Chatham News & Record Vol. 148, Issue 26

Ready to go

Chatham Central and Northwood faced o in the Jack Shaner Jamboree on Saturday, the nal tuneup ahead of Week 1 action. For more, turn to Page B1.

Conservancy at Jordan Lake petitioning for expanded wastewater services

The subdivision’s wastewater treatment plant currently can only service homes in the community

First domino in national redistricting ght likely to fall with Texas GOP poised for vote on maps

Texas’ Republican-led legislature is expected to approve new congressional maps that add ve new House seats that the GOP could win. The extraordinary move expected Wednesday comes at President Donald Trump’s urging.

Trump wants to stave o Republicans losing control of the House of Representatives in next year’s midterms.

Texas Democratic state lawmakers delayed the vote by eeing the state, but enough returned this week for the body to reconvene.

The GOP House speaker assigned around-the- clock police monitors to Democrats to make sure they don’t ee again. One state representative spent Monday night and Tuesday in the Texas House rather than agree to a monitor and was joined by other Democrats in protest.

Gabbard revokes security clearances of 37 current, former government o cials

The Trump administration says it’s revoking the security clearances of 37 current and former national security o cials. A memo posted Tuesday by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard accused the targeted o cials of having engaged in the “politicization or weaponization of intelligence” to advance partisan goals. It also accuses them of failing to safeguard classi ed information.

$2.00

By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners held a few di erent public hearings at its Aug. 18 meeting, including a request

for expanded wastewater treatment services.

The rst hearing was for a rezoning request for approximately 21 acres of property located within the Conservancy at Jordan Lake subdivision from residential to light industrial to allow for the expanded use of the subdivision’s wastewater treatment plant.

The Conservancy at Jordan Lake was a conservation subdivision that was approved by the board in March 2022, and along with that, the approved plans allowed for the construction of a wastewater treatment plant.

NC updates more than 20,000 voter records, seeks more ID numbers

Some voters have been asked to help complete their records

By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press

RALEIGH — Voter registration records for more than 20,000 people in North Car-

olina have been successfully amended thus far in an e ort by election o cials to add missing identi cation numbers.

In mid-July, the State Board of Elections began formally an

“When this project started, their wastewater treatment plant was, and continues to be, internal to the development,” said Zoning Administrator Angela Plummer. “The rst phase of that treatment facility is underway.”

e ort that seeks to resolve a lawsuit led by President Donald Trump’s Justice Department that focused on voter registration records that lacked either a voter’s driver’s license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number. Federal and state laws have directed that election o cials must re -

Democrats look to new crop of candidates to win back US House

In Trump country, the party is recruiting locals who are less “academic”

By Joey Cappellitti The Associated Press

FAIRVIEW — Jamie Ager has spent much of the past year rebuilding his farm in the foothills of western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene tore through the region, cutting power, destroying fences and scattering livestock. Then earlier this year, Ager lost his beef contract with local schools, a casualty of billions of dollars in cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Trump administration.

Now the fth-generation farmer is running for Congress — part of a new crop of Democratic candidates the party is turning to as it tries to compete in the tough, often rural districts it may need to ip to retake the U.S. House in 2026.

Democrats say these new recruits are uniquely suited to break through in districts where President Donald Trump’s popularity dominates. Many, like Ager, are already a well-known presence in their communities. And in parts of North Carolina, Kentucky, Michigan and elsewhere, the party is betting local credibility can cut through skepticism where the

“The execution of a lot of those ideas has been gummed up, you know, not well executed.”

Jamie Ager, U.S. House candidate

To allow for the wastewater treatment plant to serve parcels outside of the conservation

See LAKE, page A3

quest this ID information since 2004 of new registrants, but for about a decade the state’s registration form failed to make clear that voters were supposed to provide it if they had it.

A “Registration Repair Project” supported by the now Republican-controlled state board — ipped from a Democratic majority in the spring — created a public online database with the names of 103,270 registrants the lacking the numerical identi ers. They were asked

See RECORDS, page A3

Aug. 12

• Eleazar Benitez Costilla, 58, of Pittsboro, was arrested by CCSO for precautions against attacks by dangerous dogs and animals running at large prohibited.

• Jwantana Lynn Huddleston, 49, of Asheville, was arrested by CCSO for simple possession of Schedule VI controlled substance, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Ernie Bernard Mapp, 57, of Asheville, was arrested by CCSO for simple possession of Schedule VI controlled substance, possession of marijuana paraphernalia and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Rene Geovani Cano Monzon, 50, of Chapel Hill, was arrested by CCSO for sex act by substitute parent or custodian and rstdegree kidnapping.

• Christopher Shane Lancaster, 34, of Apex, was arrested by CCSO for assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and harassing phone call.

Pittsboro nance director takes on expanded role as assistant town manager

Heather Meacham will continue overseeing the town’s nances

Chatham News & Record sta

PITTSBORO — The Town of Pittsboro’s nance director will take on additional duties as assistant town manager beginning Aug. 18, lling a position recently vacated by Kent Jackson.

Heather Meacham, who has served as nance director since 2016, will assume the dual role of assistant town manager/nance director following approval by the Pittsboro Board

of Commissioners at its Aug. 11 meeting. The board approved the position description, salary grade and role at the same meeting where commissioners recognized Jackson for his ve years of service to the town.

Jackson, who served as assistant town manager and engineering director, is leaving for a new opportunity.

In her expanded position, Meacham will continue to oversee the town’s nancial operations while taking on broader responsibilities supporting Town Manager Jonathan Franklin and the day-to-day administration of municipal government.

“I am honored to serve the Town of Pittsboro in a greater capacity,” Meacham said. “I look forward to continuing to work with our talented sta and committed leadership to support the community we all care so deeply about.”

Franklin said Meacham’s experience made her well-suited for the expanded role.

“Heather has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, integrity, and dedication to our Town,” Franklin said. “Her expertise in municipal nance, paired with her collaborative approach, makes her well-suited for this expanded role.”

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County:

Aug. 21

Opinionation Trivia at House of Pops

6-8 p.m.

Two sessions of this “Family Feud”-style game are held each Thursday evening, rst round at 6 p.m. and the second at 7 p.m., o ering contestants two opportunities to win House of Hops gift cards worth $15 and $25 each.

12 Russet Run Suite 110 Pittsboro

Aug. 22

Lego Club 4-5 p.m.

Weekly free Lego building session for children aged 2 and older, with Duplo blocks provided for very young children. Contact 919-545-8085 for more details.

Chatham Community Library Holmes Meeting Room 197 N.C. Highway 87 N. Pittsboro

The Old Ceremony at Bynum Front Porch! 7-8:30 p.m.

Free musical performance by The 8:59’s. Donations are welcome. This is a family-friendly event with food and beverages available for purchase on-site.

Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum

Aug. 23

Chatham Mills Farmers Market

8 a.m. to noon

Producers-only farmers market o ering a wide variety of goods from fresh produce to other groceries, including eggs, cheese, meat, health and wellness items, and crafts. Everything is created by the vendors themselves.

Lawn of the historic Chatham Mills

480 Hillsboro St. Pittsboro

Aug. 27

Jazz Night at The Sycamore at Chatham Mills 6-9 p.m.

Every Wednesday night, the Sycamore at Chatham Mills hosts live Jazz Nights. The series features a rotating list of local musicians. The Sycamore also o ers its Lounge Menu in the dining room on Wednesday nights. Reservations are highly recommended.

480 Hillsboro St. Suite 500 Pittsboro

states.

NC, 19 other states sue DOJ to stop new immigration requirements on victim funds

conference Monday, calling the administration’s threat to withhold funds “the most heinous act” he’s seen in politics.

The Associated Press left a message seeking comment from a DOJ spokesperson Monday afternoon.

Church News

RIVES CHAPEL BAPTIST CHURCH

4338 Rives Chapel Church Road Siler City

The Glorymen will be performing at the 10 a.m. Worship Service on Sunday, Aug. 24

All are invited!

to provide an ID number through the Division of Motor Vehicles website or by visiting their county election board ofces. County election o cials also have conducted research to update records.

As of Monday, the registrants on the list had fallen 20% to 82,540, an election board news release said.

By Claudia Lauer and Mike Catalini

A COALITION of attorneys general from 20 states — including North Carolina — and Washington, D.C., is asking a federal judge to stop the U.S. Department of Justice from withholding federal funds earmarked for crime victims if states don’t cooperate with the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement e orts.

The lawsuit led Monday in Rhode Island federal court seeks to block the Justice Department from enforcing conditions that would cut funding to a state or subgrantee if it refuses to honor civil immigration enforcement requests, denies U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement o cers access to facilities or fails to provide advance notice of release dates of individuals possibly wanted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement because of their immigration status.

The lawsuit asks that the conditions be thrown out, arguing that the administration and the agency are overstepping their constitutional and administrative authority.

The lawsuit also argues that the requirements are not permitted or outlined in the Victims of Crime Act, known as VOCA, and would interfere with policies created to ensure victims and witnesses report crimes without fear of deportation.

“These people did not ask for this status as a crime victim. They don’t breakdown neatly across partisan lines, but they share one common trait, which is that they’ve su ered an unimaginable trauma,” New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin said during a video news

subdivision, the applicant needed to apply for classi cation as a regional wastewater treatment plant, which also requires a light industrial zoning district designation.

The properties adjacent to the Conservancy at Jordan Lake that are planned to be served are also owned by the applicant, Chatham Land Group.

“The idea is that those parcels, if they have residential lots on them, would be able to be served by the same wastewater treatment plant,” said attorney Nicolas Robinson, who was representing the applicant. “There is no change in the size or physical aspect of the wastewater treatment plant that is already proposed. It is going to be built at the size that is approved whether or not this rezoning occurs.”

The board then held a hearing for a revision to an approved conditional district — compact community, Vickers Village, located o U.S. 15-501 N and Jack Bennett Road to modify the phasing schedule.

“Vickers Village has been an approved mixed-use development, compact community for a few years now,” Plum-

The federal conditions were placed on VOCA funding, which provides more than a billion dollars annually to states for victims compensation programs and grants that fund victims assistance organizations. VOCA funding comes entirely from nes and penalties in federal court cases, not from tax dollars.

Every state and territory has a victims compensation program that follows federal guidelines, but largely is set up under state law to provide nancial help to crime victims, including medical expense reimbursement, paying for crime scene cleanup, counseling or helping with funeral costs for homicide victims. VOCA covers the cost of about 75% of state compensation program awards.

The funds are also used to pay for other services, including testing rape kits, funding grants to domestic violence recovery organizations, trauma recovery centers and more.

Advocates and others argue that the system needs to protect victims regardless of their immigration status and ensure that reporting a crime does not lead to deportation threats. They also say that marginalized communities, such as newly arrived immigrants, are more likely to be crime targets.

“The federal government is attempting to use crime victim funds as a bargaining chip to force states into doing its bidding on immigration enforcement,”

New York Attorney General Letitia James, who also joined the lawsuit, said in a statement Monday. “These grants were created to help survivors heal and recover, and we will ght to ensure they continue to serve that purpose. … We will not be bullied into abandoning any of our residents.”

“There is no change in the size or physical aspect of the wastewater treatment plant that is already proposed.”

Attorney Nicolas Robinson, who was representing the applicant, Chatham Land Group

mer said. “Due to various issues, they’ve come before you once before to have the development schedule modi ed. They’re still working on getting developers and things in line to take this property and get it started. But they’re going to need to ask for a little more time.”

The deadline for the submission of the phase one nal plat had been extended in 2024 to Dec. 31, 2026. The request now is to push that out an additional two years to Dec. 31, 2028.

“The residential portions of the community were on the cusp of being sold recently to a national builder late last year,” Robinson said, who was also representing the Vickers Bennett Group. “But there were

President Donald Trump’s administration has sought to withhold or pull back other federal funding or grant funding midstream, saying awardees and programs no longer agree with its priorities. In April, it canceled about $800 million in DOJ grants, some of which were awarded to victims service and survivor organizations.

And in June, states led a lawsuit over added requirements in Violence Against Women Act funding that mandated applicants agree not to promote “gender ideology,” or run diversity, equity and inclusion programs or prioritize people in the country illegally.

Several attorneys general said the VOCA conditions appear to be another way the administration is targeting so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities, though there is no clear de nition of what a sanctuary state or city is.

The Trump administration earlier this month released an updated list of states, cities and counties it considers sanctuary jurisdictions. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said in the August announcement that the department would “continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”

As of Monday afternoon attorneys general from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin — all Democrats — had signed on to the lawsuit.

some changes that occurred, including some additional costs that were added to the project and some market conditions, which caused that sale to not close. ... (The deadline) is now inadequate to allow for a whole new purchaser to come in and do their due diligence and come out ready to start construction.”

The nal hearing was for a zoning ordinance text amendment to allow automobile and automobile accessory sales and services to the table of permitted uses in the light industrial zoning district.

“Automobile and automobile accessories sales and services are currently only listed as permitted in the legacy B-1 zoning district and the regional business district,” Plummer said. “In the light industrial district, currently, automobile service stations, including tuneups, minor repairs, tire services, washing facilities and similar services are allowed. This would allow all to be allowed in the same zoning district.”

Following the hearings, the board referred each item to the planning board for their review.

As planned, the board is now sending letters to those who haven’t already acted and o ered a numerical ID, or have yet to indicate that they have neither a driver’s license nor a Social Security number. The letter recipients are being told they can mail in their ID number with postage-paid return envelopes provided, in addition to the DMV and in-person options.

“It’s quick. It’s easy. It’s free,” board Executive Director Sam Hayes said, adding that taking action now will “avoid any issues the next time they show up to vote.”

People on the list who don’t provide the information will have to vote provisionally the next time they cast a ballot — meaning their ballots may not count in some state and local races without correct ID information. Municipal elec-

tions will be held starting next month. The board release said that paper and electronic voter rolls will ag these voters so they vote with a provisional ballot and provide missing information for their ballot to count.

The missing numerical IDs led to other complaints and litigation leading to the 2024 elections and played a prominent part in a state Supreme Court race. U.S. attorneys have contended that accurate registration rolls help ensure fair and reliable election results. Many Democrats said these voters are already being scrutinized because they already have to show a photo ID to vote like everyone else. North Carolina has 7.57 million registered voters and is considered a perpetual battleground state. Close elections could be a ected if registrants cast ballots that ultimately aren’t counted. Another mailing will go out at a later date to close to 100,000 additional voters whose records also lack the identi ers but will be allowed to continue casting regular ballots because there’s evidence, for example, that they supplied a number or an alternate ID as allowed under the law.

