Chatham News & Record Vol. 149, Issue 34

VOLUME 149 ISSUE 34 | THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026

CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM

THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

STAN GILLILAND / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

State Fair fried festivities Members of the media and social media influencers gathered at the North Carolina State Fair’s annual Deep Fried Media Day on Monday to taste and test some of the fair’s 84 new food and drink offerings. The fair opens Thursday and runs through Oct. 25 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. For more, turn to NSJ, page A13.

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BRIEF this week

Vatican says pope’s lung nodule surgery successfully completed Rome Pope Leo XIV has undergone surgery to remove a lung nodule, with the Vatican confirming the procedure was successful. The 71-year-old pontiff returned to his room at Rome’s Gemelli hospital after the operation Tuesday. The surgery aimed to determine if the nodule is malignant and whether further treatment is needed. Leo had announced the discovery of the nodule during his Sunday prayer. Experts say his prognosis is excellent, even if the nodule is cancerous, as it was caught early. The Vatican has canceled his audiences through Oct. 20, allowing for recovery.

Guilfoyle, ambassador to Greece, resigns after allegations of improper conduct President Donald Trump’s ambassador to Greece, Kimberly Guilfoyle, has resigned after allegations of improper conduct but says she’ll “vigorously defend” herself. The White House says Guilfoyle was asked to resign after coming under severe criticism over allegations she engaged in improper and possibly illegal conduct before and during her tenure in Athens. Guilfoyle’s departure Tuesday comes after its possibility was previewed to The Associated Press over the weekend and Trump registered his unhappiness with reports about her alleged conduct on Monday.

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Chatham County Schools seeing downturn in enrollment Charter schools are also seeing a decrease in total student membership By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Schools Board of Education was presented with some of the district’s student

enrollment trends at its Oct. 12 meeting. This prior year, Chatham County Schools had a little more than 8,600 enrolled members, but this year that total is down to about 8,460.

The net loss through nonreturning students (transfers and graduates) was greater than the gain (transfers in and new kindergarten enrollees), resulting in a net loss of about 160 students. “Our kindergarten classes are smaller than our senior classes,” said School Accountability Officer Mark Samberg. “We’re below

Chapel Hill sets stage for new fire station construction The town plans to build more than 100 units of affordable housing on the same site By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record CHAPEL HILL has cleared its first hurdle toward the replacement of Fire Station 4.

At the Chapel Hill Town Council’s Oct. 7 meeting, a public hearing was held for a rezoning request for about four acres of town-owned property located at 101 Weaver Dairy

Road Extension to go from an office-institutional district to a residential-community priority district. The plan for the property is to demolish the existing fire station and training facility located on the property and to then construct a new fire station along with up to

Record grant goes toward farmland preservation The funds will be targeted toward a cattle farm in the Staley community Chatham News & Record staff PITTSBORO — A grant has been awarded to support the acquisition of a permanent working lands conservation easement as part of the Chatham County Farmland Preservation Program. The award of $665,000 comes from the North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, an initiative of the North Carolina Depart-

ment of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The grant is the largest award ever received by the county’s farmland preservation program. It’s targeted for the acquisition on the 221-acre Rocky River Farm, a cattle farm and working forest property in the Staley community. Chatham County will contribute $191,500 from its designated farmland preservation funding to complete the conservation easement acquisition. The remaining portion of the conservation easement value will be donated by the private landowner. See GRANT, page A7

“This is a significant milestone for our program.” Andrew Waters, Chatham County Farmland Preservation coordinator

projections across the board, but that’s not inconsistent with other districts.” This follows a trend which has been present over the last four years, with total enrollment being less in each year since the district’s peak in 2020. According to Samberg, it See SCHOOLS, page A7

105 units of affordable housing. Station 4, according to Fire Chief Jay Mebane, is in “dire need” of replacement, as the 44‑year‑old building was deemed to be in “poor condition” based on a study the department did in 2021. In addition, due to the site’s unique properties — located near the bus rapid transit line, it’s a gateway intersection to the town and surrounded by a variety of amenities — the town felt it was necessary to incorporate affordable See FIRE, page A3

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

THURSDAY

10.15.26 #164

Parking lot upgrades coming for library in Goldston Work is expected to be completed by the beginning of next week Chatham News & Record staff

“Join the conversation” Chatham News & Record

GOLDSTON — Goldston Public Library will be closed Friday and through the weekend in order for parking lot improvements to be made. The library’s parking lot

will be sealed and striping will be enhanced. The library is scheduled to reopen Monday for regular hours. Library patrons are encouraged to keep borrowed materials until the library reopens. Materials may also be returned to other Chatham County Public Library locations, including Chatham Community Library in Pittsboro and Wren Memorial Library in Siler City.

“We truly appreciate the community’s patience and understanding as we complete these important parking lot improvements,” said Juana Gomez Soriano, Goldston Public Library manager. “Although the library will be closed for one day, these enhancements will help provide a safer, more accessible, and more welcoming experience for everyone who visits Goldston Public Library.”

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North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, North Carolina 27344 Copyright 2026 Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Jordan Golson Local News Editor Bob Sutton Chatham Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Ryan Henkel Reporter Stan Gilliland Photographer BUSINESS David Guy Advertising Manager Chatham News & Record (USPS #101160) is published weekly, 52 weeks a year, by North State Media LLC 303 West Raleigh Street Siler City, NC 27344 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Chatham News & Record PO Box 290 Siler City, NC 27344 CONTACT US For a vacation hold or to report a delivery problem: 919-663-3232 To place a classified or display ad: 919-663-3232; Fax: 919-663-4042 To submit a news tip or correction: 919-663-3232; news@chathamnewsrecord.com

March date set for zoo’s Asia opening The new habitat has been on hold for months awaiting funding and personnel in place By Bob Sutton Chatham News & Record ASHEBORO — There’s a date and a wait for the Asia continent exhibit at the North Carolina Zoo. The North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources announced that the new exhibit will open to the public March 1 — months after the anticipated launch for the much-anticipated zoo expansion. “We can’t wait for guests to meet these enchanting resi-

dents, learn from them, and discover ways to protect their wild habitats and cousins,” said Mark Penning, the new director at the zoo. “Asia marks an important milestone in the Zoo’s 52-year history.” When a new state budget was passed and signed into law in early July, approximately $6.2 million in operating funds could then be tapped for the zoo. More than 50 positions were to be filled to handle the expansion. At the time, a fall opening for the Asia exhibition was believed to be likely. Groundbreaking for the Asia expansion was held more than four years ago in the summer of 2022. Construction for the new habitat was completed in the spring.

The exhibit, which covers 12½ acres, comes at a cost of $75 million. Funding has come from a combination of state funds and private donors, according to the zoo. Among nearly 50 new species in the Asia exhibit will be tigers, white-cheeked gibbons, Komodo dragons, Chinese alligators, king cobras, mixed birds, Asian small-clawed otters, cinereous vultures, Visayan warty pigs and Chinese giant salamanders. A large indoor café overlooks the habitat for tigers. There will be more than 6,000 new plants as part of the exhibit. Penning said new technology will be part of the ways for zoo visitors to explore the habitat. Pamela Cashwell, secretary of NCDNCR, said more than 1 million guests visit the zoo each year. The March 1 opening for the exhibit is set for noon. This is the zoo’s first major expansion since 1994.

CHATHAM

happening Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in Chatham County.

Oct. 15 Cirque Kikasse: SANTÉ! 6-8 p.m. The Quebec troupe turns a food truck into a stage for acrobatics, physical comedy and a 35-foot balancing act in a free, all-ages outdoor show. The stop is part of the Carolina Theatre of Durham’s centennial programming; RSVP online. The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

Oct. 16 Pittsboro Gallery of Arts Makers Celebration 5-8 p.m. The artist-owned gallery marks its sixth anniversary with live demonstrations by Martha Danek, Bobby Izquierdo, Mia Lucero, Randi Markowitz, Jody Nash and Coy Quakenbush, music by singer-songwriter Janet Place and refreshments. Admission is free. Pittsboro Gallery of Arts 44-A Hillsboro St. Pittsboro

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Annual subscription rate: $104

Pittsboro Finally Fridays: Downtown Mask Parade

CRIME LOG

5-8 p.m. The third-Friday arts walk goes costumed. Sign up at 5 p.m., parade with pets and people through the Social District at 6 p.m., then stay for costume judging and an ice cream-eating contest at the SOCO Patio 7-8 p.m. Face and pumpkin painting are at Page Vernon Park, with artist vendors along the route.

Oct. 5 • Brandon Alexander Thompson, 38, was arrested for possession of a firearm by a felon, attempting to obtain property by false pretenses and larceny of a firearm, and other charges. • Lacey Nicole Wright, 31, was arrested for injury to personal property, larceny of a motor vehicle and possession of a stolen motor vehicle, and other charges. Oct. 6 • Christopher David Lindgren, 59, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. • Santiago Miranda Paulino, 25, was arrested for driving while impaired, driving on a license revoked for impaired driving and possession of an open container of alcohol in the passenger area, and other charges. Oct. 7 • Billy Farrell Kiser, 58, was arrested for second-degree trespass. Oct. 8 • Claudia Marcela Martinez, 47, was arrested for violation of a domestic violence protective order. • Jacori Naisjay Alston, 26, was arrested for second-degree trespass and resisting a public officer.

PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Downtown Pop-Up Park 50 W. Salisbury St. Pittsboro

The North Carolina Zoo’s new Asia exhibit is expected to open March 1.

Oct. 17 Trunk or Treat Fall Festival 2-5 p.m. Chatham County Parks and Recreation’s free afternoon brings pumpkin carving and painting, Halloween games and crafts, a hay hunt, a photo booth and a food truck. Trunk-or-treating starts at 4 p.m. Leashed pets are welcome. Southwest District Park 15124 N.C. 902 Bear Creek

• Sylvester Quick, 61, was arrested for assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and misdemeanor larceny, and other charges.

Oct. 17-18

Oct. 9

11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Justin Wesley Trapp, 39, was arrested for assault by strangulation, assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Chatham Pride Alliance’s family-friendly festival is the county’s largest LGBTQIA+ celebration of the year. It opens with an outdoor drag show and dance party for ages 13 and up on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 6 to 10 p.m.

• Kenneth Thomas Lamont Striblin, 45, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Oct. 10 • Rogelio Castillo Casarrubias, 56, was arrested for intoxicated and disruptive and urinating in public. Oct. 11 • Wade Hampton Farrish, 73, was arrested for communicating threats and violation of a domestic violence protective order.

PBO Pride Festival

The Plant 220 Lorax Lane Pittsboro

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

Jordan jersey sets $14M record for basketball memorabilia, according to auction house It represents the third multimillion-dollar sale of a Jordan jersey from the 1998 Finals

The church is located at 190 Hanks Loop Road, Pittsboro.

MARK J. TERRILL / AP PHOTO

Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan pulls the ball out of reach of Utah Jazz guard Jeff Hornacek during third quarter action in Game 2 of the NBA Finals in Salt Lake City on June 5, 1998.

“While Michael Jordan’s importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art.” David Hunt, Hunt Auctions president worn by Babe Ruth of the New York Yankees when he hit the “called shot” home run against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field in Game 3 of the 1932 World Series. This sale becomes at least the third time a Jordan jersey from that 1998 finals has fetched at least $10 million. A jersey from Game 1 was sold at auction for about $10.1 million in 2022,

and a jersey from Game 3 was auctioned last month for about $12.3 million. “Michael Jordan was an incredibly talented player who is admired around the world,” Firman said in a news release distributed by the auction house. “I’m very excited about the purchase.” The jersey that Firman purchased was originally bought from the Bulls by a private collector in 2003, Hunt said, adding that it “has remained within a succinct chain of custody having only changed hands once from the original purchaser.” Just about anything related to the 1998 finals and Jordan’s final season with the Bulls has been the subject of massive interest in the collector space. In 2023, a pair of Air Jordan sneakers that he wore in Game 2 against the Jazz was sold by Sotheby’s for $2.2 million, touted at the time as “a new world record for the most valuable sneakers ever sold.”

A car leaves a Carrefour supermarket in Anglet, France, in January 2018.

BOB EDME / AP PHOTO

Cyberattacks hit European supermarket chains, disrupt refrigeration systems Refrigeration outages forced hundreds of supermarkets across Europe to discard spoiled food products By Angela Charlton and Dee-Ann Durbin The Associated Press PARIS — Cyberattacks have disrupted European supermarket chains, affecting refrigeration systems at hundreds of stores in France and forcing a major grocer to shut down websites serving customers in Europe and the United States. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told Parliament on Tuesday that about 700 of the country’s 10,000 supermarkets were affected. He said there was no risk to France’s food supplies but acknowledged that the attack “touches the heart of our food security.” “It was a wake-up call for everyone,” he said. The Paris prosecutor’s office said Tuesday that its cybercrime unit was investigating the large-scale attack, including the extent of damage caused by

HANKS CHAPEL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST Hanks Chapel’s annual homecoming service will be held on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 10:30 a.m. Dinner in the fellowship hall will follow the service.

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press MIAMI — A game-worn, autographed Michael Jordan road jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals has been privately sold for $14 million, an auction house announced Monday, calling it the highest price ever paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia. Pennsylvania-based Hunt Auctions announced the private treaty sale and identified the buyer as Miami real estate investor Ron Firman. The red jersey is the one Jordan wore in Game 2 of that series on June 5, 1998; he and the Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz that night to even the matchup at a game apiece. Jordan and the Bulls would go on to win the series in six games, the sixth and final title of his Hall of Fame career. That 1997-98 season was the subject of the 10-episode “Last Dance” documentary series that was released in 2020. “While Michael Jordan’s importance within the sports memorabilia marketplace has long been established it has now escalated to an elite asset class more typically reserved for iconic works of art,” said David Hunt, president of Hunt Auctions. “We are very pleased to have been able to facilitate this historic sale which serves as another benchmark for our industry.” The $14 million price would be the second-biggest known cost for a game-worn jersey, behind the $24.12 million paid in 2024 for the jersey

Church News

spoiled food and reports of fires. French supermarket group Groupement Mousquetaires, which operates more than 4,000 stores across Europe, said 300 of its Intermarché and Netto stores were impacted. Some refrigerated and frozen food display cases remained out of service Tuesday. Dominique Schelcher, CEO of French grocery chain Cooperative U, said 80 of the company’s 2,000 stores were affected. Most managed to prevent disruptions to refrigeration, but some had to discard food, he said in a post on X. “Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products is an attack on the French food supply chain. It is unprecedented, extremely serious, and unacceptable,” Schelcher said. Carrefour and Monoprix supermarkets were also impacted. Danish technology company Danfoss, which supplied the refrigeration management software, said Monday that most affected systems were older products that no longer received software or security updates. “Danfoss has long advised customers to keep supported

systems updated with the latest firmware, as well as to operate behind a firewall,” the company said. Danfoss said it was working with affected customers to limit the damage. Separately, Dutch supermarket giant Ahold Delhaize said Tuesday it was working to restore systems it had shut down following what it described as a security issue. The company, which operates Albert Heijn in the Netherlands, Delhaize in Belgium and Stop & Shop in the United States, declined to provide further details. Websites for several of its brands, including Stop & Shop, Food Lion and Albert Heijn, remained offline Tuesday, although stores were open and serving customers. Ahold Delhaize said it had no evidence that customer or employee data had been stolen. “Protecting our infrastructure in the best interest of our customers, associates and partners is a top priority,” the company said. “We apologize for any inconvenience this issue may have caused customers and partners.”

