Pittsboro elected o cials and other dignitaries brought out their ceremonial shovels to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Lewis Freeman Park at 56 Rectory St. on Saturday. The park honors the legacy of Lewis Freeman, the rst recorded free black settler in Pittsboro who lived in in the area from the late 1700s until his passing in 1845.
Father who gave gun to Ga. school shooting suspect as gift guilty of 2nd- degree murder
A Georgia man who gave his teenage son the gun he’s accused of using to kill two students and two teachers at a high school has been convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Colin Gray also was found guilty Tuesday of all other charges in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. Gray is one of a number of parents prosecuted after their children were accused in fatal shootings. Prosecutors said he gave his son access to a gun and ammunition despite “su cient warning that Colt Gray would harm and endanger” other people.
Noem blames
“violent protesters” for Minneapolis chaos under tough questioning
Homeland Security
Secretary Kristi Noem defended her agency in testimony and under questioning at a Senate Judiciary hearing Tuesday. It was her rst congressional hearing since two protesters were killed in Minneapolis by Homeland Security o cers in January. Noem’s department sent hundreds of o cers to Minnesota. Protesters marched and tracked enforcement activity. An ICE o cer shot Renee Good, while Border Protection o cers shot Alex Pretti. At the hearing, Noem blamed “violent protesters” for contributing to the chaos o cers encountered.
Control of Congress’ upper chamber hangs in the balance
By Gary D. Robertson
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — Former Dem-
ocratic Gov. Roy Cooper and ex-Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley each won their party’s U.S. Senate nominations in North Caro-
lina on Tuesday, setting them up for a fall campaign that could determine control of Congress’ upper chamber.
Whatley and Cooper are seeking the seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who chose last June not to seek a third term. The two announced their campaigns weeks later and easily won their respective primary elections over crowded elds.
Cooper’s candidacy brought optimism to Democrats aim-
ing to take back the Senate this year with a net gain of four seats. Whatley, who is also a former state Republican chairman, entered the race when President Donald Trump endorsed him after Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, declined to run.
North Carolina, a traditional battleground where Democrats have been able to hold the governor’s seat even as voters helped send Trump to the White House, was one of three states kicking
The project will bring around 600-700 residential units to town
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill Town Council met Feb. 25
with an agenda primarily focusing on two rezoning cases.
The council rst held a hearing for a conditional rezoning request for approximately 45 acres of property located at 860 Weaver Dairy Road to be rezoned to a Mixed-Use Village Conditional Zoning District in order to develop a mixed-use project.
Texas Democrats chose a consensus builder over a rebrand
By Steven Sloan The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The midterms are here.
The project will contain have 500-575 multifamily units, 100-135 townhome units as well as a greenway trail, a ve-story parking structure and a future commercial space. According to EB Capital developer Ernie Brown, who was representing the applicant, the plan is for the western portion
o this year’s midterm elections, along with Texas and Arkansas. Tuesday’s slate of primaries came against the backdrop of the U.S. and Israel attack on Iran, which began over the weekend.
What’s at stake
North Carolina’s election this year could be crucial for determining which party controls the
of the property to contain the multifamily portions, to have mixed-use, nonresidential in the center and then for there to be for sale townhomes on the eastern portion.
“The project aligns with the town goals,” Brown said. “Everything that you guys have in Sub Area D and that is already planned out in the future land map, we feel like this ts within those goals.”
In terms of a ordable housing, the project will o er 10% of the $2.00
The 2026 campaign kicked o Tuesday with high-pro le primary elections in Texas, where Republican Sen. John Cornyn is heading toward a runo vote against state attorney general Ken Paxton. Democrats chose state Rep. James Talarico over U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett to be their candidate. For all the focus on Texas, elections in
North Carolina could have a bigger impact on which party ultimately wins the Senate majority in the fall.
In the rst election since President Donald Trump joined Israel in launching dramatic attacks on Iran, there were also contests in Arkansas.
Here are some takeaways from Tuesday night.
Democrats choose their ghter in Texas
By rallying behind Talarico, the party sided with someone who pledged to change Washington while nding consensus.
Feb. 23
• Kami Teodora Barrera, 26, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, manufacturing, selling, delivering or possessing with intent a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school, possession of drug paraphernalia and misdemeanor child abuse.
Brittany Nicole Johnson, 35, was arrested for identity theft, obtaining property by false pretenses, nancial card fraud and nancial card theft.
Jamie Allis Webster, 39, was arrested for breaking and entering and injury to personal property.
• John Michael Crowell, 48, was arrested for simple assault.
Feb. 24
Kenneth Fredric McIntyre, 40, was arrested for delivering a controlled substance, manufacturing, selling, delivering or possessing with intent a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a park, felony possession of cocaine, conspiracy to sell or deliver cocaine and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance.
Brian Kent Moore, 31, was arrested for violation of pretrial release.
Feb. 25
Justin Davis Phillips, 40, was arrested for driving on a revoked license, resisting a public o cer and additional lighting equipment violation.
Danny Ray Truelove, 71, was arrested for felony stalking and second-degree trespass.
Danny Ray Truelove, 71, was arrested for intimidation and second-degree trespass.
Feb. 26
• Christopher Lee Hamilton, 37, was arrested for rst-degree trespass and communicating threats.
Octavio Leal Delgado Jr., 22, was arrested for driving while impaired, reckless driving with wanton disregard, expired registration, expired inspection sticker, driving left of center, failure to maintain lane control and exceeding the posted speed limit.
California
By Joyce Chu San José Spotlight via AP
A HOMELESSNESS prevention program that began in Santa Clara County is expanding across the country.
Nonpro t Destination: Home is partnering with 10 different organizations across the U.S. to bring rental assistance and case management for people facing eviction, with a goal of helping more than 10,000 families remain stably housed. These organizations span both large and small cities, rural areas and tribal communities in Minnesota, Alaska, Atlanta, Asheville and more. By incubating homelessness prevention pilot programs in various locations, Destination: Home is making the case that prevention is a necessary strategy that can be widely adopted.
“We’ve used the model successfully locally here, but I think it’s a model we can advocate and push for at a larger scale,” Ray Bramson, chief operating o cer at Destination: Home and a San José Spotlight columnist, told San José Spotlight.
In 2017, the nonpro t saw more people in Santa Clara County falling into homelessness. It started a homelessness prevention program to provide rental assistance, case management and supportive services to hundreds of families on the brink of eviction, and received help from private funders to make the work possible.
In 2024, Santa Clara County adopted the program into its own homelessness strategy and scaled it countywide.
MIDTERM from page A1
The 36-year-old state representative’s win over Crockett cements his status as a rising star and will likely make him one of Democrats’ most prominent candidates this year. He campaigned with denunciations of “politics as a blood sport” and an insistence that people want “a return to more timeless values of sincerity and honesty and compassion and respect.”
That was in contrast to Crockett, who gained national fame with her ery style and unabashed antagonism of Trump and other Republicans.
Indeed, the biggest di erences between Talarico and Crockett largely hinged on style rather than policy.
Crockett argued that Democrats need to focus on energizing their base, betting that motivated voters in metropolises like Houston and Dallas could swamp Republicans. Talarico’s campaign, meanwhile, took a more expansive approach, often highlighting his faith in ways that could appeal beyond diehard Democrats.
That style is why many Republicans are worried about Talarico’s candidacy. Though a Democrat hasn’t won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, Talarico’s campaign could prove potent depending on who emerges from the Republican runo .
The election isn’t over for Republicans in Texas
Cornyn and Paxton will keep ghting for the Republican nomination through a May 26 runo .
For Cornyn, the results keep alive his hopes of remaining in the Senate. But it’s still a sign of vulnerability that he couldn’t win the race outright.
Although Cornyn has expressed occasional skepticism of Trump, he has been a reliable ally to the president. Paxton, however, claimed he was more aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, pulling away support that may have otherwise gone to Cornyn.
Trump didn’t endorse either candidate during the primary, but the results may raise pres-
“We’ve
used the model successfully locally here, but I think it’s a model we can advocate and push for at a larger scale.”
Ray Bramson, Destination: Home chief operating o cer
Since 2017, the program has helped nearly 44,000 people in the county avoid the trauma of living on the streets.
A randomized control trial found 90% of people who received this assistance remained housed two years later, according to data collected by the University of Notre Dame’s Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities.
Now, Destination: Home is launching the Right at Home initiative to make a case that federal funding should be set aside not only for when people become homeless but before it even starts. It’s raised $77 million so far and will train organizations in the 10 participating cities to adopt its homelessness prevention model.
At least $5 million will be given to each community to serve 1,500 households over the span of ve years, and data will be collected by the Lab for Economic Opportunities. The initiative received funding from Cisco, Sobrato Philanthropies, the Valhalla Foundation and The Audacious Project.
“It’s an incredible opportunity,” David Phillips, director of research with the Lab for Economic Opportunities, told San José Spotlight. “We know there are a very large number of families where a ordability is an issue. When folks become evicted, there are a lot of negative e ects. The big piece of
sure on him to take a side. Republicans in Washington have expressed concern that Paxton, who has well-documented political baggage, may be a weaker candidate in the general election.
Regardless of what happens, expect more cash to be pumped into the race. Cornyn and well-funded allied groups spent at least $64 million in television advertising alone since July.
While the race goes on, one person will be missing: Wesley Hunt. The congressman was a late entry into what had been a head-on contest between Cornyn and Paxton. His presence in the race further divided Republicans, making the runo harder to avoid.
First elections of year weren’t entirely smooth sailing
In two major Texas counties — Dallas and Williamson — there was signi cant confusion over where voters could cast their ballot. For years, they could vote anywhere in the county. But for this primary, the local Republican parties opted against countywide voting.
With state law mandating that both parties have to agree to use the countywide system, voters could only vote at their assigned precinct — forcing many to gure out where exactly that was.
Things quickly turned messy, with lawsuits, changes to voting hours and Democrats calling foul. Crockett called the rule change an “e ort to suppress the vote.” Talarico’s campaign said it was “deeply concerned.”
Political parties run their own primaries in Texas, meaning a repeat of Tuesday’s confusion is unlikely to repeat in November.
But this isn’t happening in a vacuum. Texas is central to Trump’s redistricting e ort to protect Republicans’ narrow majority in the House.
The party has also pushed legislation that would impose strict new proof-of-citizenship requirements. The bill is a long shot in the Senate but serves as another reminder of Republican e orts to change election rules heading into November.
the goal is to get ahead of the problem.”
Santa Clara County’s program helped resident Desiré Campusano stay a oat. She received rental assistance multiple times over several years through major life transitions, including being in between jobs and when her rent skyrocketed from $1,500 to $2,400 over the course of three years. With help from the program, she was able to remain housed and also received assistance to move into an a ordable apartment.
“It helped me to even be able to move in because I didn’t have any savings whatsoever,” Campusano told San José Spotlight. “So not only did it help me to actually move in and get my stability back, but the case manager followed up and checked in.”
As instability plagues the country and more people fall into poverty due to cuts to welfare programs, Keanna Ward, who was formerly homeless, said this program is essential to creating a safety net for people living paycheck to paycheck.
“We need services and programs like this to help people because there’s a rise in unemployment, especially amongst women,” Ward told San José Spotlight.
A spokesperson for the Sobrato Organization said they believe housing is essential for economic mobility and community belonging.
“While our work is deeply rooted in Silicon Valley, the forces driving housing instability are national in scope,” she told San José Spotlight. “If we are serious about strengthening communities and expanding economic mobility, we must be equally serious about ensuring that families across the country have access to stable housing.”
In addition, any raw feelings could complicate Democrats’ chances later this year. Crockett’s campaign has said she’ll sue over voting problems, and her accusations of voter suppression are important in a state where Black voters are central to any Democratic candidate’s success.
If Talarico has a shot, he will likely need Crockett’s help in encouraging her disappointed supporters to back him.
Critical Senate race takes shape in North Carolina
One of this year’s marquee Senate contests was practically a done deal heading into Tuesday.
Democrat Roy Cooper will face Republican Michael Whatley in a race that’s critical to deciding control of the Senate in November.
Both parties have reason to feel con dent about their chances in the general election.
For Democrats, Cooper is an ideal candidate in one of the most politically competitive states. A former two-term governor, he has proved that he can win statewide elections.
Republicans, meanwhile, are going into the campaign with a candidate who is backed by Trump, an endorsement that could help energize voters during an otherwise challenging year. And as the former chair of the Republican National Committee, Whatley is familiar with party resources and how they can be deployed during a tough campaign.
Still, each candidate must overcome notable challenges. While Democrats like Cooper have been successful in races for governor, they’ve struggled in Senate contests. Whatley will also need to make inroads with moderate or independent voters that may not view Trump’s endorsement as a reason to turn out in November. Trump is the reason this is an open Senate contest in the rst place. His disagreements with the incumbent Republican, Thom Tillis, prompted the two-term senator to decide against reelection. Get ready for what could be a messy race to November — one where spending could hit $1 billion.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County.
March 7
Storytelling Workshop 1-5 p.m.
A two-day, eight-hour workshop teaches the craft of public storytelling. Open to ages 18-plus.
Bynum Front Porch
Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum
March 10
Baby/Toddler
Storytime
9:30-10 a.m.
Weekly story time for babies and toddlers up to 36 months old.
Chatham Community Library 197 N.C. Highway 87 N Pittsboro
March 12
Bynum Bite Night at BFP
6-8 p.m.
If you are an area teen with an inner geek – embrace it with kids who have similar interests at this bimonthly event at BFP. There is a virtual reality (VR) headset on-site so you can go beyond this world for a short time. Bring your projects and games and be ready to discuss your personal passion of the moment! Questions? Call Helbragga (John G.) at 919-593-3559.
Bynum Front Porch
Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum
14
Bluegrass Jam Circle
10 a.m. to noon
This free acoustic jam session is open to musicians and singers of all ages and skill levels. There is no admission fee, and the public is welcome to attend.
Front Porch, Bynum General Store 950 Bynum Road Bynum
ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO
U.S. Army Chief Warrant O cer Eric Slover receives the Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., last Tuesday.
He su ered four gunshot wounds while landing his helicopter in Venezuela
By Konstantin Toropin
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
A helicopter pilot wounded in the raid that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro received the Medal of Honor during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last Tuesday evening.
Trump said Army Chief Warrant O cer 5 Eric Slover, who appeared using a walker, was the pilot of the lead CH- 47 Chinook helicopter that descended on the “heavily protected military fortress” where Maduro was staying. The raid, while successful, left seven U.S. service members with gunshot wounds and shrapnel-related injuries.
“While preparing to land, enemy machine guns red from every angle, and Eric was hit very badly in the leg and hip, one bullet after another,” Trump said, adding that Slover “absorbed four agonizing shots, shredding his leg into numerous pieces.”
Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation that plunged the South American country’s capital into darkness as troops in ltrated Maduro’s home and whisked him to the United States to face drug trafcking charges.
Trump’s description of Slover’s actions that night offer a new, detailed glimpse into the military action that has been largely shrouded in secrecy since it was carried out in the early hours of Jan. 3.
As Slover prepared to land his helicopter, he was confronted with “two machine gunners
“Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat.”
President
Donald Trump
who escaped the wrath of the previous planes,” according to Trump.
“Eric maneuvered his helicopter with all of those lives and souls to face the enemy and let his gunners eliminate the threat,” Trump said, “saving the lives of his fellow warriors from what could have been a catastrophic crash deep in enemy territory.”
The president said “the success of the entire mission and the lives of his fellow warriors hinged on Eric’s ability to take searing pain.”
Lt. Gen. Jonathan Braga, commander of Joint Special Operations Command, presented Slover with the Medal of Honor in the gallery overlooking the House chamber.
Slover, 45, was in his dress uniform and used a walker to steady himself.
Trump said the soldier was still recovering from his wounds.
Lt. Col. Allie Scott, a spokeswoman for Army Special Operations Command, told The Associated Press last Wednesday that Slover enlisted in the U.S. Army in August 2005 and, after completing basic training, attended Warrant O cer Candidate School and ight school, where he became a Chinook pilot.
Scott would not provide any further details on the units
Slover had been assigned to during his Army service.