The Chatham County Board of Commissioners will next meet Sept. 15 Share with your community!

Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@chathamnewsrecord.com

Weekly deadline is Monday at noon.

THE WAYS OF THE HEATHEN

BIBLE STUDY: Psalms 106:34-48

Church of Living Water; Pastor: James Mitchell. God told Israel to destroy the wicked of that day, but they didn’t obey God. They began to mingle among the heathen and began to take on their ways. Most all the Democrats and a few rhino Republicans have taken on the ways of the heathen. These Democrats of today have lost what little sense they had. They seem to hate America. They stand up for the terrorist Hamas over Israel. They spread lies about the people in Gaza starving, yet hardly ever speak about the starving captives that Hamas has. Aren’t some parents daughters unto devils? How evil it is to have children’s bodies mutilated, where they may never get over such evil. If one rotten apple is placed in a barrel of good apples, then the good apples will go bad. We must vote these socialist/communist Democrats out of judgment fell on these heathens. Repent of what you’ve done to America and its citizens. Wake up, America, to the murderers, rapists, and God- haters of His Word who hate our law enforcement, like Ice, which is removing some 20 million illegals and terrorists out of America. Biden and Democrats brought these illegals in for their votes. These Democrats are racist, trying to divide us. They only talk about the big lie of climate change, racism and defunding our police. Let’s thank Donald Trump! All need to repent and believe that Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. So, all that are willing could be forgiven of all our sins!

THE CONVERSATION

Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

Open letter to my children about hope

Is that your raw need? To hear that it’s going to be all right? Can I, with a clear conscience, provide such assurance in such a world as this?

WELL, MY DEAR ONES, as you know, I love poetry, like Emily Dickinson’s line, “Hope is a thing with feathers.” Yesterday, your mom pointed to the cardinal’s nest in the corner of the front porch roof. I identi ed with the adult birds ying back and forth from the nest to feed their brood. All of you squealed with delight at those babies, their open mouths and bulging eyes straining with raw need.

According to Wendell Berry, “The young ask the old to hope.” Is that your raw need? To hear that it’s going to be all right? Can I, with a clear conscience, provide such assurance in such a world as this?

In biblical Hebrew, the same word can be translated as “hope” or “wait,” but I think there’s a di erence between waiting and waiting with hope. An ancient poet promised, “Those who hope (or wait) in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” That is a lofty, soaring vision, yet the poet also promised the hopeful “will walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31). Perhaps waiting with hope is to continue to put one foot in front of the other and “stop dithering,” as Berry adds. Your mom and I had to wait for you. Some aspects of waiting together were really enjoyable! (That’s a subject for another talk.) As months passed into years, we felt grief, frustration and anger. Other ancient poets cried out, “How long, O Lord?” Then each one of you came, and you are more than I could have ever hoped for. But I share my experience of waiting in case there comes a time when you, too, feel as if you are losing hope. I tell you that I know what that feels like.

Let me go back even further in time. I was friendly with a high school classmate named Justin Carter. After graduation, many of us stuck close to Raleigh, but Justin went to New York City. He played guitar, and he believed he could have a music career. I have not kept in touch with Justin, but his “audacity of hope” (Barack Obama) has remained with me after all these years. Recently, I came across his record and heard him sing, “What can you tell your children about hope?” When I played it for you, you asked me why I was crying. J. Drew Lantham wrote, “Wherever I stand in wild witness … I can sometimes defer the troubles of the world to have hope in something better.” Justin’s music is a “wild witness” to me. You are witnesses of hope as well. I think of how you planted milkweed in our backyard because you learned of the plight of the monarch butter y, and how you added soft moss and smooth rocks to make a magic place where wishes come true. When you nished, you tugged me outside by the hands, shouting, “See? See!” Maybe hope is always about perspective. Enough talk; let’s watch those baby birds through our window.

Love, Dad

Andrew Taylor-Troutman’s newest book is “This Is the Day.” He serves as pastor of Chapel in the Pines Presbyterian Church as well as a writer, pizza maker, co ee drinker and student of joy.

Beginning of school year reminder we can start over

The farther away I get from that rst day of the year, the more I see it with rose-colored glasses.

AT THE RISK of stating the obvious, it’s that time of year again. Unless you’re involved in a year-round school, students have, are or will be heading to classrooms around the time you read this.

For some, it’s back to school; for others, it’s a rst-time event. Some will go with a clear goal, while others may not be so sure. Some are excited; others ... well, you know.

It’s been a short summer. Always is, especially if you’re young. And all across the land, there are shrieks and cries and moans and groans as the start of the year nears ... and that’s just from the teachers and sta .

Reminds me of the story of the mother who came to the door of her son’s bedroom on the rst day of school for the new academic year. He hadn’t arisen despite her repeated pleas and threats that he was going to be late getting there.

Again and again she knocked on the door and called to him and threatened to pour cold water on his noggin and all manner of other things designed to get him out of bed, all to no avail. Finally, she stood in the doorway and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Young man, you get up ... right now!”

“Why, Mama?” he pleaded.

“Well, for one thing,” she said, “it’s almost 8 a.m. and I’ve got your breakfast ready. For another, you’re 42 years old, and for the third, you’re the only principal the school has.”

The farther away I get from that rst day of the year, the more I see it with rose-colored glasses. It’s been awhile since those days for me, for either the third grade or the third time, I was a freshman in college. Still, no matter what, I think there’s something good and needed about the start of the year, and it has to do with starting over.

Seems like the older I become, the more I need or think I need to start over on some things ... sometimes lots of things. And that’s one thing the new school year means.

It means you can forget the un nished plans, the unrealized dreams, and the mistakes and downsides of the previous year. Of course, conversely, it means you can remember the good stu , and that’s good because you can build on that. It’s sort of like I couldn’t do multiplication until I learned the numbers.

And I know it’s a di erent world today, but, to me, there’s something really bene cial about the social dimension of back to school. When I was a young boy, about the time dinosaurs were roaming the earth, I wanted to start the new school year. One reason was to learn in whose room I would be laboring. Would it be “The Teacher from the Black Lagoon” or would it be Pearl Pureheart?

And with which of my running buddies would I be sharing the year? Would this be the year I push the envelope too far, or would it be the one where I nally learned not only some English and history and math but also some sense?

So while the details may change somewhat, the principles remain close to the same. And as the 2025-26 academic year gets underway, wish your students well, think kind thoughts about and say a prayer for the teachers, and nd a way, even if you’re not a student, to go back to school this year and learn some needed lessons.

Especially if it’s the school of life.

Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.

Just love those cheap highs

With the hindsight of an adult (well, mostly), I realize the behavior that so morti ed me as a child was really a conscious decision by my mother to acknowledge, on the y, people of all stripes.

PLEASE, just let me hide! Please … Growing up, I was often incredibly embarrassed by my mother in all sots of public places — stores, elevators and such. Morti ed is more like it. Why? Mom always (always!) initiated conversations with people, anyone, often gathering their life stories by the time we reached our appointed oor or checkout counter. I recall shrinking deep within myself, looking intently at the oor, pretending I wasn’t there. (No, no, I don’t know her! Really! Get me out of here!) How could she be so nosy, so intrusive of someone else’s personal space?!

Fast-forward a few hundred years and I seem to have morphed into that same elevator, cashier line yakker, as my mother. With the hindsight of an adult (well, mostly), I realize the behavior that so morti ed me as a child was really a conscious decision by my mother to acknowledge, on the y, people of all stripes. C’mon, isn’t there enough to do in our lives? “I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!”

Acknowledge yet another human being on our quickly turning hamster wheel of life. Now, just c’mon!

But, but … What was she talking about?

Anyone out there besides me have one of those kid’s chemistry sets when they were young? The kind in which pouring one solution into a second tube made it gently bubble over, into a third tube, we were

suddenly blessed with a smell of rotten eggs? Into a fourth tube and pink liquid was gently frothing down my hand. De nitely “wow“ stu .

And you were the chemist. So was I. We were little teeny chemists, weren’t we? Chemists, acting on the various elements that impact our physical world. With elements, small though they be, still creating wonderful and eye-opening consequences. Small chemical, but social elements, nonetheless, such as: “Hi, how are you? “Hey, that’s a great hat! You’re really looking chipper today.” And the beat goes on. Our brain’s hormones, when stimulated with friendliness, acknowledgment or kindness, make us feel good. Our brain’s hormones feel good and, guess what, we humans do too.

As embarrassed as I was by how I characterized my mother‘s friendliness, I never realized until recently that she was a chemist, on a quest (as am I, now.) A chemist transforming, itty-bitty, little pro-social variables in someone else’s brain, into “I’m cheering you on.”

Cheap social science? Cheap date? Cheap high? Who cares. It works. Now get out there and lift someone’s spirits by any simple acknowledgment that oats your boat. The operative word here is “simple.” You got it?

Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

Why I support returning to traditional elections

Rankedchoice voting was pitched as a reform to solve a problem that, frankly, didn’t exist in Alaska.

IN RECENT YEARS, we’ve seen several changes to our state’s election system, including the adoption of ranked-choice voting (RCV) following the passage of Ballot Measure 2 in 2020. I want to speak plainly with you today about where I stand on this issue and why I believe Alaska should return to the traditional method of voting that served our state well for decades.

Let me start by acknowledging a simple fact: I have been elected governor under both systems. I won under the traditional voting method in 2018 and again under rankedchoice voting in 2022. So my position on this issue is not about political gain or loss. It is about trust, clarity and con dence in our electoral process.

Ranked-choice voting was pitched as a reform to solve a problem that, frankly, didn’t exist in Alaska. We were told it would reduce partisanship, promote consensus candidates and make elections more fair. In reality, what we got was a system that confused voters, made outcomes less transparent, and created deep concerns about how votes are tabulated and who ultimately decides an election. When I talk with Alaskans, whether in urban Anchorage, on the Kenai or in rural communities from Bethel to Kotzebue, the message I hear time and again is the same: Ranked-choice voting is complicated, and many people don’t trust it. That’s not just a perception problem; it’s a legitimacy problem. For any election system to work, voters must understand how it functions and believe in its fairness. RCV fails on both counts.

Here’s how. Under the traditional method, you vote for the candidate you support. The candidate with the most votes wins. It’s simple, straightforward and easy to understand. But under ranked-choice voting, you’re asked to rank candidates in order of preference: rst, second, third and so on. If no candidate gets a majority of rst-choice votes, a computerized process kicks in, redistributing ballots according to preferences until someone gets over 50%. While this may sound neat in theory, in practice, it’s left many Alaskans scratching their heads.

In some cases, the candidate who receives the most rst-choice votes doesn’t win. That undermines a basic sense of fairness. In other cases, ballots are “exhausted” because voters didn’t rank every candidate. That means those votes are discarded in later

rounds of counting, e ectively silencing the voter. And because the nal tally depends on a computer-run algorithm, we lose the immediacy and transparency of watching precincts report on election night.

To be clear, the concern here is not about technology itself; it’s about trust. People want to see the vote counted in a way they can understand. They want to be able to explain the result to their friends and neighbors without needing a owchart or a computer science degree. That’s the kind of clarity that strengthens democracy. Ranked-choice voting moves us in the opposite direction.

We are one of only two states, along with Maine, that currently use ranked-choice voting in statewide elections. If this were such an e ective and bene cial reform, why haven’t other states adopted it? Why haven’t we seen a groundswell of support from legislatures or voters elsewhere? The opposite has happened: 17 states have banned it. The truth is, most Americans — and most Alaskans — prefer a system they can understand and trust.

We should never make our elections more complicated than they need to be. Let’s remember what elections are fundamentally about: expressing the will of the people. That requires clarity, con dence and transparency. The traditional voting system delivered that for decades in Alaska. Ranked-choice voting has not.

It is time to bring back a system that puts the voter rst. One person, one vote. The candidate with the most votes wins. That’s how our democracy was designed to work. That’s how Alaskans expect it to work. And that’s the system I will support going forward.

I trust the good judgment of the people of Alaska. I believe when given the chance, we will return to a system that is fair, understandable and grounded in trust. Let’s put the power of elections back where it belongs: in your hands, not in the hands of a computer algorithm.

Mike Dunleavy is governor of Alaska and writes in his personal capacity. This article was originally published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Trump’s biggest immigration win yet

SOLVING AMERICA’S illegal immigration crisis didn’t require amnesty — just better leadership.

Last week, the Center for Immigration Studies released a study showing America’s foreign-born population dropped by 2.2 million from January to July. While the number of naturalized U.S. citizens increased, there was a staggering 1.6 millionperson drop among illegal immigrants. CIS estimated that this represented a 10% decline in the country’s illegal immigrant population.

While determining the number of illegal immigrants always requires estimation, this drop is supported by anecdotal evidence.

“Nurse in US for 40 years self-deports,” a recent Newsweek headline reads.

For decades, many Democrats and some Republicans have presented amnesty as the only way to solve the country’s broken immigration system.

“Lansing man self deporting to Kenya after 16 years in America,” WILX, a Michigan TV station, recently reported. In April, the LA Times wrote, “More immigrants opt to self-deport rather than risk being marched out like criminals.”

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said some foreign leaders have also told her this is happening.

“Over and over again, I’m hearing that hundreds of thousands of their citizens are coming home, voluntarily,” she said. For decades, many Democrats and some Republicans have presented amnesty as the only way to solve the country’s broken immigration system. The Trump administration has taken a lot of ak for trying a di erent approach. It’s o ering $1,000 to illegal immigrants who leave voluntarily. It’s ning illegal immigrants who stay, ramping up arrests and sending some illegals to third countries or Alligator Alcatraz. Like everyone else, illegal immigrants respond to incentives. This mix of carrots and sticks is working. The Trump administration has also closed the southern border.

A decrease in illegal immigration is great news for most Americans. It will increase wages for low-skill Americans. It will put downward pressure on housing prices. It will reduce crime. It will lower the amount of money Americans spend supporting illegal immigrants.

But it’s terrible news for the Democratic Party — especially if this drop continues. If the country didn’t have any illegal immigrants, Democrats would have less political power.

That’s not a claim about illegal immigrants voting in elections, although that does happen. It’s about the census. Every 10 years, the federal government counts how many people are living in the country. Congressional seats are divvied out to states based on those population numbers, which includes both legal and illegal immigrants.

In other words, states with large numbers of illegal immigrants receive extra Congressional seats — and Electoral College votes. That list includes blue states like California and New York, but also red states like Florida and Texas. Evidence suggests blue states bene t more from this than red states.

