VOLUME 149 ISSUE 8 | THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2026
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
ROBERT MARKOWITZ / NASA JSC
Home again North Carolina’s Christina Koch, left, was greeted by NASA’s Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche after her return home to Houston on Sunday following a 10-day trip around the moon and back.
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BRIEF this week
Appeals court orders judge to end contempt investigation of Trump administration deportation flights A federal judge must end his “intrusive” contempt investigation of the Trump administration for failing to comply with an order over flights carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador last year, a divided appeals court panel ruled Tuesday. Chief Judge James Boasberg abused his discretion in forging ahead with criminal contempt proceedings stemming from the March 2025 deportation flights, according to the majority opinion by a three-judge panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.
Pope heads to Cameroon as separatists announce pause in fighting Algiers, Algeria Pope Leo XIV is heading to the central African nation of Cameroon on the second leg of his Africa tour. He’s bringing a message of peace to its separatist region, where fighters have announced a three-day pause in fighting. He’ll also have talks Wednesday with President Paul Biya. The 93-year-old leader is the world’s oldest. His grip on power was extended for an eighth term in a widely disputed election last year. The Vatican says fighting corruption and insisting on the correct uses of political authority are expected to be themes of Leo’s visit. Leo was traveling to Cameroon from Algeria, the first stop on his four-nation Africa tour.
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Chatham Schools presents preliminary local budget ask The request seeks an additional $3.7 million in funding By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — Chatham County Schools presented its preliminary draft for its local ap-
propriations request to the county commissioners. At the Chatham County Schools Board of Education’s April 13 meeting, the board was presented with the preliminary request. “We want to be real clear that our draft budget is really what we’re calling a blueprint for fiscal responsibility and stability to
ensure that we continue working through our student outcomes,” said Superintendent Anthony Jackson. In total, the county is looking to ask for an additional local county investment of around $3.7 million, bringing the total local funding request to around $55 million. “The $3.7 (million) is not all
Police chief explains use of Flock cameras in Pittsboro The town currently uses nine automatic license plate recognition cameras By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Town of Pittsboro Board of Commis-
sioners met April 13 for its regular business meeting. The board first heard a presentation on Flock cameras, which have received a good deal of community backlash as of late, from the Pittsboro Police Department. “Our objective, as any police department or law enforce-
ment, is to deter crime,” said Pittsboro Police Chief Clarence Johnson. “We know we’re not gonna prevent all crimes, but we want to have all the necessary tools that we can to try and solve crimes if and when they do occur here in town.” The Flock Safety ALPR Camera program works by alert-
Ex-Army contractor, accused of leaking classified information, to be released to home detention “(Williams’ disclosures put) our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk.” FBI official
The woman is accused of sharing Delta Force secrets with an author By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press RALEIGH — An Army veteran accused of revealing classified information about an elite commando unit — members’ names, tactics and a unit alias among them — to a journalist and on social media will be released awaiting a possible trial, a judge ruled Monday. Courtney Williams, 40, who is charged with four counts of communicating and disclosing national defense
information about a “special military unit” at Fort Bragg, after working for it as a civilian, appeared in federal court in Raleigh. U.S. Magistrate Judge Brian Meyers agreed to release Williams, who was arrested last week and wore a striped jumpsuit in court, under home detention and location monitoring. She’s barred from having contact with the media or using social media, Meyers said. Williams’ attorney, Christian Dysart, declined to comment after the hearing, which came more than a week after a See ARREST, page A7
that we’re requesting,” said Chief Finance Officer Brittany Smith. “It’s a continuation budget on top of an additional ask.” The additional funding will go toward supporting instruction, staffing, student services and district operations; facility, infrastructure and operational See SCHOOLS, page A10
ing departments when a license plate that is connected to a vehicle of someone who has committed a crime or a missing person is captured by a camera connected to the system. The town currently has nine Flock cameras, and according to Johnson, the locations for the cameras were chosen specifically due to the frequency of break-ins and reported crimes in those areas. A lot of citizens have brought up privacy concerns in relation to the cameras; however, See CAMERAS, page A7