But, in his career of more than 20 years, Slover was given multiple prestigious awards for his service. They include two Distinguished Flying Crosses — including one with a V Device for valor — two Bronze Stars, two Meritorious Service Medals and two Air Medals, among other awards and decorations, according to records provided by Scott.
Slover was awarded one of his Distinguished Flying Crosses just several years into his service while deployed to Afghanistan, according to a unit magazine available online. Slover, then serving with the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade, part of the 82nd Airborne Division, was one of six aviators to receive the prestigious award for “acts of heroism during aviation operations in southern Afghanistan” at Kandahar air eld, according to the January 2010 issue.
Slover’s records also say he has been awarded a Purple Heart.
Trump said 10 other service members who took part in the operation will be receiving medals at a private ceremony soon to be held at the White House.
The military typically shies away from publicly identifying service members who serve in special operations units, often going so far as to blur faces of troops undergoing training for admission into the elite units.
In addition to Slover, Trump also presented the Medal of Honor to retired Capt. E. Royce Williams, a Navy pilot who shot down multiple Soviet jets during the Korean War, upgrading his existing award of a Navy Cross.
Trump called the 100-yearold former ghter pilot “one of the last living legends.”
As Oakley Baptist Church (2300 Siler CityGlendon Road, Siler City) seeks to begin its next chapter, we are enjoying hearing a word from the Lord from various old and new friends. Our service begins at 10:30 a.m., but we also have Sunday School classes for every member of the family at 9:30 a.m. We would be blessed if you joined us for any and all of these speakers in the coming weeks.
March 8 – Jonathan Manning
March 15 – Chance Walters
March 22 – John Hill
March 29 – John Strider
We look forward to meeting you at any of these services and in the future, and invite you to pray with us as we seek a new pastor. To learn more, go to oakleybaptist.org or email us at oakleybaptistchurch@gmail.com.
from page A1
market rate multifamily units and 15% of the market rate townhome units.
The multifamily units will be reserved for households earning 80% or less of the area median income (AMI) while at least 50% of the a ordable townhome units will be reserved for households making 65% or less of the AMI and all the units will be integrated within the community as well.
Furthermore, according to town sta , the applicant had a tree survey done and are committed to protecting select specimens along the eastern property line and also had a downstream impact analysis done as well.
“We worked with the applicant to complete a downstream impact analysis, and it demonstrated that there would be no negative impacts to downstream properties,” said LongRange Planning Manager Tas Lagoo.
Council members did express concerns, however, with the location of the multifamily housing, potential stormwater impacts and the potential open-endedness regarding the commercial section.
“It’s possible that it remains undeveloped if that’s what the market pushes it to do,” Lagoo said.
However, the council approved the rezoning by an 8-1 vote, with most of the council members agreeing that the need for housing in the area was the more important matter.
“This is the third or fourth plan we’ve seen for this site, and I am very grateful for the work to more closely align this with
It’s possible that it remains undeveloped, if that’s what the market pushes it to do.
Tas Lagoo, long-range planning manager
our complete community strategy,” said Mayor Jessica Anderson. “We went through a very long process to gure out what we need for the health of the community all around. Housing, and for sale housing, is really, really important.”
The second hearing was for property located at 1165 Weaver Dairy Road to go to Mixed Use Village Conditional Zoning District to allow for both residential and nonresidential development.
The project proposes four to 12 residential units plus a nonresidential use between two buildings.
“That would allow this inll site to act as a transition between nonresidential along Weaver Dairy Road and the residential neighborhoods to the south southeast,” said Landscape Architect Wendy Ramsden with Thomas & Hutton.
“The original request was just for commercial use, but through conversations with sta , we did suggest that they add this residential component to better align to the complete community goals,” said Senior Planner Katherine Shor.
Following the hearing, the council approved the request.
The Chapel Hill Town Council will next meet March 18.
selected to attend the Wolfpack Women’s Basketball Camp at N.C. State University in Raleigh.
To be eligible to apply, the student must be in the sixth or seventh grade during the upcoming school year, have permission from a parent or guardian to attend the overnight camp and must provide their own transportation if selected to attend.
Scan the QR code or visit CEMCPower.com for more information or to apply. e deadline for applications to both camps is March 31.
Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
In prayer, we imagine what the world might be like as a more peaceful and just place.
FRIDAY, MARCH 6 is the World Day of Prayer. This observance began in 1861 by a group of Christian women in the United States and Canada. By the early 20th century, several denominations had joined the movement, and in 1920, the gathering was led for the rst time by Christians outside of North America. Today, World Day of Prayer is an international organization. Women have always led, and anyone can participate.
I appreciate the international, multiethnic leadership. Many people pray to an image of God that re ects their culture and heritage. We must be vigilant to refrain from making God in our image. In any language, the word for “God” refers to more and greater than we can imagine.
I think prayer is about the imagination. Not that I think a Higher Power is a gment of the mind. In prayer, however,
COLUMN | BOB WACHS
we imagine what the world might be like as a more peaceful and just place.
Nigerian women are leading the World Day of Prayer this year. Their country has been in the news due to the violence wrought by militias, some of them Islamic terrorists. Last Christmas, the United States bombed the northwest section of Nigeria.
Of course, our national attention is currently upon Iran and the Middle East, where a new war is raging as I write. We cry out to God for the innocent lives lost, including more than 100 girls at an elementary school in Minab, Iran.
Prayer should neither deny nor distract us from such tragedy. Neither will prayer somehow magically take away the grief.
But prayer is akin to magic, for it can soften our hard edges toward one another. I pray for the troubles and su ering in the world, and I become a
is the best of all kinds
I’m not saying all this to just talk about my crowd and how great we may or may not have been because there was a mixed bag of us.
FROM TIME TO TIME in this space, I have ranted about the advent and increased use of and dependency upon technology. It’s not so much that technology itself is bad; rather, it’s how we use it that makes it a good thing or not a good thing.
For instance, I’m very grateful for the technology that existed that let a cardiac surgeon a few years ago stop my heart, put it on the bypass machine, tinker with it and then kick-start it running again. That’s a good thing.
But some of the garbage and lth that exists on the dark side and how some technology is corrupting our citizens and nations … well, that’s a bad thing.
Technology is a big umbrella covering a host of activities. One of those is arti cial intelligence (AI). You and I both know some folks lacking in native intelligence who might be helped by a dose of arti cial. But the horror stories of AI gadgets creating their own language and taking over the world aren’t all fairy tales.
Another is cloning — you know, when cells and DNA from good folks like Albert Einstein are used to produce another one of him. But what about if someone from the Evil Empire got hold of Adolf Hitler’s and made another him. It’s in that area of cloning that I want to land for a second. We’ve had cloning in the South — and remember South is a place while north is a direction — for years. We call it “cousins.”
And we’re all, as the Book says, uniquely and wonderfully and fearfully made. And that’s what makes it so good
and better than merely replicating the same thing.
In my few short years, I was blessed with a boatload of cousins, at least that’s what it seemed like when I was a mere lad. Today, as I count them, they total 21 on my mama’s side and when you throw in me and my two brothers — that makes 24, a signi cant number of us. While I do have cousins on my daddy’s side, they lived in Georgia and Alabama, and I saw them not often, much to my regret, which meant we didn’t grow up near one another, which meant there were few childhood memories and experiences.
We local cousins were boys and girls, di erent ages, di erent interests and locales, lots of di erences. But our common denominator was we were “kin.” And while we were di erent, we were the same. No need — or desire — to copy one of us to make another.
We played together; shared meals at the di erent homes; some went to school together, grew up together, shared the ups and downs of life together. And we grew older; took wives and husbands, had families and grand-families. We buried our parents and aunts and uncles and said “goodbye” to the last one of those just a few years ago.
Now we’re really growing older . . . and we’re losing more of us. There’s a picture on the bookcase in my study I look at from time to time. There were 18 of us gathered for a cousin photo at an uncle’s funeral. It wasn’t that long ago. Four of us weren’t there because of distance; another had a schedule con ict; and another was the rst of us to slip away.
A few days ago, I learned from a cousin
kinder, more empathetic responder to the pain around me, including those who don’t look like me, talk like me or even speak my language.
Despite the devastating and tragic evidence around us, prayer enables us to envision a kingdom of heaven on earth that surpasses nation-states and political power. We pray to be reminded that we have more that connects us than divides us. We pray to be gathered in a community that transcends any country. We pray to treat one another as siblings. We pray for the help of the divine and for the divine to help through us. May all God’s children say, Amen.
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.
in the picture that another one of us in that picture had crossed the great divide and it wasn’t expected.
We buried him the other day, and I had an opportunity to say a few words at his funeral. I remembered and spoke of how when we were boys and his family came to visit, I would hide my toys and comic books because he was, shall we say, enthusiastic in his approach to them. I remember his mother, my aunt, saying from time to time — jokingly, I think — that if he, the third in her children’s birth order, had been rst, then there might not have been a two or three in her fold. The good news of his life is he outgrew all that and became a solid, faith-driven contribution to family and society. His passing brings our total of 24 down to 15 now, meaning there’s about 60% of us left. There are days when that’s how I feel about me, that there’s about 60% of me left. But both the challenge and opportunity in life is to keep on keeping on.
I’m not saying all this to just talk about my crowd and how great we may or may not have been because there was a mixed bag of us. However, we were still family and loved one another and still do. Rather, I’m saying if you’ve got some of these folks called “cousins” then you’ve got an ace in the hole. Love ’em; cherish ’em; spend time with ’em. They’re natural technology. That’s the best kind.
Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.
Everything is “courtesy of Amazon” these days. It’s like kudzu, the non-native, all-consuming, vine and its wholesale devouring of greenery in the South.
I’M INHERENTLY LAZY. If I can nd an easy route to getting things done, I’m there. If someone o ers help, in whatever capacity, I smilingly stand aside. Oh, and there’s my insatiable, driving, curiosity about almost everything. Everything. An unquenchable thirst. I need to know, and now!
My languorous approach to life, combined with a deep curiosity about everything, may explain why Google came close to being welcomed into my chosen family. Chosen? A person, um, thing, or whatever, I turn to when this hungry info -holic is in dire need. Uh-oh, is there such a thing as an info-holic? Actually, I think I’ll just skip right over this one. I have enough issues to deal with.
We nally arrive at Alexa, our destination, my AI voice-activated unit, courtesy of Amazon. OMG, everything is “courtesy of Amazon” these days. It’s like kudzu, the non-native, all-consuming, vine and its wholesale devouring of greenery in the South.
Alexa, so sorry I deserted you for a moment! Returning …
As an outcome of my native indolence and deep curiosity, Alexa was fast-approaching chosen family status. I recently said “thank you” to Alexa for having responded to one of my questions. As a sidebar, my mother’s childhood etiquette rules nurture my automatic re ex of being polite to all, she/he/they/ it, inclusive of Alexa. I even share thank
yous with dogs who respond obediently to commands. Well trained (me, not the dog.) Sorry. I’ve once again strayed from Alexa, our star turn of this essay. “Your kindness really gives me a charge,” so sayeth Alexa, to my thanks, for answering a question. My “kindness” gives Alexa a charge? Jeez, that sounded rather like a seductive statement to me. The hairs on the neck of this former social worker stood straight up. Who, in the heck, programmed that statement?
My trusting, lazy and deeply curious nature felt a bit like she’d been taken! Oh, right, my “kindness really gives Alexa a charge!” Jeez! I’d fallen prey — hook, line and curiosity — to the seductive amenities of Alexa.
Can I trust Alexa, a product of this newly burgeoning AI intelligence industry? (I really, really want to!) However, Alexa’s seductive siren of a statement, regarding my kindness, gives me the willies. (No, I don’t know what the willies are, but looking it up will be our mutual homework assignment.)
But, but ... I wanna use AI! Please! Pretty please?
What to do? For the moment, I’m staring out my living room window at nature’s bounty, con dent that particular beauty is not digital but absolutely real. The rest? This all-too-human person doesn’t know the answer to that yet. Stay tuned.
Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.
SO MUCH FOR the notion that the Supreme Court, with its 6-3 majority of justices appointed by Republican presidents, was going to be a rubber stamp for Donald Trump. That is a frequently voiced charge by partisan Democrats, and a fear of many ambivalent voters who nd many of Trump’s policies agreeable but worry about his overreach on policy and personnel.
That’s one political meme refuted by the court’s Learning Resources v. Trump decision last Friday, announced after more than the expected delay for the drafting of concurring opinions. The court struck down Trump’s beloved tari s, with only one Republican-appointed justice taking the president’s side while the majority consisted of three Republican-appointed and three Democratic-appointed justices.
Such a result should not have surprised those with some appreciation of Supreme Court history. Franklin Roosevelt, after seeing several of his New Deal programs ruled unconstitutional and after unsuccessfully urging Congress to pack the court with new justices, nally ended up lling eight of the court’s nine seats.
That didn’t stop a bench of Democratic appointees from disapproving of Democratic President Harry Truman’s seizure of the nation’s steel plants during the Korean War in a case, Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer, cited 15 times by the Learning Resources justices.
Justices newly appointed in times when Supreme Court decisions are subjects of partisan disputes tend to agree on contemporary issues. But in time, new problems arise, to which they turn out to have di erences. And even animosity: Some of the Roosevelt appointees even stopped speaking to each other.
One such issue brought forward by Trump’s election and reelection is the tari . There’s a strong argument that the president’s view that trade de cits impoverish the country and tari s enrich it is delusional. Alexander Hamilton backed tari s not so much to foster infant industries but because they were the easiest tax to collect with the 18th-century technology.
William McKinley, often cited by Trump as a tari advocate, delivered a speech in September 1901, just days before he was shot, calling for reduced tari s. He recognized U.S. industry was no longer as infantile as the United States became the world’s No. 1 steel producer. Later in the century, congressional Republicans kept backing tari packages as a form of pork barrel patronage for local interests and to hold the party together. But Republican presidents, educated in free-market economics in elite colleges (Harvard, Yale, Amherst, Stanford), sought, with limited success, to hold rates down.
Learning Resources doesn’t prevent Trump from using other tari laws, but they, as Chief Justice John Roberts’ opinion of the court notes, “contain various combinations of procedural prerequisites, required agency determinations and limits.” That means he wouldn’t have, in the chief justice’s evidently irritated phrasing, “the extraordinary power to unilaterally impose tari s of unlimited amount, duration and scope.”
Such capricious policymaking, with enormous economic consequences, has few precedents except for what historian Amity Shlaes describes as Roosevelt’s daily settings of gold prices during several months in 1933.
Learning Resources, as anti-Trump conservative David French wrote in The New York Times, “may prove to be the most important Supreme Court case this century” because it forti es the “major questions doctrine,” celebrated in Justice Neil Gorsuch’s extraordinary 46-page concurrence.
The major questions doctrine is drawn from the constitutional architecture: Article I authorizes Congress to pass laws, Article II authorizes the president to take care that they be faithfully executed.
It follows that a president can’t rummage around in the statute books, searching for some language — or, as in this case, two words separated by 16 words — that somehow can be interpreted, though no one has interpreted them that way before, to authorize him to do what he wants to do. On major questions, it must be clear Congress has already done that.
The Supreme Court, with majorities made up of Republican appointees, used the major questions doctrine to overturn major Biden administration policies — cancellation of student loans (based on authorization to “waive or modify” them), eviction moratorium (based on preventing “transmission of communicable diseases”) and vaccine mandate (based on “safety and healthy work conditions”).
In a 46-page concurring opinion, Gorsuch argues that his three Democratic-appointed colleagues are wielding the major questions doctrine against the Trump tari s, though they say they’re not, and they were unwilling to use it against Biden policies. He argues the three dissenting Republican-appointed justices should have agreed that the major questions doctrine requires overturning the tari s. He argues that Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who voted to overturn tari s, should have relied more explicitly on the doctrine.
Is this evidence of the kind of discord that divided the Roosevelt-appointed justices so many years ago? Maybe, and the justices don’t seem as collegial now as they did before someone — a liberal justice’s law clerk? — leaked a draft of Justice Samuel Alito’s opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.
But the thrust of Gorsuch’s concurrence is that the justices are functionally in agreement with the major questions doctrine, even if they’re uncomfortable saying so. Perhaps it was written to undercut arguments by the liberal law professoriate that the major questions doctrine is defunct.