Another advantage comes in the making of congressional and legislative districts, which are supposed to have a similar number of people. Note: That’s a similar number of residents, not citizens. Illegal immigrants tend to congregate in blue cities. This allows the creation of more districts in deep blue areas. This is one reason that Republican districts in Nevada tend to have more registered voters.

It’s unlikely that President Donald Trump’s new census excluding illegals will happen anytime soon, but if it did, Democrats would be in signi cant trouble.

at Joint Base ElmendorfRichardson, Sept. 11, 2023, in Anchorage, Alaska.

Democrats’ desperate ght against Trump’s deportation e orts has a downside. The New York Times recently interviewed swing voters, including Desmond Smith, a young black man from Mississippi. He backed former President Joe Biden in 2020 and Trump in 2024. Asked how Democrats could appeal to him, he said, “Fight for Americans instead of ghting for everybody else.”

That should be a no-brainer, but for the reasons described above, it’s a tough option for Democrats.

Trump keeps winning on immigration policy and immigration politics.

Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

obituaries

Billy Hugh Elkins

Dec. 7, 1941 – Aug.14, 2025

Billy Hugh Elkins, 83, of Bear Creek, died Thursday, August 14, 2025.

Billy was born in Lee County, NC on December 7, 1941, to the late Alton Hugh and Gladys Williams Elkins. He was the owner of Elkins Sawmill in Moncure. He was a member of Antioch Christian Church Independent Baptist.

Billy is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Rebecca “Becky” Luther Elkins; and children, Amy Elkins Fields, Doyle Elkins and

wife, Sheila, and Jay Elkins and wife Beth. He is also survived by his ten grandchildren, Logan Fields, Seth Elkins and wife, Emily, Ashton Fields, Sawyer Elkins, Ty Elkins, Calan Hilliard and husband, Jon Michael, Abby Gandee and husband, Brayden, Madelyn Elkins, Klaire Clodfelter and Maci Clodfelter; and two great grandchildren, Hudson Elkins and Eva Mae Hilliard; sister, Vicky Elkins Scott and husband, Danny and niece, Blair Auman and husband, Glenn and their children, Daniel and Nora Grace.

A visitation will be held Sunday, August 17, 2025, from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. at Antioch Christian Church Independent Baptist. The funeral service will follow at 3:00 p.m., with Rev. Jimmy Talton o ciating. Family and Friends are welcome to visit with the family at other times at his home.

In lieu of owers the family request memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org/donate.

Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Elkins family. Online Condolences may be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com

JEAN MARKS TILLOTSON

NOV. 20, 1937 – AUG. 16, 2025

Jean Marks Tillotson, age 87, of the Deep River Community passed away on Saturday, August 16, 2025 at West eld Nursing and Rehabilitation after a lengthy period of declining health. She was born in Lee County on November 20, 1937 to the late Joseph Talmage Marks and Cora Belle Covert Marks. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband William “Billy” Martin Tillotson; daughter Melissa Kay Tillotson and brother Martin Talmadge Marks. Jean was a graduate of Deep River High School. She worked as an Instructional Assistant for many years. Before her health declined, Jean was an active member of Flat Springs Baptist Church where she served as church librarian. She is survived by three children Ronnie Tillotson and wife Sandy of Deep River, Jelena Follweiler and husband Daren of Boston, MA, Pam Shaver and husband Melvin of Deep River; brothers Barry Marks and wife Rae, Jack Marks and wife Ann all of Deep River; sister-in-law Ann Marks of Deep River; three grandsons Alex Shaver, Tony Shaver, Luke Shaver and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

MARY CATHERINE BURKE GREEN

OCT. 10, 1940 – AUG. 17, 2025

After a long illness, Mary Catherine peacefully passed away Sunday, August 17, 2025. She was born in Chatham County on October 10, 1940, to the late John Elwood and Edna D. Burke. In addition to her parents, Mary Catherine was preceded in death by her husband, Jackie Green, siblings, Larry (Fanny) Burke, Ellen (Mike) Dixon, an infant sister, son-in-law, Allen L. Badders, and brother-in-law, John Hall. Mary Catherine was employed by Kayser Roth in Pittsboro until its closing, afterwards, with love and compassion, she provided childcare for all her grandchildren. She and Jackie loved to take the grandkids out to the Truck Stop for breakfast or a short trip to Walmart for a “small” toy. Her kind smile and sweet voice welcomed you to her cozy home where she displayed her beautiful handmade quilts and a tree that was always decorated for the current season. She will be remembered for a home full of delicious smells from chicken and rice, her homemade spaghetti, and wonderful baked goods. She was an excellent cook. Whether she was whipping up fudge or dealing with troublesome kids in the backseat, Mawmaw was a master of multitasking. She enjoyed listening to gospel music and completing word search books. Mary Catherine was a prayer warrior and loved her family and church family. Her family has heavy hearts but know that she is at peace and was ready to meet her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

GLENDA RENA EMERSON

OCT. 16, 1982 – AUG. 14, 2025

Glenda Rena Emerson, 42, of Siler City, passed away on Thursday, August 14, 2025. She was born in Guilford County on October 16, 1982, to Christopher H. Smith and Glenda S. Smith. She was a beloved wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She loved her children, which were her world. She loved spending her time with her family and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Ray Davis. She is survived by her parents, Christopher H. Smith and Glenda S. Smith; daughters, Destiny Emerson, Lilly Davis, Annie Davis and Ruby Davis; sisters, Angel Pearce (Joe Pearce), Gina Emerson (KC Jordan) and Crystal Smith (Ace Edwards); numerous nieces and nephews and a host of family and friends.

Sherry Buckner Beal

June 30, 1970 – Aug. 8, 2025

Sherry Buckner Beal, 55, of Ramseur, passed away on Friday, August 8, 2025 after a courageous battle with cancer.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 3:00 PM on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, at Kildee Church in Ramseur, where Sherry was a member.

Pastor Robby Dilmore will be o ciating, with the Eulogy by Rev. Doug Armstrong. The family will receive friends following the

We offer an on-site crematory with many options of Celebration of Life services, Traditional, and Green Burials. Call us to set an appointment to come by and learn more.

service in the fellowship hall. For those unable to attend the service, the Register and Memorials will be available at Lo in Funeral Home from Noon until 5:00 PM on Monday afternoon.

Sherry was born in Chatham County on June 30, 1970, attended Silk Hope School and graduated from Jordan Matthews High School in 1988. Following graduation, she attended Central Carolina Community College and achieved her associate’s degree as a Registered Nurse. Sherry had a heart for loving and helping people through healthcare as evidenced by her twenty-seven years of service in the Chatham Hospital Emergency Room and Operating Room, Hospice of Chatham County, as well as Piedmont Health Services in Pittsboro.

Sherry loved her family and was a devoted wife, mother, sister, daughter and friend to everyone around her. She had a calm and encouraging spirit and was always most joyful with a shing pole in her hand. Sherry enjoyed being at the

beach, sitting on the pier as well as lending a helping hand on the family farm. Sherry was preceded in death by her father, Robert Earl Buckner as well as her in-laws, Aubrey Clyde and Sarah Burgess Beal.

Survivors: husband of thirty years Michael Beal, daughter Ashleigh Beal of the home, son Robert Beal of Ramseur, mother Teresa T. Buckner of Siler City, sister Leslie Culberson and husband Tracy of Siler City, brother Kevin Buckner and wife Annette of Siler City, sister-inlaw Marie Greene and husband Brian of Pineola, nieces, Hannah Culberson, Camryn Greene Curtis (Harrison), Aubrey Greene, and nephew, Alan Culberson. Condolences may be made online at www. lo infuneralservice.com.

Arrangements by Lo in Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Ramseur. Memorials may be made to Hospice of Chatham County, P.O. Box 1077, Pittsboro, NC 27312 or to the American Cancer Society, 7027 Albert Pick Road, Suite 104, Greensboro, NC 27409.

Terence Stamp, British actor who portrayed General Zod in early Superman lms, dead at 87

His career spanned decades and countless lms

By Pan Pylas The Associated Press

LONDON — Terence Stamp, the British actor who often played the role of a complex villain, including that of General Zod in the early Superman lms, has died. He was 87.

His death on Sunday was disclosed in a death notice published online, prompting a wave of tributes from and an array of fans and those close to him within the industry, including the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, or BAFTA.

The London-born Stamp started his lm career with 1962’s seafaring “Billy Budd,” for which he earned Oscar and BAFTA award nominations.

His six decades in the business were peppered with highlights, including his touching portrayal of the transsexual Bernadette in 1994’s “The Adventure of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert,” the second of his two BAFTA nominations.

But it will be his portrayal of the bearded Zod in 1978’s “Superman” and its sequel “Superman II” two years later that most people associate with Stamp. As the Kryptonian arch enemy to Christopher Reeve’s Man of Steel, Stamp introduced a darker, charming and vulnerable — more human — element to the franchise, one that’s been replicated in countless superhero movies ever since.

Edgar Wright, who directed Stamp in his nal feature lm, 2021’s “Last Night in Soho,” remembered the actor in an Instagram post as “kind, funny, and endlessly fascinating.”

“The closer the camera moved, the more hypnotic his presence became. In close-up, his unblinking gaze locked in so powerfully that the e ect was extraordinary. Terence was

a true movie star: the camera loved him, and he loved it right back,” Wright said.

Bill Duke, who starred with Stamp in director Steven Soderbergh’s 1999 crime drama “The Limey,” said he was “deeply saddened” to hear of his death.

“He brought a rare intensity to the screen, but o -screen he carried himself with warmth, grace, and generosity,” he said on Facebook.

Stamp started his acting career on stage in the late 1950s, where he acted in repertory theatre and met Michael Caine, who was ve years older. The pair lived together in a at in central London while looking for their big break. He got it with “Billy Budd” and Stamp embarked on a career that would see him in the early 1960s be part of the “angry young men” movement that was introducing an element of social realism into British moviemaking.

That was perhaps most notable in the 1965 adaptation of John Fowles’ creepy debut novel “The Collector,” where he played the awkward and lonely Freddie Clegg, who kidnapped Samantha Eggar’s Miranda Grey in a warped attempt to win her love. It was a performance that would earn the young Stamp, fresh o his Oscar nomination, the best actor award at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.

While part of that 1960s British movement, Stamp learned from some of the most seasoned actors from the classical era, including Laurence Olivier.

“I worked with Olivier briefly on my second movie (1962’s “Term of Trial”),” Stamp recalled in an interview with the AP in 2013. “And he said to me, ‘You should always study your voice.’” Stamp then segued into a spot-on Olivier impersonation, continuing, “‘Because, as you get older, your looks go, but your voice will become empowered.’”

His career took a bit of a hiatus from the late 1960s after he missed out on the role of James Bond to replace Sean Connery, that included a yearslong stint in India which saw him embrace a more holistic approach to his self.

It was the unexpected role of General Zod that brought him back to the limelight. He played John Tunstall in 1988’s “Young Guns,” the Galactic Republic leader in 1999’s “Star Wars” prequel “The Phantom Menace,” appeared in the comedies “Yes Man” and “Get Smart” in 2008, and delivered voice performances in the video games “Halo 3” and “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion.”

Born in London’s East End on July 22, 1938, Stamp lived a colorful life, particularly during the 1960s when he had a string of romances, including with actress Julie Christie and model Jean Shrimpton. He married 29-year-old Elizabeth O’Rourke in 2002 at the age of 64 but the couple divorced six years later. Stamp did not have any children.

Stamp retained his looks as the years ticked by, his natural handsomeness hardened by a more grizzled look.

He generally sought to keep his standards high — to a point. “I don’t do crappy movies, unless I haven’t got the rent,” he said.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record at obits@northstatejournal.com

Mike Castle, who championed 50 State Quarters Program while in Congress, dead at 86

The rst State Quarter was his home state of Delaware

By Mingson Lau The Associated Press

WILMINGTON, Del. — Former Delaware Gov. Mike Castle, a Republican moderate who championed creating the popular 50 State Quarters Program of commemorative coins while he served in Congress, has died. He was 86.

The Delaware Republican Party announced that Castle died last Thursday in Greenville but shared no other details.

Castle was among Delaware’s most successful politicians, never losing a race until his stunning upset in a 2010 primary for the U.S. Senate seat Democrat Joe Biden held before becoming vice president.

“Mike was de ned by his integrity, and for that reason, you couldn’t nd another member of Congress who would say a bad word about him,” said Biden. “All of us in Delaware owe Mike a debt of gratitude.”

During his 18 years in Congress, Castle became a leader of centrist Republicans, earning a reputation as a scal conservative and social moderate not afraid to challenge the party line on issues ranging from government spending to environmental protection and abortion.

As Delaware’s lone representative in the U.S. House from 1993 to 2011, he supported a pay-as-you-go policy for both spending and tax cuts. Castle played roles in improving child nutrition programs and establishing the No Child Left Behind education reform program. His signature issue in Congress was the commemorative quarters program that featured coins honoring each state, starting with Delaware. He was dubbed by the coin grading service Numismatic Guaranty Company as “The Coinage Congressman.”

The quarters boosted federal revenues as they were taken out of circulation. He also helped

MATT SLOCUM / AP PHOTO

Rep. Mike Castle (R-Del.) at a town hall meeting in Philadelphia in 2009.

“Mike was de ned by his integrity, and for that reason, you couldn’t nd another member of Congress who would say a bad word about him.”

Former President Joe Biden

establish a similar program honoring U.S. presidents with dollar coins, beginning in 2007, and an “America the Beautiful” quarter program honoring national parks, monuments and nature areas starting in 2010.

“The Honorable Michael Castle embodied the best of public service — moderation, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to all Delawareans,”

Delaware GOP Chairman Gene Truono said in a statement Thursday. Castle had been a state lawmaker and lieutenant governor before becoming governor in 1985.

Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer ordered ags own at halfsta for the next week in Castle’s honor.

“During his time as governor, Mike Castle visited every single school in our state, including mine, where he spoke to my high school class with the same warmth, humility, and commitment to public service that dened his career,” said Meyer, a Democrat.

Democratic brand has fallen.

Ager said he sees national Democrats as out of touch with rural life: too “academic” and “politically correct and scripted.”

“That’s just not what people are interested in,” he said. “The ideas of helping poor people, being neighborly, the ideal of doing those things, I think, are worthy, good ideas that are actually popular. But the execution of a lot of those ideas has been gummed up, you know, not well executed.”

