North State Journal Vol. 7, Issue 39

Happy Thanksgiving from NSJ

State

unemployment

rate increases again

Raleigh

The state’s seasonally adjusted October 2022 unemployment rate was 3.8%, increasing from September’s revised rate of 3.6%. The national rate increased to 3.7%. In the summer, the state’s unemployment rate stood at 3.4%.

The number of people employed decreased 10,310 over the month to 4,933,609 and increased 154,352 over the year.

Since October 2021, the state’s labor force increased by 128,783.

GasBuddy: Gas prices plummet as oil market turns bearish

Charlotte

For the second straight week, the nation’s average gas price has declined, falling 11.9 cents to $3.64 per gallon according to GasBuddy. The national average is down 16.4 cents from a month ago but still 24.5 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

“It’s terrific news as motorists prepare for Thanksgiving travel, with tens of thousands of stations under $3 per gallon,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Everyone will be seeing relief at the pump this week, with even more substantial declines on the way as oil prices plummeted last week to briefly trade under $80 per barrel.”

agree Omaha, Neb.

Consumers could see shortages of some of their favorite groceries during the winter holiday season if railroads and all of their unions can’t agree on new contracts by an early-December deadline that had already been pushed back.

The likelihood of a strike that could paralyze the nation’s rail traffic grew when the largest of the 12 rail unions, which represents mostly conductors, rejected management’s latest offering that included 24% raises.

It appears increasingly likely that Congress will have to settle the dispute. Lawmakers have the power to impose contract terms if both sides can’t reach an agreement, and hundreds of business groups have urged Congress and President Joe Biden to intervene.

Bankrupt exchange FTX owes top creditors over $3 billion

New York

The failed cryptocurrency exchange FTX owes more than $3 billion to its largest creditors, the company disclosed in a court filing over the weekend.

The list of the top 50 unsecured claims against FTX gives the public a first glance into the amount of money Sam Bankman-Fried’s companies may owe his customers. The top claim was more than $226 million.

“Never in my career have I seen such a complete failure of corporate controls and such a complete absence of trustworthy financial information as occurred here,” said John Ray III, the new CEO of FTX.

USA, Wales tie in opening World Cup match

Doha, Qatar

The USA Men’s National Soccer team tied Wales 1-1 after giving up a late penalty kick to Welsh star Gareth Bale in the first game of the 2022 World Cup. Up next for the USA team is a match against England on Friday, Nov. 25.

Chocolate off the menu this Thanksgiving

Berger: NC Supreme Court majority’s ‘extraordinary’ Leandro remedy is about power

treasurer and the N.C. Office of Budget and Management — to transfer billions from the state’s coffers.

This year’s Thanksgiving dinner cost jumps 20% over 2021

Cost of a meal for 10 rose $10.74 per the American Farm Bureau Federation

RALEIGH According to this year’s Thanksgiving Dinner Farm Bureau survey, the average cost for a family of 10 has risen $10.74 or 20% over the previous year, going from $53.31 in 2021 to $64.05 this year.

While the cost has crept up each year, this year’s Thanksgiv ing dinner will be the most expen sive in the history of the survey. This year’s price jump is almost four dollars more compared to the increase between 2020 and 2021 when the average cost rose $6.41.

This is the 37th year the American Farm Bureau Feder ation (AFBF) has conducted the Thanksgiving Dinner survey.

“General inflation slashing the purchasing power of consumers is a significant factor contributing to the increase in average cost of this year’s Thanksgiving dinner,” AFBF Chief Economist Roger Cryan said in a press release.

Inflation rates have been rising over the past two years. Inflation hit a high this year in June of 9.1%.

Prior to the 2020 election, the in flation rate for October was 1.2%.

The current annual inflation rate for October came in at 7.7%; a small decline from 8.2% in September. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for food overall was 10.9% in October. Drilling down,

the CPI reported a rate of 12.9% for food at home and 8.6% for food purchases away from home.

Cryan also said other factors raising the cost include “supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine,” and higher turkey costs can also be linked to “a slightly smaller flock this year, increased feed costs and lighter processing weights.”

“Farmers are working hard to meet growing demands for food – both here in the U.S. and glob ally – while facing rising prices for fuel, fertilizer and other inputs,” Cryan said.

The majority of the menu items have double-digit increases this year. The only decrease was a 14 percent drop in the cost of fresh cranberries.

16-pound turkey: $28.96 or $1.81 per pound (up 21%)

14-ounce bag of cubed stuffing mix: $3.88 (up 69%)

2 frozen pie crusts: $3.68 (up 26%)

Half pint of whipping cream: $2.24 (up 26%)

1 pound of frozen peas: $1.90 (up 23%)

1 dozen dinner rolls: $3.73 (up 22%)

Misc. ingredients to prepare the meal: $4.13 (up 20%)

RALEIGH — The N.C. Su preme Court released its opinion on the long-running Leandro ed ucation funding case on Nov. 4, just days ahead of the 2022 mid term elections.

In the 4-3 decision, the Dem ocratic majority sided with for mer Judge David Lee’s previous decision ordering three state en tities — the state controller, state

Penned by retiring Associ ate Justice Robin Hudson, the majority opinion consists of 136 pages out of the 227-page ruling. Hudson’s majority ruling also says the trial court will “retain jurisdiction over the parties to monitor State compliance with this order.”

The bulk of the majority opinion is spent justifying what Hudson calls an “extraordinary remedy,” which is the court by passing the state constitution’s appropriations clause that states “No money shall be drawn from the State treasury but in conse

NC Supreme Court dismisses request to expedite constitutional amendments case

North State Journal

RALEIGH — A request to expedite trial proceedings by plaintiffs in the ongoing case involving two constitutional amendments passed by voters in 2018 was rejected by the N.C. Supreme Court last week.

On Nov. 15, attorneys repre senting the N.C. NAACP filed a Writ of Mandamus in the case involving two state constitu tional amendments approved by voters in 2018. In their request, the Plaintiffs claim a panel of N.C. Court of Appeals judges are delaying the transfer of the case to a trial court in Wake Coun ty and asked the state supreme court to force the transfer.

Given the additional factual inquiry that this Court has or dered the trial court to conduct, additional delays in resolving this case may be inevitable,” the Plaintiff’s request states. “But there is no reason to allow the inexplicable delay caused by the Respondent Court of Appeals to drag on indefinitely, blocking the trial court from fulfilling this Court’s order.”

The amendments being sued over, Voter ID and a state in come tax cap, were among six

“The essence of this case is power — who has the power to craft educational policy and who has the authority to fund that policy.”

Consumers could pay price if railroads, unions can’t

30-ounce can of pumpkin pie mix: $4.28 (up 18%)

1 gallon of whole milk: $3.84 (up 16%)

3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $3.96 (up 11%)

1-pound veggie tray (carrots & celery): 88 cents (up 8%)

12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.57 (down 14%)

The classic dinner menu items on the survey have not changed since it was first con ducted in 1986. Three alternate items were added in 2018 and include ham, Russet potatoes and frozen green beans.

Per AFBF, this year’s nation al average cost was calculated using 224 surveys completed with pricing data from all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

The menu item costs are based on prices checked by AFBF’s “volunteer shoppers” who looked for the best prices without special promotional coupons or purchase deals.

The prices obtained in the survey are from between Oct. 18-31 with AFBF noting the prices were taken before most grocery stores began selling whole frozen turkeys at “sharp ly lower prices.”

President George Washington issued a proclamation on October 3, 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 as a national day of thanks. Ac cording to historians at Mount Vernon, Washington attended services at St. Paul’s Chapel in New York and donated beer and food to imprisoned debtors in the city on that day.

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor — and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be— That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation — for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for

the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions— to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go: Washington

quence of appropriations made by law.”

“We recognize that the rem edy decreed by the trial court’s November 2021 Order and re instated by this Court today is extraordinary,” Hudson wrote. “It exercises powers at the outer bounds of the reach of the judi ciary and encroaches into the traditional responsibilities of our coequal branches of government. We do not do so lightly.”

Hudson went on to write “years of continued judicial def erence and legislative non-com pliance render it our solemn con stitutional duty to do so” and that to retain constitutional integrity, “the judiciary must fill the void.”

In an interview with North State Journal, North Carolina Institute for Constitutional Law President Jeanette Doran said Hudson’s characterization of the ruling as an “extraordinary” remedy was likely an “attempt to make the decision sound narrow er than it is” and it would make voters “more comfortable with this power grab.”

“The public knows,” Doran said. “The appropriations clause is not difficult to understand.”

She added that Hudson and the other three justices in the majority perhaps thought voters weren’t going to “get it,” howev er, “in their gut, voters know they don’t want judges writing por tions of the state budget.”

Doran’s observation on voter comprehension of the issue could be one of the reasons the two Re publican candidates for the high court won their races on Nov. 8, giving the GOP majority control for the first time since 2018.

State Controller Linda Combs has already objected once over due process rights and her of fice being directed to make part

of the transfer order, and State Treasurer Dale Folwell has ob tained outside legal counsel re garding the case. It is unclear at this point how those two officials will proceed.

Doran noted that Hudson barely mentions due process, spending “about three sentenc es” on the topic, and summarized Hudson’s due process argument as “we don’t see a due process is sue here because other parts of the state were involved in the case and they adequately represented [Combs’] interests.”

When the three agencies were ordered to make the transfers, the dollar figure was more than $1.7 billion and would be dis tributed to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and the UNC System.

The amount was reduced in light of recent budgets down to about $750 million, but that number could change again. Hudson’s ruling remands the case back to the trial court for the “narrow purpose of recalculating the amount of funds to be trans ferred in light of the State’s 2022 budget.”

For context, the original price tag of the 300-page Compre hensive Remedial Plan compiled by the consulting group WestEd was a staggering $8.29 billion in vague new state-level spending over an eight-year period.

The dissent was authored by Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr. and joined by Chief Justice Paul Newby and Associate Justice Ta mara Barringer.

Most of the dissent centers on the state constitution’s appropri ations clause and, in part, refutes the majority opinion as “the arbi trary usurpation of purely legisla tive power by four justices.”

Citing multiple past cases, Berger underscored the major

ity’s opinion undermines the court’s own past rulings, one of which occurred around two years ago — the case of Cooper v. Moore. Writing for the majority, Associate Justice Sam Ervin af firmed the General Assembly has “exclusive” control of expendi tures under the state’s appropri ation clause.

“In light of this constitution al provision, ‘[t]he power of the purse is the exclusive prerogative of the General Assembly,’ with the origin of the appropriations clause dating back to the time that the original state constitu tion was ratified in 1776,” Ervin wrote.

In the end, Berger cut to the chase, stating the case isn’t about money but about “power.”

“Fundamentally, and con trary to what plaintiffs, executive branch defendants, and the ma jority would have the public be lieve, this case is not about North Carolina’s failure to afford its children with the opportunity to receive a sound basic education,” wrote Berger. “The essence of this case is power — who has the pow er to craft educational policy and who has the authority to fund that policy.”

Berger heavily criticized the majority opinion as a “gross mis application” of case law, as well as an “Oppenheimeresque reshap ing of the appropriations clause and usurpation of legislative function” that has “no apparent concern for constitutional stric tures or the limits of this Court’s power.”

“The judicial branch now as sumes boundless inherent au thority to reach any desired result, ignoring the express boundaries set by the explicit lan guage of our constitution and this Court’s precedent,” Berger wrote.

Berger also pointed out the majority admits “Leandro II was

limited to Hoke County, but be cause the trial court hear and made references to other dis tricts, Leandro is now a ‘state wide’ case.”

Part of Berger’s dissent echoed the argument of the legislative defendants that there was collu sion in the case, stating “Plain tiffs, Plaintiff-Intervenors, and [the State] have worked together to obtain judicial orders mandat ing their desired policies.”

Lending support to the collu sion claim lies is the fact at least $1.5 million of the $2.05 million paid to WestEd came from en tities friendly to the governor’s office. Out of the $1.5 million, a combined $804,699 came from two Cooper’s cabinet agencies; the Department of Administra tion and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Berger also addressed Attor ney General Josh Stein’s recusal.

“In 2011, the majority party of General Assembly, both House and Senate, changed. The At torney General, then asserting a purported conflict of interest, ceased to represent the General Assembly at that time,” Berger wrote. “The Attorney General noted that executive branch de fendants refused to waive this conflict.”

Stein’s statement on the ruling thanked his team for their “im pressive work arguing this case” and that he had “long said that we need a good teacher in every classroom and a strong principal in every school,” and was “grate ful that the Court agrees.”

Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper issued a two-sentence statement about the ruling that said, “It’s our constitutional duty to ensure every child has access to a sound basic education. As the N.C. Su preme Court has affirmed today, we must do more for our students all across North Carolina.”

NC group joins lawsuit fighting charter school grant regulations

clear instructions otherwise.”

RALEIGH — The N.C. Coali tion for Charter Schools has joined a lawsuit seeking to block regula tions imposed on the federal Char ter Schools Program by the Biden administration’s Department of Education.

The lawsuit said the U.S. De partment of Education “has set out new criteria for grant awards that are designed to decrease charter school programs, and ensure that failing public schools don’t have to compete with innovative alterna tives.”

“Our organization exists to pro mote and protect charter schools. All children deserve options in their public schooling, and the onerous restrictions imposed by the Dept. of Education threaten that vision,” Executive Director of the N.C. Coalition for Charter Schools Lindalyn Kakadelis said in a statement.

The other plaintiffs include the Michigan Association of Public School Academies, The Thomas B. Fordham Institute, Delaware Charter Schools Network, and the West Virginia Charter Professional Charter School Board.

Per a press release, the national nonprofit legal group Pacific Le gal Foundation is representing the plaintiffs free of charge.

“This attack on charter schools is not only deeply unfair to kids who would benefit from education al alternatives, it’s illegal,” said Ca leb Kruckenberg, an attorney with Pacific Legal Foundation. “The Department of Education has no authority to issue these new rules. The agency cannot advance a pol icy agenda contrary to Congress’

The program that is the focus of the lawsuit is the federal Char ter Schools Program (CSP), which offers grants to offset costs for cre ation, expansion, and replication of public charter schools. With bipar tisan support, Congress expanded the CSP in 2015. The expansion in cluded specific details on how CSP grant money should be disbursed.

Earlier in 2022, the Biden ad ministration’s Department of Edu cation proposed restrictions on the CSP which plaintiffs contend was “not authorized by Congress” and that the department exceeded its legal authority.

“The Department’s attack on the charter school program it is tasked with administering is unlawful. Not only does the Department lack the authority to issue any new criteria; the proposed factors will punish the most successful char ter school programs, particularly in school districts that enroll large numbers of minority students,” the lawsuit states. “All the while, the rule comes from an agency employ ee and lacks even the blessing of a properly-appointed officer of the United States. The Department’s sneak attack on the charter school program, and on the students caught in the middle, must be set aside by this Court.”

Biden’s education department saw heaving backlash in the form of over 26,000 public comments sub mitted to its proposed CSP changes as well as protests in Washington, D.C. by charter school advocates.

Plaintiffs say the new restric tions are “onerous” because they require public charter schools seeking CSP grants to engage in practices and maintain enrollment statistics that are not required of traditional public schools or the districts those schools fall under.

The requirements would force public charter schools to show there is over-enrollment in exist ing schools before receiving grant funds, which the plaintiffs say is

“in effect treating public charter schools as mere overflow spaces.”

Public charter schools would also be required to collaborate with local school districts despite many traditional districts both fighting the creation of new charter schools and trying to dismantle or defund those that do exist. According to the plaintiffs, this requirement “ef fectively grants them [districts] a veto over public charter schools.”

Biden’s Department of Educa tion also proposes public charter schools must mirror the racial makeup of the entire district they reside in. The racial makeup re quirement is problematic due to the fact charter schools cannot control who applies to their school.

In other words, the requirement could essentially force charters to enact racial enrollment quotas –something that most traditional districts do not do nor are they re quired to.

An example given by the plain tiffs in the case is the Sallie B. How ard School, a school with National Blue Ribbon designation. The ma jority served by the school are stu dents of color and the requirement could block it from obtaining CSP grant funds.

Enrollment in charter schools in North Carolina is at the discre tion of parents. If a charter school has more applications for any given grade level than seats, a blind lot tery system is employed to deter mine enrollment.

North Carolina currently has 203 charter schools serving over 130,000 students and 7 schools participating in the planning year that are scheduled to open in Fall 2022, according to the N.C. De partment of Public Instruction.

Additionally, twenty non-prof it boards submitted applications to open a school on or before this year’s April application deadline. Five of those boards are seeking approval to open in the 2023-24 school year and 15 are looking to open for the 2024-25 school year.

Over $74M in safety grants awarded to state K-12 districts

RALEIGH — The Department of Public Instruction’s Center for Safer Schools awarded over $74 million in School Safety grants to 200 K-12 school districts across the state.

The grants were announced at the end of October and all school districts which applied for a grant received one, including charter schools.

“School safety is a top priori ty for the Department of Public Instruction as it is for students, families, educators – all of us,” Truitt said in a statement. “It goes without saying that safety is an essential condition for effective teaching and learning. The Center for Safer Schools did a great job ensuring that each applicant re ceived as much funding as possi ble to meet that critical need.”

According to a press release, the grants will be used for safety equipment, school resource offi cers, training and services for stu dents in crisis in elementary, mid dle and charter schools across the state. High schools were eligible

for funding other than for school resource officers.

“The School Safety Grant en hances schools’ efforts to keep our students safe,” said Karen W. Fairley, executive director of the Center for Safer Schools. “We’re thankful that we had the fund ing available to distribute, and we know it will go to good use.”

18 districts received awards of over $1 million. Two dis tricts received over that amount; Buncombe County and Char lotte-Mecklenburg County were awarded $5,916,650 and $2,894,685, respectively.

120 districts were awarded grants ranging from just over

$100,000 to up to $984,000. The remaining 62 districts and char ter schools received awards that were under $100,000 with the smallest grant awarded landing at $7,772.

Qualifying Low Wealth Coun ties were eligible for $44,000 per school resource officer, with a required local funding match of $11,000. Non-Low Wealth Coun ties were eligible for $36,666 for an SRO with a local match of $18,333, per the press release.

Awards are subject to all ad ministrative and financial re quirements, including timely submission of all financial and programmatic reports; resolution of all interim audit findings; and adherence to allowable expenses. Upon successful completion of the mandatory reports, the SRO fund ing will be extended automatically to the 2023-24 school year.

School Safety grants were cre ated in 2018 through a collabo rative effort between the General Assembly and then-state Superin tendent Mark Johnson.

Over $120 million has been awarded to date through the grant program.

NC teacher licensure revision plan goes to state board of education

RALEIGH — At its next meet ing scheduled for Nov. 30 to Dec. 1, the State Board of Education will take up a plan to revise the way teacher licensure is handled.

The Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Com mission (PEPSC) voted 9-7 on Nov. 10 to send a one-page “Blue print for Action” containing 10 action items to the board. A more detailed version of the proposal was first discussed during PEP SC’s Oct. 13 meeting.

PEPSC was created in Sept. 2017 as a part of Senate Bill 599.

The commission has 18 members that in clude various edu cation officials from across the state, in cluding N.C. State Su perintendent Cather ine Truitt.

The blueprint would change the current method to calculate teacher pay based on continuing education and years of experience to one including continuing education and levels of licensure that tie in teacher effectiveness and evaluations.

PEPSC’s blueprint includes four lev els of licensure from apprentice through advanced. The levels are linked to teacher effectiveness that include compo nents like principal reviews, stu dent growth on state tests, and student surveys.

The more detailed plan would increase educator evaluations and teacher supports as well as possi bly raising starting teacher pay to $54,000. Advanced teachers could see an increase to $72,000. In addition, an apprentice licen sure level could see pay ranging from $30,000 to $38,000.

Some PEPSC members indi cated they don’t agree on some of the changes to the system and a model that relies more on stan dardized tests as part of evaluat ing teachers.

Noting to the upcoming return of the General Assembly for the long session, Truitt said “I think the last thing we want is for the General Assembly to move on without us and that is why time is of the essence.”

North Carolina Association of Educators President Tamika Walker Kelly issued a statement focusing on teacher expertise and retaining educators of color.

“We believe North Carolina needs a teacher licen sure program that respects teachers’ ex pertise, rewards their time in the profession, offers support through out their career, and recruits and retains educators of color in a way that reflects the demographics of our public-school student population,” Kelly said in a statement. “The ‘Blueprint for Action’ created by PEPSC falls far short of this goal, demonstrated by the committee’s narrow vote to even move their plan forward.”

Kelly also said stu dents are “more likely to succeed when they have more experienced teachers” and that the NCAE will continue to “urge the General Assembly and State Board of Education to reject any changes to licensure that will harm our public school workers, their students and our communi ties.”

The State Board of Education is expected to vote on the Blue print on Dec. 1. If approved, the plan would head to the legislature to decide what action, if any, will be taken.

on the ballot that year. The Vot er ID amendment passed with 55 percent of the vote and the tax cap amendment passed with 57 percent of the vote. The tax cap amendment low ers the state’s current income tax rate cap from 10 percent to 7 percent.

In mid-August, the N.C. Su preme Court ordered the case to be remanded back to the trial court. The remand order did not have a deadline for action and was the result of a 4-3 split rul ing with a court makeup of four Democratic justices to three Re publicans. That court member ship has since changed following

the Nov. 8 General election to a 5-2 Republican majority.

The NC NAACP’s case hinges on the idea that the state legis lature is a “racially gerryman dered,” body and therefore an il legitimate body and argues that on that basis the amendments should be tossed out. Spectators of the case have pointed out that by the logic of that argument, the rest of the amendments should also be tossed out as well as all laws passed by the General Assembly.

The request was dismissed in a short order issued on Nov. 17 by Associate Justice Phil Berger, Jr. that read, “Dismissed as moot by order of the Court in conference, this the 17th of November 2022.”

N.C. Coalition for Charter Schools joins four other entities in suing Biden’s Department of Education

“We’re thankful that we had the funding available to distribute, and we know it will go to good use.”

Karen W. Fairley, executive director of the Center for Safer Schools

“I think the last thing we want is for the General Assembly to move on without us and that is why time of the essence.”

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt

VISUAL VOICES

north STATEment

Remarks prepared for delivery at the Trade Mart in Dallas, Texas — November 22, 1963

THIS LINK BETWEEN leadership and learning is indispensable in world affairs. Ignorance and misinformation can handicap the progress of a city or a company, but they can, if allowed to prevail in foreign policy, handicap this country’s security.

There will always be dissident voices heard in the land, expressing opposition without alternatives, finding fault but never favor, perceiving gloom on every side and seeking influence without responsibility. Those voices are inevitable.

Freedom can be lost without a shot being fired, by ballots as well as bullets. The success of our leadership is dependent upon respect for our mission in the world as well as our missiles — on a clearer recognition of the virtues of freedom as well as the evils of tyranny.

We have regained the initiative in the exploration of outer space, making it clear to all that the United States of America has no intention of finishing second in space.

This effort is expensive — but it pays its own way, for freedom and for America.

We in this country, in this generation, are — by destiny rather than choice — the watchmen on the walls of world freedom.

We cannot expect that everyone, to use the phrase of a decade ago, will “talk sense to the American people.” But we can hope that fewer people will listen to nonsense.

There are many kinds of strength and no one kind will suffice. Overwhelming nuclear strength cannot stop a guerrilla war. Formal pacts of alliance cannot stop internal subversion. Displays of material wealth cannot stop the disillusionment of diplomats subjected to discrimination.

Above all, words alone are not enough. The United States is a peaceful nation. And where our strength and determination are clear, our words need merely to convey conviction, not belligerence. If we are strong, our strength will speak for itself. If we are weak, words will be of no help.

It was not the Monroe Doctrine that kept all Europe away from this hemisphere — it was the strength of the British fleet and the width of the Atlantic Ocean. It was not General Marshall’s speech at Harvard which kept communism out of Western Europe — it was the strength and stability made possible by our military and economic assistance.

Our strength is composed of many different elements, ranging from the most massive deterrents to the most subtle influences. And all types of strength are needed — no one kind could do the job alone.

The strategic nuclear power of the United States has been so greatly modernized and expanded in the last 1,000 days, by the rapid production and deployment of the most modern missile systems, that any and all potential aggressors are clearly confronted now with the impossibility of strategic victory — and the certainty of total destruction — if by reckless attack they should ever force upon us the necessity of a strategic reply.

American military might should not and need not stand alone against the ambitions of international communism. Our security and strength directly depend on the security and strength of others, and that is why our military and economic assistance plays such a key role in enabling those who live on the periphery of the Communist world to maintain their independence of choice.

Thankful at Thanksgiving

LIKE EVERYONE ELSE, my year has been filled with highs and lows, but here lately all I’ve been able to dwell on is the lows.

I lost my dad in June after a long battle with kidney disease. Not that mom and I were under any delusions about his health, but nothing ever prepares you for the loss of a loved one.

It should be clear by now that a nation can be no stronger abroad than she is at home. Only an America which practices what it preaches about equal rights and social justice will be respected by those whose choice affects our future. Only an America which has fully educated its citizens is fully capable of tackling the complex problems and perceiving the hidden dangers of the world in which we live. And only an America which is growing and prospering economically can sustain the worldwide defenses of freedom, while demonstrating to all concerned the opportunities of our system and society.

America’s strength will never be used in pursuit of aggressive ambitions — it will always be used in pursuit of peace. It will never be used to promote provocations — it will always be used to promote the peaceful settlement of disputes.

We in this country, in this generation, are — by destiny rather than choice — the watchmen on the walls of world freedom. We ask, therefore, that we may be worthy of our power and responsibility, that we may exercise our strength with wisdom and restraint, and that we may achieve in our time and for all time the ancient vision of “peace on earth, good will toward men.” That must always be our goal, and the righteousness of our cause must always underlie our strength. For as was written long ago: “except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”

These are the abridged and slightly edited remarks President Kennedy would have delivered on November 22 had he not been assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.

At the beginning of each day we should thank God for allowing us another day in this world, to make our mark, to appreciate the beauty of it all.

Also, I found out in October that my mom had colon cancer, which threw us both for a complete loop. She’s recovering well from her surgery, thankfully, but there are still some concerns and unanswered questions that we’ll need to address at her follow-up appointment, where we’ll also find out the next steps to take. If you’re the praying kind, they would definitely be appreciated.

It’s easy to let the “lows” in life consume you. It happens to a lot of us all the time. And even when we’re experiencing the “highs” of life, some of us are still on the lookout for the inevitable black cloud that lurks off in the distance, waiting to make its dreaded appearance just when you least expect it.

But since it’s Thanksgiving week, like a lot of people reading this it’s got me thinking of what I should be thankful for this year.

So, in no particular order, here’s my list.

I’m appreciative of our military (and their families), who put it all on the line every day so we can remain a free country.

I’m very grateful for our first responders, our nurses, and our doctors, all of who have been through so much since the coronavirus pandemic started but who still show up for work every day in hopes of helping complete strangers get the care that they need.

I’m thankful to be able to continue my writing career mostly on my own terms, something ten years ago — when I was working an administrative job — I had pretty much given up hope of ever happening.

I’m able to provide for my family and more or less have been able to set

my own schedule. I’m also at the point in my life where if I need to take a little time away for personal reasons, I can do that. The people I work with have been incredible from the start as well as understanding whenever I’ve been unexpectedly called away. When you’re working for yourself, these things mean everything.

I’m also very thankful for neighbors who care, and who really stepped up after my dad passed away and then after my mom’s diagnosis. Their support, kind words, and prayers have meant the world to my family.

I’m also immensely grateful for my family, who mom and I have been able to lean on (and vice versa) when times have gotten tough, which has been a lot this year.

This process has made me re-learn how important it is to not look too far ahead, to simply take one day at a time and enjoy the simple things in life. The preciousness of life is something one should try to never forget in the hecticness of each day that goes by. It’s easy to lose sight of that, but at the beginning of each day we should thank God for allowing us another day in this world, to make our mark, to appreciate the beauty of it all.

This Thanksgiving, no matter whether yours is big or small, take a moment at some point to step back and appreciate what you have, all the love in the room, and bottle that memory up so you can remember it on another day when those “lows” and black clouds threaten to darken your mood.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving, everyone.

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

Why risk rating 2.0 is a boon to western North Carolina

The North Carolina General Assembly made flood resilience a high priority, with the largest investment to address flooding in state history.

AS EVIDENCED by this summer’s excessive flooding across Appalachia, Western North Carolina’s vulnerability to the devastating effects of extreme weather is undoubtedly heightened. With a strong influx of frequent and extreme weather events descending upon the region, communities deserve to be better prepared for a future steeped in precipitation.

One of the best deterrent strategies is flood insurance, which financially insulates people, buildings, and valuable belongings when flooding rears its ugly head. This year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which oversees the federal flood insurance program, updated how it prices flood insurance. These changes, called Risk Rating 2.0, create a fair and more transparent system.

The simple truth is that North Carolinians fare well under the new system. Across the state, over a quarter of residents are witnessing their premiums drop this year — while decreases were never seen under the old system. What’s more, in Gaston, Cleveland, and Mecklenburg counties, over 90% of policyholders are experiencing a decrease or modest increases that mirror average increases under the previous system.

The results of these adjustments are two-fold: effectively pricing risk for North Carolinians while instituting a fairer policy.

Before, FEMA’s one-size-fits-all approach priced insurance largely based on where properties were located — in other words, their proximity to a flood zone. What this meant is that homes located near one another could pay similar prices for flood insurance, even though some properties could be at much higher risk of flooding than others.

So, where’s the improvement, and why does it matter? The answer is simple: under Risk Rating 2.0, FEMA incorporates factors like flood types, as well as proximity to a flooding source — such as a coast or river — in calculating flood insurance premiums for individual properties. As an added benefit, FEMA now considers costs to rebuild a destroyed home after a flood.

All in all, flood insurance helps shield policyholders from the devastating financial implications of a flood, while Risk Rating 2.0 paints a more accurate picture of their flood risk. Wouldn’t you want certainty ahead of time to prepare?

Those who do not currently have flood insurance should give serious consideration to obtaining this protection. Many may be unaware that flooding is our country’s costliest natural disaster, and flood damage is not typically included in standard homeowners or renters insurance.

Securing coverage is a sound investment, as flood insurance provides financial relief on a level that no other immediate recovery program can provide. Without flood insurance, homeowners and renters must resort to seeking assistance from agencies like FEMA. But a word of caution: this assistance is not always guaranteed, and payouts are far less than flood insurance.

Even households located outside areas of risk identified in FEMA flood maps should also give due consideration to obtaining flood insurance. For example, between 2015 and 2019, more than 40% of NFIP flood claims came from properties outside high-risk flood areas.

As flooding in North Carolina worsens, this is especially relevant. Let’s rewind the clocks back to 2018. Flash floods from Tropical Storm Alberto resulted in two people losing their lives in Watauga County. Just one year ago, Tropical Storm Fred swept across the state, dumping inches of rain that triggered devastating floods and landslides in Western North Carolina. Even earlier this year, a severe storm brought inches of rain across the region, downing trees and damaging homes in the process. When combined, these storms left behind tens of millions of dollars in damages that are still burdening communities to this day.

The good news is that North Carolina has taken a more proactive and productive approach to meet these challenges head on. Last year, the North Carolina General Assembly made flood resilience a high priority, with the largest investment to address flooding in state history.

Organizations such as the American Flood Coalition and the Eastern North Carolina Recovery & Resilience Alliance are further bolstering flood resilience efforts in the state — and are bringing together a whole host of voices to advocate for more long-term solutions to flooding. Risk Rating 2.0 complements these efforts by arming North Carolinians with a more transparent, accurate understanding of their flood risk and helping them take sensible steps to manage it. As North Carolina sees stronger storms and more frequent flooding, its residents will be better prepared and more resilient for a floodprone future. Truly, Risk Rating 2.0 serves as a boon to the entirety of Western North Carolina.

U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx represents North Carolina’s 5th Congressional District and is the Republican Leader of the House Committee on Education and Labor.

State Rep. John Torbett represents North Carolina’s 108th District in the North Carolina General Assembly.

What history tells us about Speaker McCarthy’s majority

Truman).

The 65th Congress began in 1917 with 215 Republicans, 214 Democrats and six independents.

WHEN IT WAS ANNOUNCED (eight days after the election) that Republicans would have at least 218 U.S. House seats and take control, many people commented that they’d have a terribly small majority.

Of course, Speaker Nancy Pelosi was going to hand the gavel over to Speaker Kevin McCarthy. This represents a huge shift in power. As I wrote last week, the gavel only comes in one size. The Speaker has a dramatic amount of power no matter how large or small his or her majority is.

All the pundits’ talk about how hard it will be for Speaker McCarthy to get things done led me to research the number of narrow majorities in the last century or so (with help from the Office of the Historian of the House).

Some Speakers got a lot done with slim majorities. Some majorities proved incapable of working together effectively and did not get a lot done. Only time will tell if the House Republicans can organize effectively in 2023 and drive their agenda. Certainly, the organizing meetings of the House GOP Conference have so far been encouraging. Members have offered amendments (and the Freedom Caucus even ran a candidate against McCarthy). Republicans shaped a relatively reasonable future of adopting practical reforms while rejecting proposals that would make it impossible for the leadership to lead.

The decisions of the House GOP Conference have increased the likelihood of their success as a narrow Republican Congress. This potential for effectiveness should not come as a great shock.

In the last Congress, Speaker Pelosi had a small 222 to 212 majority — and yet she passed trillions of dollars in spending and a number of radical bills.

As I began to research the number of narrow majorities in the House, I was surprised to learn that Speaker Dennis Hastert had only a 223 to 211 majority (with one independent in addition to the Democrats) when he replaced me in 1999. That narrow majority didn’t inhibit Republicans from getting things done.

Two years later, in 2001, Hastert had an even narrower 221 to 212 majority (with two independents). Yet, in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he was able to lead a unified House in getting a lot done. They enabled the Bush administration to respond to the terrorist war on America, to cut taxes dramatically, and to pass bipartisan education reform. Hastert’s majority grew to 229 after the 2002 elections, and then to 233 after the 2004 election. It then ended with the Democrat Party takeover in 2006, when Pelosi became Speaker for the first time with 233 seats.

Prior to the Contract with America in 1994, the last Republican majority was elected 40 years earlier in 1952, along with President Dwight Eisenhower. It, too, was a narrow majority, with only 221 Republicans. Yet, Congress passed Eisenhower’s conservative program after 20 years of Democrat Presidents (Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Harry

The breakdown of President Roosevelt’s New Deal majority was obvious in the 1942 elections, when Democrats held on to only a 222 to 209 majority (with four independents). Since there were a lot of conservative Democrats in that era, the effective majority was a Republican-Southern Democrat coalition. The liberals were in a minority even though Democrat Sam Rayburn of Texas was Speaker of the House.

Going back further, the emergence of the Democrat Party and the New Deal coalition was signaled at the beginning of the Great Depression in 1931. The Republican majority dropped to 218 (with 216 Democrats and one independent). The GOP had collapsed from its massive 270 seat majority in the previous Congress. After the election, there were three vacancies and the Democrats won them. They took control and set the stage for FDR’s massive victory in 1932.

Finally, the potential for narrow majorities and a lot of complicated maneuvering was set slightly more than a century ago. The 65th Congress began in 1917 with 215 Republicans, 214 Democrats and six independents.

As Historian of the House Matthew Wasniewski wrote me, the 65th Congress’ Speaker’s election “is one of the more interesting in the modern party period.” He continued:

“On April 2, 1917, the opening day of the 65th Congress (1917—1919) Democrat Champ Clark of Missouri, won election to his fourth term as Speaker on the first ballot against Republican Leader James R. Mann of Illinois by a vote of 217 to 205.

“Though Republicans had a slender 215 to 214 plurality after the 1916 elections for the 65th Congress, there were six additional Members who belonged to third parties — and they, in combination with a small group of Republicans, swung the majority control to Democrats.

“Of the six third-party Members, four voted for Clark, along with one Republican, Thomas David Schall of Minnesota, who made the nominating speech for Clark Mann, also had to contend with other GOP defectors and absentees. Two Republicans voted for Republican Frederick H. Gillett of Massachusetts, who would become Speaker in the following Congress. Two other Republicans voted for Republican Irvine Lenroot of Wisconsin. Two additional Republicans voted “Present,” two Republicans were absent, and two seats that Republicans claimed in the election were vacant — one because of a Member-elect death and the other because the Member-elect was not seated because of qualification issues.”

The history of that first narrow majority might be a sobering reminder to the more conservative House Republicans: Too many games can lead to a Democrat Speaker despite the House GOP having gotten millions more votes from the American people.

Is Biden trying to help or destroy our country?

ON THE HEELS Of the 2022 midterm election, President Joe Biden made it clear that he is not going to change a thing, despite seven in ten voters who said they were “dissatisfied” or “angry” with the state of the country, according to exit polls. When asked what he might do differently to address widespread concerns about withering inflation and a shaky economy, Biden, whose approval ratings remain mired in the low 40% range, replied, “nothing.”

That Republicans did not convert mass popular dissatisfaction into an electoral “red wave” across the country is an unmitigated failure that will embolden the president. Biden will brag that he avoided the typical midterm drubbing often suffered by the party of a first-term president and use it as a mandate to continue to push his disastrous agenda that helped create gas shortages, food shortages, labor shortages, a broken supply chain, runaway inflation, and crushing debt.

