordered Trump and Stephanopou los to sit for separate deposi tions in the case next week. The settlement means that sworn testimony is no longer required.
The agreement bore Trump’s
bold, distinct signature and an electronic signature with the initials GRS in a space for Stephanopoulos’ name. Deb ra OConnell, the president of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, also e signed the agreement.
ABC News must transfer the $15 million for Trump’s library to an escrow account that’s be ing managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days, according to the agreement. The network must also pay Brito’s legal fees with in 10 days.
While sizeable, ABC’s con tribution to Trump’s presiden tial library will likely cover just a fraction of the cost. Former President Barack Obama’s li brary in Chicago, for example, was estimated to cost $830 mil lion as of 2021.
Trump sued ABC and Steph anopoulos in federal court in Miami days after the network aired the segment, in which the longtime “Good Morn ing America” anchor and “This Week” host repeatedly misstat ed the verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits against Trump.
During a live “This Week” interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R S.C.), Stephanopou los wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and
“defaming the victim of that rape.”
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
In the first of the lawsuits to go to trial, Trump was found lia ble last year of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. A jury or dered him to pay her $5 million.
In January, at a second trial in federal court in Manhattan, Trump was found liable on ad ditional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
Trump is appealing both verdicts.
Carroll, a former advice col umnist, went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that Trump raped her in the mid 1990s at Bergdorf Good man, a luxury Manhattan de partment store across the street from Trump Tower, after they crossed paths at an entrance. Trump denied her claim, say ing he didn’t know Carroll and never ran into her at the store.
After Trump lashed out, call ing Carroll a “nut job” who in vented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell her memoir, she sued him for unspecified mon etary damages and sought a re traction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials.
major part in the Republican ef fort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark a House impeach ment inquiry into Biden. Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form document ing the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.
During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov also claimed the Rus sians probably had recordings of
Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine’s capital where he had stayed was “wired” and under their control — information he said was passed along to him by four high level Russian officials.
But Hunter Biden had never traveled to Ukraine, according to Smirnov’s indictment.
Smirnov claimed to have contacts with Russian intelli gence affiliated officials and told authorities after his ar rest this year that “officials as sociated with Russian intelli gence were involved in passing
a story” about Hunter Biden. The case against Smirnov was brought by special coun sel David Weiss, who also pros ecuted Hunter Biden on gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced this month after being con victed at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to feder al charges in the tax case. But he was pardoned this month by his father, who said he believed “raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscar riage of justice.”
EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump talks with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos before a town hall in Philadelphia in 2020.
K.M. CANNON / LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL VIA AP
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer’s office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Feb. 20, 2024.
MOORE COUNTY
The last full moon of 2024 rose over the crisp Carolinas early Sunday, hanging in the sky like a bright white celestial Christmas ornament.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
RFK Jr. visits Capitol Hill ahead of his confirmation hearing
Washington, D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has swept onto Capitol Hill. The nominee is reintroducing himself to senators as President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the nation’s Health and Human Services Department. His arrival Monday was the start of a long process to win over senators. Health and Human Services, the world’s largest public health agency, has a broad reach overseeing food and medicines used every day. “I’m open,” GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said of his support for Kennedy’s nomination. “(But) if you come in and say I won’t consider myself successful unless I eliminate these vaccines, that could be problematic.”
More Cooper lieutenants staying on in Stein’s Cabinet
Raleigh Several more top lieutenants of outgoing Gov. Roy Cooper have agreed to work for fellow Democrat and successor Josh Stein’s administration. They include Cooper’s transportation and public safety secretaries and the state budget director — all of whom will stay in their current posts. Each of them have had significant roles responding to Hurricane Helene. Stein already said this week that two other Cooper department secretaries will be on his team as well — albeit leading new departments. Stein was elected governor last month and will take his oath of office next month.
Republicans continue winning trend in partisan school boards
Eighty-one percent of partisan seats up for grabs went to Republican candidates
By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
RALEIGH — Election results this year continue a trend of Republicans gaining control of school boards and winning more school board races than Republicans.
In 2013, only 10 school boards out of the state’s 115 statewide districts held partisan elections, but as the number of partisan board races has grown, so have Republican gains.
During 2022’s elections,
41 of the 83 districts holding elections that year were partisan races and Republicans picked up 20 while Democrats took four. Of the 137 partisan seat races that year, Republicans won 103 (75%) and Democrats won 34 (25%).
For the 2024 November election, of the 292 school board seats on ballots across North Carolina, 170 were partisan races, or roughly 52%. Not considering any possible recounts and based on the unofficial results, Republicans continued to dominate, winning 138 seats or 81%. Democrats won 26 or 15.2%.
Of the partisan school boards holding an election this year, Republicans picked up control of seven more, going from 31 to 38.
There were 53 districts considered partisan in the lead up to the 2024 election. Four districts became partisan due to legislation passed during the 2023-24 long session: Catawba, Hickory City, Newton-Conover City, Pamlico and Polk. Of the partisan school boards holding an election this year, Republicans picked up control of seven more, going from 31 to 38. Democrats
NC justices rule for restaurants in COVID-19 claims case
The state Supreme Court ruled against a clothing chain
By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press
RALEIGH — North Carolina’s Supreme Court issued mixed rulings Friday for businesses seeking financial help from the COVID-19 pandemic, declaring one insurer’s policy must cover losses some restaurants and bars incurred but that another insurer’s policy for a nationwide clothing store chain doesn’t due to an exception. The unanimous decisions by the seven-member court in the pair of cases addressed the requirements of “all-risk” commercial property insurance policies issued by Cincinnati and Zurich American
insurance companies to the businesses.
The companies who paid premiums saw reduced business and income, furloughed or laid off employees or even closed from the coronavirus and resulting 2020 state and local government orders limiting commerce and public movement. North Carolina restaurants, for example, were forced for some time to limit sales to takeout or drive-in orders.
In one case, the 16 eating and drinking establishments who sued The Cincinnati Insurance Co., The Cincinnati Casualty Co. and others held largely similar policies that protected their building and personal property as well as any business income from “direct physical loss” to property not excluded by their policies.
Worried that coverage would be denied for claimed losses, the restaurants and bars sued and sought a court to rule that “direct physical loss” also applied to government-mandated orders, a court opinion said. A trial judge sided with them, but a panel of the intermediate-level Court of Appeals disagreed, saying such claims did not have to be accepted because there was no actual physical harm to the property — only a loss of business. But state Supreme Court Associate Justice Anita Earls, writing for the court, noted the Cincinnati policies did not define “direct physical loss.” Earls also noted there were no specific policy exclusions that would deny coverage for viruses or contaminants. Earls said the court favored any ambiguity toward the policyholders be -
did not add to their tally, but did maintain control over the same six they held heading into the November election; Anson, Guilford, Lenoir, Madison, Vance and Washington.
The number of partisan school board races will rise in 2026. Two districts passed referendums this November changing the method of their elections from nonpartisan to partisan; Alexander County Schools District with 52.78% in favor and Rowan-Salisbury Schools District with 55.4% in favor.
Race and referendum results for each county can be accessed using the Elections Results Dashboard on the NC State Board of Elections website at er.ncsbe.gov.
cause a reasonable person in their positions would understand the policies include coverage for business income lost from virus-related government orders.