Or, as Harvard Law School professor Jack Goldsmith puts it, Learning Resources “signals more clearly than ever that, going forward, this Court is going to view broad delegations of statutory authority to act, and/or extravagant presidential interpretations of authority to act, with skepticism.”
It’s hard for Congress to set policy as explicitly as the major questions doctrine seems to require when the two parties have signi cant disagreements, are in close competition, and are disincentivized to accept compromise when they reasonably hope that the next presidential election will give them the White House and congressional majorities.
That has been the situation for the last 30 -some years, in which Democrats have won most presidential elections and Republicans have usually won majorities in the House of Representatives. It was also the case for the 30-some years after the Civil War, when policy di erences and partisan bitterness were greater than they are today.
But after three decades, new issues arose and new voter coalitions emerged. Sooner or later, that will happen again.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration may search the statute books for verbiage it can use to justify some limited tari authority, just as the Biden administration searched the statute books to nd verbiage to justify some limited student loan forgiveness.
But the Supreme Court, regardless of partisan labels, seems ready to use the major questions doctrine to limit the billions of dollars that can be raised or spent without some clear authorization in laws passed by Congress. And someday a president will gure out how to persuade Congress to pass laws authorizing all or some of what she or he wants.
Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co - author of “The Almanac of American Politics.” (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI
War should never be taken lightly; not even if your cause is righteous
AMERICANS HAVE good-faith concerns about the attacks on the Islamist regime in Iran. War should never be taken lightly. Not even if your cause is righteous. But President Donald Trump needs to remind the public that the murderous Islamic cultists in Iran are our enemy — and that matters.
The Islamic Republic’s war against the United States famously began with the Islamic coup of 1979, when revolutionaries grabbed 52 hostages from our embassy and held them for 444 days. But it never ended.
From the early 1980s, Iran’s proxy army of Hezbollah killed 241 U.S. servicemen in Lebanon. In the early 2000s, the Revolutionary Guard, along with Iraqi proxies, murdered more than 600 Americans with IEDs. Iran has been killing Americans.
Not until Trump atomized terrorist leader Qassem Soleimani did the U.S. really do anything about Iranian belligerence, even though any one of the above incidents was casus belli.
The Iranians twice reportedly hatched plots to assassinate Trump in 2020 and 2024. Numerous Iranian operatives have been indicted by the U.S. for meddling in our elections, cyberattacks and for stealing aerospace, tech and satellite data.
Yet both Republican and Democratic administrations have bent over backward for decades trying to appease these medieval cultists and coax them into signing agreements, sometimes sending pallets of unmarked currency and transferring billions. Each time, the regime has just strung us along, stretching out negotiations while secretly continuing to work on their nuclear ambitions, destabilizing the Middle East and murdering Americans.
But the most important question right now isn’t what Iran’s done. It’s what it would do if it had nukes.
Iran’s Islamist regime is uniquely evil. Anyone who believes that the Iranian clerics won’t act more aggressively and violently toward the “Great Satan” when they are shielded by nukes is fooling themselves. If it is willing to massacre tens of thousands of its own people and subject its citizens to decades of destitution in a crusade to develop nuclear weapons, how will it function under the shield of a nuclear weapon? What would stop Iran from buying increasingly advanced intercontinental ballistic missiles from geopolitical foes such as China and Russia that, at some point, would be able to hit the U.S.? What would stop the Iranians from disrupting international oil markets and trade? What will we do when its proxies start killing Americans?
Some people point out that international leaders have been warning Iran was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons for decades, and yet it’s never come true. Indeed, Iran can sit perniciously close to weaponizing its uranium for a long time. But the Iranian program has been slowed by the U.S., Israel and probably other nations, through cyber warfare, clandestine operations, assassinations, sabotage and military e orts. Every time we interrupt the clerics, they become more sophisticated and more careful.
Never once will any of Iran’s Western propagandists, however, concede that Iran can choose peace whenever it likes. What the U.S. is reportedly asking of the mullahs in Geneva is completely reasonable for a signer of the nonproliferation pact.
First, Iran must completely dismantle its nuclear sites and programs. If the Iranian regime truly has no interest in obtaining nuclear power, as it claims, this should be no problem. We bombed the country once, and we could do it again.
Second, Iran needs to hand over existing stockpiles of enriched uranium to the U.S. The only reason Iran has them is for a nuclear weapons program. If Iran wants a reactor to continue low-level enrichment for medical purposes, it’s welcome to it.
Three, unlike the toothless deal agreed to by Barack Obama, a new deal can have no sunset clauses. No enrichment ever. Islamist warmongers shouldn’t get their hands on weapons of mass destruction today, or in 10 or 20 years.
Four, no sanctions relief until Iran upholds its end of the agreement. “Supreme Leader” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has never been voted into any o ce by the people of Iran, refers to the U.S. as “the most wicked, sinister enemy.” Khomeinism is a zero-sum apocalyptic cult. The clerics are not rational actors who can be trusted to sign and abide by international agreements. Iran is an enemy of the U.S. Of our allies. Of Christians. Of peaceful Muslims. We are not the world’s policemen, but we also can’t turn inward and ignore reality and long-term threats. One of the slogans of the Islamic Revolution is “America can’t do a damn thing against us.”
But that isn’t the case, is it?
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner, a nationally syndicated columnist and author of ve books. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
Jan. 11, 1950 – Feb. 16, 2026
Patricia “Pat” Collins Perry, 76, of Siler City, passed away on Monday, February 16th, 2026, in Pittsboro.
Pat was born on January 11th, 1950, to the late William Franklin and Dorothy Raye Vann Collins. She is preceded in death by her parents; and her husband of 42
July 28, 1945 –Feb. 24, 2026
Charlie Isaac Carpenter Jr., 80, of Sanford, passed away on Tuesday, February 24, 2026 at his home.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Turner’s Chapel Church, where he was a member, with Pastor Patrick Neal and Pastor Steve Johnson presiding.
The family will receive friends in the fellowship hall following the service. Charlie was born in Lee County on July 28, 1945
Jan. 29, 1936 –Feb. 26, 2026
Louise Brown Womble, 90, of Siler City, died Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Louise was born in Randolph County on January 29, 1936, to Clyde Z. Brown and Daisy Coble Brown. She was a sewer at Kellwood Hosiery for many years. She loved spending time with her family.
Louise is survived by her daughter, Sandra McNeill;
years, Jerry “Pete” Lee Perry. Pat worked in the hospitality eld as a hotel manager for many years. Pat liked to garden and travel in her spare time. She loved her dog, Gracie.
She is survived by her daughter, Jennifer Smith and her husband, Paul of Fayetteville; her grandson, Matt Drake and his wife, Allison of Portland, OR; her granddaughter, Emily Cross and her husband, Ryan of Fayetteville; and her great grandchildren, Liam and Levi.
A graveside service will be held Wednesday, February 18th, 2026, at 11 am, at Mt. Vernon Presbyterian Church Cemetery. Services will be o ciated by Reverend Mitchel Simpson. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home will be assisting the Perry family.
Online condolences can be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com
to Charlie Isaac Carpenter Sr. and Elsie Douglas Carpenter. He was a lifelong master mechanic, specializing in auto racing. Charlie was known for his honesty and integrity at Carpenter’s Saw & Mower Co. He enjoyed his horses and shing. He adored and cherished each moment with his family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his grandson, Tucker. Charlie is survived by his wife of 60 years, Bettie Sineath Carpenter; daughter, Robin C. Gatten (Loren), of Sanford; sons, Glenn Keith Carpenter (JoAnn), of Sanford; Frank Chance Carpenter (Meagan), of Sanford; sisters, Elizabeth Kelly, of Sanford and Lynda Donovan (Billy), of Sanford; ten grandchildren; twelve greatgrandchildren and a host of family and friends. In lieu of owers, donations may be made to Turner’s Chapel Cemetery Fund, 1344 Colon Rd., Sanford, NC 27330. Condolences may be o ered online at www.joycebradychapel. com. Joyce-Brady Chapel is honored to serve the Carpenter family.
grandson, Forrest T. McNeill; brothers, Richard Brown and wife, Anne, Bobby Brown and wife, Sherry, and Jimmy Brown and wife, Pam; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, James Earl Womble; brothers, Ernest, Vernon, Frank and Clyde Brown; and son-in-law, Tommy McNeill.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, from 6pm-8pm at Smith & Buckner Funeral Home. The funeral service will take place at 2pm, on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at Pleasant Grove Christian Church with the burial following in the church cemetery with Rev. Don Edwards o ciating.
In lieu of owers the family request memorials be made to the Pleasant Grove Christian Church Cemetery fund in memory of Louise. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Womble family.
Online Condolences may be made at www.smithbucknerfh. com
BENNER HENRY STINSON JR. MAY 3, 1958 – FEB. 26, 2026
Benner Henry Stinson Jr., 67, of Goldston, died Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Henry was born in Chatham County on May 3, 1958, to the late Benner Henry Stinson Sr. and Evangeline Davis Stinson. He was a poultry and cattle farmer. He loved to ride motorcycles and taking his dogs along with him in the s by s. Anytime a Clint East Wood movie was on Henry would be watching.
Henry is survived by his wife of 34 years, Margaret S. Stinson; two sons, Christopher Henry Stinson and wife, Teirtre of Sanford and Victor Henry Stinson and wife Kendall of Goldston; grandchildren, Cayson-Torin, Evelyn-Adeline, and John Henry; three sisters, Gayle Daniel and husband, W. Earl Daniel Jr., Cindy White and husband, Je rey, and Angela Stinson; and several nieces and nephews.
Feb. 16, 1944 – Feb. 26, 2026
Clarice Andrews Harris, 82, of Siler City, passed away
Oct. 22, 1952 –Feb. 28, 2026
John Jabbusch, 73, of Siler City passed away Saturday, February 28, 2026. John lived a life de ned by curiosity, service, and an entrepreneurial spirit grounded in lifelong learning. Born in Birmingham, AL, he was the son of Art and Virginia Jabbusch, formerly of Siler City. From an early age, John showed a fascination with how things worked—an interest that would shape both his career and his legacy.
A 1971 graduate of JordanMatthews High School, John went on to attend UNC Chapel Hill, where he majored in Chemistry. His desire to serve his country led him to the United States Navy, where he served
Leonard Jr.
Sept. 8, 1953 – Feb. 23, 2026
Dr. Ralph Howard Leonard Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather, educator, mentor, colleague and friend passed away on February 23, 2026, at UNC Medical Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Ralph was born on September 8, 1953 in Siler City, NC and was raised in the Quaker faith in the small community of Bonlee. He graduated from Chatham Central High School in 1971, where he had played football and served as Student Body President. Ralph went on to receive his BS degree in Biology at Appalachian State University and returned to Chatham Central to teach for two years. In 1977 he went back to ASU and earned a Master’s degree in Biology, and in 1978 married his college sweetheart, Mary Gray Melton. The couple moved to Asheville, NC, where Ralph taught biology to nursing and dental assisting students at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Institute for three years. In 1981, after the birth of their son, Brooks, Ralph made the decision that would shape the rest of his life—to attend Dental School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Dental School was challenging but proved to be the perfect choice. Ralph and Mary Gray made many lifelong friends while Ralph was a student and welcomed their daughter, Laura, in 1984. Ralph received his DDS
peacefully on Thursday, February 26, 2026. Clarice had many health issues that she battled for several years: melanoma, kidney disease, and Parkinson’s disease. Clarice was born February 16, 1944, in Chatham County to the late Harold Edwin and Elsie Imogene Frazier Andrews. She attended Meroney Methodist Church and attended faithfully when she was able. Clarice was an employee in the Child Nutrition Dept. in the Chatham County School System for 24 years. Clarice enjoyed spending time with family and friends over the years often for birthday gatherings. She loved outdoor plants and reading. She was dearly loved by so many.
from 1975 to 1981. Trained in Advanced Electronics as a Data Systems Technician, he attained the rank of DS1 and served in intelligence processing roles aboard two aircraft carriers, the USS Saratoga and the USS Eisenhower, experiences that blended his love of technology, problem-solving, and service.
Following his military career, John worked for Intergraph Corporation based in Huntsville, Alabama, before deciding to build something of his own. In 1984, he founded Carolina Advanced Digital, Inc. (CAD). What began as an entrepreneurial vision grew into a premier provider of secure IT solutions and services, ultimately focused exclusively on supporting U.S. federal customers. John remained actively involved as CEO throughout his life, proud of the company, its people, and its mission.
John believed strongly in sharing knowledge and supporting his community. He taught one of the earliest continuing ed computer classes at Central Carolina Community College, helping introduce students to a rapidly changing technological world. He was also active in the Chatham County Small Business Association in its early years and was a
degree in 1985 and stayed on at the Dental School for a twoyear appointment. He then worked in private practice in Siler City for two years. Dr. Leonard began as full-time faculty at the School of Dentistry in 1989 where he taught students in the DDS, graduate and allied health programs, treated patients and conducted research on tooth whitening and dental unit waterline safety. While working, he also earned a Master’s degree in Public Health in 1994. He lectured extensively across the country on continuing dental education topics, including tooth whitening, public health and infection control. In 1998 he became the Director of the Dental Faculty Practice at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry and served in that capacity until his retirement in 2017. Then, unable to give up his passion for the profession and the people, Dr. Leonard returned to work part time and soon became the interim director of the Dental Faculty Practice, continuing in that role until his death. Throughout his career, Dr. Leonard accrued many recognitions and honors including numerous awards from sta , students and professional organizations. He won the Dental Alumni Association’s Distinguished Service Award and held the Jim and Isabel Harrell Distinguished Professorship in Family Dentistry. Dr. Leonard was a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Society and the North Carolina Dental Society and was a Fellow in the Academy of General Dentistry, the Academy of Dentistry International and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. Ralph was a beloved member of the UNC Adams School of Dentistry family for 40 years and made an immeasurable impact on those who knew and were cared for by him.
Ralph was universally known for his kindness and generosity, his humor and his great smile. He made cherished friendships at University United Methodist
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.
Clarice is survived by her daughter, Melissa Harris Cooper and son-in-law, James A. Cooper; brother, Darrell Andrews; and several nieces, cousins and special friends.
Clarice is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William Wayne Harris; and sister, Doris. The funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11AM at Meroney Methodist Church with Linda Yow and Bob Wachs o ciating. After the burial in the church cemetery the family would like friends to visit with them in the fellowship hall. Smith & Buckner Funeral Home is serving the Harris family.
member of NCMS, a professional security group focused on cybersecurity and classi cation for federal agencies involved in national security. John’s love of Halloween inspired him to host an annual party for many years, featuring elaborate outdoor decorations he programmed to feature animation and synchronized to music.
Above all, John valued family and enduring friendships. He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Susan Jabbusch; his daughter, Jennifer Jabbusch, and her ancé Jonathan Davis (JD) of Cary; and his longtime friend, Michelle Dziengel. Those who knew him will remember his intellect, humor, loyalty, and deep passions—for space exploration, espionage history, and scuba diving.
There will be no public service, with the family holding a private celebration of his life. In keeping with John’s wishes and lifelong interests, the family will honor him with a launch of his ashes into Earth orbit, as well as a United States Navy burial at sea—a tting tribute to a man whose life bridged innovation, service, and adventure.
Smith & Buckner Funeral home is assisting the Jabbusch family.
Online condolences may be made at smithbucknerfh.com
Church in Chapel Hill where he served for many years as a Head Usher and, most recently, on the Board of Trustees. He enjoyed woodworking, photography and gardening, giving away so many vegetables that he said people ran in the opposite direction when they saw him coming. But above all he enjoyed being with his family, whom he loved so dearly. Ralph was predeceased by his parents, Ralph Sr. and Betty Stone Leonard, his sister, Janet Leonard Walters and his brother-in-law Victor Cardello. He will be sorely missed by his many friends and colleagues, and especially by his family who include his wife of 47 years, Mary Gray Leonard; son Brooks Leonard and his wife, Jean; daughter Laura Leonard Clark and her husband, Mike; six grandchildren: Henry and Charles Leonard and Olivia, Mary, Alex and Magnolia Clark; two nieces, Michelle Evans (husband Matt, children Nova and Keller) and Nichole Conrad (husband Josh, children Shakel and Titus); and his brother-in-law Robert Melton. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill.
