VOLUME 149 ISSUE 17 | THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2026
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
JOHN LOCHER / AP PHOTO
Hurricane Stanley The Carolina Hurricanes clinched their first Stanley Cup in 20 years with a 3-0 Game 6 shutout in Las Vegas on Sunday, capping-off a dominant 16-3 playoff run. For much more, turn to NSJ Sports.
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BRIEF this week
8 dead in B-52 bomber crash at U.S. Air Force base in California Los Angeles The U.S. Air Force says eight people aboard a B-52 bomber that crashed shortly after takeoff at a military base in Southern California’s Mojave Desert are dead. Officials said Monday that emergency crews responded after the aircraft went down around 11:20 a.m. at Edwards Air Force Base north of Los Angeles. The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range bomber that entered service in 1955. Designed to carry both conventional and nuclear weapons, it has been used in countless conflicts from Vietnam to Iran.
Newsom says Trump’s DOJ investigating him, his wife Sacramento, Calif. Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom says the Justice Department is investigating him and his wife, accusing the Trump administration of targeting him for political purposes as he weighs a presidential bid. The full scope of any investigations related to Newsom was not immediately clear. Newsom said in a video posted Monday on X that federal agents in recent days have knocked on the doors of his friends and former employees, and have asked for records. A person familiar with the matter confirmed there are multiple federal investigations into people around Newsom, including one related to his wife’s taxes.
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Pittsboro commisioners approve relocation of dedicated parkland The town is owed property as part of the agreements with the Chatham Park developers By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Town of Pittsboro Board of Commissioners continues to work toward incorporating
new areas of green space. At its June 8 meeting, the board first approved the relocation of some of the dedicated parkland associated with the Chatham Park South Village development.
The original 20 acres of parkland that was promised to the town was located along Hanks Chapel Road, but that offer was rescinded due to it not fitting with how the development plan is currently laid out. “We feel we are quite happy to have to have it moved,” said Town Manager Jonathan Franklin. “This is one of our
least favorite park locations in the South Village due to its topography.” The board was presented with three different options for the relocation, with it ultimately choosing a site off of Charlie Brooks Road containing around 28 acres of land. See LAND, page A7
Authorities say they disrupted planned drone, gun attack on White House UFC cage-fighting show The suspects shared anti-government ideology and conspiracy theories about the Epstein case By Eric Tucker The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Law enforcement officials dis-
rupted a planned attack targeting President Donald Trump’s UFC cage-fighting show at the White House this past weekend, according to court papers un-
sealed Tuesday that say plotters who harbored fringe conspiracy theories spoke of flying explosives-laden drones and shooting panicked crowd members as they fled. Investigators recovered highpowered firearms from several of the suspects and reviewed en-
Too sick to work, but can they prove it? New Medicaid rule worries patients “States are going to be asked to make a determination using information that doesn’t exist in their systems.” Kinda Serafi, Manatt Health
States must verify medical frailty using documentation that doesn’t actually exist in their systems By Ali Swenson The Associated Press NEW YORK — On hot afternoons, DeAnna Brandon’s three dogs zag around while she splashes in a backyard kiddie pool with her grandkids. These are the moments the 48-year-old blood cancer survivor cherishes — and wonders if she will get
to have in the years to come. Brandon, who lives in Rockwell in Rowan County, is worried that new Medicaid work requirements starting next year could jeopardize her health coverage. She had expected to qualify for a medical frailty exemption, but new guidance introduced by President Donald Trump’s administration last week has thrown that into question. The interim final rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services means being sick with extreme exhaustion and memory See MEDICAID, page A2
crypted text messages between roughly 20 participants who shared detailed maps and aerial photographs of the area and discussed the need for a “safe house” and escape routes after the intended attack, the docuSee UFC, page A7