FIRE from page A1 housing into the equation as well. “This is a unique partnership to put two really needed community benefits in one place,” said Assistant Director of Affordable Housing Emily Holt. “This site has all the things we look for for affordable housing.” According to Holt, Laurel Street will be the town’s affordable housing development partner for this project, and it will serve residents who are at or below 60% of the area median income. Following the hearing, the council unanimously approved the rezoning. Future decisions on the property, including site plans, cost and construction, will be made at a later date. “This hearing is focused on the regulatory steps that would allow for future construction of a new fire station and affordable housing to take place,” said Town Manager Ted Voorhees. “There’ll be future decisions for council around the leasing of the property, funding, affordable housing and all that.” The council also held two more hearings, both related to one acre of property lo-

cated at 101 E Barbee Chapel Road inside the Meadowmont development. The first hearing was for a master land use plan modification application, which requested that the subject property — previously approved for 10,000 square feet of commercial use when the master plan was originally approved in 1995 — be allowed to be used instead for the development of additional residential units. “(The parcel) is in close proximity to all of the services of the village center, mass transit and all the things that make it an ideal residential development and a place to live,” said landscape architect Scott Murray, who was representing the applicant. The second hearing was for a special use permit modification application to develop a multifamily building for senior housing with eight residential dwelling units, which will be incorporated into The Cedars development. Following the hearings, the council unanimously approved both requests. “Thank you for this opportunity to increase housing for individuals in this community,” said Mayor Pro Tem Camille Berry. The Chapel Hill Town Council will next meet Oct. 21.

KEEP OUR BORDERS SECURE! BIBLE STUDY: REVELATION 1:1-20 CHURCH OF LIVING WATER; SERVANT: JAMES MITCHELL To all my Black/Latino/Hispanic/White/Red brothers and sisters, we need to stand united together for our America First country. If these socialists, communists Democrats come into power next month, many of the great things President Trump has done and is doing will be stopped. Our taxes will increase to give away to illegals, criminals, and Islamic terrorists. How do you think they can pay for all the free stuff? You will pay more in taxes than ever before! They will try to eliminate much of our law enforcement and military. Drag queens teaching and reading to our children. Some of the teachers’ unions have been taken over by demonic spirits. Men and boys in women’s and girls’ sports will start again. President Trump has secured our borders. Democrats will open our borders again, bringing in millions of illegals, criminals, and Islamic terrorists for their votes. Democrats and activist judges are doing everything they can to stop the deportation of criminals. These criminals and illegals are sexually assaulting and killing your family members. Democrats want to defund our police so they can’t put these wrongdoers away. You sorry rhino Republicans, God’s judgment is coming! Praise God for our greatest ally, Israel! America needs to be more like Israel in bringing killers to justice. They wiped out approximately four thousand Hamas terrorists who entered Israel and burned babies alive killing children and parents. These radical Muslims hate Israel and America. You who hate or curse Israel, God’s word says you shall be cursed! Genesis 12:3. When you see the wickedness in America and the world today, Revelation is coming! Churches, preachers, and congregations—that are not preaching or teaching God’s Holy Word—repent. You must be born again! In Jesus’ name!

Share with your community! ••• Send your birth, death, marriage, graduation and other announcements to community@ chathamnewsrecord.com.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | ANDREW TAYLOR-TROUTMAN

Be a man, not a snake Each time you laugh at a sexist joke or change the conversation, you miss the chance to effect positive change.

AFTER THE NEWS of the alleged rape in the fraternity house at Cornell, my wife found this analogy from an online commentator: Imagine a field of snakes where only a few of them are venomous, but they all look the same. If you have to cross the field, you are going to take every precaution. Knowing that most snakes won’t harm you is unhelpful. The danger is just as real. Women feel the same about men. From a young age, women have had to learn to keep themselves safe from men. As the metaphor of the snakes in the field makes clear, it’s not all men. But the risk is always there. The metaphor comparing men to snakes draws upon an ancient archetype. The biblical story of the snake in the Garden of Eden is not the only story that has depicted this creature as a threat, a tempter or even a personification of evil. Speaking to my fellow men, how might we become less snakelike and actually human to women? How might we move from threats to allies? For as long as women have learned to protect themselves, men have avoided the work of protecting them, specifically by not actively correcting other men. If men say anything about sexual violence, we too often blame the victim, such as criticizing what she wore (or didn’t), where she was (or wasn’t) or who she was with (or wasn’t). It is a double standard. We suggest that the woman somehow brought it upon herself,

either explicitly or implicitly. Such misogyny happens all the time. For example, a recent monologue on “Saturday Night Live” called women “whores” for what they wore at the gym. Obviously, it is not every man who would make such a vile statement. Not every “snake” is venomous. Yet each time you laugh at a sexist joke or change the conversation, you miss the chance to effect positive change. Don’t allow the snakelike hissing of other men to pass without correction. When my wife and I honeymooned in Ireland, we hiked to the top of a mountain where legend has it that St. Patrick cast all the snakes into the sea. Ridding our culture of misogyny is never that easy or instantaneous. It will take the daily, combined effort of men who stand up to those who are crude, objectifying and misogynistic. But it’s worth it, gentlemen. You see, misogyny hurts everyone. Obviously, women are impacted the most. But to return to the biblical account in the Book of Genesis, each one of us, male and female, has been created in the divine image. Whenever anyone treats a fellow human as an object, it dims the humanity in themselves and in our beloved community. 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, coffee drinker and student of joy.

COLUMN | BOB WACHS

Hazel no lady There’s something especially frightening about being 6 years old and seeing your world turning upside down.

OCT. 15 THIS year is a Thursday. Seventy-two years ago, it was a Friday ... and what a Friday it was. Maybe it’s human nature, a natural reaction to compare things. Fishermen like to catch the most fish; baseball players to hit the most home runs; your golfing buddy to have a better score than you. Pretty much anything that can be compared will be. Does that go for hurricanes? Southeastern coastal states from Texas to Virginia have had their share through the years, and all have been bad; some have been horrific. In 1900, a hurricane claimed more than 6,000 lives when it washed over the flat coastline city of Galveston, Texas, making it the biggest natural disaster in U.S. history. This year’s track record for storms has not gone all that far into the alphabet for names and has included some names it’s hard for this ol’ Southern boy to pronounce, such as the just-gone-by Isaias. And officially “hurricane season” doesn’t end until Nov. 30, so there could be more, but as cooler weather gets here, the odds decrease. The battered folks in Florida surely hope so and are ready for that day. But in North Carolina history there is one hurricane that still evokes shudders — at least to folks of a certain age group — and it’s not Fran or Floyd, bad as they were. It’s Hazel. It used to be all of them had female names. The old joke was, “Why are there no hurricanes with male names?” and the answer was, “Have you ever heard of a himicane?” Often, folks who live through them don’t talk about them, sort of like combat veterans most of the time don’t relive those times. For a big chunk of North Carolina, Oct. 15, 1954, brought Hurricane Hazel. It — or she — hit the shore near the border between the two Carolinas at around 6 in the morning with 150 mph-plus winds as the storm itself was zooming along at about 50 miles per hour. That was the days before Doppler weather forecasts that ran 25 hours a day and TV weather folks stood out in howling winds to make sure we knew a storm had hit or was coming. Folks on the coast could tell a storm was on the way, but they

didn’t know what kind of storm — or how bad it would be. When Hazel was over, 19 Tarheels had died, property damage ran into the hundreds of millions of dollars, and the path of destruction went as far north as Pennsylvania, New York and Canada. Entire communities were battered and washed into the sea. There was no more Long Beach, today’s Oak Island. Back home in Chatham County, school officials decided the safest place for youngsters was at their homes. There were no emergency alert systems; many parents were at work; school buses roamed the roads in the height of the storm, often having to take alternative routes because of trees blocking roads. Some couldn’t make it through, returning to school buildings, which were probably the safest places to be. On that Friday, the storm came through Raleigh in the afternoon. My father had left his insurance company office in Durham to pick me up at the Governor Morehead School for the Blind, where I spent a year before eye doctors figured out they could correct my limited vision. We were huddled in the parlor of a massive brick dorm; the sky was as black as a coal mine (and I’ve been in one), and the giant oak trees seemed to be bending double. And the wind ... weather stations reported gusts in the capital city at 90 mph. It was a hairy trip back home to Pittsboro. Since that day, forecasting has improved greatly, and warnings lead to preparedness. And since that day, I’ve lived through a few more in my inland setting. Fran was an all‑nighter that claimed trees, fences and vehicles from us. It’s bad enough as an adult, but there’s something especially frightening about being 6 years old and seeing your world turning upside down. When you pay your bills this month, send a check to the Red Cross or Samaritan’s Purse or the Salvation Army or some other reputable relief agency for the victims of those natural disasters. There are still lots of 6-year-olds out there. Bob Wachs is a native of Chatham County and emeritus editor at Chatham News & Record. He serves as pastor of Bear Creek Baptist Church.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

COLUMN | JAN HUTTON

COLUMN JOSH HAMMER

A cookie that kept right on giving

It’s difficult to pass up emotional catnip when someone seems truly interested in your life.

FACEBOOK opened the door, thank heavens … So it began. My mother has been gone for more than 25 years, but I’m still hyperaware of her birthday on Sept. 2. On that day, several years ago, I received a Facebook message from a childhood neighbor with whom I’d recently reconnected. She asked if another childhood neighbor could have my cell number. I was downright puzzled. I’d not been in contact with Mark since he was about 7 years old and I was 12. Mark’s older sister was my neighborhood friend and the person through whom I knew Mark and his family. Little Mark? Contacting me? Now? Cell number shared. I received a call from him several hours later. In my mind’s eye, the Mark I remember is an adorable little boy with bangs, running up and down the hall in his family’s home. Speedy, energetic little Mark. I was astounded to learn that he recalled my mother’s birthday because it was one day after his own, beloved, late mother’s birthday. Ergo, his desire to reconnect after a million years. Startled too that the “Mark” I still visualized as such a young ’un is now the father of three grown sons! Mark’s late mother, Cookie, was someone I adored. Children who entered her home were not just friends of her two kids but treated as young people in their own right. I vividly remember sitting at the kitchen table with Cookie, feeling like such an adult as we talked seriously about something or other. Is that what it felt like to be

an adult? Being taken seriously? Wow. Eventually, Mark’s family moved to a new neighborhood, and I lost touch with him and his sister. I continued, however, to periodically visit Cookie, even after leaving for college. It’s difficult to pass up emotional catnip when someone seems truly interested in your life. In her early 40s, Cookie was diagnosed with cancer. I was in town from college and drove over to see her. She was bedbound. Because I was a naive and self-focused youngster at that time (big sigh), our visit zeroed in on me, guided, as usual, by Cookie. She died several months later. “May her memory be a blessing” in the Jewish tradition is a phrase shared when speaking of the departed. In traditional obituaries, unseen blessings bestowed by the hearts of the departed tend to be overlooked. More weight is given to material accomplishments. Not here. At all. After all these years, I still recall being bathed in the warm attention of Cookie’s light. I felt seen … P.S. Mark and I periodically check in with each other now, and happily so. I apologize for embarrassing you, Mark, but your heart seems to be as open and inviting as your mom’s. Truth be told, and with only a wee bit of contrition, I still can’t shake the memory of that little boy charging up and down the hall of his childhood home. Zoom, zoom … Jan Hutton, a resident of Chatham County and retired hospice social worker, lives life with heart and humor.

COLUMN | JORDAN TOPAL

When should a town sell its water system? State law requires a buyer to file a five-year projection of the rate impact on the seller’s customers.

TOWNS ACROSS THE COUNTRY have sold their water system with good reason: some have environmental problems, others have budget deficits and unfunded pensions, still others can’t afford to fix failing pipes. North Carolina has labeled 160 local utilities as distressed, including 11 across Duplin, Moore, Randolph and Stanly counties. The state has helped several of these with loans or grants to fix their issues. Unless it’s the only option for safe water and sewer, selling to a private utility usually isn’t worth it. North Carolina passed the fair-value law in 2018. It allowed private utilities that buy municipal systems to earn a regulated return on what they paid instead of the depreciated value of decades-old assets on the town’s books. Each purchase receives three appraisals before approval from the N.C. Utilities Commission. The buyer earns a return on the lower of the purchase price or the average appraisal value. Carteret County’s 2023 sale of a 1,200-customer water system to Carolina Water was the first under the law. Customers pay for needed repairs no matter who owns the system, so what matters is who can finance them more cheaply. Regulators set the private utility’s profit because there is no local competition. In North Carolina, they typically allow a return of 9.8% on equity, the shareholders’ contribution, and customers also pay the utility’s debt interest. Including the utility’s income taxes, customers pay a blended 8.5% to 8.9% a year on the capital. When a private utility spends money to upgrade pipes, that amount is added to its rate base, the total amount customers pay a return on. So the utility has no reason to hold down construction spending. A healthy municipality borrows with tax-free bonds. Their rates are lower than corporate bond rates because investors pay no income tax on the interest, and municipalities have no shareholder dividends to pay. Over the last few years, that rate has averaged 3% to 5%. On financing costs alone, it’s much cheaper for a municipality to run a water and sewer system. On occasion, a distressed municipality is unable to maintain the utility. It lacks the money or the expertise to bring it back into serviceable shape. The first answer is usually state

assistance. On Oct. 6, the Local Government Commission approved $46.2 million in State Revolving Fund loans to rebuild Albemarle’s wastewater plant, mostly at a 0.1% interest rate. In February, the state paid for studies of Greenevers merging with neighboring Wallace and of Stanly County taking over Stanfield’s water and sewer. A sale is the last resort once the public options are exhausted. A private operator has large engineering staffs and a deep back office for billing and customer service. Buyers usually hire the municipal employees as well to maintain local expertise. Selling solves three problems for a town: It no longer has to manage the utility or vote for unpopular rate hikes, and the cash ends its acute financial distress. But the rate hikes don’t go away. State regulators approve them instead of the town council. After a sale, the buyer usually freezes rates for one to three years. Then it asks the Utilities Commission for large rate hikes to pay for the system’s needed improvements. In Pennsylvania, buyers proposed increases of 40% to 94%. After Pennsylvania American Water bought Exeter Township’s sewer system in 2019, the average monthly bill nearly tripled within five years, from $43 to $115. North Carolina regulators have approved a steep increase for Carteret County, where water-only bills will rise 78% by 2028, from $81 to $144. Future rates will continue rising with each rate case the utility brings to the commission. Selling the utility is like a sale-leaseback in the corporate world. The town takes the utility and upkeep off the books, but citizens pay a higher price long-term to lease the asset. However, a company can move out when its lease ends. Utility customers can’t because they’re renting a regulated monopoly. If a town has any capacity to borrow with a BBB rating or better, it’s cheaper to keep the utility public. State law requires a buyer to file a five‑year projection of the rate impact on the seller’s customers. Any council weighing an offer should ask for that number before considering a letter of intent. Jordan Topal is a CFA charterholder who spent two decades in municipal finance. He writes about local government finance at fundbalance.substack.com.