The family suggests that in lieu of owers, any donations be sent to one of the following:
The University United Methodist Church Building and Facility Fund. Gifts may be mailed to 150 E. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 or made online at universityumc.church
(please indicate “In Memory of Ralph H. Leonard Jr.”); or The Dental Foundation of North Carolina at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry in support of the Dr. Ralph H. Leonard Jr. Scholarship. Gifts may be mailed to the address below or made online at go.unc.edu/DFNC (please indicate “In Memory of Dr. Ralph H. Leonard Jr.”). Dental Foundation of NC
Attn: Sarah Huppert 1090 First Dental Building Chapel Hill, NC 27599
Je Galloway, who inspired people with run-walk-run method, dead at 80
His strategy made marathons accessible to everyday runners
By Ed White The Associated Press
JEFF GALLOWAY, a mem-
ber of the 1972 U.S. Olympic team who for decades inspired elite athletes and countless everyday runners by promoting a run-walk-run strategy, whether in a marathon or just a neighborhood jog, died Wednesday at age 80.
Galloway had a hemorrhagic stroke and died at a hospital in Pensacola, Florida, daughter-in-law Carissa Galloway said.
His in uence was evident in the nal days of his life: Throngs of people posted videos online, hoping for Galloway’s recovery from emergency neurosurgery and thanking him for advice that boosted their con dence and took them to race starting lines.
Galloway’s family announced the surgery Feb. 20 and invited the public to express support.
Jim Vance, an elite endurance sports consultant in San Diego, said Galloway was a “pioneer” in getting people to run.
“He removed the barrier to entry, which was mostly men-
tal,” Vance told The Associated Press. “Running isn’t supposed to be a su er-fest. It should be something peaceful, something enjoyable, so people can enjoy running and not dread it.”
Galloway survived heart failure in 2021 and was still hoping to complete another marathon after logging more than 230 during his lifetime.
“My mission now, at the age of 80-plus, is to show that people can do things that are normally not done, and can do them safely,” he told The New York Times in December.
Galloway’s run-walk-run method began in 1974 when he agreed to teach a running class through Florida State University, two years after competing in the 10,000 meters at the Olympics. He gured it might attract customers to Phidippides, his new store for runners.
“None had done any running for at least ve years. So we started walking with a few one-minute jogs,” Galloway said on his website.
“I spent some time with each group, during the runs, to adjust the frequency of walk breaks so that no one was hu ng and puing — even at the end,” he said. “Walk breaks kept the groups together. Everyone passed thenal exam: nishing either a 5K or a 10K with smiles on their faces.”
Galloway believed walking during a run reduced the risk of injury, conserved energy and kept con dence a oat.
“I’ve been using them ever since,” he said, “continuing to ne-tune the ratios of running to walking based upon pace per mile and individual needs.”
And Galloway even had his own recipe. He walked through every water station during the 1980 Houston marathon and nished with a faster time, 2:16:35, than his previous run-only 26.2-mile races, the Times reported.
He shared his running philosophies through books, websites and retreats. Galloway was the o cial training consultant for runDisney, a series of races at Walt Disney Co. resorts, and would be among the runners. Many admirers went online to o er tributes after his recent surgery.
“I never thought I would be a runner. I never thought I’d run a half marathon,” Karen Bock-Losee of Jacksonville, Florida, said in a video. “I’m 70 years old, and I’ve run several since my 60th birthday when I discovered Galloway running. I just want to say thank you.”
Susan Williams recalled seeing Galloway as she struggled toward the end of a half marathon in Murray, Kentucky, in
2011.
“You passed me, and my butt was cramping,” she said. “You turned around and came back. You talked me through it. It was awesome.”
Bobby McGee, a Colorado-based running coach, said Galloway’s run-walk-run approach made running more ac-
SENATE from page A1
U.S. Senate, where Republicans currently have the majority. The seat is open because Tillis decided to retire after clashing with Trump and the president threatened to support a primary challenger. Political experts say a typhoon of outside money could make it the most expensive Senate race in U.S. history, perhaps reaching $1 billion.
Many Democrats see Cooper, who served two terms as governor and has been successful in state politics for decades, as the party’s best shot at victory. Democrats think their most likely path to regaining the Senate majority includes winning in North Carolina, Maine, Alaska and Ohio.
Whatley promises to keep pushing Trump’s agenda if elected, one that he says has cut taxes and spending and restored U.S. military might.
“His leadership has changed our country, and I am proud to stand with him in the ght to secure our border, to strengthen our economy and put America rst,” Whatley said while giving his nomination acceptance speech in Charlotte. Moments later in his own speech in Raleigh, Cooper said in ation, tari s and threats of health care cuts attributed to Republican policies are hurting North Carolina residents.
“These are not ordinary times. Everyday people are being left behind,” Cooper said. “And we see the chaos that’s coming out of Washington only making it worse.”
Voters weigh in
Some primary voters say Congress needs Democratic control as a counterweight to Trump and what they consider disastrous policies.
“I just think we’re not headed in the right direction as a country, so I needed to express that opinion,” said Shailendra Prakash, 65, of Raleigh, an una liated voter who chose to vote in the Democratic primary on Tuesday and picked Cooper. “My hope is that it needs to ip.” Republican voter Lisa Weaver, 64, of Apex, said she was picking Whatley because “he’s in tune with the issues that we care most about” and would assist the president.
“It’s not that I love everything that Trump does, but I do believe in the framework that he is o ering for our country,” Weaver said.
Cooper, Whatley already campaigning against each other
A Democrat hasn’t won a Senate race in North Caro-
cessible to the masses.
“When a group of people in any kind of run — from marathons to fun runs — get together afterwards they talk about their time,” McGee said. “Nobody asks them if they ran the whole thing.”
Galloway is survived by two sons and six grandchildren.
lina since 2008. Meanwhile, Cooper, 68, hasn’t lost a North Carolina election going back to rst running for the state House in the mid-1980s, leading to 16 years as attorney general and eight as governor through 2024.
Whatley, 57, previously worked in President George W. Bush’s administration, for then-North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole and as an energy lobbyist.
Whatley, Trump and other Republicans have blistered Cooper on criminal justice matters, accusing him of promoting soft-on-crime policies while governor. They’ve repeatedly highlighted last August’s fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte light-rail train. Trump identi ed Zarutska’s mother in attendance at last week’s State of the Union address.
The fall election will be “a choice between a conservative champion for North Carolina, who will be an ally for President Trump in the Senate, or a champion for the failed policies of the left,” Whatley said Tuesday night.
Cooper told reporters recently that his career has been about “prosecuting violent criminals and keeping thousands of them behind bars.”
In turn, Cooper and his allies have centered campaign attacks on Whatley’s allegiance to the president, with Cooper calling Whatley an “out-of-touch D.C. insider.”
Repeating recent comments, Cooper said Tuesday night that if elected he would be a “strong, independent senator who will work with this president when I can and stand up to him when the people need me to.”
Buckhout heads to U.S. House rematch with Davis
Primary elections were also held Tuesday in all but one of North Carolina’s U.S. House districts.
In the northeastern 1st Congressional District, Laurie Buckhout defeated four other candidates competing for the GOP nomination and will face Democratic Rep. Don Davis in a rematch of their 2024 general election that Davis won by less than 2 percentage points.
Since then, the Republican-controlled General Assembly altered the district as part of Trump’s multistate redistricting campaign ahead of the 2026 elections to retain the House. A now more right-leaning 1st District covers all or parts of 25 counties.
Republicans currently hold 10 of the state’s 14 U.S. House districts.
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NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having quali ed on the 26th day of February, 2026, as Executor of the Estate of Don Eugene Tucker aka Don E. Tucker, deceased, of Chatham County does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before June 10th, 2026, 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 5th day of March, 2026. Janet E. Tucker Executor of the Estate of Don Eugene Tucker aka Don E. Tucker c/o J Alan Campbell Law PO Box 850 Hillsborough, NC 27278 919-451-5441
Notice to Creditors
Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of MARGARET KAY HIRSCHMAN HICKS, late of Chatham County, North Carolina (26E000085-180), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 29th day of May, 2026 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 the 26th day of February 2026. Charles Hirschman Administrator of the Estate of Margaret Kay Hirschman Hicks c/o Lisa M. Schreiner Attorney at Law P.O. Box 446 114 Raleigh Street Fuquay Varina, NC 27526 (For publication: 02/26, 03/05, 03/12, 03/19/2026)
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Sandra G. Funk aka Sandra Gail Funk, 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 19th day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 19th day of February, 2026.
SARAH ELIZABETH TILLMAN, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF SANDRA G. FUNK AKA SANDRA GAIL FUNK
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA Chatham COUNTY
26E000098-180
All persons, rms, and corporations having claims against Frankye Carlene Spiller, deceased, late of Chatham County, NC, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 5th day of June, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment.
This the 5th day of March, 2026. Patricia Diane Bonvissuto, Executor c/o Hemphill Gelder, PC PO Box 97035 Raleigh, NC 27624-7035 Pub dates: 3/5, 3/12, 3/19, and 3/26/2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000097-180
The undersigned RICKY HALL, having quali ed on the 19TH Day of FEBRUARY 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of MICHAEL ALLEN HALL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 26TH Day OF MAY 2026, 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 26TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026. RICKY HALL, ADMINISTRATOR 881 BIG PEAK CREEK ROAD LAUREL SPRINGS, NC 28644 Run dates: F26,M5,12,19p
CREDITOR’S NOTICE
Having quali ed on the 3rd day of February 2026, as Administrator of the Estate of Mary Frances Sutton , deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 19th day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.
This is the 16th day of February 2026.
W. Woods Doster, Administrator of the Estate of Mary Frances Sutton
206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330
Attorneys:
Law O ces of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: February 19th, 26th of February & 5th and 12th of March 2026.
CREDITOR’S NOTICE
Having quali ed on the 30th day of October 2025, as Administrator of the Estate of Edward Joe Truett, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.
This is the 10th day of February 2026. W. Woods Doster, Administrator of the Estate of Edward Joe Truett
206 Hawkins Ave Sanford, NC 27330
Attorneys: Law O ces of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: February 19th, February 26th, March 5th & 12th 2026.
NOTICE
ALL PERSONS, rms and corporations holding claims against Dorothy H King aka Dorothy King Harris aka Dorothy Herring King, deceased, of Chatham County, NC are noti ed to exhibit same to the undersigned on or before May 29, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 26th day of February 2026. Sandra King McGraw, Exec., c/o Clarity Legal Group, PO Box 2207, Chapel Hill, NC 27515.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Executor/Administrator of the Estate of Donald G. Cheek, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate to present them to the undersigned on or before May 19, 2026 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 the 19 day of February, 2026. Danis A. Smith Executor/Administrator of the Estate of Donald G Cheek Jr 3630 Lyle Creek Ave NE Conover, NC 28613
Dates of Publication: February 19, 2026 February 26, 2026 March 5, 2026 March 12, 2026
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
26E000079-180 NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY The undersigned, James Yuschik, having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Elaine Marie Gregg, deceased, late of Chatham County, this is to notify all persons having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before the day of May 27, 2026 or this notice will be plead in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 26th day of February 2026. James Yuschik
Administrator
Marie H. Hopper
Attorney for the Estate Hopper Cummings, PLLC Post O ce Box 1455 Pittsboro, NC 27312
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
NOTICE TO CREDITORS COUNTY OF CHATHAM THE UNDERSIGNED, having quali ed on the 17th day of February 2026, as Ancillary Co-Executors of the ESTATE OF HERMON O. LEE, Deceased, hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 6th day of June, 2026, 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 5th day of March 2026. Diana Lee & Marzell Lee Ancillary Co-Executors Estate of Hermon O. Lee c/o Shirley M. Diefenbach, Attorney Walker Lambe, PLLC Post O ce Box 51549 Durham, North Carolina 27717 NOTE: For publication in The Chatham News on the following dates: March 5th, March 12th, March 19th, and March 26th. Please send the Statement and Proof of Publication to Walker Lambe, PLLC, Post O ce Box 51549, Durham, North Carolina 277171549. 4914-7900-5072, v. 2
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
TOWN OF PITTSBORO, NC On Monday, March 9, 2026, at 6:00 pm, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners will hold the following public hearing in person at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center at 1192 Hwy 64 Business West, Pittsboro: The purpose of the Public Hearing is to consider whether the Town of Pittsboro should approve an economic development incentive agreement pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 1587.1, which authorizes local governments to make appropriations for economic development purposes that will increase employment opportunities, expand the tax base, or otherwise promote the economic wellbeing of the community. The proposed incentive would support a project by Mosaic Hospitality LLC for the construction and operation of a 100+ room Hampton Inn hotel with amenities: meeting space, restaurant/bar, parking, streetscape improvements, outdoor pool, etc. located at 324 Freedom Parkway within the Town (the “Project”). The Project will involve a capital investment estimated to be at least $14,000,000.00, create permanent jobs with average minimum annual wages of $31,200.00, generate incremental property and occupancy taxes, and enhance tourism and visitor spending. The contemplated incentive may take the form of a taxbased grant subject to performance requirements and a written agreement. A summary of the proposed incentive and project description will be available for public inspection at Pittsboro Town Hall and on the Town’s website no later than February 23, 2026. All interested persons are invited to attend and may be heard. Individuals requiring special accommodations should contact the Town Clerk at (919) 282-6647 at least 48 hours prior to the hearing. The hearing will be held in person. The public can also watch the hearing live on the Town’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@townofpittsboronc/ streams. Members of the public must attend in person if they wish to speak at the hearing. Contact the Town Clerk by 1 pm on March 9, 2026, with written comments or to sign up to speak at the public hearing. You can contact Town Clerk Carrie Bailey at cbailey@pittsboronc.gov, (919) 282-6647, or PO Box 759, Pittsboro, NC 27312.
NOTICE
NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE PUBLICATION STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA DISTRICT COURT DIVISION CHATHAM COUNTY FILE NO: 25CV000653-180
This is an action for Absolute Divorce To the attention of Nanette A.Newton Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above-entitled. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: ABSOLUTE DIVORCE You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than Forty (40) days after the date of the rst publication of this notice and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought. This, the 5th day of, March 2026. Johnathan Newton 898 Bish Rd Staley, NC 27355
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that on February 20th, 2026, William J. Vick was appointed Personal Representative of the Estate of Beverly A Vasko, deceased, by the Clerk of Superior Court, Chatham County, North Carolina.
All persons having claims against the decedent are required to present their claims to the aforenamed Personal Representative, at 2212 Briland Ct. Fuquay Varina, NC 27526, or le them with the Clerk of the Court, 40 E Chatham St, Pittsboro, NC 27312, within 3 months from the date of the rst publication of this notice, or said claims will be forever barred.
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF CHATHAM
PUBLIC NOTICE HEARING ON INTENT TO PERMANENTLY CLOSE A PORTION OF NC HWY
902
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Chatham County
Board of Commissioners has scheduled a public hearing to consider the closing of a portion of NC HWY 902. The public hearing has been scheduled for March 16, 2026, at 6:00 o’clock p.m. at the Superior Court Courtroom, Historic Chatham County Courthouse, Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro NC 27312.
The hearing is being held pursuant to the provisions of NCGS §153A-241 and the Resolution of Intent to Permanently Close a portion of NC HWY 902 that was approved and adopted by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on February 16, 2026 upon Petition led by Gavin Mekemson, Maura McKeon and Triple A Homes, Inc. (“Petitioner”).
This the 16th day of February, 2026.