The unnecessary $2 trillion “rescue” plan that he rammed through Congress flooded America with cash and unleashed a four-decade high inflationary spiral. Sitting at 1.4% annually when he took office in January 2021, inflation skyrocketed to 9.1% in June 2022.

His bottomless appetite for spending ballooned our national debt to $31 trillion. Former Obama economist Larry Summers called it “the least responsible macroeconomic policy we’ve had in the last 40 years.”

The Federal Reserve, who helped cause this mess, has belatedly jacked up interest rates in a desperate attempt to tame inflation. As a result, mortgage rates more than doubled from 3% to 7%, putting the American Dream of owning a home out of reach for many families.

Biden has flatly refused to enforce standing immigration law, deliberately creating chaos at the Southern border. Millions of undocumented and unvetted people are pouring into our country, exposing women and children to humantrafficking and drowning America in lethal fentanyl. Now the leading cause of death in this country for 18-to-45-year-olds, fentanyl has killed more Americans than guns and traffic crashes combined, claiming 100,000 lives annually, according to the DEA. Add to that the tremendous costs that millions of illegal immigrants place on our strained education, healthcare and public safety resources.

Why would Biden purposely ignore his constitutional responsibility to protect the homeland while so many are suffering and dying? What’s the rationale for this absurd policy? What is he hoping to accomplish by throwing open the border? It is estimated that Mexican drug cartels are profiting from Biden’s porous border to the tune of $30 billion per year. Does he endorse this?

His energy policy is almost as destructive. Biden has fully bought into the Left’s global war on fossil fuels. His administration announced it will shut down all coal-fired power generation in this country (the source of 22% of our electricity) in the hopes that the resulting unaffordable natural gas prices will speed a transition to economically and technically unworkable alternative energy sources like wind and solar. Skyrocketing fuel prices will push millions of Americans into energy distress, where electricity and gas costs drag household disposable income below the government’s official poverty line.

Fossil fuels are still the key to civilization and economic development, lifting millions from poverty around the world. The notion that electric cars and renewable energy are environmentally friendly and a practical replacement for fossil fuels is a fantasy. There is no way to sustain industrial economies and higher living standards on intermittent energy sources that will require thousands of wind turbines, millions of solar panels, billions of batteries, and untold miles of new transmission lines — all of which would necessitate heavy metals mining and habitatdestroying installations on a global scale with dreadful environmental and human rights consequences at every stage.

And most Americans are blissfully unaware of looming shortages of diesel fuel and home heating oil. Biden depleted our emergency petroleum reserves in order to boost Democrat election prospects. Now, with winter setting in, an average household will spend 45% more for heating oil this winter, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Industry officials also warn that an unusually cold winter could strain the nation’s natural-gas-reliant electrical grid.

Finally, leftists at all levels of government are pushing decriminalization policies with predictable results. Minor crimes go unpunished. No-cash bail lets criminals walk. Early release for violent offenders. The rights of lawbreakers prioritized over those of victims. Inspired by Biden’s proclamations of woke virtue, big-city leaders are going soft on crime, wreaking havoc in their communities.

Runaway inflation. Ruinous debt. Anarchy at the border. Fuel and food shortages. Crime and homelessness on the rise. Americans divided. The question is, why has the administration never provided the American people with a truthful explanation of the goals behind these disastrous policies? You may have seen recently that the Washington Post awarded Biden a “bottomless Pinocchio” for his endless series of lies.

Ask yourself, if Biden was purposely trying to destroy this country, would he be doing anything differently?

Frank Dowd IV, Chairman of Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, is a registered Independent. Charlotte Pipe and Foundry is a 121-year-old U.S. manufacturer of cast iron and plastic pipe and fittings, headquartered in Charlotte, with seven plants around the country.

NATION & WORLD

Trump’s growing GOP challengers revive fears of 2016 repeat

LAS VEGAS — Memories of the tumultuous 2016 Republican primary hung over the Las Vegas ballroom this weekend during the first major gathering of the party’s potential contenders for the 2024 nomination.

No fewer than 10 White House prospects stepped onto the stage to pitch their plans to fix the na tion — and their party. The details varied, but within most speech es was an extraordinary sense of defiance rarely seen since former President Donald Trump seized control of the Republican Party six years ago.

Their central message: Trump can and should be beaten.

Nikki Haley, the former ambas sador to the United Nations un der Trump, pledged in April that she wouldn’t challenge the former president if he ran again. But Sat urday night, facing hundreds of cheering Republicans, she vowed to give “1,000%” to a White House bid if she decided to get in.

“I’ve never lost an election, and I’m not going to start now,” she said as the crowd roared.

But as the donors and activists who gathered for the Republican Jewish Coalition’s two-day lead ership conference applauded, per haps no one was cheering louder than Trump himself from his Flor ida estate.

Trump’s team believes, as do a growing number of anxious do nors and Republican operatives, that the GOP’s emboldened 2024 class may already be unintention ally re-creating the conditions that enabled Trump’s success in 2016. That year, a crowded Repub lican field splintered the primary electorate and allowed Trump to become the party’s presidential nominee despite winning just 35% or less of the vote in each of the three opening primary contests.

In the earliest days of the 2024 season, the 2016 parallels are ee rie.

As then, Trump is viewed with suspicion within his party, his

standing weakened considerably after several loyalists lost winna ble races in this month’s midterm elections. And most of all, a pa rade of ambitious Republicans is lining up to take him on.

A small, but growing group of Republican operatives is warning Trump’s critics that the only way to defeat him is to rally behind a much smaller group of alterna tives.

Eric Levine, a New York-based donor who attended the weekend gathering, called on his party to embrace no more than two or three candidates — and to move with real urgency.

“I don’t think we have the lux ury of waiting,” said Levine, who has raised millions of dollars for Republicans in recent years and began speaking out against Trump only after the midterms. “If he be comes the Republican brand, the party is going to be destroyed.”

For now, at least, Trump’s ri vals don’t appear to be heeding his warning.

The most popular alternative to Trump, Florida Gov. Ron De Santis, isn’t likely to enter the race until the late spring, his allies say. But in his keynote address Satur day night, he left little doubt that

2024 was on his mind.

“In times like these, there is no substitute for victory,” DeSan tis said, citing over and over his overwhelming midterm success in Florida. “We’ve got a lot more to do, and I have only begun to fight.”

And in a series of interviews, several other would-be Republi can candidates and their aides in dicated they would likely wait un til next spring or summer to enter the race should they decide to run. That’s even after Trump formally launched his 2024 campaign this past week.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, who isn’t ruling out a 2024 run, said Trump’s early an nouncement has created no sense of urgency; it simply highlighted his weakened political standing.

“I think all of us understand how little of a factor he’s going to be,” Sununu said in an interview. “He’s not scaring anybody out. Anyone who wants to run is going to run. It’ll be fun. It’ll be a wideopen race.”

Chris Christie, a failed 2016 presidential contender who then went on to lead Trump’s White House transition that year, said he ultimately expects seven or eight major candidates to enter the

race, “which is manageable” com pared with the 16 who ran against Trump in 2016.

“A lot of those people are fishing out of the Trump pond,” Chris tie said, suggesting that pros pects such as DeSantis and Mike Pompeo are “MAGA guys” who would steal support from Trump’s base in a way that creates oppor tunities for others — like him.

Trump advisers initially hoped that he might clear the field with his early announcement. They now believe a crowded field will help him by splitting the an ti-Trump vote — just as was the case in 2016. Trump won the New Hampshire and South Carolina primary elections that year with just 35% and 32% of the vote, re spectively. Seven others divided the overwhelming majority of the vote.

Trump’s team notes that his loyalists in key 2022 primary elec tions from Arizona to New Hamp shire to Pennsylvania won their GOP nominations with between 30% and 40% of the vote — a base of support it believes continues to be his floor in the 2024 primary.

And while there was evidence of Trump fatigue at the weekend conference, Trump received a warm reception when he appeared via teleconference on Saturday. The crowd cheered loudly when he noted his success in moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusa lem.

But there was notable silence when he repeated his concerns about his 2020 election loss.

“The election was rigged. And it’s too bad it was, and Israel lost a lot,” Trump told the packed ball room. “You better hope that a cer tain person wins the election in 2024.”

Pompeo, Trump’s former secre tary of state, who is among those positioning themselves to run, slapped at the former president repeatedly on stage this weekend without mentioning his name di rectly. Instead, Pompeo said con servatives deserve leaders “who fight for them, not ourselves or our own egos.”

And he acknowledged the looming 2024 primary.

“Who knows, the next time we’re together we could be on stage, multiple podiums,” Pompeo said. “Who knows who else might be there and what nicknames we’ll have?”

Guatemala finds over 1,000 artifacts at Americans’ home

Guatemala City Prosecutors in Guatemala said they have found 1,222 possible archaeological artefacts at the home of an American couple accused of smuggling historical relics.

The apparently preHispanic pieces found in a 12-hour inspection of the house in the tourist town of Antigua range from large stone carvings to small pottery pieces.

The prosecutors office said in a statement that the raid on the home “represents a tough blow to a presumed ring dedicated to illegally trafficking cultural goods.”

The authenticity of the artefacts may be a key part of the case.

Photographer and designer Stephanie Allison Jolluck — who was detained last week after trying to fly out of Guatemala with two stone carvings were made between 600 and 900 A.D. — has said she bought those items at a market, believing they were souvenirs.

Jolluck and her American companion, Giorgio Salvador Rossilli, live in the tourist town of Antigua, just outside Guatemala City. Jolluck was released on her own recognizance after her arrest at the airport because she was a longterm resident of Guatemala. But she and Rossilli were detained again Sunday when they were found with 166 Mayan artifacts in their vehicle.

After police pulled them over, Rossilli apparently argued ignorance.

Prosecutor Jorge Alberto de León said the couple told a judge they thought the artifacts were cheap reproductions.

US moves to shield Saudi crown prince in journalist killing

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Biden administration declared that Saudi Arabia’s crown prince should be considered immune from a lawsuit over his role in the killing of a U.S.-based journalist, a turnaround from Joe Biden’s cam paign trail denunciations of Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the brutal slaying.

The administration said the se nior position of the crown prince, Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and recently named prime minister as well, should shield him against a suit brought by the fiancée of slain Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi and by the rights group Khashoggi founded, Democracy for the Arab World Now.

The request is non-binding and a judge will ultimately decide whether to grant immunity. But it is bound to anger human rights activists and many U.S. lawmak ers, coming as Saudi Arabia has stepped up imprisonment and other retaliation against peaceful critics at home and abroad and has cut oil production, a move seen as undercutting efforts by the U.S. and its allies to punish Russia for its war against Ukraine.

The State Department called the administration’s call to shield the Saudi crown prince from U.S. courts in Khashoggi’s killing “purely a legal determination.”

The State Department cited what it said was longstanding precedent. Despite its recommen dation to the court, the State De partment said in its recent filing, it “takes no view on the merits of the present suit and reiterates its unequivocal condemnation of the heinous murder of Jamal Khashoggi.”

Saudi officials killed Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. They are believed to have dismem bered him, although his remains have never been found. The U.S. intelligence community concluded

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince had approved the killing of the wide ly known and respected journal ist, who had written critically of Prince Mohammed’s harsh ways of silencing of those he considered rivals or critics.

The Biden administration state ment noted visa restrictions and other penalties that it had meted out to lower-ranking Saudi offi cials in the death.

“From the earliest days of this Administration, the United States Government has expressed its grave concerns regarding Saudi agents’ responsibility for Jamal Khashoggi’s murder,” the State Department said. Its statement did not mention the crown prince’s own alleged role.

Biden as a candidate vowed to make a “pariah” out of Saudi rulers over the 2018 killing of Khashoggi.

“I think it was a flat-out mur der,” Biden said in a 2019 CNN town hall, as a candidate. “And I think we should have nailed it as that. I publicly said at the time we should treat it that way and there should be consequences relating to how we deal with those — that power.”

But Biden as president has sought to ease tensions with the kingdom, including bumping fists with Prince Mohammed on a July trip to the kingdom, as the U.S. works to persuade Saudi Arabia to undo a series of cuts in oil produc tion.

Khashoggi’s fiancee, Hati ce Cengiz, and DAWN sued the crown prince, his top aides and others in Washington federal court over their alleged roles in Khashoggi’s killing. Saudi Arabia says the prince had no direct role

in the slaying.

“It’s beyond ironic that Pres ident Biden has singlehandedly assured MBS can escape account ability when it was President Biden who promised the American people he would do everything to hold him accountable,” the head of DAWN, Sarah Leah Whitson, said in a statement, using the prince’s acronym.

Biden in February 2021 had ruled out the U.S. government imposing punishment on Prince Mohammed himself in the killing of Khashoggi, a resident of the Washington area. Biden, speak ing after he authorized release of a declassified version of the intel ligence community’s findings on Prince Mohammed’s role in the killing, argued at the time there was no precedent for the U.S. to move against the leader of a stra tegic partner.

The U.S. military long has safe guarded Saudi Arabia from exter nal enemies, in exchange for Saudi Arabia keeping global oil markets afloat.

“It’s impossible to read the Biden administration’s move today as anything more than a capitula tion to Saudi pressure tactics, in cluding slashing oil output to twist our arms to recognize MBS’s fake immunity ploy,” Whitson said.

Human rights advocates had argued that the Biden administra tion would embolden Prince Mo hammed and other authoritarian leaders around the world in more rights abuses if it supported the crown prince’s claim that his high office shielded him from prosecu tion.

Prince Mohammed serves as Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler in the stead of his aged father, King Sal man. The Saudi king in September also temporarily transferred his ti tle of prime minister — a title nor mally held by the Saudi monarch — to Prince Mohammed. Critics called it a bid to strengthen Mo hammed’s immunity claim.

Guatemala’s Culture Ministry says that 90% of the 166 artifacts — mostly stone carvings — found in the couple’s vehicle are authentic. People smuggling relics and archaeological artifacts face between 5 and 10 years in jail if convicted in Guatemala.

De León said Rossilli also argued the pieces weren’t his, and that he had been given them by someone else to restore, and that he was returning them when he was detained.

Netanyahu, Turkey’s Erdogan to continue to improve ties

Tel Aviv, Israel Turkey’s president and Israel’s likely next prime minister said in a phone call that they would work to continue to improve ties between their countries.

Relations between former allies Turkey and Israel became icy under former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s term in office. He is now expected to return to power soon as head of Israel’s government.

Relations were already on the mend under outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid who met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York in September, the first meeting between the countries’ leaders in 14 years.

But Erdogan’s relations with Israel under Netanyahu were particularly frosty, especially over recurring wars against Gaza’s militant Hamas rulers and the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid by the Israeli military, also during Netanyahu’s rule.

Erdogan had shown a willingness for warmer ties since Netanyahu was ousted after 12 consecutive years in power last year. The call signaled that the ties could continue to improve under Netanyahu.

FIELD HOCKEY

Tar Heels beat Northwestern for 10th title Storrs, Conn.

Erin Matson redirected a Paityn Wirth shot with 1:19 left, giving top seeded UNC a 2 1 w in over No. 2 seed Northwestern in the NCAA field hockey championship game on Sunday, the Tar Heels’ record 10th title.

UNC (21 0), which was tied with Old Dominion for the most titles, dominated the game for 58 minutes.

Northwestern (20 5), the defending champion, got its first shot on goal off its first corner, a dramatic goal by Bente Beckers just 39 seconds earlier. But the Tar Heels quickly recovered with Wirth settling a high pass and playing the ball between a defender’s legs before sweeping a shot toward the goal. That’s where Matson, the NCAA’s all time leading scorer, redirected the ball between Annabel Skubisz’s legs. It was the 28th goal of the season and 10th game w inner for the five time All A merican, who returned for a fifth COVID year after the Tar Heels were denied a fourth straight NCAA title last year, losing to Northwestern in the opening round of the tournament.

She finished her career as it began — an undefeated national champion.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

3 N.C. schools make FCS playoffs

Indianapolis Gardner Webb will be making its first appearance in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, one of three North Carolina schools to make the 24 team bracket.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs (6 5) clinched their first Big South Conference title since 2003 with a 38 17 victory against North Carolina A&T. They’ll make their FCS tournament debut at Eastern Kentucky (7 4) on Saturday. Also on Saturday, Elon (8 3) will play at Furman (9 2) and Davidson (8 3) travels to Richmond (8 3).

Tar Heels look to bounce back, Wolfpack eye upset

UNC and NC State meet on Friday in Chapel Hill both hoping to end the regular season on a high note

WHEN UNC and NC State meet on Black Friday in Chapel Hill for their annual rivalry game, it will be the 69th straight year the teams have faced off and the 112th meeting overall.

The Tar Heels hold a 67-37-6 edge in the all-time series, but the Wolfpack enter the game holding bragging rights after beating UNC last season, erasing a nine-point deficit in the final minutes with two touchdowns in 26 seconds for a 3430 win in Raleigh.

Both teams enter Friday’s game with a bitter taste in their mouths.

The Tar Heels had emerged as dark-horse candidates for the Col lege Football Playoff. Led by fresh man quarterback and Heisman

But their aspirations of a CFP berth and a Heisman for Maye crumbled last week when the Tar Heels squandered a 17-0 halftime lead and lost to Georgia Tech.

“I didn’t do a good job of having them prepared,” said UNC coach Mack Brown after the loss. “I thought we were mature enough to play in what would be called a ‘trap game.’ I thought we were beyond that after Virginia, but we obviously weren’t.”

UNC still has a lot to play for. Carolina is one win away from a 10win season, which would be its first since 2015, and it still has a date in Charlotte with the Tigers for the conference title.

The Tar Heels can salvage their season with an ACC championship, but as Brown said, the team can’t catch itself looking too far ahead

and ignoring a still dangerous NC State squad.

The Wolfpack don’t have too much to look forward to after last week’s 25-10 loss to Louisville robbed them of a chance at their own 10-win season. But if there’s one thing they can rally behind, it’s playing spoiler to UNC.

The biggest question for NC State? Do have enough key players healthy to give the Tar Heels a chal lenge.

Against the Cardinals, the Wolf pack were without starting line backer Payton Wilson and nickel Tyler Baker-Williams on defense

and several players on offense, in cluding MJ Morris — their own freshman quarterback — and cen ter Grant Gibson.

“We’re down some pretty key parts right now as a team with the injuries, and the margin for error is pretty small,” said NC State coach Dave Doeren. “But I’m not ruling anybody out. The kids that are hurt are going to fight to try and get back. If they’re healthy enough, they’ll play. If not, we’ll roll with who we have.”

It’s been a bumpy ride for the Wolfpack, who lost starting quar terback Devin Leary in the sixth game of the season, but a veteran and experienced defense has man aged to keep them in games all year and will need to do the same on Fri day.

A key to watch for will be how Maye responds after a loss and hav ing to face an NC State defense that leads the ACC in defensive efficien cy. He went without a touchdown pass for the first time all season in the loss to the Yellow Jackets, and his 202 passing yards, 53% com pletion percentage and 103.2 passer rating were his lowest of the season.

Maye has 3,614 passing yards on the season, and his 34 touchdowns are the third most in the NCAA. He’ll be looking to show the Georgia Tech game was just a blip and not the start of a downward trend — both for him and the Tar Heels.

No quarterbacks, no answers for Panthers

with Mayfield next week or give the ball to Sam Darnold, who went 4-7 as starter last year.

BALTIMORE — A total of 22 men have started at quarter back for the Carolina Panthers in the team’s history. Seven of them threw more touchdowns than in terceptions as Panthers.

None of those seven are on the current Carolina roster.

The seven quarterbacks com bined for 164 of the 208 wins in Panthers team history, had a .518 winning percentage and a com bined 84.9 passer rating.

The three current Panthers quarterbacks are a combined 9-16 for the team with a collective pass er rating of 70.3.

The Panthers have gone 2-3 un der P.J. Walker this season and, af ter Sunday’s 13-3 loss at Baltimore, Carolina is 1-5 with Baker Mayfield as the starter. Walker is out with a high ankle sprain, so the question after the game was whether inter im coach Steve Wilks would stick

“It’s too early to say,” Wilks said. “We’ve got to evaluate the tape, and then from there, I’ll make a deci sion.”

Mayfield’s performance on Sun day, in his first start in a month, certainly didn’t do much to con vince Wilks he should get the job. Entering the final two drives of the game, Mayfield had managed just 116 yards passing. He added 80 to that total in hurry-up situations down the stretch, but both of those drives ended in interceptions to seal the loss.

Mayfield admitted that his per formance was “not good enough. We didn’t win the game.”

Offenses that produce three to tal points usually don’t win games.

While Mayfield and the offense struggled, Wilks said he didn’t consider putting Darnold in the game to try to spark something.

“No, not at this particular time,” he said. “Because I felt like, at the flow of the game, it would’ve been a disadvantage to him in trying to throw him in that type of situation and try to go down and win a game

for us.”

Of course, prior to the game,

“We’ve got to do a (better) job in the passing game. It wasn’t a great job on our part offensively today”

coach

Carolina’s offense hit a new low with only three points in Baltimore

Wilks also said it wouldn’t be fair to have Darnold, recovering from an ankle injury that put him on in jured reserve to begin the season, return to the field as a starter.

“I just want to be able to get Sam

“We’re down some pretty key parts right now as a team with the injuries, and the margin for error is pretty small.”

Doeren,

Beyond the box score

NASCAR

TRENDING

Chris Dailey: The longtime UConn associate head coach fainted before the start of the No. 5 Huskies’ game against 10th‑ranked NC State on Sunday. As the national anthem ended, Dailey had to be held up by UConn personnel before she was laid down on the court. She was attended to by medical personnel for a few minutes before she was stretchered off the court. Dailey, who is 63, waved to the crowd and smiled as she left the court.

Karim Benzema:

France’s star striker will miss the World Cup after tearing a muscle in his left thigh during training. The Ballon d’Or winner — the fifth Frenchman to win it and first since Zinedane Zidane in 1998 — was participating in his first full training session Saturday with Les Bleus when he suffered the injury. Benzema was France’s top scorer at the 2014 World Cup but did not play when France won in 2018 because of his alleged role in a blackmail scandal.

Max Verstappen:

The Red Bull driver won his record‑extending 15th race of the year at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, concluding one of the most dominant seasons in Formula One history. It’s the second title for Verstappen, whose controversial win over Lewis Hamilton last year sealed his first.

University of Virginia professor Jack Hamilton on Devin Chandler, the Huntersville native who was among three Cavaliers players killed in a bus shooting last Sunday.

Tyler Adams, who was named captain for the United States at the World Cup on Sunday. The 23‑year‑old is the youngest captain in this year’s tournament.

PRIME NUMBER

2006

The last time NC State and UNC both lost heading into their rivalry game until the Tar Heels and the Wolfpack each lost Saturday. It’s happened 12 times since the birth of the ACC.

Series

Ty

will make the jump to a full‑time Cup Series ride next season. Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Gibbs, the grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, will take the seat vacated by the departure of longtime JGR drive Kyle Busch. Gibbs will drive the No. 54 — the same number he used in the lower‑level series —and not Busch’s No. 18, which JGR said it plans to use in the future.

1,202 wins.

NC State’s Katelyn Tuohy won the NCAA women’s cross‑country title on Saturday, surpassing Florida’s Parker Valby over the final 1K and finishing with a time of 19:27.7, The Wolfpack won back‑to‑back team championships — the first school to do so on the DI women’s side since 2009‑10. NC State is the first program since Colorado in 2018 to win both the individual and team titles.

“I want to be a winner.”

“One of those people who’s just impossible not to like.”

Charlotte names Biff Poggi its next football coach

CHARLOTTE — A new era has arrived for the Charlotte 49ers foot ball team.

On Monday morning in Jerry Richardson Stadium, Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill intro duced new football coach Francis “Biff” Poggi, who will take over the program previously led by Will Healy.

“ The people at Michigan rave about this man’s ability to build, to motivate and to lead,” Hill said of Poggi. “He’s the associate head coach of the Michigan Wolverines and he is now the head coach of the Charlotte 49ers.”

Poggi, 63, assured those in atten dance that, while this season’s 3-9 record wasn’t ideal as the program plans to move from Conference USA to the American Athletic Con ference next season, he is optimistic about the 49ers’ future.

“We are not rebuilding but re shaping,” said Charlotte’s new coach, who was awarded a five-year contract worth $1 million annually.

“The AAC is the best Group of Five conference in the country, there’s no doubt about that. It’s a very ex citing opportunity.

“Our goal is very simple. We want to win the AAC and we want to win it repeatedly, and we want to get to the College Football Playoff. That’s why I left Michigan and that’s what I’m expecting to do here. You should be asking what’s your time table — my timetable is now.”

Now in his third year with the third-ranked Wolverines, Poggi has assisted the team to an 11-0 record working under coach Jim Har baugh.

Before his tenure in Michigan, he found success both as a hedge fund manager and a high school foot

ball coach in Baltimore, where he led Gilman School to 13 Maryland state titles. He later founded the football program at Saint Frances Academy, personally funding 65 scholarships as the school became a football powerhouse that was re cently chronicled in the HBO docu mentary “The Cost of Winning.”

In his playing days, Poggi was briefly on the 1978 Pitt team with Dan Marino before he transferred and got his degree from Duke. He then got into college coaching with stops at Brown, Temple and The Citadel.

Poggi’s priority at Charlotte will be fixing the 49ers’ defense.

“Look, we were 130th out of 131 on defense,” Poggi said. “Last time I checked, you can’t win games like that. So we’re going to stop the run on defense. Our formula is really simple. We’re going to stop the run

on defense. We’re going to make you one-dimensional so you have to throw the football, and then we’re going to light you up. … We’re go ing to play a pro-style defense and a pro-style offense. We’re going to run the football downhill. We’re going to run gap schemes and pow er will be the basis of our running game.”

The Niners concluded their sea son on Saturday with a 26-21 home win over Louisiana Tech, Char lotte’s first home victory in 378 days.

With a 26-year age gap between Healy and Poggi and the new coach’s nontraditional rise in the

coaching ranks, the 49ers will have a new look and feel.

It will also give Poggi a chance to prove his success as a head coach in the high school ranks can translate to college.

“It’s something I always wanted to do, but it had to be the right place and the right time,” he said. “Last year, I had some offers. This year, I’ve had a bunch of offers at Power Five schools. But this is the most exciting place in the country to me. I’m not kidding. When I tell people that I’m coming to Charlotte, this is the phrase I bet 90% of the guys in football-land say: ‘That is a gold mine.’”

Duke, Wake close out regular season with rare high stakes

HISTORY WILL BE made at Wallace Wade Stadium on Satur day when Wake Forest and Duke conclude their regular seasons against each other. Both teams enter with identical 7-4 records and are each headed to a bowl game. This is the first time Duke and Wake have played when both teams are bowl eligible. It’s also the first time each team has at least six wins — let alone seven — when they take the field to face off. The closest they’ve come in series history was 2018, when Wake beat 7-4 Duke, 59-7 in Durham, to get its sixth win and become bowl el igible.

The previous year, 2017, Duke pulled the same trick in Win ston-Salem, beating the 7-4 De mon Deacons to get their ticket to a bowl with a sixth win.

Both teams have the same re cord, but Duke and Wake likely don’t feel the same way about their 7-4 marks. The Blue Devils have already recorded their most wins in a season since 2018, emerging as one of the ACC’s surprise teams in head coach Mike Elko’s first season.

The Blue Devils are led by dual-threat quarterback Riley Leonard and a much-improved defense. Duke had a three-game winning streak snapped when a fourth quarter comeback fell just short in a 28-26 loss at Pitt.

The offense, which has topped 30 points seven times in 11 games, had a rare off night in Pittsburgh.

“Obviously, very disappointed with how we played offensive ly through three quarters,” Elko said. “We really struggled to es tablish the line of scrimmage and we couldn’t get the run game go ing. We were very inconsistent in the throw game. We turned the football over and special teamswise we had some critical mis takes in the return game that re ally hurt us.”

Duke took solace in the team’s comeback from down 14 in the fourth quarter, however.

“Credit to our kids because they

don’t quit and they don’t stop,” Elko said. “They are resilient as heck.”

“It is kind of like our attitude,” defensive tackle DeWayne Carter said. “Like we have shown all year, we are never out of the fight 100 percent. No matter what time was left in the game, no matter what the circumstances are, you are never out of the fight. I think that we showed a lot of resiliency and continued to show who we have been all year.”

Wake Forest, meanwhile, en tered the season as the defending ACC Atlantic Division champi on and, as recently as Halloween weekend, the Deacs were in the top 10 of the AP poll. The team then hit a wall, losing three straight as Dave Clawson’s record-break ing offense suddenly became a turnover machine. Wake recov ered with a 45-35 home win over

Syracuse last weekend. After the Deacs scored 40 or more points five times in their first seven games, this was the first 40-point outing in their last four.

“The last couple of weeks have been tough,” Clawson said, “but we kept working, kept preparing. … We made more plays than them and the offense really got hum ming. In the second and third quarter there, to me, that was the offense that I kind of expected to

see all year, and it was exciting to see us humming along like that.”

Was it a get-well game for quar terback Sam Hartman and the offense? He threw for 331 yards, his seventh game of 300-plus this season, and passed for four touch downs, his fifth game with as many. Most importantly, however, was the zero in the interceptions column, his first since Oct. 8.

“Sam has been so good and so steady, especially the last two years, you kind of get spoiled and kind of expect it,” Clawson said.

Wake’s offensive rebirth may be slowed by injuries to a pair of receivers — Donavon Greene and Jahmal Banks both went down in the Syracuse game, and Clawson didn’t have an update after the game.

As big a concern may be the status of Wake’s secondary, which will have to defend Leonard and

the Duke passing game.

“We don’t defend the ball in the air very well and we don’t defend deep balls well,” Clawson said. “We’re shorthanded in the sec ondary. We’ve been down Caelen Carson, who we felt going into the year was our best corner, Malik Mustapha, who is probably our best safety, and Coby Davis, who was our best nickel. That was a position that wasn’t a strength for us going into it. So that’s been one of our challenges all year. At that position you have to be able to cover people and make plays on the ball. We haven’t been able to do that all year.”

Both teams have plenty at stake on Saturday as each looks to close out their regular season with an eighth win to head into their bowl game with some momentum. And that’s something that’s never been said about this game before.

For first time, the Deacons and Blue Devils are both bowl-bound as they meet

and

“Credit to our kids because they don’t quit and they don’t stop. They are resilient as heck.”

Mike Elko, Duke coach

“You should be asking what’s your timetable — my timetable is now.”

Biff Poggi, new Charlotte football coach

Pacioretty a silver lining on Hurricanes’ injury front

RALEIGH — The Hurricanes surrounded goaltender Pyotr Ko chetkov, celebrating the rookie’s first career NHL shutout follow ing the team’s 3-0 win in Chicago last Monday.

Kochetkov had been recalled from the Chicago Wolves, Caroli na’s AHL affiliate, on Nov. 8 after No. 1 goalie Frederik Andersen came up lame in practice earlier that day.

It was a great moment for the charismatic Russian who is con sidered the Hurricanes’ goalie of the future, but it was also a symp tom of a bigger problem for Car olina.

Three of the players who con gratulated Kochetkov were not among those who were in the opening night lineup for the Hur ricanes. Include Kochetkov and Max Pacioretty — who tore his Achilles tendon before the start of training camp — and about a quarter of the lineup Carolina expected to have at its disposal was not available that night in the Windy City.

The injury bug has certainly hit the Carolina Hurricanes this sea son.

Carolina has been without its best goal scorer in Pacioretty, its best puck distributor in Teu vo Teravainen and Andersen, its starting goalie.

Injury-prone Ondrej Kase has unfortunately lived up to his la bel, playing in the Hurricanes’ season opener before hitting the shelf with the latest of more than a half-dozen career concussions.

Calvin de Haan took that night off in Chicago after being banged up two nights earlier in Colorado, the victim of a cross-check by the

Avalanche’s Mikko Rantanen that went uncalled and led to a goal in Carolina’s 4-1 loss.

It’s unchartered waters for the Hurricanes during Rod Brind’Amour’s four-plus years as coach. Yes, Carolina has had its share of injuries, but losing its No. 1 goalie and two top-six forwards in the first month of the season has been a new early-season hur dle for the team.

But there are reasons for opti mism.

Brind’Amour said last Wednes day that “nobody’s close to getting back” when asked about the status of Andersen, Kase and Teravain en.

A day later following the morn ing skate of the Hurricanes’ even tual 3-2 overtime loss to the visit ing Avalanche, Kase was spotted working out off the ice — the first sign that the 27-year-old winger is making strides in returning. It’s

certainly a small step, but Kase’s history of head injuries had led to speculation his career could be in jeopardy.

Then Friday at Invisalign Are na, Pacioretty and Teravainen both skated before a limited prac tice, doing about 30-minutes of drills with defensive development coach Peter Harrold and team ad viser Justin Williams.

Pacioretty — who had a couple of clandestine skates before pub licly hitting the ice — cautiously cruised around the rink, showing no signs he was bothered by his Achilles injury that still has him walking with a slight limp.

Teravainen, meanwhile, gri maced early in the skate, clearly discomforted by his upper-body injury that sources described as “a tweak,” but made it through the half-hour workout.

Carolina intends to be careful with its injured players, especially

Local players to help bring back XFL

LET’S TRY THIS AGAIN.

The XFL will return in 2023 for a third inaugural season. WWE hon cho Vince McMahon created the league in 2001, with future Caroli na Panthers returnman Rod Smart capturing the world’s attention by choosing “He Hate Me” as the name on the back of his jersey.

The league folded after one sea son and returned in 2020. It made it through half the season that time before COVID forced the remainder of the games to be canceled. It may have just accelerated the inevitable, as the league declared bankruptcy a month later.

This time around, the XFL is owned by a group led by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and will have eight teams that will play a 10-game season starting the weekend after the Super Bowl.

The league held its player draft last week, and the new rosters will be populated with plenty of play ers who have connections to North Carolina — either playing for one of the state’s college programs or ap pearing on the roster of the Caroli na Panthers at some point.

Here’s a rundown of players you might know when the XFL kicks off again in February.

Quarterbacks

The faces of the XFL franchises were selected first, with a pair of lo cal players getting picked.

Former NC State quarterback Jalan McClendon was one of two quarterbacks chosen by the Las Ve gas Vipers. McClendon also played in the 2020 edition of the XFL.

“Jalan is going to be a solid athlet ic QB weapon for us because of his football IQ and ability to read de fenses,” said Vipers head coach (and NFL Hall of Famer) Rod Woodson.

The second quarterback is An thony Russo, who was invited to the Carolina Panthers rookie minicamp before this season. He was one of two quarterbacks taken by the San Antonio Brahmas.

“Anthony Russo is a gunslinger with a big-time arm,” said San An tonio coach Hines Ward, “and he has some impressive mobility. He’s a great leader who loves the game. I’m excited to have him on my team.”

Offensive skill positions

The XFL had separate drafts for each position group.

Receiver Charleston Rambo, a Panthers training camp cut before this season, was selected fourth overall by the Orlando Guardians.

Running back John Lovett, who played for Matt Rhule at Bay lor, was another training camp cut by the Panthers before this sea son. (Russo also played for Rhule at Temple before getting a camp invite from the Panthers.) He was drafted by the Vipers in the second round with the 12th overall pick.

Former Duke running back Mataeo Durant was selected by the St. Louis BattleHawks in the fourth round with the 31st pick.

In the next round at pick 35, the Brahmas took former NC State tight end Dylan Parham. One pick later, the Guardians took former NC A&T running back Jah-Maine Martin.

NC Central wide receiver Isiah Macklin was the next local play er to go, getting selected by the Vipers at pick 53 in the seventh

since the team has shown it can at least remain in the top half of Eastern Conference without play ing its best and without some of its best.

But there’s also a recognition that Pacioretty is eager to return, both to help his new team and to begin making his case for another contract when he’s a free agent in the summer.

Early February still seems like a realistic target date for Pacio retty, and once he returns his teammates think he will have an immediate impact.

“To have a guy like that, to have him jump in in the middle of the season is going to be a huge add for us,” defenseman Brady Skjei said.

Brent Burns, who had his bat tles with Pacioretty in the West ern Conference when he was with the Sharks and Pacioretty was in Vegas, is also anticipating his re

round.

Tight end Jovani Haskins was taken by the BattleHawks at pick 79, in Round 10. He was a rookie minicamp invitee with the Pan thers.

Another veteran of the 2020 XFL, former UNC receiver Austin Proehl, was taken at pick 82 in the 11th round by the BattleHawks.

Defensive backs

Safeties and corners were the next position group to be select ed, and the third overall pick was former UNC Charlotte safety Ben DeLuca, who went to the Battle Hawks.

Former East Carolina corner back Josh Hawkins, who played with the Panthers in 2018, was se lected by the Arlington Renegades 11th overall in the second round, going three rounds earlier than he did in the 2020 XFL Draft.

Another UNC Charlotte safety went to the BattleHawks in the seventh round when Jonathan Al exander went with the 51st pick.

Cornerback John Brannon, who played for Western Carolina and was a 2021 training camp cut by the Panthers, was selected by the Houston Roughnecks in the 11th round, 85th overall.