A shifting House map

Heading into next year’s midterms, Democrats believe momentum is on their side. Historically, the president’s party loses ground in the midterms. In 2018, during Trump’s rst term, Democrats ipped 41 seats to take control of the House. Republicans currently control the House by such a slim margin that Democrats need to pick up only a few seats to break the GOP’s hold on Washington.

The Republican-led tax break and spending cut bill has added to Democrats’ optimism. About two-thirds of U.S. adults expect the new law will help the rich, according to a poll from The Associated PressNORC Center for Public A airs Research. About half say it’ll do more harm than good for middle-class people and people like them.

Still, Republicans remain con dent. They point to hav-

Chatham County Aging Services Weekly Activities Calendar

ing fewer vulnerable seats than Democrats have this cycle. Only three Republicans hold House districts Democrat Kamala Harris won last year, while 13 Democrats represent districts Trump won. They also note Democrats’ low opinion of their own party after last year’s losses. In a July AP-NORC poll, Democrats were likelier to describe their own party negatively than Republicans, with many Democrats calling it weak or ine ective.

In places where local dynamics may give Democrats a shot, it means nding the right candidates is especially important, party leaders say.

“Recruitment matters in these years when the environment is going to be competitive,” Democratic pollster John Anzalone said.

Democrats hope a farmer in western North Carolina can regain trust

With power, water and telecommunications down due to last year’s hurricane, Ager’s Hickory Nut Gap farm became a hub for the community — hosting cookouts and using propane to grill food for neighbors.

Statewide, the storm caused nearly $60 billion in damage and killed more than 100 people. Little federal aid has reached the hardest-hit parts of western North Carolina.

“Helene hitting de nitely put an exclamation point on, like, ‘Whoa, we need help and support,’” Ager said.

Democrats see Ager as a high-risk, high-reward candidate who could be successful in a district where Democrats have struggled.

No Democrat has won North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District since it was redrawn by the Republican-controlled legislature in 2011. A court-ordered redistricting ahead of the 2020 election made it slightly more favorable to Democrats, encompassing Asheville and much of western North Carolina. Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards still won by nearly 14 percentage points last year and is expected to seek reelection.

Grayson Barnette, a Democratic strategist who helped recruit Ager, said in some districts it’s a risk to run a candidate who hasn’t held elected ofce before.

“But I would argue that’s a good thing, especially when the Democrats just took the big hit we did,” Barnette said. “We have to look in the mirror and say, ‘Let’s try something new.’”

In a district where nearly 62% of residents live in very low-density areas, Barnette believes Ager’s identity — as a business owner, coach and father with deep local roots — could cut through. His unpolished, direct style, he says, may resonate more than a polished political résumé.

In the video launching his campaign, Ager shows ooding on the farm and is seen on the porch of his home, feeding chickens, driving a tractor and spending time with his wife and three sons.

“I’m not flashy, but I’m

honest,” he says in the video.

Ager doesn’t call himself a Democrat in the roughly two-minute video and rarely used the word during a three -hour interview. Still, his ties to the party run deep: His brother serves in the state House, following in the footsteps of their father. His grandfather served six years in the U.S. House.

Asked whether that might be a liability in the district, Ager shrugged: “Then don’t vote for me.”

Trump’s big bill could reshape a conservative district in Michigan

In western Michigan, state Sen. Sean McCann is a different kind of candidate from Ager. He’s buttoned-up and soft-spoken, with a long resume in elected o ce and deep roots in Kalamazoo, having served for a decade on the city commission before winning a seat in the state House in 2010.

In a district anchored by conservative and religious values, Democrats see McCann as the kind of steady, experienced gure who can make inroads — especially as backlash builds to Trump’s tax bill, which includes deep spending cuts.

At a recent meeting at Kalamazoo’s Family Health Center, where nearly 65% of patients rely on Medicaid, the center’s president warned the proposed Medicaid cuts would be devastating.

“It’s about being home in the community and listening to our community’s values — and

carrying those to Washington,” McCann said.

The district is represented by Republican Rep. Bill Huizenga, who won reelection by nearly 12 percentage points in 2022. But Huizenga hasn’t said whether he’ll seek another term, and Trump carried the district by only 5.5 percentage points in 2024.

Democrats hope strong ties help elsewhere

Across the country, Democrats are watching similar races in places like Iowa and Kentucky, where local candidates with strong community ties are running. In Iowa’s 2nd District, state Rep. Lindsay James — a fourth-term lawmaker and Presbyterian pastor — is weighing a run in the northeast part of the state. In Kentucky’s 6th, which includes Lexington and Richmond, former federal prosecutor Zach Dembo is running his rst campaign, describing himself as a political outsider.

It’s a mix of pro les: Ager, the farmer-turned-candidate feeding neighbors after a hurricane. McCann, the public servant meeting with health workers in his hometown. And others like them trying to reconnect a skeptical electorate.

“Yes, the Democratic Party has some taint to it,” Ager said.

“But when I go talk to Republicans who are friends that I’ve known forever, there’s genuine admiration and mutual respect for each other. And that comes from being in this community forever.”

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NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE # 22SP000062-180 NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE NC Hwy 87 Major Lee road W. Woods Doster, Administrator of the Estate of Leo Campbell, Petitioner, vs. Ingrid Campbell; Corey Campbell; Golowis Freeman; Ingird Collette Campbell, Trustee of Trust Number “Tract D” Land Trust; and Ingird Collette Campbell, Trustee of Trust Number 3401 Hwy 87 North Land Trust; Respondents. Pursuant to the Order for Possession, Custody, Control, and Sale of Real Property led on June 23, 2022, in the above captioned proceeding, NOTICE is hereby given that the subject properties described below will be put up for public sale on August 26, 2025 at 10:00 a.m.; the sale will be held at the Chatham County Courthouse in the designated area for sale. The subject properties, which are being sold together, are commonly referred to as Major Lee Road, Pittsboro, NC 27312, Parcel #0080774, and NC 87 N, Pittsboro, NC 27312, Parcel #0005908 and are more particularly described as follows: TRACT 1: BEING ALL of that certain 1.50 acres, more or less, designated as “Tract D-1” on the plat hereinafter referred to, together with a perpetual right of way and easement over and upon that certain 30 foot wide access easement extending along the Eastern property line of said Tract D, all as shown upon that certain survey and plat entitled, “Survey for Ingrid C. Campbell, Trustee” dated 7/24/2003 by Dowell G. Eakes, PLS recorded at Plat-Slide 2003-250, Chatham County Registry. Chatham County Parcel 0080774

Address: Major Lee Road, Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312 TRACT 2: All that certain 7.44 acres, more or less, designated as “Tract D” on the plat hereinafter referred to, together with a perpetual right of way and easement over and upon that certain 30 foot wide access easement extending along the Eastern property line of said Tract D, all as shown upon that certain survey and plat entitled, “Survey For Ingrid C. Campbell, Trustee” dated 7/24/2003 by Dowell G. Eakes, PLS recorded at Plat Side 2003-250, Chatham County Registry.

Chatham County Parcel 0005908

Address: NC 87 N, Pittsboro, NC 27312

A cash deposit from the highest bidder equal to ten percent (10%) of the amount of the bid is required at the time of public sale. Said bid shall be reported to the Court and will remain open for the requisite upset bid period as required by law. The Court reserves the right to approve and reject all bids. THE PROPERTY IS SOLD AS-IS, WHERE-IS, WITH ALL FAULTS. This is the 31st day of July 2025.

Shelby L. Lennon, Attorney for Commissioner Law O ces of Doster and Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330

919-842-5007 CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

The undersigned certi es that she has this day served upon the below listed persons, a copy of the Notice of Public Sale by depositing a copy in a postpaid wrapper in the United States Postal O ce, properly addressed to each part as follows: Ingrid Campbell 754 Warrenton Rd. Apt 113175 Fredericksburg, VA 22406 Golowis Freeman 849 Montgomery Street 1 Jersey City, New Jersey 07306 Corey Campbell 438 Cranbrook Court Orange Park, FL 32065 This is the 31st day of July 2025.

Shelby L. Lennon, Attorney for Commissioner Law O ces of Doster and Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 919-842-5007

NOTICE

City of Sanford / TriRiver Water REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS HVAC Maintenance and Repairs Advertisement

The City of Sanford is seeking quali ed companies to provide HVAC maintenance and repairs for facilities in the TriRiver Water service area. After the selection and award, selected rms will submit pricing proposals. This Request for Quali cations and others can be found on the TriRiver Water “Bid Opportunity” webpage at https://www.tririverwater.com/Bids.

aspx?CatID=17, or companies may call 919-777-1122 for the quali cation requirements. Submittals are due by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 6, 2025.

NOTICE

City of Sanford / TriRiver Water REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Janitorial Services Advertisement

The City of Sanford is seeking quali ed companies to provide janitorial services for city owned buildings in the TriRiver Water service area. After the selection and award, selected rms will submit pricing proposals. This Request for Quali cations and others can be found on the TriRiver Water “Bid Opportunity” webpage at https://www.tririverwater.com/Bids.

aspx?CatID=17, or companies may call 919-777-1122 for the quali cation requirements. Submittals are due by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 6, 2025. NOTICE

City of Sanford / TriRiver Water REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Lawn Maintenance Services Advertisement

The City of Sanford is seeking quali ed companies to provide lawn maintenance services for facilities in the TriRiver Water service area. After the selection and award, selected rms will submit pricing proposals. This Request for Quali cations and others can be found on the TriRiver Water “Bid Opportunity” webpage at https://www.tririverwater.com/Bids. aspx?CatID=17, or companies may call 919-777-1122 for the quali cation requirements. Submittals are due by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 6, 2025.

NOTICE City of Sanford / TriRiver Water REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS Roof and Gutter Inspection, Repairs/Replacement Advertisement

The City of Sanford is seeking quali ed companies to provide roof and gutter repairs and maintenance for facilities in the TriRiver Water service area. After the selection and award, selected rms will submit pricing proposals. This Request for Quali cations and others can be found on the TriRiver Water “Bid Opportunity”

6, 2025.

NOTICE OF TAX FORECLOSURE SALE

Under and by virtue of an order of the District Court of Chatham County, North Carolina, made and entered in the action entitled COUNTY OF CHATHAM vs. EMMETT W. CALDWELL and spouse, if any, and all possible HEIRS, ASSIGNS OR DEVISEES OF EMMETT W. CALDWELL and spouse, if any, or any other person or entity claiming thereunder, et al, 08CVD000616180, the undersigned Commissioner will on the 27th day of August, 2025, o er for sale and sell for cash, to the last and highest bidder at public auction at the courthouse door in Chatham County, North Carolina, Pittsboro, North Carolina at 12:00 o’clock, noon, the following described real property, lying and being in State and County aforesaid, and more particularly described as follows:

Beginning at an iron pipe which is located at the intersection of Jones Ferry and River Ave., running thence with the North side of that road 370 feet to an iron stake, the intersecting with the Coggin Lot 1528 running thence with the lot line of that lot towards River Road 290 feet more or less to an iron pipe the intersecting with lot 1539 running thence with that lot’s line approximately 120 feet to a stake on River Road., running thence with that road Northeast side approximately 34 feet to the beginning.

Subject to restrictive covenants and easements of record. Parcel Identi cation Number: 0073058

The undersigned Commissioner makes no warranties in connection with this property and speci cally disclaims any warranties as to title and habitability. This property is being sold as is, without opinion as to title or any other matter.

This sale will be made subject to all outstanding city and county taxes and all local improvement assessments against the above described property not included in the judgment in the above-entitled cause. A cash deposit of 20 percent of the successful bid will be required. In addition, the successful bidder will be required, at the time the Deed is recorded to pay for recording fees and revenue stamps assessed by the Chatham County Register of Deeds.

This sale is subject to upset bid as set forth in N.C.G.S. Section 1-339.25.

This the 8th day of July, 2025.

Mark D. Bardill/Mark B. Bardill, Commissioner P.O. Box 25 Trenton, NC 28585

Publication dates: August 14, 2025 August 21, 2025

NOTICE

City of Sanford / TriRiver Water REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS

Vehicle Maintenance and Repairs Advertisement

The City of Sanford is seeking quali ed companies to provide vehicle maintenance and repairs for vehicles and trucks owned by TriRiver Water. After the selection and award, selected rms will submit pricing proposals. This Request for Quali cations and others can be found on the TriRiver Water “Bid Opportunity” webpage at https://www.tririverwater.com/Bids.

aspx?CatID=17, or companies may call 919-777-1122 for the quali cation requirements. Submittals are due by 10:00 a.m. on Monday, October 6, 2025.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of John Kevin Conlon aka John K. Conlon, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ces of Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC, 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on or before the 21st day of November, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 21st day of August, 2025. DONNA CONLON, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOHN KEVIN CONLON AKA JOHN K. CONLON

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

Section 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 and applicable State funding, or combination thereof.

This is to inform the public that a public hearing will be held on the proposed Chatham Transit Network Community Transportation Program Application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation no later than October 3, 2025.

The public hearing will be held on Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 3:00 pm before the Chatham Transit Network Board of Directors.

Those interested in attending the public hearing and needing either auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or a language translator should contact Anna Testerman on or before Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at telephone number 919-542-5136 x102 or via email at a.testerman@chathamtransit.org.

The Community Transportation Program provides assistance to coordinate existing transportation programs operating in Chatham County as well as provides transportation options and services for the communities within this service area. These services are currently provided using on-demand and subscription services. Services are rendered by Chatham Transit Network.

The total estimated amount requested for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027.

NOTE: Local share amount is subject to State funding availability.