“It is the insurance company’s responsibility to define essential policy terms and the North Carolina courts’ responsibility to enforce those terms consistent with the parties’ reasonable expectations,” Earls wrote.
In the other ruling, the Supreme Court said Cato Corp., which operates more than 1,300 U.S. clothing stores and is headquartered in Charlotte, was properly denied coverage through its “all-risk” policy. Zurich American Insurance Co. had refused to cover Cato’s alleged losses, and Cato sued. But while Cato sufficiently alleged a “direct physical loss of or damage” to property, Earls wrote in another opinion, the policy contained a viral contamination exclusion that Zurich American proved applied in this case.
COLD MOON RISING
DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL
North State Journal (USPS 20451) (ISSN 2471-1365)
Neal Robbins, Publisher
Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers
Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor
Jordan Golson, Local News Editor
Shawn Krest, Sports Editor
Dan Reeves, Features Editor
Ryan Henkel, Reporter
P.J. Ward-Brown, Photographer
BUSINESS
David Guy, Advertising Manager
Published
TO SUBSCRIBE:
919-663-3232
Dec. 12
• Ryan Anthony DomekHernandez, 35, was arrested by the Aberdeen Police Department for assault by strangulation.
• Jordache Waddell Leach, 43, was arrested by the Southern Pines Police Department for robbery with a dangerous weapon.
• Deqarius Lewis, 26, was arrested by the Moore County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) for forgery of endorsement.
• Travis Cleve Pierce, 47, was arrested by MCSO for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury.
Dec. 13
Richard Daryl Yost, 55, was arrested by MCSO for possession of Schedule II controlled substance.
Dec. 14
• Adam Richard Bowles, 34, was arrested by the Carthage Police Department for communicating threats.
• Edgar Samuel Kimball, 46, was arrested by MCSO for misdemeanor larceny.
• Kenneth Ray Stroud, 59, was arrested by MCSO for possession of methamphetamine.
Dec. 15
• Eddie Dwayne Moore, 38, was arrested by MCSO for second-degree trespass.
• Sedarius Lewis Quick, 32, was arrested by Carthage PD for interfering with emergency communication.
Dec. 16
• Russell Thomas Shaw, 49, was arrested by Aberdeen PD for possession of marijuana paraphernalia.
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
NC Medicaid expansion hits enrollment goal ahead of projections
600,000 people have enrolled in half the time as expected
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — More than 600,000 people have enrolled in North Carolina’s new Medicaid coverage for low-income adults about a year after the program’s expansion, reaching the state’s enrollment goal for the program in about half the time that was originally projected, the governor’s office announced on Monday.
Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, a vocal advocate for Medicaid expansion throughout his two terms in office, called
the enrollment numbers a “monumental achievement.”
“From day one, we set out to get people covered and get them care. Now, more than 600,000 people have the peace of mind that they can go to the doctor, get needed medications and manage their chronic health conditions — that’s life-changing,” Cooper said in a statement.
Cooper will leave office at the end of the year because of term limits.
Despite opposition in the GOP-controlled General Assembly for several years, Medicaid expansion in North Carolina passed with bipartisan support last year after Congress offered states more fi-
Hunter dies after bear shot in tree falls on him
The Virginia man was standing 10 feet away from the tree
The Associated Press
LUNENBURG COUN-
TY, Va. — A Virginia man has died after a bear in a tree shot by one of his hunting partners fell on him, state wildlife officials said. The incident occurred Dec. 9 in Lunenburg County, which is between Richmond and Danville, Virginia’s Department of
COURTS from page A1
The two cases were among eight related to COVID-19 claims on which the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over two days in October. The justices have yet to rule on most of those matters. The court did announce Fri-
Wildlife Resources said in a statement.
A hunting group was following the bear when it ran up the tree, the department said. As the group retreated from the tree, a hunter shot the bear. The animal fell onto another hunter who was standing about 10 feet from the bottom of the tree.
The department identified the man as Lester C. Harvey, 58, of Phenix, Virginia. A member of the group rendered first aid before Harvey was rushed to two different hospitals. He died from his injuries Friday,
day that justices were equally divided about a lawsuit filed by then-University of North Carolina students seeking tuition, housing and fee refunds when in-person instruction was canceled during the 2020 spring semester. The Court of Appeals had agreed it was correct to dismiss the suit — the Gen-
nancial incentives to join the program. The federal government foots 90% of the expansion costs under the program.
In just the first few weeks of the program’s rollout, the state had 300,000 North Carolinians — half of its goal — enroll in Medicaid expansion. North Carolina is part of a handful of Southern states that now participate in the program.
More than a third of expansion enrollees come from rural communities, according to Cooper’s office. About 4.1 million prescriptions related to heart health, diabetes and other diseases have been filled so far because of the new coverage, the governor’s office said.
the wildlife department stated.
An obituary for Harvey, a married father of five with eight grandchildren, said he was a self-employed contractor and avid outdoorsman. Similar incidents have occurred in recent years.
In 2018, a man in Alaska was critically injured after his hunting partner shot a bear on a ridge. The animal tumbled down a slope into the man, who was also struck by rocks dislodged by the bear.
Another man was injured in 2019 after his hunting partner shot a bear in a tree in North Carolina. The bear fell out of the tree and began biting the hunter. The man and the animal then tumbled off a cliff. The hunter was taken to a hospital, while the bear was later found dead.
eral Assembly had passed a law that gave colleges immunity from such pandemic-related legal claims for that semester. Only six of the justices decided the case — Associate Justice Tamara Barringer did not participate — so the 3-3 deadlock means the Court of Appeals decision stands.
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: moorecommunity@northstatejournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
moore happening
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Moore County:
Dec. 19-21
Moore County Historical Association: Shaw House & Property Tours
1-4 p.m.
The Moore County Historical Association’s Shaw House grounds and properties are open for tours on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 1-4 p.m. The tours are free and open to all ages. Enjoy learning of the impressive history here in Moore County.
Shaw House 110 Morganton Road Pinehurst Southern Pines
Dec. 20-21
Aloha Safari Park 6-10 p.m.
Come see a beautiful two-mile drive through trail with over 2 million lights! When you’re done, go inside for hot cocoa, make a s’more, feed a giraffe, and take a picture with Santa and a baby kangaroo. $10 per person for ages 2 and over. 159 Mini Lane Cameron
Dec.
21
White Hills Farms 1-3 p.m.
Stop by and see Santa at the farm! The kiddos can share their Christmas lists and you can snap a few great photos.
Dec. 22
Santa at Freddy’s Custard & Steakburgers 1-4 p.m.
Santa is coming to Freddy’s! Come by and see him and receive a sweet treat.
10757 U.S. Highway 15/501 Southern Pines
Dec. 23
Trolley Express: Festival of Lights plus POP-UP Market
6-7:30 p.m.
Step into the holiday magic aboard our Sandhills Trolley for the Festival of Lights Cruise! Experience VIP travel to a holiday wonderland with a Christmas market, hayrides and more festive surprises. Enjoy a spectacular light display as you stroll and soak in the season’s cheer and then, sing along to merry tunes and play games to and from — let’s make this holiday season unforgettable! Harris Teeter 305 Ivey Lane Pinehurst
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | SUSAN ESTRICH
A broken system
WHAT DOES IT MEAN that an alleged murderer has become a folk hero, that literally millions of people in this country have taken his side — in social media, at least, if not as potential jurors — in a case of cold-blooded murder? What does it mean that the McDonald’s employees who reported him have had to resort to police protection to deal with the threats against them?
