VOLUME 148 ISSUE 41 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2025
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Help for the holidays Mountaire’s annual Thanksgiving for Thousands program took place the Saturday before Thanksgiving at the company’s Siler City processing plant, with nearly 10,000 meal boxes assembled by hundreds of volunteers for distribution by local nonprofits and churches. See more photos on page A3.
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BRIEF this week
Dells donate $6.25B to encourage families to claim “Trump Accounts” Billionaires Michael and Susan Dell pledged a historic $6.25 billion on Tuesday to provide an incentive to families to adopt new investment accounts for children. The so-called “Trump Accounts” were created as part of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending legislation but have not yet launched. Through their gift, the Dells will deposit $250 into the investment accounts of 25 million children aged 10 and younger as an incentive for their families to claim the accounts and make investments in the stock market.
Doctor says Trump had screening MRI with “perfectly normal” results Donald Trump’s doctor says the president had MRI imaging on his heart and abdomen in October as part of a preventative screening for men his age. That’s according to a memo from the physician released by the White House on Monday. Sean Barbabella said in a statement that Trump’s physical exam included “advanced imaging” that is “standard for an executive physical” in Trump’s age group. Barbabella concluded that the cardiovascular and abdominal imaging was “perfectly normal.”
Siler City swears in elected officials Commissioner Travis Patterson was unanimously elected as the new Mayor Pro Tem By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record SILER CITY — At the Siler City Board of Commissioners’ Dec. 1 meeting, the board underwent a bit of reorganization. Mayor Donald Matthews and Commissioners Cindy Bray, Albert Alston and Michael Feezor
resolution by the board of commissioners and a personal gift from the mayor as well. “This is not a job of one person, this is eight people coming together to lead the town,” Fadley said. “The faces have changed over the years, but the direction has always been the same. We always move forward for the benefit of the town.” The Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners will next meet Jan. 12.
Chapel Hill approves affordable housing decrease in exchange for funding support The Hillmont development will see 23 fewer affordableunits, but will donate more than $1 million By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill Town Council met Nov. 19 for the final meeting
of the current council. The council will have two new faces at its next meeting, ascouncilmember Karen Stegman resigned from her seat earlier in the year and Adam
Searing did not seek reelection. They will be replaced by the newly elected Louie Rivers and Wes McMahon, both of whom collected the largest share of votes this past November. Incumbents Paris Miller-Foushee and Camille Berry also won reelection to remain on the council.
Pittsboro comms director named Pender County manager “My time in Pittsboro has been the highlight of my professional career and personal life.” Colby Sawyer
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all took their oaths of office following their November election wins and, in addition, Commissioner Travis Patterson was elected unanimously by the board as the new Mayor Pro Tem. While Matthews, Bray and Alston all had previously served, Feezor is a new face to the board, taking over for former
commissioner and Mayor Pro Tem Lewis Fadely, who decided not to run for reelection. The board also honored Fadely for his 12 years of service to the town now that his term has officially ended. “I cannot at all thank you enough,” said Mayor Donald Matthews. “You made the job so much easier working with you.” Fadley was presented with a certificate of appreciation from the police department, a
Colby Sawyer joined the town in 2022 and was promoted to director in September Chatham News & Record staff COLBY SAWYER, the Town of Pittsboro’s communications and emergency management director, left at the end of November to become county manager for Pender County. Sawyer joined Pittsboro in April 2022 as public information officer and emergency management specialist before being promoted to director in September 2024. During his tenure, he wrote more than $20 million in grants for connectivity, transportation, economic
COURTESY
Colby Sawyer development and hazard mitigation projects. He also created PBO-101, the town’s community engagement program. In 2024, he was named to the International Association See SAWYER, page A2
The new council will be sworn in Dec. 3. At the meeting, the council held a public hearing for a conditional zoning modification request for a development project — “Hillmont” — located at 146 Stancell Drive and off N.C. 54. See HOUSING, page A7