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Don’t let Flydubai terror scare derail Abraham Accords progress TERRORISTS want nothing more than to prevent peace. It’s why they fly planes into buildings, don explosive vests and rain indiscriminate missiles on civilian populations. The response to such terrorism isn’t to cower. It is to lead with boldness, courage and, sometimes, outright heroism. The world just saw precisely such heroism in the high drama aboard Flydubai Flight 1073, from Dubai to Tel Aviv. There was the Indian national pilot, Smit Machchhar, who, though bleeding badly after he was brutally stabbed by his terrorist Omani national copilot, had the presence of mind to open the cockpit door as the plane nosedived 10,000 feet a minute. There were the ordinary Israeli citizens — and above all, new national hero Yaniv Hayoun — who, Todd Beamer-style, swiftly rushed the cockpit and subdued the terrorist in a chokehold (yes, really). There were the two off-duty pilots — reportedly British, South African or New Zealander in nationality — who were able to glide the plane to a safe emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. There was the Emirati flight crew, which handled the madness with aplomb, preventing chaos in a terrified cabin and ensuring the safety of all passengers. Israeli activist Hillel Fuld quoted a military pilot on X: “In virtually every historical incident where an airliner got anywhere close to these speeds, the tail ripped off the entire back of the plane.” In the Book of Esther in the Hebrew Bible, God is not mentioned once. This is deliberate. His name doesn’t need to appear: His presence is felt, and seen, everywhere. It was the same way aboard Flydubai Flight 1073. Some have reacted to this mesmerizing story in knee-jerk fashion. They have leapt to call for the full cancelation of all direct flights between Israel and the United Arab Emirates — and perhaps a downgrading of ties between Israel and the Arab world, more generally. The instinct is understandable. The anti‑Israel press downplayed the harrowing affair as a “pilot altercation,” but the fact is, a Muslim pilot tried to crash a plane full of Jews. That looks like terrorism. That’s certainly what the Israelis think happened. But terror attacks and near-terror attacks must not derail peace. To allow peace to be derailed is actually to do the terrorists’ bidding. The Abraham Accords, those dynamic 2020 peace agreements that normalized Israeli relations with the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco, must go on. Indeed, they must expand. Many predicted the Abraham Accords would die after the Hamas savagery of Oct. 7, 2023, and the ensuing war in Gaza. They didn’t. On the contrary, the accords are stronger today. The Iran conflict, which has seen the Islamic Republic strike the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait, has sent an unmistakable message: The Sunni Gulf states’ threat isn’t Jerusalem. It’s Tehran. That’s why, just days before the near catastrophe aboard Flydubai Flight 1073, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Abu Dhabi to meet with representatives from eight different Arab countries. Prior to that confab, Netanyahu rendezvoused directly with Emirati President Mohamed bin Zayed. It was the first time such a bilateral meeting was publicly verified by both countries. Perhaps, then, the attempted terror attack timing isn’t a coincidence. The rumor mill has also been swirling that Kuwait might soon join the Abraham Accords. It’s not hard to see what is going on here. Before the Oct. 7 pogrom, Saudi Arabia — the de facto leader of the Arab world — was on the precipice of making peace with Israel. Netanyahu dedicated much of his September 2023 address to the United Nations General Assembly to the topic. Around the same time, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told Fox News’ Bret Baier “every day we get closer” to normalization with Israel. Peace seemed imminent. One of Hamas’ aims with its massacre was to derail Israeli-Saudi normalization. In that, Hamas was successful — for now. But in the long run, Hamas won’t be successful. Despite the setback, the House of Saud still knows that peace with Israel is an inevitability. We cannot allow this would-be terrorist copilot to be successful either. This is not the time to pump the diplomatic brakes. We might have to brace ourselves for additional attempted terror attacks, as cynics once again try to stop peace. Israel is undoubtedly prepared for that. The Arab states should prepare too. Israel should also reevaluate its aviation procedures. Perhaps Israeli authorities can help vet inbound and outbound commercial pilots. But the pursuit of regional peace must go on. There would be no greater tribute to the heroes of Flydubai Flight 1073 than that. Josh Hammer is the senior editor-at-large of Newsweek and host of “The Josh Hammer Show” and podcast. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

obituaries

Sadie Mae Harvell Murchison April 23, 1934 – Oct. 10, 2026 Sadie was born April 23, 1934, in Chatham County to the late Martha Patsy “June” Harvell. Sadie passed away on Saturday, October 10, 2026, peacefully at the SECU Jim & Betsy Bryan Hospice House in Pittsboro. Sadie was a retired Chatham County Schools Child Nutrition Employee; she was known as the “lunch lady” by many students of Chatham County Schools. In addition to her mother

Kay Renalda Glosson Parker Clark Jan. 11, 1943 – Oct. 7, 2026 Mrs. Kay Renalda Glosson Parker Clark, age 83, of Pittsboro, North Carolina, peacefully passed away on the evening of October 7, 2026, after a prolonged illness. Born on January 11, 1943, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Renalda lived most of her life in Chatham County. Her life was marked by a love for her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, her family, friends, animals, community, and art. Her love for art began long before her time at UNC-Greensboro and her pursuit of a degree in fine arts from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, which she earned while raising three young children. Although she never sought recognition for her artwork, many different pieces she created have been displayed throughout the area since her high school years, often under the names Kay Glosson or Kay G. Parker. Her artwork graced the cover of the Pittsboro High School Dragonian yearbook and could also be seen on the “Dragon Wagon” athletic bus. She painted the 8 foot tall Chatham Central Bear Mascot in the 1960s as well as the 10-foot-tall Northwood Charger Mascot in the 1970s, both of which can still be found in their gyms today. These images have been enjoyed by generations of students and thousands of others throughout Chatham County. Renalda was particularly attached to the Charger, which continues to watch over the basketball court at the high school where she taught art for many years where she will always be best known as “Mrs. Parker”. After more than 20 years of dedicated service as an art teacher within the Chatham County School System, she retired leaving behind a legacy that extends far beyond the classroom. Thousands of students have been, and will continue to be, inspired by her artistic gifts, creative spirit, and unique teaching style. Renalda will be remembered for her generosity in sharing her talents without seeking recognition and for the lasting impression she made on her students and community.

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We offer an on-site crematory with many options of Celebration of Life services, Traditional, and Green Burials. Call us to set | www.donaldsonfunerals.com focused on atonew challenge: or do that would be helpfulan appointment come by and learn more. Sadie was preceded in death by 396 West St., Pittsboro, NC 27312 | 919-542-3057know Fighting pancreatic cancer. to them. her husband, Duncan Cameron It was a roller coaster ride. Mary E was fiercely Murchison and her son, Duncan After enduring twelve difficult independent. She was her own Lynn Murchison. chemotherapy treatments, she general contractor for the house Sadie is survived by a son, underwent a complex surgery to she built in Chatham County; if Donnie Cameron Murchison remove the tumor and basically she decided to do something, of Goldston; daughter, Martha rework her digestive system. she didn’t care what other people Susan Douglas and husband, Nevertheless, she recovered well thought- she would work until Mike of Bear Creek; grandson, and was told she was cancershe finished it. She had a single Daniel Douglas and wife Brooke free. But only three months seat season ticket for basketball of Bear Creek; granddaughter, later, a new mass appeared. This and football games that she Candie Carlyle and husband, time there was no mention of maintained for 40+ years. Zac of Carthage; two great a cure, only guesses about life Mary E took great pride granddaughters, Paisley and expectancy. in being part of the Carolina Harper Carlyle; and two great Despite the setback, Mary E community. Her love for the grandsons, River and Miles almost never missed a game— University, and especially for Douglas. regardless of the weather, how the Tar Heels, ran deep. It was a The funeral will be held on March 29, 1952 – the team was doing, or even love that was infectious, and one Thursday, October 15, 2026, Sept. 15, 2026 cancer. She once walked from that she shared generously with at Bethany Baptist Church a radiation session directly to everyone around her. in Gulf, at 11:00 AM, with the Mary Elizabeth Daniel, who the Dean Dome for a basketball In 1980–81, Mary E became burial following in the church preferred to go by Mary E. or game. good friends with some of the cemetery with Rev. Mike Emmie, passed away peacefully But what made her truly graduate students in Carolina’s Herring and Rev. Patrick Daniels on September 15, 2026, special was the person she was Environmental Sciences and officiating. Family will receive under hospice care at home in and the friendships she created. Engineering program. She friends after the service in the Pittsboro, NC. She was 74 years She was fun-loving, loyal, quickly became one of the gang, church fellowship hall. old. enthusiastic, and someone who joining in their tailgates, parties, The family would like to say a Mary E was born and raised brought people together. For and other events. Mary E loved special Thank You to the caring in Littleton, NC, a small town those of us fortunate enough to the games, the discussions, the staff at the Jim & Betsy Bryan in Halifax County. Even though have known her, she made life history, the rivalries, and all the Hospice House. she was years younger than the more enjoyable by simply being excitement that came with being Smith & Buckner Funeral other girls in her neighborhood, part of it. a Tar Heel. Home is honored to be serving her positive energy and outsized She will be deeply missed, but In 1991 she received a the Murchison family. personality quickly won them the memories, the laughter, her diagnosis of breast cancer. Online Condolences may be over, and she maintained those spirit, and the touch of mischief The treatment was successful, made at www.smithbucknerfh. treasured friendships throughout she shared with all of us will live but she realized that life was com her life. on. short and decided to buy a From an early age, her She is survived by her loving Mazda Miata to have more fun father would take Mary E to see husband of 27 years, Carl Fisher, in life. This led her to join the basketball and football games at Beyond her art and of Pittsboro, NC, cousin George Tarheel Sports Car Club and the University of North Carolina teaching, Renalda found joy Jordan (wife Melba) of Cary, NC, start competing in autocross in Chapel Hill, and she became a in photography, traveling, and cousin Nelda Huffstetler competitions. There she made lifelong Tar Heels fan. exploring historical (husband William) of Pinehurst, many more lifelong friends and, Following her graduation from architecture, and spending time NC. through a mutual friend, met her UNC in 1974 with a degree in at the beach. She was an avid Mary E was preceded in death husband, Carl. business, she took a job in the collector who cherished the by her father, Erasmus Alston Mary E and Carl loved to travel University’s Financial Aid office. treasures she discovered and Daniel, mother, Elizabeth Rodwell together, driving to race events Within a few years, computers believed that nothing should be Daniel, and aunt, Mary Frances to compete, or sometimes just started to appear in the thrown away if it held meaning Rodwell. help out. For about 20 years business world, and Mary E was or memories. She also had There will be no funeral or they helped teach driving skills fascinated. She taught herself a special love for animals, service. In lieu of flowers, cards, to police officers throughout the how to use them and quickly especially dogs. Her faithful or other gifts, please donate to state. Mary E often drove the became the expert in the office. Great Pyrenees, Jack, was “rabbit” car they chased- she was the University of North Carolina Over the years, she helped lead more than a cherished pet; he Pancreatic Cancer Research never caught. the office forward from pen and was her constant companion Fund in the name of Mary Carl was not a big sports fan, paper to a top-flight scholarship and best four-legged friend. Elizabeth Daniel: but he was always up for a road system, winning accolades along Renalda was preceded in UNC Health Foundation trip, and they enjoyed many the way. death by her parents, Henry Attn: UNC Lineberger trips together to UNC football But to her coworkers, Mary E B. Glosson, Jr., and Athalene 123 West Franklin Street, Suite bowl and away games, as well as was much more than a talented Rives Glosson; her very special 510 NCAA Final Four tournaments. and dedicated colleague. She stepfather, W. Gordon Burns; Chapel Hill, NC 27516 She finally retired in 2022 was a friend whose wit, wisdom, and her beloved grandson, Call UNC Gift Services at (919) after more than 43 years with and whimsy consistently lifted Jacob Caldwell. 537-3818 if you have questions. the University. The plan was for the spirits of those around her. She is survived by her loving Donaldson Funeral Home & the couple to travel the USA and She was always thinking of husband, Charles T. Clark Crematory is honored to serve visit other countries, but within a others, and of what she might of Siler City, NC; her three year, their energy was suddenly the Daniel family. children: Levonda (Parker) Caldwell and her husband, Michael, of Garner, NC; Nalda (Parker) Mills of Greensboro, NC; and Roderick W. Parker and IN MEMORY his wife, Katherine, of Pittsboro, NC. She leaves behind eight beloved grandchildren: Logan and Caleb Caldwell; Samantha BARBARA “BOBBIE” HENLEY GRIFFIN Holder and her husband, NOV. 5, 1939 – OCT. 11, 2026 Andrew Neems; Rachel Holder; Brian Holder; Ian Holder; Alex Barbara Henley Griffin “Bobbie”, age 86, of Sanford, passed away peacefully on Sunday, October 11, Parker and his wife, Ashley; 2026. and Andrew Parker. Renalda She was born in Wake County on November 5, 1939, to the late Raymond Woodrow Henley and Pauline is survived by her three Hunt Henley. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband John Griffin and siblings stepchildren: Warren Clark and Raymond Woodrow Henley, Jr and Carolyn Henley. his wife, Roberta, of FuquayShe devoted her life to caring for her family, serving as a loving homemaker while her husband served in Varina, NC; Darryl Clark and his the Civil Service. She enjoyed spending Sunday afternoons surrounded by family, sharing laughter, love, and wife, Dixie, of Siler City, NC; and a good bowl of homemade ice cream. She had a special love for her cats, who brought her much happiness Janet LeGay and her husband, and companionship. Her faith was also an important part of her life, and she dearly loved her church family Jeff, of Siler City, NC. She was at Shepherd’s Flock. also blessed with five stepShe is survived by her daughter Sharon Denkins (Randy) of Sanford; step-son Steve Griffin (Tim Thomas); grandchildren and one stepstep-daughters Janet Mashburn of Broadway and Judy Shaw of Pittsboro; grandchildren Tina Lee, Eddie great-grandson. Deal, Jr., Daniel Beckwith, Maghan McDonald, Tiffany Beckwith, Johnny Griffin, Michael Beckwith and Her legacy will live on Ashley Allen; twelve great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. through the artwork she created the students she inspired, the memories she treasured, and the family she MARGARET ANN COX HAYES loved so dearly. JULY 9, 1942 – OCT. 11, 2026 The family will receive friends before the service from 12 noon Margaret Ann Cox Hayes, 84, of Asheboro, passed away on Sunday, October 11, 2026 at Meridian Center until 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, in High Point. October 14, 2026, at Mays Visitation will be held at Joyce-Brady Chapel from 5:30-7:00 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2026. Chapel Baptist Church. Funeral The funeral will be at 11:00 am on Friday, October 16, 2026 at Pleasant Grove Christian Church with services will follow at 1:00 Pastor Brian Allmon presiding. p.m. at the church, with Pastor Margaret was born in Chatham County on July 9, 1942 to Dewey and Gerta Brown Cox. Val Chadwick and Pastor Kirk She was a member of Pleasant Grove Christian Church and was previously employed at Black & Decker. Parrish officiating. Interment She was a great cook and enjoyed working in her flowers. Margaret was an avid artist and painter. She loved will immediately follow at her family and friends. Meroney Methodist Church In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne Hayes; sister, Joan Cox Cemetery. McRae; brothers, Melvin Cox, Clifford Cox, Norris Cox and Dwayne Cox. Margaret is survived by her children, In lieu of flowers, memorial Mike Hayes (Donna), of Asheboro and Angie Goins (Kevin), of Sophia; sisters, Nancy Kidd, of Coleridge and donations may be made to UNC Jane Gordon, of Bennett; grandchildren, Michael Hayes, Erica Miller, Kristen Grooms and Drew Grooms; Hospice in Renalda’s memory great-grandchildren, Anderson, Charlotte, Camden and Sadie and a host of family and friends. at https://give.unc.edu/ hfdonate?p=MFHO. The family invites friends and loved ones to share a memory or message of condolence in Renalda’s guestbook. “Her beautiful spirit, artistic gifts, and unconditional love will be treasured forever by all who knew her.” Smith & Buckner Funeral Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries Home of Siler City, North and death notices to be published in Chatham News & Record Carolina, is honored to serve the family of Kay Renalda at obits@chathamnewsrecord.com Glosson Parker Clark.