It would be shocking, if it weren’t so understandable.
Our health care system is broken. It causes unbelievable suffering. Of course it is wrong to take pleasure in the murder of anyone.
But understandable? Yes.
Luigi Mangione is “hot.” That certainly adds to his appeal. But what is driving the reaction to his crime is not his good looks but the almost universal frustration with health insurance companies, and the trials and tribulations of dealing with them.
The question: Is Trump listening? Does he get it?
The Affordable Care Act allowed millions of Americans to buy into a system that previously excluded them if they had preexisting conditions. I remember the bad old days, when you just couldn’t get health insurance if you weren’t healthy. I remember trying to purchase a PPO plan for my nanny, similar to what I received from my employer, who had gastritis.
She took a Nexium every day. That was enough for her to be turned down by all the PPO plans. The only plan I could buy for her was Kaiser Permanente’s HMO, which later saved her life, and then later failed to provide her with the preventive care that should have diagnosed her cancer before it was Stage 4. Trust me, I can hold my own in the HMO horror stories that I used to tell on my talk radio show.
By the time my kids aged out of my own health insurance plan, the ACA — Obamacare — had made it possible to buy into PPO plans for individuals, without regard to preexisting conditions. Thank God, and the government.
Until you get sick.
Then you discover all the things that even the most expensive plans you can buy don’t cover. Then you discover the nightmare that is supposed to be the best health care system in the world. For some, maybe. My daughter has long COVID. As anyone who suffers from it knows, and there are millions of people
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
who do, long COVID does not just mean that it takes you longer than most to recover from COVID. The virus triggers a host of horrible syndromes, including chronic fatigue syndrome and postexertion malaise. It leaves many of its sufferers house-bound if not bed-bound. There is no known cure. So even the best doctors who specialize in it (and all seem to be “out of network”) are left trying to alleviate its symptoms with experimental treatments, using drugs off-label to see if they work. Almost none of it is covered by insurance. What are people without money to pay for all of it out of pocket supposed to do?
I used to be good at fighting with insurance companies. My sister, who used to work for a major insurance company on health care claims, taught me all the tricks of getting supervisors, threatening to go to the state insurance commissioner, cutting through the bureaucracy.
I remember some years ago, I managed to help a secretary at my old firm reverse a decision denying her — on the eve of surgery — approval for desperately needed back surgery by intuiting the email address of the medical director and pretending to know him. But it takes more energy than people fighting serious illness can muster to also fight with insurance companies.
It’s gotten harder, and these days, I mostly give up and take out my credit card. This is how so many people end up bankrupt because of medical care costs. This is how Mangione ends up being a folk hero.
Asked what he would replace the Affordable Care Act with, Donald Trump said only that he had “concepts” of a plan. That just won’t do. Is he willing to reform the system — take on the private insurance lobby?
There is no sign that he is. And the industry, instead of hiring more private security for its leaders, needs to take on the frustration and anger that has come boiling to the surface in the reaction to the assassination of the CEO.
Greater transparency is essential. Better customer service is essential.
Something has to change.
Susan Estrich is a lawyer, professor, author and political commentator.
The devils are here
LAST WEEK, a deranged 26-year-old anti-capitalist allegedly shot to death the CEO of UnitedHealthcare, Brian Thompson, on the streets of New York.
The alleged shooter carried a manifesto with him, decrying the nature of America’s health care system:
“Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming.” The manifesto claimed that America spends more than any other country on health care, and yet “we rank roughly #42 in life expectancy,” and that this was due to insurance companies that “continue to abuse our country for immense profit because the American public has allowed them to get away with it. Obviously the problem is more complex, but I do not have space, and frankly I do not pretend to be the most qualified person to lay out the full argument.”
It is generally useless to argue with the criminally insane — and the alleged shooter in this case appears to have experienced a mental break some months ago due to both drug abuse and severe chronic back pain — but the problem is that the shooter’s view has become shockingly common.
Many Americans believe that American health care is uniquely deficient; far more disturbingly, a certain cadre of elite Americans now cheer murder because they’re upset with the health care system.
The first claim — that America’s health care system is uniquely terrible — is simply belied by the facts.
Health care, like any other service or good, is not free; it obeys the simple laws of economics, which suggest that
scarcity is a basic condition of life.
Health care is not unlimited, nor can it be made so absent extraordinary spending levels.
The United States, as it turns out, follows the same pattern as nearly every other developed country: The more we make, the more we spend on health care. That is just as true for the U.K. or Norway as it is for the United States.
Furthermore, spending on health care is subject to the law of diminishing returns: additional moneys spent do not necessarily equate to additional life expectancy. That is true across countries as well. Finally, the United States’ population has a uniquely high proportion of overweight citizens, drug abusers and car accident victims. This affects overall life expectancy statistics negatively.
This doesn’t mean the American health care system is ideal. Far from it.
Employer-based health insurance is a holdover from wage controls decades old; health insurers are not actually insurers at all — they are not in the business of assessing possible risk and then insuring against it; insurance regulations are abstruse and absurd, and the government’s subsidization schemes involve low reimbursement rates and shoddy coverage. The problems are myriad.
Which is why it is so absurd to lay the problems with American health care at the door of the “profit-driven CEOs.” It turns out that removing the profit margins
Moore County Schools to acquire two new buses
Dear editor:
The Moore County school administration is set to order 2 new buses for field trips, athletics competitions and other student outings. On Dec. 9, at a School Board business meeting, the Board waived its established seat belt policy 6305 to expedite delivery of the new buses.
The school administration has known about the seat belt requirement since Jan. 2024. Their submission to the Board for this waiver states that the activity bus fleet was in a state of great need for replacement buses. Surely this great need was not a surprise to the school administration; why weren’t the buses ordered 9 months ago with seat belts? Bus fleet additions are planned at the rate of one or two new buses per year as funding allows. Will the seat belt policy be waived every time? It seems that the current school board, chaired by Robin Calcutt, values money and speedy delivery over the safety of our children. Let’s pray for accident-free activity trips for our children.
Agnes Puzak Pinehurst, NC
BE IN TOUCH
Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@nsjonline.com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@ nsjonline.com.
Contact a writer or columnist: connect@ northstatejournal.com
on business does not make products, goods or services either more efficient or better. In fact, that precise ideology has crippled a variety of countries over the course of the last century.
What’s worse is that ideology often excuses murder. Because, after all, if health insurance CEOs are so cruel that they purposefully murder patients in order to earn a buck, why shouldn’t they be shot? That’s the logic of comedian Bill Burr, who says, “I love that f---ing CEOs are f---ing afraid right now. You should be! By and large, you’re all a bunch of selfish greedy f---ing pieces of shit.”
Or Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who says, “Violence is never the answer, but people can be pushed only so far.”
This is the devil’s logic.