Defensive front seven

Defensive ends, tackles and linebackers were next to go. De fensive end Jacub Panasiuk, a 2021 training camp cut of the Panthers, was taken by the D.C. Defenders with the 21st overall pick in the third round. Defensive tackle DaVonte Lambert, a camp cut by the Panthers in 2020, was taken by the Renegades at pick 30 in the fourth round.

The Seattle Sea Dragons took former NC State lineman Daniel Joseph with pick 50 in the seventh round.

Brent Burns, left, and Max Pacioretty, right, were once rivals when they played in the Western Conference, but Burns is looking forward to joining forces with his former adversary when Pacioretty returns to the Hurricanes’ lineup once he’s recovered from his Achilles tendon injury.

turn.

“You just see how hard he’s working and how bad he wants to get back,” Burns said. “It’s great to see that he’s taken steps.”

And once he’s on the ice, Pacio retty will bring a dynamic few in the NHL can.

“He’s just a goal scorer,” Burns said. “It’s amazing how you play with somebody that maybe gets the same amount of chances but they don’t score. When you play with a natural goal scorer, it’s just amazing.

“The talent, the ability of those guys — the same amount of chances, they just happen to go in. And he’s a guy that, it’s like you give them an inch and it’s in the net. And you’re like, ‘Yeah, I didn’t really play it that bad,’ but he just scores.”

The Hurricanes just need to get him — and a few others — to shake off the injury bug.

Linebacker Josh Watson was on the Panthers’ practice squad near the end of 2021 and went to camp with the team this year. He went to the Renegades in the 10th round at pick 78.

Linebacker Isaiah Gra ham-Mobley opened the season on Carolina Panthers’ injured re serve before being cut in Septem ber. He was taken with pick 83 in the 11th round by the Renegades. Lenoir Rhyne end Jaquan Artis went with the next pick, to the Roughnecks.

Offensive line

East Carolina’s Garrett McGhin was the first local lineman off the board, going 15th overall in the second round to the Renegades.

Mike Horton, who played three games with the Panthers last sea son, went to the Renegades with the 18th pick in the third round.

Brian Folkerts, who played with the Panthers in 2013 and 2014 and was taken in the second round in 2020, went to the Renegades at pick 63 in the eighth round.

NC State’s Tony Adams, a sev enth-rounder in 2020, went to the Vipers at pick 68 in Round 9 this time around. The Vipers also took ECU’s Fernando Frye with pick 84 in Round 11.

Specialists

Special teamers were the last group drafted. Long snapper Thomas Fletcher, a 2021 Panthers draft pick who spent the entire season on injured reserve before getting cut in training camp this year, was taken eighth overall in the first round by the Seattle Sea Dragons.

East Carolina snapper Erik Lawson went to the Defenders in the second round at pick 15 to round out the local presence in the XFL Draft.

PANTHERS from page B1 some opportunities,” Wilks said. “Because the first time that he goes in there (as starter), I don’t want it to be the first time (he’s played). I want to be able to get him accli mated a little bit to the speed of the game.”

So, Wilks doesn’t want to put Darnold in as the starter, nor does he want to put him in mid-game.

As for evaluating Mayfield, Wilks went with his quarterback’s

nonassessment assessment, say ing, “We didn’t win the game, so it wasn’t good enough.”

Discussing the offense as a whole, Wilks added, “We didn’t get anything in rhythm. We’ve got to do a (better) job in the passing game. It wasn’t a great job on our part offensively today.”

Wilks also criticized the fourth quarter failures, saying, “We’ve got to protect the football down the stretch. We had too many turn overs in the fourth quarter.”

Mayfield was also sacked four times, bringing his total to 19 in his six games as starter.

“Too many sacks on our part,” Wilks said. “We’ve got to get rid of the ball.”

While Wilks seemed to put the blame for the sacks on the quar terback rather than the line, May field wasn’t so quick to assume the blame.

“We have to make more plays,” he said. “Batted balls, when they’re (the line) not getting the rush.”

He also said that one of the in terceptions was a result of a mis communication with receiver Shi Smith. “I’m expecting him to run his route. Let’s just get on the same page. It cost us.”

Mayfield, who blamed his poor performance early in the season on joining the team late and hav ing to get up to speed on offense, also wasn’t happy with a Panthers rushing attack that managed just 36 yards on 17 carries.

“It’s tough when you can’t get the

run game going,” he said.

So, for next week, it appears that Wilks will need to decide between a quarterback who has no good time to enter a game and one who had far more fingers to point elsewhere than points on the scoreboard.

The old football wisdom on quarterback controversies says that when you have two or three start ing quarterbacks, it means you have none. Never has that seemed truer than with this year’s Panthers team.

The offseason acquisition has returned to skating after tearing his Achilles tendon in August

Amazon begins mass layoffs among its corporate workforce

NEW YORK — Amazon has begun mass layoffs in its corpo rate ranks, becoming the latest tech company to trim its workforce amid rising fears about the wider economic environment.

On Tuesday, the company no tified regional authorities in Cal ifornia that it would lay off about 260 workers at various facilities that employ data scientists, soft ware engineers and other corpo rate workers. Those job cuts would be effective beginning on Jan. 17.

Amazon would not specify how many more layoffs may be in the works beyond the ones confirmed through California’s Worker Ad justment and Retraining Notifi cation Act, also known as WARN, which requires companies to pro vide 60 days’ notice if they have 75 or more full-time or part-time workers. Amazon employs more than 1.5 million workers globally, primarily made up of hourly work ers.

The online retail giant, like other tech and social media gi ants, saw sizable profits during the COVID-19 pandemic, as home bound shoppers purchased more

for cash the following described property, to wit: Being all of Lot 432 as shown on Subdivision Plat of The Mills, Phase 3, Map 2, recorded In Book 63 at Pages 100-101 in the Cabarrus County, North Carolina, Public Records. Together with improvements located hereon; said property being located at 2271 Drake Mill Lane Southwest, Concord, North Carolina 28025 Tax ID: 5527-93-3343-0000 Third party purchasers must pay the recording cost of the trustee’s deed, any land transfer taxes, the excise tax, pursuant North Carolina General Statutes §105-228.30, in the amount of One Dollar ($1.00) per each Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) or fractional part thereof, and the Clerk

items online. But revenue growth slowed as the worst of the pandem ic eased and consumers relied less on ecommerce.

The Seattle-based company re ported two consecutive losses this year, driven mainly by write-downs of the value of its stock investment in electric vehicle start-up Rivi an Automotive. The company re turned to profitability during the third quarter, but investors were gloomy about its weaker-than-ex pected revenue and lackluster pro jections for the current quarter, which is typically good for retailers due to the holiday shopping season.

In an effort to cut back on costs, Amazon has already been ax ing some of its projects — includ ing subsidiary fabric.com, Ama zon Care, and the cooler-size home delivery robot Scout. Its also been scaling back its physical footprint by delaying — or canceling — plans to occupy some new warehous es across the country. And Ama zon Chief Financial Officer Bri an Olsavsky has said the company was preparing for what could be a slower growth period and would be careful about hiring in the near fu ture.

Mass layoffs are rare at Amazon,

of Courts fee, pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §7A-308, in the amount of Forty-five Cents (0.45) per each One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) or fractional part thereof with a maximum amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00). A deposit of five percent (5%) of the bid or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale and must be tendered in the form of certified funds. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts will be immediately due and owing.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance AS IS WHERE IS. There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, special assessments, land transfer taxes, if any, and encumbrances of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owners of the property is Yolanda R. Lowery.

but the company has had rounds of job cuts in 2018 and in 2001 during the dot-com crash. On the ware house side, the ecommerce gi ant typically trims its workforce through attrition.

Faced with high costs, the com pany announced earlier this month it would pause hiring among its corporate workforce, adding to the freeze it put a few weeks earli er on its retail division. But the lay offs weren’t far off. Employees who work in different units, including voice assistant Alexa and cloud gaming platform Amazon Luna, said they were let go on Tuesday, according to LinkedIn posts. Some of them were based in Seattle, where the company has its head quarters.

“As part of our annual operat ing planning review process, we al ways look at each of our business es and what we believe we should change,” Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said in a statement.

“As we’ve gone through this, giv en the current macro-econom ic environment (as well as several years of rapid hiring), some teams are making adjustments, which in some cases means certain roles are no longer necessary.”

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE: An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser and against the party or parties in possession by the Clerk of Superior Court of the county in which the property is sold.

Any person who occupies the property pursuant to a rental agreement entered into or renewed on or after October 1, 2007, may, after receiving the notice of sale, terminate the rental agreement by providing written notice of termination to the landlord, to be effective on a date stated in the notice that is at least 10 days, but no more than 90 days, after the sale date contained in the notice of sale, provided that the mortgagor has not cured the default at the time the tenant provides the notice of termination (North Carolina General Statutes §45-21.16A(b)(2)). Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to the effective date of termination. If the Trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but

In a note to the devices & ser vices team that Amazon shared on its website, the team’s senior vice president David Limp said the company was consolidating some teams and programs. He said those laid off in the process were notified on Tuesday and the com pany will work with them to “pro vide support,” including assistance in finding new roles. If an employee cannot find a new role within the company, Limp said Amazon will provide a severance payment, ex ternal job placement support and what he called transitional bene fits.

The retail behemoth follows other tech giants that have cut jobs in the past few weeks — a re versal from earlier this year, when tech workers were in high demand. Facebook parent Meta said last week it would lay off 11,000 people, about 13% of its workforce. And Elon Musk, the new Twitter CEO, slashed the company’s workforce in half this month.

Going forward, Wedbush Secu rities analyst Daniel Ives said he believes Amazon will likely sustain its workforce and investments in profitable areas such as the cloud computing unit AWS, while trim ming costs in non-strategic ar eas like Alexa and other moonshot projects.

“The clock has struck midnight in terms of hyper-growth for Big Tech,” Ives said. “These companies hired at such an eye popping rate, it was not sustainable. Now there’s some painful steps ahead.”

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

Anchor Trustee Services, LLC Substitute Trustee By: ________________________________________ January N. Taylor, Bar #33512 McMichael Taylor Gray, LLC Attorney for Anchor Trustee Services, LLC 3550 Engineering Drive, Suite 260 Peachtree Corners, GA 30092 404-474-7149 (phone) 404-745-8121 (fax) jtaylor@mtglaw.com

the effective date of the termination.

NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE

NORTH CAROLINA, CABARRUS COUNTY

Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Paula Ellen Tebbutt to BB&T Collateral Service Corporation, Trustee(s), which

at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on December 7, 2022 at 01:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described

property situated in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to wit: All that certain lot or parcel of land situate, lying and being in the Town of Harrisburg, Number One (1) Township of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and being all of Condominium Unit No. 3887 (Building 7, Lot 85) of The Condominiums at Harrisburg Town Center, as described and designated the Declaration of Condominium under North Carolina Unit Ownership Act covering The Condominiums at Harrisburg Town Center as described and filed in Book 4068 at Page 106 (re-recorded in Book 4151 at Page 142, and as supplemented and amended in Book 6012, Page 238 in Map Book 46 at Page 102 and in Condo Book Number 2, Map 28, Pages 1 and 2 of the Cabarrus County Public Registry, together with an undivided percentage ownership interest as set in said Declaration, as supplemented and amended, in the Common elements of said condominium hereinabove described and incorporated herein in their entirety.

This being the same property conveyed to Paula Tebbutt, dated 08/17/2008 and recorded in Book 8386, Page 109, in the Cabarrus County Recorders Office.

courthouse door in Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina, or the customary location designated for foreclosure sales, at 12:00 PM on November 28, 2022 and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following real estate situated in Fayetteville in the County of Cumberland, North Carolina, and being more particularly described as follows: Parcel ID#: 0437-02-4032 Being all of Lot 10, and a strip of land to the northwest of Lot 10, Block G, of Savoy Heights, Section 2 as per survey and map of the same prepared by Sol C. Rose, Registered Surveyor, dated April, 1960, and recorded in May 20, 1960, in Book of Plats 23, Page 34, in the office of the Register of Deeds for Cumberland County, North Carolina, such land being described by metes and bounds as follows:

BEGINNING at an iron stake in the northeastern margin of Commerce Street, same being the northwestern corner of Lot No. 9 and running thence with the dividing line between Lots Nos. 9 and 10 North 56 degrees 13 minutes East 185.53 feet to an iron stake; and runs thence with the northern line of Lot No. 10 North 60 degrees 44 minutes West 89.85 feet to an iron stake, same being designated as a “control corner” on the aforesaid map; and runs thence South 56 degrees 13 minutes West 144.81 feet to an iron

Parcel Number 5517 07 07033887

Loan Nbr: 2016424326-09003-6055802 Accurate Nbr: 590970 Form #1302 Address: 3887 CARL PARMER DR, HARRISBURG,NC Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 3887 Carl Parmer Dr, Harrisburg, NC 28075. A Certified Check ONLY (no personal checks) of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or Seven Hundred Fifty Dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, will be required at the time of the sale. Following the expiration of the statutory upset bid period, all the remaining amounts are immediately due and owing. THIRD PARTY PURCHASERS MUST PAY THE EXCISE TAX AND THE RECORDING COSTS FOR THEIR DEED.

Said property to be offered pursuant to this Notice of Sale is being offered for sale, transfer and conveyance “AS IS WHERE IS.” There are no representations of warranty relating to the title or any physical, environmental, health

stake in the northeastern margin of Commerce Street; and runs thence with the northeastern margin of Commerce Street South 33 degrees 47 minutes East 80.09 feet to the BEGINNING. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 732 Commerce Street, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Trustee may, in the Trustee’s sole discretion, delay the sale for up to one hour as provided in N.C.G.S. 45-21.23.

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

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

or safety conditions existing in, on, at, or relating to the property being offered for sale. This sale is made subject to all prior liens, unpaid taxes, any unpaid land transfer taxes, special assessments, easements, rights of way, deeds of release, and any other encumbrances or exceptions of record. To the best of the knowledge and belief of the undersigned, the current owner(s) of the property is/are PAULA TEBBUTT, UNMARRIED.

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

(2)]. Upon termination of a rental agreement, the tenant is liable for rent due under the rental agreement prorated to

disclaimed. Also, this property is being sold subject to all taxes, special assessments, and prior liens or prior encumbrances of record and any recorded releases. Said property is also being sold subject to applicable Federal and State laws. A deposit of five percent (5%) of the purchase price, or seven hundred fifty dollars ($750.00), whichever is greater, is required and must be tendered in the form of certified funds at the time of the sale.

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

Additional Notice for Residential Property with Less than 15 rental units, including Single-Family Residential Real Property An order for possession of the property may be issued pursuant to N.C.G.S. 45-21.29 in favor of the purchaser

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

If the trustee is unable to convey title to this property for any reason, the sole remedy of the purchaser is the return of the deposit. Reasons of such inability to convey include, but are not limited to, the filing of a bankruptcy petition prior to the confirmation of the sale and reinstatement of the loan without the knowledge of the trustee. If the validity of the sale is challenged by any party, the trustee, in their sole discretion, if they believe the challenge to have merit, may request the court to declare the sale to be void and return the deposit. The purchaser will have no further remedy. Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC Substitute Trustee Brock & Scott, PLLC Attorneys for Trustee Services of Carolina, LLC 5431 Oleander Drive Suite 200 Wilmington, NC 28403 PHONE: (910) 392-4988 FAX: (910) 392-8587 File No.: 22-10074-FC01

and

1, 2007,

terminate

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 9749 - 39134

11, in a subdivision, known as Pebble Creek, and the same being duly recorded in Plat Book 84, Page 166, Cumberland County Registry, North Carolina. Together with improvements located thereon; said property being located at 2512 Painters Mill Drive, Fayetteville, North Carolina. Parcel ID: 0405-57-8159 Property Address: 2512 Painters Mill Drive, Fayetteville, NC 28304 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

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

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

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

SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE SERVICES, INC. SUBSTITUTE TRUSTEE c/o Hutchens Law Firm P.O. Box 1028 4317 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, North Carolina 28311 Phone No: (910) 864-3068 https://sales.hutchenslawfirm.com Firm Case No: 8333 - 32272

sudoku

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Joseph Lee Rhodes was set to appear in court before a jury this past week for the disappearance of his 25-year-old pregnant girlfriend. Rhodes was charged in 2019 with the murder of Sasha Lee Naylor and her unborn child.

According to authorities this past weekend, the trial will not happen in the “foreseeable future” due to the appointment of new counsel for Rhodes. Naylor was reported missing in Stanly County back in February 2019, when a Silver Alert was issued on her behalf. At the time, she was believed to be suffering from some form of cognitive impairment. According to local authorities, Naylor was last seen alive in August 2018 on Kates Drive in Albemarle and is believed to be heading in the direction of West Virginia or Ohio. At this time, her body has still not been found.

NCDOT awards $2.2 million contract to improve Stanly County roads

Thanks to a $2.2 million contract from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, several Stanly County roads will receive improvements. Segments of NC Hwy 2474 between Jeffries and Leonard streets, as well as about 4.5 miles of Old Salisbury Road between Austin and Millingport roads, are set to be repaved. The contractor, NJR Group of Albemarle, is expected to start their work as early as mid-April 2023. These road improvements are set to be finished by early October 2024.

Oakboro town commissioners approve request for roundabout

The Oakboro town commissioners met recently, where they approved a resolution to ask the North Carolina Department of Transportation to construct a roundabout in an area that affects traffic in both Oakboro and the town of Red Cross. The intersection in question is located on NC Hwy 205 and Big Rock/ Liberty Hill Church roads.

According to a presentation made by North Carolina Rep. Wayne Sasser during a meeting of the Stanly County Economic Development Commission this past September, the intersection was originally expected to receive a traffic light. Recently, however, a discussion has been raised to alter those plans and insert a double roundabout, which needs to accommodate a minimum of 12 transfer trucks a day heading for the new Charlotte Pipe and Foundry site. According to the NCDOT, a roundabout can take up to three years to build.

Capitol christmas tree has arrived

With the Capitol Dome in the background, workers prepare the Capitol Hill Christmas Tree to be lifted from a flatbed truck as it arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 18. This year’s tree, named “Ruby” by the Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, was selected from the Pisgah National Forest, located in the western region of North Carolina.

Uwharrie Running Club to host 20th annual Turkey Trot

ALBEMARLE — An annu al Thanksgiving morning tradi tion in Stanly County is back for its 20th year this Thursday as the Uwharrie Running Club is set to present its annual Turkey Trot 4.2 Mile Run.

The free, all-day holiday event will be held in YMCA Park, locat ed at 427 N. Street in Albemar le; attendees can register on-site that morning beginning at 6 a.m. or on www.runsignup.com.

As of Nov. 21, 185 participants have signed up for the run.

“Come out for this annual Stan ly County tradition, where family and friends meet to start the day off in the calorie deficit column,”

Uwharrie Running Club posted on its signup page. “Turkey Trot apparel will be available to pur chase online or on the day of the event. We will be accepting mon etary donations for Stanly Coun ty Christian Ministries.”

With a donation goal of $1,000, this year’s Turkey Trot run has al ready raised $950 through 27 dif ferent donors, nearly meeting its initial goal of supplying funds for emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, senior programs, shel ters, and low-income daycares.

Stanly County Christian Min istries is a partner agency of Sec ond Harvest Food Bank of Metro lina, which distributes food and grocery items to approximately 550 hunger-feeding agencies in 19 counties in the Carolinas.

ALBEMARLE — Claude Harwood will serve as Grand Marshal for the City of Albemarle’s Christmas Parade, which is set to be held on Sat urday, December 10, at 4 pm in downtown Albe marle.

Harwood, a native of Albemarle, has served the people of Stanly County for 70 years as a flo rist, sharing his talents with generations of fami lies for all varieties of occasions.

Harwood has earned honors in regional, state, national, and international floral design compe titions and was chosen four times to decorate the White House for the holidays. At the age of 90, he continues to work as a florist at Blooms Royale flower shop, which is located in downtown Albe marle.

Harwood was selected as the 2022 Albemar le Christmas Parade Grand Marshal after being nominated by members of the community.

Members of the public, who wish to participate in the Albemarle Christmas Parade, can do so by entering a float and signing up at www.albemar lenc.gov/christmasparade.

The cutoff date for parade entries is Wednes day, November 30.

The Turkey Trot run is just one of multiple yearly races pre sented by the Uwharrie Running Club, joining the Y Hot Chocolate 8K, Locust Elfie 5K, Run the Val ley 5K, and the Tour De Elvis 5K, among many other local events.

The club is led by its president Jason Britney, who also owns the Uwharrie Dash running shop in downtown Albemarle.

In June, Stanly County com missioner Peter Asciutto sold Vac & Dash — his retail oper ation of 18 years — to Britney and his wife, Nicole Ashton, who have since renamed the Albe marle-based business. Self-ac claimed as “the South’s most unique specialty store,” Uwhar rie Dash specializes in running gear, cycling equipment, and oth er outdoor-related merchandise.

“This has always been a dream as I have a passion for running, shoes, and our commitment to community engagement has been a large part of our lives,” Britney posted on his social media page during the business rebranding.

“We hope to continue the current store offerings, create more com munity engagement, and support the local lifestyle, whether it be walking, running, biking, disc golf, wearing your custom-de signed shirt, or just wearing a great fitted pair of shoes.”

N. Carolina Rep. Hudson named to lead House campaign arm

RALEIGH — Veteran U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Caroli na was elected Tuesday by fellow House Repub licans as leader of their campaign and fundrais ing arm to help get GOP candidates elected to the chamber.

Hudson was unop posed in running to be come the next National Republican Congressio nal Committee chairman, picked by new and re turning colleagues meet ing in Washington. He succeeds Rep. Tom Em mer, R-Minn., who on Tuesday was elected the House GOP cau cus whip.

Hudson joined the House in 2013 and got reelected last week, winning the state’s new 9th Con gressional District seat.

With Republicans on the cusp of majority control of the House, Hud son would become fourth in line to the speakership should current Re publican Leader Kev in McCarthy be elected speaker in January.

“Working togeth er with our leadership team and entire confer ence, I am confident we can build on our success es and learn from missed opportunities to expand our majority in 2024,” Hudson said in a news release.

Hudson’s political ca reer has included serv ing as an aide to former U.S. Reps. Robin Hayes and Vir ginia Foxx. He also managed Pat McCrory’s gubernatorial campaign in 2008.

The 9th District covers all or portions of nine central and Sand hills counties, including Fort Bragg.

Members of the public, who wish to participate in the Albemarle Christmas Parade, can do so by entering a float and signing up online.

“This has always been a dream as I have a passion for running, shoes, and our commitment to community engagement has been a large part of our lives.”

Jason Britney

Trial pushed for man charged with disappearance of pregnant girlfriend

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦

BANKS, DAMON CALEB (W /M/25), ASSAULT ON FEMALE, 11/19/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦ BLACKMON, TAMARCUS JAYVON (B /M/23), FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE, 11/19/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office ♦

BLAIR, JAMES KEITH (W /M/40), FELONY PROBATION VIOLATION, 11/19/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

MCMILLAN, CRYSTAL LEIGH (W /F/33), SIMPLE ASSAULT, 11/19/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

SNUGGS, CHARLES ERIC (W /M/34), LARC MERCHANT PROD CODE FRAUD, 11/19/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

MERRIMAN, JAKE BERNARD (B /M/34), AWDWIKISI, 11/17/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

♦

BURLESON, ERIC LEE (W /M/35), FEL PROB VIOL OUT OF COUNTY, 11/15/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office ♦ GRIFFIN, BRIAN THOMAS (W /M/28), FELONY POSSESSION SCH I CS, 11/15/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office ♦ LANE, BRENDAN MICHAEL (W /M/25), POSSESS HEROIN, 11/15/2022, Stanly County Sheriff`S Office

Sweet potato pie makes an easy, pretty Thanksgiving dessert

The Associated Press

IN SOME AREAS of the coun try, especially the South, sweet po tatoes make regular appearanc es at the end of the meal, yet for many of us elsewhere, it’s a sur prise to encounter them in dessert form.

But they are called sweet pota toes for a reason!

This comforting, pretty and very simple pie makes a nice al ternative to the more traditional pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving.

It’s made even easier if you take the shortcut of using a refrigerat ed crust — one of the best inven tions ever, in this casual pie mak er’s opinion. But if you have a pie crust recipe you like, please feel free to use it here.

And while I tout the marvels of refrigerated pie crust, I should also mention that homemade whipped cream is simple to make, and few things delight more than a hefty billow of sweet whipped cream on a pie.

Although their names are some times used interchangeably, there are differences between a sweet potato and a yam. Yams are from a different botanical family, and are generally larger, starchier and dri er than sweet potatoes. Save yams for the savory dishes.

The best sweet potatoes are the small to medium ones, which are sweet and creamy. Larger ones tend to be starchier. They should be firm and free of bruises or breaks, and their skin should be smooth.

Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of the antioxidant beta car otene (choose ones with darker skins for more of it), and also con tain high levels of Vitamin C and potassium.

Making the filling of this pie is simple, once you bake and mash the sweet potatoes.

Oh and if you are lucky to have any leftovers, be sure to tuck a piece in a secret spot in the fridge – I can’t think of a better post-Thanksgiving breakfast.

EASY SWEET POTATO PIE Serves

8

3 medium sweet potatoes, about 1 1/2 pounds 1 refrigerated pie crust for a 9-inch pie 3 large eggs

Grated zest of 1 orange 2/3 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup heavy cream

Sweetened whipped cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Prick the sweet potatoes in several places with a fork, and bake them right on the rack for 1 1/2 hours, until very soft. Leave the oven on. Remove and cool the potatoes un til they are just slightly warm, then peel the skins off, and pu ree in a food processor or blender, or pass them through a ricer, and place in a large bowl. You should have about 1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups puree.

Unroll the prepared pie crust and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Attractively crimp the edges of the crust. (Or if you’ve purchased a pre-made pie crust already in the pan, skip this step).

For the filling, in a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and or ange zest. Whisk in the pureed sweet potatoes, and then add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger and salt, and whisk into the sweet pota to mixture until blended. Slowly whisk in the cream until well com bined. Pour the filling into the pre pared pie crust.

Bake the pie for about 50 to 60 minutes, until the filling is set.

You can test this by inserting a sharp knife near the center; when it comes out clean, the pie is done.

The pie will be a bit puffed up when it comes out of the oven, and then sink slightly as it cools.

Cool the pie completely on a

wire rack. You can serve immedi ately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Oh, and while the pie is cooling, whip that cream!

Serve the pie sliced, with whipped cream if desired.

OPINION

Small Business Saturday

BLACK FRIDAY is the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but with its doorbusters and discounts, I think it’s become of time of grabbing rather than of giving.

Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.

If you’re looking for the holiday spirit, go shopping the next day, Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday, which is always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day to find unique gifts and enjoy a level of service you probably won’t find at the national chains, but it’s also a day to help the local shops and restaurants that do so much to help their communities throughout the year.

Small Business Saturday began 12 years ago as a way to steer shoppers toward Main Street businesses still recovering from the Great Recession. Since then, though, it’s become one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Last year, Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday. That’s according to a survey by Small Business Saturday’s founder, American Express, and my group, the National Federation of Independent Business.

And despite the impact inflation is having on the cost of everything from raw materials to wrapping paper, small business owners are hopeful they’ll set another sales record this weekend.

After all, spending on Small Business Saturday 2020 still increased a little despite social distancing and other setbacks dictated by the pandemic.

I think Small Business Saturday has gotten bigger every year because

people understand how important independent shops and restaurants are to the local economy and their communities overall.

Consider this: According to the latest figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.6% of all businesses in the state.

But it goes beyond that. When we shop small, we really are helping our friends and neighbors.

We help the businesses that support our schools and give to local charities. Small businesses really hold our communities together.

Also, when we shop at a chain store, the proceeds go to a big corporation headquartered someplace else. But 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community, according to another American Express and NFIB survey. On top of that, every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as employers and their employees shop at other local businesses.

Plus, when you shop at a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner, someone with a vested interest in turning the casual holiday shopper into a regular customer who’ll come back throughout the year.

North Carolina’s economy is built on its small businesses. That’s why I’m asking everyone to shop small on Saturday, Nov. 26. When we help small businesses, we help everyone.

Gregg Thompson is the North Carolina state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

A House popular vote majority produced few seats but is a good sign for Republicans in 2024

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes.

ONE OF THE PUZZLES in this year’s surprising and unpredicted (including by me) off-year election results is why the Republicans’ 51% to 47% win in the popular vote for House of Representatives did not produce a majority bigger than the apparent 221-214 result. (All numbers here are subject to revision in line with final returns.)

That 51% to 47% margin is identical to Joe Biden’s and Barack Obama’s popular vote margins in 2020 and 2012, respectively. It is just one digit off from George W. Bush’s 51% to 48% win in 2004. It’s almost identical to House Democrats’ 51% to 48% popular vote margin in 2020, which yielded them an almost identical 222-213 majority.

The big contrast is with 2012, when Democrats carried the House popular vote 49% to 48% but won only 201 seats to the Republicans’ 234. How could a party win a 33-seat majority while losing the popular vote, then win only a seven-seat majority while carrying the popular vote by 4 points?

One answer is differential turnout. In 2012, Democrats’ popular vote edge owed much to heavy Black voter turnout to reelect the first Black president. But many of those votes came in overwhelmingly Black districts and did nothing to elect Democrats elsewhere.

This year, differential turnout worked against Democrats. Central city turnout was way down, as compared to the last off-year election in 2018 — down 19% in New York City but up 0.3% in the suburbs and upstate; down 13% in Philadelphia, but up 8% elsewhere in Pennsylvania; down 15% in Detroit’s Wayne County, but up 6% elsewhere in Michigan; down 12% in Milwaukee County, but up 1% elsewhere in Wisconsin; down 24% in Chicago’s Cook County, down only 8% in Chicago’s collar counties and downstate.

That reflects population loss in central cities, particularly from Black voters leaving the industrial Midwest for the more economically vibrant and culturally congenial metro Atlanta — making Georgia, with the nation’s third highest Black percentage, a target state. It also reflects, after four years of skyrocketing crime and stringent lockdowns, waning enthusiasm among heavily Democratic electorates. That’s not a favorable sign for Democratic turnout in 2024.

The second reason is that Republicans failed to harvest significant gains in House seats from their significant gain in popular votes in redistricting. Republicans had a big advantage in partisan redistricting following the 2010 census but only a minimal advantage following the 2020 census.

In particular, Democratic mapmakers and supposedly nonpartisan but liberal-leaning redistricting commissions have no longer felt bound by the Voting Rights Act to pack Black people into black-majority districts — a tactic Republicans have encouraged since the 1990 election cycle because it leaves fewer Democratic voters in adjacent districts.

Abandonment of this supposedly immutable principle is responsible, for example, for the fact that Michigan elected zero Black Democratic congressmen for the first time since 1952. (A Black Republican was elected in mostly white, suburban Macomb County.) Democrats also won a state Senate majority for the first time since

1983 by winning districts that linked heavily Black neighborhoods in Detroit with affluent, mostly white suburbs.

The most important reason for the Republicans’ reduced harvest of House seats has been a reduction in clustering. Previously, heavily Democratic voters — Blacks, Hispanics and gentry liberals — have been clustered geographically in central cities, sympathetic suburbs and university towns, while Republican voters have been spread more evenly around the rest of the country.

The effect of clustering can be seen in the number of House districts carried by different presidents. Both Bush and Obama were reelected with 51% of the popular vote. That enabled Bush in 2004 to carry 255 of the 435 House districts. But Obama in 2012 carried only 209. Biden, with 51% in 2020, raised that number to 226.

Democratic clustering has diminished in recent years. Part of the reason is that Democratic groups have become less Democratic. Hispanics voted 29% Republican in 2012 but 39% Republican in 2022. The Asian Republican percentage increased from 25% to around 40%, and the Black Republican percentage increased from 6% to 13%.

Meanwhile, Republican clustering has increased in the wide-open spaces between the Appalachians and the Rockies, from far-out exurbs and in Walmart and Dollar General country beyond.

You can see the evidence from which party won seats with supermajorities. In 2012, 71 Democrats and only 32 Republicans were elected to the House with 70% or more of the vote. Twentyeight Democrats got 80% or more, whereas only three Republicans did.

This year, by my preliminary count, the 70-plus percent districts moved closer to parity — 58 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Only 18 Democrats and five Republicans won with 80% or more.

Thus, the Republicans’ 51% of the total House vote produced a disappointing number of House seats.

However, it also signaled a residual Republican strength. Republican House candidates had a hard time dislodging Democrats in marginal districts. But relatively few were weighted down by highly publicized endorsements of Donald Trump’s backwardlooking insistence that the 2020 presidential election was stolen; the few identified with that view ran significantly behind the many who didn’t.

Instead, Republican House candidates ran ahead of their party’s Senate candidates in such states as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. They also ran strongly in tandem with landslide winners Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio in Florida.

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes. Duplicating that support is one way an unproblematic Republican nominee could top 270 electoral votes in 2024.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Patterson sets NFL record with 9th career kickoff return TD Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff 103 yards to become the NFL career leader with nine touchdowns. Patterson, a 10year veteran, caught the ball in the end zone and gathered a head of steam and outran the coverage up the middle. Matthew Adams missed a tackle attempt when he dove at Patterson’s feet, and Patterson was too fast for Elijah Hicks to catch as he approached the end zone. Patterson broke the record he shared with Joshua Cribbs and Leon Washington, each of whom had eight.

MLB Judge wins AL MVP; Goldschmidt takes NL prize

New York

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge owon the American League MVP award, and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt took the NL prize. After hitting 62 home runs this season to break the AL record, Judge easily beat out Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. Judge received 28 of 30 first-place votes and two seconds for 410 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel. Goldschmidt won the NL award for the first time after a couple of close calls earlier in his career. Padres third baseman Manny Machado came in second.

SOCCER

FIFA revenue hits $7.5B for current World Cup period

Doha, Qatar FIFA says it has earned record revenues of $7.5 billion in the four years of commercial deals tied to the World Cup in Qatar. FIFA revealed its earnings to officials from more than 200 of its members. It is $1 billion more than income from the previous commercial cycle linked to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The extra income comes despite FIFA helping its members through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when most national team soccer was shut down. FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with toptier sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended.

FORMULA ONE

Sargeant to be first U.S. F1 driver since 2015

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Logan Sargeant earned the Super License he needed to race for Williams in Formula One and will become the first American on the grid since 2015 when he makes his debut next season. Sargeant needed to finish at least sixth in the season standings in Formula Two to qualify for an F1 Super License. Williams earlier said the Florida-born driver would get the seat for 2023 if he met the requirements and helped him do so by giving him practice time in F1 sessions. Sargeant finished fourth in the F2 standings after a fifth-place result in the last race of the season Sunday.

From Waxhaw to NFL: Jets’ Washington shining as assistant after All-Pro career

tience.”

Washington was the coach of his oldest son Leon Jr.’s team at Cuth bertson Middle School in Waxhaw in 2017. And things were going OK, he thought, until he was called into the principal’s office.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Leon Washington loved being on the sideline as a head coach, lead ing his football squad on game days and pushing them hard all week during practice.

Well, maybe a little too much.

Especially since it was only mid dle school.

“It was a great experience and it taught me so much because it was like, man, you know what, Leon? These players don’t see it like you see it,” the New York Jets assistant coach and former running back and All-Pro kick returner said with a smile. “Man, you can’t expect an 11-, 12- or 13-year-old to go out there and execute like we do in the NFL.

“So that taught me a lot of pa

“It was like, ‘Hey, Leon, what are you doing? All our kids are banged up,’” Washington recalled, shaking his head.

There was also the team’s final record: 2-5-1.

“Yeah, we didn’t do too well,” Washington said with a laugh. “But we did beat the team that eventual ly ended up winning it all.”

That competitiveness made him a star player — and has carried over to his budding coaching career.

“I don’t really want to make pre dictions on how it will go because I just want to work my tail off, be come a better teacher, become a better coach,” he said. “I’m just go ing to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

That has always been the ap proach of the 40-year-old Wash ington, who was a fan favorite during NFL stops with the Jets,

Seahawks, Patriots and Titans in a nine-year playing career after be ing a fourth-round pick out of Flor ida State. His eight career kickoffs returned for touchdowns are tied for the second most in NFL histo ry with Josh Cribbs.

His coaching path began in 2016, two years after his last NFL game. Washington reached out to Gus Bradley, then Jacksonville’s head coach whom he knew from their days together in Seattle, to intern that summer as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coach ing Fellowship. Bradley convinced Washington to stay the entire sea son.

After not finding an NFL op

N. Carolina native Devin Chandler remembered after UVA shooting

Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. —

Devin Chandler transferred in from Wisconsin, where the wide receiver returned a total of four kicks, three against Notre Dame. At Virginia, his sense of humor helped teammates push through the monotony of training. He loved to dance.

He was one of three University of Virginia juniors who were killed when authorities say a fellow stu dent and former football player opened fire in a bus that had just returned to campus from a class field trip.

Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Per ry were also killed in the shooting. Two other students were wound ed, including another football player.

Chandler was a wide receiv er from Huntersville who recent ly transferred from Wisconsin, where his accomplishments in cluded a 59-yard kickoff return

and 18-yard rush in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest in 2020.

