VOLUME 149 ISSUE 52 | THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2026
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Nothing but Nets Brooklyn Nets rookie Drake Powell speaks to the crowd during his number retirement ceremony before Northwood 20-point win over Uwharrie Charter in Pittsboro last Thursday.
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BRIEF this week
New subpoenas issued in inquiry on response to 2016 Russian election interference The Justice Department has issued new subpoenas in an investigation into perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump and the U.S. government response to Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. An initial wave of subpoenas in November asked recipients for documents related to the preparation of a U.S. intelligence community assessment that detailed a sweeping, multiprong effort by Moscow to help Trump defeat Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Rousey, Carano will end MMA retirements, fight each other in May Ronda Rousey and Gina Carano will end their lengthy retirements from mixed martial arts to fight each other May 16 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The bout will be staged by Most Valuable Promotions, the combat sports promotion established by influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The 39-year-old Rousey hasn’t fought since 2016, while the 43-year-old Carano’s eight-bout MMA career ended in 2009. They’ll fight at 145 pounds for five five-minute rounds. Despite their lengthy absences, Rousey and Carano remain two of the most iconic fighters in MMA history after two trailblazing careers. They are the two most famous women to participate in MMA.
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Commissioners approve data center development freeze through 2027 The moratorium will be in effect until Feb. 11, 2027 By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners has enacted a temporary moratorium on the
development of data centers within the county. The board held a special called meeting Feb. 11 at 4 p.m. to hold a public hearing on the matter, which is required by law before a moratorium can be enacted. A moratorium, which is a temporary, legal suspension to pause development approvals while
updating plans and regulations, is allowed per North Carolina General Statute 160D-107. Per the statute, the county must provide four statements of fact to implement a moratorium: a statement of necessity, a statement of applicability and scope, a statement pertaining to the length of the moratorium, and a statement laying out the plan
for what the county intends to do during the moratorium in order to address the perceived issue. The county argues that the moratorium was necessary due to the amount of water and energy usage that these centers require, adverse environment impacts and noise concerns. See BOARD, page A3
At Fort Bragg, Trump says Maduro raid showed ‘full military might’ of US, means ‘we are feared’ The president endorsed Michael Whatley in his Senate run By Will Weissert and Allen G. Breed The Associated Press FORT BRAGG — President Donald Trump celebrat-
ed the special forces members who ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying last month’s audacious raid means “the entire world saw what the full military might” of the U.S. can do and ensured “we are feared” by potential enemies around the world. Addressing soldiers and their families at Fort Bragg, one of
the world’s largest military bases, Trump declared, “Your commander in chief supports you totally.” Then, drawing on one of his own campaign slogans, he implored them, “When needed, you’re going to fight, fight, fight. You’re going to win, win, win.” The president and first lady Melania Trump also met privately with military families.
Judge sentences teen to life without parole for fatally shooting 5 in Raleigh rampage “In the blink of an eye, everything changed for those people and for the people that they left behind.” Patrick Latour, Wake County assistant prosecutor
Austin Thompson killed his brother in a 2022 attack By Gary D. Robertson The Associated Press RALEIGH — A judge sentenced an 18-year-old who acknowledged killing five people in a Raleigh mass shooting to life in prison without parole last Friday, rejecting arguments that he deserved the chance for release decades from now. Austin David Thompson was 15 during the Oct. 13, 2022, attack that began at his Raleigh home when he shot
and repeatedly stabbed his 16-year-old brother, James. Equipped with firearms and wearing camouflage, Thompson then fatally shot four others — including an off-duty city police officer — in his neighborhood and along a greenway. He was arrested in a shed after a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. Thompson pleaded guilty last month to five counts of first-degree murder and five other counts less than two weeks before his scheduled trial. Thompson, who did not speak in court, was led away See SHOOTING, page A2
But the visit felt more like a political rally than an official visit to celebrate the U.S. armed forces. Trump’s lauding of the raid that toppled Maduro came only after he called to the stage Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair who has the president’s See TRUMP, page A10