If murder of individuals is justified by dissatisfaction with the system, we no longer live in a republic. We live in an anarchic, Hobbesian world of violence of all against all. It turns out that life is filled with grievances and hardships. If the response to such grievances and hardships is murdering CEOs, what precisely is the limiting principle? Why not shoot bank CEOs for their decision-making? Why not murder oil company executives or hedge fund CEOs?
The answer to flawed policy is better policy. But if you wish to see the American system torn down from within, you’re better off advocating bloodlust and murder. And unfortunately, there are an awful lot of Americans who seem willing to tear down the American system itself rather than attempting to discuss rational solutions to intransigent problems.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
Damaged Russian ships spilled estimated 3,700 tons of oil
THE RUSSIAN SOUTHERN TRANSPORT PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE VIA AP
An image taken from a video released by the Russian Southern Transport Prosecutor’s Office shows the Volgoneft-212 tanker wrecked by a storm in the Kerch Strait in Russia on Sunday.
State media said storms led to the spills in the Kerch Strait
The Associated Press
MOSCOW — An estimated 3,700 tons of low-grade fuel oil had spilled into the Kerch Strait after two Russian ships were seriously damaged by stormy weather, Russian state media reported Monday. The two ships, the Volgoneft-239 and the Volgoneft-212, were transporting roughly 9,200 tons of mazut, a heavy, low-quality oil product.
Social media footage from the scene showed a black liquid rising among the waves.
Preliminary estimates say that 3,700 tons of mazut leaked into the sea, Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti reported, citing an unnamed source. In a statement, the leader of Russia’s nearby Krasnodar region, Gov. Veniamin Kondratev, said that the oil had not yet reached the shore.
An emergency rescue operation was launched Sunday after the Volgoneft-212 tanker ran aground and had its bow torn away in storm conditions, Russia’s Emergency Situations
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious.”
Paul Johnston, Greenpeace Research Laboratories
Ministry said. One sailor in the 13-man crew died, officials said.
A second tanker, the Volgoneft-239, was also left damaged and adrift with 14 crewmembers on board. It later ran aground about 260 feet from shore, close to the port of Taman in Russia’s Krasnodar region, from where the sailors were later rescued.
Russian officials confirmed the oil spill Sunday but said that experts were still working to assess its full impact and extent.
In a statement, Greenpeace Ukraine said they will monitor the situation. The charity has had no presence in Russia since 2023, when it was designated as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government.
“Any oil or petrochemical spill in these waters has the potential to be serious,” said Paul Johnston, head of Greenpeace
King Charles III tries to rein in Andrew
The latest drama ensnaring Prince Andrew involves a Chinese spy
By Danica Kirka
The Associated Press
LONDON — How do you solve a problem like Prince Andrew?
That’s the question facing King Charles III as the drama surrounding his 64-yearold brother roils Britain and the monarchy once again.
In the latest episode, a Chinese businessman has been barred from the U.K. because of concerns he cultivated links with Andrew in an alleged effort to influence British elites on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party. The man, identified Monday as Yang Tengbo, said he wasn’t involved in espionage and had “done nothing wrong or unlawful.”
The allegations represent the most high-profile example to date of a threat intelligence officials have repeatedly warned about: China’s increasing efforts to secretly influence politicians and other members of the British establishment to support the
country’s expansionist policies.
But the story also made news because it involves Andrew, once second-in-line to the British throne but now a constant source of tabloid fodder because of his money woes and links to questionable characters, including the late American financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Queen Elizabeth II stripped Andrew of his royal duties and charity roles, but the unflattering headlines kept coming. More recently, Charles has tried to persuade his brother to cut his expenses by leaving the sprawling royal estate he occupies west of London and moving to a cottage inside the security perimeter of Windsor Castle. But Andrew remains ensconced at the 30-room Royal Lodge.
The king needs to take more aggressive action to keep Andrew out of the public eye, such as barring him from processions and other royal events, said Ed Owens, author of “After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’’
While Andrew said in a statement that nothing sensitive was ever discussed and that he ceased contact with the Chi-
nese businessman as soon as concerns were raised, his constant brushes with scandal tarnish the work of the royal family, Owens said.
“Andrew is toxic, and he is very much damaged goods,” he added. “He can only, through his behavior, further undermine the reputation of the monarchy. It’s in the king’s best interest, it’s in the best interests of the future of the monarchy, for Andrew to take a step back.”
Britain’s most prominent anti-monarchy group used the latest scandal to call for a parliamentary inquiry into alleged royal corruption.
“When a Chinese spy befriends a royal, they want access to the British state. We must know if the royals have given them what they want,” said Graham Smith, leader of Republic, which seeks to replace the monarchy with an elected head of state.
Andrew has become a cautionary tale about the temptations and pitfalls of modern royalty.
When Andrew was born, he was second in line to the throne, the proverbial spare who was there to step in if disaster struck
the heir, his brother Charles.
But after Charles married, Andrew’s position dropped with every new child and grandchild. He now stands at eighth place in the royal pecking order.
While other senior royals spend much of their time opening recreation centers and meeting community leaders on behalf of their more exalted relations, Andrew initially took on bigger tasks.
After 22 years in the Royal Navy, including combat operations as a helicopter pilot during the Falklands War, Andrew was named Britain’s special representative for international trade and investment in 2001.
But he was forced to step down in 2011 amid growing concern about his friendship with Epstein, who had been sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to soliciting a minor for prostitution.
Andrew had also been criticized for meeting with the son of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and the son-in-law of ousted Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.
Even before that, some members of Parliament had raised
Research Laboratories, based at the University of Exeter in the U.K.
“It is likely to be driven by prevailing wind and currents and, in the current weather conditions, is likely to be extremely difficult to contain. If it is driven ashore, then it will cause fouling of the shoreline, which will be extremely difficult to clean up.”
The Kerch Strait separates the Russian-occupied Crimean Peninsula from Russia and is an important global shipping route, providing passage from the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea.
It has also been a key point of conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Moscow annexed the peninsula from Ukraine in 2014. In 2016, Ukraine took Moscow to the Permanent Court of Arbitration, where it accused Russia of trying to seize control of the area illegally. In 2021, Russia closed the strait for several months.
Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to the head of the office of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, described the oil spill as a “large-scale environmental disaster” of the war and called for additional sanctions on Russian tankers.
“The accidents on two rusty vessels in the Kerch Strait resulted in another large-scale environmental disaster of our war. Thousands of tons of fuel oil spilled from the Volgoneft-212 and Volgoneft-239, causing tragic damage to the natural systems of the Azov and Black Seas,” he wrote in a post on X Monday.
concerns about the sale of Andrew’s former home, Sunninghill Park, to a son-in-law of former Kazakh ruler Nursultan Nazarbayev in 2007. The buyer allegedly paid 15 million pounds ($19 million) — 3 million pounds more than the asking price.
But Andrew’s links to Epstein have been his biggest problem.
Questions about the relationship resurfaced after Epstein was again arrested on sex trafficking charges in 2019. In an effort to silence criticism, Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC’s Newsnight program in which he tried to explain away his contacts with Epstein and failed to show empathy for victims.
Amid the backlash, Andrew announced on Nov. 20, 2019, that he was stepping away from royal duties “for the foreseeable future.” In a statement, he called his association with Epstein “a major disruption to my family’s work.”