Mary Elizabeth Daniel

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

DNA, vehicle-tracking help French investigators recover stolen Renoirs, make arrests in theft Investigators suspect the four arrested men were preparing another art heist By Sylvie Corbet and Eva Van Dam The Associated Press NANTERRE, France — DNA left on a protective painting cover helped investigators recover two stolen Renoirs and uncover what they suspected were preparations for another art heist, a French prosecutor said Monday. Four men were given preliminary charges in the investigation into the Sept. 8 theft from the small Renoir Museum in the town of Cagnes‑sur‑Mer on the French Riviera. The charges include organized theft and criminal association, Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone said. One painting, “Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano,” suffered a tear. The other, “Young Woman at the Well,” had slight damage to its frame, Bessone said. He estimated their combined value at $4.7 million. The thieves used an electric saw to cut through a fence, entered the museum through the ground floor and cut clips securing the frames of four

paintings. An alarm sounded and police officers arrived four minutes later, a swift response that “apparently caused the perpetrators to panic,” Bessone said. “As they fled, they were unable to take all four paintings and abandoned two of them, which were later found in a protective sleeve,” he said.

were given preliminary charges of “concealment” of stolen paintings. They were released under judicial supervision and barred from leaving France. Two additional people who had been arrested were released without charge.

Vehicle tracking led to suspects

The Renoir Museum occupies the final home of the leading French Impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir, who lived there until his death in 1919. It is the best-known attraction in Cagnes-sur-Mer, a Mediterranean coastal town between Cannes and Nice. The theft revived painful memories of the spectacular theft of crown jewels from the Louvre Museum in Paris last year and renewed calls for better security and funding at the many cultural sites across France. Christian Sainte, national director of judicial police, said Monday that the country “is repeatedly targeted by organized criminal groups that carry out theft operations targeting valuable objects that are part of our cultural heritage” in museums, castles, places of worship, private homes and art galleries. French museums recorded 23 cases in 2025 and about 10 this year, he said.

The DNA found on the abandoned cover matched that of a 29-year-old already under investigation in a drug trafficking case in which police were tracking his vehicle, Bessone said. Vehicle-tracking data showed that the suspect, accompanied by a 41-year-old man, went to the home of a third man shortly after the theft, Bessone said. Police surveillance also showed that the 29-year-old on Oct. 3 visited the Maeght Foundation in Saint-Paul‑de‑Vence — home to a large modern art collection. The suspect then met with a fourth man known to police from art theft and forgery cases in 2001 and 2003. Bessone said the arrests were prompted by the “very strong suspicion that another heist was imminent.”

Theft renews concerns about museum security

PHILIPPE MAGONI / AP PHOTO

Recovered paintings “Portrait of Madame Colonna Romano,” right, and “Young Woman at the Well,” stolen from the Renoir Museum in Cagnes-sur-Mer are on display at the Interdisciplinary Centre for the Conservation and Restoration of Heritage in Marseille, France, on Monday. Paintings hidden behind wall The two men suspected of carrying out the museum theft have been given preliminary charges of “theft committed by an organized gang” and “criminal association,” among other counts. They were sent to prison pending further investigation. They have denied wrongdoing, Bessone said.

Chatham County Aging Services Calendar For October 19-October 23 Pittsboro Center For Active Living Monday

Tuesday

8:30 a.m. - Total Body Conditioning 9 a.m. - Chair Yoga at Chatham Grove Community Center 10 a.m. - S.E.A.T. 11 a.m. - Walking Group 11:15 a.m. - DSS Energy Conversation 1 p.m. - Mahjong; Table Tennis; Computer Club 3 p.m. - Crokinole; Caregiver Support Group

8:30 a.m. - QiGong 9 a.m. - Men’s Convo Group 10 a.m. - Woodcarvers; Chair Zumba Gold 10:30 a.m. - Gym Orientation 10:45 a.m. - Bingo with Mr. Ed 11:15 a.m. - Weight Machine Orientation 1 p.m. - Rummikub; Arthritis Exercise Foundation 2 p.m. - Zumba Gold

Thursday

Friday

8:30 a.m. - QiGong 10 a.m. - Hooks & Needles; Therapeutic Support Group; Fall Trip Noon - Pinochle 1 p.m. - Rummikub 1:30 p.m. - Salsa Dancing 3 p.m. - Gentle Yoga with Liz

8:30 a.m. - HIIT Exercises 10 a.m. - S.E.A.T. 11 a.m. - Haw River Crawdaddies Performance 11:30 a.m. - French Conversation Lunch 1 p.m. - Euchre; Table Tennis

Wednesday 8:30 a.m. - Cardio & Core Strength 10 a.m. - Chair Yoga w/Liz; Shuffleboard Practice 10:30 a.m. - German Conversation Lunch 11 a.m. - Walking Group; Coffee & Games with Sheriff 11:30 a.m. - Tai Chi for Arthritis 1 p.m. - Spades; Beading Club

The third suspect acknowledged receiving the paintings at his home and hiding them behind a wall built beneath a staircase after the theft. Investigators recovered the Renoirs from the hiding place, Bessone said. The fourth suspect acknowledged seeing photographs of the paintings but said he did not immediately recognize them. Both of those suspects

SCHOOLS from page A1 is not necessarily a problem with students going to charter schools, as their enrollments have also decreased based on their funding reimbursement totals. “COVID changed a lot,” said Board Chair Gary Leonard. “Charter schools are concerned about private schools now. They weren’t before, but they are now.” The board also approved an updated list of capital improvement projects. The seven-year, proposed Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project list will be sent to the Chatham County Commissioners. The list of projects lays out the groundwork to address facility, equipment and other needs with a projected cost in excess of $100,000 spanning from 2028-2034. Currently funded CIP projects include: • HVAC installation at existing gyms (anticipated to be completed by the end of the year) • HVAC upgrades (beginning in FY31) • Margaret Pollard Expansion (beginning in FY29) • Mobile classrooms (beginning in FY29) • Chatham Park/Northern Village Elementary School (beginning in FY28) • Paving repairs (beginning in FY28) • Gym replacements at Ben-

“Our kindergarten classes are smaller than our senior classes.” Mark Samberg, school accountability officer nett, Silk Hope and Bonlee (beginning in FY27) • Roofing replacements/repairs (beginning in FY27) Notable changes from the prior CIP include the movement of roofing repairs and replacements as well as HVAC upgrades from the future list to the current project list. “This includes the new gymnasiums that we’re building as well as the current gyms that we have that do not have HVAC,” said Randy Drumheller, director of maintenance and new construction. The CIP list also stated that the district needs to further study potential updates and replacements of playground equipment, school marquee signage, landscaping, athletic scoreboards and security. In addition, the CIP list laid out some future planning investments including new schools and capacity expansions, specifically a new elementary school in Chatham Park, land acquisition for the future schools and wastewater replacements. The Chatham County Schools Board of Education will next meet Nov. 16.

Siler City Center for Active Living Monday

Tuesday

9 a.m. - Strong & Fit 10:15 a.m. - Coffee Clutch at Chatham Rabbit 10:30 a.m. - Cardio Drumming; Nutrition Education with Laura Hearn 11:15 a.m. - Cornhole 2 p.m. - Strength & Tone 3 p.m. - Yoga with Teana

7:30 a.m. - State Fair Trip 10 a.m. - Music Jam Session; Blood Pressure Checks; Librarian Corner with Chatham County Libaries 10:30 a.m. - Chair Exercises 12:15 p.m. - Walk with Ease 1 p.m. - Rook, Phase 10 & Rummikub; Powerful Tools For Caregivers

Thursday

Friday

9 a.m. - Men’s Coffee; Zumba 9:30 a.m. - Zumba Gold 10 a.m. - Crochet Workshop; Music Jam Session; Walmart Trip 10:30 a.m. - Chair Exercises 12:15 p.m. - Walk With Ease 12:30 p.m. - Find Your Voice 12:45 p.m. - Line Dancing 2 p.m. - Strength & Tone 3 p.m. - Thursday Social

8 a.m. - Quilting 9 a.m. - Yoga with Maria 10:15 a.m. - Strong & Fit 10:30 a.m. - Bingo with Ed Noon - Pickleball & Cornhole; Learn A Game: Code Names 7 p.m. - Friday Night Dance

Wednesday 8 a.m. - Noon - Open Studio 9 a.m. - Strong & Fit 10:30 a.m. - Cardio Drumming; Science with Alan Noon - Pickleball & Cornhole 12:15 p.m. - Walk With Ease 12:30 p.m. - Craft Class 2 p.m. - Healthy Lifestyles with Alan

Pittsboro Center for Active Living 365 Highway 87 North Pittsboro, NC 27312 919-542-4512 Siler City Center for Active Living 112 Village Lake Road Siler City, NC 27344 919-742-3975

GRANT from page A1 Chatham County Farmland Preservation coordinator Andrew Waters said it is the first grant award the farmland preservation program has received through ADFP’s regular conservation easement acquisition program. The program was established in 2023. “Modern farmland preservation is about matching grant resources from state, federal, and local sources,” Waters said in a release from the county. “The competition for North Carolina’s ADFP grant program has been intense over the last several years, so this is a significant milestone for our program.” The Chatham County Board of Commissioners approved $1.154 million for farmland preservation at its Sept. 21 meeting. The funding has been designated for farmland preservation

through the county’s Article 46 sales tax revenue and rollback revenue in the present use value program. “Chatham County is emerging as one of the most robust county-led farmland preservation programs in the state of North Carolina,” Waters said. “Having local funds designated for farmland preservation is critical for leveraging access to federal and statewide grant programs like the ADFP Trust Fund.” Waters also credited land protection staff at the Triangle Land Conservancy for their role in the success of the Rocky River Farm grant application. “TLC served as the landowner liaison for this project,” he said. “Without them and the incredible generosity of the farm’s owner, who is committed to the property’s permanent preservation, this project would not have been possible.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

TAKE NOTICE

CREDITOR’S NOTICE

Notice to Creditors

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified on the 28th day of September 2026, as Administrator of Sabastian Barron deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 8th day of January 2027 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment. This is the 29th day of September 2026. W. Woods Doster Administrator of the Estate of Sabastian Barron 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Attorneys: Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: October 8th, 15th, 22nd and 29th of 2026

Having qualified as Personal Representative (or Executor/Administrator) of the Estate of Patricia Eileen Clark, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said decedent to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before 01/01/2027 typically 90 days from first publication date, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms, and corporations indebted to said estate are asked to make immediate payment to the undersigned. This the 1st day of October, 2026. James Clark, Personal Representative 2133 Farrington Rd Apex, NC 27523

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000562-180 The undersigned, PHILLIP R. ELKINS, having qualified on the 7TH Day of OCTOBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of MATTIE PHILLIPS ELKINS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 15TH Day of JANUARY 2027, 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 15TH Day of OCTOBER 2026. PHILLIP R. ELKINS, EXECUTOR 119 SABAL COURT SUMMERVILLE, SC 29483 Run dates: O15,22,29,N5p

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000522-180 The undersigned ROBIN HOLLAND MCDUFFIE, having qualified on the 11TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of FRED JACKSON HOLLAND, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 24TH Day OF DECEMBER 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 24TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026. ROBIN HOLLAND MCDUFFIE, EXECUTOR 86 BLUEBERRY HILL ROAD PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: S24,O1,8,15P

Notice to Creditors All Persons, firms and corporations having claims against Helen B. Brooks, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before January 1, 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the deceased are asked to make immediate payment. This first day of October, 2026. Helen L. Dark, Executor Estate of Helen B. Brooks P. O. Box 512 Pittsboro, N. C. 27312

NOTICE TO CREDITORS ESTATE OF ZELOTA MARKHAM McDONALD CHATHAM COUNTY CLERK OF COURT FILE No.: 26E000545-180 All persons, firms and corporations having claims against ZELOTA MARKHAM McDONALD, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before January 4, 2027 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This 1st day of October, 2026. Douglas Edward Markham P.O. Box 130923 Houston, TX 77219 Publication dates: October 1, 2026, October 8, 2026, October 15, 2026 & October 22, 2026

CREDITOR’S NOTICE

NOTICE

Having qualified on the 16th day of July 2026, as Administrator of the Estate of Frances Elizabeth Gilmore, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of January, 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment. This is the 9th day of October 2026. W. Woods Doster, Administrator of the Estate of Frances Elizabeth Gilmore 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Attorneys: Law Offices of Doster & Brown, P.A. 206 Hawkins Avenue Sanford, NC 27330 Publish On: October 15,22,29th and November 5, 2026.

NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Jerry Lea Kidd of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 15th day of January, 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 7th day of October, 2026. Darin Kidd, Executor of the Estate of Jerry Lea Kidd 7234 Side Church Road Seagrove, North Carolina 27341 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Joseph Yunker Kenlan, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Tillman, Whichard & Cagle, PLLC, 501 Eastowne Drive, Suite 130, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, on or before the 24th day of December 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This 24th day of September, 2026. JANICE BRADLEY RIEVES, EXECUTOR ESTATE OF JOSEPH YUNKER KENLAN

NOTICE TO CREDITORS 26E000516-180 The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Mary Hondros Pappas, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, notifies all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned at her address, P. O. Box 1515, Pittsboro, North Carolina, 27312, on or before the 1st day of January, 2027, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment. This 25th day of September, 2026. Cathleen Pappas Whitted P. O. Box 1515 Pittsboro, North Carolina 27312 October 1, 8, 15, 22

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Administrator of the Estate of Ruben Josue Perez Corona a/k/a Jose DeJesus Robles Cruz of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 31st day of December, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 23rd day of September, 2026. Pompeya Corona Gonzalez, Administrator Of the Estate of Ruben Josue Perez Corona a/k/a Jose DeJesus Robles Cruz 1680 Devils Tramping Ground Road Bear Creek, North Carolina 27207 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA NOTICE TO CREDITORS CHATHAM COUNTY __________________________________________ ______________________________ HAVING QUALIFIED as Executor of the Estate of Bruce Landon Clark of Chatham County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before the 7th day of January, 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. This the 30th day of September, 2026. Tony Landon Clark, Executor of the Estate of Bruce Landon Clark 4085 Piney Grove Church Road Siler City, North Carolina 27344 MOODY, WILLIAMS, ATWATER & LEE ATTORNEYS AT LAW BOX 629 SILER CITY, NORTH CAROLINA 27344 (919) 663-2850 4tp

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#19E000259-180 The undersigned ANGELA SPINKS DUPLIN, having qualified on the 3RD Day of MAY 2024 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of LOUISE BREWER SPINKS, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 1ST Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. ANGELA SPINKS DUPLIN, EXECUTOR 551 MARGARET PL GARNER, NC 27529 Run dates: O1,8,15,22P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000554-180 The undersigned, JULIE SCHIBLER, having qualified on the 5TH Day of OCTOBER 2026 as ADMINISTRATRIX of the Estate of MIGNON RODGERS DEBERRY, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 15TH Day of JANUARY 2027, 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 15TH Day of OCTOBER 2026. JULIE SCHIBLER, ADMINISTRATRIX 9 CALDWELL PITTSBORO, NC 27312 Run dates: O15,22,29,N5p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NOTICE TO CREDITORS

ESTATE OF JAMES RALPH STARLING FILE NO. 26E000436-180 ALL PERSONS, firms, and corporations having claims against James Ralph Starling, deceased, of Chatham County, N.C., are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before December 24, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 24th of September, 2026. Betsy Starling, Executor of the Estate of James Ralph Starling, c/o Amanda Honea, Attorney, 1255 Crescent Green, Suite 200, Cary, NC 27518.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Personal Representative of the Estate of Vivian Barnett Brown, deceased of Chatham County, North Carolina, on the 8th day of September, 2026, the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against said estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the office of the attorney for the estate on or before the 26th day of December, 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 24th day of September 2026. Gloria Ruth Weissman, Personal Representative, c/o Christina G. Hinkle, Attorney for the Estate, McPherson, Rocamora, Nicholson & Hinkle, PLLC; 3211 Shannon Road, Suite 400, Durham, NC 27707. September 24, October 1, 8, 15 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000485-180 ALL persons having claims against Earl David Austin, Sr., deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Jan 15 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 15th day of October, 2026. NICOLE AUSTIN, Administrator C/O Mackintosh Law, PLLC c/o Mackintosh Law, 1201 Aversboro Road, Suite C Garner, North Carolina 27529 O15, 22, 29 and 5

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY 26E000386-180 ALL persons having claims against DAVID JOSHUA BENELIYAHU, deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit the same to the undersigned on or before Dec 24 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of recovery. Debtors of the decedent are asked to make immediate payment. This the 24th day of September, 2026. c/o DIANE WOLBER BENELIYAHU, Executor C/O Jones Branz & Whitaker LLP 4030 Wake Forest Rd. Ste. 300 Raleigh, NC 27609 S24, 1, 8 and 15

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000563-180 The undersigned, WILLIAM W. BROOKS, having qualified on the 8TH Day of OCTOBER 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of FRANK G. BROOKS, III, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 15TH Day of JANUARY 2027, 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 15TH Day of OCTOBER 2026. WILLIAM W. BROOKS, ADMINISTRATOR 512 W. ELK STREET SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: O15,22,29,N5p

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000531-180 The undersigned JOHN R. HEATH, having qualified on the 22ND Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JOHN F. HEATH, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 1ST Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. JOHN R. HEATH, EXECUTOR 114 JACK BENNETT ROAD CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: O1,8,15,22P

NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000541-180 The undersigned, SCOTT HUNTER, having qualified on the 25TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of JACQUELINE MARIE HUNTER, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 15TH Day of JANUARY 2027, 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 15TH Day of OCTOBER 2026. SCOTT HUNTER, EXECUTOR 195 FUTRELL RIDGE COURT CHAPEL HILL, NC 27517 Run dates: O15,22,29,N5p

NOTICE NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND DEBTORS OF Patricia Ann Eubanks Horton All persons, firms and corporations having claims against Patricia Ann Eubanks Horton, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, are notified to exhibit them to Jeffrey Wayne Horton as Executor of the decedent’s estate on or before December 26, 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 24th day of September 2026. Jeffrey Wayne Horton, 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#26E000525-180 The undersigned MARK BAXTER, having qualified on the 15TH Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BARBARA LUDWIG, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 24TH Day OF DECEMBER 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 24TH DAY OF SEPTEMBER 2026. MARK BAXTER, EXECUTOR 812 KEITH ROAD WAKE FOREST, NC 27587 Run dates: S24,O1,8,15P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000534-180 The undersigned HEATHER CULBERSON, having qualified on the 22ND Day of SEPTEMBER 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of BOYD LEE CULBERSON, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 8TH Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 8TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. HEATHER CULBERSON, EXECUTOR 675 VANDER OLDHAM ROAD BEAR CREEK, NC 27207 Run dates: O8,15,22,29P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000437-180 The undersigned JOANN ELAINE FARRAR, having qualified on the 4TH Day of AUGUST 2026 as EXECUTOR of the Estate of DIONE O’BRIAN FARRAR, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 8TH Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 8TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. JOANN ELAINE FARRAR, EXECUTOR 114A JOHN HENRY DRIVE SILER CITY, NC 27344 Run dates: O8,15,22,29P

NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA CHATHAM COUNTY FILE#26E000062-180 The undersigned JULIA S. JOHNSON, having qualified on the 26TH Day of MARCH 2026 as ADMINISTRATOR of the Estate of RUBY SEYMOUR, deceased, of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said Estate to exhibit them on or before the 1ST Day OF JANUARY 2027, 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 1ST DAY OF OCTOBER 2026. JULIA S. JOHNSON, ADMINISTRATOR 115 WATER TOWER RD. MONCURE, NC 27559 Run dates: O1,8,15,22P

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE A public hearing will be held by the Chatham County Board of Commissioners on Monday, October 19, 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 office. 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 Board of Commissioners to consider amendments to the Chatham County Subdivision Regulations; specifically, Section 5 Process for Subdivisions, Section 6 Specifications for Documents to be Submitted, Section 7 Requirements and Minimum Standards for Improvements, Reservations and Design, Section 8 Development Prerequisite to Final Approval, and Section 11 Appendix A: Certification Forms for Initial and Final Approvals. 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: October 8th and 15th, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having qualified as Limited Personal Representative for the purpose of providing notice to creditors without administration of the estate of Rene Rasmussen, Deceased, late of Chatham County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate to exhibit them to the undersigned at the offices of Munson Law Firm PLLC, P.O. Box 1811, Pittsboro, NC 27312, on or before January 15, 2027, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This October 15, 2026. Sofia Collins, Limited Personal Representative Estate of Rene Rasmussen

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

PVC pipes swept away by Hurricane Helene flooding still dominate cleanup of NC river The cleanup has consumed 50,000 work-hours and $1.5 million, with years of work still ahead By Tammy Webber and Allison Joyce The Associated Press WOODFIN — They’re piled on river banks, lodged in uprooted trees, embedded in sediment and jammed under logs. Many are tangled in mounds of debris up to two stories high. Two years after Hurricane Helene leveled forests, bulldozed houses and filled western North Carolina rivers with everything from cars to refrigerators, the work of cleaning up the debris goes on. And along the iconic French Broad River, known for its whitewater rapids, one item stands out among the rest: massive numbers of PVC pipes that washed away from a factory north of Asheville. “Just the amount of time and energy that we put into removing all this pipe is exhausting,” said Jon Stamper, operations director at MountainTrue, the nonprofit conducting cleanup on several rivers affected by Helene. “We still have stretches of river that haven’t been touched.” MountainTrue estimates its crews have pulled hundreds of thousands of pipes from the river — most of which went to landfills — with an untold number still littering the river for 70 miles (113 kilometers), to a large lake at the Tennessee border. Canada-based IPEX would not say how many pipes were stored at its Woodfin, North Carolina, site before the storm or share results of a company-funded study of how much remains in the river, calling the information “commercially sensitive.” Offi-

cials did say 60% of pipes stored outdoors at the site, sandwiched between railroad tracks and the river, were swept away in the 2024 flood, but most were recovered fairly quickly. But the company acknowledged that the remaining debris was significant and has agreed to pay MountainTrue $500,000 toward continued cleanup on the French Broad, which will allow the organization to continue working into next year. A $10 million state grant awarded to MountainTrue in 2025 to clean up debris in several western North Carolina rivers that was set to expire in December has been extended to February. The organization said there’s still a long way to go, and estimates that it’s spent 50,000 work-hours and over $1.5 million just on pipe removal, which is only in the French Broad. PVC pipe comprises 80% of the debris in some areas, according to MountainTrue, posing risks to rafters and kayakers, changing water flow and altering the ecosystem. “We understand the ongoing challenge,” IPEX CEO Colleen Pritchett said. “We recognize that ... recovery efforts are complex, they’re resource-intensive, and it’s constantly shaped by the river conditions.” Epic flood took everyone by surprise Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina in late September 2024, dumping more than 30 inches of rain in some areas, triggering landslides, toppling trees, pushing buildings off their foundations and choking waterways. At IPEX, an earthen berm was the only thing separating tall stacks of pipes from the French Broad River. Company officials said they expected a so‑called

ALLISON JOYCE / AP PHOTO

Workers from MountainTrue paddle IPEX PVC pipe they collected from the riverbank July 22 in Alexander. 100-year flood — meaning it has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year — and moved pipes out of that flood zone. But the flooding from Helene was 10 times worse. “We secured the site as best we could and we sent people home a day before the flooding was expected,” said Johnny Drummond, vice president of manufacturing. He said the company did not anticipate a 1,000-year flood, which has a 1-in-1,000 chance of occurring. The company closed the factory for a couple of months afterward, with losses “well over $100 million,” Pritchett said. It since has invested over $100 million to repair and strengthen the buildings, and now is studying ways to contain the pipes in future floods — something MountainTrue had publicly urged for months. Though there’s much more than IPEX debris still in the waterways, the pipes are so ubiquitous that “there are places where you go that it makes up almost everything that we remove,” said Stamper, who formerly worked for a whitewater river outfit-

ter and now oversees 10 cleanup crews totaling about 100 people — many of them former river or fishing guides who lost their livelihoods after the hurricane. Removing the pipe is especially vexing because it binds with other debris and has embedded in the river bottom, where fish and other creatures have taken up residence inside. Stamper said he also worries about long‑term environmental and health effects from the pipe, which can degrade and become brittle, leaving microplastics in the river. “We want to avoid that stuff sitting there forever and just slowly deteriorating and breaking into smaller and smaller pieces,” said Stamper. “Some of the pipe that’s been sitting out since Hurricane Helene that has been exposed to the sun all the time is getting to the point where you could crack it when you grab it.” Removing pipes tedious, sometimes dangerous Some of the pipes — both straight, rigid plastic and flexible

coils that have unraveled — are under huge piles of tangled logs topped by other debris, often in mounds 20 feet (6 meters) high. Cleanup crews “just sort of picture it as a jungle gym” that they must climb and balance on as they clear the pile, said Jemima Filiss-Cook, who leads the cleanup in Madison County, where most of the pipe is concentrated. She said many crew members were already cleaning up the river before MountainTrue hired them, as a way of “trauma bonding” over what had happened. They include avid outdoorspeople, including rock climbers, because the cleanup is “quite a tedious and technical process” that requires a comfort with the rigors of the job, said Anna Alsobrook, MountainTrue’s French Broad Riverkeeper. Crews saw longer pipes into smaller chunks, load them on a boat, then take it downstream to a landing spot where it’s loaded onto a truck. Almost all of the pipe goes to a landfill, though some in good condition are given to community members, because there are no good recycling options, MountainTrue said. “I truly don’t think anybody else could do this work except for our debris team members,” said Alsobrook, noting they must be able to navigate whitewater rapids with a boat full of pipes and saws. The first priority was removing pipes that could pose an immediate danger or entrapment hazard to tubers or kayakers, and much of the remaining debris stranded in flood plains and on banks, especially around riverbends and corners and vulnerable to being washed away in another flood, Stamper said. But it becomes apparent that many pipes are still in the river whenever the water levels change, he said. MountainTrue is applying for other grants to help extend its program after state and IPEX funding run out, Stamper said, because it could take years to remove all the debris. “We’re going to do our best as long as the funding allows,” he said. “But there’s going to be pipe out there that we can’t get ever.”

