VOLUME 147 ISSUE 46 | THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 2025
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
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Stein signs
New Gov. Josh Stein signs his first executive orders on Jan. 2 after taking the oath of office on New Year’s Day. The orders addressed a number of items related to Hurricane Helene recovery.
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BRIEF this week
Federal block grants of $1.65B awarded to NC for Helene recovery Asheville N.C. governments are receiving more than $1.65 billion in federal block grant money to help address historic levels of damage caused by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina. Officials say the money is from Community Development Block Grant funds contained in a bill approved by Congress last month. Most of the grant money will go to state government, with the remainder to the city of Asheville. Gov. Josh Stein and the head of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development held a public event Tuesday in Asheville to discuss the funds.
Justices block certification of election in race for one of its own seats Raleigh N.C.’s Supreme Court has blocked the certification of a November election result for one of the seats on its court so it can review legal arguments by a trailing candidate. The Republican‑dominated court on Tuesday issued the temporary stay sought by GOP candidate Jefferson Griffin. He is trailing Democratic Associate Justice Allison Riggs by 734 votes. Griffin wants over 60,000 ballots removed from the tally because he contends they were cast improperly. Without the stay, the state was prepared to issue a certificate for Riggs on Friday confirming her victory. The stay was issued after a federal judge said a state court should consider Griffin’s litigation.
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Sheriff’s office breaks up trailer, camper theft ring Some victims may not be aware of their losses Chatham News & Record staff THREE SUSPECTS have been arrested in connection with a series of trailer and camper thefts from storage lots in southeastern Chatham County, said the Chatham
County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies recovered five stolen trailers and campers from multiple jurisdictions. The investigation began Dec. 12 when deputies received a report of an enclosed trailer stolen from a storage lot. Using surveillance footage and law enforcement databases, investigators identified and arrested Stephen Blake Allen and
Bridgitte Elaine Moore, both of Fuquay-Varina, in connection with the theft. The stolen trailer was recovered in Raleigh and returned to its owner. Allen is also connected to related felony cases in Wake and Johnston counties, according to investigators. Between Dec. 20 and Jan. 3, three similar thefts were reported at storage lots in the same
“Thanks to their professionalism and dedication, stolen property has been returned to its rightful owners.” Sheriff Mike Roberson area. Investigators identified Nicholas Benjamin Bowers of Raeford as a suspect in these cases. Working with multiple agencies, deputies recovered three See TRAILERS, page A7
Local teen crowned Miss Teen Rodeo North Carolina A Chatham grad and NC State freshman won the state title By Melinda Burris Chatham News & Record SARA RICHARDSON, a lifelong Chatham County resident and NC State University freshman, has been named Miss Teen Rodeo North Carolina for 2025 following competition at Martin Community College in Williamston on Nov. 23.
2025 Miss Teen Rodeo NC Sara Richardson, with her horse, Acorn.
Richardson, 18, will serve as the state’s highest-ranking rodeo representative, as no adult Miss Rodeo NC title holder was selected for 2025. The engineering major and recent Chatham Early College graduate previously served as president of the Chatham County 4-H equestrian club and delivered the commencement address at her high school graduation last May. Her equestrian journey began with riding lessons at age 5, and See RODEO, page A2
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NC legislative races finalized, GOP loses veto-proof majority Republicans will be one seat short of a three-fifths majority in the General Assembly By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press RALEIGH — North Carolina General Assembly elections were finalized Monday as officials issued certificates to the winners in three close legislative races from November that later became subject to recounts and formal protests. This ministerial action by election administrators also confirms that Republicans have lost their veto-proof control of the legislature — the result of outgoing state Rep. Frank Sossamon losing to Demo-
crat Bryan Cohn by 228 votes. The certificates issued for Cohn and other Democrats — Terence Everitt and Woodson Bradley for contests for the Senate — mean they shouldn’t have trouble getting seated with others elected to the 2025‑26 General Assembly session on Wednesday’s opening day. Certificates for the others were issued weeks ago. With Sossamon’s defeat, Republicans will retain 71 of the 120 House seats. That’s one seat short of the necessary threefifths supermajority for veto-proof control. The GOP had held 72 seats since April 2023, which allowed Republicans to override then-Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes at will as See ELECTION, page A3
The GOP had held 72 seats since April 2023, which allowed Republicans to override thenDemocratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes at will as long as they remained united.