But that didn’t end the scandal. In August 2021, one of Epstein’s victims sued Andrew in a New York court, alleging that the prince had sex with her when she was underage. Andrew denied the allegations, but he was stripped of all military affiliations and royal charity work as the case moved through the legal process.
MOORE SPORTS
WINTER SPORTS ROUNDUP
North Moore girls post first win of the season
North State Journal staff
North Moore
THE MUSTANG boys snapped a two-game losing streak and evened their record at 2-2 on the season with a 65-49 win at South Davidson. Senior Brady Preslar led the way with 19 points. Dawson Futrell added 16 and Colby Pennington 11. Pennington also had 11 rebounds to complete a double-double, while Futrell and Preslar had six each. Brandon Powell added three assists and five steals.
This week, North Moore heads to Jordan-Matthews for a conference game, then gets a little more than a week off for the holidays.
The North Moore girls picked up their first win of the season with a 47-34 victory at South Davidson. That improved the Mustangs to 1-3 on the year. Senior Calissa Clendenin had 16 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, a steal and three blocks to lead North Moore in each category.
This week, the Mustangs go to Jordan-Matthews for their last game before the holiday break.
Union Pines
The Vikings boys jumped above .500 with a pair of wins last week. Union Pines beat Purnell Swett at home, 60-52, then topped Scotland in a home league game, 72-56. The Vikings are now 5-3 on the season, 1-1 in the Sandhills Conference.
Kinglsey Donaldson had 17 points and 14 rebounds against Swett, while Omari Walker put up 11 points. Aiden Leonard added 10 boards. Donaldson then had 27 with 13 rebounds against Scotland, while Jaylen Kyle scored 20.
This week, Union Pines travels to Southern Alamance for its last game before a nine-day holiday break in the schedule.
The Union Pines girls kept rolling with two more wins, putting them at 8-0 on the year, 2-0 in the Sandhills.
The Vikings blew out Purnell Swett 70-32 at home, then beat Scotland in a Sandhills home game, 53-31. The 22-point margin of victory over Scotland made the game the second closest Union Pines has had this season. Their eight wins are by an average of 31 points.
The Vikings head to Southern Alamance this week, then take a holiday break before participating in post-Christmas tournament play.
Pinecrest
The Pinecrest boys won a pair of nail-biters in a 2-1 week on the court. The Patriots are now 5-3 on the season, 1-1 in the Sandhills.
Pinecrest won a home Sandhills game over Richmond,
62-58, then won against visiting South Mecklenburg in overtime, 80-77. That gave Pinecrest a four-game winning streak, with the last three victories coming by a total of 11 points. The streak ended with a 55-43 loss at Southern Lee in the Patriots’ Sandhills road opener.
Pinecrest plays at Purnell Swett this week before taking a break for the holidays.
The Pinecrest girls lost two of three last week to fall below .500, at 4-5, 1-1 in the Sandhills.
A 62-40 home league loss to Richmond opened play this week, followed by a 56-55 heartbreaker in overtime against South Mecklenburg. Pinecrest then hit the road and posted a resounding 87-35 win at Southern Lee in the Sandhills road opener.
Kennedy Moore led the team in scoring in all three games with 17, 18 and 35. Anya McGregor was in double figures all three games, scoring 15, 12 and 14.
This week, Pinecrest hits the holiday break with a home game against Purnell Swett.
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Isaiah Upchurch
Sandhills Community College, men’s basketball
Isaiah Upchurch is a freshman guard on the Sandhills Community College men’s basketball team.
The Southern Lee product is second on the No. 3‑ranked Flyers in scoring and is second on the team in 3 pointers made.
He came up big in the team’s biggest game of the young season, however. In Sandhills CC’s upset over the top ranked team in the country, Davidson Davie Community College, Upchurch scored 30 points on 9 of 16 shooting. He was also a perfect 10 for 10 from the free throw line and added two rebounds, two steals and three assists.
Team accuses NASCAR on charter denial over federal antitrust suit
Jordan is one of two team owners suing NASCAR in federal court
By Jenna Fryer
The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE — Front Row
Motorsports, one of two teams suing NASCAR in federal court, accused the stock car series last Thursday of rejecting the planned purchase of a valuable charter unless the lawsuit was dropped.
Front Row made the claim in a court filing and said it involved its proposed purchase of the charter from Stewart-Haas Racing.
Front Row said the series would only approve it if Front Row and 23XI Racing dropped their court case.
“Specifically, NASCAR informed us that it would not approve the (charter) transfer unless we agreed to drop our current antitrust lawsuit against them,” Jerry Freeze, general manager of Front Row, said in an affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court of Western North Carolina.
Earlier this week, the suit was transferred to a different judge than the one who heard the first round of arguments and ruled against the two teams in their request for a temporary injunction to be recognized in 2025 as chartered teams as the case proceeds.
The latest filing is heavily redacted as it lays out alleged retaliatory actions by NASCAR the teams say have caused irreparable harm.
Both Front Row and 23XI want to expand from two full-time cars to three. The teams can still compete next season but would have to do so as “open” teams that don’t have the same protections or financial
gains that come from holding a charter. Freeze claimed in the affidavit that Front Row signed a purchase agreement with SHR in April and NASCAR President Steve Phelps told Freeze in September the deal had been approved. But when Front Row submitted the paperwork last month, NASCAR began asking for additional information. A Dec. 4 request from NASCAR was “primarily related to our ongoing lawsuit with NASCAR,” Freeze said.
“NASCAR informed us on December 5, 2024, that it objected to the transfer and would not ap-
prove it, in contrast to the previous oral approval for the transfer confirmed by Phelps before we filed the lawsuit,” Freeze said. “NASCAR made it clear that the reason it was now changing course and objecting to the transfer is because NASCAR is insisting that we drop the lawsuit and antitrust claims against it as a condition of being approved.” A second affidavit from Steve Lauletta, the president of 23XI Racing, claims NASCAR accused 23XI and Front Row of manufacturing “new circumstances” in a renewed motion for an injunction and of a “coordinated effort behind the scenes.”
“This is completely false,” Lauletta said. Front Row is owned by businessman Bob Jenkins, while 23XI is owned by retired NBA Hall of Famer Jordan, threetime Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin and longtime Jordan adviser Curtis Polk.
The teams contend they must be chartered under some of their contractual agreements with current sponsors and drivers, and competing next year as open teams will cause significant losses.
“23XI exists to compete at the highest level of stock car racing, striving to become the best team it can be. But that ambition
Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, watches during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race in November.
can only be pursued within NASCAR, which has monopolized the market as the sole top-tier circuit for stock car racing,” Lauletta said. “Our efforts to expand — purchasing more cars and increasing our presence on the track — are integral to achieving this goal.
“It is not hypocritical to operate within the only system available while striving for excellence and contending for championships,” he continued. “It is a necessity because NASCAR’s monopoly leaves 23XI no alternative circuit, no different terms, and no other viable avenue to compete at this level.”
COURTESY SANDHILLS CC ATHLETICS
DAVID SINCLAIR FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Pinecrest’s Kennedy Moore (22) puts up a shot in the Patriots’ game against Richmond.