New Residential Opportunities at Chatham Park New communities, new homes and even more ways to call Chatham Park home.

A NEW COMMUNITY WITH A GOLF COURSE IS COMING A new 1,271-acre master-planned community by Southern Land Company is coming to Chatham Park, featuring a worldclass golf course designed by Tom Fazio of Fazio Golf Design.

• DEL WEBB IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION Construction is underway on Del Webb at Chatham Park, a new 55+ community by PulteGroup, with sales anticipated in early 2027.

• FINAL PHASE OF ENCORE IS NOW SELLING The third and final phase of Encore at Chatham Park by David Weekley Homes is now selling.

• DRB HOMES IS COMING SOON TO NOVI Development is underway on Terraces at Chatham Park, multistory townhomes near MOSAIC and Penguin Place by DRB Homes.

• NOVI AT CHATHAM PARK IS CONTINUING TO GROW New homes, new builders and a growing lineup of community events are bringing even more opportunities to live and connect at NoVi.

L E A R N M O R E AT C H AT H A M P A R K . C O M

© 2026 Chatham Park Investors

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GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Jordan-Matthews’ Namir Wiley struggles to break free from Northwood’s Rowan Fisher during Friday night’s game.

Unbeaten Bears breeze to another victory Northwood pulled away from Jordan-Matthews in an in-county matchup Chatham News & Record staff BEAR CREEK — Brooks Albright threw two touchdown passes and ran for another as undefeated Chatham Central cruised to a 43-6 victory against visiting College Prep & Leadership Academy last Friday night. Tyler Congrove racked up 76 yards and a touchdown on three carries in the Greater Triad Conference game.

Albright completed 9 of 17 passes for 187 yards. His touchdown throws went to Nolan Mitchell and Carson Jackson. Chatham Central’s Gavin Williams recovered a fumble for a touchdown. Teammate Matthew Victorino intercepted a pass. College Prep & Leadership Academy fell to 1-6, 0-3. • Northwood 56, Jordan-Matthews 22: At Siler City, Finn Sullivan threw for four touchdowns and the visiting Chargers had a huge second half in the Four Rivers Conference game. Aiden Girard ran for three touchdowns and 122 yards on 13

Friday’s games • Jordan-Matthews at Southwestern Randolph • North Moore at Northwood • Bishop McGuinness at Chatham Central • Seaforth at South Granville

carries, and Raje Torres racked up 107 yards on the ground on nine attempts. Sullivan completed 10 of 13 passes for 247 yards. Northwood (3-4, 1-1) led 28‑22 at halftime.

PREP VOLLEYBALL

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Chatham Central defenders make it difficult on College Prep & Leadership Academy’s Braylon Bobbitt.

For Jordan-Matthews (4-4, 1-1), Khalil Sherrod threw for two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. Lennox Mor-

decai and Jaden Fisher, who compiled 105 receiving yards, See BEARS, page B2

PREP SOCCER

Teams gear up for postseason Jets, Chargers rise to top in conference

Woods Charter and Seaforth collected regular‑season honors

Northwood and Jordan‑Matthews will meet in a showdown next week

Chatham News & Record staff SEAFORTH’S volleyball team ended the regular season on a five-match winning streak. The Hawks were Big Seven Conference regular-season co-champions with Cedar Ridge. Both teams went 11-1 in the regular season, though Seaforth drew the No. 2 seed for this week’s conference tournament. The pairings come out for the state playoffs Thursday with first-round matches beginning Tuesday. Seaforth is bound to have a first-round bye. Last week, Seaforth won two five-set matches on the road. The Hawks topped Orange 27‑29, 22-25, 25-16, 25‑17, 15‑9, with Sarah Beth Smith and Ally Forbes both notching 21 kills. Seaforth then prevailed 19‑25, 25-20, 25-24, 20-25, 15-10 against Carrboro, with Forbes supplying 18 kills, while Isabelle Valgus, Emira Leonard and Ella Fuller all turned in 10 service points. See VOLLEYBALL, page B2

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Seaforth’s volleyball team huddles up on its way to a Big Seven Conference regular-season co-championship.

Chatham News & Record staff

Jordan-Matthews and Northwood will have a conference rematch Oct. 19 at Northwood

THE JORDAN-MATTHEWS boys’ soccer team halted Southwestern Randolph’s winning streak in league competition by defeating the host Cougars 3-1 last week in the Four Rivers Conference. The outcome snapped Southwestern Randolph’s winning string in conference matchups at 15 games dating to 2024, when it was a member of the Piedmont Athletic Conference. The Cougars are the reigning Class 4A state champions. Jordan-Matthews also won on the road at Uwharrie Charter Academy, grabbing a 5-0 victory. The Jets and Northwood entered this week as the top two teams in the conference. They’ll meet in a rematch Oct. 19 at Northwood. • Northwood’s unbeaten string reached six games, capped by a 3-3 tie with visiting Southwestern Randolph.

The Chargers also topped visiting North Moore 2-0 last week. • Seaforth bounced back from a Big Seven Conference home loss to first-place Carrboro by winning 5-2 in overtime at Cedar Ridge. Carrboro won 4-0 against the Hawks. • Woods Charter collected three victories last week in the Central Tar Heel 1A Conference, beginning with a forfeit against Southern Wake. Then came a 3-0 road victory against Ascend Leadership and a 1-0 road success against Central Carolina Academy. Also in the conference, Chatham Charter’s seven-game losing streak ended with last week’s 6-2 victory against visiting The Hawbridge School as Colten Pena scored five goals and Breylan Harris had the other goal.

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Finn Sullivan

Stevenson scores big in exhibition The former Seaforth player gave a boost to the Tar Heels Chatham News & Record staff GREENSBORO — Seaforth alum Jarin Stevenson’s 25 points and 10 rebounds helped UNC’s men’s basketball team win its exhibition opener.

The Tar Heels topped Southern California 88-70 last Friday night at First Horizon Coliseum. It marked the first game in public for UNC under new coach Michael Malone. “Jarin works his butt off, and I’m proud of him,” Malone said. Stevenson, who played nearly 31 minutes for a team-high

total, sank four 3-point shots. Southern Cal led 39-37 at halftime. UNC used a 12-0 run as the Trojans went nearly six minutes without scoring to take control. Neo Avdalas added 15 points and Isaiah Denis had 14 points for the Tar Heels. UNC has another exhibition Sunday in Indianapolis against Indiana.

CHRIS CARLSON / AP PHOTO

UNC’s Jarin Stevenson (15) vies for the ball during an NCAA Tournament game in March.

BEARS from page B1 had the touchdown receptions. • Seaforth 71, Cedar Ridge 0: At Pittsboro, Duncan Parker threw six touchdown passes in the Big Seven Conference game.

Parker’s 17-for-24 passing resulted in 389 yards. Mason Pooley made two touchdown receptions, while Jude O’Neill, Max Hinchman, Noah Fuller and Connor Daley also made touchdown catches. Hinchman

had 101 yards on six catches. O’Neill, Hinchman and Fuller also scored on runs. Cedar Ridge fell to 0-6, 0-2. Seaforth’s game this week at South Granville pits the only teams without a Big Seven Conference loss.

fourth place in the Greater Triad Conference. In the Bears’ 25-12, 22-25, 26-24, 25-14 triumph against South Davidson, Addison Goldston had 18 kills to go with Nicole Maness’ 18 service points and 25 digs. Maeson Smith had 16 service points, and Lizzy Murray provided 15 assists. In defeating Winston-Salem Prep 25-11, 25-8, 25-19, Goldston had 17 kills and Lille Poe cranked out 12 service points. • Woods Charter was the regular-season champion in the Central Tar Heel 1A Confer-

ence with a 14-0 league mark. That included last week’s sweeps of Central Carolina Academy and Southern Wake and a five-set escape at Chatham Charter. Annabel Unah had 24 kills and 17 service points, and Cecilia Brignati supplied 39 assists in the 25-14, 17-25, 25-18, 23-25, 15-6 victory at Chatham Charter. Chatham Charter finished in fourth place in the regular season, capped by a 25-15, 27‑25, 25‑15 home victory against Central Carolina Academy on Friday.

GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD

Northwood, football

VOLLEYBALL from page B1

Finn Sullivan is a senior quarterback on the Northwood football team. He’s also played baseball and basketball for the Chargers. Northwood put up 56 points in a win over Jordan‑Matthews last week. Sullivan was near perfect at quarterback, completing 10 of 13 passes for 247 yards. He threw four touchdowns and had a quarterback rating of 157.9. For the season, Sullivan leads the Four Rivers 3A/4A conference in passing yards and is second in total yards. He is 14th in all of N.C. Class 3A in passing yardage.

• Northwood placed fourth in the Four Rivers Conference with losses at Southwestern Randolph and at home to Uwharrie Charter Academy to close the regular season last week. Winless Jordan-Matthews placed last in the conference following home setbacks to UCA and Eastern Randolph. • Chatham Central won its final two regular-season matches with home victories against South Davidson and Winston-Salem Prep to finish in

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

Could Young really be MVP contender? Through 4 games, numbers answer yes The Panthers’ quarterback leads the NFL in passing

team. It doesn’t give us any extra yards, any extra points. We have to earn those.”

By Steve Reed The Associated Press

What’s working

CHARLOTTE — After Bryce Young rifled a 9-yard pass to Darren Waller on fourth-and-4 in the fourth quarter Oct. 4 during what became Carolina’s sixth straight scoring drive, the chants cascaded down from the upper deck at Bank of America Stadium. “M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!” Young finished off the Panthers’ 32-26 win over the Detroit Lions with yet another impressive stat line. He completed 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns while playing without two of his top three receivers. Granted, it came against the league’s worst pass defense. But the idea of Young, who was benched two games into his second season in 2024, being an MVP candidate may not be far-fetched. Through four games, the numbers put him among the league’s best quarterbacks. Following the win, Young led the NFL in yards passing (1,268), passing first downs (63), completions of 10-plus yards (55), completions of 25-plus yards (13) and deep passing yards (321),

JACOB KUPFERMAN / AP PHOTO

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) throws the ball during a win over the Detroit Lions. and was tied for third in touchdown passes (nine). He’s on pace to throw for 5,389 yards and 38 touchdowns, which would shatter franchise records. Young has thrown for at least 287 yards in all four games, a huge leap for a player who

struggled to eclipse 175 yards passing for the better part of his first two seasons. Now in his fourth season and third in the same offense, he is looking comfortable and confident. If Young took any satisfaction from hearing those chants,

he wasn’t about to let on. The 5-foot-10 Young may lack size, but he’s never been short on humility. “Obviously the support is a huge blessing. I’m super grateful for this community, for the fan base,” Young said. “But again, it doesn’t affect us as a football

Behind a strong run-pass option game, the Panthers were finally able to get Chuba Hubbard going. Hubbard ran for 122 yards on 20 carries with two touchdowns, and he helped open up passing opportunities for Young. It was the first time this season the Panthers were able to use the run game to set up the pass. “It was great to have a little bit of balance there with some of the RPOs and playing off the runs,” coach Dave Canales said. “As you know, we’re trying to get our run game going, and we saw that happen (Sunday). The RPO loosens it up a little bit and allows you to have some optionality. You can start to dictate to the defense whether they can play zone or man and how they try to attack those things.” The run game has the potential to take another step forward once the Panthers get their starting offensive tackles back. Ickey Ekwonu (knee) and Taylor Moton (lung clots) have yet to play this season. Moton could return this week, but Ekwonu remains at least a few more weeks away.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young (9) leaves the field with the game ball after beating the Lions.

SCOTT KINSER / AP PHOTO

Local Service Directory

B4 SIDELINE REPORT NCAA BASKETBALL

Altman retires after 16 seasons at Oregon including Final Four berth, 9 NCAA bids Longtime Oregon men’s basketball coach Dana Altman has announced his retirement. Altman decided to end his 37‑year coaching career less than a month before the start of the new season. He spent the last 16 seasons at Oregon, leading the Ducks to a Final Four among nine NCAA Tournament appearances. The 68-year‑old Altman says he no longer has the energy to perform to his standard. Assistant coach Tony Stubblefield will lead the Ducks this season.

NFL

Browns rookie Concepcion ruled out after helmet-to-helmet hit by Jets’ Fitzpatrick East Rutherford, N.J. Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver KC Concepcion left with a concussion after a helmet-to-helmet hit from the Jets’ Minkah Fitzpatrick. Concepcion appeared to make a catch when Fitzpatrick hit him in the helmet, causing the ball to drop. Concepcion went face down on the turf and appeared unconscious. After a few minutes, he sat up and walked to the locker room. The Browns ruled him out for the game shortly after. Fitzpatrick was penalized for the hit on a defenseless receiver.

NCAA FOOTBALL

Georgia seizes No. 1 spot atop AP Top 25 as Oklahoma upsets Texas Georgia is back on top of the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2024 after a 20‑17 win over Alabama. The Bulldogs moved up after Texas’ loss to Oklahoma. UCLA and Kentucky are the week’s biggest climbers. The Bruins jumped to No. 12 after upsetting Oregon, while Kentucky returned to the poll at No. 15 after beating LSU 35-34. LSU fell from No. 10 to No. 22, and Oregon and Florida dropped out of the rankings. Wake Forest entered at No. 21, its first ranking since 2022.