Project

Total Amount

Local Share

5311 Administrative

$ 307,815 $ 46,172 (15%)

5310 Operating (No State Match)

$ 260,000 $ 130,000 (50%)

Combined Capital $ 342,563 $ 34,257 (10%)

Funding programs covered are 5311, 5310, 5339 Bus and Bus Facilities, 5307 (Small xed route, regional, and consolidated urban-rural systems)

TOTAL $ 910,378 $ 210,429

Total Funding Requests

Total Local Share This application may be inspected at 127 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Pittsboro, NC 27312 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Written comments should be directed to Anna Testerman before August 27, 2025. End of Notice

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Chatham County 25E000382-180

Having quali ed as Co-Executors of the Estate of Kaja Finkler aka Kay Finkler aka Kaile Nehame Dvora Finkler, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned do hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claim against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned c/o

Guido De Maere, P.A. at 100 Europa Drive, Suite 160, P.O. Box 3591, Chapel Hill, NC 27515 on or before the 31st day of October, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 31st day of July, 2025. Guido De Maere and Dan Oren, Co-Executors of the Estate of Kaja Finkler aka Kay Finkler aka Kaile Nehame Dvora Finkler

Attorney for the Estate: Guido De Maere, P.A. P.O. Box 3591 Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3591 To be published: July 31, August 7, 14 & 21, 2025

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having quali ed on the 13th day of August, 2025, as Co-Executors of the Estate of Elizabeth Fletcher, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 21st day of November, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This 21st day of August, 2025. Kathryn Bethune and Ramon Gomez, Co-Executors of the Estate of Elizabeth Fletcher c/o Candace B. Minjares, Kennon Craver, PLLC 4011 University Drive, Suite 300 Durham, North Carolina 27707

THE CHATHAM NEWS: 8/21, 8/28, 9/4, and 9/11/2025

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Nina W. Moore quali ed before the Chatham County Clerk of Court on July 17, 2025 as The Executor of The Estate of Richard Devon Moore, 11229 Siler City Glendon Road, Bear Creek, NC 27207. This is to notify all persons, rms and corporations, as required by NCGS 28A-14-1, having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the attorney designated below on or before the 31st Day of October, 2025 or this notice will be pled in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payments to the undersigned. Payments and claims should be presented to M. Andrew Lucas, P.O. Box 1045, Sanford, NC 27331-1045. Please Publish: July 31st, August 7th, 14th, 21st, 2025

Notice to Creditors

Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Regina Pasterczyk, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned at the o ce of their attorney at 110 Oakwood Drive, Suite 300, Winston-Salem, NC 27103-1958, on or before the 14th day of November, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms, and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This 14th day of August, 2025. Kenneth Michael Pasterczyk, Executor Estate of Regina Pasterczyk c/o Craige Jenkins Liipfert & Walker LLP 110 Oakwood Drive, Suite 300 Winston-Salem, NC 27103 Craige Jenkins Liipfert & Walker, LLP Published: August 14, 21, 28 and September 4, 2025

Notice to Creditors

All persons, rms and corporations having claims against William Charles Swan, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before November 10, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 7th day of August, 2025. Susan Hodge, Administrator c/o W. Thomas McCuiston 200 Towne Village Drive Cary, NC 27513

NOTICE

ALL PERSONS, rms, and corporations having claims against Kevin Wayne Anderson , deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before November 7, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 7th of August, 2025. Kim McCullough Anderson , Administrator of the Estate of Kevin Wayne Anderson, c/o Amanda Honea, Attorney, 1033 Wade Avenue, Suite 104, Raleigh, NC 27605.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Max Allen Maples, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them on or before the 21st day of November 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. Published on the 21st day of August 2025. Shanda Hardin, Administrator, 5216 Eastview Lane, Ramseur, NC 27316.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

25E000390-180

ALL persons having claims against Matthew Gerard Cecil, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Nov 07 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 7th day of August, 2025. Stephen Gerard Cecil, Executor C/O Lenfestey, Maxie & Burger, PLLC 5640 Dillard Drive, Suite 101 Cary, North Carolina 27518 A7, 14, 21 and 28

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000306-180

The undersigned, RICHARD DAVID WOOD, having quali ed on the 2ND Day of JULY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of RICHARD JOHN WOOD, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 31ST Day OF OCTOBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 31st DAY OF JULY 2025. RICHARD DAVID WOOD, EXECUTOR 65571 AVENIDA CADENA DESERT HOT SPRINGS, CA 92240 Run dates: Jy31,A7,14,21p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA

CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000412-180

The undersigned, JOHN MONROE WALTERS, having quali ed on the 30TH Day of JULY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of PHALA DOROTHY LAMOUR WALTERS deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 7TH Day NOVEMBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 7TH DAY OF AUGUST 2025.

JOHN MONROE WALTERS, EXECUTOR

119 CHATHAM DR. CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: A7,14,21,28p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000401-180 The undersigned, MICHAEL ALFRED JAMES MOORE, having quali ed on the 28TH Day of JULY, 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of MICHAEL THOMAS MOORE deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 7TH Day NOVEMBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 7TH DAY OF AUGUST 2025. MICHAEL ALFRED JAMES MOORE, ADMINISTRATOR 1705 ELMER MOORE RD. SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: A7,14,21,28p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#23E000694-180 The undersigned, ANGELA VENDEN WALKER, having quali ed on the 16th Day of JULY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JOYCE LILIAN BERRY, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 31ST Day OF OCTOBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 31ST DAY OF JULY 2025. ANGELA VENDEN WALKER, EXECUTOR 955 BEAVER DAM RD. CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: Jy31,A7,14,21p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000314-180 The undersigned, HOLLY MEREDITH O’NEILL, having quali ed on the 23RD Day of JUNE, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JESSE KENNETH BOGGS, JR., deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 31ST Day OF OCTOBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 31st DAY OF JULY 2025. HOLLY MEREDITH O’NEILL, EXECUTOR 427 MILLINGPORT LANE NEW LONDON, NC 28127 Run dates: Jy31,A7,14,21p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000342-180 The undersigned, KENNETH EUGENE POWELL, having quali ed on the 1ST Day of AUGUST, 2025 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of CAROLYN JEAN MILLER POWELL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 21ST Day NOVEMBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 21ST DAY OF AUGUST 2025. KENNETH EUGENE POWELL, ADMINISTRATOR 3933 HIGHLAND CREEK CT. PFAFFTOWN, NC 27040 Run dates: A21,28,S4,11p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000416-180 The undersigned, DONALD WAYNE CHAMBERS, having quali ed on the 8TH Day of AUGUST, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of ROYCE DILLARD CHAMBERS deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 14TH Day NOVEMBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 14TH DAY OF AUGUST 2025. DONALD WAYNE CHAMBERS, EXECUTOR 111 POLKS LANDING RD. CHAPEL HILL, NC 27516 Run dates: A14,21,28,S4p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#25E000228-180

The undersigned, AMY CRABTREE SEAGROVES, having quali ed on the 22ND Day of JULY, 2025 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of TERRY GENE SEAGROVES deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to him on or before the 7TH Day NOVEMBER 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. This, the 7TH DAY OF AUGUST 2025. AMY CRABTREE SEAGROVES, EXECUTOR 744 LEWTER SHOP RD. APEX, NC 27523 Run dates: A7,14,21,28p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY

FILE#25E000424-180 The undersigned, JAMES RAY HOLDER, JR.,

States rethink long-held practice of setting speed limits based on how fast drivers travel

Limits have traditionally been the 85th percentile of vehicle speeds

By Je McMurray

The Associated Press

ROSE HAMMOND pushed authorities for years to lower the 55 mph speed limit on a two-lane road that passes her assisted living community, a church, two schools and a busy park that hosts numerous youth sports leagues.

“What are you waiting for, somebody to get killed?” the 85-year-old chided o cials in northwest Ohio, complaining that nothing was being done about the motorcycles that race by almost daily.

Amid growing public pressure, Sylvania Township asked county engineers in March to analyze whether Mitchaw Road’s posted speed is too high. The surprising answer: Technically, it’s 5 mph too low.

The reason dates back to studies on rural roads from the 1930s and 1940s that still play an outsized role in the way speed limits are set across the U.S. — even in urban areas.

Born from that research was a widely accepted concept known as the 85% rule, which suggests a road’s posted speed should be tied to the 15th-fastest vehicle out of every 100 traveling it in free- owing tra c, rounded to the nearest 5 mph increment.

But after decades of closely following the rule, some states — with a nudge from the federal government — are seeking to modify if not replace it when setting guidelines for how local engineers should decide what speed limit to post.

Drivers set the speed

The concept assumes that a road’s safest speed is the one most vehicles travel — neither too high nor too low. If drivers think the speed limit should be raised, they can simply step on the gas and “vote with their feet,” as an old brochure from the Institute of Transportation Engineers once put it.

“The problem with this approach is it creates this feedback loop,” said Jenny O’Connell, director of member programs for the National Association of City Transportation O cials. “People speed, and then the speed limits will be ratcheted up to match that speed.”

The association developed an alternative to the 85% rule known as “City Limits,” which aims to minimize the risk of injuries for all road users by setting the speed limit based on a formula that factors in a street’s activity level and the likelihood of con icts, such as collisions.

The report points out the 85% rule is based on dated research and that “these historic roads are a far cry from the vibrant streets and arterials that typify city streets today.”

Amid a recent spike in road deaths across the country, the Federal Highway Administration sent a subtle but important message to states that the 85% rule isn’t actually a rule at all and was carrying too much weight in determining local speed limits. In its rst update since 2009 to a manual that establishes national guidelines for tra c signs, the agency clari ed that communities should also consider such things as how the road is used, the risk to pedestrians, and the frequency of crashes.

Leah Shahum, who directs the Vision Zero Network, a nonpro t advocating for street safety, said she wishes the manual had gone further in downplaying the 85% rule but acknowledges the change has already impacted the way some states set speed limits. Others, however, are still clinging to the simplicity and familiarity of the longstanding approach, she said.

“The 85th percentile should not be the Holy Grail or the Bible, and yet over and over again it is accepted as that,” Shahum said.

Rethinking the need for speed

Under its “20 is Plenty” campaign, the Wisconsin capital of Madison has been changing signs across the city this summer, lowering the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on local residential streets.

When Seattle took a similar step in a pilot program seven years ago, not only did it see a noticeable decline in serious injury crashes but also a 7% drop in the 85th percentile speed, according to the Vision Zero Network. California embraces the 85% rule even more than most states as its basis for setting speed limits. But legislators have loosened the restrictions on local governments a bit in recent years, allowing them to depart from the guidelines if they can cite a proven safety need. Advo -

cates for pedestrians and bicyclists say the change helps, but is not enough.

“We still have a long way to go in California in terms of putting value on all road users,” said Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “There’s still a very heavy mindset that automobiles are the primary method of travel and they should be given priority and reverence.”

But Jay Beeber, executive director for policy at the National Motorists Association, an advocacy organization for drivers, said following the 85% rule is usually the safest way to minimize the variation in speed between drivers who abide by the posted limit and those who far exceed it.

“It doesn’t really matter what number you put on a sign,” Beeber said. “The average driver drives the nature of the roadway. It would be patently unfair for a government to build a road to encourage people to drive 45 mph, put a 30 mph speed limit on it, and then ticket everyone for doing what they built the road to do.”

80 is the new 55

Fears about oil prices prompted Congress in the 1970s to set a 55 mph national maximum speed limit, which it later relaxed to 65 mph before repealing the law in 1995 and handing the authority to states. Since then, speed limits have kept climbing, with North Dakota this summer becoming the ninth state to allow drivers to go 80 mph on some stretches of highway. There’s even a 40mile segment in Texas between Austin and San Antonio where 85 mph is allowed. Although high-speed freeways outside major population centers aren’t the focus of most e orts to ease the 85% rule, a 2019 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a research arm funded by auto insurers — illustrates the risks. Every 5 mph increase to a state’s maximum speed limit

“The problem with this approach is it creates this feedback loop. People speed, and then the speed limits will be ratcheted up to match that speed.”

Jenny O’Connell, National Association of City Transportation O cials

increases the chance of fatalities by 8.5% on interstate highways and 2.8% on other roads, the study found.

“Maybe back when you were driving a Model T you had a real feel for how fast you were going, but in modern vehicles you don’t have a sense of what 80 mph is. You’re in a cocoon,” said Chuck Farmer, the institute’s vice president for research, who conducted the study.

A town’s attempt at change

If elected o cials in Sylvania Township, Ohio, got their way, Mitchaw Road’s posted speed limit would be cut dramatically — from 55 mph to 40 mph or lower. The county’s nding that the 85% rule actually calls for raising it to 60 mph surprised the town’s leaders, but not the engineers who ran the study.

“If we don’t make decisions based on data, it’s very di cult to make good decisions,” Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski said.

For now, the speed limit will remain as it is. That’s because Ohio law sets maximum speeds for 15 di erent types of roadways, regardless of what the 85% rule suggests.

And Ohio’s guidelines are evolving. The state now gives more consideration to roadway context and allows cities to reduce speed limits based on the lower standard of the 50th percentile speed when there’s a large presence of pedestrians and bicyclists. Authorities there recently hired a consultant to consider additional modi cations based on what other states are doing.

“States have very slowly started to move away from the 85th percentile as being kind of the gold standard for decision-making,” said Michelle May, who manages Ohio’s highway safety program. “People are traveling and living differently than they did 40 years ago, and we want to put safety more at the focus.”

It’s unclear whether any of these changes will ultimately impact the posted speed on Mitchaw Road. After years of futile calls and emails to state, county and township o cials, Hammond says she isn’t holding her breath.

“I just get so discouraged,” she said.

DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA Sección 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 y fondos estatales aplicables, o una combinación de los mismos. Esto es para informar al público que se llevará a cabo una audiencia pública sobre la solicitud propuesta del Programa de Transporte Comunitario de la Red de Tránsito de Chatham que se presentará al Departamento de Transporte de Carolina del Norte a más tardar el 3 de octubre de 2025. La audiencia pública se llevará a cabo el jueves 28 de agosto de 2025 a las 3:00 pm ante la Junta Directiva de Chatham Transit Network. Aquellos interesados en asistir a la audiencia pública y que necesiten ayudas y servicios auxiliares bajo la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA) o un traductor de idiomas deben comunicarse con Anna Testerman el miércoles 27 de agosto de 2025 o antes, al número de teléfono 919-542-5136 x102 o por correo electrónico al a.testerman@ chathamtransit.org. El Programa de Transporte Comunitario brinda asistencia para coordinar los programas de transporte existentes que operan en el condado de Chatham, así como también brinda opciones y servicios de transporte para las comunidades dentro de esta área de servicio. Estos servicios se prestan actualmente mediante servicios bajo demanda y de suscripción. Los servicios son prestados por Chatham Transit Network. El monto total estimado solicitado para el período del 1 de julio de 2026 al 30 de junio de 2027. NOTA: El monto de la participación local está sujeto a la disponibilidad de fondos estatales. Monto total del proyecto Participación local 5311 Administrativo $ 307,815 $ 46,172 (15%) 5310 Operativo (Sin Contrapartida Estatal) $ 260,000 $ 130,000 (50%) Capital Combinado $ 342,563 $ 34,257 (10%) Los programas de nanciamiento cubiertos son 5311, 5310, 5339 Autobuses e instalaciones de autobuses, 5307 (Rutas jas pequeñas, regionales y sistemas urbano-rurales consolidados)

P24#y1910,378 $ 210,429

Total de solicitudes de nanciamiento Participación local total Esta solicitud puede ser inspeccionada en 127 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Pittsboro, NC 27312 de 9:00 am a 4:00 pm. Los comentarios escritos deben dirigirse a Anna Testerman antes del 27 de agosto de 2025. Fin del aviso NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 25E000272-180

CHATHAM SPORTS

sends a serve in a game against Northwood on Aug. 13.