Jim Leonhard, the University of Wisconsin’s interim head football coach, tweeted that Chandler’s personality “was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

At Virginia, he was “the life of the party” — someone who kept

everyone on the team entertained in places like the weight room, said Tony Elliott, his coach.

“He just was a big kid. Smiled all the time. Loved to dance. Loved to sing. Loved to compete, even though the guys revealed that he wasn’t very good at video games, but he thought he was,” El liott told reporters Tuesday, laugh

portunity in 2017, Washington took that gig on the middle-school fields of North Carolina. In 2018, he joined the staff of then-Atlan ta coach Dan Quinn — whom he also knew from his playing days in Seattle — again through the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

He was reunited with former Seahawks assistant Darrell Bev ell that summer. Washington fol lowed the offensive coordinator in 2019 to Detroit, where he spent two years as a full-time assistant working with special teams and running backs through the Wil liam Clay Ford Minority Coaching Assistantship.

In his second season as a Jets coach, Washington has worked closely as an assistant for special teams coordinator Brant Boyer while also helping running backs coach Taylor Embree.

“My heart is in this, and espe cially this organization,” Washing ton said. “The only selfish thing I can say I want out of this is a Super Bowl championship and just con tinue to grow as a coach.”

ing. “But he loved to compete.”

Ethan Johnson recalled how he spent a season playing with Chan dler on their high school foot ball team, with Johnson covering Chandler as a cornerback during practice. This past summer, the young men worked out together at their alma mater.

“And he was there telling me how much of a difference he saw in me. How much I had grown. How I had improved as a player,” said Johnson, who is now a freshman cornerback at Appalachian State. “That was the type of guy he was. He was always trying to lift peo ple up.”

American studies profes sor Jack Hamilton recalled how Chandler transferred from Wis consin and “made a point to come to my office hours repeatedly, of ten just to ask questions about how things worked around UVA.”

The professor later helped Chandler to declare his major in American studies.

“He was an unbelievably nice person, always a huge smile, really gregarious and funny,” Hamilton wrote. “One of those people who’s just impossible not to like.”

A fellow student was arrested in the death of three Cavaliers football players

“(He) was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

Wisconsin interim coach Jim Leonhard on Devin Chandler

“I’m just going to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

Jets assistant coach

Irving rejoins Nets, apologizes for hurt his actions caused

NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving re turned to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday and apologized to anyone who felt threatened or hurt when he posted a link to a documentary with antisemitic material.

Irving was suspended by the team on Nov. 3, hours after he re fused to say he had no antisemitic beliefs when meeting with report ers at the Nets’ practice facility.

Back at the building for the team’s morning shootaround, Ir ving said he should have handled that interview differently.

“I don’t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is going against the human race,” Irving said. “I feel like we all should have an oppor tunity to speak for ourselves when things are assumed about us and I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountabil ity for my actions, because there was a way I should have handled all this and as I look back and re flect when I had the opportunity to offer my deep regrets to anyone that felt threatened or felt hurt by what I posted, that wasn’t my in tent at all.”

Irving has missed eight games during the suspension, which the Nets said would be for a minimum of five games without pay. The team said he is available to play in its home game Sunday night against Memphis.

Irving said he was initial ly searching for more information about his heritage when he post ed the link to “Hebrews to Ne groes: Wake Up Black America” on his Twitter page. When first asked about it, he was defiant about his right to post material that interest ed him. Then, he refused to apol ogize or clarify his religious beliefs during another interview a few days later, leading to his suspen sion.

“I was rightfully defensive that there was an assumption that

I could be antisemitic, or that I meant to post a documentary to stand side by side with all the views in the documentary,” Irving said, adding, “How can you call some one an antisemite if you don’t know them?”

But his tone was more reflective while speaking for about 12 min utes Sunday, thanking family and friends for their support. Some, in cluding officials from the National Basketball Players Association and Nets general manager Sean Marks, were in the room as he spoke.

“I meant no harm to any person, to any group of people and yeah, this is a big moment for me be cause I’m able to learn throughout this process that the power of my voice is very strong, the influence

that I have within my community is very strong, and I want to be re sponsible for that,” Irving said. “In order to do that, you have to admit when you’re wrong and in instanc es where you hurt people and it im pacts them.”

Nike suspended its relationship with Irving and the fallout seemed to further strain the relationship between Irving and the Nets, who declined to give him a contract ex tension last summer. He missed most of their home games last sea son when he refused to get vacci nated against COVID-19, as was mandated at the time in New York City.

The organization said he was “unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets” when it suspend ed him. But the Nets praised Ir ving on Sunday for the steps he has since taken.

“Kyrie took ownership of this journey and had conversations with several members of the Jew ish community,” the team said in a statement. “We are pleased that he is going about the process in a meaningful way.”

Pfeiffer men’s basketball team searches for earlyseason consistency

MISENHEIMER — Now a few weeks in its 2022-23 schedule, the Pfeiffer men’s basketball team has started its sixth season as a USA South Athletic Conference member with a pair of wins and three losses — all on the road.

Led by fifth-year coach Pete Schoch, the Fal cons (2-3) have posted victories over Averett and Colby-Sawyer but have struggled offensively over the past week, losing to St. John Fisher, UVA Wise and Covenant.

Pfeiffer was set to have its first game of the sea son inside Merner Gym on Tuesday against local foe Guilford (3-2).

The Falcons have a much different look com pared to last year’s squad that finished with a 1211 record (9-5 USA South) as more than half of the roster is comprised of freshmen.

The oldest player is fifth-year guard and Oak boro native Taylan Rowe. The former West Stanly star is averaging a team-best 29.4 minutes played along with 9.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

Rowe was a key part in the Falcons’ 2020-21 season that resulted in a 10-2 record and a USA South East Division Tournament appearance, where he scored 19 points in a championship win over Averett.

Sophomore Daymon Beckwith, pacing the Fal cons with a team-high 13.6 points per game, has scored in double figures every game so far while shooting 50% from 3-point range. The guard led Pfeiffer with 16 points and five rebounds in their recent 86-83 loss to Covenant.

Former North Stanly standout Doug Smith has served as the anchor to the Falcons’ frontcourt in his freshman year. The 6-foot-8 forward from Ba din has recorded 7.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game.

Another newcomer, freshman guard Rashamel Butler, has impressed with 13 points per game while leading his team in rebounds (7.3) and steals (2.7).

Following a brief Thanksgiving break, Pfeiffer will travel to undefeated Berry on Nov. 26 before a three-week gap in the schedule. The Falcons re sume play with home contests against Lynchburg on Dec. 17 and Mid-Atlantic Christian on Jan. 5.

The Falcons’ conference schedule begins with N.C. Wesleyan on Jan. 7 and will conclude with the USA South Tournament beginning on Feb. 21.

CHARLOTTE — Ty Gibbs was promoted to NASCAR’s Cup Se ries last Tuesday in an expected announcement that was void of any celebration as Joe Gibbs Rac ing continues to mourn the loss of Gibbs’ father.

Coy Gibbs died in his sleep hours after his 20-year-old son won the Xfinity Series champion ship on Nov. 5 at Phoenix Race way. He was 49, the same age as older brother, J.D., when he passed away in 2019.

Joe Gibbs, the NASCAR and NFL Hall of Famer, has lost both his sons a month before their 50th birthdays. Coy Gibbs was vice

chairman of his father’s NASCAR team at the time of his death.

The Gibbs family has made no public statements since confirm ing Coy Gibbs’ passing shortly be fore the NASCAR season finale. Ty Gibbs did not race in the Nov. 6 fi nale and has made just one pub lic appearance since, courtside at a Charlotte Hornets game last week.

The Tuesday announcement that Ty Gibbs will replace Kyle Busch in JGR’s Cup lineup came in a four-paragraph press release that said Gibbs will move up with Chris Gayle, his crew chief during this year’s championship season.

Ty Gibbs will drive the No. 54 Toyota Camry next year and JGR said it plans to use the No. 18 for

future use. Joe Gibbs chose the No. 18 when he launched his NA SCAR team in 1992 and Busch spent the past 15 years with the number.

Ty Gibbs has used the No. 54 the past two seasons in the Xfinity Series, where he won 11 of 51 races and the championship in the sea son finale at Phoenix. His first na tional series title ended a bumpy season for Ty Gibbs, who scrapped with other drivers, was fined by NASCAR, and then cost JGR driver Brandon Jones a spot in the championship finale by spinning him out of the lead on the final lap at Martinsville Speedway.

If Gibbs had simply stayed in second behind Jones, both JGR

drivers would have made the championship race and Toyota would have had two entries. Joe Gibbs promised consequences would be coming for his grandson, but the team had to get through championship week first.

Ty Gibbs then won the title but learned of his father’s passing at a Phoenix-area hotel the next morning.

Before the incident at Martins ville, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson had de fended Gibbs’ growth while not ing he’s younger than most of his peers. He’ll join a JGR lineup that includes 42-year-old Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin, who turns 42 later this week, as well

as Christopher Bell, who turns 28 next month. Bell raced for the Cup title at Phoenix, finishing third in the title race.

“What we have to remember is, particularly if you contem plate him continuing to drive at the Cup level, he’s still got a lot to learn. He just turned 20. He’s going to make mistakes,” Wilson said in October. “Early in the sea son, he was not just getting into scraps, but once he got out of the car, he was handling that aggres sively. He’s done a much better job handling the emotion once he gets out of the car.

“But he’s still seeing things that are new to him, and it’s going to be a very dynamic time for him.”

Points per game for Pfeiffer freshman Doug Smith, a North Stanly graduate

“I meant no harm to any person, to any group of people.”

Kyrie Irving

Studies find automatic braking can cut crashes over 40%

DETROIT — Two new U.S.

studies show that automatic emergency braking can cut the number of rear-end automobile crashes in half, and reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%.

The studies released Tuesday, one by a government-auto indus try partnership and the other by the insurance industry, each used crash data to make the calcula tions. Automatic emergency brak ing can stop vehicles if a crash is imminent, or slow them to reduce the severity.

Some automakers are mov ing toward a voluntary commit ment by 20 companies to make the braking technology stan dard equipment on 95% of their light-duty models during the cur rent model year that ends next August.

A study by The Partnership for Analytics Research in Traf fic Safety compared data on auto equipment with 12 million po lice-reported crashes from 13 states that was collected by the National Highway Traffic Safe ty Administration, the partner ship said in a statement Tuesday. The group studied forward colli sion warning as well as emergen cy braking.

The group found front-to-rear crashes were cut 49% when the striking vehicle had forward colli sion alert plus automatic braking,

when compared with vehicles that didn’t have either system. Rear crashes with injuries were cut by 53%, the study found.

Vehicles with forward collision warning systems only reduced rear-end crashes by 16%, and cut rear crashes with injuries by 19%.

Automatic emergency braking works well in all conditions, even when roadway, weather or light ing conditions were not ideal, the study showed.

The group also looked at lane departure warning systems, and lane-keeping systems, which keep

vehicles in their lanes. They re duced crashes from autos leaving the roadway by 8% and road-de parture crashes that cause inju ries by 7%.

“These emerging technologies can substantially reduce the num ber of crashes and improve safe

ty outcomes,” said Tim Czapp, senior manager for safety at Eu ropean automaker Stellantis, the industry co-chair of the partner ship’s board.

In the other study, the Insur ance Institute for Highway Safety found that automatic emergency braking reduces rear crash rates for pickups by 43% and rear-end injury crashes by 42%. Yet pick ups are less likely to have auto matic braking than cars or SUVs despite posing more danger to other road users, the IIHS found.

“Pickups account for 1 out of 5 passenger vehicles on U.S. roads, and their large size can make them dangerous to people in smaller vehicles or on foot,” the institute’s Vice President of Re search Jessica Cicchino said in a statement.

Mitsubishi, Ford, Mer cedes-Benz, Stellantis (former ly Fiat Chrysler), Volkswagen and Honda have filed documents with the government this year saying they’ve made emergency braking standard on at least 90% of their models.

General Motors reported that only 73% of its models had the technology at the end of the 2022 model year, but a spokesman said GM would hit 98% by the end of the current model year as long as there aren’t supply chain issues.

In addition, BMW, Hyund ai, Mazda, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, and Volvo passed 90% last year, according to the IIHS.

Pennsylvania House impeaches Philly prosecutor over policies

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Phil adelphia’s elected Democratic prosecutor faces a state Senate trial and possible removal from office after the Republican-led state House voted Wednesday to impeach him over progressive policies he has enacted amid ris ing crime in the city.

The move toward removing District Attorney Larry Kras ner began months ago and picked up momentum in the weeks be fore the midterm elections, with Republicans introducing the im peachment resolution late last month. But the 107-85 near ly party-line vote marks a dra matic escalation of attacks about crimefighting policies against Democratic mayors and prose cutors that had previously been largely confined to campaign pol itics.

The vote sets the stage for what would be the first Pennsyl vania Senate impeachment trial in nearly three decades. Republi cans have a 29-21 majority in the state Senate that will become a 28-22 majority early next year, so they’d need the support of some Senate Democrats to attain the two-thirds majority vote required to remove Krasner.

Krasner, who was overwhelm ingly reelected by Philadelphia voters last year, is not accused of breaking the law. Instead, Re publicans argued that he should be removed from office for vari ous reasons, including his failure to prosecute some minor crimes and his bail request policies, his staff oversight and reports that his office didn’t adequately notify crime victims about certain mat ters. They also alleged that Kras ner obstructed the House’s inves tigation of his office.

Krasner said in a statement that the vote was the only time

the state House has ever “used the drastic remedy of impeachment of an elected official because they do not like their ideas.”

“They have impeached me without presenting a single shred of evidence connecting our pol icies to any uptick in crime,” he said Democrats said lawmakers have only removed two officials — both of them judges — through impeachment: the first a county judge in 1811 and then state Su preme Court Justice Rolf Larsen in 1994.

State Rep. Martina White,

R-Philadelphia, a prime sponsor of the impeachment resolution and a political ally of the city po lice union that has clashed with Krasner, said: “This man has de nied that there is even a crisis of crime happening on our streets.”

“No public official is above ac countability, and if not for us in this chamber, he would have no oversight,” White said.

Former prosecutor Rep. Tim Bonner, R-Mercer, said “anarchy and violence will prevail” if elect ed leaders can choose what laws to obey or enforce.

“No one individual has the

right to set aside the laws of Con gress or the General Assembly be cause they simply do not like the law. No one has that degree of ab solute power,” Bonner said.

Democrats argued that Kras ner was being scapegoated for wider problems with crime, that the case against him is weak and that his removal would be an abuse of legislative power. They said the lame duck session im peachment would overturn vot ers’ will and that House Republi cans have themselves failed to act to address gun violence.

“You are doing the wrong

thing,” said state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, D-Philadelphia. “I will be generous and say that maybe you’re making a mistake. But if you look at what is before us, and when we think about the sacred obligation we have as members of this august body, this is not what we ought to be doing.”

State Rep. Mike Zabel, a Dem ocrat from Philadelphia who served as a city assistant district attorney under Krasner’s prede cessor in office, said Krasner was being blamed unfairly for things that were not entirely his fault.

“The truth is that prosecuting crimes in one of the largest cit ies in the country is a complex task with a never-ending parade of challenges,” Zabel said, urg ing fellow lawmakers to “take a break from the political brinks manship.”

It’s unclear when the state Sen ate will launch a trial. The twoyear legislative session ends in two weeks, but the chamber’s top-ranking Republican, state Sen. Kim Ward of Westmoreland County, said this week that she in tends to add days to the session to take up the matter. The process is not expected to wrap up quickly.

The resolution directed the House speaker, currently a Re publican, to name two majority party members and one minori ty party representative to man age the case in the Senate. It’s un clear how that might be affected if Democrats reclaim the House majority next year, as appears in creasingly likely.

Krasner isn’t the first liberal prosecutors to come under fire. Voters in San Francisco recalled District Attorney Chesa Bou din in June and an effort to re call Democratic Los Angeles Dis trict Attorney George Gascón failed this summer when organiz ers were unable to get it onto the ballot.

obituaries

Margie Efird

February 2, 1936 ~ November 17, 2022

Margie Isabelle Coley Efird, 86, died peacefully at Randolph Hospice House in Asheboro, NC on Thursday, November 17th with her loving family by her side. She was a faithful and loyal soul mate to Jack who predeceased her in 2019, a loving mother to Ronnie and Wendy, and a special Mawmaw to Jeremy and Rob. Margie was a wonderful cook. She was well known at family dinners for her chicken and dumplings as well as the everfamous German chocolate cake. Every Sunday dinner was always a major event even up to the very last Sunday where she fixed dinner for her little family. Those times will surely leave an empty hole in our lives as 1pm continues to roll around every Sunday.

Margie is survived by her son Ronnie and wife Wendy of Norwood, grandsons Jeremy (Jen)of Ahoskie and Rob of Norwood, and her faithful canine companion, Taco. Also surviving are son and daughter of the heart, Wade Efird of Norwood, and Cindy Ramsey of Pennsylvania. Also surviving are brother and sister in laws, Gene Efird, Price Efird(Ruby), Cassie Eddins, and Judy Morton(Tony); Thelma Coley ; very special nieces, Darlene Kepley and Sandra Efird Crowley who held her hand during hospital visits as well as many other nieces and nephews.

Margie was predeceased by her loving husband, Jack; mother and father, Dexter and Nezzie Coley, mother and father-in-law, Grady and Mary Efird; brothers and sisters, Dulin, Gary, Linda, Gladys, Edyce, Ike, JB, Henry, Gene, and Evelyn; Brother in laws, Gary, Lewis, Floyd Lee, Harvol, and William Efird.

Debra Jean Austin Beaver

March 16, 1956 - November 17, 2022

Debra Jean Austin Beaver, 66, of Concord, NC, passed peacefully away Thursday, November 17, 2022.

She was born March 16, 1956 in Cabarrus County, NC to the late Carl Gene Austin and Minnie Elizabeth Boger Austin. Debra was an EC Assistant at Rocky River Elementary. She attended Mt. Hermon Lutheran Church. After retirement she became a stay-at-home Grandma for her grandchildren.

Mrs. Beaver was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn Reid Beaver of 45 years on August 12, 2021. She is survived by a son, Joshua Reid Beaver (Nicole) of Concord, NC; a daughter, Carla E. Barnhardt (Josh) of Concord, NC; sister, Elizabeth Ann Lefler of Concord, NC and four grandchildren, Haley Barnhardt (Lawson), Austin Barnhardt, Clayton Beaver and Riley Beaver.

Jerrie Maxine Austin Eudy

May 21, 1932 - November 17, 2022

Jerrie Maxine Austin Eudy, 90, of Albemarle, passed away Thursday, November 17, 2022 at Bethany Woods Nursing and Rehab.

Mrs. Eudy was born May 21, 1932 in Stanly County to the late John Kay Austin and Margaret Thompson Austin. She was always very well dressed and made sure her hair was fixed just right. Jerrie was a woman of faith. She enjoyed spending time with her family especially her grandchildren who were her pride and joy.

Jerrie is survived by her husband of 72 years Raymond Daniel Eudy; daughters: Sandra Huneycutt of Albemarle, Jo Ann Wise of New London; grandchildren: Travis Wise (Melissa) of Portland, OR, Brooke Ritchie of Albemarle, Andrew Simpson (Brooke) of Albemarle; great grandchildren: Abby Wise, Ian Wise, Calista Goins, Cameron Simpson, Cassidy Simpson, Riley Ritchie, and Coleman Ritchie.

Preceded in death by great granddaughter Lyla Rose Wise; brother: Donald Austin; sister: Louise Long.

Kenneth Lee Stoker

November 2, 1934 - November 16, 2022

Kenneth Lee Stoker, 88, of Albemarle passed away on November 16, 2022 in Trinity Place.

Born November 2, 1934 in Stanly County, NC he was the son of the late Talmage S. Stoker and Virginia Hinson Stoker. He was a member of Stony Hill United Methodist Church and was retired from Alcoa where he worked as a millwright. He loved fishing, camping and being outdoors. He was also a member of Woodmen of the World. Mr. Stoker was a kind Christian man with a great sense of humor.

Mr. Stoker was preceded in death by his first wife, Sally Crook Stoker. He is survived by his wife Barbara Hull Stoker of Asheville. Other survivors include daughters Kathy Hand (Jerry) of New London and Debra Oakes (Darrell) of Greensboro, stepson Tom Macey (Beth), stepdaughters Sharon Balfrey (Jeffrey) of Richfield and Kimberly Handley (Judd) of Asheville, five grandchildren Jamie Parsons (Kelly), Jenny Jones (James), Kenny Hand (Kristen), Brittany Oakes (Cory) and Colby Oakes (Courtney) and six great-grandchildren Skylar, Lincoln, Jaxon, Arya, Emory, and Ruby.

Robert Wayne Black

April 22, 1954 - November 14, 2022

Robert Wayne Black, 68, of Midland, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 14, 2022 at Atrium Health Union with his family by his side.

Mr. Black was born in Cabarrus County on April 22, 1954, a son of the late Arthur Gilbert Black and the late Mary Frances Carriker Black. He was retired from Industrial Supply Solutions in Salisbury where he worked as a product salesman. He was preceded in death by a stepdaughter Nina Bradley. Survivors include his wife, Debbi Hoffman Black; stepdaughter: Yvonne Crasso; grandchildren: Dominic Gregoire and Saveh Chase; sister: Sylvia Gillespie and husband Wayne “Red”; nephews: Chris Haigler and wife Angie, Brian Haigler and wife Stephanie, Jason Haigler and wife Amanda; great-nephew: TJ Haigler; and great-nieces: Megan, Sydney and Savanna Haigler.

Larry Hinson

March 2, 1952 ~ November 15, 2022

Larry William Hinson, 70, of Polkton, died Tuesday, November 15, 2022.

Larry was born March 2, 1952 in Stanly County to the late Billy Alexander and Flonnie Lee “Pete” Phillips Hinson. He was a graduate of South Stanly High School.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Joe Hinson.

He is survived by his daughter, Christina Barker (Brandon) of Albemarle and Alex Hinson of High Point; sister, Mitzie Hartsell (Tommy) of Polkton and brother Roger Hinson (Kathy) of Norwood.

Patricia Colson

September 19, 1962 ~ November 14, 2022

Patricia Biles Colson, 60, of Norwood, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family early Monday, November 14, 2022 at her home.

Mrs. Colson was born on September 19, 1962 in Stanly County to the late Walter June and Earlene DeBerry Biles. Patricia loved her family. She helped raise many children that were not her own and was known to a lot of people as ‘Ma Pat’ or ‘Aunt Tricia.’ She was known for her love of cooking, singing, her church, and most importantly, God.

In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister, Malita Biles; brother: Robert L. Henry.

She is survived by her loving daughters: Kanitha Colson (KiKi) and Shaneka Colson (Fred), both of Norwood; husband Charlie Parnell Colson; grandchildren: Shymeek Chavis and Kanija Colson; brother: Jeffery Dunlap (Keisha); Godchildren: Asia Grady, Tiara Grady, Alexis Davis, Lavisha Watkins, Tharianna Medley, Mondrell Leake, and Mondrez Leake; special niece, Natasha Biles; sister-in-laws: Juanita Colson and Delores Johnson (Wilson); and brotherin-laws: Darrin Colson (Raven), Robert Rhone, and Sherman Smith; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Landon Allen Harris

March 7, 1936 - October 29, 2022

Landon Allen Harris, 86, was the son of James "Jim" and Jennie Harris of Pekin, NC.

Landon served in the United States Air Force in Guam, France and several bases within the US. After leaving the Air Force, he worked for the Department of the Army at Fort Gordon, Georgia and Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. He later worked for the Federal Aviation Administration in the Panama Canal and many stateside areas. After retiring he moved to Myrtle Beach, SC, where he lived for many years before returning to the Cary area to be closer to his son.

Landon is survived by his son Layne Harris, of Cary, NC; sisters, Ruby Dawkins (Richard), Marshville, NC; Nelda Heatherley (Bob), Myrtle Beach, SC; Jeanette McIntyre (Wayne), Asheboro, NC; and Sara Shepherd (Boyce), Troy, NC; and the mother of their son, LaDonna Harris, Cary, NC as well as multiple nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Jarvis (Gertie), Glen "Pete" (Virginia) and Reid (Carolyn).

David Lynn McLaurin 74 of Albemarle died Sunday, November 13, 2022 at Transitional Health Services of Kannapolis.

David was born April 23, 1948 in North Carolina to the late Daniel and Layra McLaurin.

He enjoyed music, especially playing the drums. Davie loved his family more than anything and always had a smile on his face that could light up a room.

He was preceded in death by his wife Joyce McLaurin and brothers Bobby and Buddy McLaurin.

Survivors include daughter, Layra McLaurin, son, David McLaurin, step-son Ricky Glover, Grandchildren, Alisha McLAurin, Alivia McLendon, Kevinna Pemberton, Kevin Pemberton Jr, Courtney Stough and David Stough: greatgrandchildren, Aniyah and Zamiyah Massey: brother, Dolan McLaurin and many nieces and nephews.

It is with deep sorrow and much love, the family of Dakota Taylor Barfield of Albemarle mourns his unexpected passing on Sunday, November 13, 2022. Dakota was 29 years old, while young in years lived with an old soul full of grace and wisdom.

Dakota was born on March 23, 1993 in Mecklenburg County and graduated from South Stanly High School in 2011. As a high school student, he won many awards including the Superintendent Leadership Award but was most proud of competing in the SkillsUSA National Competition for Nurse Assisting where he placed seventh among participants from all fifty states.

After graduation, Dakota worked as a CNA at Bethany Woods where he was a bright spot in the lives of his patients and co-workers.

However, Dakota is survived by his parents, Bobby Gene and Cindy Blalock Barfield of Norwood; his sister, Macy Barfield (Seth Mathieu) of Gastonia; grandparents: Toby Taylor of Norwood, Linda Laton of Albemarle, and Gary Blalock of Albemarle. Aunts and Uncles: Kelly B Tyson (Earl Johnson), Brian (Kathy) Taylor, Kelley (Lisa) Blalock, and Tracy (Amy) Blalock and numerous cousins who loved him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his granny, Hilda B. Taylor.

STATE & NATION

Walker, Republicans look for party unity in Georgia runoff

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Republicans insist they’re working together to help Herschel Walker unseat Dem ocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a Georgia runoff that offers the GOP a chance to finish a disappointing midterm election season with a vic tory.

But to win a 50th Senate seat on Dec. 6 and limit Democrats’ con tinued majority, Republicans must overcome doubts about Walker’s appeal in a battleground state, nav igate open squabbles among party powerbrokers in Washington and endure the specter of former Pres ident Donald Trump as he launches his third White House bid after los ing Georgia in 2020.

It adds up to the same challenges that limited GOP victories nation ally despite an underwater approval rating for President Joe Biden and widespread frustrations with the nation’s direction.

“Everybody realizes that regard less of any disagreements that do or don’t exist, everybody needs to focus on one thing: helping Her schel get across the finish line,” said Walker campaign manager Scott Paradise.

But they must do it without the Senate majority on the line, as it was in a pair of Georgia runoffs in January 2021. Democrats have al ready secured 50 seats with narrow incumbent victories in Nevada and Arizona combined with flipping a GOP-held Pennsylvania seat, and Vice President Kamala’s Harris tie breaking vote assures them a ma

jority.

So, Walker, who spent the fall trying to nationalize his race by mocking Warnock as a yes-man for Biden, must fashion a runoff coali tion knowing that nothing voters do here will depose New York’s Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader.

“There are still national implica tions,” Paradise said, arguing that Republicans around the country are “fired up” for a second chance after an underwhelming midterm performance. “We’re very comfort able framing this as the last fight of ‘22.”

Walker, a former college and pro fessional football star and a close friend of Trump’s, was urged by the former president to run. That ce

ments Walker’s bond with core GOP supporters but presents a challenge in Republican-leaning metro areas that helped Biden top Trump here two years ago.

“Trump probably does more to juice Democratic turnout than have an effect on our guy,” said Josh Holmes, a prominent Republican fundraiser and strategist aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has icy re lations with the former president. But Holmes added, “We don’t know what the impact will be.”

It’s clear Republicans hope Kemp’s popularity extends to Walk er, even if it wasn’t enough in the first round. Kemp typically would say only that he backed “the en

tire Republican ticket.” Since Elec tion Day, though, Kemp has turned over his voter turnout operation to the Washington-based super PAC aligned with McConnell. And Kempcampaigned with Walker for the first time on Saturday.

“Herschel requested all the help we could get from the governor. The governor said I’m there for you,” Paradise said.

Yet the deal between Kemp and the Senate Leadership Fund high lights GOP fissures, some tracing back to Trump, others to a running feud between McConnell and Flor ida Sen. Rick Scott, who leads the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

Kemp built out his independent turnout operation after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump blasted Kemp for certifying Biden’s slate of presidential electors from Georgia and state Republican Par ty leaders sided mostly with Trump.

SLF, which usually spends most of its money on television advertis ing, said the runoff would be the first time the political action com mittee has engaged in a full-scale voter turnout effort.

But, as with Kemp’s reelection campaign, that comes at odds with the traditional coordinated party campaign run through the Repub lican National Committee, the state party and Scott’s National Repub lican Senatorial Committee. Sepa rately, Scott challenged McConnell for Senate GOP leader; McConnell prevailed Wednesday.

But he noted that federal election law prevents coordination between the party committees and the SLFKemp operation. That means that there’s no legal way for each camp to keep tabs on the other’s activi ties, raising the prospect of duplica tive efforts or conflicting messages to voters.

Meanwhile, Scott’s and McCo nnell’s advisers spilled their tiff into public view. Curt Anderson, a Scott ally, noted on Twitter that he’d

seen Schumer’s Democratic super PAC airing ads on Warnock’s be half during a “Monday Night Foot ball” broadcast. “McConnell’s su perpac running zero ads attacking Warnock. Have they given up?” he asked.

SLF President Steven Law re torted that the NRSC’s Georgia televisions buys have been sub par. “But don’t worry little buddy — we’re used to covering you,” he wrote. SLF has since announced its own $14.2 million advertising plan, on top of the $2 million-plus it had previously announced for its turn out operation.

Amid such intraparty compli cations, perhaps the best outcome for Walker is a relatively low-turn out runoff election that allows his core supporters to become a vic torious majority. Indeed, having the Senate majority already settled could dampen Democrats’ enthusi asm, and Walker has drawn large, enthusiastic crowds in the opening days of the runoff campaign.

Yet Republicans, including the candidate himself, acknowledge at least tacitly that Walker may need supporters the nominee hasn’t won over yet.

“What he been doing is rowing the boat this way as our governor is trying to row this way,” Walker said of Warnock in Augusta. “What I’m going to do is I’m going to row the boat with the governor.”

And for rank-and-file Georgia Republicans like Debbie McCord, it means cajoling would-be Walk er voters to look beyond individual candidates and see a national refer endum.

“There are people who just think ‘so-and-so would have been a better candidate.’ I say there are a lot of good candidates, but this is who won the primary,” said Mc Cord, chairwoman of the Colum bia County Republican committee. “You need to get over it, put your big boy pants on and go vote.”

Republicans win back control of US House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Re publicans have officially won con trol of the U.S. House, returning the party to power in Washing ton and giving conservatives lever age to blunt President Joe Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of inves tigations. But a threadbare major ity will pose immediate challeng es for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern.

More than a week after Elec tion Day, Republicans secured the 218th seat needed to flip the House from Democratic control last Wednesday. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted.

But they are on track to cobble together what could be the party’s narrowest majority of the 21st cen tury, rivaling 2001, when Republi cans had just a nine-seat majori ty, 221-212 with two independents. That’s far short of the sweeping victory the GOP predicted going into this year’s midterm elections, when the party hoped to reset the agenda on Capitol Hill by capital izing on economic challenges and Biden’s lagging popularity.

Instead, Democrats showed surprising resilience, holding on to moderate, suburban districts from Virginia to Minnesota and Kan

sas.

McCarthy, R-Calif., celebrated his party having “officially flipped” the House on Twitter on Wednes day night, writing, “Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready to deliver.”

Biden congratulated McCarthy, saying he is “ready to work with House Republicans to deliver re sults for working families.”

“Last week’s elections demon strated the strength and resilience

of American democracy. There was a strong rejection of election deniers, political violence, and in timidation,” Biden said in a state ment. “There was an emphat ic statement that, in America, the will of the people prevails.”

He added, that “the future is too promising to be trapped in politi cal warfare.”

Despite the GOP’s under whelming showing, the party will still have notable power. Republi cans will take control of key com

mittees, giving them the abili ty to shape legislation and launch probes of Biden, his family and his administration. There’s particular interest in investigating the over seas business dealings of the pres ident’s son Hunter Biden. Some of the most conservative lawmak ers have raised the prospect of im peaching Biden, though that will be much harder for the party to ac complish with a tight majority.

Any legislation that emerges from the House could face steep odds in the Senate, where Demo crats possess the barest of major ities. Both parties are looking to a Dec. 6 Senate runoff in Georgia as a last chance to pad their ranks.

With such a potentially slim House majority, there’s also po tential for legislative chaos. The dynamic essentially gives an in dividual member enormous sway over shaping what happens in the chamber. That could lead to par ticularly tricky circumstances for GOP leaders as they try to win support for must-pass measures that keep the government funded or raise the debt ceiling.

Republican candidates pledged on the campaign trail to cut taxes and tighten border security. GOP lawmakers also could withhold aid to Ukraine as it fights a war with Russia or use the threat of default ing on the nation’s debt as leverage to extract cuts from social spend ing and entitlements — though all such pursuits will be tougher given how small the GOP majority may end up being.

AP VoteCast, a broad survey of

the national electorate, showed that high inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy had heavily influenced voters. Half of voters said inflation factored significantly, with groceries, gaso line, housing, food and other costs that have shot up in the past year. Slightly fewer — 44% — said the future of democracy was their pri mary consideration.

Counter to the GOP’s expecta tions, Biden didn’t entirely shoul der the blame for inflation, with close to half of voters saying the higher-than-usual prices were more because of factors outside his control. And despite the president bearing criticism from a pessimis tic electorate, some of those voters backed Democratic candidates.

Democrats also likely benefit ed from anger over the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision cementing a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Voters in Michigan voted to amend their state consti tution to protect abortion rights while far more reliably Republican Kentucky rejected a constitutional amendment declaring no right to an abortion.

Overall, 7 in 10 voters said the high court’s ruling overturning the 1973 decision enshrining abortion rights was an important factor in their midterm decisions. Vote Cast also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 say they are angry or dissatisfied by it. And roughly 6 in 10 say they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Randolph record

Randolph Health updates visitor restriction policy

In collaboration with several North Carolina health systems, Randolph Health has implemented an updated visitor restriction policy which came into effect on Wednesday, November 16. The policy addresses concerns regarding the prevalence of cases of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection (RSV) and seasonal influenza among young children. Out of concern for the health and well-being of the community, Randolph Health has requested that children 12 and under do not visit patients who are hospitalized. Masks are still required for all visitors. Children may be permitted to visit hospitalized patients under special circumstances, such as visiting a dying family member. In these instances, parents should work with their care team to make arrangements.

Asheboro Police continues to investigate vehicle break-ins

The Asheboro Police Department is currently investigating an incident of a stolen vehicle and two attempted vehicle thefts, all of which happened on the weekend of November 11 through Monday, November 14. According to police reports, the department received three separate calls pertaining to the thefts and break-ins. On November 11, officers responded to a call regarding attempted larceny of a motor vehicle at Chapel Gate Lane. On November 13, an officer responded to a call at West Pointe Apartments after a vehicle was stolen. And, on November 14, officers responded to a call about a burglary that took place at an apartment on West Kivett Street. Police have recommended that Randolph County residents take extra precautions to avoid becoming the victim of vehicle theft/breakins by locking car doors and rolling up windows, parking in well-lit areas, not leaving valuables inside vehicles, and reporting any suspicious activity by dialing 911.

Shots fired just blocks away from Asheboro Police Station

On the day after Veterans Day, the Asheboro Police Department received a call about shots having been fired just a block away from the police station. According to a police report, occupants in two vehicles were engaged in a shootout with one another while other cards were traveling on the roadway nearby. The incident occurred in the area of S. Fayetteville St. and W. Academy St., but when officers arrived on the scene, both vehicles had left the area. A police sergeant located eleven 9mm shell casings in the roadway and placed them into evidence. If you or anyone you know has information regarding this incident, please contact the Randolph County Crime Stoppers at (336) 672-7463.

Capitol christmas tree has arrived

N. Carolina Rep. Hudson named to lead House campaign arm

Asheboro man cashes in on lottery

Randolph Record

ASHEBORO — An Ashe boro man bought a Powerball ticket at the last minute and won $150,000, according to an NC Education Lottery news re lease.

Jacob Strickland, a 29-yearold welder, bought a Quick Pick ticket for the Nov. 5 drawing using Online Play on his phone.

He matched numbers on four white balls and the Power ball to win $50,000 on his $3 Power Play ticket. The prize tri pled to $150,000 when the 3X Power Play multiplier hit.

“It was just a day of disbe lief because I’ve never won any thing before,” Strickland said.

After required federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $106,516. He said he would invest some of the mon ey and put the rest in savings.