NCAA BASKETBALL

Kentucky State’s Seck freed while another player lands in ICE custody Louisville, Ky. A Kentucky State women’s basketball player from Senegal who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement has been released after spending two months in custody. A judge granted a $2,500 bond for Aminata Seck, and it was posted after ICE did not appeal. Meanwhile, a men’s basketball player from Mississippi Valley State has been placed in ICE custody. Qingfang Pang, who is from China, was recently detained and is being held at the Richwood Correctional Facility.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

Panthers’ offense thriving under new play caller Idzik 4 games into season Carolina ranks near the top of the league in most categories By Steve Reed The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Carolina Panthers coach Dave Canales misses the rush of calling plays on game day. But the third-year head coach believes that handing over the call sheet to offensive coordinator Brad Idzik before the season was the right call after two years of handling those duties himself. It’s hard to argue that point. The Panthers (2-2) enter the bye week near the top of the league in most offensive categories with Idzik calling the shots. Carolina has gone from 26th in the league in passing a year ago to first this year, averaging 301.3 yards per game. The Panthers are fourth in the league in both scoring (30.3) and total yards (405.8) per game, and they rank in the top 10 in red zone offense. Fourth-year quarterback Bryce Young is suddenly looking like a potential MVP candidate. The 25-year-old is on pace to throw for nearly 5,400 yards with 38 touchdown passes. “Really, the part that I miss the most is just how fast it happens live — there’s such a rush in it,” Canales said. “Forty seconds is not very long for you to be able to consider what the situation is, who my guys are, what are they doing and all that stuff. It’s really stimulating. And then, of course, when it works well, you win the game and the payoff for the whole group. We did this. Yeah, I miss that.” Canales said Idzik has done an outstanding job in his first stint as an NFL play caller, crediting his mix of calls that include run-pass option, bub-

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Carolina Panthers offensive coordinator Brad Idzik, left, talks on the sideline with quarterback Bryce Young, center. ble screens and play actions to keep defenses on their heels. He also credited Idzik for the speed in which he relays calls to Young in the huddle. “The sooner he can get it to Bryce, the sooner Bryce can take himself through the whole play and visualize what’s going to happen,” Canales said. “So I have been really proud of that.” Canales and Idzik worked together in Tampa Bay in 2023. Idzik accepted the offensive coordinator role in Carolina after Canales was hired the following offseason with the understanding he wouldn’t be the play caller. That changed during the offseason. Canales recognized that having a more global approach might serve the team better. That was evident in Carolina’s 32-26 Oct. 4 win over the Lions when he was able to pull aside Akayleb Evans and give

“He’s good at seeing what we like, what Bryce likes.” Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan on Brad Idzik the team’s fill-in cornerback a pep talk after surrendering a 57-yard completion to Isaac TeSlaa. Canales said that’s not something he would have been able to do had he needed to focus on the next offensive series. “I was able to connect with him on the sideline and just be like, ‘Look, this is a great opportunity. You’ve given up a few plays. They’re going to come back (at you) here. So just be ready for the next opp(ortunity) because you’re going to get that,’” Canales said.

He had a similar conversation with outside linebacker Princely Umanmielen after he made a few “uncharacteristic mental errors” early in the game. Umanmielen put his miscues behind him and came up with a late sack that helped seal the Carolina win. Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, who had a career game against the Lions with 14 catches on 16 targets for 192 yards and two touchdowns, said Idzik is putting players in the right positions. McMillan added that he likes that Idzik has been open to suggestions from players when it comes to play calls. “He’s good at seeing what we like, what Bryce likes,” McMillan said. “He likes to communicate in that way as far as getting our opinions. He’s humble in that way as far as just asking everybody for their opinions.”

Phillips touts ACC’s health amid possible departures, realignment in future The commissioner was optimistic despite four teams telegraphing a possible departure

“We’re as healthy as we’ve ever been.” ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips on the state of the league

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner Jim Phillips isn’t publicly fretting about four member schools expressing support for tweaking realignment provisions in the Protect College Sports Act to make it easier for schools to change leagues. Speaking at preseason ACC basketball media days, Phillips touted the health and financial gains for the league while also saying schools “need direct access to state their case” when it comes to the proposed law to reform college athletics. The U.S. Senate has approved a version of the measure and sent it to the House. The presidents and chancellors of Clemson, Florida State, Miami and UNC sent a letter last week to House leaders seeking to increase the bill’s membership cap for conferences from 20 to 22 schools. They also requested removing a requirement for a school to be independent for three years before joining another league. Phillips said he would continue to stay in touch with all ACC schools and noted most back the measure. “We have 14 schools that feel really good about it that want to sign it, and we have four schools that have an issue with a portion of it,” he said. “So

BEN MCKEOWN / AP PHOTO

ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips walks the sideline during a football game last year. that’s what I’m going to continue to push towards the decision makers and those that have written the bill to date.” FSU and Clemson filed lawsuits against the ACC in 2023 and 2024, respectively, to challenge the league’s ability to levy hundreds of millions in exit fees to leave the conference. The league countersued. The parties ultimately settled the case in early 2025 with a deal that revised long-term exit costs while also revamping the league’s revenue-distribution model as a way for schools generating the highest TV ratings to earn more money. That’s been part of a series of changes by the league to bolster the financial picture while facing a growing gap behind the Big Ten and Southeastern conferences, though still finishing ahead of the Big 12 among the

Power Four. The ACC reported about $826.5 million in total revenue in tax filings covering the 2024-25 sports season, with schools earning a full distribution share getting an average of $47.1 million. That continued an upward trajectory from $617 million for 2021-22 in Phillips’ first full season, good for a full-share average of $39.4 million. By comparison, the Big Ten and SEC both crossed the $1 billion mark in total revenue in their 2024-25 filings, with the Big Ten paying an average of nearly $79.9 million to full-share members while the SEC came in at nearly $72.4 million. The ACC’s legal settlement with Clemson and FSU helped make 2030-31 a significant marker. The ACC’s exit fee will decline each year before leveling off around $75 million

per school that season, while media deals for other leagues are expiring around that time to create at least the potential for another wave of broad realignment. Provisions in any new law could make that harder, starting with membership caps that could limit the available landing spots. In addition, requiring a school to operate as an independent for a defined period after leaving a league would mean missing formerly guaranteed media payouts before being able to cash in elsewhere. “I’ve been very consistent about I have always tried to make sure that this was a conference that people wanted to be in, and I’m really proud of what we’ve done,” Phillips said. “We’re as healthy as we’ve ever been.” Phillips declined to discuss “hypotheticals” when asked whether he was concerned about whether this was a sign of multiple schools intending to leave. “The conference is in a good place,” he said. “Healthy, functioning, achieving at a high level. We’ll see where all this takes us. So you have to be ready. You have to be ready for anything. But I feel good about where we’re at, and we’ll see what this bill ends up doing.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

Busch’s 11-year-old son highlights father’s ‘celebration of life’ ceremony with burnout The NASCAR legend’s life was honored at an emotional ceremony at Charlotte Motor Speedway

By Steve Reed The Associated Press CONCORD — The NASCAR community and more than 10,000 race fans celebrated the life of the late Kyle Busch during an uplifting ceremony at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Busch’s widow, Samantha Busch, spoke at the free event and shared memories of their life together during an emotional 10-minute speech. But it was 11-year-old son Brexton, a budding racer, who stole the show with a burnout on the track’s frontstretch in his father’s No. 8 car before climbing on the roof and honoring his dad by doing his traditional bow with a checkered flag. “I don’t want to feel like we are putting a period on (his life) today,” Samantha Busch said. “This is not the end of Kyle’s story. His story continues every time we give a young racer a chance, share something he taught us or share with the next generation what made Rowdy unforgettable.” She added: “Years from now I hope people remember Kyle as one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers. He worked his entire life for that. But I also hope they meet someone whose life is better because Kyle was here. That’s a legacy that no checkered flag can contain.” Busch died unexpectedly in May at age 41 from hemorrhagic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation after complications from bacterial pneumonia led to sepsis. The news sent shock waves throughout the sport, and several drivers have celebrated their wins this season by honoring Busch with his postrace bow in Victory Lane. Friday night was about remembering the good times.

PHELAN M. EBENHACK / AP PHOTO

Kyle Busch waves to fans while doing a victory lap after winning a qualifying race for the 2013 Daytona 500. Samantha Busch talked about how happy Kyle was at the end of his career — despite not winning many races during one stretch — because he loved being a father and raising Brexton and 4-year-old daughter Lennix. She shared memories of spending nights at dirt tracks across the country and being exhausted late at night following a race while Brexton ran around with his friends covered in dirt and grease. Those, she said, are the memories she will cherish the most, calling it their happiest times. She also thanked the racing community. “I never fully understood what this sport meant until we lost him,” Samantha Busch said. “The races kept going, the cars kept circling the track, but our world had stopped. I

didn’t know how we would find our way without him. But then all of you showed us. You came to Brexton’s races. You honored Kyle at every racetrack across the country and shared what he meant to you.” Kurt Busch, Kyle’s older brother and former Cup Series champion, shared stories, memories and funny moments about the driver fondly known as “Rowdy.” Christopher Bell, Noah Gragson, Daniel Suárez, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon also spoke at the one-hour ceremony. “Even at a young age, he wanted to do everything better than me,” Kurt Busch said. “It was tough to beat him on the track even though I had six years on him.” After Kurt Busch won his first Cup Series pole at Darlington in 2001, he was asked by re-

porters about his little brother who was winning races in lower level series across the country. “I said back then, ‘You think I’m good, you just wait until Kyle gets here,’” Kurt Busch said. Busch’s 234 race wins across NASCAR’s top three national series is the most of any driver in history, and he is considered a certain first-ballot Hall of Famer. He won 63 Cup Series races and earned season championships in 2015 and 2019. Larson called him the most talented driver he’s raced against. The celebration was put on by Kyle Busch Motorsports and featured 10 iconic cars representative of Busch’s motorsports career. The evening concluded with an acoustic musical performance

Knicks champion Towns opens up about grief for World Mental Health Day Athletes are getting more honest about the need for mental health care By James Pollard The Associated Press NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns has been traded from Minnesota, lost the conference finals and won the NBA title for his childhood team — and still feels he is in the period of grief that began six years ago. Just 10 days before the New York Knicks’ banner-raising celebration, the All-Star big man marked World Mental Health Day by sharing his ongoing emotional journey following the death of his mother to complications from COVID-19. Entering the first game of this year’s NBA Finals, he said he felt “this very big calm” wash over him. He was taken back to amateur youth games with crowds so small he could spot his mom from anywhere. “I felt like it was kinda just me, her and the game of basketball,” he told the audience gathered by the nonprofit Project Healthy Minds. “I was able to be like an artist out there. I was able to have my paint brush and have a canvas with the court. And I was able to just paint a beautiful picture for her about the love I have for the game. The love I have to show the world because of her.” There was a time when he had lost that love for the game. Towns, whose bright smile became a constant image of the Knicks’ championship run, said basketball “felt hollow” after his mother’s death. “I didn’t know if I wanted to do it anymore,” he said.

HEATHER KHALIFA / AP PHOTO

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns takes part in a discussion at the Project Healthy Minds World Mental Health Day Festival. But Towns found some solace in Arnie Kander, a well-known strength and wellness coach. “Just to be heard, to be able to talk to someone you can trust, be able to really unload all that pain onto it and allow them to understand your feelings and articulate your feelings the right way, it makes life much lighter,” he said. “And I felt myself getting lighter every time we kept talking.” Project Healthy Minds hopes Towns’ example will inspire others to seek mental health care. The tech nonprofit runs a free online marketplace for finding therapy, psychiatry, support groups and other services.

These sorts of conversations are growing more prevalent among athletes. DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love kick-started the conversation eight years ago when DeRozan tweeted about depression and Love then published a first-person essay about anxiety. Most players won’t feel that comfortable constantly telling their story. Mental health isn’t a topic of discussion in the locker room. But players are certainly more aware of its impact. Another panel featured former NFL wide receiver Brandon Marshall for a conversation about finding purpose outside

“I didn’t know if I wanted to do it anymore.” Karl-Anthony Towns on playing basketball while grieving his mother of performance. Marshall, a six‑time Pro Bowl player who publicly shared his borderline personality disorder diagnosis in 2011, said therapy showed him how to “connect with his brain.” He even started taking his therapy sessions in the cafeteria to normalize it for others.

by country artist Cole Swindell. The NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte also unveiled a new exhibit, “Kyle Busch: Honoring A Legacy,” honoring Busch’s 25-year professional racing career. The exhibit features Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry from his 2015 NASCAR Cup Series championship season, along with videos and images highlighting his achievements and influence on the sport. Samantha Busch was given the choice of selecting a car for the exhibit and picked her husband’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing M&M’s car that he raced for his first Cup Series championship. “When I look at this car, I don’t just see a championship. I see everything Kyle overcame to earn it,” she said.

Using sports to show emotional strength The sports focus offers a glimpse into Project Healthy Minds’ future programming. The nonprofit relies on cultural figures to introduce its platform to their audiences. It partnered this summer with the Broadway play “Every Brilliant Thing,” a one-person show whose narrator — originally played by Daniel Radcliffe, then Mariska Hargitay and, finally, Tracee Ellis Ross — presents his struggling mother with a list of reasons to live. Soon-to-be-announced initiatives will lean further into sports as the nonprofit tries to inspire more communities to seek mental healthcare. With interest in women’s sports growing and live sports remaining a powerful convener in an otherwise fragmented media landscape, Project Healthy Minds CEO Phil Schermer finds that athletes are well suited to bring their message to the masses. Athletes, according to Schermer, also shape the American public’s notions of strength. It makes sense to him that they could then model that “it is strong to talk about your emotions.” The Knicks championship run became a rare moment of monoculture, Schermer suggested. The title chase also offered the in-person socialization that young people are demanding, according to Rachel Janfaza, the founder of the Gen Z research firm The Up and Up. Speaking with “The Anxious Generation” author Jonathan Haidt and The TAG Movement CEO Alexa Arnold, Janfaza said young people used the Knicks and the World Cup to create the in-real-life community they missed during the pandemic. “We’re seeing this swing,” she said, “and it’s really incumbent upon schools and employers and anyone who has a vested interest in helping this generation thrive to actually celebrate this.”

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Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

entertainment this week in history #MeToo movement begins, Concorde lands in New York, “Old Ironsides” launched in Boston The Associated Press OCT. 15

1931: Mobster Al Capone was convicted of income tax evasion in Chicago and later sentenced to 11 years in prison. 1989: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Northern California, killing 63 people and causing up to $10 billion in damage.

1815: Napoleon Bonaparte, the deposed French emperor, arrived on the British-ruled South Atlantic island of St. Helena. 1954: Hurricane Hazel made landfall near the North Carolina-South Carolina border as a Category 4 storm. Hazel was blamed for about 1,000 deaths in the Caribbean, 95 in the U.S. and 81 in Canada. 2017: Actor and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that women who had been sexually harassed or assaulted should write “Me too” as a status. Within hours, tens of thousands had used the #MeToo hashtag.

