VOLUME 148 ISSUE 7 | THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2026
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Earthset The Artemis II crew captured this view of an Earthset on Monday as they flew around the moon. The image is reminiscent of the iconic Earthrise image taken by astronaut Bill Anders 58 years earlier as the Apollo 8 crew flew around the moon. See page A3 for more.
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BRIEF this week
Paul faces protective order hearing in Utah after “Bachelorette” cancellation A Utah judge is expected to hear arguments on a protective order sought by a former partner against Taylor Frankie Paul, star of Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” Paul and Dakota Mortensen were expected to participate remotely Tuesday while their lawyers appear in person. Mortensen is the father of Paul’s 2-year-old son. He is asking the court to extend a protective order. About three weeks ago, ABC opted not to air a new season of “The Bachelorette” with Paul at its center. Production has also been paused on her Hulu series. It often featured Paul and Mortensen’s tumultuous relationship.
Ford recalls more than 422K trucks, SUVs because windshield wipers can fail Ford Motor Co. is recalling 422,613 vehicles because the windshield wiper arms can break, causing reduced visibility and increasing the risk of a crash. The recall covers 2021-23 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators and a range of F series Super Duty trucks, model years 20222023. Letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed on April 13. Once a remedy is determined, additional letters will be mailed. Dealerships will eventually inspect and replace the wiper arms free of charge.
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Siler City approves new panhandling ordinance Violations of the ordinance can range all the way up to a Class 2 misdemeanor By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record SILER CITY — The Town of Siler City has passed a new ordinance to try and address pan-
handling within its corporate limits. At the Town of Siler City Board of Commissioners April 6 meeting, the board approved a new ordinance for the town to establish regulations for panhandling, begging and solicitation in certain locations to protect public safety, pedestrian access and traffic flow.
“This has been about a year in the making,” said Chief of Police Brian Regan. “We did a lot of research into this to make sure we didn’t violate anyone’s first amendment right of free speech.” According to Regan, the Siler City Police Department has received nearly 150 calls over the last 12 months related to tres-
Commissioners approve first plat for Bramblewood subdivision The development will have 60 lots across nearly 124 acres By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Com-
missioners met March 24 for its regular business meeting. The board approved a first plat review for a subdivision, Bramblewood, consisting of approximately 124 acres of property located off U.S. Highway 64 West. The plat calls for 60 lots of single-family homes, with an
average lot size of 1.6 acres and lots ranging between 0.9 acres and 9.0 acres. “The lots on the floodplain are by far the biggest lots in the subdivision, and that was consciously and intentionally done,” said attorney Nicolas Robinson, who was representing the applicant. “The other thing to keep in
Mullin pledges progress on disaster relief during first official trip as DHS secretary “We’re trying to push this stuff forward as fast as possible.” Markwayne Mullin, Homeland Security Secretary
The new DHS secretary removes red tape and pledges faster aid to North Carolina By Rebecca Santana and Gabriela Aoun Angueira The Associated Press CHIMNEY ROCK — Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin on Tuesday toured North Carolina areas devastated by Hurricane Helene in 2024, revealing plans to prioritize relief to disaster-impacted communities on his first official trip since replac-
ing Kristi Noem, whose leadership cast uncertainty over federal disaster response. While the trip focused on emergency management, Mullin also weighed in on immigration enforcement, a centerpiece policy of the Trump administration, which his department also oversees. He suggested he might halt customs processing at airports serving cities whose local governments resist the administration’s immigration policies, a move that would align with his predecessor’s hardline approach. See MULLIN, page A7
passing associated with some form of solicitation or begging. “We have seen an increase in the last couple of years of solicitation in public access places and roadways and so forth, which has always been a concern,” Regan said. “The main focus of this is the public safety piece. It’s the public safety of the person soliciting and also the person that’s being solicited. We want to make sure that was the main message behind this.” The ordinance most directly addresses what is defined as “aggressive solicitation,” which encompasses threatening or intimidating language or actions. See ORDINANCE, page A2
mind, the applicant has self-imposed a 50-foot buffer beyond the 100-year floodplain or the 100-foot riparian buffer, whichever is wider.” The lots will utilize individual septic systems for wastewater and TriRiver for their water needs. While some nearby property owners raised concerns on the development and potential stormwater, flooding and runoff issues, the board’s hands were pretty much tied on the decision. See SUBDIVISION, page A10