VOLUME 147 ISSUE 22 | THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
inside East meets West: Chatham Charter’s Jonah Ridgill was one of the recent high school graduates featured in the East-West All-Star games. We have reports from Greensboro on the soccer and basketball All-Star exhibitions on B1.
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
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BRIEF this week
Cornel West supporters sue NCSBE Three registered voters are suing the North Carolina State Board of Elections, alleging that it violated their constitutional rights. At issue is the board’s rejection last week of a petition seeking recognition for a political party that would put Cornel West on the presidential ballot. Democratic board chair Alan Hirsch said he had concerns in part about how a group called People Over Party collected many of the signatures. Republican lawmakers are questioning whether the board’s Democratic majority is trying to keep West off the ballot because he could take votes away from the Democratic presidential nominee.
Free app helps consumers detect PFAS Two nonprofits have released a free app and browser extension to help consumers identify PFAS and other toxic ingredients in everyday products. The app, Clearya, is available in Apple and Google Play stores and allows consumers to make informed decisions. Consumers can analyze labels by taking a photo of the product’s ingredients. The app displays information and warnings about substances that may pose a health risk based on publicly available chemical hazard lists and databases.
Southern Baptist agency fires, then unfires, its leader There’s been a head-spinning reversal of messages from the public-policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention. On Sunday, its leader applauded President Joe Biden’s “selfless act” of withdrawing his candidacy for reelection. On Monday, the agency announced the firing of that leader, Brent Leatherwood. But on Tuesday, it retracted that announcement. Instead, the executive committee of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission announced its own chairman has resigned. The committee affirmed its support for Leatherwood as its president. Leatherwood is a staunch conservative, but amid strong support for former President Donald Trump among many Southern Baptists, some want the agency and denomination to move even further to the right.
CHARLES REX ARBOGAST / AP PHOTO
COURTESY NCGOP
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO
Representin’ A 300-strong North Carolina delegation attended the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee last week, with several local politicians speaking from the main stage. Above, clockwise from left: Kelcey Shull of Wake County, 17, was the youngest in the North Carolina delegation; Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson spoke on Monday; Rep. Richard Hudson addressed the convention on Thursday.
New ABC store coming to Pittsboro The Board of Commissioners hears from climate committee and swore in new police officers By Melinda Burris For Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — After the Board of Commissioners expressed support for a new ABC store in Pittsboro, the North Carolina ABC Commission
signed off on the new store at its meeting earlier this month. Pittsboro’s second ABC store is slated for Northwoods Landing at 65 Ramseur Rd., to the right of Lowes Foods. In other business, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners
oversaw the swearing in of new police officers, considered an update from its climate change committee, and again considered affordable housing at its meeting on July 8. The meeting began with the ceremonial swearing in, by Mayor Kyle Shipp, of four new Pittsboro police officers who graduated from CCCC’s Basic Law Enforcement Training academy
earlier this year: Samuel Christian Barrow, Cameron Scott Franks, Michael Mitchell II and Caroline Noel Snyder. In other business, the commissioners heard from the Chatham County Climate Committee, which has been working on a review of the unified development ordinance (UDO) draft. See PITTSBORO, page A2
Biden’s NC delegates pledge to VP Harris
NC State’s Woodson announces retirement
Biden won all of North Carolina’s DNC delegates in the March presidential primary, although the party ensured that he was running unopposed
The longtime chancellor will step down June 30, 2025
By Jordan Golson Chatham News & Record NORTH CAROLINA’S delegation to the DNC will support the nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris to be the Democrat nominee for president following President Joe Biden’s surprise announcement on Sunday that he will not seek reelection.
The announcement was made by a number of Democrat party leaders, including North Carolina DNC delegate Diana Williams Robinson, who announced in a social media post that the state’s DNC delegation was unanimously supporting Harris. Robinson also endorsed Gov. Roy Cooper as a potential running mate for Harris. Cooper is among a number of prominent Democrats being considered as a VP pick, and The Wall Street Journal reports the Harris campaign has reached out to Cooper’s team for vetting materials as they See HARRIS, page A10
By Makiya Seminera The Associated Press RALEIGH — Another chancellor in North Carolina’s public university system has announced plans to step down — this time at the state’s largest university by enrollment. North Carolina State University Chancellor Randy Woodson declared his retirement plans at the university’s trustees meeting Thursday, capping off nearly 15 years in his role. His term will official-
ly end June 30, 2025, Woodson said. His departure marks yet another chancellor vacancy in the UNC system that is in the process of filling three other openings: Appalachian State University, Elizabeth City State University and UNC ChapSee WOODSON, page A3
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