Michael
JOHN LOCHER / AP PHOTO
SIDELINE REPORT
NCAA FOOTBALL
Former Miami booster among those with sentences commuted by Biden
Washington
Nevin Shapiro, the former Miami booster whose rogue involvement with the school led to a massive NCAA investigation and significant sanctions against the Hurricanes, had his sentence for masterminding a $930 million Ponzi scheme commuted by President Joe Biden. Shapiro was among the 1,499 recipients of commutations announced by the White House. Shapiro, who was initially sentenced in 2011 to serve 20 years in prison and repay his jilted investors nearly $83 million, will be officially listed as released on Dec. 22. Court records show Shapiro has been on home confinement since 2020.
NBA Point guard Schroder traded by Brooklyn to Golden State
Las Vegas Golden State has acquired point guard Dennis Schroder in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for injured guard De’Anthony Melton and guard Reece Beekman. The trade was agreed to on Saturday and finalized on Sunday when league rules allowed, with the Nets also receiving a package of second-round draft picks. Schroder averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists this season for the Nets, who are 10th in the Eastern Conference.
SKIING
Shiffrin recovering after abdominal surgery to clean out deep puncture wound suffered in race crash
Beaver Creek, Colo.
Mikaela Shiffrin is recovering after undergoing abdominal surgery to clean out a puncture wound she received in a giant slalom crash two weeks ago. Shiffrin posted an update on Instagram. There’s no timetable for Shiffrin’s return to racing after suffering bruises and the deep puncture to her hip area during a crash on Nov. 30 in Killington, Vermont, while charging after her 100th career World Cup win. She has more wins than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.
MLB Freeman’s walk-off grand slam ball sells for $1.56M at auction
Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Freddie Freeman’s historic walk-off grand slam ball from Game 1 of the World Series sold for $1.56 million at auction. The bidding at SCP Auctions went into the late hours of Saturday night, according to a statement from the auction house. It didn’t say who bought the ball. Freeman, the Dodgers first baseman, came to the plate on a sprained right ankle with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Yankees. He hit the first pitch 413 feet for the first walk-off grand slam in World Series history for the 6-3 win.
New Marshall coach recruiting own players in transfer portal
More than two dozen players look to leave as the former Wolfpack defensive coordinator takes over
By John Raby The Associated Press
TONY GIBSON jumped right into recruiting at Marshall in his first college head coaching job after nearly three decades as an assistant. It involved his own players. The roster took an immediate hit after Charles Huff was named coach at Southern Miss on Sunday while Gibson, the defensive coordinator at NC State, was announced as his replacement less than an hour later.
The transfer portal opened the next day. By Thursday, at least 25 Marshall players were in it.
Gibson held a meeting shortly after arriving on campus in Huntington to introduce himself to the team. He’s followed that up with phone calls, text
messages and more meetings Friday and Saturday.
“Any time coaches leave to take other jobs, it is emotional,” Gibson said at a news conference Thursday. “And kids that are 18-to-22 years old are going to make emotional decisions instead of just breathing for a day or two.”
Many who entered the portal and can still come back were veterans, including all three quarterbacks who played this season: Braylon Braxton, Stone Earle and Cole Pennington. So did leading rusher A.J. Turner and three of the team’s top seven wide receivers. On defense, four of the seven leading tacklers are in the portal, including leading tackler Jaden Yates at linebacker.
Gibson signed a memorandum of understanding to coach at Marshall on Dec. 3. Huff, whose contract expired after this season and had never signed an extension, left one day after Marshall beat Louisiana-Lafayette in the Sun Belt championship game. The Herd
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am staying home. And it’s going to be our last house. This I promise.”
Marshall coach Tony Gibson, a West Virginia native
was supposed to play No. 19 Army in the Independence Bowl but was forced to pull out of the game because of a lack of players. Under his five-year agreement, Gibson will be paid an annual salary of $1 million, compared with $750,000 for Huff. Gibson’s buyout is $4 million if he accepts a job at another Division I school or with a professional league or team before February 2026. It will be reduced by $1 million each year after that.
Gibson, 52, has his doubts the buyout will come into play.
He grew up in the small coal mining community of Van, West Virginia, and it has been his wish to move back to his native state. He has been an assistant at Power 4 schools for the past 24 seasons and said he’s moved his family 15 times in the past.
“Trust me when I tell you this, I am home. And I am staying home,” Gibson said. “And it’s going to be our last house. This I promise.” During Gibson’s first of two stints on West Virginia’s staff, the Mountaineers regularly played Marshall in the Friends of Coal Bowl two decades ago. Despite Marshall going 0-7 in the series from 2006 to 2012, he’d like to see it return.
As for the games already penciled in, it will be a daunting task right away, and Gibson turned to athletic director Christian Spears for a mild scolding.
“Thank you for scheduling Georgia as my first game as a football coach,” Gibson said to the crowd’s laughter.
Horvath shines as Navy dominates Army
The bowl-bound teams set a record for the most combined wins entering the game
By Noah Trister The Associated Press
LANDOVER, Md. — This was an Army-Navy game unlike any before it. The teams had combined for 19 victories this season before their annual clash, a record for the rivalry.
Of course, only one of them would be responsible for No. 20 — the biggest win of them all.
“I think they’re like us. We want to be significant,” Navy coach Brian Newberry said. “I think we both were this year, and I think because of that maybe there was a little more significance, a little more interest maybe in this game.”
Blake Horvath outplayed Bryson Daily at quarterback, accounting for 311 yards and four touchdowns to help Navy beat No. 19 Army 31-13 on Saturday. Horvath threw for 107 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns.
Navy (9-3) snapped a two -game losing streak in the series.
Daily, who finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy vote this year, threw a touchdown pass of his own, but he was intercepted three times. Army (11-2) fell behind 14-0 in the second quarter and never completely recovered. The Black Knights were coming off a victory over Tulane in the American Athletic Conference title game — the first league championship in program history.
Navy, which won its first six games this season and also spent time in the Top 25, completed a sweep of Air Force and
Midshipmen celebrate during the first half of the Army-Navy game, in Landover, Maryland.
Army to win the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy for the first time since 2019.
“As excited and proud we were eight days ago, we’re as disappointed as we’ve ever been,” Army coach Jeff Monken said. “It’s hard to lose that game. That one hurts a lot, especially when the trophy’s on the line and we’ve got a chance to keep that trophy at West Point. We didn’t do it.”
In front of a crowd that included President-elect Donald Trump at the Washington Commanders’ home stadium in Landover, Navy took the opening kickoff and drove 65 yards, reaching the end zone on a 1-yard run by Horvath.
Daily, who had been intercepted only once all season,
had a pass picked off in the second quarter by Dashaun Peele. The Midshipmen took advantage of a short field, going ahead 14-0 on an 18-yard pass from Horvath to Brandon Chatman. Daily answered with a touchdown pass of his own — 23 yards to Hayden Reed. Both teams were run heavy as expected, but they did combine for 25 pass attempts — including what was probably the biggest play of the game in the third quarter. After a field goal made the score 14-10, Horvath connected with Eli Heidenreich, who broke free up the left sideline for a 52-yard touchdown.
Daily missed an open Casey Reynolds in the end zone early in the fourth, and Army settled for a field goal.
Navy then faced fourth down near midfield, but Landon Robinson — normally a nose guard — ran 29 yards on a fake punt. Although Robinson fumbled at the end of the play, the Midshipmen were able to recover.