Seaforth downs crosstown rival in straight sets

Naomi Stevenson and Ally Forbes led the attack over the Chargers

By Asheebo Rojas

Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — Junior outside hitter Ally Forbes recorded team highs of 16 kills and four aces to lead Seaforth to a 3-0 home win over Northwood on Aug. 13.

After spearheading a dominant 25-8 opening period, Forbes, a UNC Wilmington commit, helped the Hawks escape a more competitive sec -

ond set to put her team in the driver’s seat.

Seaforth and Northwood exchanged points until late in the set when the Hawks led 19-17. Forbes landed back-to-back kills to extend the Hawks’ lead to four, and she added a couple of more scores in the set’s nal plays for a 25-18 victory. The Hawks took a 2-0 advantage.

“We rely on her,” Seaforth coach Scott Green said of Forbes. “She’s one of our leaders. She’s one of our captains, so she comes through night after night. Said Forbes, “The amazing sets were super great. Good

passes. I feel like all around, everything kind of came together, which helps you play better.”

The Valgus sisters were a huge part of the Hawks’ 41 total kills as junior setter Abigail led the team with 12 assists, senior and TCU commit Josie totaled 10 and freshman libero Isabelle contributed seven. Senior Alyssa Sarbaugh also nished with seven assists.

Freshman outside hitter Naomi Stevenson, the younger sister of former Seaforth basketball star Jarin Stevenson, made some big plays for the Hawks too, recording a

Northwood and Chatham Central competed against each other at the Jack Shaner Jamboree on Aug. 15.

“Our goal is to win a state championship.”

Josie Valgus

season-high 13 kills and three aces. With Seaforth’s former standout hitter Keira Rosenmarkle playing at Union Pines for her senior year, Stevenson has t seamlessly into the Hawks’ second hitter role with two straight double-digit kill performances to start the season. Stevenson said she was already close friends with some

of her Seaforth teammates before the season started, which has helped her feel comfortable in varsity competition.

“I think it’s amazing to always have another hitting weapon on the court,” Josie Valgus said. “It takes a lot of stress o of me and Ally and even Abigail, Clarke (Hollier). All the middles, if we can spread out o ense as a setter, not having the block set up on just one hitter, it’s super great.” Northwood gave Seaforth a ght in the beginning of each set thanks to some much

See VOLLEYBALL, page B2

Week 1 previews for local football matchups

The football

regular season begins Friday

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

THE HIGH SCHOOL football season ofcially kicks o Friday. Here are previews of the local week one matchups and the rst power rankings ahead of the new year:

Seaforth at Chapel Hill (7 p.m.)

Observations on Chatham Central, Northwood at Jack Shaner Jamboree

The former conference foes line it up in the nal test ahead of Week 1

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

PITTSBORO — The pads got to popping in Chatham County on Friday. Northwood hosted its annual Jack Shaner Jamboree last week, continuing to honor the school’s rst head football coach for whom the event is named after.

8 teams compete at Jack Shaner Jamboree

The Chargers (3A) were joined by Chatham Central (1A), Apex (8A), Carrboro (4A), Graham (4A), Western Alamance (5A), Southern Lee (6A) and Trinity Christian (NCISAA). The teams played multiple 30-minute scrimmages on 40-yard elds. For local teams Northwood and Chatham Central, Friday served as one last opportunity to test run a whole o season worth of preparation before the real games begin.

Here’s some noteworthy observations for both teams as they put on the nishing touches before Week 1.

Northwood

Northwood’s starters got most of their reps in the rst scrimmage against Western Alamance with some hitting the eld against Apex too. Coming into the scrimmage against Western Alamance, which went 8-4 and made the 3A playo s in 2024, one of the biggest questions for Northwood was what the receiving corps would look like, and that

After a 3-7 campaign in 2024, Seaforth will look to set the tone in its new era against 7A opponent Chapel Hill. The Tigers went 4-6 last fall after dealing with key injuries and ended the season winning three of their last four games. Most of Chapel Hill’s o ensive and defensive leaders graduated in the spring, leaving a lot of questions to be answered on what to expect from the new faces stepping in.

The Tigers will return senior quarterback Samuel Zimmerman, who missed signi cant time last season due to injury. Chapel Hill went 3-2 in the ve games Zimmerman played in, and he ended the year with 572 passing yards and seven passing touchdowns. As for Seaforth, it’ll be interesting to watch who gets the start at quarterback between Duncan Parker and Mason Pooley and how di erent both sides of the ball look under new leadership.

Seaforth may have the upper hand with experience in this matchup, but it has yet to beat an opponent from a higher classi cation. The Hawks have also yet to win a season opener. They’ll get a chance to start the new era with a milestone win Friday.

Northwood at Harnett Central (7 p.m.)

Northwood, which went 6-5 and earned a playo berth last season, is starting 2025

See PREVIEWS, page B3 See FOOTBALL, page B3

4 Away games for Friday’s local slate

Ally Forbes

Seaforth, volleyball

Seaforth junior Ally Forbes earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Aug. 11. Forbes picked up right where she left o to start the season, logging team highs of 13 kills in a win over Apex Friendship on Aug. 12 and 16 kills in a win over Northwood the next day. She’s also been the Hawks’ leading server with a combined 13 aces in the two games.

The UNC Wilmington commit is coming o an all-conference-worthy 2024 season in which she recorded 274 kills (42.9% kill percentage), 83 aces and 158 digs. On the biggest stage in last year’s state championship game, she led Seaforth with 21 kills. She’s a captain in 2025 with hopes of leading the Hawks back to the state nal.

from page B1

needed punches from seniors Shae Leighton, who nished with a team-high six kills, Imani Henderson, who recorded four kills and four assists, and Emma Dorsey, who contrib -

uted four assists alongside her three kills and ve digs. In the nal set, the Chargers responded well to Seaforth’s attacking and even built a small lead. But once the Hawks tied the set at 11, they started to pull away for a 25-15 closeout victory.

Chatham

Central volleyball bests J-M in opening week of 2025-26 season

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

CHATHAM CENTRAL and Jordan-Matthews put on a classic rivalry battle in the rst week of the volleyball fall season.

Bears sophomore outside hitter Addison Goldston and junior middle hitter Maeson Smith combined for 25 kills to help defeat the Jets 3-2. Senior setter Abby Cunnup also had a big night with 25 assists.

After winning the third set to take a 2-1 lead, Jordan-Matthews evened the score with a 25-20 win in set four. In the decisive fth set, Chatham Central took a 9-2 lead before closing the win out 15-6.

Woods Charter started the year with a 3-1 win over Oxford Prep on Aug. 13 and followed that with a 3-0 victory over Raleigh Charter Friday. The Wolves won every set against Raleigh Charter by double digits.

It hasn’t been the best start to the season for Northwood and Chatham Charter as both teams went 0-3 in the rst week. The Chargers lost a close battle to Lee County 3-2 on Aug. 14. Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Eastern Randolph (1-0, 0-1); 2. North Moore (2-0, 0-0); 3. Uwharrie Charter (4-2, 0-0); 4. Southwestern Randolph (1- 4, 0-0); 5. Jordan-Matthews (0 -2, 0-0); 6. Northwood (0-3, 0-0)

Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Woods Charter (2-0, 0-0); 2. Clover Garden School (1-1, 0-0); 3. Ascend Leadership (0-1, 0-0); 4. River Mill (0-2, 0-0); 5. Chatham Charter (0-3, 0-0); 6. Central Carolina Academy (0-0, 0-0); 7. Southern Wake Academy (0-0, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: 1. Bishop McGuinness (1-1, 0-0); 2. Winston-Salem Prep (1-1, 0-0); 3. Chatham Central (11, 0-0); 4. South Davidson (1-2, 0-0); 5. South Stokes (1-2, 0-0); 6. College Prep and Leadership

Seaforth’s been o to a business-as-usual start coming o a state title appearance in 2024. The Hawks have started the year with a 2-0 record for the rst time since 2022. In the past two seasons, Seaforth lost

el 4-0 in its season opener on Aug. 13. Conference Standings as of Sunday (overall, conference)

Assists for Chatham Central setter Abby Cunnup

(0 -3, 0-0); North Stokes (0-0, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Seaforth (2-0, 0-0); 2. Cedar Ridge (2-0, 0-0); 3. J.F. Webb (2-0, 0-0); 4. Carrboro (3-2, 0-0); 5. Orange (1-1, 0-0); 6. Durham School of the Arts (1-2, 0-0); 7. South Granville (1-2, 0-0)

Boys’ soccer Jordan-Matthews started the year with a 6-1 rout over Southern Alamance on Friday. The Jets jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the rst half. Northwood also got its rst victory of the season over Southern Alamance 4-0 on Aug. 14. Seaforth fell to Green Lev-

its rst game to Apex Friendship, but on Aug. 12, it knocked o the Patriots (now an 8A school) for the rst time in program history 3-1. Even after losing key 2024 seniors in Maris Huneycutt, Kendall Anderson and Mia

Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Cedar Ridge (1-0, 0-0); 2. South Granville (1-1, 0-0); 3. Carrboro (0 - 0-1, 0-0); 4. Seaforth (0 -1, 0-0); 5. Orange (0-1, 0-0); 6. Durham School of the Arts (0 -1, 0-0); 7. J.F. Webb (0-0, 0-0)

Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Northwood (1-0, 0-1); 2. Jordan-Matthews (1-0, 0-0); 3. Southwestern Randolph (1-0, 0-0); 4. North Moore (0-0-1, 0-0); 5. Eastern Randolph (0 - 0, 0-0); 6. Uwharrie Charter (0-0, 0-0)

Girls’ tennis

Chatham Charter opened the year with a 7-2 win over Eno River Academy on Aug. 14. Seaforth fell 6-3 in its season opener against Chapel Hill on Aug. 14. Northwood struggled against Carrboro in a 9-0 loss on Aug. 14. Carrboro also beat Jordan-Matthews 6-0 the day before.

Kellam along with Rosenmarkle, the mindset and goals remain the same for the still-experienced Seaforth squad.

“Our goal is to win a state championship,” Valgus said. “We work and we practice towards that every single day.”

with a tough 6A opponent in Harnett Central. The Trojans went 8-3 in 2024 and made the 3A playo s as a 19 seed.

Harnett Central is expected to have another successful year as they’re ranked seventh in HighSchoolOT’s 910 area code rankings amongst some of the best teams in the Fayetteville and Sandhills region. The Trojans are returning key playmakers from last season like junior quarterback Koby Howard, who threw for more than 2,200 yards and 31 touchdowns, junior receiver DJ Brown, who caught 41 passes for 802 yards and 15 touchdowns, and linebacker William Jones, who recorded 115 tackles and eight tackles for loss.

Northwood’s defensive backs should expect to be put to work as most of Harnett Central’s o ensive production came through the air last season. Limiting turnovers will also be crucial as all but one of Harnett Central’s defenders with at least one of the team’s 11 interceptions in 2024 are back.

For the Chargers, this game will also be an opportunity to exhibit growth from last season. Northwood started last fall with two rough losses against opponents in higher classi cations, and with another chance at that same caliber of competition, the Chargers can set a better tone to start the season.

Jordan-Matthews at Carrboro (7 p.m.)

After going 3-7 last season, Jordan-Matthews will begin the new year with a rematch against fellow 4A opponent Carrboro. On their way to a 3-7 nish in 2024, the Jaguars defeated the Jets 27-0 in the second game of the season. Carrboro pounded Jordan-Matthews in the run game, rushing for 165 yards and

FOOTBALL from page B1

session gave a pretty good idea.

The Chargers ran with juniors Nick Armstrong and Willie Boynton out wide and junior Raje Torres in the slot. Seniors Mickell Wilson and Laken Goldenberg-Sheets rotated at tight end, giving senior quarterback Grayson Cox a bigger body to target. As he’s always been, Torres was a threat in the short game and in open space with his speed. Against Western Alamance, Cox hit Torres on a backside swing pass that he ran

three touchdowns (5.2 yards per carry) in addition to 132 yards and a score through the air.

Mike Charway, the senior who led the Jaguars’ rushing attack in that game, isn’t back this season, and neither are quarterback Tyler Pease and the team’s leading receivers. Based on what it showed in the Jack Shaner Jamboree on Friday, Carrboro will have decent size, but it will likely have some things to work through o ensively in Week 1. With built up excitement about what the Jets accomplished in the weight room and overall team maturity, this game will also be a litmus test

in for a touchdown. Armstrong was the target of a few deep balls, and although he and Cox couldn’t connect for one against the Warriors, he caught a long pass over an Apex defender for a touchdown. Northwood’s defensive line also had a solid showing against Western Alamance. Featuring sophomore Max Hohenwarter, sophomore Jaxon Green and Wilson, the unit had little problems getting to the back eld and holding the line in the run game. Expect Northwood to once again succeed in the run game

of growth. Jordan-Matthews ended the 2024 season with a win and can carry the momentum over by winning consecutive season openers for the rst time since 2013.

Chatham Central at Graham (7 p.m.)

Last year’s meeting between Chatham Central and Graham went down to the wire. The Bears led 14-7 with just four seconds remaining before Graham quarterback Jonathan Henry threaded a pass to Kam Mason in the end zone for the game-tying score at the buzz-

on the o ensive end. Senior Robert Tripp has already established himself as the Chargers’ top back, and he showed why with some strong runs Friday, but senior Leo Mortimer also exhibited good vision in his reps against Apex.

Chatham Central

Chatham Central got plenty of good work in Friday as its starters saw a wide range of competition.

The most glaring thing about this Bears team is the improved

er. The Red Devils went on to win 20-14 in overtime, ending Chatham Central’s chances at a second win in heartbreaking fashion.

But now, the Bears have a chance at revenge in Week 1. Graham, which went 1-9 last season, was outmatched on both sides of the ball in almost every game last season. The Red Devils lost key pieces in Henry and two-way skill player Jamel Lee. Based on their appearance at the Jack Shaner Jamboree, they’ll look to utilize the short passing game and get playmakers in space.