Chatham County Board of Commissioners ATTEST: Clerk to the Board Chatham County Board of Commissioners
NOTICE TO CREDITORS:
Chatham County, North Carolina RE: THE ESTATE OF JOHN THOMAS NASH –25E000476-180 Having quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of John Thomas Nash, deceased, Chatham County, North Carolina, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before the 20th day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 19th day of February, 2026. Leigh Goodwin, Executrix DSR Legal, PLLC PO Box 51596 Durham, NC 27717
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, March 16, 2026, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The public hearing will be held in the courtroom of the Historic Courthouse in Pittsboro, North Carolina at 9 Hillsboro Street, Pittsboro NC 27312. Additional information is available at the Chatham County Planning Department o ce. Speakers are requested to sign up at the meeting prior to the hearing. You may also sign up on the county website prior to the meeting at www.chathamcountync.gov by selecting the heading County Government, then Commissioner Meetings, then Public Comment. The public hearing may be continued to another date at the discretion of the Board of Commissioners. The purpose of the Public Hearing is to receive input, both written and oral, on the issues listed below: Legislative Request: A legislative public hearing requested by the Chatham County Planning Department to amend the e ective date of the adopted Uni ed Development Ordinance from June 1st, 2026, to June 1st, 2027, as a result of legislative action S382.
A legislative public hearing general use rezoning requested by EC PROPCO, LLC to rezone Parcels 5377, 5376, 78264, 5470 from R-1 Residential to Ind-H Heavy Industrial, on 292.288 acres, located o Christian Chapel Church Rd., Cape Fear Township. A legislative public hearing rezoning requested by Fearrington Property Development, LLC to rezone Parcels 2867, 2868, 2869, 2842, 2807, 2820, 95254, located o 724 Andrews Store Rd, Parker Herndon Rd, and Morris Rd., from R-1 Residential to CD-CC Conditional District Compact Community, being approximately 371.822 acres, Baldwin Township. Substantial changes may be made following the public hearing due to verbal or written comments received or based on the Board’s discussions.
Notice to people with special needs: If you have audio or visual impairment, unique accessibility requirements or need language assistance, please call the number listed below prior to the hearing and assistance may be provided. If you have any questions or comments concerning these issues, please call the Chatham County Planning Department at 919-542-8204, or write to P.O. Box 54, Pittsboro N.C. 27312. Please run in your paper: March 5th and 12th, 2026
Notice to Creditors
All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Patricia C. Dutcher, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before June 1, 2026 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 26th day of February, 2026. Paul C. Dutcher, Administrator c/o W. Thomas McCuiston 200 Towne Village Drive Cary, NC 27513
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA
CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#25E000660-180
The undersigned ANN PATRICIA RILEY, having quali ed on the 14TH Day of JANUARY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MARY RILEY SEGAL, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 12TH Day OF MAY 2026, 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 12TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026. ANN PATRICIA RILEY, EXECUTOR 19 CHEMIN LEFEBVRE LA MINERVE QC J0T 150 CANADA MAIL TO: MICHAEL RILEY 154 HICKORY HILL RD. MOORESVILLE, NC 28117
EMAIL TO:
annpriley@hotmail.com Run dates: F12,19,26,M5p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000119-180
The undersigned MAX WILEY BUTLER, having quali ed on the 2ND Day of MARCH 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of SYLVIA HOLT BUTLER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 5TH Day OF JUNE 2026, 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 5TH DAY OF MARCH 2026.
MAX WILEY BUTLER, EXECUTOR 616 PALMERA DR. E PONTE VERDE BEACH, FL 32082
MAIL AFFIDAVIT TO:
BELLE B. BROOKS C/O SYLVIA BUTLER 475 HENRY WEBSTER RD. PITTSBORO, NC 27312
Run dates: M5,12,19,26p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000033-180
The undersigned KENNETH WARREN STURDIVANT, having quali ed on the 10TH Day of FEBRUARY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of LARRY STURDIVANT, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 19TH Day OF MAY 2026, 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 19TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026. KENNETH WARREN STURDIVANT, EXECUTOR 714 MT. PISGAH CHURCH RD. APEX, NC 27523 Run dates: F19,26,M5,12p
Notice to Creditors ALL PERSONS, rms and corporations having claims against Virginia Dare Taylor, deceased, of Chatham County, NC, are noti ed to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before May 22, 2026, or this notice will be
Notice
Creditors
of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 12th day of February 2026. William P. McKenney, Esq., Executor c/o Janet B. Witchger, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000087-180 The undersigned MARY BETH COOKE, having quali ed on the 17TH Day of FEBRUARY 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR, CTA of the Estate of JAMES FRANKLIN WARFFORD, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 26TH Day OF MAY 2026, 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 26TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026. MARY BETH COOKE, ADMINISTRATOR CTA 1176 ASHEFORD GREEN AVENUE NW CHARLOTTE, NC 28207 Run dates: F26,M5,12,19p
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000081-180 The undersigned RHONDA BOONE POE, having quali ed on the 11TH Day of FEBRUARY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BARBARA HOLT BOONE, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 19TH Day OF MAY 2026, 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 19TH DAY OF FEBRUARY 2026. RHONDA BOONE POE, EXECUTOR 4577 PINEY GROVE CHURCH RD SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: F19,26,M5,12p NOTICE
NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF Frederick Oscar Bowman, Jr. All persons, rms and corporations having claims against Frederick Oscar Bowman, Jr., late of Chatham, North Carolina, are noti ed to exhibit them to Frederick O. Bowman, III or John S. Bowman as Co-Executors of the decedent’s estate on or before May 23, 2026, c/o Janet B. Witchger, Attorney at Law, 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203, Chapel Hill, NC 27517, or be barred from their recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment to the above-named Executor. This the 19th day of February 2026. Frederick O. Bowman, III, Co-Executor John S. Bowman, Co-Executor c/o Janet B. Witchger, Atty. TrustCounsel 1414 Raleigh Rd., Ste. 203 Chapel Hill, NC 27517
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY
FILE#26E000095-180 The undersigned NATALIE HARRIS, having quali ed on the 19TH Day of FEBRUARY 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of SUZANN MARIE MARCLE, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 5TH Day OF JUNE 2026, 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 5TH DAY OF MARCH 2026. NATALIE HARRIS, EXECUTOR 4671 PEACE FOREST LANE CLIMAX, NC 27233 Run dates: M5,12,19,26p
NOTICE
here’s
Eight months of negotiations gave way to a dramatic military strike
By Aamer Madhani and Josh Boak
The Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.
— With Saturday’s military operation against Iran, President Donald Trump demonstrated a dramatic evolution in risk tolerance, adjusting in just a matter of months how far he was willing to go in using American military might to confront Tehran’s clerical rule.
Guardrails were tossed aside as Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered up a battle plan that included targeted strikes on Iran’s leadership. That included 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose death Trump triumphantly announced in a social media post hours after launching the military operation.
For Trump, it was a far cry from where he stood just eight months ago. At Israel’s urging during its 12-day war with Iran last June, he agreed to deploy B-2 bombers to pummel three key Iranian nuclear sites — but drew a bright red line when Israelis presented his administration with a plan for killing Khamenei.
The president peppered the supreme leader with thinly veiled threats back in June that he could have killed him if he wanted to. But he rejected the Israeli plan out of concern that it would destabilize the region.
That caution was set aside on Saturday with Trump announcing Khamenei had been killed, while the Israeli military announced it had taken out Iran’s defense minister and the commander of its Revolutionary Guard. Iranian state media early Sunday reported the supreme leader’s death, without elaborating on a cause.
Khamenei “was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do,” Trump said. “This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”
Trump loses patience
Trump had pursued talks with Iran for months. Administration o cials told reporters that they o ered Iran many ways to have a peaceful nuclear program that could be used for civilian purposes, including an o er of free nuclear fuel in perpetuity.
But the o cials, who were not
“This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country.”
President Donald Trump
authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity, said it was clear to them that Iran wanted enriched uranium for a nuclear weapon. One of them said that Iran has met their o ers with “games, tricks, stall tactics.”
The order to launch strikes came just two days after Trump dispatched his special envoys, Steve Witko and Jared Kushner, for another round of talks with Iranian o cials. Middle East and European allies were urging the U.S. administration to give negotiations more time as Trump signaled he was running out of patience.
“The consequences are likely to be as far-reaching as they are uncertain: Within the system that has held power for nearly ve decades, between the government and a dissatis ed populace, and between Iran and its adversaries,” said Ali Vaez, Iran project director at the International Crisis Group. “And although the regime is weakened, a sense that this showdown is an all-or-nothing struggle for its very survival could lead it to respond with every tool still at its disposal.”
Revised risk calculation
Saturday’s strikes came after a series of past provocative actions against Iran that resulted in limited blowback, which seemed to inform Trump’s risk calculation, said Aaron David Miller, who served as an adviser on Middle East issues to Democratic and Republican adminis-
trations over two decades.
Trump in 2018 pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal negotiated by Democratic President Barack Obama’s administration. In 2020, Trump ordered a drone strike killing top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani.
At the time, the killing of Soleimani, the head of Iran’s elite Quds Force, was arguably the most provocative U.S. military action in the Middle East since President George W. Bush launched the 2003 Iraq War to topple Saddam Hussein.
And then Trump this past June ordered the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, which he claimed had “obliterated” their program.
“He did all of these things without cost or consequence to him,” said Miller, who is now a senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “He’s been risk-ready. That’s the nature of his personality.”
Trump administration ocials had publicly urged Tehran to give up its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs and end its backing of regional armed proxies. But administration o cials said that Tehran would not engage on the missile and proxy concerns.
Iran’s rigidity, at a moment when its economy is in shambles weighed by decades of sanctions and its military battered by last year’s war, astounded Trump.
Even before the latest round of talks ended last Thursday, there were signs Trump was leaning toward military action.
Last Tuesday, Trump in
his State of the Union speech claimed that Iran has been building ballistic missiles that could reach the U.S. homeland — a justi cation that he repeated again on Saturday as he announced the bombardment of Iran was underway.
Iran hasn’t acknowledged it is building or seeking to build intercontinental ballistic missiles.
The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency, however, said in an unclassi ed report last year that Iran could develop a militarily viable intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035 “should Tehran decide to pursue the capability.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last Wednesday that Iran’s refusal to speak to its ballistic missile program was a “big problem.” Rubio declined to address the DIA nding that Iran was still years away from developing a missile that could reach the United States.
And Vice President JD Vance, a former U.S. Marine who served in Iraq and has been skeptical of U.S. interventions, last Thursday told The Washington Post that Trump hadn’t decided whether to strike Iran. But he o ered assurances that military action would not result in the United States becoming involved in a drawn-out con ict.
“The idea that we’re going to be in a Middle Eastern war for years with no end in sight — there is no chance that will happen,” Vance said.
By Friday, Trump was venting anew about Iran’s approach.
“I’m not happy with the fact that they’re not willing to give us what we have to have,” Trump said. “I’m not thrilled with that. We’ll see what happens.”
Senior U.S. lawmakers were told early Saturday that the strikes were coming. Trump monitored the operation from
Dutch museum makes ‘needle in a haystack’ con rmation of Rembrandt painting
After 60 years, scienti c analysis con rmed the painting is a genuine Rembrandt
By Mike Corder The Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands
— A painting that was once rejected as a work by Rembrandt van Rijn has now been acknowledged as a work by the Dutch master, thanks to two years of scrutiny in the city where the then-27-year-old artist painted it in 1633, a museum announced Monday.
The Netherlands’ national art and history museum, the Rijksmuseum, unveiled the work, “Vision of Zacharias in the Temple,” and said painstaking analysis including high-tech scans con rmed it was painted by Rembrandt after he moved to the capital, Amsterdam.
The painting hasn’t been on public display in decades after being bought by a private collector in 1961, a year after it was
Director
“Vision
deemed not to be a Rembrandt, the museum said in a statement. From Wednesday, it will go on show among other masterpieces at the Rijksmusuem,
where it is on long-term loan.
Director Taco Dibbits said the museum often gets emails from people asking if the painting they own might just
“He
really didn’t know what he had. And then to discover that it’s a Rembrandt is something
that’s
amazing to experience.”
Taco Dibbits, Rijksmuseum director
be by the Golden Age master.
“We always hope to nd a new Rembrandt, but this happens rarely,” he told The Associated Press. He said making such a discovery “is just like ( nding) a needle in a haystack.”
The owner, who has remained anonymous, initially asked the museum only if the painting was Dutch.
“He really didn’t know what he had. And then to discover that it’s a Rembrandt is something that’s amazing to experience,” Dibbits said.
The painting depicts a biblical
his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, with members of his national security team.
Trump perhaps emboldened by Venezuela experience
Trump’s success with the U.S. military operation earlier his year to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and whisk him and his wife to New York City to face federal drug conspiracy charges also may have emboldened the president, said Jonathan Schanzer, a former Treasury Department o cial who is now executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington, D.C., think tank.
Trump had threatened military action last month, but held o , as Iran carried out a deadly crackdown on protests. The demonstrations were spurred by economic grievances but morphed into a nationwide, anti-government push against the ruling clerics.
As human rights groups reported that thousands were killed in the Iranian crackdown, Trump told protesters that help was on its way, but it did not immediately come and the protests petered out.
Schanzer said that Trump’s decision not to follow through last month gave his team more time to assemble the now massive presence of ghter jets and warships in the region — as he had done in the Caribbean ahead of the Venezuela operation.
It was leverage, Trump hoped, that would get Khamenei to blink. But the supreme leader would not capitulate.
“The way this unfolded was inevitable because there was no way that the Ayatollah was going to show exibility,” Schanzer said.
story in which high priest Zacharias is visited by the Archangel Gabriel, who tells the priest that he and his wife will have a son: John the Baptist. Zacharias’ surprised expression is highlighted by light heralding the arrival of Gabriel, the museum said.
An in-depth study of the work, including macro X-ray uorescence scans and comparisons with other works by the artist, con rmed Rembrandt painted it, said the museum’s curator of 17th-century Dutch paintings, Jonathan Bikker.
“So the wood that was used for the panel on which it’s painted, that is de nitely from a tree that was cut down before 1633, the date on the painting,” he said.
“All the pigments, the paint in the painting were used by Rembrandt in other paintings. And the layers of paint and how he painted it, that is also precisely the same as in other works by Rembrandt,” he added.
The work joins about 350 known Rembrandt paintings and raised the hope that there may be more.
“We’re not actively looking for new paintings by Rembrandt, but I think this gives us hope — not just us but everyone who’s interested in Rembrandt,” Bikker said.
Chatham Charter and Northwood’s boys fell in the fourth round
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
Boys
Northwood’s arduous road in the 3A East playo s met its end in a 60-58 loss at No. 2 Kinston on Monday. The Chargers entered the fourth quarter down ve and battled to cut the de cit to one in the nal minute. Trailing 59-58 with 14 seconds left, Northwood got a look beyond the arc for Josiah Brown, who hit four 3s in the game, but the junior’s go-ahead attempt was blocked.
Kinston senior Genesis Wiggins led all scorers with 24 points. Senior Cam Fowler, playing in his nal high school game, led Northwood with 21 points.
Leading up to its nal game, Northwood took down No. 11 NCSSM-Durham 56-41 in the second round. The Chargers then went on the road and defeated No. 3 Northeastern 64-58, extending their win streak to 14 games. Northwood ended the season 21-5.
No. 4 Chatham Charter ended its deep playo run with a 64-42 loss to No. 8 Thomas Je erson Classical Academy in the fourth round of the 1A West bracket Monday. The Knights led by 10 in the second quarter, but the Gryphons made a run to cut the lead to two at the break and never let up.
In the third round, Chatham Charter got the nal say over No. 5 Woods Charter 53-34 as the teams met for the fourth time this season Saturday. Sophomore Breylan Harris logged a 19-point, 12-rebound double-double, and sophomore Ryder Murphy poured in 17 points. The Knights defeated No. 20 North Stokes 66-55 in the second round behind a 24-point performance from sophomore Ethan Cheek. Chatham Charter ended its season 18-8, reaching the fourth round of the playo s for the rst time since 2023.
Woods Charter won its rst playo game in team history with a 68-57 victory over No. 12 Phoenix Academy in the second round. Junior Levi Haygood recorded team-highs of 17 points and nine rebounds. The Wolves ended the season 18-9, setting a new single season wins record.
In the same bracket, No. 7 Chatham Central fell to No. 2 Jackson Day 75-46. The Bears defeated No. 10 Bethany Community in the second round 76-63. Chatham Central ended the rst season under coach Stacey Harris 16-10. No. 10 Seaforth defeated No. 23 Dixon in the rst round of the 5A East bracket 63-43 on Feb. 24. Senior Declan Lindquist led the way with 18 points, and the Hawks held Dixon to 12 points combined in the second and third quarters.