The winnings came about when a football team that he fa vors wasn’t faring well.

“We were watching football with some friends, and Clem son was getting beat terribly by Notre Dame,” Strickland said.

“We were joking we should get lottery tickets because our luck couldn’t get any worse.”

RALEIGH — Veteran U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina was elected Tuesday by fellow House Republicans as leader of their campaign and fund raising arm to help get GOP candidates elected to the chamber.

Hudson was unopposed in running to become the next National Republican Congressional Commit tee chairman, picked by new and returning colleagues meeting in Washington. He succeeds Rep. Tom Em mer, R-Minn., who on Tuesday was elected the House GOP caucus whip.

Hudson joined the House in 2013 and got reelect ed last week, winning the state’s new 9th Congressio nal District seat.

With Republicans on the cusp of majority control of the House, Hudson would become fourth in line to the speakership should current Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy be elected speaker in January.

“Working together with our leadership team and en tire conference, I am confident we can build on our suc cesses and learn from missed opportunities to expand our majority in 2024,” Hudson said in a news release.

Hudson’s political career has included serving as an aide to former U.S. Reps. Robin Hayes and Virgin ia Foxx. He also managed Pat McCrory’s gubernatorial campaign in 2008.

The 9th District covers all or portions of nine central and Sandhills counties, including Fort Bragg.

Read more on page 5.

OPINION

Small Business Saturday

BLACK FRIDAY is the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but with its doorbusters and discounts, I think it’s become of time of grabbing rather than of giving.

Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.

If you’re looking for the holiday spirit, go shopping the next day, Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday, which is always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day to find unique gifts and enjoy a level of service you probably won’t find at the national chains, but it’s also a day to help the local shops and restaurants that do so much to help their communities throughout the year.

Small Business Saturday began 12 years ago as a way to steer shoppers toward Main Street businesses still recovering from the Great Recession. Since then, though, it’s become one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Last year, Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday. That’s according to a survey by Small Business Saturday’s founder, American Express, and my group, the National Federation of Independent Business.

And despite the impact inflation is having on the cost of everything from raw materials to wrapping paper, small business owners are hopeful they’ll set another sales record this weekend.

After all, spending on Small Business Saturday 2020 still increased a little despite social distancing and other setbacks dictated by the pandemic.

I think Small Business Saturday has gotten bigger every year

because people understand how important independent shops and restaurants are to the local economy and their communities overall.

Consider this: According to the latest figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.6% of all businesses in the state.

But it goes beyond that. When we shop small, we really are helping our friends and neighbors. We help the businesses that support our schools and give to local charities. Small businesses really hold our communities together.

Also, when we shop at a chain store, the proceeds go to a big corporation headquartered someplace else. But 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community, according to another American Express and NFIB survey. On top of that, every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as employers and their employees shop at other local businesses.

Plus, when you shop at a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner, someone with a vested interest in turning the casual holiday shopper into a regular customer who’ll come back throughout the year.

North Carolina’s economy is built on its small businesses. That’s why I’m asking everyone to shop small on Saturday, Nov. 26. When we help small businesses, we help everyone.

Gregg Thompson is the North Carolina state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

A House popular vote majority produced few seats but is a good sign for Republicans in 2024

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes.

ONE OF THE PUZZLES in this year’s surprising and unpredicted (including by me) off-year election results is why the Republicans’ 51% to 47% win in the popular vote for House of Representatives did not produce a majority bigger than the apparent 221-214 result. (All numbers here are subject to revision in line with final returns.)

That 51% to 47% margin is identical to Joe Biden’s and Barack Obama’s popular vote margins in 2020 and 2012, respectively. It is just one digit off from George W. Bush’s 51% to 48% win in 2004. It’s almost identical to House Democrats’ 51% to 48% popular vote margin in 2020, which yielded them an almost identical 222-213 majority.

The big contrast is with 2012, when Democrats carried the House popular vote 49% to 48% but won only 201 seats to the Republicans’ 234. How could a party win a 33-seat majority while losing the popular vote, then win only a seven-seat majority while carrying the popular vote by 4 points?

One answer is differential turnout. In 2012, Democrats’ popular vote edge owed much to heavy Black voter turnout to reelect the first Black president. But many of those votes came in overwhelmingly Black districts and did nothing to elect Democrats elsewhere.

This year, differential turnout worked against Democrats. Central city turnout was way down, as compared to the last off-year election in 2018 — down 19% in New York City but up 0.3% in the suburbs and upstate; down 13% in Philadelphia, but up 8% elsewhere in Pennsylvania; down 15% in Detroit’s Wayne County, but up 6% elsewhere in Michigan; down 12% in Milwaukee County, but up 1% elsewhere in Wisconsin; down 24% in Chicago’s Cook County, down only 8% in Chicago’s collar counties and downstate.

That reflects population loss in central cities, particularly from Black voters leaving the industrial Midwest for the more economically vibrant and culturally congenial metro Atlanta — making Georgia, with the nation’s third highest Black percentage, a target state. It also reflects, after four years of skyrocketing crime and stringent lockdowns, waning enthusiasm among heavily Democratic electorates. That’s not a favorable sign for Democratic turnout in 2024.

The second reason is that Republicans failed to harvest significant gains in House seats from their significant gain in popular votes in redistricting. Republicans had a big advantage in partisan redistricting following the 2010 census but only a minimal advantage following the 2020 census.

In particular, Democratic mapmakers and supposedly nonpartisan but liberal-leaning redistricting commissions have no longer felt bound by the Voting Rights Act to pack Black people into blackmajority districts — a tactic Republicans have encouraged since the 1990 election cycle because it leaves fewer Democratic voters in adjacent districts.

Abandonment of this supposedly immutable principle is responsible, for example, for the fact that Michigan elected zero Black Democratic congressmen for the first time since 1952. (A Black Republican was elected in mostly white, suburban Macomb County.)

Democrats also won a state Senate majority for the first time since 1983 by winning districts that linked heavily Black neighborhoods in Detroit with affluent, mostly white suburbs.

The most important reason for the Republicans’ reduced harvest of House seats has been a reduction in clustering. Previously, heavily Democratic voters — Blacks, Hispanics and gentry liberals — have been clustered geographically in central cities, sympathetic suburbs and university towns, while Republican voters have been spread more evenly around the rest of the country.

The effect of clustering can be seen in the number of House districts carried by different presidents. Both Bush and Obama were reelected with 51% of the popular vote. That enabled Bush in 2004 to carry 255 of the 435 House districts. But Obama in 2012 carried only 209. Biden, with 51% in 2020, raised that number to 226.

Democratic clustering has diminished in recent years. Part of the reason is that Democratic groups have become less Democratic. Hispanics voted 29% Republican in 2012 but 39% Republican in 2022. The Asian Republican percentage increased from 25% to around 40%, and the Black Republican percentage increased from 6% to 13%.

Meanwhile, Republican clustering has increased in the wide-open spaces between the Appalachians and the Rockies, from far-out exurbs and in Walmart and Dollar General country beyond.

You can see the evidence from which party won seats with supermajorities. In 2012, 71 Democrats and only 32 Republicans were elected to the House with 70% or more of the vote. Twenty-eight Democrats got 80% or more, whereas only three Republicans did.

This year, by my preliminary count, the 70-plus percent districts moved closer to parity — 58 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Only 18 Democrats and five Republicans won with 80% or more.

Thus, the Republicans’ 51% of the total House vote produced a disappointing number of House seats.

However, it also signaled a residual Republican strength. Republican House candidates had a hard time dislodging Democrats in marginal districts. But relatively few were weighted down by highly publicized endorsements of Donald Trump’s backward-looking insistence that the 2020 presidential election was stolen; the few identified with that view ran significantly behind the many who didn’t.

Instead, Republican House candidates ran ahead of their party’s Senate candidates in such states as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. They also ran strongly in tandem with landslide winners Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio in Florida.

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes. Duplicating that support is one way an unproblematic Republican nominee could top 270 electoral votes in 2024.

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Patterson sets NFL record with 9th career kickoff return TD Atlanta

Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff 103 yards to become the NFL career leader with nine touchdowns. Patterson, a 10year veteran, caught the ball in the end zone and gathered a head of steam and outran the coverage up the middle. Matthew Adams missed a tackle attempt when he dove at Patterson’s feet, and Patterson was too fast for Elijah Hicks to catch as he approached the end zone. Patterson broke the record he shared with Joshua Cribbs and Leon Washington, each of whom had eight.

MLB Judge wins AL MVP; Goldschmidt takes NL prize

New York

Yankees slugger Aaron Judge owon the American League MVP award, and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt took the NL prize. After hitting 62 home runs this season to break the AL record, Judge easily beat out Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. Judge received 28 of 30 first-place votes and two seconds for 410 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel. Goldschmidt won the NL award for the first time after a couple of close calls earlier in his career. Padres third baseman Manny Machado came in second.

SOCCER

FIFA revenue hits $7.5B for current World Cup period

Doha, Qatar FIFA says it has earned record revenues of $7.5 billion in the four years of commercial deals tied to the World Cup in Qatar. FIFA revealed its earnings to officials from more than 200 of its members. It is $1 billion more than income from the previous commercial cycle linked to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The extra income comes despite FIFA helping its members through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when most national team soccer was shut down. FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with toptier sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended.

FORMULA ONE

Sargeant to be first U.S. F1 driver since 2015

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Logan Sargeant earned the Super License he needed to race for Williams in Formula One and will become the first American on the grid since 2015 when he makes his debut next season. Sargeant needed to finish at least sixth in the season standings in Formula Two to qualify for an F1 Super License. Williams earlier said the Florida-born driver would get the seat for 2023 if he met the requirements and helped him do so by giving him practice time in F1 sessions. Sargeant finished fourth in the F2 standings after a fifth-place result in the last race of the season Sunday.

From Waxhaw to NFL: Jets’ Washington shining as assistant after All-Pro career

tience.”

Washington was the coach of his oldest son Leon Jr.’s team at Cuth bertson Middle School in Waxhaw in 2017. And things were going OK, he thought, until he was called into the principal’s office.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Leon Washington loved being on the sideline as a head coach, lead ing his football squad on game days and pushing them hard all week during practice.

Well, maybe a little too much.

Especially since it was only mid dle school.

“It was a great experience and it taught me so much because it was like, man, you know what, Leon? These players don’t see it like you see it,” the New York Jets assistant coach and former running back and All-Pro kick returner said with a smile. “Man, you can’t expect an 11-, 12- or 13-year-old to go out there and execute like we do in the NFL.

“So that taught me a lot of pa

“It was like, ‘Hey, Leon, what are you doing? All our kids are banged up,’” Washington recalled, shaking his head.

There was also the team’s final record: 2-5-1.

“Yeah, we didn’t do too well,” Washington said with a laugh. “But we did beat the team that eventual ly ended up winning it all.”

That competitiveness made him a star player — and has carried over to his budding coaching career.

“I don’t really want to make pre dictions on how it will go because I just want to work my tail off, be come a better teacher, become a better coach,” he said. “I’m just go ing to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

That has always been the ap proach of the 40-year-old Wash ington, who was a fan favorite during NFL stops with the Jets,

Seahawks, Patriots and Titans in a nine-year playing career after be ing a fourth-round pick out of Flor ida State. His eight career kickoffs returned for touchdowns are tied for the second most in NFL histo ry with Josh Cribbs.

His coaching path began in 2016, two years after his last NFL game. Washington reached out to Gus Bradley, then Jacksonville’s head coach whom he knew from their days together in Seattle, to intern that summer as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coach ing Fellowship. Bradley convinced Washington to stay the entire sea son.

After not finding an NFL op

N. Carolina native Devin Chandler remembered after UVA shooting

Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. —

Devin Chandler transferred in from Wisconsin, where the wide receiver returned a total of four kicks, three against Notre Dame. At Virginia, his sense of humor helped teammates push through the monotony of training. He loved to dance.

He was one of three University of Virginia juniors who were killed when authorities say a fellow stu dent and former football player opened fire in a bus that had just returned to campus from a class field trip.

Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Per ry were also killed in the shooting. Two other students were wound ed, including another football player.

Chandler was a wide receiv er from Huntersville who recent ly transferred from Wisconsin, where his accomplishments in cluded a 59-yard kickoff return

and 18-yard rush in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest in 2020.

Jim Leonhard, the University of Wisconsin’s interim head football coach, tweeted that Chandler’s personality “was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

At Virginia, he was “the life of the party” — someone who kept

everyone on the team entertained in places like the weight room, said Tony Elliott, his coach.

“He just was a big kid. Smiled all the time. Loved to dance. Loved to sing. Loved to compete, even though the guys revealed that he wasn’t very good at video games, but he thought he was,” El liott told reporters Tuesday, laugh

portunity in 2017, Washington took that gig on the middle-school fields of North Carolina. In 2018, he joined the staff of then-Atlan ta coach Dan Quinn — whom he also knew from his playing days in Seattle — again through the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

He was reunited with former Seahawks assistant Darrell Bev ell that summer. Washington fol lowed the offensive coordinator in 2019 to Detroit, where he spent two years as a full-time assistant working with special teams and running backs through the Wil liam Clay Ford Minority Coaching Assistantship.

In his second season as a Jets coach, Washington has worked closely as an assistant for special teams coordinator Brant Boyer while also helping running backs coach Taylor Embree.

“My heart is in this, and espe cially this organization,” Washing ton said. “The only selfish thing I can say I want out of this is a Super Bowl championship and just con tinue to grow as a coach.”

ing. “But he loved to compete.”

Ethan Johnson recalled how he spent a season playing with Chan dler on their high school foot ball team, with Johnson covering Chandler as a cornerback during practice. This past summer, the young men worked out together at their alma mater.

“And he was there telling me how much of a difference he saw in me. How much I had grown. How I had improved as a player,” said Johnson, who is now a freshman cornerback at Appalachian State. “That was the type of guy he was. He was always trying to lift peo ple up.”

American studies profes sor Jack Hamilton recalled how Chandler transferred from Wis consin and “made a point to come to my office hours repeatedly, of ten just to ask questions about how things worked around UVA.”

The professor later helped Chandler to declare his major in American studies.

“He was an unbelievably nice person, always a huge smile, really gregarious and funny,” Hamilton wrote. “One of those people who’s just impossible not to like.”

A fellow student was arrested in the death of three Cavaliers football players

“(He) was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

Leonhard on Devin Chandler

“I’m just going to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

Jets assistant coach

Wildcats score late to keep alive season

RAMSEUR — Ervodd Cassady scored on a 26-yard run with 6:27 remaining as Eastern Randolph’s football team overcame visiting Robbinsville for a 29-26 victory in a third-round game of the Class 1-A state playoffs Friday night.

The Wildcats, who are the top seed in the West Region, made two defensive stops inside their own 20-yard line in the final two min

utes to hold on.

Linebacker A’donye Herbert made a couple of key tackles.

“Just make a play so we can keep moving in,” Herbert said. “It felt great; just one more step to mov ing in.”

Eastern Randolph (11-1) will meet fourth-seeded Mount Airy (12-1) on Friday night at home in the regional semifinals.

“It’s good we’re heading back in the right direction,” Eastern Ran

dolph coach Burton Cates said. “I tell them if you’re playing on Thanksgiving (weekend), you’ve had a pretty good year.”

Cassady ran for three touch downs as part of his 141-yard per formance on the ground. He had scoring runs of 2 and 6 yards and also ran for a two-point conversion.

DJ Thomas returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown.

Eighth-seeded Robbinsville (94) scored the only 14 points of the third quarter to move to a 26-22 lead, but the Black Knights didn’t score again.

“We didn’t tackle well at times, and we didn’t play good on third downs,” Cates said.

Robbinsville’s Cutler Adams rushed for 214 yards and a touch down.

Christian Long

THREE COLLEGE football teams from North Carolina are in the Football Championship Sub division playoffs.

Big South Conference champi on Gardner-Webb and Davidson, which received the Pioneer Foot ball League’s automatic bid, join at-large selection Elon.

All three teams begin with road games Saturday in the 24team field.

Gardner-Webb (6-5), which lost a non-league encounter with Elon in September at Elon’s Rhodes Stadium, goes to East ern Kentucky (7-4). This will be the first FCS playoff game for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb secured the bid by defeating visiting North Caro lina A&T 37-18 in a winner-take-

all game Saturday in the regu lar-season finale.

No. 5 seed William & Mary awaits the winner between Gard ner-Webb and Eastern Kentucky.

Davidson (8-3) heads to Rich mond (8-3). The Wildcats also needed to win Saturday to lock up a spot in the FCS playoffs, do ing so by defeating visiting Day ton 24-23 on Saturday. St. Thom as won the Pioneer Football League but is ineligible for the postseason.

Davidson is in the FCS play offs for the third year in a row. The Davidson/Richmond winner goes to No. 2 seed Sacramento State for the second round.

Elon (8-3, which hasn’t played since Nov. 12, carries a threegame winning streak into its game at Furman (9-2). It will be Elon’s first appearance in the

tournament since 2018.

Furman (9-2), the runner-up in the Southern Conference, holds a six-game winning streak. The teams were once rivals when Elon was in the Southern Confer ence before moving to the Colo nial Athletic Association.

The Elon-Furman winner will play Dec. 3 at No. 7 seed Incar nate Word (10-1) of the South land Conference.

Elon was one of five Colonial Athletic Association teams se lected for the 24-team FCS na tional tournament. Aside from the Phoenix, the other entrants from the CAA will have home games.

Elon went 4-1 this year against other teams in the playoffs. CAA co-champion William & Mary suffered its only defeat with a home loss to Elon.

Randleman, football/boys’ basketball

The seasons changed for Randleman, but Christian Long keeps on producing.

After helping guide the Tigers to a secondplace finish in the Piedmont Athletic Conference football standings as the starting quarterback, Long turned his attention to basketball.

In last week’s season-opening 71-54 victory at Lexington, Long racked up 17 points. He made three of four 3-point shots and went 4-for-4 on free throws. He also was charted with a teamhigh five steals.

Sophomore Tyshaun Goldston, who was on the receiving end of some of Long’s passes during football season, paced the Tigers with 19 points in the basketball game against Lexington.

PREP NOTES

Coaches have various results in debuts

Randolph Record

SOUTHWESTERN Ran dolph ruined the coaching de but for Asheboro’s Mike Head en in girls’ basketball last week.

The host Cougars defeat ed Asheboro 52-49 in Friday night’s non-conference game.

Headen was promoted from assistant coach to head coach during the summer upon the retirement of Don Corry.

Also, in girls’ basketball, a couple of area players who’ve already eclipsed 1,000 career points got off to good starts; they are seniors Gracyn Hall and Autumn Gentry.

Hall of Randleman racked up 16 points in a 73-58 victory against Lexington. Elizabeth York’s 27 points paced Randle man.

Gentry, of Trinity, had 22 points as the Bulldogs defeat ed Southern Guilford 50-36.

Wrestling

New coach Jake Berrier of Asheboro has the Blue Comets off to a solid start.

On the first day of action, Asheboro defeated East Gaston 46-27 and West Charlotte 84-0, but sustained a 54-18 loss to host Bandys.

Then in the Forbush Duals, the Blue Comets went 4-1.

They defeated Forbush, Ashe County, Walkertown, and Trin ity but suffered a loss to St. Ste phens.

Berrier replaced his father, Wes Berrier, as the head coach when the elder Berrier became the school’s athletics director during the summer.

At the Wheatmore Duals, Wheatmore posted a 1-3 team record. Dominic Hittepole and Trey Swinney both went 4-0 for the Warriors. Diego Gutierrez and Mattew Perdue were both 5-0 for Asheboro.

Studies find automatic braking can cut crashes over 40%

DETROIT — Two new U.S.

studies show that automatic emergency braking can cut the number of rear-end automobile crashes in half, and reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%.

The studies released Tuesday, one by a government-auto in dustry partnership and the oth er by the insurance industry, each used crash data to make the cal culations. Automatic emergen cy braking can stop vehicles if a crash is imminent, or slow them to reduce the severity.

Some automakers are mov ing toward a voluntary commit ment by 20 companies to make the braking technology stan dard equipment on 95% of their light-duty models during the cur rent model year that ends next August.

A study by The Partnership for Analytics Research in Traf fic Safety compared data on auto equipment with 12 million po lice-reported crashes from 13 states that was collected by the

National Highway Traffic Safe ty Administration, the partner ship said in a statement Tuesday. The group studied forward colli sion warning as well as emergen cy braking.

The group found front-to-rear crashes were cut 49% when the striking vehicle had forward col lision alert plus automatic brak ing, when compared with vehicles that didn’t have either system.

Rear crashes with injuries were cut by 53%, the study found.

Vehicles with forward collision warning systems only reduced rear-end crashes by 16%, and cut rear crashes with injuries by 19%.

Automatic emergency braking works well in all conditions, even when roadway, weather or light ing conditions were not ideal, the study showed.

The group also looked at lane departure warning systems, and lane-keeping systems, which keep vehicles in their lanes. They re duced crashes from autos leaving the roadway by 8% and road-de parture crashes that cause inju ries by 7%.

“These emerging technolo gies can substantially reduce the number of crashes and improve safety outcomes,” said Tim Czapp, senior manager for safety at Eu ropean automaker Stellantis, the industry co-chair of the partner ship’s board.

In the other study, the Insur ance Institute for Highway Safety found that automatic emergency braking reduces rear crash rates for pickups by 43% and rear-end

injury crashes by 42%. Yet pick ups are less likely to have auto matic braking than cars or SUVs despite posing more danger to other road users, the IIHS found.

“Pickups account for 1 out of 5 passenger vehicles on U.S. roads, and their large size can make them dangerous to people in smaller vehicles or on foot,” the institute’s Vice President of Re search Jessica Cicchino said in a statement.

Mitsubishi, Ford, Mer cedes-Benz, Stellantis (former ly Fiat Chrysler), Volkswagen and Honda have filed documents with the government this year saying they’ve made emergency braking standard on at least 90% of their models.

General Motors reported that only 73% of its models had the technology at the end of the 2022 model year, but a spokesman said GM would hit 98% by the end of the current model year as long as there aren’t supply chain issues.

In addition, BMW, Hyund ai, Mazda, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, and Volvo passed 90% last year, according to the IIHS.

Pennsylvania House impeaches Philly prosecutor over policies

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Phila delphia’s elected Democratic pros ecutor faces a state Senate trial and possible removal from office af ter the Republican-led state House voted Wednesday to impeach him over progressive policies he has en acted amid rising crime in the city.

The move toward removing Dis trict Attorney Larry Krasner be gan months ago and picked up mo mentum in the weeks before the midterm elections, with Repub licans introducing the impeach ment resolution late last month. But the 107-85 nearly party-line vote marks a dramatic escalation of attacks about crimefighting pol icies against Democratic mayors and prosecutors that had previous ly been largely confined to cam paign politics.

The vote sets the stage for what would be the first Pennsylvania Senate impeachment trial in near ly three decades. Republicans have a 29-21 majority in the state Senate that will become a 28-22 majority early next year, so they’d need the support of some Senate Democrats to attain the two-thirds majority vote required to remove Krasner.

Krasner, who was overwhelm ingly reelected by Philadelphia vot ers last year, is not accused of break ing the law. Instead, Republicans argued that he should be removed from office for various reasons, in cluding his failure to prosecute some minor crimes and his bail re quest policies, his staff oversight and reports that his office didn’t ad equately notify crime victims about certain matters. They also alleged that Krasner obstructed the House’s investigation of his office.

Krasner said in a statement that the vote was the only time the state House has ever “used the dras

tic remedy of impeachment of an elected official because they do not like their ideas.”

“They have impeached me with out presenting a single shred of ev idence connecting our policies to any uptick in crime,” he said

Democrats said lawmakers have only removed two officials — both of them judges — through im peachment: the first a county judge in 1811 and then state Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen in 1994.

State Rep. Martina White, R-Philadelphia, a prime spon sor of the impeachment resolution

and a political ally of the city police union that has clashed with Kras ner, said: “This man has denied that there is even a crisis of crime happening on our streets.”

“No public official is above ac countability, and if not for us in this chamber, he would have no oversight,” White said.

Former prosecutor Rep. Tim Bonner, R-Mercer, said “anarchy and violence will prevail” if elect ed leaders can choose what laws to obey or enforce.

“No one individual has the right to set aside the laws of Congress or

the General Assembly because they simply do not like the law. No one has that degree of absolute power,” Bonner said.

Democrats argued that Krasner was being scapegoated for wider problems with crime, that the case against him is weak and that his removal would be an abuse of leg islative power. They said the lame duck session impeachment would overturn voters’ will and that House Republicans have them selves failed to act to address gun violence.

“You are doing the wrong thing,”

said state Rep. Malcolm Kenyat ta, D-Philadelphia. “I will be gen erous and say that maybe you’re making a mistake. But if you look at what is before us, and when we think about the sacred obligation we have as members of this august body, this is not what we ought to be doing.”

State Rep. Mike Zabel, a Demo crat from Philadelphia who served as a city assistant district attor ney under Krasner’s predeces sor in office, said Krasner was be ing blamed unfairly for things that were not entirely his fault.

“The truth is that prosecuting crimes in one of the largest cities in the country is a complex task with a never-ending parade of challeng es,” Zabel said, urging fellow law makers to “take a break from the political brinksmanship.”

It’s unclear when the state Sen ate will launch a trial. The twoyear legislative session ends in two weeks, but the chamber’s top-rank ing Republican, state Sen. Kim Ward of Westmoreland County, said this week that she intends to add days to the session to take up the matter. The process is not ex pected to wrap up quickly.

The resolution directed the House speaker, currently a Repub lican, to name two majority party members and one minority party representative to manage the case in the Senate. It’s unclear how that might be affected if Democrats re claim the House majority next year, as appears increasingly likely.

Krasner isn’t the first liber al prosecutors to come under fire. Voters in San Francisco recalled District Attorney Chesa Boudin in June and an effort to recall Dem ocratic Los Angeles District At torney George Gascón failed this summer when organizers were un able to get it onto the ballot.

obituaries

Barbara Patterson Mills

October 28, 1933 — November 19, 2022

Barbara Patterson Mills, age 89, passed away peacefully with her family by her side, on November 19, 2022 at Brookdale Assisted Living in Asheboro.

Born in Port Dalhousie, Ontario, Canada, Barbara is the daughter of Charles and Grace Hodge StewartPatterson.

Mrs. Mills was a loving mother, grandmother, and a homemaker. She attended First Presbyterian Church, volunteered at Clapp’s Nursing Home assisting in Bingo games for the residents and enjoyed knitting prayer shawls for others. Barbara was an avid reader, enjoyed playing board games, especially Chinese Checkers and Pictionary with her grandchildren, and loved to dance. She really enjoyed walking outside exploring nature. The most important thing to her was spending time with her family and making them laugh. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lapsley Barron Mills, Jr and her sister, Ann Stewart-Patterson.

She is survived by her daughters: Ginny (Matt) Dunn of Asheboro, Kim (Lonnie) Whelchel of Midlothian, VA and Joni (Terry) Rosser of Hilton Head, SC; 7 grandchildren: Carly Moore, Dylan Rosser, Amanda Whelchel, Lindsey Dailey, Barbara Michelle Whelchel, Maggie Dunn and Susie Dunn; 5 great grandchildren: Ever Duke, Olive Dailey, Tillie Dailey, Louisa Grace Moore, and Hadley Moore; and many friends, all of whom will miss her daily.

Dr. Bobby "Bob" Will Gordon, Sr.

December 25, 1930 — November 18, 2022

Dr. Bobby Will Gordon, age 91, of Asheboro, died on Friday, November 18, 2022 at his home after a prolonged bout with cancer.

Bob was born on Christmas Day 1930 in Thomasville, North Carolina. His mother Mary (Chisholm) Gordon gave birth to him in a small company owned mill house near the Finch Furniture factory where his father, Coy Gordon, worked.

Bob attended public schools, graduating from Fairgrove High School in 1948 where he was a standout basketball player. Turning down a scholarship to play basketball at Wingate College, Bob instead married his high school sweetheart Joyce Sloop in June 1950.

In 1970, Bob and Joyce moved to Alamance County so Bob could become the principal at South Mebane Elementary. A lifelong Blue Devil fan, Bob proudly earned his doctorate in the spring of 1977. That season’s achievement was bittersweet however because it was paired with news of a cancer diagnosis for his wife. Joyce braved breast cancer for months before passing away in the summer of 1978.

After Joyce's death, Bob left the Piedmont of North Carolina for a return to Elizabeth City to take over as the school superintendent for the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank School System. He met Vickie Cahoon, a single working mother and recent divorcee, and fell in love with both her and her three-year-old son Victor. Bob and Vickie’s new family would soon welcome a daughter, Lacey, and eventual moves to other superintendencies in the state-Vance County in 1984 and Asheboro City Schools in 1987.

To quote his oldest son Skip, “He was and will remain to be the Gordon family’s North Star.”

In addition to Bob's parents, he is preceded in death by his first wife, Joyce Sloop Gordon; and sister, Erlene Gordon Hill.

Troy McDonald

"Mack" Hancock

February 26, 1941 — November 18, 2022

Troy McDonald "Mack" Hancock Jr., 81, died at his home on November 18, 2022 surrounded by his family.

Mr. Hancock was born in Chatham County on February 26, 1941 to the late Troy McDonald and Mary Ollie Phillips Tillman Hancock. In addition to his parents Mack is preceded in death by his half brothers Charles, Lewis, June, Garrett and Billie Tillman.

He retired after 45 years from Glendale/ Acme McCrary as a maintenance supervisor and was a member of Beulah Baptist Church. He loved his family and his beloved dog Cutie Pie.

Mr. Hancock is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ann Pickett Hancock; half sister: Mary Joyce Tillman Russavage, of Tunkhannook, PA; and several nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Vickie; sons, Bobby W. (Nga Bui) Gordon Jr., Rodney (Dennis Richardson) Gordon, Victor (Kelly Corcoran) Gordon, and daughter Lacey Gordon (Ed) Somech; eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Richard Charles "Dick" Shaw

April 26, 1933 — November 16, 2022

Richard Charles (Dick) Shaw went to his heavenly home on Nov. 16, 2022, following a brief illness. Born in Grosse Pointe, MI on April 26, 1933, to Vera Duclon Shaw Haley and Douglas Shaw, he proudly served in the US Air Force and graduated from Furman University in Greenville, SC.

Dick spent most of his career in the furniture industry and had a gift and love for mentoring others. He never met a stranger, and his sense of humor endeared him to almost everyone. He was equally comfortable in a suit or on a piece of heavy equipment doing one of his outdoor projects. Dick loved helping others and was always quick to volunteer for any project, big or small.

In addition to his parents, Dick was preceded in death by his daughter, Linda Hough, granddaughter Leslie Voncannon, brothers “Bud” Shaw and Doug Shaw, sisters Doreen Class, Audrey Phelps and Vera Ostrander, as well as his beloved dog Sofie.

Dick is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Ann Henley Shaw who was his soulmate, best friend and other half. Their love for each other was obvious to everyone they encountered, and they were rarely apart. He loved for them to travel, especially to the Caribbean. Dick had a love for his dogs, and a special bond with the ones who were rescues.

In addition to his wife, Dick is survived by daughters Janet (Ken) Batts, Debra (Tim) Lawson, sons Chuck (Amy) Shaw, Kirk (Donna) Shaw and Greg (Jennifer) Shaw; grandchildren John Batts (Telina), Marie Coble (Aaron), Kaitlyn Gozzo (Mark), Landon Shaw (Courtney), Chad Hough (Leilani) and Carson Shaw; great-grandchildren Blake and Ashlynn Batts and Ian and Hailey Coble; brothers Julius Shaw and James Shaw, as well as nieces, nephews and extended family who were precious to him.

Dakota Ray Brown

November 10, 1997 — November 15, 2022

Dakota R. Brown, 25, of Kansas City, MO, formerly of Lancaster, SC, passed away at his grandparents home in Sophia, NC on November 15, 2022.

He was born in Wisconsin in 1997. He is the son of Shane Brown and Dr. Christine Green. He attended several different schools over the years graduating from Park Hill High School in 2016. He finished all coursework and was allowed to take an entire semester off.

Dakota was employed by Jimmy John’s in various capacities and was an avid entrepreneur. He had many ideas for businesses and spent his last day laying out plans for new opportunities. His hobbies include fixing up old BMWs, glass blowing, and listening to music that spoke to him. He has an untamable free spirit and quick temper, but he would use it to defend a friend or family more often than turn it on them. His smile wasn’t seen often in photos but could light up the room.

He is survived by his parents; brothers, Alex (Gabby) and Todd Green; grandparents, Carl and Darlene Brown and Mary Lou Halchak; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He is preceeded in death by his cousin, Kayla Runte, and grandfather, Joseph Halchak.

Willie Chestly Freeman

August 27, 1929 — November 19, 2022

Willie Chestly Freeman, 93, of Bear Creek died Saturday November 19, 2022, surrounded by his loved ones.

Mr. Freeman was born in Alamance County on August 27, 1929, to the late Pearl Freeman. In addition to his mother Willie is preceded in death by his wife, Annie Mildred Brewer and daughters Kathy Hefner and Janice Lambert, a sister Maxine Brewer and grandson Kevin Gaines.

Willie served in the Army during WWII, he was a mechanic and an all-around handyman for many in the community. He enjoyed farming and working on cars.

Mr. Freeman is survived by daughters: Ann and Dale Ray of Bear Creek, Betty Stephens of Wendell, and Tina and Steve Gaines of Goldston; brother: Raney Porterfield of Graham, and 13 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren and 8 great greatgrandchildren.

Eric Tryon Beitzel

May 9, 1949 — November 16, 2022

Eric Tryon Beitzel, age 73, of Ft. Lauderdale FL, formerly of Star, NC passed away on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at Broward Health Medical Center in Ft. Lauderdale.

Eric was born on May 9, 1949 in Montgomery County, to Carl and Winnie Batten Beitzel. He previously worked at O-Reilly’s Auto Parts in Biscoe, NC.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded by his wife Geraldine Davis Beitzel.

He is survived by his daughter, Kristie Maness Williams of Star and son Jesse Mack Beitzel of Star; sister Carolyn Palmer (Clark) of Vermont; seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Uriel Casarrubias Catalan

March 30, 2003 — November 16, 2022

Uriel Casarrubias Catalan, 19, of Siler City, passed away on Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at Chatham Hospital.

Mr. Catalan was born in Mexico on March 30, 2003, the son of Roberto Casarrubias and Remedios Catalan.

Uriel worked in construction. He played soccer where he was the goal keeper. Uriel loved video games. He was a loving and caring soul who adored his family.

He is survived by his parents; brother, Manuel Casarrubias Catalan; sisters, Daniela, Aine, and Elizabeth Casarrubias Catalan; maternal grandparents, Felipe Catalan Fariaz and Petra Casarrubias Hernandez; and paternal grandparents, Ermengildo Casarrubias Quiroz and Abraham Hernandez Campos.

Neal Champeau

Neal Norbert Champeau, 84, of Asheboro, passed away Saturday, November 19, 2022 at his home.

Neal was born on July 24, 1938 in Oconto Co., WI, to the late Ernest Champeau and Harriet Wilmot Champeau. He honorably served two tours in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He loved hunting and fishing. He enjoyed working with his son Robert on vehicles and his son David building goat farms. He crocheted many blankets, and loved sitting on his porch, smoking cigars and shooting the bull. Neal was a greatly intelligent business man who owned two businesses.

In addition to his parents, Neal was preceded in death by his wife Anita; daughter, Donna Jean Vandernoot; son, Charles Champeau; mother-in-law, Frieda Atlas; and brother-in-law, Alan Eisner.

He is survived by his daughters, Ann (Don), Joan, Helen, all of Hubert, NC; sons, David (Kimberly) of Asheboro, Robert (Patricia) of Estancia, NM; and many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.

Barbara Ann Garner Hall, 82, of Ramseur, passed away Friday, November 18, 2022 at Sandy Ridge Memory Care in Candor.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 26, 2022, at Union Grove Baptist Church, Seagrove, with Rev. Johnny Brown and Rev. Wayne Tucker officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Mrs. Hall was born July 24, 1940, in Randolph Co., NC, the daughter of the late Arthur Herman Garner and Conie Belle Brown Garner. She worked at Acme-McCrary for 16 years and worked for 15 years in alterations at Belk in Mt. Airy. She loved being a pastor's wife ministering to others, visiting the sick, teaching preschoolers and singing in the choir. She especially enjoyed making play dough with the grandchildren and singing lots of songs with them. She was a great cook and homemaker. She was always preparing and canning food from her garden.

In addition to her parents, Mrs. Hall was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Rev. Garland Hall; sisters, Alma Garner, Pauline Brown, Hazel Owens, Lola Maness; brother, Delbert Garner; great grandson, Brantley Hall; and daughter in law, Wanda Hall.

Survivors include her daughters, Vickie Atkins (Phillip) of Mt. Airy, Sherri McNeill (Kenneth) of Robbins, Deborah Barker (Brian) of Mt. Airy; sons, Bobby Hall of Ararat, VA, Bruce Hall of Tobaccoville; sisters, Stella Cagle of Seagrove, Shelby Bean (Kelly) of Seagrove, Zora Ellen Pugh of Asheboro; 12 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren with two more on the way.