After going 1-10 in 2024,

execution, especially on the offensive end. Against Carrboro and Northwood’s backup units, Chatham Central looked like a team that had plenty of time to prepare and work through mistakes leading up to the season. The Bears were able to move the ball down eld and break long plays.

In their second scrimmage against Carrboro, Tyler Congrove — the speedy sophomore running back broke a 40-yard touchdown run — and sophomore quarterback Brooks Albright followed right behind

Chatham Central had its best o season under coach Derrin Little and is looking to show that in the rematch. The Bears had a full spring and summer with its starting quarterback Brooks Albright and more time to develop through 11-on-11 action before the regular season.

This is as good as a chance for the Bears to start the season 1-0 for the rst time since 2020.

Preseason power rankings

1. Seaforth 2. Northwood 3. Jordan-Matthews 4. Chatham Central

that with a 20-yard completion to junior Sayvion Burnette. Senior athlete Nick Glover also had a good night as he beat a Carrboro defender on a stop-and-go route for a touchdown, ran in a short pass for another score against the Jaguars and hauled in a 40-yard touchdown against Northwood on the rst play. Defensively, junior Wilson Hinshaw stood out as a high-energy player on the defensive front, especially in the pass rush. The unit also had its good moments, including tackles for loss and a coverage sack.

Former Chatham standouts will play across various sports at the next level

Local athletes to compete in college sports this fall 7th

By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record

CHATHAM COUNTY isn’t the only place where local athletes are suiting up for the fall sports season.

Former standouts are continuing their careers on the collegiate level this season with recent grads getting their rst taste of the next level and veterans returning for another year.

While watching the high school athletes compete, here’s where you can catch Chatham’s graduates across multiple sports.

Football

Brendan Harrington (Northwood, Georgia Southern, seventh year)

Aidan Laros (Northwood, Kentucky, senior)

Jake Mann (Northwood, NC State, redshirt senior)

Gus Ritchey (Northwood, Cary, NC State, freshman)

Luke Gaines (Chatham Central, Guilford College, freshman)

Robbie Delgado (Northwood, Barton College, junior)

Volleyball

Kelsey Hussey (Chatham Central, Pfei er, sophomore)

Maya Sheridan (Woods Charter, Swarthmore College, freshman)

Karaleigh Dodson (Chatham Central, Meredith College, freshman)

Abby Johnson (Chatham

Season of college football for Georgia Southern’s Brendan Harrington

Central, Central Carolina Community College, sophomore)

Kendall Anderson (Seaforth, Geneva College, freshman)

Women’s soccer

Lucy Miller (Woods Charter, Meredith College, junior)

Sydney Cox (Northwood, ECU, junior)

Sam Tucker (Seaforth, Newberry College, sophomore)

Emma O’Rourke (Seaforth, Gardner-Webb, freshman)

Men’s soccer

Ken Vasquez (Northwood, Guilford College, sophomore)

Julian Bozzolo (Seaforth, Denison, freshman)

Cross-country

Jack Anstrom (Seaforth, NC State, freshman)

Caroline Murrell (Northwood, NC State, senior)

Juana Silva Jimenez (Seaforth, Meredith College, freshman)

Anna Peeler (Woods Charter, Catawba College, freshman)

Sydney Batey (Woods Charter, Montreat College, freshman)

Women’s golf

Mackenzie Crossman (Chatham Charter, Barton College, sophomore)

Dillon makes NASCAR Cup playo s with redemptive victory

The Richard Childress Racing driver overcame a broken rib to end his 37-race winless streak

The Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. — Austin Dillon was hurting mentally and physically when he arrived at Richmond Raceway. He found the cure for what ailed him in Victory Lane.

Racing with a broken rib and some wounded pride, Dillon locked into the Cup Series playo s with a clean run to his second consecutive victory on the 0.75-mile oval.

It was a redemptive triumph for the Richard Childress Racing driver, whose championship eligibility was revoked by NASCAR last year after he wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin on the nal lap to win at Richmond.

After missing the playo s and enduring criticism from Logano, Hamlin and others who accused him of racing dirty, he went through a 37-race winless stretch before breaking through at Richmond with his rst top ve of the season.

“Man, that feels good,” said Dillon, whose previous best nish had been a seventh at Texas Motor Speedway in May. “I really wanted that one. Last year hurt really bad just going through the whole process of it, but this one feels so sweet. Man, I love Richmond.”

He revealed after his sixth career victory that he also had raced with the rib injury the past three weeks since falling o a ladder before the Aug. 3 race at Iowa Speedway.

“I was thrown down a lot this week and didn’t feel great,” he said.

He shrugged o the pain to outduel Ryan Blaney over the nal 100 laps, seizing control with a shrewd strategy call to pit his No. 3 Chevrolet four laps earlier than the Team Penske driver’s No. 12 Ford.

Dillon, who led 107 of 400 laps, won by 2.471 seconds over Alex Bowman. Blaney faded to third, followed by Joey Logano and Austin Cindric.

Dillon became the 14th race winner to lock into the 16-driv-

Dillon interacts with spectators while walking down a runway during driver introductions before a NASCAR Cup Series race.

“Man, that feels good. I really wanted that one.”

Austin Dillon

er eld for the Cup playo s, which are contested over thenal 10 races of the season.

The regular season will conclude next Saturday night at Daytona, where the nal two playo drivers will be conrmed — and at least one will

qualify through the points standings.

Tyler Reddick and Bowman are in the nal two provisional spots on points, but either could be eliminated if another new winner emerges at Daytona (which has happened twice in the last three years).

“Really stressful on a lot of fronts,” Bowman said. “I think with the way that race normally goes, it’s about a must-win at that point because I think you’re most likely going to have a new winner. Just need to go

execute and try to win the race. That’s all we can really do.” Streak over

After a consistent start to his season, Chase Elliott is in a slump heading into the playo s. The 2020 Cup champion nished last at Richmond and failed to nish for the rst time since last October at Las Vegas Motor Speedway 27 races ago. Elliott nearly had cleared the pileup on the 198th lap when he was tagged in

the right rear by Kyle Busch.

“I think Kyle just didn’t know that we were trying to squeeze by the wreck on the bottom,” Elliott said. “We had a good start to the night, and it just slowly unraveled until it nally fell apart. Hopefully, we get on a better stretch starting next week.”

Since brie y taking the points lead after his June 28 win at Atlanta, the seven-time Most Popular Driver has nished outside the top 10 in ve of seven races.

SIDELINE REPORT

NCAA FOOTBALL

Harbaugh refuses to comment after NCAA levies heavy penalties on Michigan

Los Angeles

Jim Harbaugh is refusing to comment on the NCAA’s decision to ne the University of Michigan tens of millions of dollars and to suspend head coach Sherrone Moore for a third game due to the sign-stealing scandal that occurred during Harbaugh’s tenure at his alma mater. Harbaugh stayed mum on the Wolverines following his Los Angeles Chargers’ 23-22 preseason loss to the Rams for his rst interaction with the media since the NCAA’s rulings were announced. The NCAA sharply criticized Harbaugh’s stewardship when it announced the sanctions.

NFL

“End Racism,”

“Choose Love” returning to NFL end zones

The NFL is continuing its on- eld social justice messaging for a sixth straight season. The Associated Press learned that all 32 teams will feature an end zone message at each home game throughout the season. They will select from four options, including “End Racism,” “Stop Hate,” “Choose Love” or “Inspire Change.” Once again, “It Takes All of Us” will be stenciled in the opposite end zone for all games. The only change from 2024 is that “Inspire Change” replaces “Vote.”

NBA

Lakers to honor Hall of Fame coach Riley with statue unveiling against Celtics

Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Lakers will unveil a statue of former coach Pat Riley on Feb. 22. Riley joins Lakers greats like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant in bronze outside their home arena. The Lakers will honor Riley during a game against their longtime rival, the Boston Celtics. Riley coached the Lakers from 1981 to 1990, leading them to four NBA championships. He had a .733 winning percentage in the regular season and a 102-47 mark in the playo s.

MLB Phillies ace Wheeler diagnosed with blood clot in right arm, placed on 15-day IL

Washington The Philadelphia Phillies have placed ace Zack Wheeler on the 15-day injured list with a blood clot in his right arm. Phillies executive Dave Dombrowski says Wheeler has been diagnosed with a “right, upper extremity blood clot.” Wheeler pitched last Friday against Washington and was limited to ve innings for the second consecutive start. The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits. The 35-year-old Wheeler is 10-5 this season with a 2.71 ERA.

FBS doesn’t have lock on talent

Bryce Lance and WCU’s Taron Dickens head list on non-FBS

stars

By Steve Megargee The Associated Press

BRYCE LANCE COULD have cited plenty of reasons had he chosen to leave North Dakota State for a Bowl Subdivision program for his senior season. Lance decided he had more a compelling case to stick around.

After helping North Dakota State win a national title while catching 17 touchdown passes to lead all Championship Subdivision players, Lance believed he still had more to o er at the FCS level. He heads our list of players to watch from outside the FBS programs.

“Honestly, the thing that kept me here was my teammates,” said Lance, the younger brother of Los Angeles Chargers quarterback and former North Dakota State star Trey Lance. “I always say you’ve got your whole life to make money. There’s no amount of money that would make me not want to nish my senior year with my brothers. That was the big thing — my teammates.”

Lance redshirted in 2021 and totaled one catch from 2022-23 before breaking out in a big way last year. The 6-foot-3 wideout caught 75 passes for 1,071 yards. His 17 touchdown receptions tied a Missouri Valley Conference record, and seven of them came in four playo games. He caught six passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-21 semi nal victory over South Dakota State. He followed that up by compiling nine receptions for 107 yards and a touchdown as North Dakota State beat Montana State 3532 in the nal, giving the Bison their 10th title in 14 years.

Western Carolina QB Taron Dickens Dickens only started four games as a redshirt freshman last season after taking over for the injured Cole Gonzales,

but his performance during that stretch makes it enticing to wonder what’s next. He nished the season having completed 73.8% of his passes for 1,428 yards with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He threw for more than 400 yards in two of his four starts — a 38-34 victory over Chattanooga and a 47-42 triumph at Samford.

Southern DE Ckelby Givens

Givens had an FCS-leading 27½ tackles for loss last season to go along with 12 sacks and three forced fumbles. He tied for sixth place in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the top FCS defensive player. Givens had 21 tackles for loss, seven sacks and four forced fumbles in 2023.

William & Mary CB Jalen Jones

This 6-foot defensive back had 22 passes defended, 1.8

2

400-yard passing games in four starts by Western Carolina’s Taron Dickens

passes defended per game and 20 pass breakups last year to lead the FCS in all three categories. He was an Associated Press All-America rst-team selection.

Rhode Island LB A.J. Pena

Pena had 82 overall tackles, 22½ tackles for loss and 12½ sacks last season to earn AP All-America rst-team honors. Pena nished 13th in the voting for the Buck Buchanan Award. He has totaled 44 ½ tackles for loss and 27 sacks over his three-year career.

Monmouth QB Derek Robertson

Robertson led FCS players in total yards passing (3,937) and yards passing per game (328.1) last season. He nished sixth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award, given annually to the top FCS o ensive player. Robertson completed 65% of his attempts and threw 31 touchdown passes with only six interceptions. He had thrown for 2,897 yards and 25 touchdowns with Maine in 2023.

Incarnate Word WR Jalen Walthall

Walthall caught 85 passes for 1,290 yards and 14 touchdowns last season as an AP All-America rst-team selection. He ranked third among all FCS players in yards receiving. The 6-2 receiver was at Hawaii from 2021-23 before transferring to Incarnate Word.

Breaking down some top- ight players on college football teams likely to be bad

Two ACC players make the list of diamonds in the rough

By Steve Megargee The Associated Press

ISAAC SMITH KNOWS what drew him to Mississippi State and why he has remained there.

“There’s no distractions in Starkville,” the junior safety told reporters during Southeastern Conference media days. “Small town. Real pretty community. The people are awesome. I fell in love with it, and I’m still in love with it and will forever always be in love with it.”

Smith’s 127 tackles last season led the Southeastern Conference and tied him for seventh place among all Football Bowl Subdivision players, production that hasn’t translated to team success. Mississippi State has gone 7-17 overall and 1-15 in SEC competition during Smith’s two seasons.

That makes Smith a natural candidate to head our list of good players on teams that gure to struggle this season, even though he believes Mississippi State has what it takes to turn things around. He considers Mississippi State a blue-collar program that values hard work.

“I love the fact that’s Mississippi State’s been all about that, just working hard and going to prove something that maybe people don’t think you can do,” Smith said.

Mississippi State’s chances of being more competitive this season depend on whether Smith can help upgrade a defense that allowed 34.1 points per game last season. Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Purdue were the only Power Four

teams to give up more points per game.

Wake Forest RB Demond Claiborne

Claiborne rushed for 1,049 yards and 11 touchdowns last year for a Wake Forest team that nished 4-8 for a second straight season. He rushed for at least 113 yards against North Carolina A&T, NC State, Stanford and Cal. Claiborne also had 23 catches for 254 yards and two more scores. The ACC preseason media poll forecasts Wake Forest to nish 16th out of 17 teams, ahead of only Stanford.

New Mexico RB Scottre Humphrey

After helping Montana State reach the Football Championship Subdivision title game last year, Humphrey makes the move to the FBS ranks while trying to help New Mexico produce its rst winning season since 2016.

1,049

Rushing yards last year for Wake Forest’s Demond Claiborne

Purdue RB Devin Mockobee

The small-town, home-stater started at Purdue as a walk-on but earned a scholarship by helping Purdue win the 2022 Big Ten West Division crown. Purdue has struggled since — going 4-8 in 2023 and 1-11 in 2024 — but Mockobee has remained productive. His 2,466 yards rushing rank him seventh on Purdue’s all-time list.

Southern Mississippi CB Josh Moten Moten transferred to Southern Miss after intercepting ve passes for Mar-

shall last season to tie for fourth place among all Bowl Subdivision players. Southern Miss went 1-11 last year and has won more than three games just once over the past ve seasons.

Northwestern OT Caleb Tiernan

Northwestern went 4-8 in 2024 for its third losing season in the last four years, but the Wildcats have a quality left tackle in Tiernan. He has started 30 games over the last three seasons.

Cal LB Cade Uluave

After being named the Pac-12’s freshman defensive player of the year by the league’s coaches in 2023, Uluave collected 71 tackles while playing nine games for the Golden Bears last season. Cal went 5-7 last year for its fth straight losing season, and it’s picked to nish 15th in the ACC this year.