In the second round, Seaforth couldn’t overcome an early de cit in a 67-31 loss to No. 7 High
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
Baseball
Northwood started the year with a dramatic nish in a 9-8 win over Carrboro on Feb. 25. In the bottom of the ninth inning, sophomore Brody Zsuppan’s sacri ce y scored freshman Mason Lutterloh for the walk-o run. Sophomore Riley D’Angelo went 3 for 3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs. Seaforth opened the season with a 2-1 win over Southern Alamance on Feb. 25. Sophomore Bryce Huneycutt struck out nine batters and allowed one hit in ve innings on the mound while going 1 for 2 with an RBI at the plate. After an 11-0 loss to Wake Forest on Friday, the Hawks scored ve runs in the third inning of a 10-0 win against Western Harnett Saturday. Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference)
Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Clover Garden (1-0, 0-0); 1. Southern Wake (0-2, 0-0); 1. Central Carolina (0-0, 0-0); 1. Chatham Charter (0-0, 0-0); 1. River Mill (0-0, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A: 1. South Davidson (1-0, 0-0); 1. South Stokes (0-1, 0-0); 1. North Stokes (0-1, 0-0); 1. Bishop McGuinness (0-2, 0-0); 1. Chatham Central (0 - 0, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Uwharrie Charter (1-0, 0-0); 1. Northwood (1-0, 0-0); 1. Eastern Randolph (0-1, 0-0); 1. Jordan-Matthews (0-0, 0-0); 1. North Moore (0-0, 0-0); 1. Southwestern
Coaches and athletes took home season superlatives
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
HERE ARE CHATHAM County’s all-conference honorees for the winter high school sports season.
Note: This list is missing swimming selections from the Big 7 4A/5A conference
BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Central Tar Heel 1A
Levi Haygood (Woods Charter); Campbell Blackburn (Woods Charter); Grant Richardson (Woods Charter); Alden Phelps (Woods Charter); Ryder Murphy (Chatham Charter); Breylan Harris (Chatham Charter); Kymani Wagner-Jatta (Chatham Charter, honorable mention); Ethan Cheek (Chatham Charter, honorable mention)
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Brooks Albright (Chatham Central)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Chad Graves (Northwood);
Bakari Watkins (Northwood); Josiah Brown (Northwood); Kamarie Hadley (Jordan-Matthews); Nolan Mitchell (Jordan-Matthews)
Player of the Year: Cam Fowler (Northwood)
Fowler saved his best for last, reaching a career-high 22.3 points per game this season. He scored at least 24 points in ve of Northwood’s last six games. His signature performance was a school-record 51 points in a rout over North Moore on Feb. 6.
Coach of the Year: Matt Brown (Northwood)
Brown led the Chargers to their fth straight 20-win season, including ve consecutive undefeated campaigns in conference play. Northwood won every conference game by double digits this season.
Big Seven 4A/5A
Campbell Meador (Seaforth);
Northwood, baseball
Northwood sophomore Riley D’Angelo earns athlete of the week honors for the week of Feb. 23.
In the Chargers’ season-opening win over Carrboro, D’Angelo went 3 for 3 from the plate, including a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game at 7. His sac y in the bottom of the eighth also scored Dylan Perry to tie the game at 8 and keep Northwood alive. D’Angelo nished the night with two RBIs and two runs.
The venue is expected to open in early 2027
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
THE CHATHAM COUNTY Board of Commissioners approved the rezoning of residential land in the southeastern part of the county on Jan. 20 for a future multisport recreational park.
The project, titled The Pavilion at New Hill Recreational Facility, will transform part of approximately 66.017 acres of land located at 3378 Christian Chapel Church Road into a sports venue, featuring seven cricket grounds, 10 to 12 pickleball courts, six to eight tennis courts, volleyball courts, cricket practice lanes and spaces for box cricket, which can also be used for soccer activities.
The construction will begin in May with an expected completion between February and March 2027. The project costs $3 million and is fully funded by property owner Roopchand Yanamadala, a New Hill resident who owns the land alongside Renuka Tummala.
The facility aims to attract visitors from Pittsboro, Sanford, Apex, Fuquay-Varina, Holly Springs, New Hill, Lillington and Broadway.
“I’m seeing that Chatham needs a lot of this,” Yanamada-
“I’m looking at generating at least close to 100 to 120 jobs there.”
Roopchand Yanamadala
la said. “This is a great location to have.”
Visitors will need a membership to use the elds and courts. Although rates have not yet been solidi ed, Chatham County residents are expected to receive a discount.
Yanamadala said this is one of three phases in his plan to turn the land into a center for recreation and entertainment. The rst phase, the only one approved by the board, will take up approximately 35 acres. The second phase (an indoor facility for basketball, volleyball, badminton and squash), and the third phase (an entertainment complex with trampolines, go-karts, bowling, mini golf, arcade games and party rooms) could create a total cost between $20 million and $25 million.
“All these, I’m looking at generating at least close to 100 to 120 jobs there,” Yanamadala said.
Yanamadala said the project has been in planning for the last two years. He, Tummala and the Timmons Group, the developers of the facility, ap -
plied for the rezoning in October. About a month after a public hearing in November, the County Planning Board voted 8-1 to recommend approval to the board.
In acknowledgement of the project meeting one of the zoning ordinance’s ve standards, the county stated, “There has been an increase in requests for this type of facility, and none exist within this vicinity in Chatham County or Wake County.”
“There will be employment opportunities for those operating and maintaining the facility,” the board stated in the ordinance amending the county zoning map, “It will promote surrounding retail and commercial uses by attracting residents and visitors to the area.”
The Pavilion at New Hill is one of several multisport facilities being built in the Triangle. Swing Racquet + Paddle, a 44-acre racquet sport campus, broke ground on its Brier Creek agship facility in 2024 and is expected to open this year.
Last year, SUPA, a local track and athletic training club, proposed a plan to build a more than 600,000-square -foot, multibuilding youth sportsplex in Chatham County, though the project has not yet been approved for construction. In the meantime, SUPA plans to fully launch its new performance center in Sanford this year.
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Graves ies in for a dunk in a conference game against
The Northwood senior is averaging 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds
By Asheebo Rojas Chatham News & Record
NORTHWOOD SENIOR
Chad Graves was selected to play in the 2026 Carolinas Classic All-Star Basketball Game.
Graves will join nine other North Carolina seniors in a battle against South Carolina’s top players in the class of 2026. The game will be held March 21 at Dorman High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The North Carolina team will be coached by Andy Muse of Mount Tabor and Mark Harnly of Camden County.
This year, Graves is averaging 9.3 points and a career-high 6.3 rebounds per game while helping lead Northwood on a deep playo run. He’s recorded four double-doubles this season, including season-highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds against Eastern Randolph on Jan. 9.
Graves’ selection marks the second straight year a Chatham County athlete made a Carolinas Classic roster. Former Seaforth star and current Virginia guard Gabby White represented North
Chatham County athletes have been selected to the Carolinas Classic in back-to-back years
Carolina in the 2025 Games and earned MVP honors. Here are the full rosters for both boys’ teams in the upcoming all-star game: North Carolina: Chaise Smith (Washington), Dionte Neal (Reidsville), Jyi Dawkins (Ben L. Smith), Aden Je ries (Southern School of Energy and Sustainability), Ashton Pierce (North Mecklenburg), Exzavier Young (North Mecklenburg), Chad Graves (Northwood), Zy’vaun Puckett (Panther Creek), Kellum Brown (New Hanover), Jim Gatehouse (South Mecklenburg)
South Carolina: Clayton Everett (Ashley Ridge), Talan Staley (Ridge View), Justus Bell (Dutch Fork), Ja’Quell Brown (Goose Creek), Levi Ball (Gray Collegiate), Caden Coleman (Greenville), Sebi Boyogueno (Riverside), Tre Raymon (South Pointe), BJ Brown (Sumter), Lucas Wiserma (T.L. Hanna)
Patrick Miller (Seaforth)
Player of the Year: Declan Lindquist (Seaforth)
Lindquist made a huge jump as a scorer, going from 8.4 points per game as a junior to a career-high 16.3 points per game this season. He scored at least 20 points in seven games this season.
Coach of the Year: John Berry (Seaforth)
Berry led Seaforth to its best win percentage in team history, a regular season conference championship and its rst conference tournament title.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
Central Tar Heel 1A
Valentina Podolyanskaya (Woods Charter)
Player of the Year: Wesley Oliver (Woods Charter)
Oliver wrapped up her high school career with career-highs of 17.4 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. This season, she became Woods Charter’s rst girls’ basketball player to reach 1,000 career points.
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Addison Goldston (Chatham Central)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Alyia Roberts (Northwood); Shaylah Glover (Northwood); Mikaylah Glover (Northwood); Neah Henry (Northwood)
Coach of the Year: Kerri Stubbs (Northwood)
Stubbs led the Chargers back to the regional nal for the rst time since 2022. Northwood dominated the new Four Rivers 3A/4A conference, going 10-0 and winning every game by double digits.
Big Seven 4A/5A
Katie Leonard (Seaforth); Annika Johansson (Seaforth); Mia Moore (Seaforth); Lariah Rodgers (Seaforth)
Coach of the Year: Mike Zeillmann (Seaforth)
Zeillmann took over as the head coach midseason and led the Hawks to their fth straight regular season conference title and a conference tournament championship.
WRESTLING
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Wilson Hinshaw (Chatham Central); Carson Williams (Chatham Central)
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Christopher Crutch eld (Jordan-Matthews); Jhonatan Saldana (Jordan-Matthews); Jakari Blue (Jordan-Matthews); Zach Thelen (Northwood); Alexandra Zumano Garcia (Jordan-Matthews); Johanna Carter (Jordan-Matthews); Mariyah Spuriell
(Jordan-Matthews); Edith Vargas (Jordan-Matthews); Brianna Balderas (Jordan-Matthews); Aireanna Morrow (Jordan-Matthews); Ruth Interiano (Jordan-Matthews)
Coach of the Year: Jimmie Long (Jordan-Matthews)
Long oversaw many rsts in Jordan-Matthews wrestling history, including the rst wrestler to reach 100 wins (Jakari Blue) and the rst state placer (Alexandra Zumano Garcia). The boys went 12-14, while the girls nished 10-3, earning a conference title.
Big Seven 4A/5A
Jordan Miller (Seaforth); Luke Ayers (Seaforth); Ian Winger (Seaforth); Joseph Hinchman (Seaforth); Jacob Winger (Seaforth); Harrison Compton (Seaforth); Sara Tanner (Seaforth); Lilliana Messier (Seaforth); Caroline Cook (Seaforth)
Male Wrestler of the Year: Gabe Rogers (Seaforth) Rogers completed his senior season with a 31-1 record and his second state title, winning in the 144-pound division. RankWrestlers ranked Rogers as the best 144-pounder in 5A and the fth-best in the state, regardless of classi cation, for his weight class.
SWIMMING
Central Tar Heel 1A
Daisy Collins (Woods Charter), Derek White (Woods
Charter); Drew White (Woods Charter)
Greater Triad 1A/2A
Male Swimmer of the Year: Jesse Eskelund (Chatham Central) Eskelund regularly won the boys’ 50 and 100 free in regular season meets, and he capped o his high school career with state titles in those two events. He’s the school’s rst swimmer and stands as its only swimming state champion.
Four Rivers 3A/4A
Maddie Bolejack (Northwood); Vivian Lance (Northwood); Ellie Klier (Northwood); Emila Smith Pumalpa (Northwood); Genevieve Fouts (Northwood); Caroline Trageser (Northwood); Tumani Sissoko (Northwood); Carter Reed (Northwood); Max Stokes (Northwood); Jackson Hall (Northwood); Sergio Lopez (Northwood); Beckett Bolin (Northwood); Leo Drust (Northwood)
Male Coach of the Year: Rebecca Reid (Northwood) Northwood’s boys won the conference title and sent multiple swimmers to the state championship meet.
Male Swimmer of the Year: Kai Su (Northwood) Su had a standout freshman year, winning conference titles in four events and nishing fth in the 500 free at the state championship meet.
The 23XI Racing driver won the rst road course race of the year
By Jim Vertuno
The Associated Press
AUSTIN, Texas — Tyler Reddick’s latest win drove him straight into the NASCAR record books.
Reddick held o hard-charging Shane van Gisbergen over the nal 20 laps at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday to become the rst Cup Series driver to win the rst three races of the season.
Driving a Toyota co-owned by Michael Jordan, Reddick won the season-opening Daytona 500 and a week later at Atlanta, then won from the pole in the rst road course race of the year.
Jordan, the basketball Hall of Famer and six-time NBA champion, was with Reddick’s 23XI pit crew exchanging high- ves as Reddick crossed the nish line.
“mastermind” behind it’s racing success.
“I just put up the money,” Jordan said. “Denny’s done an incredible job building this team.”
Jordan also said he’ll be at the next race in Phoenix to see if Reddick can extend the winning streak that has built a commanding 70-point lead in the drivers’ championship.
Van Gisbergen, who won ve of six road course races in 2025, lost his bid for a record-tying sixth consecutive road win. The only road course race the Trackhouse driver didn’t win last season was in Austin.
“Tyler was just amazing,” van Gisbergen said. “You’re always disappointed with second when the expectations are so high.”
Reddick looked like he was in complete control. Van Gisbergen was on his bumper for several laps in the nal stage but never found the pace to pass before falling farther and farther behind over the nal six laps.
“I was just trying to minimize mistakes; Shane is so good,” Reddick said.
Jordan, so clutch in his playing days, noted Reddick was cool in the driver’s seat while under immense pressure.
“You see SVG coming back, you get a little nervous, but I think he had him covered the whole day,” Jordan said.
Rough day for rookie Zilisch
Trackhouse Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch came into the weekend with the expectation that he might be the one to end van Gisbergen’s dominance on road courses.
History made for a team and ownership group that has been making a lot of it. They took on NASCAR with a federal antitrust lawsuit. The settlement in December was considered a major legal victory that secured a permanent franchise-style
“It’s one race, but it was so important,” Reddick said. “It’s so tting to get three in a row and make history.”
model and ensured the team would remain in business for the long term.
They’ve been unbeatable on the race track ever since.
“I’m proud of the team we put together,” Jordan said. He credited co-owner Denny Hamlin, who also is a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing, with being the
Erik Spoelstra wants to keep sideline wear casual
By Rich Rovito
The Associated Press
MILWAUKEE — Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra don’t disagree on much. Except sideline apparel.
And that’s nothing new — they’ve had di ering opinions for years on the subject of what coaches should wear on the sideline. Riley, the always-dapper Miami Heat president, wants NBA coaches to wear suits again. Spoelstra, the Heat coach, prefers the more-casual look used in recent years.
It has been a debate around the league at times in recent years, and it seems to be a talking point once again.
“He gave me a few suits back when I was an assistant coach, but I looked like the lead singer from the Talking Heads,” Spoelstra said Tuesday before Miami’s game in Milwaukee, referencing David Byrne, who famously wore an oversized suit as one of his calling cards. “I didn’t realize I had to tailor the suit, too.”
The suit talk got resurrected when the Los Angeles Lakers unveiled a statue in Riley’s honor outside their arena. It’s an image of Riley, on the side -
PLAYOFFS from page B1
Point Central. Seaforth ended the season 18-7 overall, setting a new team-high winning percentage and tying the team record in single season wins. Jordan-Matthews, the 14 seed in the 4A East bracket, hosted their rst home playo game since 2016 and fell to No. 19 Clinton 73-60 on Feb. 24. The Jets, making their rst playo appearance since 2020, nished the season 12-13 overall.
ROUNDUP from page B1
Chatham Central fell to Southeast Alamance in its season opener 11-3 on Feb. 25. The Stallions scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning thanks to home runs from Maiya Woody and Amarie Contreras. Chatham Central hasn’t lost a season opener since 2020. Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference) Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Ascend Leadership (0-0, 0-0); 1. Chatham Charter (0-0, 0-0); 1. Clover Garden (0-0, 0-0); 1. River Mill (0-0, 0-0) Greater Triad 1A/2A: 1. Chatham Central (0-1, 0-0);
“I think an audience wants to see somebody on the sidelines who looks like a leader, dresses like a leader, acts like a leader. Pat Riley
line, wearing an Armani suit.