OCT. 18

OCT. 16

OCT. 19

1793: Marie Antoinette, queen of France, was beheaded during the French Revolution. 1859: Abolitionist John Brown raided the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry in an unsuccessful attempt to spark a slave rebellion. He was captured and later executed. 1987: Eighteen-month-old Jessica McClure was pulled from an abandoned well in Midland, Texas, after being trapped for more than two days. The effort to rescue “Baby Jessica” captured national attention.

1781: British forces under Gen. Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, effectively ending major combat in the American Revolution. 1960: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in Atlanta as part of the growing nonviolent civil rights movement. 1977: The supersonic Concorde made its first landing in New York City after a flight from Paris lasting three hours and 44 minutes, marking the beginning of regular commercial service between the two cities.

OCT. 17 1777: British Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American forces at Saratoga, New York, in a turning point of the Revolutionary War.

1867: The United States formally took possession of Alaska from Russia. 1898: The American flag was raised in Puerto Rico for the first time, shortly before Spain formally ceded the island to the United States. 1977: Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in Game 6 of the World Series, leading the New York Yankees to an 8-4 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers and their 21st championship. His performance helped earn him the nickname “Mr. October.”

OCT. 20 1944: Gen. Douglas MacAr-

ERIC GAY / AP PHOTO

Rescue worker Steven Forbes carries 18-month‑old Jessica McClure after she was pulled from an abandoned well in Midland, Texas, on Oct. 16, 1987. thur returned to the Philippines during World War II, wading ashore and fulfilling his 1942 promise, “I shall return,” after being ordered to evacuate by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. 1973: Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the Sydney Opera House in Australia. 1977: Three members of the rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, were killed along with three others when their chartered plane crashed near McComb, Mississippi. OCT. 21 1797: The U.S. Navy frigate Constitution, known as “Old Ironsides,” was launched in Boston Harbor. 1805: A British fleet commanded by Vice Adm. Horatio Nelson defeated a French-Spanish fleet at the Battle of Trafalgar. Nelson was killed in the battle. 1940: Ernest Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was first published.

AP PHOTO

A chartered plane crash near McComb, Mississippi, on Oct. 20, 1977, killed six people, including Lynyrd Skynyrd lead singer Ronnie Van Zant and two other members of the Southern rock band.

Chatham News & Record for Thursday, October 15, 2026

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Darth Vader lightsaber used in ‘Empire Strikes Back’ duel goes up for auction The item will open to bidders on Nov. 12

A Darth Vadercostumed character poses at the Hasbro and Amazon Star Wars Interactive Imperial March experience at the Empire State Building in New York in 2024.

The Associated Press

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LOS ANGELES — In July, a lightsaber with Luke Skywalker’s severed hand from “The Empire Strikes Back” sold for $3.75 million at auction, the highest price ever fetched for a prop used in a “Star Wars” film according to the auction house. Now, someone can buy the saber that did the severing. A Darth Vader lightsaber used in the climactic duel in Cloud City where he tells Skywalker “I am your father” is among the highlights of the Ultimate Star Wars Auction to be held by Heritage Auctions on Nov. 12. The Vader saber, also used in “Return of the Jedi,” is expected to fetch at least $1 million. It is one of more than two dozen lightsaber props that will be up for sale at the auction that spans “Star Wars” Episodes I through IX and other films and TV shows from the galaxy George Lucas created.

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Others include dueling lightsabers forcefully wielded by Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker in “Revenge of the Sith” that are expected to go for at least $10,000 apiece.

An EE-3 carbine blaster wielded by Boba Fett throughout “The Empire Strikes Back” is estimated to bring in more than $100,000. Also included are a Yoda puppet hand used by Frank Oz in the character’s origi-

nal appearance in “The Empire Strikes Back,” C-3PO actor Anthony Daniels’ signed, personal third-draft screenplay for the original 1977 “Star Wars” and a TIE Fighter pilot helmet from “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.”

MUSIC REVIEW

Pitbull’s ‘Pitcoin’ keeps party going, short on standouts For fans of: Las Vegas, shots, simple pleasures and late nights By Maria Sherman The Associated Press NEW YORK — At any given moment, it is hard to imagine anyone on earth having as much fun as Pitbull. The Grammy Award-winning rapper, singer-songwriter and actor, so synonymous with his hometown of Miami that he’s referred to as Mr. 305, the city’s area code — as well as Mr. Worldwide for his global popularity — is known for his ceaseless, motivational enthusiasm. It imbues all of his biggest singles, like the 12-times platinum “Timber,” 11-times platinum “Give Me Everything,” “No Lo Trates,” and “Time of Our Lives,” to just scratch the surface. And it carries through to his public persona and live show. “Pitcoin,” his latest album, continues that legacy. But it

doesn’t evolve it. Across 24 tracks, “Pitcoin” is brimming with joy — songs to soundtrack a commute, a cafe, a quinceañera, a Friday night, a waiting room, a beach bar, anywhere really — as long as the party does not quit. But it lacks the huge singles Pitbull fans have come to know him for. To put it another way: There is fire, but no “Fireball.” It may be because “Pitcoin” overflows with collaborations spanning genre, generation and language. Here’s a sampling: KISS, Bon Jovi, Enrique Iglesias, Lil Jon, Jason Derulo, Akon, Wiz Khalifa, Ne-Yo, Afrojack, Gente de Zona, Jowell & Randy, Anthony Ramos, Zion and Lenier. Lil Jon appears on three tracks; Iglesias on two. The Kiss collaboration opens the record — the aptly titled “Reach for the Stars,” which lifts heavily from “Rock and Roll All Nite” but doesn’t improve upon it — and the song with Bon Jovi, “Now or Never,” directly samples the band’s 2000

solutions

SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Pitbull performs in London in 2025. His latest album, “Pitcoin,” is out now. rock anthem, “It’s My Life.” On a scale of 1 to 10, the nostalgic energy is set to 100. But so is much of Pitbull’s discography, and unfortunately, the good time “Pitcoin,” for all its charms, doesn’t rise to the level of, say, 2015’s “Dale.” Those hoping to recapture that spirit would be wise to skip ahead to the arena-sized anthem “Me Paraste El Corazón” or to “Gringa Repartera.” On the latter, Pitbull explores the Cuban genre

reparto for the first time with some help from Gente de Zona and a sample of the classic “La Tuba” by Elvis Manuel. Despite its bloated runtime, “Pitcoin” is straightforward in its aims. Here, like in all his work, Pitbull is dedicated to keeping his audience dancing. Take it from Mr. Worldwide himself, who described his own anthems as “there for when you’re feeling a certain way in life. It can help pick you up or

it can take you to the next level,” as he told The Associated Press last year. “When I’m making those records, that’s what it’s about. I make sure that the beats are something that I know people could dance to. I know that it’s not complicated.” On “Pitcoin,” as in the whole of his discography, that’s clearly the point. But he has other albums, and songs, that deliver on the premise with more precision.

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famous birthdays this week Singer Gary Puckett celebrates 84, Judge Judy Sheindlin hits 84, singer Wanda Jackson turns 89

The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. OCT. 15 Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Palmer is 81. Musician Richard Carpenter is 80. Film director Mira Nair is 69. Britain’s Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, is 67. Chef Emeril Lagasse is 67. Actor Dominic West is 57. OCT. 16

CHARLES SYKES / INVISION VIA AP

Film director Mira Nair turns 69 on Thursday.

Actor Fernanda Montenegro is 97. Actor Barry Corbin is 86. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 68. Rock musician Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 64. Filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan is 64. Actor Terri J. Vaughn is 57. Singer John Mayer is 49. OCT. 17 Singer Gary Puckett is 84. Actor-musician Michael McKean is 79. Former astronaut Mae Jemison is 70. Country singer Alan Jackson is 68. Animator-filmmaker Mike Judge is 64. Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is 58. Musician Wyclef Jean is 57. Golf Hall of Famer Ernie Els is 57. Rapper Eminem is 54. OCT. 18 Composer Howard Shore is 80. Author Terry McMillan is 75. Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova is 70. Boxing Hall of Famer Thomas Hearns is 68. Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is 66. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is 65. OCT. 19 Artist Peter Max is 89. Actor John Lithgow is 81. Actor Ken Stott is 72. Singer Jennifer Holliday is 66. Boxing Hall of Famer Evander Holyfield is 64. Filmmaker Jon Favreau is 60. Former first daughter Amy Carter is 59. “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker is 57.

MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO

Former astronaut Mae Jemison turns 70 on Saturday. OCT. 20 Japan’s Empress Michiko is 92. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Wanda Jackson is 89. Baseball Hall of Famer Juan Marichal is 89. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky is 86. Rapper Snoop Dogg is 55. OCT. 21 Rock singer Manfred Mann is 86. TV’s Judge Judy Sheindlin is 84. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 77. Film director Catherine Hardwicke is 71. Republican Sen. Ted Budd of North Carolina is 55.

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the stream

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Grian Chatten of the Irish rock band Fontaines D.C. performs at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, in 2023. The band’s new album, “Dopamine Chamber,” is out now.

Katseye, ‘VisionQuest,’ ‘Tenzing,’ new ‘Castlevania’ video game A NEW ALBUM from Katseye and the Marvel series “VisionQuest” are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you. Also, among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: Judd Apatow’s tribute to Norm Macdonald, “Dopamine Chamber” from Fontaines D.C. and a new entry in the “Castlevania” video game series.

telligence that built Vision to be his own ultimate physical form. The first two episodes are streaming now on Disney+. “Hollywood Arts,” a sequel to the Nickelodeon sitcom “Victorious” that ran from 2010 to 2013, arrives on Netflix. It follows Daniella Monet’s Trina Vega, a down-on-her-luck actress with no teaching credentials who takes a substitute job at her old high school. Original stars Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande are not among the main cast, but Justice has said she may make a cameo in the future. The first 13 episodes drop Thursday and the second half of the season will premiere at a later date. Before Jason ever picked up a machete, his mom was doing the bloody work. A new “Friday the 13th” prequel series called “Crystal Lake” goes back to where the legend began. It’s an eight-episode series starring Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees, who is Jason’s mom. The full season debuts Thursday.

MOVIES TO STREAM

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Apatow pays affectionate tribute to Macdonald with the documentary “Norm: The Tale of Norm Macdonald” (Netflix). Apatow’s film about the stand‑up comedian, who died in 2021, plays with Macdonald’s still constant ubiquity on social media, where bits and lateshow appearances still regularly flood the feeds of comedy fans. Jennifer Peedom’s “Tenzing” (Apple TV) is a biopic and historical drama about an often-unsung hero of mountaineering: Tenzing Norgay. Genden Phuntsok and Tom Hiddleston star as Tenzing and Edmund Hillary, respectively, in Peedom’s film about the first climbers to summit Mount Everest. Willem Dafoe co-stars. “The Death of Robin Hood” (HBO Max) stars Hugh Jackman as a grizzled and violent outlaw little like most contemporary versions of Robin Hood. Michael Sarnoski (“Pig,” “A Quiet Place: Day One”) eschews cheerier mythologies for a brutal telling of the medieval tale. In his review AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that it “drains the blood, and life, out of an old English legend.”

William, the hero of “Valor Mortis,” takes the title (which means “the value of death”) a bit too literally. He has already died fighting for Napoleon, but somehow, he has come back to life. That unholy resurrection gives William some wicked supernatural powers to go along with his slick swordplay. Meanwhile, Napoleon’s endless war has corrupted a broad chunk of 19th-century Europe, so hordes of “plague-ridden abominations” have joined the fight. Polish studio One More Level, best known for the cyberpunk slasher “Ghostrunner,” promises demanding first-person combat in a haunted alternate history. Take up arms on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. While we’re messing around in France, let’s travel back in time to 1499 for “Castlevania: Belmont’s Curse.” A new protagonist, Rose Belmont, has inherited the mighty whip known as the Vampire Killer. Dracula has been defeated for good, but his castle has plunked itself down in Paris and all sorts of demons — not to mention Joan of Arc — are on the loose. The 2D, side-scrolling action of Konami’s 1986 original has recently inspired dozens of imitators like “Dead Cells,” and the studios behind that cult hit have taken the reins here. Whip it good starting Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC.

“Crystal Lake,” a prequel to the “Friday the 13th” franchise, lands on Netflix By Jake Coyle The Associated Press

MUSIC TO STREAM Call Katseye the great, global girl group experiment of the decade. The band officially debuted at the end of 2023, created by the Hybe Corporation and Geffen Records in a TV

AMY HARRIS / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Norm Macdonald performs at KAABOO at the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds in Del Mar, California, in 2017. A new documentary about the late comedian premieres Friday on Netflix.

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Hugh Jackman attends the world premiere of “The Death of Robin Hood” at AMC Lincoln Square in New York on June 10. The film is now streaming on HBO Max. competition process that was documented on the Netflix series “Popstar Academy: Katseye.” That feels like ancient history now. Today, they’re easily one of the biggest groups on the planet, and their swift ascent is further documented in a new film, “Katseye: Wild Heart,” available to stream on Disney+ and Hulu. If the Irish post-punk band Fontaines D.C. is still unknown

to you, that’s sure to change. Their last album, 2024’s “Romance,” was certified platinum in the U.K. off the strength of its singles “Favourite” and “Starburster.” Their latest album, “Dopamine Chamber,” is on track to be one of the biggest rock releases of the year, from the trip-hop-adjacent “Tongue” to the dizzying “Marianne.” When it comes to Riot Grrrl, the ’90s feminist move-

ment, some names loom larger than others in cultural memory. At the forefront is Kathleen Hanna, the feminist punk pioneer and celebrated Bikini Kill frontwoman, as well as acts like Bratmobile. The list should also include Heavens to Betsy, the duo of drummer Tracy Sawyer and singer-guitarist Corin Tucker (who would later form Sleater-Kinney with Carrie Brownstein). On Friday, they will release “Baby’s Gone,” a newly unearthed demo tape originally recorded in February 1992 by Bratmobile’s Molly Neuman — and two 7-inch EPs. It’s a miracle for followers of the DIY musical underground and a gift for others just discovering it now (perhaps in no small part due to Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Festival)? SERIES TO STREAM Paul Bettany returns as Vision in the Marvel series “VisionQuest,” that closes out the WandaVision trilogy. Vision is now a fugitive after the events of “WandaVision,” with authorities hunting him down. James Spader reprises his role as Ultron, an evil artificial in-