Horvath’s 1-yard scoring run made it 28-13, and Daily was intercepted twice more before the end of the game. This was the first of two straight Army-Navy games in Navy’s home state of Maryland. Next year’s edition is in Baltimore.
That was Horvath’s 13th touchdown pass of the season and Heidenreich’s sixth touchdown reception — both tying school records.
DANIEL KUCIN JR. / AP PHOTO
RYAN FISCHER / THE HERALD-DISPATCH VIA AP
Marshall University’s head football coach Tony Gibson speaks during his introductory press conference last week.
obituaries
Sandra Lee Pease
Nov. 30, 1978 – Dec. 10, 2024
The Adirondack Mountains were calling, and so she went.
On Tuesday, December 10, 2024, loving daughter, sister, aunt, and friend Sandra Lee Pease, passed away at the age of 46 due to health complications. Sandra was a strong fighter, but she is now at peace and free from pain. We are grateful that at the time of her passing, she was in the comfort of her home with family at her side.
Born on November 30, 1978, Sandra was raised in Waldwick, New Jersey; moved to Garfield, New Jersey as a young adult; and later joined her family in Whispering Pines, North Carolina.
Throughout her years, some things remained constant. Sandra had a great sense of adventure, a love of the outdoors, a passion for food, and a deep love for animals.
Whether sharing a toast at McSorley’s; roasting s’mores by a raging campfire; or driving three hours to the beach for Calabash seafood, she enjoyed spending time with family, friends, and her beloved dogs. And there was no greater adventure to be had than the longstanding family tradition of lakeside camping at Fish Creek Pond Campground in Saranac Lake, New York. It was there that Sandra enjoyed boating, swimming at “dog beach,” board games, and first fish, biggest fish, most fish contests.
Like the ripples of a pebble thrown into a lake, Sandra touched the lives of many people beyond just her family. Often when she had nothing to give, she found a way to care for others. Whether it be her care for people, or her deep love for animals, Sandra’s kind spirit and generous heart will be deeply missed, and we will cherish the memories she gave us.
Sandra received unconditional love, care and support from her loved ones. She is survived and will be missed by: her parents, Bob and Marie Pease; brother Robert Pease; sister Darlene and brother in law Dave (Burrows); niece Katelyn Santiago; close friend Matt Tarant; and others. Her animal companions were also very dear to her. Dogs Cappy and Riley have stayed behind with her brother Robert, but her cats Zack and Kelly and her dog AJ are on a long walk with her now.
In honor of her final wishes, Sandra’s remains will be spread in a private family ceremony at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family invites you to make a donation to the Moore Humane Society in Sandra’s honor at moorehumane.org. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
William Patrick Hagerty
May 9, 2007 – Dec. 10, 2024
William Patrick Hagerty, 17, of Southern Pines, passed on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, from injuries sustained in an automobile accident.
A Vigil for William will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, December 13, 2024, at the Boles Funeral Home in Pinehurst.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, December 14, 2024, at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church in Southern Pines with a Rite of Committal to follow in the church cemetery immediately afterward.
William was born May 9, 2007, in Maryland to Michael Dennis Hagerty Jr. and Anna Michele (Doerfler) Hagerty. Over his seventeen years of life, William moved ten times as a military child including both stateside and overseas locations. William was a senior at Pinecrest High School. He was involved in scouting for eight years, had earned the rank of Life Scout, and was only a few steps away from becoming an Eagle Scout. William was an avid outdoorsman who especially loved to duck hunt with his family. He was a devout Catholic who prayed the rosary often and volunteered to assist with confirmation classes. William was an avid reader who loved traveling and enjoyed trying new foods. William was a dedicated weightlifter who never missed a day at the gym (He would want me to add that his personal best 1 rep max on the bench was 340lbs).
William was a gentle giant with a heart of gold and a contagious smile.
William is survived by his parents, Michael and Anna Hagerty of Southern Pines; his siblings, Michael, Catherine, Sarah, Emily, Colin, and Megan Hagerty; grandparents, Chris and Betsy Doerfler of Southern Pines, and Mike and Rita Hagerty of Ernul, NC; In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in memory of William Hagerty to: Father Vincent Capodanno High School at capodannohigh.org giving or Delta Waterfowl at deltawaterfowl. org/donate/?campaignId=701360 00000QskU. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Pinehurst.
Paulette Marie Kapp
March 24, 1948 – Dec. 8, 2024
Paulette Marie Kapp passed away peacefully on December 8, 2024, leaving her earthly home wanting for a little more beauty and a few more songs. Loved by many for her musical gifts and stubborn independence, she now rests with the soundness of having lived fully and faithfully.
Paulette was born to Esther (Eslinger) Kapp and Raymond Kapp on March 24, 1948, in Fredonia, North Dakota, and her heart never truly left the prairie. Summers working at her grandparents’ homestead formed her early work ethic and reverence for the “old ways,” and those memories made frequent appearances in her stories.
She was a talented musician and director and served in ministry and performance for decades, most recently at the Pinehurst Hotel, Belle Meade St. Joseph of the Pines, and Page Memorial United Methodist Church in Aberdeen. Always resourceful and creative, she furnished and hosted an annual “Homespun Haus” craft sale for many years. Her home was her refuge, and she took great pride in entertaining and designing her spaces.
She was preceded in death by her parents and beloved sons, Michael Ray Reece and Eric Claude Reece. She is survived by her sisters, Cheryl Omana Gore (Jim), Carole (Brian) Burgess, and Joy (David) Thornton, nieces Dawn, Tamara, and Alyssa and nephews Jonathan, David, and Jeremy and their families, and daughter in law Cindy Reece.
Paulette is also survived by her daughter Mary Hannah (Jon) Willink, and grandchildren Dorothy Grace, Amelia Adelaide, and Ingrid Noelle. Being “Grandma” was one of her greatest joys, and her virtues and talents will live on in her three girls. A gathering will be held at Page Memorial UMC on Friday, December 13 at 10:30 a.m., where loved ones are invited to gather and share in celebration of her life and memory.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Cameron Boys Camp, P.O. Box 277, Cameron, NC 28326. Services entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
Ronald G. Workman
June 13, 1939 – Dec. 7, 2024
Ronald G. Workman of Seven Lakes West passed peacefully at the First Health Hospice House on Saturday, December 7, 2024.
Born in Princeton, West Virginia, on June 13, 1939, he was the son of Charles and Irene Workman. Ron’s family moved to Michigan when he was a young man. After high school graduation, Ron enrolled at Henry Ford College, receiving a degree in Engineering. He served in the U. S. Army, receiving an honorable discharge. He went on to work for Kennametal, Inc., a career that spanned thirty years, retiring as a Marketing Manager in Raleigh, NC. After retirement, Ron relocated to the Sandhills in 2003.
Ron was the loving husband of Nancy Lee Endicott Workman and the father of Karen Workman Tomko, husband Jerry, and the late Rhonda Lee Workman Weeden, husband Dale. He is also survived by his sister Debbie Budny and several nieces and nephews. He was a car enthusiast and an avid golfer. Ron took great pride in the work he did as a volunteer for several years at FirstHealth Hospital repairing and servicing wheelchairs and stretchers. Ron was active on many neighborhood committees and volunteered for many golf tournaments; especially enjoying his involvement with Kids Golf. Ron was a member of West End Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to Salvation Army Downriver Corps, 1258 Biddle Avenue, Wyandotte, Michigan 48192 or to the U. S. Kids Golf Foundation.