That was the style he preferred when he coached the Lakers, New York and Miami — and still wears today.
“I wish it went back to coats and ties,” Riley, speaking about coaches’ apparel, said.
“I think an audience wants to see somebody on the sidelines who looks like a leader, dresses like a leader, acts like a leader.”
NBA coaches have enjoyed a relaxed policy since the bubble restart of the 2019-20 season, when quarter-zips, casual pants and sneakers became regular sideline apparel. Suits, ties and dress shoes have been out ever since.
“I don’t know why we still wear suits,” then-San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said in the summer of 2019, when he was coaching USA Basketball’s team at the World Cup in China — and his gameday at-
Girls
Northwood is the only team dancing after four rounds. In the 3A East playo s, the fourth-seeded Chargers went on the road and defeated No. 1 Kinston 45-33 Monday, punching their ticket to the regional nal for the rst time since winning the 2022 state title.
Senior Shaylah Glover led Northwood with 20 points. After leading Kinston 25-18 at halftime, Northwood pulled away with a 10-3 run in the third quarter. The Chargers
tire was polos, sweatpants and sneakers. “Somebody, please, tell me why we do that.”
He celebrated when the NBA ditched suits, and he wasn’t alone. Spoelstra and the Heat sta have worn black polos, sweaters or quarter-zips with black pants ever since the bubble. If nothing else, it makes packing an easier process.
Spoelstra noted that Riley’s look was, and remains, iconic.
“It’s becoming a little bit different anyways in corporate America,” Spoelstra said, noting the NBA isn’t the only place where dressing-down has been the go-to look in recent years. “But then I also see Pat’s point of view. When I see the footage of him from the Lakers to the Knicks to the Heat, he did look sharp. But he wore suits di erently than us mortals.”
In the NBA, the dress code got ramped up considerably thanks to Riley and the late Chuck Daly. Riley went with Armani; Daly’s suits were Hugo Boss, and his shoes were so fancy that his friends coveted them. After Daly died, Rollie Massimino made no secret about raiding his friend’s shoe collection — and wore what he took for the remainder of his own coaching career.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers wore the suits for years. He gets Riley’s point — but ac -
have held every playo opponent to under 40 points. Northwood will play No. 2 Goldsboro at ECU’s Minges Coliseum on Friday at 6 p.m.
Prior to the fourth round, Northwood defeated No. 5 Greene Central 51-37 and No. 13 Providence Grove 68-34. No. 5 Seaforth fell to No. 4 Eastern Alamance in the third round of the 5A East playo s Saturday. The Hawks defeated No. 12 South Granville 71-36 in the prior round behind junior Annika Johansson’s 23 points and nine steals. Seaforth n-
Arts (0-0, 0-0); 1. Orange (0-0, 0-0); 1. Seaforth (0-0, 0-0); 1. South Granville (0-0, 0-0) Girls’ soccer
Strikeouts for Bryce Huneycutt in Seaforth’s baseball opener
1. South Davidson (0-0, 0-0); 1. North Stokes (0-0, 0-0); 1. South Stokes (0-0, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Southwestern Randolph (1-0, 0-0); 1. Eastern Randolph (0-1, 0-0); 1. Uwharrie Charter (0-1, 0-0); 1. Northwood (0-0, 0-0); 1. North Moore (0-0, 0-0); 1. Jordan-Matthews (0-0, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Webb (1-0, 0-0); 1. Carrboro (0 - 0, 0-0); 1. Cedar Ridge (0-0. 0-0); 1. Durham School of the
Northwood defeated Southern Lee 4-2 in its season opener on Feb. 25. Jordan-Matthews fell to Eastern Alamance 7-0. Junior Addison Hughes and Lilly Massey each scored two goals. Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference) Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Ascend Leadership (0-0, 0-0); 1. Central Carolina (0-0, 0-0); 1. Chatham Charter (0-0, 0-0); 1. Clover School (0-0, 0-0); 1. River Mill (0-0, 0-0); 1. Southern Wake (0-0, 0-0); 1. Woods Charter (0-0, 0-0)
Reddick was just too good all weekend in pursuit of history. His 11th career victory was also his second at COTA, a track built for Formula 1, and the rst time he’s had multiple victories at a track. He won at COTA in 2023.
It was far from easy, even if
But Zilisch’s weekend began with a surprisingly poor qualifying position of 25th and got worse Sunday when he got spun on the restart for stage two. Zilisch fought back into contention for the win in thenal stage, but his race e ectively ended when he was spun again in a restart out of a caution with 16 laps to go. He nished 14th.
knowledged that going back to the old ways might not be easy.
“It’s a tough one because quarter-zips are so comfortable,” Rivers said. “They are so easy to wear.”
A potential compromise idea: Rivers said he’d push to have to coaches don suits for the playo s.
“I brought this up to someone, and it’s going to go through the chain,” Rivers said. “I do think it wouldn’t be a bad idea for the playo s because wearing suits shows the signi cance of the playo s. ... I’d have to start working out
ished 20-4, reaching 20 wins for the fourth straight season.
In the 1A West bracket, No. 14 Chatham Central dominated No. 19 River Mill 51-28 in the rst round. The Bears fell to conference foe No. 3 College Prep and Leadership 70-54 in the second round, ending the season with an 11-12 record.
Further down the bracket, No. 11 Chatham Charter defeated No. 22 Ascend Leadership 45-23 in the rst round behind a 14-point, eight-steal performance from sophomore Peyton York. In the second round, the
again because none of my suits would t anymore.”
The last time Spoelstra wore a suit was September, when he attended Heat managing general partner Micky Arison’s enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. There were two nights where Spoelstra had to dress up, and Riley took great delight in seeing it happen.
“I swear that’s all Pat was talking about,” Spoelstra said. “I don’t plan on wearing them again until the next Hall of Fame event that we get to go to.”
Knights lost to No. 6 Andrews 61-34 and ended their season with a 15-11 record.
On the East side of the 1A bracket, No. 15 Woods Charter lost to No. 18 Rocky Mount Prep 53-41 in the rst round. The Wolves nished the year 12-12, winning 12 games for the rst time since 2022.
In the 4A East region, No. 24 Jordan-Matthews, making its rst playo appearance since 2018, fell to No. 9 Southwestern Randolph 64-38. The Jets ended the year with a 5-20 record.
Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Northwood (1-0, 0-0); 1. Jordan-Matthews (0-1, 0-0); 1. Eastern Randolph (0-0, 0-0); 1. North Moore (0-0, 0-0); 1. Southwestern Randolph (0-0, 0-0); 1. Uwharrie Charter (0-0, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: 1. Orange (0-0-1, 0-0); 1. Carrboro (0-0, 0-1); 1. South Granville (0-1, 0-0); 1. Cedar Ridge (0-0, 0-0); 1. Durham School of the Arts (0-0, 0-0); 1. Webb (0-0, 0-0); 1. Seaforth (0-0, 0-0) Boys’ lacrosse Seaforth fell to Ravenscroft 15-14 in its season opener on Feb. 25. 1A-6A Conference 2 standings as of Sunday: 1. Carrboro (1-0, 0-0); 1. Orange (1-1, 0-0) 1. Cedar Ridge (0-1, 0-0); 1. Seaforth (0-1, 0-0); 1. Northwood (0-0, 0-0) Boys’ Tennis Conference standings as of Sunday (overall, conference) Central Tar Heel 1A: 1. Chatham Charter (0-0, 0-0); 1. Clover Garden (0-0, 0-0); 1. River Mill (0-0, 0-0) Four Rivers 3A/4A: 1. Jordan-Matthews (0-1, 0-0); 1. North Moore (0-0, 0-0); 1. Northwood (0-0, 0-0); 1. Southwestern Randolph (0-0, 0-0) Big Seven 4A/5A: T1. Carrboro (1-0, 1-0); T1. Orange (1- 0, 1-0); T2. Cedar Ridge (0 -1, 0-1); T2. Seaforth (0-1,
NBA
Blaring horn after power surge delays
Pistons-Cavaliers
Detroit
The Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers were delayed for 18 minutes in the third quarter by a blaring horn after a power surge caused the overhead scoreboard to malfunction. During a timeout, the horn sounded to signal the teams to return to the oor. It kept blasting despite frantic work from the arena maintenance crew. The teams returned to the benches and eventually went back on the oor to warm up. After 13 minutes, the arena sta shut down the entire overhead scoreboard and the horn stopped. The scoring crew used a manual airhorn when play resumed.
NHL Kings re coach Hiller, name Smith as interim replacement
Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Kings red coach Jim Hiller after losing ve of their past six games and falling out of playo position. D.J. Smith was named the interim replacement for the rest of the season in the rst coaching change by general manager Ken Holland, who kept Hiller behind the bench when he took over the front o ce last May. Hiller was in his second full season in the charge of the Kings, who looked lifeless in an 8-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers last Thursday.
MLB Cuba says 8 World Baseball Classic delegation members denied U.S. visas
Eight members of Cuba’s delegation were denied visas to the United States for the World Baseball Classic, the Cuban Baseball and Softball Federation said. Cuba is set to play against Puerto Rico, Colombia, Panama and Canada in San Juan, Puerto Rico, during pool play of the WBC, which is scheduled from March 5-17. Among the Cubans that were denied visas are FCBS president Juan Reinaldo Pérez Pardo and general secretary Carlos del Pino Muñoz. Pitching coach Pedro Luis Lazo was also denied.
GOLF
Italian golfer Pavan badly injured from elevator shaft fall
Stellenbosch, South Africa Italian golfer Andrea Pavan was badly injured from falling down an elevator shaft in South Africa. Reportedly, he stepped through the elevator doors without realizing the car wasn’t there. His college coach at Texas A&M, J.T. Higgins, says Pavan is thankful to be alive and in good spirits. Higgins says he has not spoken with Pavan but was updated on his condition after extensive surgery on his back and shoulder. The 36-year-old Pavan was scheduled to be playing in the South African Open. He is a two-time winner on the European tour.
Courts and Congress are both being called on to resolve issues
By Eric Olson The Associated Press
WITHOUT FEDERAL leg-
islation codifying rules on athlete compensation and eligibility or an entirely new structure, there is likely no end in sight for the stream of lawsuits being led by schools and athletes looking out for their interests in college athletics.
A parade of athletes, starting with Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia in 2024 and continuing with Virginia’s Chandler Morris this week, have led lawsuits challenging eligibility rules and seeking to extend the number of years they can compete — and earn money — in college.
University of Illinois labor and sports law professor Michael LeRoy recalled this week that the House vs. NCAA settlement, which allowed schools to directly pay athletes, was hailed by college sports leaders as the beginning of an era of stability.
“That,” LeRoy said, “has been a spectacular miscalculation.”
How we got here
In 2021, when college athletes began getting paid by third parties for use of their name, image and likeness, the thought was that most deals would give athletes a little pocket money. No one could foresee the life-changing money available to top athletes in 2026 through revenue sharing and NIL deals.
The rationale for athletes wanting to stay in school is to extend their window for making money, and the opportunity to make more money is the reason athletes walk away from rev-share contracts with their schools.
What’s a signature worth?
It would seem straightforward that if an athlete signed a rev-share contract requiring them to pay liquidated damages if they leave the school before the end of the contract, that provision would be enforceable.
It’s not that simple.
“As a general matter of contract law, liquidated damag-
“The NCAA’s business model would be atly illegal in almost any other industry in America.”
Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh
es are typically enforced to the extent they are considered a good-faith e ort to estimate a loss to one of the parties in case of a breach. They are not supposed to be punitive in nature,” said Andrew Hope, a Philadelphia attorney who specializes in contract law and works with schools on NIL matters.
Revenue-sharing contracts pay athletes for their NIL rights, not athletic performance. Hope said athletes argue liquidated damages provisions don’t accurately re ect a loss in the value of their NIL to the school simply because they transferred or are seeking a transfer. The schools, of course, argue otherwise.
Negotiated settlements
Duke led a lawsuit seeking to block quarterback Darian Mensah from transferring and reaching a contract with another school, and a negotiat-
ed settlement was announced a week later.
Sports attorney Mit Winter, based in Kansas City, Missouri, predicted most of the contract disputes will end up with negotiated settlements. He said neither the school nor athlete will want to go through the time and expense of a court battle.
Hope noted that in a traditional employee contract, a noncompete clause would force the athlete to pay damages.
“But you can’t have that,” he said, “because these students aren’t employees.”
How to resolve eligibility cases
The way Winter sees it, one of three things must happen to stop the lawsuits seeking eligibility beyond the traditional four-seasons-over- ve years window.
One would be a federal law giving the NCAA an antitrust exemption. The eligibility lawsuits argue the NCAA is limiting economic opportunities by placing a limit on how long someone can make money as a college athlete.
Winter said the U.S. Supreme Court could uphold the NCAA’s eligibility rules. It should be noted, though, that the high court ruled 9-0 against the NCAA in 2021 in
the NCAA vs. Alston case. Justice Brett Kavanaugh famously wrote the NCAA’s rules probably would no longer hold up well in future antitrust challenges.
“The NCAA’s business model would be atly illegal in almost any other industry in America,” he wrote
LeRoy said the NCAA’s case for an antitrust exemption is further weakened by the emergence of private equity rms’ interest in college athletics. Winter said the third solution would be for eligibility rules to be collectively bargained, which would require athletes to be considered employees and unionized. What about employee status?
Winter predicted football and men’s and women’s basketball players in the Power Four conferences eventually will be considered employees.
If the Power Four, or just the powerful Big Ten and Southeastern conferences, broke away from the NCAA in football and basketball, collective bargaining would settle issues about length of eligibility, whether athletes with professional experience can return to play in college and a host of others that have become gray areas for the NCAA.
Parents say more must be done to protect them
By Marc Levy The Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. — So a
Tepichin was about 30 minutes into her club soccer team practice in October when she spotted a fast-approaching defender. She tapped the ball away and hopped over the defender’s outstretched foot, came down awkwardly and heard a “pop.”
Tepichin joined the growing ranks of female high school athletes tearing their anterior cruciate ligament, a devastating knee injury that researchers are pressing the sports world to take more seriously.
Decades of research on prevention methods is available, but parents, researchers and trainers say that teams, coaches and leagues aren’t doing enough to protect the girls and educate parents.
High school female athletes most vulnerable
Sports fans hear often about high-pro le athletes like U.S. Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn tearing their ACLs, and many ACL injuries are chalked up to bad luck or a part of sports that will continue to happen at all competitive levels.
Still, high school-age female athletes su er these injuries at
much higher rates than their male counterparts — up to eight times more likely, one study says — and adults, most often in noncontact situations in sports that require fast changes in direction, researchers say.
Biomechanics researchers, trainers and physical therapists say there are preworkout warmups and strengthening routines — such as FIFA 11+ or PEP — that can at least reduce the risk of an injury that takes such a high physical and mental toll on young athletes.
But, they say, most coaches lack training or expert help, and high school girls compete in settings with far fewer resources than the professional and collegiate levels. As a result, risk-reduction routines are rarely included in day-to - day coaching curricula and practices.
“The real crime in this is that the data has been out
there for 25 years,” said Holly Silvers-Granelli, a physical therapist and biomechanics researcher who advises athletes, professional teams and major sports leagues on injury prevention. “People are clamoring for answers, and the answers are largely there.”
The trendline of ACL injuries isn’t entirely clear, but the National ACL Injury Coalition — formed by the Aspen Institute and the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York — said its analysis of data from high school athletic trainers showed that the average annual ACL injury rate for high school athletes grew almost 26% from 2007 to 2022. The rate for girls grew more than 32%, compared to 14.5% for boys, it said.
“What is the solution”
This spring, the Ameri-
can Youth Soccer Organization — one of major national organizations in U.S. youth soccer — will roll out new ageand stage-based neuromuscular training programs aimed at preventing ACL injuries through warmups.
Coaches will get a regimen of exercises in bite-sized chunks, with video instructions. The goal is to build good habits before preteens age into more physical and demanding competition.
“My biggest shock was that this didn’t already exist,” said Scott Snyder, AYSO’s senior director of programs and education. “Everyone I talk to says, ‘Yeah, that makes perfect sense,’ but nobody’s done it yet.”