STATE & NATION

Walker, Republicans look for party unity in Georgia runoff

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Republicans insist they’re working together to help Herschel Walker unseat Dem ocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a Georgia runoff that offers the GOP a chance to finish a disappointing midterm election season with a vic tory.

But to win a 50th Senate seat on Dec. 6 and limit Democrats’ con tinued majority, Republicans must overcome doubts about Walker’s appeal in a battleground state, nav igate open squabbles among party powerbrokers in Washington and endure the specter of former Pres ident Donald Trump as he launches his third White House bid after los ing Georgia in 2020.

It adds up to the same challenges that limited GOP victories nation ally despite an underwater approval rating for President Joe Biden and widespread frustrations with the nation’s direction.

“Everybody realizes that regard less of any disagreements that do or don’t exist, everybody needs to focus on one thing: helping Her schel get across the finish line,” said Walker campaign manager Scott Paradise.

But they must do it without the Senate majority on the line, as it was in a pair of Georgia runoffs in January 2021. Democrats have al ready secured 50 seats with narrow incumbent victories in Nevada and Arizona combined with flipping a GOP-held Pennsylvania seat, and Vice President Kamala’s Harris tie breaking vote assures them a ma

jority.

So, Walker, who spent the fall trying to nationalize his race by mocking Warnock as a yes-man for Biden, must fashion a runoff coali tion knowing that nothing voters do here will depose New York’s Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader.

“There are still national implica tions,” Paradise said, arguing that Republicans around the country are “fired up” for a second chance after an underwhelming midterm performance. “We’re very comfort able framing this as the last fight of ‘22.”

Walker, a former college and pro fessional football star and a close friend of Trump’s, was urged by the former president to run. That ce

ments Walker’s bond with core GOP supporters but presents a challenge in Republican-leaning metro areas that helped Biden top Trump here two years ago.

“Trump probably does more to juice Democratic turnout than have an effect on our guy,” said Josh Holmes, a prominent Republican fundraiser and strategist aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has icy re lations with the former president. But Holmes added, “We don’t know what the impact will be.”

It’s clear Republicans hope Kemp’s popularity extends to Walk er, even if it wasn’t enough in the first round. Kemp typically would say only that he backed “the en

tire Republican ticket.” Since Elec tion Day, though, Kemp has turned over his voter turnout operation to the Washington-based super PAC aligned with McConnell. And Kempcampaigned with Walker for the first time on Saturday.

“Herschel requested all the help we could get from the governor. The governor said I’m there for you,” Paradise said.

Yet the deal between Kemp and the Senate Leadership Fund high lights GOP fissures, some tracing back to Trump, others to a running feud between McConnell and Flor ida Sen. Rick Scott, who leads the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

Kemp built out his independent turnout operation after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump blasted Kemp for certifying Biden’s slate of presidential electors from Georgia and state Republican Par ty leaders sided mostly with Trump.

SLF, which usually spends most of its money on television advertis ing, said the runoff would be the first time the political action com mittee has engaged in a full-scale voter turnout effort.

But, as with Kemp’s reelection campaign, that comes at odds with the traditional coordinated party campaign run through the Repub lican National Committee, the state party and Scott’s National Repub lican Senatorial Committee. Sepa rately, Scott challenged McConnell for Senate GOP leader; McConnell prevailed Wednesday.

But he noted that federal election law prevents coordination between the party committees and the SLFKemp operation. That means that there’s no legal way for each camp to keep tabs on the other’s activi ties, raising the prospect of duplica tive efforts or conflicting messages to voters.

Meanwhile, Scott’s and McCo nnell’s advisers spilled their tiff into public view. Curt Anderson, a Scott ally, noted on Twitter that he’d

seen Schumer’s Democratic super PAC airing ads on Warnock’s be half during a “Monday Night Foot ball” broadcast. “McConnell’s su perpac running zero ads attacking Warnock. Have they given up?” he asked.

SLF President Steven Law re torted that the NRSC’s Georgia televisions buys have been sub par. “But don’t worry little buddy — we’re used to covering you,” he wrote. SLF has since announced its own $14.2 million advertising plan, on top of the $2 million-plus it had previously announced for its turn out operation.

Amid such intraparty compli cations, perhaps the best outcome for Walker is a relatively low-turn out runoff election that allows his core supporters to become a vic torious majority. Indeed, having the Senate majority already settled could dampen Democrats’ enthusi asm, and Walker has drawn large, enthusiastic crowds in the opening days of the runoff campaign.

Yet Republicans, including the candidate himself, acknowledge at least tacitly that Walker may need supporters the nominee hasn’t won over yet.

“What he been doing is rowing the boat this way as our governor is trying to row this way,” Walker said of Warnock in Augusta. “What I’m going to do is I’m going to row the boat with the governor.”

And for rank-and-file Georgia Republicans like Debbie McCord, it means cajoling would-be Walk er voters to look beyond individual candidates and see a national refer endum.

“There are people who just think ‘so-and-so would have been a better candidate.’ I say there are a lot of good candidates, but this is who won the primary,” said Mc Cord, chairwoman of the Colum bia County Republican committee. “You need to get over it, put your big boy pants on and go vote.”

Republicans win back control of US House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Re publicans have officially won con trol of the U.S. House, returning the party to power in Washing ton and giving conservatives lever age to blunt President Joe Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of inves tigations. But a threadbare major ity will pose immediate challeng es for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern.

More than a week after Elec tion Day, Republicans secured the 218th seat needed to flip the House from Democratic control last Wednesday. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted.

But they are on track to cobble together what could be the party’s narrowest majority of the 21st cen tury, rivaling 2001, when Republi cans had just a nine-seat majori ty, 221-212 with two independents. That’s far short of the sweeping victory the GOP predicted going into this year’s midterm elections, when the party hoped to reset the agenda on Capitol Hill by capital izing on economic challenges and Biden’s lagging popularity.

Instead, Democrats showed surprising resilience, holding on to moderate, suburban districts from Virginia to Minnesota and Kan

sas.

McCarthy, R-Calif., celebrated his party having “officially flipped” the House on Twitter on Wednes day night, writing, “Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready to deliver.”

Biden congratulated McCarthy, saying he is “ready to work with House Republicans to deliver re sults for working families.”

“Last week’s elections demon strated the strength and resilience

of American democracy. There was a strong rejection of election deniers, political violence, and in timidation,” Biden said in a state ment. “There was an emphat ic statement that, in America, the will of the people prevails.”

He added, that “the future is too promising to be trapped in politi cal warfare.”

Despite the GOP’s under whelming showing, the party will still have notable power. Republi cans will take control of key com

mittees, giving them the abili ty to shape legislation and launch probes of Biden, his family and his administration. There’s particular interest in investigating the over seas business dealings of the pres ident’s son Hunter Biden. Some of the most conservative lawmak ers have raised the prospect of im peaching Biden, though that will be much harder for the party to ac complish with a tight majority.

Any legislation that emerges from the House could face steep odds in the Senate, where Demo crats possess the barest of major ities. Both parties are looking to a Dec. 6 Senate runoff in Georgia as a last chance to pad their ranks.

With such a potentially slim House majority, there’s also po tential for legislative chaos. The dynamic essentially gives an in dividual member enormous sway over shaping what happens in the chamber. That could lead to par ticularly tricky circumstances for GOP leaders as they try to win support for must-pass measures that keep the government funded or raise the debt ceiling.

Republican candidates pledged on the campaign trail to cut taxes and tighten border security. GOP lawmakers also could withhold aid to Ukraine as it fights a war with Russia or use the threat of default ing on the nation’s debt as leverage to extract cuts from social spend ing and entitlements — though all such pursuits will be tougher given how small the GOP majority may end up being.

AP VoteCast, a broad survey of

the national electorate, showed that high inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy had heavily influenced voters. Half of voters said inflation factored significantly, with groceries, gaso line, housing, food and other costs that have shot up in the past year. Slightly fewer — 44% — said the future of democracy was their pri mary consideration.

Counter to the GOP’s expecta tions, Biden didn’t entirely shoul der the blame for inflation, with close to half of voters saying the higher-than-usual prices were more because of factors outside his control. And despite the president bearing criticism from a pessimis tic electorate, some of those voters backed Democratic candidates.

Democrats also likely benefit ed from anger over the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision cementing a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Voters in Michigan voted to amend their state consti tution to protect abortion rights while far more reliably Republican Kentucky rejected a constitutional amendment declaring no right to an abortion.

Overall, 7 in 10 voters said the high court’s ruling overturning the 1973 decision enshrining abortion rights was an important factor in their midterm decisions. Vote Cast also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 say they are angry or dissatisfied by it. And roughly 6 in 10 say they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Capitol christmas tree has arrived

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Raeford man charged with seven counts of child sexual exploitation

A Raeford man was arrested last week and charged with seven counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Justin Stoudt was arrested on November 15 by officers from the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigative Division and United States Marshals following an investigation that began in May.

The investigation of Stoudt’s activities began after authorities received cyber-tips and officers from the State Bureau of Investigation participated in a knock-and-talk. In October, Hoke County CID reviewed Stoudt’s electronics and charged him with seven counts of seconddegree sexual exploitation of a minor. Stoudt was taken before a magistrate at the Hoke County Detention Center and held on a secured bond of $50,000.

Hoke man charged, two flee after attempted murder in Bunnlevel

Fayetteville police charged a Raeford man with attempted murder last week after shots were fired into a family vehicle. The shooting occurred on November 14 on Lemuel Black Road in Bunnlevel. Arianna Melvin, 23, of Hoke County, was shot in her chest and legs and taken to the local hospital. Her boyfriend, William Bethea, 26, and her two children escaped injury.

Shaduntee Buie, 30, of Raeford, was charged last Friday with four counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and discharging a weapon into a moving vehicle. He is being held at the Harnett County Detention Center on a $1 million secured bond. According to officers, Buie was only one of three men who are believed to have been involved in the shooting.

Deputies are still searching for Cor’darius La’mar Stephens and Dreshawn Bratcher. According to reports from the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, all of the involved parties knew one another. If you or anyone else you know has information pertaining to this incident, please contact the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office at (910) 893-9111.

Truck in Raleigh holiday parade crashes, kills girl

RALEIGH — A truck pulling a float for a holiday parade in North Carolina crashed Saturday, strik ing and killing a girl participating in the event, news outlets report ed.

The driver who lost control of the vehicle and struck the child was arrested and charged with reckless driving and other offens es, the Raleigh Police Department said in a news release. Police iden tified the driver as Landen Chris topher Glass, 20.

Witnesses told WTVD-TV that people attending the Raleigh Christmas Parade heard the pick up truck’s driver screaming that he had lost control of the vehicle and couldn’t stop it before the crash.

The girl struck by the truck was part of a dance troupe partici pating in the holiday parade, The News & Observer reported.

Olivia Bruce, a 14-year-old member of the dance troupe, told the newspaper that the truck al

most hit her, too.

“We started dancing in the pa rade, and then all of a sudden, we just heard a lot of honking. And when we turned back, we saw the truck almost on our backs, so we turned away,” Bruce said.

An eyewitness, Christine

Barnes, told WRAL-TV that girls in the dance troupe couldn’t hear the driver honking the truck’s horn over the music playing. Adults were scrambling to get the chil dren out of the truck’s path, she added.

“The girls were just hysterical,”

Barnes said. “It was really trauma tizing.”

Barnes said the truck came within inches of hitting several other girls.

“The truck wasn’t going that fast, but because the girls had no idea it was coming, they just couldn’t get out of the way.” she said.

Nobody else at the parade was injured in the collision.

The parade was cancelled after the crash. Police advised drivers and pedestrians to avoid the area.

Glass was one of three people in the vehicle towing the float at a low rate of speed, police said.

Investigators interviewed Glass, who was charged with misde meanor death by motor vehicle, careless and reckless driving, us ing improper equipment, unsafe movement, and carrying a firearm in a parade.

The names and age of the girl wasn’t immediately released.

“Our hearts go out to the fami ly of the victim and those who wit nessed this tragic incident,” police said.

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Bald win expressed her condolences for the girl’s family and friends.

“Today started off with such joy,” the mayor tweeted. “My heart was so full. And now it aches for the young girl hit in a tragic acci dent on the parade route.”

N. Carolina Rep. Hudson named to lead House campaign arm

RALEIGH — Veteran U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson of North Carolina was elected Tuesday by fellow House Republicans as leader of their campaign and fundraising arm to help get GOP candidates elected to the chamber.

Hudson was unopposed in running to become the next Na tional Republican Congressional Committee chairman, picked by new and returning colleagues meeting in Washington. He succeeds Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., who on Tuesday was elected the House GOP caucus whip.

Hudson joined the House in 2013 and got reelected last week, winning the state’s new 9th Congressional District seat.

With Republicans on the cusp of majority control of the House, Hudson would become fourth in line to the speakership should current Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy be elected speaker in January.

“Working together with our leadership team and entire con ference, I am confident we can build on our successes and learn from missed opportunities to expand our majority in 2024,” Hudson said in a news release.

Hudson’s political career has included serving as an aide to former U.S. Reps. Robin Hayes and Virginia Foxx. He also managed Pat McCrory’s gubernatorial campaign in 2008.

The 9th District covers all or portions of nine central and Sandhills counties, including Fort Bragg.

♦

Combs, Tiana Krishelle (B/F/25), Assault - Simple, 11/20/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Gibson, Kimball Antoin (B/M/32), PWIMSD Schedule VI CS, 11/20/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Kinley, Malcolm (W/M/50), Assault on a Female, 11/18/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ English, Amy (W/F/49), Financial Card Fraud, 11/17/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Bean, Emily Sutphen (W/F/34), Possess Methamphetamine, 11/15/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, ♦ Lewis, Emory Conner (W/M/41), Firearm by Felon, 11/14/2022, Hoke County Sheriff’s Office,

OPINION

Small Business Saturday

BLACK FRIDAY is the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but with its doorbusters and discounts, I think it’s become of time of grabbing rather than of giving.

Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.

If you’re looking for the holiday spirit, go shopping the next day, Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday, which is always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day to find unique gifts and enjoy a level of service you probably won’t find at the national chains, but it’s also a day to help the local shops and restaurants that do so much to help their communities throughout the year.

Small Business Saturday began 12 years ago as a way to steer shoppers toward Main Street businesses still recovering from the Great Recession. Since then, though, it’s become one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Last year, Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday. That’s according to a survey by Small Business Saturday’s founder, American Express, and my group, the National Federation of Independent Business.

And despite the impact inflation is having on the cost of everything from raw materials to wrapping paper, small business owners are hopeful they’ll set another sales record this weekend.

After all, spending on Small Business Saturday 2020 still increased a little despite social distancing and other setbacks dictated by the pandemic.

I think Small Business Saturday has gotten bigger every year

because people understand how important independent shops and restaurants are to the local economy and their communities overall.

Consider this: According to the latest figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.6% of all businesses in the state.

But it goes beyond that. When we shop small, we really are helping our friends and neighbors.

We help the businesses that support our schools and give to local charities. Small businesses really hold our communities together.

Also, when we shop at a chain store, the proceeds go to a big corporation headquartered someplace else. But 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community, according to another American Express and NFIB survey. On top of that, every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as employers and their employees shop at other local businesses.

Plus, when you shop at a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner, someone with a vested interest in turning the casual holiday shopper into a regular customer who’ll come back throughout the year.

North Carolina’s economy is built on its small businesses. That’s why I’m asking everyone to shop small on Saturday, Nov. 26. When we help small businesses, we help everyone.

Gregg Thompson is the North Carolina state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

A House popular vote majority produced few seats but is a good sign for Republicans in 2024

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes.

ONE OF THE PUZZLES in this year’s surprising and unpredicted (including by me) off-year election results is why the Republicans’ 51% to 47% win in the popular vote for House of Representatives did not produce a majority bigger than the apparent 221-214 result. (All numbers here are subject to revision in line with final returns.)

That 51% to 47% margin is identical to Joe Biden’s and Barack Obama’s popular vote margins in 2020 and 2012, respectively. It is just one digit off from George W. Bush’s 51% to 48% win in 2004. It’s almost identical to House Democrats’ 51% to 48% popular vote margin in 2020, which yielded them an almost identical 222-213 majority.

The big contrast is with 2012, when Democrats carried the House popular vote 49% to 48% but won only 201 seats to the Republicans’ 234. How could a party win a 33-seat majority while losing the popular vote, then win only a seven-seat majority while carrying the popular vote by 4 points?

One answer is differential turnout. In 2012, Democrats’ popular vote edge owed much to heavy Black voter turnout to reelect the first Black president. But many of those votes came in overwhelmingly Black districts and did nothing to elect Democrats elsewhere.

This year, differential turnout worked against Democrats. Central city turnout was way down, as compared to the last off-year election in 2018 — down 19% in New York City but up 0.3% in the suburbs and upstate; down 13% in Philadelphia, but up 8% elsewhere in Pennsylvania; down 15% in Detroit’s Wayne County, but up 6% elsewhere in Michigan; down 12% in Milwaukee County, but up 1% elsewhere in Wisconsin; down 24% in Chicago’s Cook County, down only 8% in Chicago’s collar counties and downstate.

That reflects population loss in central cities, particularly from Black voters leaving the industrial Midwest for the more economically vibrant and culturally congenial metro Atlanta — making Georgia, with the nation’s third highest Black percentage, a target state. It also reflects, after four years of skyrocketing crime and stringent lockdowns, waning enthusiasm among heavily Democratic electorates. That’s not a favorable sign for Democratic turnout in 2024.

The second reason is that Republicans failed to harvest significant gains in House seats from their significant gain in popular votes in redistricting. Republicans had a big advantage in partisan redistricting following the 2010 census but only a minimal advantage following the 2020 census.

In particular, Democratic mapmakers and supposedly nonpartisan but liberal-leaning redistricting commissions have no longer felt bound by the Voting Rights Act to pack Black people into blackmajority districts — a tactic Republicans have encouraged since the 1990 election cycle because it leaves fewer Democratic voters in adjacent districts.

Abandonment of this supposedly immutable principle is responsible, for example, for the fact that Michigan elected zero Black Democratic congressmen for the first time since 1952. (A Black Republican was elected in mostly white, suburban Macomb County.) Democrats also won a state Senate majority for the first time since

1983 by winning districts that linked heavily Black neighborhoods in Detroit with affluent, mostly white suburbs.

The most important reason for the Republicans’ reduced harvest of House seats has been a reduction in clustering. Previously, heavily Democratic voters — Blacks, Hispanics and gentry liberals — have been clustered geographically in central cities, sympathetic suburbs and university towns, while Republican voters have been spread more evenly around the rest of the country.

The effect of clustering can be seen in the number of House districts carried by different presidents. Both Bush and Obama were reelected with 51% of the popular vote. That enabled Bush in 2004 to carry 255 of the 435 House districts. But Obama in 2012 carried only 209. Biden, with 51% in 2020, raised that number to 226.

Democratic clustering has diminished in recent years. Part of the reason is that Democratic groups have become less Democratic. Hispanics voted 29% Republican in 2012 but 39% Republican in 2022. The Asian Republican percentage increased from 25% to around 40%, and the Black Republican percentage increased from 6% to 13%.

Meanwhile, Republican clustering has increased in the wide-open spaces between the Appalachians and the Rockies, from far-out exurbs and in Walmart and Dollar General country beyond.

You can see the evidence from which party won seats with supermajorities. In 2012, 71 Democrats and only 32 Republicans were elected to the House with 70% or more of the vote. Twenty-eight Democrats got 80% or more, whereas only three Republicans did.

This year, by my preliminary count, the 70-plus percent districts moved closer to parity — 58 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Only 18 Democrats and five Republicans won with 80% or more.

Thus, the Republicans’ 51% of the total House vote produced a disappointing number of House seats.

However, it also signaled a residual Republican strength. Republican House candidates had a hard time dislodging Democrats in marginal districts. But relatively few were weighted down by highly publicized endorsements of Donald Trump’s backward-looking insistence that the 2020 presidential election was stolen; the few identified with that view ran significantly behind the many who didn’t.

Instead, Republican House candidates ran ahead of their party’s Senate candidates in such states as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. They also ran strongly in tandem with landslide winners Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio in Florida.

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes. Duplicating that support is one way an unproblematic Republican nominee could top 270 electoral votes in 2024.

SPORTS SIDELINE REPORT

NFL Patterson sets NFL record with 9th career kickoff return TD

Atlanta Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff 103 yards to become the NFL career leader with nine touchdowns. Patterson, a 10-year veteran, caught the ball in the end zone and gathered a head of steam and outran the coverage up the middle. Matthew Adams missed a tackle attempt when he dove at Patterson’s feet, and Patterson was too fast for Elijah Hicks to catch as he approached the end zone. Patterson broke the record he shared with Joshua Cribbs and Leon Washington, each of whom had eight.

MLB Judge wins AL MVP; Goldschmidt takes NL prize

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge owon the American League MVP award, and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt took the NL prize. After hitting 62 home runs this season to break the AL record, Judge easily beat out Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. Judge received 28 of 30 first-place votes and two seconds for 410 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel. Goldschmidt won the NL award for the first time after a couple of close calls earlier in his career. Padres third baseman Manny Machado came in second.

SOCCER

FIFA revenue hits $7.5B for current World Cup period

Doha, Qatar FIFA says it has earned record revenues of $7.5 billion in the four years of commercial deals tied to the World Cup in Qatar. FIFA revealed its earnings to officials from more than 200 of its members. It is $1 billion more than income from the previous commercial cycle linked to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The extra income comes despite FIFA helping its members through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when most national team soccer was shut down.

FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with top-tier sponsors CocaCola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Leon Washington loved being on the sideline as a head coach, lead ing his football squad on game days and pushing them hard all week during practice.

Well, maybe a little too much.

Especially since it was only mid dle school.

“It was a great experience and it taught me so much because it was like, man, you know what, Leon? These players don’t see it like you see it,” the New York Jets assistant coach and former running back and All-Pro kick returner said with a smile. “Man, you can’t ex pect an 11-, 12- or 13-year-old to go out there and execute like we do in the NFL.

“So that taught me a lot of pa tience.”

Washington was the coach of his oldest son Leon Jr.’s team at Cuthbertson Middle School in Waxhaw in 2017. And things were going OK, he thought, until he was called into the principal’s office.

“It was like, ‘Hey, Leon, what are you doing? All our kids are banged up,’” Washington recalled,

shaking his head.

There was also the team’s final record: 2-5-1.

“Yeah, we didn’t do too well,” Washington said with a laugh. “But we did beat the team that eventually ended up winning it all.”

That competitiveness made him a star player — and has carried over to his budding coaching ca reer.

“I don’t really want to make pre dictions on how it will go because I just want to work my tail off, be come a better teacher, become a better coach,” he said. “I’m just go ing to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

That has always been the ap proach of the 40-year-old Wash ington, who was a fan favorite during NFL stops with the Jets, Seahawks, Patriots and Titans in a

nine-year playing career after be ing a fourth-round pick out of Flor ida State. His eight career kickoffs returned for touchdowns are tied for the second most in NFL histo ry with Josh Cribbs.

His coaching path began in 2016, two years after his last NFL game. Washington reached out to Gus Bradley, then Jacksonville’s head coach whom he knew from their days together in Seattle, to intern that summer as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coach ing Fellowship. Bradley convinced Washington to stay the entire sea son.

After not finding an NFL op portunity in 2017, Washington took that gig on the middle-school fields of North Carolina. In 2018, he joined the staff of then-Atlan ta coach Dan Quinn — whom he also knew from his playing days in Seattle — again through the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

He was reunited with former Seahawks assistant Darrell Bev ell that summer. Washington fol lowed the offensive coordinator in 2019 to Detroit, where he spent two years as a full-time assistant working with special teams and running backs through the Wil liam Clay Ford Minority Coaching Assistantship.

In his second season as a Jets coach, Washington has worked closely as an assistant for special teams coordinator Brant Boyer while also helping running backs coach Taylor Embree.

“My heart is in this, and espe cially this organization,” Washing ton said. “The only selfish thing I can say I want out of this is a Super Bowl championship and just con tinue to grow as a coach.”

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. —

Devin Chandler transferred in from Wisconsin, where the wide receiver returned a total of four kicks, three against Notre Dame.

At Virginia, his sense of humor helped teammates push through the monotony of training. He loved to dance.

He was one of three Universi ty of Virginia juniors who were killed when authorities say a fel low student and former football player opened fire in a bus that had just returned to campus from a class field trip.

Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Per ry were also killed in the shooting. Two other students were wound ed, including another football player.

Chandler was a wide receiv er from Huntersville who recent ly transferred from Wisconsin, where his accomplishments in cluded a 59-yard kickoff return and 18-yard rush in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest in 2020.

Jim Leonhard, the University

of Wisconsin’s interim head foot ball coach, tweeted that Chan dler’s personality “was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

At Virginia, he was “the life of the party” — someone who kept everyone on the team entertained

in places like the weight room, said Tony Elliott, his coach.

“He just was a big kid. Smiled all the time. Loved to dance.

Loved to sing. Loved to compete, even though the guys revealed that he wasn’t very good at vid

Wisconsin interim coach Jim Leonhard on Devin Chandler

eo games, but he thought he was,” Elliott told reporters Tuesday, laughing. “But he loved to com pete.”

Ethan Johnson recalled how he spent a season playing with Chan dler on their high school foot ball team, with Johnson covering Chandler as a cornerback during practice. This past summer, the young men worked out together at their alma mater.

“And he was there telling me how much of a difference he saw in me. How much I had grown. How I had improved as a player,” said Johnson, who is now a fresh man cornerback at Appalachian State. “That was the type of guy he was. He was always trying to lift people up.”

American studies profes sor Jack Hamilton recalled how Chandler transferred from Wis consin and “made a point to come to my office hours repeatedly, of ten just to ask questions about how things worked around UVA.”

The professor later helped Chandler to declare his major in American studies.

“He was an unbelievably nice person, always a huge smile, re ally gregarious and funny,” Ham ilton wrote. “One of those people who’s just impossible not to like.”

The eight-year pro was coaching his son’s middle school team in Union County five years ago

Irving rejoins Nets, apologizes for hurt his actions caused

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Kyrie Irving re turned to the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday and apologized to anyone who felt threatened or hurt when he posted a link to a documentary with antisemitic material.

Irving was suspended by the team on Nov. 3, hours after he re fused to say he had no antisemitic beliefs when meeting with report ers at the Nets’ practice facility.

Back at the building for the team’s morning shootaround, Ir ving said he should have handled that interview differently.

“I don’t stand for anything close to hate speech or antisemitism or anything that is going against the human race,” Irving said. “I feel like we all should have an oppor tunity to speak for ourselves when things are assumed about us and I feel it was necessary for me to stand in this place and take accountabil ity for my actions, because there

was a way I should have handled all this and as I look back and re flect when I had the opportunity to offer my deep regrets to anyone that felt threatened or felt hurt by what I posted, that wasn’t my in tent at all.”

Irving has missed eight games

during the suspension, which the Nets said would be for a minimum of five games without pay. The team said he is available to play in its home game Sunday night against Memphis.

Irving said he was initially searching for more information

about his heritage when he post ed the link to “Hebrews to Ne groes: Wake Up Black America” on his Twitter page. When first asked about it, he was defiant about his right to post material that interest ed him. Then, he refused to apol ogize or clarify his religious be liefs during another interview a few days later, leading to his sus pension.

“I was rightfully defensive that there was an assumption that I could be antisemitic, or that I meant to post a documentary to stand side by side with all the views in the documentary,” Irving said, adding, “How can you call someone an antisemite if you don’t know them?”

But his tone was more reflec tive while speaking for about 12 minutes Sunday, thanking fam ily and friends for their support. Some, including officials from the National Basketball Players Asso ciation and Nets general manager Sean Marks, were in the room as he spoke.

“I meant no harm to any person, to any group of people and yeah, this is a big moment for me be cause I’m able to learn throughout

this process that the power of my voice is very strong, the influence that I have within my community is very strong, and I want to be re sponsible for that,” Irving said. “In order to do that, you have to admit when you’re wrong and in instanc es where you hurt people and it im pacts them.”

Nike suspended its relationship with Irving and the fallout seemed to further strain the relationship between Irving and the Nets, who declined to give him a contract ex tension last summer. He missed most of their home games last sea son when he refused to get vacci nated against COVID-19, as was mandated at the time in New York City.

The organization said he was “unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets” when it suspend ed him. But the Nets praised Ir ving on Sunday for the steps he has since taken.

“Kyrie took ownership of this journey and had conversations with several members of the Jew ish community,” the team said in a statement. “We are pleased that he is going about the process in a meaningful way.”

No. 54

The Xfinity Series champion will drive the No. 54 for his grandfather’s team

CHARLOTTE — Ty Gibbs was promoted to NASCAR’s Cup Se ries last Tuesday in an expected announcement that was void of any celebration as Joe Gibbs Rac ing continues to mourn the loss of Gibbs’ father.

Coy Gibbs died in his sleep hours after his 20-year-old son won the Xfinity Series champion ship on Nov. 5 at Phoenix Race way. He was 49, the same age as older brother, J.D., when he passed away in 2019.

Joe Gibbs, the NASCAR and NFL Hall of Famer, has lost both his sons a month before their 50th birthdays. Coy Gibbs was vice

chairman of his father’s NASCAR team at the time of his death.

The Gibbs family has made no public statements since confirm ing Coy Gibbs’ passing shortly be fore the NASCAR season finale. Ty Gibbs did not race in the Nov. 6 fi nale and has made just one pub lic appearance since, courtside at a Charlotte Hornets game last week.

The Tuesday announcement that Ty Gibbs will replace Kyle Busch in JGR’s Cup lineup came in a four-paragraph press release that said Gibbs will move up with Chris Gayle, his crew chief during this year’s championship season.

Ty Gibbs will drive the No. 54 Toyota Camry next year and JGR said it plans to use the No. 18 for

future use. Joe Gibbs chose the No. 18 when he launched his NA SCAR team in 1992 and Busch spent the past 15 years with the number.

Ty Gibbs has used the No. 54 the past two seasons in the Xfinity Series, where he won 11 of 51 races and the championship in the sea son finale at Phoenix. His first na tional series title ended a bumpy season for Ty Gibbs, who scrapped with other drivers, was fined by NASCAR, and then cost JGR driver Brandon Jones a spot in the championship finale by spinning him out of the lead on the final lap at Martinsville Speedway.

If Gibbs had simply stayed in second behind Jones, both JGR

drivers would have made the championship race and Toyota would have had two entries. Joe Gibbs promised consequences would be coming for his grandson, but the team had to get through championship week first.

Ty Gibbs then won the title but learned of his father’s passing at a Phoenix-area hotel the next morning.

Before the incident at Martins ville, Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson had de fended Gibbs’ growth while not ing he’s younger than most of his peers. He’ll join a JGR lineup that includes 42-year-old Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin, who turns 42 later this week, as well

as Christopher Bell, who turns 28 next month. Bell raced for the Cup title at Phoenix,

“What we have to remember is, particularly if you contem plate him continuing to drive at the Cup level, he’s still got a lot to learn. He just turned 20. He’s going to make mistakes,” Wilson said in October. “Early in the sea son, he was not just getting into scraps, but once he got out of the car, he was handling that aggres sively. He’s done a much better job handling the emotion once he gets out of the car.

“But he’s still seeing things that are new to him, and it’s going to be a very dynamic time for him.”

Studies find automatic braking can cut crashes over 40%

DETROIT — Two new U.S.

studies show that automatic emergency braking can cut the number of rear-end automobile crashes in half, and reduce pickup truck crashes by more than 40%.

The studies released Tuesday, one by a government-auto in dustry partnership and the oth er by the insurance industry, each used crash data to make the cal culations. Automatic emergen cy braking can stop vehicles if a crash is imminent, or slow them to reduce the severity.

Some automakers are mov ing toward a voluntary commit ment by 20 companies to make the braking technology stan dard equipment on 95% of their light-duty models during the cur rent model year that ends next August.

A study by The Partnership for Analytics Research in Traf fic Safety compared data on auto equipment with 12 million po lice-reported crashes from 13 states that was collected by the

National Highway Traffic Safe ty Administration, the partner ship said in a statement Tuesday.

The group studied forward colli sion warning as well as emergen cy braking.

The group found front-to-rear crashes were cut 49% when the striking vehicle had forward col lision alert plus automatic brak ing, when compared with vehicles that didn’t have either system.

Rear crashes with injuries were cut by 53%, the study found.

Vehicles with forward collision warning systems only reduced rear-end crashes by 16%, and cut rear crashes with injuries by 19%.

Automatic emergency braking works well in all conditions, even when roadway, weather or light ing conditions were not ideal, the study showed.

The group also looked at lane departure warning systems, and lane-keeping systems, which keep vehicles in their lanes. They re duced crashes from autos leaving the roadway by 8% and road-de parture crashes that cause inju ries by 7%.

“These emerging technolo gies can substantially reduce the number of crashes and improve safety outcomes,” said Tim Czapp, senior manager for safety at Eu ropean automaker Stellantis, the industry co-chair of the partner ship’s board.

In the other study, the Insur ance Institute for Highway Safety found that automatic emergency braking reduces rear crash rates for pickups by 43% and rear-end

injury crashes by 42%. Yet pick ups are less likely to have auto matic braking than cars or SUVs despite posing more danger to other road users, the IIHS found.

“Pickups account for 1 out of 5 passenger vehicles on U.S. roads, and their large size can make them dangerous to people in smaller vehicles or on foot,” the institute’s Vice President of Re search Jessica Cicchino said in a statement.

Mitsubishi, Ford, Mer cedes-Benz, Stellantis (former ly Fiat Chrysler), Volkswagen and Honda have filed documents with the government this year saying they’ve made emergency braking standard on at least 90% of their models.

General Motors reported that only 73% of its models had the technology at the end of the 2022 model year, but a spokesman said GM would hit 98% by the end of the current model year as long as there aren’t supply chain issues.

In addition, BMW, Hyund ai, Mazda, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, and Volvo passed 90% last year, according to the IIHS.

Pennsylvania House impeaches Philly prosecutor over policies

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Phila delphia’s elected Democratic pros ecutor faces a state Senate trial and possible removal from office af ter the Republican-led state House voted Wednesday to impeach him over progressive policies he has en acted amid rising crime in the city.

The move toward removing Dis trict Attorney Larry Krasner be gan months ago and picked up mo mentum in the weeks before the midterm elections, with Repub licans introducing the impeach ment resolution late last month. But the 107-85 nearly party-line vote marks a dramatic escalation of attacks about crimefighting pol icies against Democratic mayors and prosecutors that had previous ly been largely confined to cam paign politics.

The vote sets the stage for what would be the first Pennsylvania Senate impeachment trial in near ly three decades. Republicans have a 29-21 majority in the state Senate that will become a 28-22 majority early next year, so they’d need the support of some Senate Democrats to attain the two-thirds majority vote required to remove Krasner.

Krasner, who was overwhelm ingly reelected by Philadelphia vot ers last year, is not accused of break ing the law. Instead, Republicans argued that he should be removed from office for various reasons, in cluding his failure to prosecute some minor crimes and his bail re quest policies, his staff oversight and reports that his office didn’t ad equately notify crime victims about certain matters. They also alleged that Krasner obstructed the House’s investigation of his office.

Krasner said in a statement that the vote was the only time the state House has ever “used the dras tic remedy of impeachment of an elected official because they do not like their ideas.”

“They have impeached me with out presenting a single shred of ev idence connecting our policies to any uptick in crime,” he said

Democrats said lawmakers have only removed two officials — both of them judges — through im peachment: the first a county judge in 1811 and then state Supreme Court Justice Rolf Larsen in 1994.

State Rep. Martina White, R-Philadelphia, a prime spon sor of the impeachment resolution and a political ally of the city police union that has clashed with Kras ner, said: “This man has denied that there is even a crisis of crime happening on our streets.”

“No public official is above ac countability, and if not for us in this chamber, he would have no oversight,” White said.

Former prosecutor Rep. Tim Bonner, R-Mercer, said “anarchy and violence will prevail” if elect ed leaders can choose what laws to obey or enforce.

“No one individual has the right to set aside the laws of Congress or the General Assembly because they simply do not like the law. No one has that degree of absolute power,” Bonner said.

Democrats argued that Krasner was being scapegoated for wider problems with crime, that the case against him is weak and that his removal would be an abuse of leg islative power. They said the lame duck session impeachment would overturn voters’ will and that House Republicans have them selves failed to act to address gun violence.

“You are doing the wrong thing,” said state Rep. Malcolm Kenyat ta, D-Philadelphia. “I will be gen erous and say that maybe you’re making a mistake. But if you look at what is before us, and when we

think about the sacred obligation we have as members of this august body, this is not what we ought to be doing.”

State Rep. Mike Zabel, a Demo crat from Philadelphia who served as a city assistant district attor ney under Krasner’s predeces sor in office, said Krasner was be ing blamed unfairly for things that were not entirely his fault.

“The truth is that prosecuting crimes in one of the largest cities in the country is a complex task with a never-ending parade of challeng es,” Zabel said, urging fellow law makers to “take a break from the political brinksmanship.”

It’s unclear when the state Sen ate will launch a trial. The twoyear legislative session ends in two weeks, but the chamber’s top-rank ing Republican, state Sen. Kim

The resolution directed the House speaker, currently a Repub lican, to name two majority party members and one minority party representative to manage the case in the Senate. It’s unclear how that might be affected if Democrats re claim the House majority next year, as appears increasingly likely.