TIFF pulls documentary on 2023 Hamas attack from festival

O cials cited rights issue, while lmmakers claim their work is being censored

By Jake Coyle The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The Toron-

to International Film Festival pulled from its lineup a documentary on the Hamas 2023 attack into Israel over what the festival says was a footage rights issue.

Organizers for the festival acknowledged last Tuesday that they withdrew Canadian lmmaker Barry Avrich’safter initially o ering the lm a spot in the upcoming edition of TIFF. The lm chronicles the story of retired Israeli Gen. Noam Tibon, whose e orts to save his family and others during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack was pro led in a “60 Minutes” segment. Representatives for the festival said in a statement that the lm’s invitation “was withdrawn by TIFF because general requirements for inclusion in the festival, and conditions that were requested when the lm was initially invited, were not met, including legal clearance of all footage.”

“The purpose of the requested conditions was to protect TIFF from legal implications and to allow TIFF to manage and mitigate anticipated and known risks around the screening of a lm about highly sensitive sub-

“We invite audiences, broadcasters and streamers to make up their own mind, once they have seen it.”

“The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue” lmmakers

ject matter, including potential threat of signi cant disruption,” the festival said.

The lmmakers, though, say the festival is engaging in “censorship” by denying the lm a place in the festival.

“We are shocked and saddened that a venerable lm festival has de ed its mission and censored its own programming by refusing this lm,” the lmmaking team said in a statement. “Ultimately, lm is an art form that stimulates debate from every perspective that can both entertain us and make us uncomfortable.”

Deadline, which rst reported the news, said a sticking point was related to the identi cation and legal clearance of Hamas militants’ own livestreaming of the attack.

The lmmakers pledged to release the lm: “We invite audiences, broadcasters and streamers to make up their own mind, once they have seen it.”

Cameron Bailey, TIFF chief executive, apologized “for any pain this situation may have caused” and said he was still hoping to have the lm at the festival.

“I remain committed to working with the lmmaker to

meet TIFF’s screening requirements to allow the lm to be screened at this year’s festival,” said Bailey. “I have asked our legal team to work with the lmmaker on considering all options available.”

Bailey strongly rejected allegations of censorship, explaining instead said the situation requires compassion and sympathy.

“The events of October 7, 2023, and the ongoing su ering in Gaza weigh heavily on us, underscoring the urgent need for compassion amid rising antisemitism and Islamophobia,” said Bailey. “While we are not a political organization, TIFF will always strive to present our programing in a safe, inclusive environment.”

The Toronto festival has sometimes prompted headlines over its selections. Last year, it canceled screenings of “Russians at War,” a documentary about Russian soldiers in the war with Ukraine. Protesters in Toronto called the lm Russian propaganda.

After the festival paused screenings due to “signi cant threats,” “Russians at War” was quietly screened toward the end of the festival.

this week in history

Haitian Revolution begins, Sir William Wallace executed, Krakatoa erupts, “Mary Poppins”

AUG. 21

1831: Nat Turner launched a violent slave rebellion in Virginia, resulting in the deaths of at least 55 white people.

1911: Leonardo da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” was stolen from the Louvre Museum in Paris.

1959: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation o cially declaring Hawaii the 50th state.

AUG. 22

1851: The schooner America outraced over a dozen British ships o England to win a trophy later known as the America’s Cup.

1791: The Haitian Revolution began as enslaved people of Saint-Domingue rose up against French colonizers.

1910: Japan annexed Korea, which remained under Japanese control until the end of World War II.

1922: Irish revolutionary Michael Collins was shot to death, apparently by Irish Republican Army members opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

AUG. 23

1970: The Salad Bowl strike began, led by Cesar Chavez, as 5,000 to 10,000 laborers walked o the job in the largest U.S. farm worker strike.

1305: Scottish rebel leader Sir William Wallace was executed by the English for treason.

1775: Britain’s King George III proclaimed the American colonies to be in a state of “open and avowed rebellion.”

1927: Amid protests, Italian-born anarchists Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were executed in Boston for 1920 robbery murders; 50 years later, Gov. Michael Dukakis said they were unfairly tried.

AUG. 24

1814: During the War of 1812, British forces invaded Washington, D.C., setting re to the still-under-construction Capitol and the White House.

1954: President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Communist Control Act, outlawing the Communist Party in the United States.

1992: Hurricane Andrew smashed into Florida; the storm resulted in 65 deaths and caused more than $26 bil-

On Aug. 23, 1970, Cesar Chavez launched the “salad bowl” strike, a nationwide lettuce boycott to gain recognition for his United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, prompting nearly 10,000 workers to walk o the job.

lion in damage across Florida, Louisiana and the Bahamas.

AUG. 25

1916: Woodrow Wilson signed the National Park Service Organic Act, creating the agency to protect natural and historic sites for future generations.

1875: Matthew Webb became the rst person to swim across the English Channel,

crossing from Dover, England, to Calais, France.

1944: Paris was liberated by Allied forces after four years of Nazi occupation during World War II.

AUG. 26

1944: French Gen. Charles de Gaulle led a victory march in newly liberated Paris, defying the threat of German snipers.

1939: The rst televised major league baseball games were broadcast on experimental station W2XBS: a doubleheader between the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

1958: Alaskans went to the polls to overwhelmingly vote in favor of statehood.

AUG. 27

1883: The island volcano Krakatoa erupted with a series of cataclysmic explosions. The explosions (which could be heard 3,000 miles away) and tsunamis in Indonesia’s Sunda Strait claimed some 36,000 lives.

1894: Congress passed the Wilson-Gorman Tari Act, which contained a provision for a graduated income tax.

1964: The lm “Mary Poppins” had its world premiere in Los Angeles.

Prince Harry, Meghan extend Net ix partnership

The couple stepped back as senior members of the royal family in 2020

By Itzel Luna

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — Prince Harry and Meghan have extended their partnership with Net ix and their media company, Archewell Productions with a multiyear, rst-look deal, the couple announced last Monday. Archewell began collaborating with the streaming giant in 2020 and have produced a handful of documentary content, including the popular “Harry & Meghan.” The Duchess of Sussex also developed a lifestyle brand, As Ever, in partnership with Net ix.

The collaboration has also produced the documentary series’ “Polo,” “Heart of Invictus” and “Live to Lead.”

“My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally, and celebrates our shared vision,” Meghan said in a statement.

The couple and Net ix also announced upcoming collaborations, including a second season of, “With Love, Meghan,” a lifestyle and cooking show starring the duchess. The show will also

In their latest move to expand business and media projects in the U.S., Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, have extended a multiyear deal with Net ix.

receive a special holiday episode in December. The show is Net ix’s most-watched culinary show since its March release, according to the company. It ranked

solutions

low compared to other releases in the rst half of this year, with 5.3 million views, according to Net ix’s semiannual report.

“Masaka Kids, A Rhythm Within,” a documentary short

lm that centers on a small orphanage in Uganda’s Masaka region, is also set to release this year. Archewell is also in production with Net ix on a feature adaptation of Carley For-

“Harry and Meghan are in uential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere. The response to their work speaks for itself.”

Bela Bajaria, Net ix chief content o cer

tune’s novel “Meet Me at the Lake.” The drama “follows a decade-spanning love story that begins with a chance encounter and a broken promise,” the statement read.

“Harry and Meghan are inuential voices whose stories resonate with audiences everywhere. The response to their work speaks for itself,” Bela Bajaria, Net ix’s chief content ocer, said in a statement.

Their extended deal with Net ix is the latest in the couple’s yearslong e ort to develop business ventures in the United States. They had also penned a multiyear deal with Spotify in 2020 and produced a podcast, “Archetypes,” but cut ties with the company in 2023.

The couple have been detangling their lives from the British royal family and are living in California with their two young children.

famous birthdays this week

Dave Chappelle speaks during the 39th annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2024. The comedian turns 52 on Sunday.

SCOTT A GARFITT/ INVISION / AP PHOTO

Claudia Schi er poses for photographers upon arrival at the world premiere of the lm “Argylle” in 2024 in London. The supermodel turns 55 on Monday.

Actor Tom Skerritt, pictured during a Q&A panel at the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo in 2024, turns 92 on Monday.

Barbara Eden celebrates 94, Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is 65, Tom Skerritt hits 92

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

AUG. 21

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer James Burton is 86. Singer Jackie DeShannon is 84. Film director Peter Weir is 81. Football Hall of Famer Willie Lanier is 80. Actor Loretta Devine is 76.

AUG. 22

Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells is 84. Writer-producer David Chase is 80. Retired CBS newsman Steve Kroft is 80. Rock singer Roland Orzabal (Tears For Fears) is 64.

AUG. 23

Actor Vera Miles is 96. Actor Barbara Eden is 94. Football Hall of Famer Sonny Jurgensen is 91. Singer-songwriter Linda Thompson is 78. Rock singer Julian Casablancas (The Strokes) is 47.

AUG. 24

WWE co-founder Vince McMahon is 80. Actor Anne Archer is 78. Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. is 65. Talk show host Craig Kilborn is 63. Actor-comedian Dave Chappelle is 52.

AUG. 25

Tom Skerritt is 92. Rock musician Gene Simmons (Kiss) is 76. Rock singer Rob Halford (Judas Priest) is 74. Musician Elvis Costello is 71. Film director Tim Burton is 67. Model Claudia Schi er is 55.

AUG. 26

Broadcast journalist Bill Whitaker is 74. Jazz musician Branford Marsalis is 65. Actor Macaulay Culkin is 45.

AUG. 27

Actor G.W. Bailey is 81. Rock musician Alex Lifeson (Rush) is 72. Fashion designer and lmmaker Tom Ford is 64.

O set, John Cena, John Grisham’s ‘Rainmaker’ gets TV adaptation

Jussie Smollett’s alleged attack is unpacked on Net ix

The Associated Press

MIGOS RAPPER OFFSET

releasing his third solo album and Samara Weaving playing a reformed getaway driver in the heist thriller “Eenie Meanie” are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time: An adaptation of John Grisham’s “The Rainmaker” hits Peacock, John Cena stars as a awed superhero in season 2 of “The Peacemaker” and the Amanda Knox trial in Italy gets dramatized in a Hulu series.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Weaving plays a reformed getaway driver who gets pulled back in to save a problematic ex-boyfriend in “Eenie Meanie,” a new heist thriller streaming on Hulu on Friday. Karl Glusman plays the pathetic ex in this intriguing ensemble that includes Steve Zahn, Andy Garcia, Randall Park and Marshawn Lynch. “Deadpool” writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick produced the lm, which is the directorial debut of writer-director Shawn Simmons.

Remember the strange Smollett saga that began back in January 2019 when the “Empire” actor told police that two men assaulted him in an apparent hate crime which investigators began to believe was a hoax? It’s the subject of a new Net ix documentary “The Truth About Jussie Smollett?” streaming on Friday. The ordeal stretched on for years and in November the Illinois Supreme Court overturned Smollett’s conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019 and lying to Chicago police. The trailer for the doc, which includes interviews with journalists, lawyers, investigators and law enforcement, teases a new sit-down interview with Smollett himself. Swedish lmmaker Lasse Hallström takes audiences on a romantic journey through Europe with an American girl (Madelyn Cline) and a New Zealander (KJ Apa) in “The Map That Leads to You,” streaming on Prime Video. It’s based on the

2017 J.P. Monninger novel.

MUSIC TO STREAM

On Friday, Migos rapper Oset will release his third solo album, “Kiari.” The title is his legal name — a direct re ection of the album he described to The Associated Press earlier this month as “a look in the mirror.” He said it’s a collection of “different versions of O set, which comes from Kiari. … I’m always trying to rebrand and recreate.” Start with “Bodies,” a red-hot collaboration that marries Oset’s melodic, aggressive ow and the dexterous lyricist JID atop a sample of nu-metal band Drowning Pool’s 2001 cut “Bodies.” It’s become a 2025 Billboard Hot 100 hit for a reason. Who would’ve thought, nearly 40 years after their formation, that the California shoegaze-y nu-metal band Deftones would become more popular than ever before? They’ve found new and nostalgic audiences online and have quickly become recognized as one of the most in uential bands of the 2000s — 20 years after the fact. On Friday, they will release a new album “Private Music.” And they sound as tight as ever.

SERIES TO STREAM

The Knox trial gets dramatized in a Hulu series called “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox.” Knox is an executive producer on the project, as is Monica Lewinsky. Grace Van Patten stars as the study abroad student in Italy who nds herself in prison for murdering her housemate, Meredith Kercher. The case becomes a media sensation and Knox is called Foxy Knoxy — among other things — by the tabloids. The series also shares more of the story of Ra aele Sollecito, Knox’s boyfriend at the time, who was also convicted of the murder. Both had their sentences thrown out by Italy’s highest court in 2015. We also see Knox’s di culty adjusting to regular life after she returns to the States. The eight-episode series is streaming now. Cena stars as a awed superhero in Season 2 of “The Peacemaker” arriving on HBO Max on Thursday. It’s the rst release of a DC Comics story after “Superman “ ew into theaters earlier this summer. James Gunn, who is co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios, directed “Super-

man” and is the showrunner of “The Peacemaker.” A new Prime Video docuseries called “The Home Team: NY Jets” followed six Jets players and their partners for the 2024-2025 NFL season. We see the home life of these pros

“I’m always trying to rebrand and recreate.” O set

as they also juggle the demands of the sport. The lmmakers also made the documentary “Kelce” about former Philadelphia Eagles player Jason Kelce in his 2022 season. It debuts Thursday.

An adaptation of Grisham’s “The Rainmaker” hits Peacock on Friday. The legal thriller is airing on the USA Network, and the streamer drops each episode a week later. Milo Callaghan plays Rudy Baylor, who is fresh out of law school and about to start working at the largest law rm in the state. On his rst day, Baylor gets red so he takes a job at a small ambulance-chasing rm that works out of a former taco joint. Rudy’s rst big case

pits him against the big, fancy law rm that let him go — and his girlfriend who still works there.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

You don’t see many surfboards in video games — most virtual riders would rather pick up a skateboard or snowboard. The “hoversword” at the heart of Sword of the Sea pushes back at that bias by combining all three. It throws in the ability to surf on sand, which is helpful given that your world is essentially one big desert. Your character, the Wraith, is exploring ancient ruins in search of longlost artifacts. Master the right techniques and you get to surf on actual water. Publisher Giant Squid is led by Matt Nava, who was the art director on the 2012 indie classic Journey, and Sword of the Sea shares that game’s meditative vibe. Hang

on PlayStation 5 or PC.