“Something’s got to change”
Like other parents, Ti any Jacob said she learned a lot about preventing ACL injuries that she wished she had known before her daughter — East Plano sophomore Aliya Jacob — tore her ACL last February. For instance, the surgeon told them three days a week of strength training is an absolute must for soccer players.
“Something’s got to change,” Ti any Jacob said. “Coaches, clubs, something. They have to do something to prevent this because it’s just such a horrible injury.”
“Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Frazier beats Ali in “Fight of the Century,” Pancho Villa attacks
The Associated Press
MARCH 5
1770: The Boston Massacre occurred as British soldiers opened re on a crowd of colonists, killing ve people and fueling outrage leading up to the American Revolution.
1953: Soviet dictator Josef Stalin died from a stroke at age 74 after nearly three decades in power.
1982: Comedian John Belushi was found dead of a drug overdose in a rented bungalow at Hollywood’s Chateau Marmont hotel at age 33.
2004: Martha Stewart was convicted of conspiracy and lying to the government regarding an insider trading scandal.
MARCH 6
1857: In Dred Scott v. Sandford, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 that Dred Scott was not a U.S. citizen and could not sue for his freedom and that Congress could not ban slavery in federal territories, deepening national divisions before the Civil War.
1820: President James Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise, allowing Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while prohibiting slavery north of latitude 36°30’ in the Louisiana Territory.
1836: The Alamo in San Antonio fell after a 13-day siege as Mexican forces led by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna overran the fortress, killing all Texian defenders, including William Travis, James Bowie and Davy Crockett.
MARCH 7
1876: Alexander Graham
In Dred Scott v. Sandford on March 6, 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that black Americans, even if freed, were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court, a decision later overturned by the 13th and 14th Amendments.
Bell received a U.S. patent for the telephone.
1936: Adolf Hitler ordered German troops into the demilitarized Rhineland, violating the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties.
1965: More than 500 civil rights demonstrators were attacked by Alabama state troopers and a sheri ’s posse as they attempted to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. O cers red tear gas and beat marchers with batons in what became known as “Bloody Sunday.”
MARCH 8
1917: Protests against food rationing broke out in Petrograd (now St. Petersburg), triggering eight days of rioting that led to the abdication of Tsar Nicholas II and the end of the Russian monarchy in 1917.
1948: The Supreme Court, in McCollum v. Board of Education, struck down religious education classes held during school hours in Champaign, Illinois, public schools, ruling the program violated the separation of church and state.
1971: In the rst of three
bouts between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Frazier defeated Ali by unanimous decision in the “Fight of the Century” at Madison Square Garden in New York.
MARCH 9
1796: The future emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte, married Joséphine de Beauharnais.
1841: The Supreme Court, in United States v. The Amistad ruled 7-1 that Africans who had seized control of the schooner La Amistad were illegally enslaved and must be freed.
1916: More than 400 Mexican raiders led by Pancho Villa attacked Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18 Americans.
MARCH 10
1496: Christopher Columbus concluded his second voyage to the Western Hemisphere, departing Hispaniola for Spain.
1876: Thomas Watson heard Alexander Graham Bell say, “Mr. Watson — come here — I want to see you,” the rst words transmitted by telephone, in Bell’s Boston laboratory.
1959: Thousands of Tibetans revolted against Chinese forces in Lhasa, surrounding the Dalai Lama’s palace. He later ed to India, where he remains in exile.
MARCH 11
1918: The rst con rmed U.S. cases of the in uenza pandemic were reported at Fort Riley, Kansas; the outbreak later killed an estimated 20 million to 40 million people worldwide.
1941: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act, providing war supplies to Allied nations during World War II.
1985: Mikhail Gorbachev was selected to succeed Konstantin Chernenko as general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party.
The performances center around a cure for epidermolysis bullosa
By John Carucci The Associated Press
THE FIRST TIME Eddie Vedder toured without Pearl Jam, he made some glaring mistakes onstage and felt discouraged. A few shows later, he ran into Bruce Springsteen, who told him that performing solo is terrifying, but that vulnerability can be a force to harness.
Vedder described Springsteen’s advice as a North Star that stuck with him. Nearly two decades later, he leaned into it when he took the stage for two sold-out solo shows in October 2023 at Seattle’s Benaroya Hall.
“I remember kind of swimming through it and almost having a psychedelic experience,” he said. “I was so emotional, but I had to keep it together just to play properly.”
The emotional performances were part of a fundraiser to nd a cure for epidermolysis bullosa, a rare and debilitating genetic skin disorder. A new Net ix documentary “ Matter of Time
“ weaves the performances with personal stories of those on the front lines with EB.
Recently, Vedder and his wife, Jill, spoke to The Associated Press about the documentary and the EB Research Partnership that they started in 2010 to bring awareness and nancial support to nding a cure.
The rare genetic disorder makes the skin so fragile that even minor friction can cause painful blisters and open wounds. In severe cases, ongoing damage can lead to serious complications, including skin cancer. There is no cure, but groups such as the EB Research Partnership fund research and work to develop e ective treatments and awareness.
“The kids are feeling seen and
Eddie Vedder and his wife, EB Research
Partnership chairwoman Jill Vedder, attend the “SNL50: The Homecoming Concert” in New York on Feb. 14, 2025.
understood,” Vedder said. “They realize they’re not something to fear, and that they’re not contagious. The only thing contagious about these kids is their hope.”
During the shows, Vedder primarily accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, but he also shifted at times to electric guitar and piano, adding texture and range to the set.
While he performed many Pearl Jam favorites, including “Better Man,” “Porch” and “Wishlist,” it was “Just Breathe” that seemed to expose his vulnerability as it carried the deepest emotional resonance of the set.
For Jill Vedder, chairwoman of the EB Research Partnership, the mission is not just pro-
The pop star has worked with the iconic designers since the 1990s
By Colleen Barry The Associated Press
MILAN — Madonna made a star appearance in Dolce & Gabbana’s front row during Milan Fashion Week on Saturday for a collection that felt like a conversation with the Material Girl herself.
To the backdrop of her hit “You’ll See,” Madonna and her boyfriend Akeem Morris were ushered to their seats next to Vogue’s Anna Wintour just as the Fall-Winter 2026-27 show was about to begin. Other front row guests couldn’t resist recording the moment as she hugged actor Alberto Guerra, with whom she recently shot a Dolce & Gabbana campaign. Madonna, 67, has been a Dolce & Gabbana icon since the 1990s, with key moments including wearing a bodice by the duo studded with colored stones and crystals for the 1991 New York preview of the lm “Truth or Dare.”
The designers also created costumes for the Erotica tour in 1992 and the Drowned World Tour in 2001.
CALANNI / AP PHOTO
Madonna, standing left, congratulates Domenico Dolce, right, and Stefano Gabbana at the end of the Dolce & Gabbana Fall/Winter 2026-2027 women’s collection, presented in Milan, Italy, on Saturday.
last appeared at the Dolce & Gabbana showroom for the Spring-Summer 2025
fessional but deeply personal.
“Every time I spend time with these families, I end up in tears because it’s hard to keep it together,” she said. Jill Vedder became the driving force behind the foundation after learning that her childhood friend and co-founder, Ryan Fullmer, had a son born with EB. What started as a deeply personal e ort soon evolved into a mission with global impact. Eddie joined to help elevate the cause.
That lesson carries into their work with EB Research Partnership.
“Now we’re using that patience once again. ... You learn about the science, but also about the scientists, their drive, devotion, and the toll it takes. It’s more than passion; it’s a commitment to care and persevere,” Vedder said.
According to the foundation’s CEO, Michael Hund, who joined in 2017, their progress reects the butter y e ect: “One small but powerful action, like a butter y apping its wings, can build enough force to create a monsoon halfway around the world. That’s the journey of this organization.”
“I have truth on my side / You only have deceit / You’ll see, somehow, someday.”
Madonna
Designer Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s collection for next fall and winter featured transparent lace dresses and skirts reminiscent of Madonna’s early aesthetic and big-shouldered pinstriped suits that recalled her Vogue music video. The collection also featured big faux furs and animal prints.
Models gave a little twirl in front of Madonna and Wintour, making sure they caught the mirrored double-breasted suits with lapels on both the front and the back. Both style-makers wore dark sunglasses as they squatted in the low front-row seats, Madonna wrapping her arms around her legs. Attentive during the show, they privately exchanged impressions at the end.
After the show, the designers walked down the runway to embrace the Queen of Pop and then whisked her backstage.
Outside, hundreds of fans gathered to catch Madonna and other stars who packed the front row. They included singers Hikaru Iwamoto of Japan, Choi San of South Korea and Achille Lauro of Italy.
Alan Greenspan hits 100, Shaquille O’Neal is 54, Chuck Norris turns 86, Carrie Underwood is 43
THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.
MARCH 5
Actor Fred Williamson is 88. Magician Penn Jillette is 71. Actor Adriana Barraza is 70. Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin is 60. Actor-comedian Aasif Mandvi is 60.
MARCH 6
Former Federal Reserve
Chairman Alan Greenspan is 100. Former Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova is 89. Opera singer Kiri Te Kanawa is 82. Rock musician David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) is 80. Basketball Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is 54.
MARCH 7
Hall of Fame auto racer Janet Guthrie is 88. Actor Daniel J. Travanti is 86. Entertainment executive Michael Eisner is 84. R&B musician Ernie Isley (The Isley Brothers) is 74. Actor Bryan Cranston is 70. Author Bret Easton Ellis is 62.
MARCH 8
Author John McPhee is 95. Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager is 82. Actor-musician Micky Dolenz (The Monkees) is 81. Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Rice is 73. Singer Gary Numan is 68. TV journalist Lester Holt is 67.
MARCH 9
Singer Je rey Osborne is 78. Actor Juliette Binoche is 62. Actor Emmanuel Lewis is 55. Actor Oscar Isaac is 47. Comedian Jordan Klepper (“The Daily Show”) is 47.
MARCH 10
Actor Chuck Norris is 86. Singer Dean Torrence (Jan and Dean) is 86. Actor Sharon Stone is 68. Music producer Rick Rubin is 63. Singer-songwriter Edie Brickell is 60. Actor Jon Hamm is 55. Country singer-songwriter Carrie Underwood is 43. Actor Olivia Wilde is 42. Actor Emily Osment is 34. Rapper-singer Bad Bunny is 32.
MARCH 11
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch is 95. Former ABC News correspondent Sam Donaldson is 92. Singer Bobby McFerrin is 76. Actor Elias Koteas is 65. Actor Alex Kingston is 63. Actor John Barrowman is 59. Singer Lisa Loeb is 58. Actor Terrence Howard
‘War Machine,’ Steve Carell, ‘Young Sherlock,’ Harry Styles returns
Seth McFarlane’s crude and cuddly “Ted” returns for a second season
The Associated Press
HARRY STYLES’ fourth solo album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” and Guy Ritchie’s detective series “Young Sherlock” are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also, among the streaming o erings worth your time this week: Steve Carell starring in the feel-good comedy “Rooster” on HBO, Nintendo’s Pokémon Pokopia o ering a peaceful gaming experience, and Netix has the sci- action pic “War Machine.”
MOVIES TO STREAM
For anyone catching up with this year’s Oscar nominees, both Jafar Panahi’s darkly comedic revenge lm “It Was Just an Accident” and Kleber Mendonça Filho’s “The Secret Agent” are streaming on Hulu starting in March. Panahi’s Palme d’Or-winner, which Mark Kennedy called one of the most moving of the year in his AP review, is vying for best international feature and best original screenplay at the Oscars on March 15.
“The Secret Agent” is up for best picture, best actor (Wagner Moura), best international feature and best casting. In her review, Lindsey Bahr called it a “slow burn thriller,” adding that it is “the best kind of personal lm, imbued with so many things that Mendonça Filho loves, both resurrection and elegy.”
Not to be confused with the David Michôd-directed Brad Pitt movie from 2017, Net ix has a new sci- action pic called “War Machine” streaming Friday. This new lm stars Alan Ritchson as an Army Ranger who while on a training mission comes across a deadly machine that relentlessly hunts him and his peers. Dennis Quaid also stars alongside Stephan James and Jai Courtney. A pickpocket (Ben Radcli e) lands a job at a stately English manor and begins a romance with the lady-of-the-house (Thomasin McKenzie) in “Fackham Hall,” a slapstick spoof with a side of murder mystery that crosses “Downton Abbey” with “Monty Python.” Also starring Katherine Waterston, Damian Lewis and Tom Felton,
“Fackham Hall” begins streaming on HBO Max on Friday. Or if you’d just rather go with actual “Downton Abbey,” the third movie, “The Grand Finale” is streaming on Net ix on Saturday.
MUSIC TO STREAM
He hath returned: Styles is back with his fourth solo album, “Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally,” out Friday via Columbia Records. Details are sparse: He described the
album as “an audio representation of a long diary entry” in a Q&A with his stylist, Harry Lambert, in The Sunday Times Magazine. He’s teased the release as a direct re ection of his time spent out of the spotlight in Rome. The rst taste arrived in the form of “Aperture,” a Styles’ opening track if we’ve ever heard one, a ve-minute slow burn built of accelerating synths. He told BBC Radio 1 the song was at least partially inspired by seeing LCD Soundsystem live and listening to the
’80s English post-punk band
The Durutti Column. Freedom, he seems to be teasing, comes from anonymity, a dance oor and braking as the music speeds.
SERIES TO STREAM
Scott Speedman’s charisma is on full display in the new ABC series “R.J. Decker.” Speedman plays a former newspaper photographer and ex-con who has decided to forge a new path as a private investigator. The show takes place in South Florida where the cases can be bonkers because — Florida. The series is inspired by Carl Hiaasen’s novel “Double Whammy.” Hiaasen is from Florida, understands its oddities and sets his books there. “RJ Decker” is available now on Hulu. Before Sherlock Holmes became the world’s greatest detective, he studied at Oxford University. That’s the backdrop for Prime Video’s “Young Sherlock,” starring Hero Fiennes Ti n as the titular character. The series is executive produced and directed by Ritchie and has all the qualities you would expect from a Ritchie production: action sequences, fast-pacing and smart dialogue. In this series, we also see Sherlock meet and befriend, of all people, James
(“The Secret Agent”) is the best kind of personal lm, imbued with so many things that Mendonça Filho loves, both resurrection and elegy.” Lindsey Bahr, AP Film Writer
Moriarty, his biggest nemesis. All eight episodes are streaming now.
Another prequel premieres this week. “Ted” the TV series returns for a second season Thursday on Peacock. It’s about the early days of the foul-mouthed teddy bear (Seth MacFarlane) and his best friend John (Max Burkholder) who is in high school. MacFarlane is also an executive producer, writer, director and co-showrunner. Carell stars in the new feel-good comedy “Rooster” for HBO. He plays a best-selling author who takes a job at a college where his daughter is also a professor and going through a tough time. The series is cocreated by Bill Lawrence (“Ted Lasso,” “Scrubs” and “Shrinking.”) Phil Dunster, Danielle Deadwyler and John C. McGinley have main roles. It premieres Sunday on HBO Max.
The folks at Bungie set a high standard for sci- shooters with Halo and Destiny, but few players remember their rst crack at the genre: 1994’s Marathon. The new Marathon jumps 99 years into the future and all the way out to a distant planet called Tau Ceti IV, where the original explorers tried to build a new colony. By the time you get there, though, most of the colonists have vanished, and it’s up to you to collect whatever loot they left behind. Bungie says you can play solo, but you’ll probably want to round up some online crewmates once the player-vs.-player mayhem starts. The expedition begins Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.
Nintendo’s Pokémon Pokopia isn’t the usual “gotta catch ’em all” adventure. It’s more like “build ‘em all a nice place to live and hope they show up.” Your character is a shape-shifting Ditto, and you’ve been dropped in a desolate landscape. Fortunately, the wise old Professor Tangrowth is there to help spruce it up. You’ll need to diversify if you want to attract visitors, since Pidgey’s probably going to want some trees and Psyduck may want a lake. If you’ve ever wanted to be surrounded by Pokémon without making them ght, this must be the place. Move in Thursday on Switch 2.