Krasner isn’t the first liber al prosecutors to come under fire. Voters in San Francisco recalled District Attorney Chesa Boudin in June and an effort to recall Dem ocratic Los Angeles District At torney George Gascón failed this summer when organizers were un able to get it onto the ballot.

obituaries

Angela Denise Jernigan

November 8, 1970 ~ November 19, 2022

Angela Denise Odom Jernigan passed away on November 19, 2022, in her home in Raeford.

Angela was born November 8, 1970, in Scotland County to Mr. Richard Thomas Odom and Barbara Jean Hendrix Odom. She loved sewing, doing puzzles, and music. Angela was a wonderful mother who loved her children very much.

She is survived by her three daughters, Taylor Leann Brisson, Lacie Louise Edwards, Terri Cierra Jernigan; her parents Richard Thomas Odom and Barbara Jean Hendrix Odom; two brothers, Richard Jr. Odom and Bobby Aaron Odom.

Charles Leslie Howk

July 27, 1955 ~ November 12, 2022

Mr. Charles Leslie Howk, of Hope Mills, formerly of Red Springs, passed away November 12, 2022, at Lower Cape Fear LifeCare.

Charles was born on July 27, 1955, in Scotland County to the late Howard Howk and Minnie Campbell Howk.

He had a love for music and played in several bands including the Cartunes and the Henry Barry Band. He spent a lot of time supporting local bands and venues. Charles was a very giving man and donated to many organizations.

He is survived by his niece Vicky Garner, of Raeford; a great-niece Megan Stone, of Raeford; his best friend, Steve Howell, and his wife Elizabeth, of Hope Mills.

Fannie Mae Graham

September 14, 1925 ~ November 17, 2022

Ms. Fannie Mae Graham age, 97 went home to rest with her heavenly father on November 17, 2022. She was preceded in death by her husband Joseph D. Graham and son Jacky C. Graham.

She leaves to cherish her loving memories her children: Johnny B. Graham (Pastor Willie Mae Graham), Hattie G. Hollingsworth (Marion), Wilson D. Graham, Linda C. Graham, sixteen grandchildren, twentysix great grandchildren, thirteen great great grandchildren along with a host of other family and friends. Ms. Fannie will be greatly missed.

Douglas Stephens Jr.

February 10, 1944 ~ November 19, 2022

Douglas Stephens Jr of Rockfish, NC passed away on November 19, 2022. He was born in Hoke County NC on February 10, 1944.

He was the son of Douglas Stephens and Isabel Grimes Stephens.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Louise, son Greg, and grandson Marius.

He is survived by his wife Margaret; his sons Douglas Stephens III (Rhonda) and Keith Sheppard (Ilana); his daughters Phyllis Smith (David), and Angela Smith (Rob); stepsons Steve Pilioglos and Tony Burris; grandsons Ben, Douglas IV, DeLance, Darren, Kevin, Austin, Spencer, Steven, James, and Jason; granddaughters Ashley, Katie (Shaye), Autumn, Kristen, Brigette, and Arianna, Madison, and greatgrandchildren Margaret, Douglas V, Henry, and Jameson.

Wesley Baldwin

July 22, 1970 ~ November 13, 2022

Mr. Wesley Baldwin age, 52 transitioned from earth to glory on November 13, 2022. He was preceded in death by his father Robert Blue.

He leaves to cherish his loving memories his wife, Jaimeria Baldwin, children: Ty Jordan, Gabrielle Baldwin, Wesley Baldwin, Kendol Roberts, Xavier McDuffie; mother, Doloris Billinger, sisters: Jamie, Regina, Yolanda, Ina, Ruby, Wanda; broters: Anthony, Eddie, Tyrone, Allen, Robert, David; four grandchildren along with a host of other family and friends. Wesley will be greatly missed.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com

STATE & NATION

Walker, Republicans look for party unity in Georgia runoff

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Republicans insist they’re working together to help Herschel Walker unseat Dem ocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a Georgia runoff that offers the GOP a chance to finish a disappointing midterm election season with a vic tory.

But to win a 50th Senate seat on Dec. 6 and limit Democrats’ con tinued majority, Republicans must overcome doubts about Walker’s appeal in a battleground state, nav igate open squabbles among party powerbrokers in Washington and endure the specter of former Pres ident Donald Trump as he launches his third White House bid after los ing Georgia in 2020.

It adds up to the same challenges that limited GOP victories nation ally despite an underwater approval rating for President Joe Biden and widespread frustrations with the nation’s direction.

“Everybody realizes that regard less of any disagreements that do or don’t exist, everybody needs to focus on one thing: helping Her schel get across the finish line,” said Walker campaign manager Scott Paradise.

But they must do it without the Senate majority on the line, as it was in a pair of Georgia runoffs in January 2021. Democrats have al ready secured 50 seats with narrow incumbent victories in Nevada and Arizona combined with flipping a GOP-held Pennsylvania seat, and Vice President Kamala’s Harris tie breaking vote assures them a ma

jority.

So, Walker, who spent the fall trying to nationalize his race by mocking Warnock as a yes-man for Biden, must fashion a runoff coali tion knowing that nothing voters do here will depose New York’s Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader.

“There are still national implica tions,” Paradise said, arguing that Republicans around the country are “fired up” for a second chance after an underwhelming midterm performance. “We’re very comfort able framing this as the last fight of ‘22.”

Walker, a former college and pro fessional football star and a close friend of Trump’s, was urged by the former president to run. That ce

ments Walker’s bond with core GOP supporters but presents a challenge in Republican-leaning metro areas that helped Biden top Trump here two years ago.

“Trump probably does more to juice Democratic turnout than have an effect on our guy,” said Josh Holmes, a prominent Republican fundraiser and strategist aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has icy re lations with the former president. But Holmes added, “We don’t know what the impact will be.”

It’s clear Republicans hope Kemp’s popularity extends to Walk er, even if it wasn’t enough in the first round. Kemp typically would say only that he backed “the en

tire Republican ticket.” Since Elec tion Day, though, Kemp has turned over his voter turnout operation to the Washington-based super PAC aligned with McConnell. And Kempcampaigned with Walker for the first time on Saturday.

“Herschel requested all the help we could get from the governor. The governor said I’m there for you,” Paradise said.

Yet the deal between Kemp and the Senate Leadership Fund high lights GOP fissures, some tracing back to Trump, others to a running feud between McConnell and Flor ida Sen. Rick Scott, who leads the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

Kemp built out his independent turnout operation after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump blasted Kemp for certifying Biden’s slate of presidential electors from Georgia and state Republican Par ty leaders sided mostly with Trump.

SLF, which usually spends most of its money on television advertis ing, said the runoff would be the first time the political action com mittee has engaged in a full-scale voter turnout effort.

But, as with Kemp’s reelection campaign, that comes at odds with the traditional coordinated party campaign run through the Repub lican National Committee, the state party and Scott’s National Repub lican Senatorial Committee. Sepa rately, Scott challenged McConnell for Senate GOP leader; McConnell prevailed Wednesday.

But he noted that federal election law prevents coordination between the party committees and the SLFKemp operation. That means that there’s no legal way for each camp to keep tabs on the other’s activi ties, raising the prospect of duplica tive efforts or conflicting messages to voters.

Meanwhile, Scott’s and McCo nnell’s advisers spilled their tiff into public view. Curt Anderson, a Scott ally, noted on Twitter that he’d

seen Schumer’s Democratic super PAC airing ads on Warnock’s be half during a “Monday Night Foot ball” broadcast. “McConnell’s su perpac running zero ads attacking Warnock. Have they given up?” he asked.

SLF President Steven Law re torted that the NRSC’s Georgia televisions buys have been sub par. “But don’t worry little buddy — we’re used to covering you,” he wrote. SLF has since announced its own $14.2 million advertising plan, on top of the $2 million-plus it had previously announced for its turn out operation.

Amid such intraparty compli cations, perhaps the best outcome for Walker is a relatively low-turn out runoff election that allows his core supporters to become a vic torious majority. Indeed, having the Senate majority already settled could dampen Democrats’ enthusi asm, and Walker has drawn large, enthusiastic crowds in the opening days of the runoff campaign.

Yet Republicans, including the candidate himself, acknowledge at least tacitly that Walker may need supporters the nominee hasn’t won over yet.

“What he been doing is rowing the boat this way as our governor is trying to row this way,” Walker said of Warnock in Augusta. “What I’m going to do is I’m going to row the boat with the governor.”

And for rank-and-file Georgia Republicans like Debbie McCord, it means cajoling would-be Walk er voters to look beyond individual candidates and see a national refer endum.

“There are people who just think ‘so-and-so would have been a better candidate.’ I say there are a lot of good candidates, but this is who won the primary,” said Mc Cord, chairwoman of the Colum bia County Republican committee. “You need to get over it, put your big boy pants on and go vote.”

Republicans win back control of US House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Re publicans have officially won con trol of the U.S. House, returning the party to power in Washing ton and giving conservatives lever age to blunt President Joe Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of inves tigations. But a threadbare major ity will pose immediate challeng es for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern.

More than a week after Elec tion Day, Republicans secured the 218th seat needed to flip the House from Democratic control last Wednesday. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted.

But they are on track to cobble together what could be the party’s narrowest majority of the 21st cen tury, rivaling 2001, when Republi cans had just a nine-seat majori ty, 221-212 with two independents. That’s far short of the sweeping victory the GOP predicted going into this year’s midterm elections, when the party hoped to reset the agenda on Capitol Hill by capital izing on economic challenges and Biden’s lagging popularity.

Instead, Democrats showed surprising resilience, holding on to moderate, suburban districts from Virginia to Minnesota and Kan

sas.

McCarthy, R-Calif., celebrated his party having “officially flipped” the House on Twitter on Wednes day night, writing, “Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready to deliver.”

Biden congratulated McCarthy, saying he is “ready to work with House Republicans to deliver re sults for working families.”

“Last week’s elections demon strated the strength and resilience

of American democracy. There was a strong rejection of election deniers, political violence, and in timidation,” Biden said in a state ment. “There was an emphat ic statement that, in America, the will of the people prevails.”

He added, that “the future is too promising to be trapped in politi cal warfare.”

Despite the GOP’s under whelming showing, the party will still have notable power. Republi cans will take control of key com

mittees, giving them the abili ty to shape legislation and launch probes of Biden, his family and his administration. There’s particular interest in investigating the over seas business dealings of the pres ident’s son Hunter Biden. Some of the most conservative lawmak ers have raised the prospect of im peaching Biden, though that will be much harder for the party to ac complish with a tight majority.

Any legislation that emerges from the House could face steep odds in the Senate, where Demo crats possess the barest of major ities. Both parties are looking to a Dec. 6 Senate runoff in Georgia as a last chance to pad their ranks.

With such a potentially slim House majority, there’s also po tential for legislative chaos. The dynamic essentially gives an in dividual member enormous sway over shaping what happens in the chamber. That could lead to par ticularly tricky circumstances for GOP leaders as they try to win support for must-pass measures that keep the government funded or raise the debt ceiling.

Republican candidates pledged on the campaign trail to cut taxes and tighten border security. GOP lawmakers also could withhold aid to Ukraine as it fights a war with Russia or use the threat of default ing on the nation’s debt as leverage to extract cuts from social spend ing and entitlements — though all such pursuits will be tougher given how small the GOP majority may end up being.

AP VoteCast, a broad survey of

the national electorate, showed that high inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy had heavily influenced voters. Half of voters said inflation factored significantly, with groceries, gaso line, housing, food and other costs that have shot up in the past year. Slightly fewer — 44% — said the future of democracy was their pri mary consideration.

Counter to the GOP’s expecta tions, Biden didn’t entirely shoul der the blame for inflation, with close to half of voters saying the higher-than-usual prices were more because of factors outside his control. And despite the president bearing criticism from a pessimis tic electorate, some of those voters backed Democratic candidates.

Democrats also likely benefit ed from anger over the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision cementing a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Voters in Michigan voted to amend their state consti tution to protect abortion rights while far more reliably Republican Kentucky rejected a constitutional amendment declaring no right to an abortion.

Overall, 7 in 10 voters said the high court’s ruling overturning the 1973 decision enshrining abortion rights was an important factor in their midterm decisions. Vote Cast also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 say they are angry or dissatisfied by it. And roughly 6 in 10 say they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

Christmas parade tragedy in Raleigh

Police officers work the scene after a truck pulling a float crashed at a holiday parade in Raleigh, on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. Witnesses say people attending the Raleigh Christmas Parade heard the truck’s driver screaming that he had lost control of the vehicle and couldn’t stop it before the crash.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Baker to hold fundraiser for crash victim

Forsyth County Ava’s Cupcakes is planning a gathering with local restaurants, businesses and loving friends and family to support a local family whose lives were turned upside down on June 6, 2022. Lauren Krell, 21, was nearly killed by a drunk driver. Krell was hit head on when the impaired driver crossed the center line, and she was trapped in her burning vehicle for 20 minutes. Lauren was airlifted from the site to undergo multiple surgeries and endure painful rehabilitation. Lauren has learned to live life in a whole new way while her parents are working hard to recover financially from the crash.

A night of fun, food and philanthropy has been created to help raise support for this local family in need.

The Taste of the Town event will be held at the Mary Alice Warren Community Center in Lewisville on December 3. It will celebrate Lauren with an amazing night including: A special live performance by North Carolina’s Music Hall of Fame’s ‘The Catalina’s’, a feast of the finest foods from local chefs and restaurants in the Triad, Food Network’s Cupcake Wars Winning Dessert Bar, Local Celebrity Guest Surprise Appearances and a Silent Auction, Raffles and Door Prizes. ....and so much more! The event runs from 6 PM to 9 PM and tickets are on sale for $50 per person.

Doughnut, coffeehouse chain agrees to future compliance at company’s 242 US locations

LOUISVILLE, KY Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. has agreed to pay $1,187,757 in back wages and liquidated damages to 516 workers to resolve overtime violations in multiple locations found as part of a U.S. Depart ment of Labor investigation. On Nov. 7, 2022, the department filed a complaint listing the viola tions and a consent order defining the settlement in the U.S. District

Court for the Western District of Kentucky.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division first opened an in vestigation at a Krispy Kreme lo cation in Louisville, Kentucky, but soon determined violations found there were widespread and systemic. The division then ex panded its probe to include all the Charlotte, North Carolina-based company’s 242 locations nation wide.

Investigators determined Krispy Kreme failed to include monthly bonuses in some employ ees’ regular rates of pay. By doing so, the employer paid overtime at lower rates than the Fair Labor Standards Act requires. As part of the court order, Krispy Kreme

agreed to future compliance with the FLSA’s overtime provision.

“Overtime and minimum wage violations are common violations found in food service industry in vestigations,” explained Principal Deputy Wage and Hour Adminis trator Jessica Looman. “Employ ers who fail in their obligation to pay minimum wage and overtime wages as the law requires make it harder for workers and their families to make ends meet. The Wage and Hour Division works diligently to inform employers of their obligations and protect the workplace rights of food service workers.”

Established in 1937 and head quartered in Charlotte, Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corp. employs

approximately 9,200 workers na tionwide. The company’s network of retail doughnut shops, part nerships with third-party retail ers, ecommerce and delivery ser vices operates in more than 30 countries.

“Krispy Kreme is strongly com mitted to always paying our dedi cated team members fairly for all time worked in accordance with applicable laws,” Krispy Kreme said in a statement released to the outlet HR Dive. “We do not agree with the department’s find ings and the basis for them. How ever, we have agreed to settle this matter with no admission of wrong-doing in the best inter ests of our business and our team members.”

Twin

City Herald

Ziehl-Abegg, Inc., a manufac turer of commercial ventilation systems, will create 189 new jobs in Forsyth County, Governor Roy Cooper announced. The company says it will invest more than $100 million to expand its operations and relocate its North American headquarters to Winston-Salem.

“I am delighted to congratulate Ziehl-Abegg on this expansion in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County,” said Governor Cooper.

“The company’s increased invest ment is a great vote of confidence in our thriving economy, central East Coast location, and skilled manufacturing workforce.”

Founded in 1910 as a motor manufacturer, Ziehl-Abegg is a German-based company that pro duces innovative industrial fan systems and motors with 5,000 employees worldwide. The com

pany has fans for various com mercial applications including hospitals, schools, data centers, and various agricultural uses. Zie hl-Abegg’s expansion to a new state-of-the-art 500,000-squarefoot building will increase its pro duction capabilities and distribu tion for North America.

“Megatrends such as digitaliza tion, climate change and urban ization are leading to a growth in demand and call for a significant increase in our production capac ities,” said Joachim Ley, Chief Op erating Officer of Ziehl-Abegg, Inc. “The U.S. market is funda mentally very important for us and is driving the expansion in North America. The 189 employ ees are the first step of our expan sion project. We are anticipating growing to over 500 employees very rapidly.”

“Ziehl-Abegg is the latest ex ample of why North Carolina con tinues to be recognized as the best place to do business,” said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders. “North Carolina offers a world-class workforce and

robust training network that is committed to helping companies grow and succeed.”

The new positions include as sembly technicians, engineers, fi nance, quality assurance, machin ists, maintenance, and various administrative personnel. Alto gether, the positions have an av erage annual salary of $59,479. Forsyth County’s overall average annual wage is $57,351. The new jobs have the potential to create an annual payroll impact of more than $11.2 million for the region.

A performance-based grant of $400,000 from the One North Carolina Fund, dependent on a capital investment from the com pany of $24.5 million, will help with Ziehl-Abegg’s expansion in North Carolina. The One NC Fund provides financial assis tance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital invest ment targets to qualify for pay ment. All One NC grants require matching participation from lo

cal governments and any award is contingent upon that condition being met.

“We are excited to welcome Zie hl-Abegg and its new good-pay ing jobs to Forsyth County,” said N.C. Senator Joyce Krawiec. “This company has been a great work force development partner in our region and we’re eager to work alongside them as the lay down roots in Winston-Salem.”

“This is outstanding news for our region and the entire state,” said N.C. Representative Donny Lambeth. “Ziehl-Abegg’s reinvest ment illustrates the benefits grow ing companies are afforded when they do business in North Caroli na.”

Joining the North Carolina De partment of Commerce and the Economic Development Partner ship of North Carolina were key partners in the project that in cluded the North Carolina Gener al Assembly, North Carolina Com munity College System, Forsyth Tech Community College, Forsyth County, City of Winston-Salem and Greater Winston-Salem, Inc.

Ziehl-Abegg to create hundreds of new jobs in Winston-Salem

Twin

WEDNESDAY 11.23.22 #222

City Herald

1201 Edwards

DEATH NOTICES

♦ Russell Allen Covington, 82, died November 16, 2022.

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Walter Harrison Craver, Jr., 92, of Winston-Salem, died November 19, 2022.

Carolyn Howard Dillon, 86, died November 17, 2022.

Judy Cooke Dudley, 77, of Kernersville, died November 18, 2022.

James Steven “Steve” Hege, 73 of Clemmons, died November 17, 2022.

♦ Scot Christopher Hill, 61, of Forsyth County, died November 17, 2022.

♦ James L. King, Jr. , 72, of Winston-Salem, died November 16, 2022.

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ Adams, Mark Howard (M/62) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking/larc-felony (F) and 2) Larceny After B&e (F), at 1060 Candlewood Dr, Kernersville, NC, on 11/17/2022 14:55.

♦ ANDREWS, KAMERON SHANE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT - INFLICTING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY at 4699 COUNTRY CLUB RD/JONESTOWN RD on 11/19/2022

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ATWATER, SHAMIYA ELIZABETH was arrested on a charge of STALKING at 1450 PEACE CT on 11/18/2022

BARBER, SCOTT ERIC was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT - INFLICTING SERIOUS BODILY INJURY at 301 N CHURCH ST on 11/16/2022

COBB, RSHAWNDA EVELYN was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 415 N TRADE ST on 11/16/2022

FOWLER, NATALIE MARISA was arrested on a charge of LARCSWITCH PRICETAG at 4550 KESTER MILL RD on 11/16/2022

♦ GARCIACANDELA, DERRICK CORIC was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT ON FEMALE at 106 STATE ST on 11/17/2022

♦ Garciavillalva, Jose Luis (M/30)

FRIDAY NOV 25 HI 55° LO 4 4° PRECIP 5 8%

SATURDAY NOV 26 HI 57 ° LO 4 3° PRECIP 4 3%

SUNDAY NOV 27 HI 61° LO 4 1° PRECIP 4 3%

MONDAY NOV 28 HI 5 8° LO 3 8° PRECIP 1 2%

TUESDAY NOV 29 HI 55° LO 4 1° PRECIP 1 2%

WSFCS middle school sports seeing strong bounce back

Grants covering new safety equipment in schools

WINSTON-SALEM — The Winston-Salem/Forsyth Coun ty Schools Board of Education met Tuesday, November 15, where they were given updates on school safety spending and the status of middle school athletics.

“Our middle schools did not have athletics for a year and a half,” said District Athletic Direc tor John Sullivan. “Coming out of that, our goal was to review and assess and let the kids reacclimate and ease back into middle school sports. We spent that year just seeing how things went and ask ing a lot of questions. We made some minor changes but nothing drastic and so we are happy to re port that this year, we’re plus five in the number of athletic teams we have fielded across all of our middle school sports.”

www nsjonline.com THURSDAY NOV 24 HI 59 LO 4 4° PRECIP 5%

According to Sullivan, WSFCS are offering 14 different middle school sports, which is more than five of the other largest counties and they have future plans to ex pand on that number.

The next steps that WSFCS will take is to survey 4th, 5th and 6th

graders to gauge their athletic in terests, create facility assessment/ upgrade/addition plans for mid dle school facilities, work to de velop middle school coaching and assess the transportation needs necessary to support athletics.

“Athletics are really, really im portant and for some people, they are going to get really skillful and develop a whole lot, but athletics is also hugely important for peo ple’s wellbeing,” said board mem ber Eilsabeth Motsinger. “So the more kisd that can be involved, particularly at the middle school level which is so hard, I want to make sure that it doesn’t become something that most children can’t be a part of in some form or fashion.”

The board was also given an update on the School Safety, Se curity, and Emergency Manage ment spending.

According to WSFCS Chief Safety, Security and Emergen cy Management Officer Jona than Wilson, the department gathered around $5.05 million in grant funding and utilized those funds for additional security cameras in elementary and mid dle schools, access control for ev ery elementary, middle and high school, 2N access control sys tems, two walk-through metal detectors at all middle and high schools, administrative sites and stand-alone arts and athletic fa cilities, AEDs, and training exer

COLUMN | GREGG THOMPSON

“Our middle schools did not have athletics for a year and a half.”

Athletic Director John Sullivan

cises for staff.

“We have 2,482 cameras in our district right now, but we have over 4,200 views,” Wilson said. “We can see everything.”

The board then approved a $7.4 million contract with SSC Services for Education for custo dial services.

“We have had contracted cus todial services since 2011,” said Chief Operating Officer Lauren Richards. “We’ve had 56 sites contracted during that time and since 2020 we’ve extended the current contracts three times to try to continue our services through COVID.”

According to Richards, the contract will cover 45 schools and 12 district offices and is a 1-year term with four, annual 1-year renewal options.

“The primary reasons this bid was selected was because SSC specializes in K-12 services, not just custodial but many other fa cility related services, but custo dial is definitely one of their strong suits, they offer competitive wages

for staff ranging from $15 and up which matches our current wag es,” Richards said. “They also will have five zone managers to sup port our schools throughout the district so there’s good oversight and communication constantly to maintain services. They have in dustry standards for cleaning the K-12 facilities and they have a lo cal MWBE program that supports local minority and women-owned businesses and suppliers.”

The board also approved the district’s school improvement plans for the 2022-23 school year, a lease agreement with Vogue Towers Partners to construct a cell phone tower on Clemmons Elementary School property, an amendment to the contract with Gilbane Demolition to set a guar anteed maximum price for the demolition of the Thomasville Furniture site buildings, a reso lution for a focus on environmen tal sustainability in future fa cility planning, a contract with Cenergistic to address and re duce overall energy usage in the district, perimeter fencing for six elementary schools, a retention bonus, a professional develop ment contract with Educator Re source Group, LLC – 17 Days of Classroom Support for increas ing rigor within literacy, and fill ing a facilities advisory appoint ment.

The WSFCS Board of Educa tion will next meet December 6.

a little despite social distancing and other setbacks dictated by the pandemic.

I think Small Business Saturday has gotten bigger every year because people understand how important independent shops and restaurants are to the local economy and their communities overall.

Consider this: According to the latest figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.6 of all businesses in the state.

If you’re looking for the holiday spirit, go shopping the next day, Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday, which is always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day to find unique gifts and enjoy a level of service you probably won’t find at the national chains, but it’s also a day to help the local shops and restaurants that do so much to help their communities throughout the year.

Small Business Saturday began 12 years ago as a way to steer shoppers toward Main Street businesses still recovering from the Great Recession. Since then, though, it’s become one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Last year, Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday. That’s according to a survey by Small Business Saturday’s founder, American Express, and my group, the National Federation of Independent Business.

And despite the impact inflation is having on the cost of everything from raw materials to wrapping paper, small business owners are hopeful they’ll set another sales record this weekend.

After all, spending on Small Business Saturday 2020 still increased

Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault-point Gun (M), 2) Assault On Female (M), and 3) Weap-poss By Felon (F), at 5941 Old Rurual Hall Rd, Winston Salem, NC, on 11/18/2022 10:37.

♦ Goode, Rory Christopher (M/38) Arrest on chrg of 1) Breaking/ larc-felony (F), 2) Larceny After B&e (F), 3) Larceny-felony (F), 4) Disseminate Harmful Material To Minor (M), and 5) Resisting Arrest (M), at 6093 Cain Forest Dr, Walkertown, NC, on 11/17/2022 08:53.

♦ Graham, Linda Margarett (F/44) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugsposs Controlled Substancemethamphetamine>less Than 1 (M), 2) Drug Paraphernalia (M), and 3) Imp Regis - Expired, Suspended, Revoked, Altered Plate (M), at 1720 Lewisville-clemmons Rd/southwest School Rd, Clemmons, NC, on 11/17/2022 08:29.

♦ Gray, Makayla Brooke (F/24) Arrest on chrg of 1) Assault-simple (M) and 2) Breaking/larc-felony (F), at 2811 Bleeker Sq, Winston-salem, NC, on 11/16/2022 13:47.

♦ Groce, Krista Michelle (F/39) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugs-poss Sched I (F), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 5) Fail

To Appear/compl (M), 6) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 7) Fail To Appear/compl (M), at Germanton Rd_eb 74 Ra/eb 74, Winston-salem, NC, on 11/19/2022 09:31.

♦ HALL, ERICA RENEE was arrested on a charge of ASSAULT-SIMPLE at 625 JAMESTOWN RD on 11/16/2022

♦

JARAMILLOARISTIZABAL, ERICK ERICK was arrested on a charge of CCW at 3998 UNIVERSITY PW/ NORTH POINT BV on 11/16/2022

♦ JOHNSON, CLARENCE DAVID was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 201 N CHURCH ST on 11/18/2022

♦ Keaton, Devante Daquan (M/28) Arrest on chrg of Fail To RegisterSex Offender Registra (F), at 201 N Church St, Winston-salem, NC, on 11/17/2022 17:47.

♦ Miller, Michael Dwayne (M/49) Arrest on chrg of 1) Interference W/electronic Monitoring Dev (F) and 2) Fail To Register - Sex Offender Registration (F), at 2366 Greenway Av, Winston-salem, NC, on 11/16/2022 10:38.

♦ Pardue, Scottie Dwayne (M/45) Arrest on chrg of Larceny-felony, F (F), at 4731 Ben Ln, Walkertown, NC, on 11/17/2022 21:18.

But it goes beyond that. When we shop small, we really are helping our friends and neighbors.

We help the businesses that support our schools and give to local charities. Small businesses really hold our communities together.

Also, when we shop at a chain store, the proceeds go to a big corporation headquartered someplace else. But 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community, according to another American Express and NFIB survey. On top of that, every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as employers and their employees shop at other local businesses.

Plus, when you shop at a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner, someone with a vested interest in turning the casual holiday shopper into a regular customer who’ll come back throughout the year.

North Carolina’s economy is built on its small businesses. That’s why I’m asking everyone to shop small on Saturday, Nov. 26. When we help small businesses, we help everyone.

♦ PARKS, ZOSER was arrested on a charge of CCW at 5999 UNIVERSITY PW/E HANES MILL RD on 11/18/2022

REYNOLDS, TONYA STOWE was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 201 N CHURCH ST on 11/18/2022

♦ ROE, GALEN JOSHUA was arrested on a charge of DRUGS-POSS SCHED I at 5708 NYLON DR on 11/19/2022

♦ RUSSELL, AUDREY LYN was arrested on a charge of VIO. PROTECTIVE ORDER BY COURTS ANOTHER STATE/ INDIAN TRIBE at 1012 PACIFIC DR on 11/18/2022

♦ STEPHENS, CASEY LAUREN was arrested on a charge of CHILD ABUSE (FELONY) at 201 N CHURCH ST on 11/17/2022

♦

Tedder, Thomas Lee (M/37) Arrest on chrg of 1) Drugs-poss Sched I (F), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 5) Fail To Appear/compl (M), at 5752 Germanton Rd/wb 74, Winstonsalem, NC, on 11/19/2022 09:31.

♦ Tucker, Daniel Glenn (M/48) Arrest on chrg of 1) Carry Concealed W/o Permit In Poss Or Fail To Disclose (M), 2) Open Beverage (M), 3)

Speeding - Exceeding Posted Limit By 15 Mph Or More On Hwy (M), 4) Imp Regis - Expired, Suspended, Revoked, Altered Plate (M), and 5) Reckless Driving (M), at 50 Wb 74/ reidsville Rd_wb 74 Ra, Winstonsalem, NC, on 11/16/2022 23:45.

♦ Williams, Kenneth Marcell (M/50) Arrest on chrg of 1) Impaired Driving Dwi (M), 2) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/compl (M), and 4) Probation Violation (M), at 5479 Germanton Rd/e Hanes Mill Rd, Winston-salem, NC, on 11/18/2022 15:59.

♦ Wilson, Derrick Rayshun (M/32) Arrest on chrg of 1) Impaired Driving Dwi (M), 2) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), 3) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), 4) Fail To Appear/ compl (M), 5) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 6) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 7) Fail To Appear/compl (M), 8) Ndl - Suspended / Revoked (M), 9) Speeding - Exceeding Posted Limit (M), 10) Reckless Driving (M), and 11) Imp Regis - Unauthorized Giving, Lending Use Other Vehicle (M), at Us 421 / S Main St, Kernersville, NC, on 11/19/2022 02:11.

♦ WILSON, TAMEYIA CELESTE was arrested on a charge of 2ND DEGREE TRESPASS at 601 PETERS CREEK PW on 11/16/2022

By Ryan Henkel North State Journal

SIDELINE REPORT

NFL

Patterson sets NFL record with 9th career kickoff return TD Atlanta

Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson returned a kickoff 103 yards to become the NFL career leader with nine touchdowns. Patterson, a 10year veteran, caught the ball in the end zone and gathered a head of steam and outran the coverage up the middle. Matthew Adams missed a tackle attempt when he dove at Patterson’s feet, and Patterson was too fast for Elijah Hicks to catch as he approached the end zone. Patterson broke the record he shared with Joshua Cribbs and Leon Washington, each of whom had eight.

MLB Judge wins AL MVP; Goldschmidt takes NL prize

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge owon the American League MVP award, and St. Louis Cardinals slugger Paul Goldschmidt took the NL prize. After hitting 62 home runs this season to break the AL record, Judge easily beat out Los Angeles Angels two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani. Judge received 28 of 30 first-place votes and two seconds for 410 points from a Baseball Writers’ Association of America panel. Goldschmidt won the NL award for the first time after a couple of close calls earlier in his career. Padres third baseman Manny Machado came in second.

SOCCER

FIFA revenue hits $7.5B for current World Cup period

Doha, Qatar FIFA says it has earned record revenues of $7.5 billion in the four years of commercial deals tied to the World Cup in Qatar. FIFA revealed its earnings to officials from more than 200 of its members. It is $1 billion more than income from the previous commercial cycle linked to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The extra income comes despite FIFA helping its members through the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 when most national team soccer was shut down. FIFA has an almost blank slate for the 2026 edition with toptier sponsors Coca-Cola, Adidas and Wanda the only deals currently extended.

FORMULA ONE

Sargeant to be first U.S. F1 driver since 2015

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Logan Sargeant earned the Super License he needed to race for Williams in Formula One and will become the first American on the grid since 2015 when he makes his debut next season. Sargeant needed to finish at least sixth in the season standings in Formula Two to qualify for an F1 Super License. Williams earlier said the Florida-born driver would get the seat for 2023 if he met the requirements and helped him do so by giving him practice time in F1 sessions. Sargeant finished fourth in the F2 standings after a fifth-place result in the last race of the season Sunday.

Leon Washington, a former NFL running back and All-Pro kick returner, has transitioned to coaching with the Jets, one of his former teams.

From Waxhaw to NFL: Jets’ Washington shining as assistant after All-Pro career

tience.”

Washington was the coach of his oldest son Leon Jr.’s team at Cuth bertson Middle School in Waxhaw in 2017. And things were going OK, he thought, until he was called into the principal’s office.

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Leon Washington loved being on the sideline as a head coach, lead ing his football squad on game days and pushing them hard all week during practice.

Well, maybe a little too much. Especially since it was only mid dle school.

“It was a great experience and it taught me so much because it was like, man, you know what, Leon? These players don’t see it like you see it,” the New York Jets assistant coach and former running back and All-Pro kick returner said with a smile. “Man, you can’t expect an 11-, 12- or 13-year-old to go out there and execute like we do in the NFL.

“So that taught me a lot of pa

“It was like, ‘Hey, Leon, what are you doing? All our kids are banged up,’” Washington recalled, shaking his head.

There was also the team’s final record: 2-5-1.

“Yeah, we didn’t do too well,” Washington said with a laugh. “But we did beat the team that eventual ly ended up winning it all.”

That competitiveness made him a star player — and has carried over to his budding coaching career.

“I don’t really want to make pre dictions on how it will go because I just want to work my tail off, be come a better teacher, become a better coach,” he said. “I’m just go ing to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

That has always been the ap proach of the 40-year-old Wash ington, who was a fan favorite during NFL stops with the Jets,

Seahawks, Patriots and Titans in a nine-year playing career after be ing a fourth-round pick out of Flor ida State. His eight career kickoffs returned for touchdowns are tied for the second most in NFL histo ry with Josh Cribbs.

His coaching path began in 2016, two years after his last NFL game. Washington reached out to Gus Bradley, then Jacksonville’s head coach whom he knew from their days together in Seattle, to intern that summer as part of the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coach ing Fellowship. Bradley convinced Washington to stay the entire sea son. After not finding an NFL op

N. Carolina native Devin Chandler remembered after UVA shooting

A fellow student was arrested in the death of three Cavaliers football players

The Associated Press

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. —

Devin Chandler transferred in from Wisconsin, where the wide receiver returned a total of four kicks, three against Notre Dame. At Virginia, his sense of humor helped teammates push through the monotony of training. He loved to dance.

He was one of three University of Virginia juniors who were killed when authorities say a fellow stu dent and former football player opened fire in a bus that had just returned to campus from a class field trip.

Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Per ry were also killed in the shooting. Two other students were wound ed, including another football player.

Chandler was a wide receiv er from Huntersville who recent ly transferred from Wisconsin, where his accomplishments in cluded a 59-yard kickoff return

and 18-yard rush in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl against Wake Forest in 2020.

Jim Leonhard, the University of Wisconsin’s interim head football coach, tweeted that Chandler’s personality “was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

At Virginia, he was “the life of the party” — someone who kept

everyone on the team entertained in places like the weight room, said Tony Elliott, his coach.

“He just was a big kid. Smiled all the time. Loved to dance. Loved to sing. Loved to compete, even though the guys revealed that he wasn’t very good at video games, but he thought he was,” El liott told reporters Tuesday, laugh

portunity in 2017, Washington took that gig on the middle-school fields of North Carolina. In 2018, he joined the staff of then-Atlan ta coach Dan Quinn — whom he also knew from his playing days in Seattle — again through the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

He was reunited with former Seahawks assistant Darrell Bev ell that summer. Washington fol lowed the offensive coordinator in 2019 to Detroit, where he spent two years as a full-time assistant working with special teams and running backs through the Wil liam Clay Ford Minority Coaching Assistantship.

In his second season as a Jets coach, Washington has worked closely as an assistant for special teams coordinator Brant Boyer while also helping running backs coach Taylor Embree.

“My heart is in this, and espe cially this organization,” Washing ton said. “The only selfish thing I can say I want out of this is a Super Bowl championship and just con tinue to grow as a coach.”

ing. “But he loved to compete.” Ethan Johnson recalled how he spent a season playing with Chan dler on their high school foot ball team, with Johnson covering Chandler as a cornerback during practice. This past summer, the young men worked out together at their alma mater.