A celebration of Ron’s life will be held at a later date. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Seven Lakes.
Mary Ellen McNabb
April 23, 1927 – Dec. 7, 2024
Mary Ellen McNabb, age 97, died Saturday, December 7, 2024, at Pinehurst Nursing and Rehab. A memorial service will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 16, 2024, at Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Southern Pines. Committal will follow at the church columbarium.
She is survived by nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Our Saviour Lutheran Church, 1517 Luther Way, Southern Pines, NC 28387. Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home.
Michelle Lowry Gorman
Aug. 11, 1979 – Dec. 8, 2024
Michelle Lowry Gorman, 54 of Southern Pines, passed away on December 8, 2024, at her home in Southern Pines.
Born on August 11, 1970 in Redding, California. Michelle graduated from Cut Bank High School in Montana (Class of 1988). She was a proud Army wife and moved with her husband to Savannah, GA in 1989 and then to North Carolina in 1991 where they continued to live following her husband’s military service. She enjoyed gardening, casino trips, hiking and most recently gold mining.
She was preceded in death by her mother, Mardell Lowry and one brother, Greg Varner. She is survived by her loving husband, Rodney Gorman; two sons, Scott Gorman and Travis Gorman; father, Dwain Lowry; sister, Erinn Lowry Jorgensen; and brother, Jon Lowry.
No services are planned at this time per Michelle’s wishes.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
Services are entrusted to Boles Funeral Home of Southern Pines.
STATE & NATION
ABC agrees to $15M toward Trump’s presidential library in
George Stephanopoulos
wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and “defaming the victim of that rape”
By Michael R. Sisak
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — ABC News has agreed to pay $15 million toward Donald Trump’s presidential library to settle a defamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertion that the president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll.
As part of the settlement made public Saturday, ABC News posted an editor’s note to its website expressing regret over Stephanopoulos’ statements during a March 10 segment on his “This Week” program. The network will also pay $1 million in legal fees to the law firm of Trump’s attorney, Alejandro Brito.
The settlement agreement describes ABC’s presidential library payment as a “charitable contribution,” with the money earmarked for a non-profit organization that is being estab -
defamation settlement
lished in connection with the yet-to-be-built library.
“We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing,” ABC News spokesperson Jeannie Kedas said. A Trump spokesperson declined comment.
Man pleads guilty in phony bribery scheme involving Bidens
Former FBI informant
Alexander Smirnov alleged a Ukrainian energy company had paid the president and his son
By Alanna Durkin Richer and
Jaimie
Ding
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — A former FBI informant pleaded guilty on Monday to lying about a phony bribery scheme involving President Joe Biden and his son Hunter that became central to the Republican impeachment inquiry in Congress.
Alexander Smirnov entered his plea to a felony charge in connection with the bogus story, along with a tax evasion charge stemming from a separate indictment accusing him of concealing millions of dollars of income.
An attorney for Smirnov, 44, declined to comment after the hearing in Los Angeles federal court.
Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to recommend a
sentence of between four and six years in prison when he’s sentenced next month.
Smirnov will get credit for the time he has served since his February arrest on charges that he told his FBI handler that executives from the Ukrainian energy company Burisma had paid President Biden and Hunter Biden $5 million each around 2015.
Smirnov had been an informant for more than a decade when he made the explosive allegations about the Bidens in June 2020, after “expressing bias” about Joe Biden as a presidential candidate, prosecutors said.
But Smirnov had only routine business dealings with Burisma starting in 2017, according to court documents. An FBI field office investigated the allegations and recommended the case be closed in August 2020, according to charging documents.
No evidence has emerged that Joe Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes as president or in his previous office as vice president.
While Smirnov’s identity wasn’t publicly known before the indictment, his claims played a
The settlement agreement was signed Friday, the same day a Florida federal judge ordered Trump and Stephanopoulos to sit for separate depositions in the case next week. The settlement means that sworn testimony is no longer required.
The agreement bore Trump’s
bold, distinct signature and an electronic signature with the initials GRS in a space for Stephanopoulos’ name. Debra OConnell, the president of ABC News Group and Disney Entertainment Networks, also e-signed the agreement.
ABC News must transfer the $15 million for Trump’s library to an escrow account that’s being managed by Brito’s law firm within 10 days, according to the agreement. The network must also pay Brito’s legal fees within 10 days.
While sizeable, ABC’s contribution to Trump’s presidential library will likely cover just a fraction of the cost. Former President Barack Obama’s library in Chicago, for example, was estimated to cost $830 million as of 2021.
Trump sued ABC and Stephanopoulos in federal court in Miami days after the network aired the segment, in which the longtime “Good Morning America” anchor and “This Week” host repeatedly misstated the verdicts in Carroll’s two civil lawsuits against Trump.
During a live “This Week” interview with Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), Stephanopoulos wrongly claimed Trump had been “found liable for rape” and
“defaming the victim of that rape.”
Neither verdict involved a finding of rape as defined under New York law.
In the first of the lawsuits to go to trial, Trump was found liable last year of sexually abusing and defaming Carroll. A jury ordered him to pay her $5 million.
In January, at a second trial in federal court in Manhattan, Trump was found liable on additional defamation claims and ordered to pay Carroll $83.3 million.
Trump is appealing both verdicts.
Carroll, a former advice columnist, went public in a 2019 memoir with her allegation that Trump raped her in the mid-1990s at Bergdorf Goodman, a luxury Manhattan department store across the street from Trump Tower, after they crossed paths at an entrance.
Trump denied her claim, saying he didn’t know Carroll and never ran into her at the store.
After Trump lashed out, calling Carroll a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell her memoir, she sued him for unspecified monetary damages and sought a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials.
major part in the Republican effort in Congress to investigate the president and his family, and helped spark a House impeachment inquiry into Biden. Before Smirnov’s arrest, Republicans had demanded the FBI release the unredacted form documenting the unverified allegations, though they acknowledged they couldn’t confirm if they were true.
During a September 2023 conversation with investigators, Smirnov also claimed the Russians probably had recordings of
Hunter Biden because a hotel in Ukraine’s capital where he had stayed was “wired” and under their control — information he said was passed along to him by four high-level Russian officials.
But Hunter Biden had never traveled to Ukraine, according to Smirnov’s indictment.
Smirnov claimed to have contacts with Russian intelligence-affiliated officials and told authorities after his arrest this year that “officials associated with Russian intelligence were involved in passing
a story” about Hunter Biden. The case against Smirnov was brought by special counsel David Weiss, who also prosecuted Hunter Biden on gun and tax charges. Hunter Biden was supposed to be sentenced this month after being convicted at a trial in the gun case and pleading guilty to federal charges in the tax case. But he was pardoned this month by his father, who said he believed “raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice.”
EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO
President Donald Trump talks with ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos before a town hall in Philadelphia in 2020.
K.M. CANNON / LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL VIA AP
Former FBI informant Alexander Smirnov, left, walks out of his lawyer’s office in downtown Las Vegas after being released from federal custody Feb. 20, 2024.