“And he was there telling me how much of a difference he saw in me. How much I had grown. How I had improved as a player,” said Johnson, who is now a freshman cornerback at Appalachian State. “That was the type of guy he was. He was always trying to lift peo ple up.”

American studies profes sor Jack Hamilton recalled how Chandler transferred from Wis consin and “made a point to come to my office hours repeatedly, of ten just to ask questions about how things worked around UVA.”

The professor later helped Chandler to declare his major in American studies.

“He was an unbelievably nice person, always a huge smile, really gregarious and funny,” Hamilton wrote. “One of those people who’s just impossible not to like.”

“(He) was infectious and he was a joy to be around.”

Wisconsin interim coach Jim Leonhard on Devin Chandler

“I’m just going to learn as much as I can and see where it takes me.”

Washington, Jets assistant coach

STATE & NATION

Walker, Republicans look for party unity in Georgia runoff

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Republicans insist they’re working together to help Herschel Walker unseat Dem ocratic Sen. Raphael Warnock in a Georgia runoff that offers the GOP a chance to finish a disappointing midterm election season with a vic tory.

But to win a 50th Senate seat on Dec. 6 and limit Democrats’ con tinued majority, Republicans must overcome doubts about Walker’s appeal in a battleground state, nav igate open squabbles among party powerbrokers in Washington and endure the specter of former Pres ident Donald Trump as he launches his third White House bid after los ing Georgia in 2020.

It adds up to the same challenges that limited GOP victories nation ally despite an underwater approval rating for President Joe Biden and widespread frustrations with the nation’s direction.

“Everybody realizes that regard less of any disagreements that do or don’t exist, everybody needs to focus on one thing: helping Her schel get across the finish line,” said Walker campaign manager Scott Paradise.

But they must do it without the Senate majority on the line, as it was in a pair of Georgia runoffs in January 2021. Democrats have al ready secured 50 seats with narrow incumbent victories in Nevada and Arizona combined with flipping a GOP-held Pennsylvania seat, and Vice President Kamala’s Harris tie breaking vote assures them a ma

jority.

So, Walker, who spent the fall trying to nationalize his race by mocking Warnock as a yes-man for Biden, must fashion a runoff coali tion knowing that nothing voters do here will depose New York’s Chuck Schumer as Senate majority leader.

“There are still national implica tions,” Paradise said, arguing that Republicans around the country are “fired up” for a second chance after an underwhelming midterm performance. “We’re very comfort able framing this as the last fight of ‘22.”

Walker, a former college and pro fessional football star and a close friend of Trump’s, was urged by the former president to run. That ce

ments Walker’s bond with core GOP supporters but presents a challenge in Republican-leaning metro areas that helped Biden top Trump here two years ago.

“Trump probably does more to juice Democratic turnout than have an effect on our guy,” said Josh Holmes, a prominent Republican fundraiser and strategist aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has icy re lations with the former president. But Holmes added, “We don’t know what the impact will be.”

It’s clear Republicans hope Kemp’s popularity extends to Walk er, even if it wasn’t enough in the first round. Kemp typically would say only that he backed “the en

tire Republican ticket.” Since Elec tion Day, though, Kemp has turned over his voter turnout operation to the Washington-based super PAC aligned with McConnell. And Kempcampaigned with Walker for the first time on Saturday.

“Herschel requested all the help we could get from the governor. The governor said I’m there for you,” Paradise said.

Yet the deal between Kemp and the Senate Leadership Fund high lights GOP fissures, some tracing back to Trump, others to a running feud between McConnell and Flor ida Sen. Rick Scott, who leads the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

Kemp built out his independent turnout operation after the 2020 presidential election, when Trump blasted Kemp for certifying Biden’s slate of presidential electors from Georgia and state Republican Par ty leaders sided mostly with Trump.

SLF, which usually spends most of its money on television advertis ing, said the runoff would be the first time the political action com mittee has engaged in a full-scale voter turnout effort.

But, as with Kemp’s reelection campaign, that comes at odds with the traditional coordinated party campaign run through the Repub lican National Committee, the state party and Scott’s National Repub lican Senatorial Committee. Sepa rately, Scott challenged McConnell for Senate GOP leader; McConnell prevailed Wednesday.

But he noted that federal election law prevents coordination between the party committees and the SLFKemp operation. That means that there’s no legal way for each camp to keep tabs on the other’s activi ties, raising the prospect of duplica tive efforts or conflicting messages to voters.

Meanwhile, Scott’s and McCo nnell’s advisers spilled their tiff into public view. Curt Anderson, a Scott ally, noted on Twitter that he’d

seen Schumer’s Democratic super PAC airing ads on Warnock’s be half during a “Monday Night Foot ball” broadcast. “McConnell’s su perpac running zero ads attacking Warnock. Have they given up?” he asked.

SLF President Steven Law re torted that the NRSC’s Georgia televisions buys have been sub par. “But don’t worry little buddy — we’re used to covering you,” he wrote. SLF has since announced its own $14.2 million advertising plan, on top of the $2 million-plus it had previously announced for its turn out operation.

Amid such intraparty compli cations, perhaps the best outcome for Walker is a relatively low-turn out runoff election that allows his core supporters to become a vic torious majority. Indeed, having the Senate majority already settled could dampen Democrats’ enthusi asm, and Walker has drawn large, enthusiastic crowds in the opening days of the runoff campaign.

Yet Republicans, including the candidate himself, acknowledge at least tacitly that Walker may need supporters the nominee hasn’t won over yet.

“What he been doing is rowing the boat this way as our governor is trying to row this way,” Walker said of Warnock in Augusta. “What I’m going to do is I’m going to row the boat with the governor.”

And for rank-and-file Georgia Republicans like Debbie McCord, it means cajoling would-be Walk er voters to look beyond individual candidates and see a national refer endum.

“There are people who just think ‘so-and-so would have been a better candidate.’ I say there are a lot of good candidates, but this is who won the primary,” said Mc Cord, chairwoman of the Colum bia County Republican committee. “You need to get over it, put your big boy pants on and go vote.”

Republicans win back control of US House

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Re publicans have officially won con trol of the U.S. House, returning the party to power in Washing ton and giving conservatives lever age to blunt President Joe Biden’s agenda and spur a flurry of inves tigations. But a threadbare major ity will pose immediate challeng es for GOP leaders and complicate the party’s ability to govern.

More than a week after Elec tion Day, Republicans secured the 218th seat needed to flip the House from Democratic control last Wednesday. The full scope of the party’s majority may not be clear for several more days — or weeks — as votes in competitive races are still being counted.

But they are on track to cobble together what could be the party’s narrowest majority of the 21st cen tury, rivaling 2001, when Republi cans had just a nine-seat majori ty, 221-212 with two independents. That’s far short of the sweeping victory the GOP predicted going into this year’s midterm elections, when the party hoped to reset the agenda on Capitol Hill by capital izing on economic challenges and Biden’s lagging popularity.

Instead, Democrats showed surprising resilience, holding on to moderate, suburban districts from Virginia to Minnesota and Kan

sas.

McCarthy, R-Calif., celebrated his party having “officially flipped” the House on Twitter on Wednes day night, writing, “Americans are ready for a new direction, and House Republicans are ready to deliver.”

Biden congratulated McCarthy, saying he is “ready to work with House Republicans to deliver re sults for working families.”

“Last week’s elections demon strated the strength and resilience

of American democracy. There was a strong rejection of election deniers, political violence, and in timidation,” Biden said in a state ment. “There was an emphat ic statement that, in America, the will of the people prevails.”

He added, that “the future is too promising to be trapped in politi cal warfare.”

Despite the GOP’s under whelming showing, the party will still have notable power. Republi cans will take control of key com

mittees, giving them the abili ty to shape legislation and launch probes of Biden, his family and his administration. There’s particular interest in investigating the over seas business dealings of the pres ident’s son Hunter Biden. Some of the most conservative lawmak ers have raised the prospect of im peaching Biden, though that will be much harder for the party to ac complish with a tight majority.

Any legislation that emerges from the House could face steep odds in the Senate, where Demo crats possess the barest of major ities. Both parties are looking to a Dec. 6 Senate runoff in Georgia as a last chance to pad their ranks.

With such a potentially slim House majority, there’s also po tential for legislative chaos. The dynamic essentially gives an in dividual member enormous sway over shaping what happens in the chamber. That could lead to par ticularly tricky circumstances for GOP leaders as they try to win support for must-pass measures that keep the government funded or raise the debt ceiling.

Republican candidates pledged on the campaign trail to cut taxes and tighten border security. GOP lawmakers also could withhold aid to Ukraine as it fights a war with Russia or use the threat of default ing on the nation’s debt as leverage to extract cuts from social spend ing and entitlements — though all such pursuits will be tougher given how small the GOP majority may end up being.

AP VoteCast, a broad survey of

the national electorate, showed that high inflation and concerns about the fragility of democracy had heavily influenced voters. Half of voters said inflation factored significantly, with groceries, gaso line, housing, food and other costs that have shot up in the past year. Slightly fewer — 44% — said the future of democracy was their pri mary consideration.

Counter to the GOP’s expecta tions, Biden didn’t entirely shoul der the blame for inflation, with close to half of voters saying the higher-than-usual prices were more because of factors outside his control. And despite the president bearing criticism from a pessimis tic electorate, some of those voters backed Democratic candidates.

Democrats also likely benefit ed from anger over the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision cementing a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion. Voters in Michigan voted to amend their state consti tution to protect abortion rights while far more reliably Republican Kentucky rejected a constitutional amendment declaring no right to an abortion.

Overall, 7 in 10 voters said the high court’s ruling overturning the 1973 decision enshrining abortion rights was an important factor in their midterm decisions. Vote Cast also showed the reversal was broadly unpopular. About 6 in 10 say they are angry or dissatisfied by it. And roughly 6 in 10 say they favor a law guaranteeing access to legal abortion nationwide.

MOORE COUNTY

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Moore County teen charged with threats of gun violence towards local schools

A Moore County teenager was arrested in Aberdeen this past Thursday morning after making threats against Union Pines High School.

According to the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, an investigation was launched after Moore County Schools posted information about three threats on their Facebook page Wednesday night.

Authorities identified a student in connection to the threats and issued a search warrant for an Aberdeen home early Thursday morning. At this time, charges are pending against the 15-year-old teenager, who threatened the school with acts of gun violence. In response to the threats, multiple schools in the Aberdeen area experienced a heightened presence of law enforcement officers last week.

Outgoing Moore commissioners awarded Order of the Long Leaf Pine

On November 15, three outgoing Moore County commissioners received the highest award for state service, The Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Catherine Graham, Otis Ritter, and Jerry Daeke were each awarded with plaques by State Rep. Jamie Boles during the Moore County Board of Commissioners meeting. The Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which the governor of North Carolina confers, honors individuals for outstanding service to the state and their communities that goes beyond expectations and has made a substantial impact. The prestigious award was created in 1963. None of the three award recipients sought reelection this November.

Spring Lake woman arrested in Moore County on seven drug charges

Last weekend, deputies from the Moore County Sheriff’s Department made the arrest of an out-of-county woman on seven drug charges. Angel Frink, of Spring Lake, is currently facing charges of two counts of possession with intent to sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, felony possession of scheduled II controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling place for controlled substance, possession of marijuana up to .5 ounce, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, and possession of drug paraphernalia. According to a recent report from the sheriff’s office, the 39-year-old suspect has been placed at the Moore County Detention Center under a $75,000 secured bond after being arrested at a traffic stop. Frink is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Capitol christmas tree has arrived

Former teacher claims hostile work environment under Moore middle principal

RALEIGH — A former Moore County Public Schools teach er claims the principal of Crain’s Creek Middle School is responsible for creating a hostile work environ ment, particularly when it comes to student discipline issues.

The claim comes on the heels of over a dozen student fights caught on video, threats of mass violence by students attending the school, and complaints by families of stu dents who were injured during an assault by another student.

Crain’s Creek Middle School’s principal is Melonie Jones. She took over as principal of the school in July 2018. Jones is currently making $8,490 a month, or around $101,880 a year.

Jones has been an employee of Moore County Public schools (MCS), spanning almost 20 years. She served as an English teach er at Pinecrest High School from June 1999 to June 2003 and again from August 2005 to July 2012. Jones was also an assistant prin cipal for two schools; Union Pines High School from August 2012 through July 2015 and Southern Middle School starting in July 2015 through July 2018.

The former teacher, who spoke with North State Journal under the condition of anonymity citing a fear of reprisals, said that under Jones’ tenure teachers had been, “leaving in droves.”

According to information sup plied by Moore County Schools’ Communications Director Cather ine Nagy, the annual teacher turn

over rate at Crain’s Creek Middle School has been in double digits and increasing under Jones’ tenure.

March 2018 - March 2019: 15.13%

March 2019 - March 2020: 16.98%

March 2020 - March 2021: 17.86%

Nagy said the data for March 2021 through March 2022 had not yet been released by the state, which was confirmed by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI). In their response, NCD PI also said their data was only for the district level and does not drill down to individual schools.

Additional data Nagy supplied

Pinehurst council passes ordinance to address light pollution complaints

PINEHURST – The Village of Pinehurst Council met Tuesday, November 15, where they discussed a potential ordinance and approved a couple of dealings within the fi nancial department.

In order to address light pollu tion-based complaints, the council approved an ordinance to amend the municipal code to address them.

“We’ve had, from time to time, concerns about lighting between neighbors in residential neighbor hoods come up occasionally,” said Village Manager Jeff Sanborn. “Historically, it’s been things like spotlights a neighbor doesn’t have pointing down on their property, and it’s pointing towards a neigh bor’s property.”

The changes add in standards for light pollution from the hours of 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. to restrict any light ing that doesn’t fall in the following categories: eave or soffit-mounted flood lights that are generally ori ented downward to illuminate the ground within the same residential property, ground mounted accent lights that are oriented on and pri marily illuminate the exterior walls of structures within the same resi

dential property, no more than two post-mounted lights per driveway cut that are used to identify the lo cation of driveways to users of the adjoining road, holiday decorations during the period November 15 to January 10, ceiling or wall mount ed lights that illuminate residential doorways and porches.

The council stated that while they feel the issue may come back to them down the road, this is a good first step in dealing with potential problems.

“If there is a violation, the police will get called, they’ll make their observation, that’ll be turned over to the planning department for en forcement, and a letter will be writ ten,” said Mayor John Strickland. “It may take six weeks, but it will be dealt with, and the fines will apply at that point.”

The council approved a resolu tion appointing an interim finance officer to fill the vacancy left by the outgoing finance officer, Brooke Hunter.

“The North Carolina General Statutes require that local govern ments appoint a finance officer to serve the pleasure of the board or council,” Hunter said. “So because of the upcoming personnel change with my departure, the council is required to appoint a new finance

there is a violation, the police will get called, they’ll make their

officer to cover this interim peri od while a replacement is being re cruited. We are requesting the ap pointment of Sheila Edmonds, who is the current Assistant Financial Services director here at the Vil lage, to serve in this capacity be ginning November 18. She is a CPA, and she’s worked with the Village now for five and a half years, and she has also filled in for me on mul tiple occasions, so she is definitely qualified for this role in the interim.”

The council also approved an or dinance to ratify an attorney con tract and amend the budget in or der to address it.

“The Village engaged the le gal services of Hartzog Law Group when defending a recent lawsuit

to North State Journal shows more resignations.

Between June 2021 and June 2022, 20 staff members left Crain’s Creek. Of the 20, two were retire ments. In addition, between July 2 and to present, another three staff members left the school, including one terminated staffer.

Nagy indicated that the addi tional resignation information was for personnel that are directly su pervised by the principal and does not include child nutrition or trans portation personnel.

According to the former teach er, some staffers cried “daily” be cause of how Jones treated them, and it was typical of Jones to sug gest a staff member resign if they didn’t like how she was running the

that was regarding the alleged open meeting law violations, and as of November 7, 2022, the total le gal expenditures for that case were $53,304,” Hunter said. “Some ad ditional expenditures may be in curred because the decision was appealed, but a budget amend ment is needed to cover those ex penses. Also, when the contract was first executed, we anticipated expenditures being within the Vil lage Managers delegated authori ty of $50,000. However, the expen ditures have slightly exceeded that limit.”

The council was also presented the data from the business satisfac tion survey.

“The purpose of the business sur vey is to better understand the ways that we as a Village can improve the quality of services that are provided to businesses within the commu nity and also to measure ourselves against trends from previous sur veys,” said Organizational Perfor mance Director Matthew McKira han.

The survey was sent to 420 busi nesses in Pinehurst, and the Vil lage received back just 75 complet ed surveys.

While nearly all the respon dents reported that they were sat isfied with the services provid ed to them by the Village, an issue brought forth by the council and in public comments was the failure to properly survey all the businesses in Pinehurst.

The Village of Pinehurst Coun cil will next meet Tuesday, Decem ber 13.

“If

observation, that’ll be turned over to the planning department for enforcement, and a letter will be written.”

WEEKLY CRIME LOG

♦ THOMPSON, CHRISTO PHER WILLIAM, 37, W, M, 11/20/2022, Aberdeen PD

♦ JONES, SHANE DEANTE, 24, B, M, 11/20/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦

♦

GLOVER, APRIL LYNN, 40, W, F, 11/20/2022, Robbins PD

BRYANT, JUSTIN DEERVIN, 34, I, M, 11/20/2022, South ern Pines PD

♦

♦

MORRISEY, JUSTIN AlEXAN DER, 28, B, M, 11/18/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

HAMILTON, CHRISTO PHER BRYAN, 44, W, M, 11/18/2022, Robbins PD

♦

♦

DUNLAP, COTEY LEE, 26, W, M, 11/18/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

DUMAS, COREY ALONZO, 25, B, M, 11/17/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦

♦

WALSH, DAVID PHILLIP, 38, W, M, 11/16/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

PARKER, ERIN NICOLE, 28, W, F, 11/16/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

♦ LOCKLEAR, CHRISTO PHER THOMAS, 37, I, M, 11/16/2022, Moore County Sheriff’s Office

school.

“She [Jones] would say, ‘if you have a problem, the resignation letters are in my drawer of my desk. And I’ll be happy to give you one.’ That had been said… multi ple times,” the teacher told North State Journal. “And she has actu ally offered resignation letters to individual staff members several times. With the teaching shortage we have… I mean you do not feel like you are worthy at all there.”

The former Crain’s Creek teach er also told North State Journal around a dozen staff members had complained about Jones, in cluding reporting the resignation letters tactic to Mike Metcalf, the superintendent of middle schools for MCS. The former teacher also said none of their complaints have seen a resolution.

“Dr. Metcalf, the Chief Offi cer for Academics and Students Support Services, met with four teachers in late May and June and one additional teacher this school year for a total of five teachers, who requested to meet to discuss their experiences and share their perspectives,” Nagy said in a re sponse email to North State Jour nal’s inquiry.

Nagy indicated that In re sponse to concerns expressed by staff, as well as parents, the dis trict has taken or is in the process of taking some action.

The actions cited by Nagy in clude:

Reassignment of two of the dis trict’s most highly regarded coun

selors to Crain’s Creek full-time at the beginning of this year.

Continuation of the MCS Police officer assigned to the school fulltime.

In addition to a full-time as sistant principal, a half-time as sistant principal was added to the school at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year. An addition al assistant principal was provid ed last week to provide support on an interim basis.

All staff have been trained in Capturing Kids Hearts, a strate gic program to develop a relation ship-driven campus culture and promote student connectedness.

Staff is scheduled for Recon nect Training, which provides them with the skills to assist stu dents in developing self-discipline and in how best to respond to stu dents in trauma.

The schools’ Positive Behav ioral Interventions and Supports program is being reviewed for ef fectiveness and to ensure there are clear expectations in terms of be havior communicated to students.

The organizational and phys ical structure of the school was reassembled in order to enhance monitoring of students and to provide support. Examples in clude teacher-student assigned groups to foster student and staff relationship building, as well as separate grade-level assignments within the building to reduce in teractions among grade levels.

An in-house mentoring pro gram was instituted the second se mester of last year, and the school is working with Moore Buddies to

develop additional team mentor ing opportunities.

The former teacher said that any problems with students brought to Jones were “always turned around on the teacher.”

Additionally, the teacher said it seemed like Jones was keeping the school resource officer “out of the loop” when it came to discipline or threat issues.

“She [Jones] just did so many things to disrespect us with our discipline. There was no support with discipline,” the former teach er said, later adding that it was “almost like she tries to cause con flict amongst the staff.”

An example given was Jones’ apparent favorable or rewarding treatment of students who were causing incidents. The former teacher noted that it wasn’t just the staff who noticed and that the kids who did follow the rules had also noticed that behavior.

“You know, I mean, it was cra zy, and they [rule-breaking stu dents] would go to the office, and she [Jones] was almost making friends with the kids,” said the for mer teacher. “Mr. Lee was mak ing friends with the kids, and it was like there was no discipline or anything.

They did not back us up, and they would have people come in and make us sit through these meetings during our planning time telling us how to discipline and, you know, this positive be havior and capturing kids’ hearts stuff. And these kids don’t react to that. They need consequences, and there were none.”

moore happening

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Moore County:

November 24

Music Bingo Thursday 6pm

Join in for Music Bingo every Thursday Night at Whispering Q, which is located at 2 Clubhouse Blvd in Whispering Pines!

Trivia Thursday at the Brewery 6pm

Come out for Trivia at the Southern Pines Brewery! Enjoy fun and prizes each Thursday. Southern Pines Brewing Company is located at 565 Air Tool Dr., Southern Pines, NC.

Highlanders Farm: Drive Thru Christmas Lights 6pm – 9pm

Come out for the second annual Highlander’s Farm Drive Thru Christmas Lights Show! Take a winding tour around the farm fields, which are located at 5748 NC Hwy 22 in Carthage!

November 25

Visit with Santa 10am – 5pm

Santa Claus will be at The Little Toy Shop, which is located at 230 SW Broad St. in Southern Pines! This is Santa’s 25th anniversary visiting the shop!

James Creek Cider House – Live Music 3pm – 8pm

Come out to James Creek Cider House for live music from the Stone Dolls! Food trucks will also be on site for a fun afternoon! James Creek Cider House is located at 172 US Hwy 1 Bus. In Cameron.

OPINION

Small Business Saturday

BLACK FRIDAY is the unofficial start of the holiday shopping season, but with its doorbusters and discounts, I think it’s become of time of grabbing rather than of giving.

Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday.

If you’re looking for the holiday spirit, go shopping the next day, Small Business Saturday.

Small Business Saturday, which is always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, is a day to find unique gifts and enjoy a level of service you probably won’t find at the national chains, but it’s also a day to help the local shops and restaurants that do so much to help their communities throughout the year.

Small Business Saturday began 12 years ago as a way to steer shoppers toward Main Street businesses still recovering from the Great Recession. Since then, though, it’s become one of the busiest shopping days of the year.

Last year, Americans spent a record $23.3 billion in person and online at small, independent shops and restaurants on Small Business Saturday. That’s according to a survey by Small Business Saturday’s founder, American Express, and my group, the National Federation of Independent Business.

And despite the impact inflation is having on the cost of everything from raw materials to wrapping paper, small business owners are hopeful they’ll set another sales record this weekend.

After all, spending on Small Business Saturday 2020 still increased a little despite social distancing and other setbacks dictated by the pandemic.

I think Small Business Saturday has gotten bigger every year because

people understand how important independent shops and restaurants are to the local economy and their communities overall.

Consider this: According to the latest figures from the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for 99.6% of all businesses in the state.

But it goes beyond that. When we shop small, we really are helping our friends and neighbors.

We help the businesses that support our schools and give to local charities. Small businesses really hold our communities together.

Also, when we shop at a chain store, the proceeds go to a big corporation headquartered someplace else. But 67 cents of every dollar spent at a small business stays in the community, according to another American Express and NFIB survey. On top of that, every dollar spent at a small business creates an additional 50 cents in local business activity as employers and their employees shop at other local businesses.

Plus, when you shop at a small business, there’s a good chance you’ll be dealing directly with the owner, someone with a vested interest in turning the casual holiday shopper into a regular customer who’ll come back throughout the year.

North Carolina’s economy is built on its small businesses. That’s why I’m asking everyone to shop small on Saturday, Nov. 26. When we help small businesses, we help everyone.

Gregg Thompson is the North Carolina state director of the National Federation of Independent Business.

A House popular vote majority produced few seats but is a good sign for Republicans in 2024

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes.

ONE OF THE PUZZLES in this year’s surprising and unpredicted (including by me) off-year election results is why the Republicans’ 51% to 47% win in the popular vote for House of Representatives did not produce a majority bigger than the apparent 221-214 result. (All numbers here are subject to revision in line with final returns.)

That 51% to 47% margin is identical to Joe Biden’s and Barack Obama’s popular vote margins in 2020 and 2012, respectively. It is just one digit off from George W. Bush’s 51% to 48% win in 2004. It’s almost identical to House Democrats’ 51% to 48% popular vote margin in 2020, which yielded them an almost identical 222-213 majority.

The big contrast is with 2012, when Democrats carried the House popular vote 49% to 48% but won only 201 seats to the Republicans’ 234. How could a party win a 33-seat majority while losing the popular vote, then win only a seven-seat majority while carrying the popular vote by 4 points?

One answer is differential turnout. In 2012, Democrats’ popular vote edge owed much to heavy Black voter turnout to reelect the first Black president. But many of those votes came in overwhelmingly Black districts and did nothing to elect Democrats elsewhere.

This year, differential turnout worked against Democrats. Central city turnout was way down, as compared to the last off-year election in 2018 — down 19% in New York City but up 0.3% in the suburbs and upstate; down 13% in Philadelphia, but up 8% elsewhere in Pennsylvania; down 15% in Detroit’s Wayne County, but up 6% elsewhere in Michigan; down 12% in Milwaukee County, but up 1% elsewhere in Wisconsin; down 24% in Chicago’s Cook County, down only 8% in Chicago’s collar counties and downstate.

That reflects population loss in central cities, particularly from Black voters leaving the industrial Midwest for the more economically vibrant and culturally congenial metro Atlanta — making Georgia, with the nation’s third highest Black percentage, a target state. It also reflects, after four years of skyrocketing crime and stringent lockdowns, waning enthusiasm among heavily Democratic electorates. That’s not a favorable sign for Democratic turnout in 2024.

The second reason is that Republicans failed to harvest significant gains in House seats from their significant gain in popular votes in redistricting. Republicans had a big advantage in partisan redistricting following the 2010 census but only a minimal advantage following the 2020 census.

In particular, Democratic mapmakers and supposedly nonpartisan but liberal-leaning redistricting commissions have no longer felt bound by the Voting Rights Act to pack Black people into black-majority districts — a tactic Republicans have encouraged since the 1990 election cycle because it leaves fewer Democratic voters in adjacent districts.

Abandonment of this supposedly immutable principle is responsible, for example, for the fact that Michigan elected zero Black Democratic congressmen for the first time since 1952. (A Black Republican was elected in mostly white, suburban Macomb County.) Democrats also won a state Senate majority for the first time since

1983 by winning districts that linked heavily Black neighborhoods in Detroit with affluent, mostly white suburbs.

The most important reason for the Republicans’ reduced harvest of House seats has been a reduction in clustering. Previously, heavily Democratic voters — Blacks, Hispanics and gentry liberals — have been clustered geographically in central cities, sympathetic suburbs and university towns, while Republican voters have been spread more evenly around the rest of the country.

The effect of clustering can be seen in the number of House districts carried by different presidents. Both Bush and Obama were reelected with 51% of the popular vote. That enabled Bush in 2004 to carry 255 of the 435 House districts. But Obama in 2012 carried only 209. Biden, with 51% in 2020, raised that number to 226.

Democratic clustering has diminished in recent years. Part of the reason is that Democratic groups have become less Democratic. Hispanics voted 29% Republican in 2012 but 39% Republican in 2022. The Asian Republican percentage increased from 25% to around 40%, and the Black Republican percentage increased from 6% to 13%.

Meanwhile, Republican clustering has increased in the wide-open spaces between the Appalachians and the Rockies, from far-out exurbs and in Walmart and Dollar General country beyond.

You can see the evidence from which party won seats with supermajorities. In 2012, 71 Democrats and only 32 Republicans were elected to the House with 70% or more of the vote. Twentyeight Democrats got 80% or more, whereas only three Republicans did.

This year, by my preliminary count, the 70-plus percent districts moved closer to parity — 58 Democrats and 39 Republicans. Only 18 Democrats and five Republicans won with 80% or more.

Thus, the Republicans’ 51% of the total House vote produced a disappointing number of House seats.

However, it also signaled a residual Republican strength. Republican House candidates had a hard time dislodging Democrats in marginal districts. But relatively few were weighted down by highly publicized endorsements of Donald Trump’s backwardlooking insistence that the 2020 presidential election was stolen; the few identified with that view ran significantly behind the many who didn’t.

Instead, Republican House candidates ran ahead of their party’s Senate candidates in such states as Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Georgia, Arizona and Nevada. They also ran strongly in tandem with landslide winners Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio in Florida.

Republican House candidates won 58% of the popular vote in the South and 53% in the Midwest, two regions that together account for 298 of the 538 electoral votes. Duplicating that support is one way an unproblematic Republican nominee could top 270 electoral votes in 2024.

Alan Edward Wolejko

May 25, 1950 - November 18, 2022

Alan Wolejko - dedicated husband, father of two and friend of many - passed away on November 18, 2022, at the age of 72 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Alan was born on May 25, 1950, in Greenfield, Massachusetts, to Edward Wolejko and Helen Prasol. Alan graduated from Frontier Regional High School in Deerfield before being a fouryear starter and two-year captain for the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts basketball team, graduating in 1972 with a major in history and minors in education and physical education. In 1994, he earned a Master of Science degree in sport management from University of Massachusetts Amherst, specializing in collegiate coaching and administration.

Alan taught history for 38 years at Smith Academy in Hatfield, Massachusetts.

Alan was preceded in death by both his parents and is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Dianne as well as his children Stacey (Benjamin) Passwaters and Whitney (Brett) Page; and four grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister, Susan Coffin.

Garland Frank Pierce

October 4, 1937 - November 15, 2022

Garland Frank Pierce (85), of Southern Pines, NC, passed away Nov. 15, 2022, peacefully at his home.

Garland was born October 4, 1937, in Pinehurst’s Moore County Hospital to Arthur Garland and Dorothy Stutz Pierce. He attended public schools in Southern Pines, then graduated from Southern Pines High School in 1955 as president of his class. Following high school, he attended North Carolina State College in Raleigh, NC where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He was accepted into the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity and obtained his private pilot’s license through the AF ROTC program. After graduation, he was employed by the US Navy in Oxnard, CA where he worked on helicopter radar systems, until the US Air Force sought him out in 1960 for active duty. Later that same year, he married Patricia Bullard from Laurinburg, NC at NC Baptist Hospital Chapel, Winston Salem, NC. His Air Force career spanned 6 years, obtaining the rank of Captain. His first assignment in the Air Force was at Wright Patterson AFB, OH where he was part of a team that investigated B-52 bomber incidents. He was later stationed in Boston, MA as a plant representative at AVCO Research & Development. While working full-time, he obtained a master’s degree in Political Science from Georgetown University.

Garland and Pat had three children, Gary Pierce, Nancy Pierce Scavezze, and Daniel Pierce (Michelle), and six grandchildren.

Chong Cha Wheeler

November 16, 1936 - November 17, 2022

Chong Cha Wheeler, age 85 of Fayetteville, NC passed away at Highland House Nursing Home on November 17, 2022. Chong was born in Taechon, Korea on November 16, 1936 to Son Eung Chu and Chom Sun Yi.

Chong is survived by her nephew Sean (Paige) Gallagher, Sean’s sons, Bayden, Brody, and Liam. Chong was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Sun Gallagher.

After retirement, Garland and Pat returned to NC, settling in Pinehurst, where, besides golfing, he was involved in many volunteer activities. These volunteer activities included Habitat for Humanity, tutoring math as part of the Literacy Council for students working towards their GED at Sandhills Community College, and serving as an usher and as a Stephen minister for Emmanuel Episcopal Church.

Thomas Shelton Deans

February 15, 1926 - November 14, 2022

Thomas Shelton Deans (affectionately known as Pop Pop) of Jackson Springs, NC passed away peacefully at the age of 96 on November 14, 2022. He was born February 15, 1926, in Halifax County, NC to the late Shelton Deans and Mary Brown.

He grew up in Jackson Springs, attended West End High School, and joined the U.S Navy in 1943. He served aboard the USS Martin (DE-30) in the South Pacific during World War II, where he was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, China Service Medal, and the Philippine Liberation Medal. After World War II he met the love of his life, Yvonne, and in 1949 they were married in Key West, FL, where he was stationed at the Naval Air Station.

During his 20 year Navy career, he was additionally stationed aboard the USS Tanner (AGS15), USS Tutuilla (ARG-4), USS Haynesworth (DD-700), and USS Recovery (ARS-43). He was also stationed at the Rhine River Patrol in Schierstein, Germany and the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA.

After his retirement from the US Army Corps of Engineers, he and Yvonne returned to his boyhood home of Jackson Springs. Pop regaled his family with stories about his life here many years ago as a boy and farmer. His family lived without electricity, he would ride his horse Darby to the store to trade eggs for coffee, and would swim and wash in Drowning Creek. He had a true love of animals, evidenced by all the abandoned dogs and cats who were immediately welcomed as part of the family.

He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 65 years, Yvonne. He is survived by his son Thomas J. Deans, daughter Leslie K. Thiel (Bob); 6 grandchildren: Tracy Deans, Elycia Atkinson (Seth), Thomas A. Deans (Ashley), Leah Thiel, Rose Thiel, Katherine Colberg (Chris); 4 great grandchildren: Lahna Scholz, Rhett Henegar, Marshall Atkinson, and Julian Deans.

Robert Fred Daugherty, Jr.

January 5, 1939 - November 15, 2022

Robert Fred Daugherty Jr, Age 83, of Pinehurst, NC passed away on November 15, 2022 at First Health Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, NC.

Fred was born January 5, 1939 in Gastonia, NC to the late Robert Fred Daugherty Sr and Ola Daugherty Dabrowski. He graduated from Holbrook High School in Lowell, NC and attended Belmont Abbey before joining the Army. Fred settled in Richmond County NC where he worked over 30 years in sales at DeWitt Trucking Company. He enjoyed hunting, playing tennis, Nascar racing, riding his motorcycle, boating and spending time at his house at Lake Tillery. He most loved bragging about his kids and grandkids.

Fred is survived by his wife of 16 years, Sarah Daugherty; daughters Lindsay Daugherty Blackwood (Sherwood) and Carin Daugherty Krawitz (Seth); step daughter Crystal Harman (Shane); step-son, Jeff Wicker; and his grandchildren: Kathryn Smith, Will Blackwood, Olivia Blackwood, Anabelle Krawitz and Adam Krawitz.

Velma Parker

October 12, 1923 - November 15, 2022

Velma Parker, age 99 of Missouri passed away at her home on November 15, 2022. Velma was born in Kansas City, Kansas on October 12, 1923 to Orville Carpenter and Meryl Cristy. Velma worked for Hallmark, writing cards and was also an English teacher. Her love of poetry was her passion. For many years she wrote a poem each week for the Mountain Echo Newspaper in Arcadia, Missouri.

Velma is survived by her son, David (Debra) Parker; grandchildren, Shawn, Tracy, and Aaron; also multiple greatgrandchildren. Velma was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Thomas Parker and daughter, Sharon K. Bowen.

Marge Smith

February 15, 1941 ~ March 31, 2022

Margarette “Marge” Roberts Smith, 81, of Norwood, passed away early Thursday morning, March 31, 2022 at Atrium Stanly in Albemarle.

Robert Edward "Bobby" Wadsworth

November 23, 1952 - November 16, 2022

Robert Edward “Bobby” Wadsworth, 69, of Aberdeen, NC passed away peacefully at on Wednesday, November 16, 2022 at Accordius Health in Aberdeen.

Bobby was born November 23, 1952 in Lumberton, NC one of five children to the late Charles and Edith Dunlop Wadsworth.

Marge was born February 15, 1941 in McCarr, KY to the late Estel Ray and Geneva Ratliff Roberts. Marge was a Veteran of the U S Air Force having served in Vietnam. She was a life member of Ladies Auxillary of the VFW. She held various positions at the local, district and state levels. She was past secretary of the Stanly County Veterans Council.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, Donald Raymond Murphy; brother David Roberts and sister, Evelyn “MiMi” Smitley and grandson, Landon Thomas Harrison.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Jimmy.

He is survived by his loving wife of 24 years, Wanda Wadsworth; children Bart Cooper, Brad Cooper, Jeff Cooper, Jeremy Wadsworth and Angie Wadsworth; 10 grandchildren, and his siblings Judy (Farrell), Tommy (Judy) and Jane (Henry).

She is survived by her husband, Melville Ray Smith of the home; daughters, Dawn “Didi” Harrison of Mount Gilead and Melanie Chandler of Gilbert, AZ; grandchildren, Brian, Heather, Christopher, Peyton and Rachel; five great grandchildren; step son Gary Smith and wife Pam of Norwood; two step granddaughters, Hailey Tyson and husband, Kurt, Cortney Molino and husband, Dan; two step greatgranddaughters, Kinsley and Cohen Tyson all of Norwood.