VOLUME 147 ISSUE 31 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
PJ WARD-BROWN / CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Stein’s way Democratic gubernatorial candidate and state Attorney General Josh Stein met with voters in Pittsboro last week at the Forest Hall at Chatham Mills. The Stein campaign is having an especially good week as his opponent, Republican Mark Robinson, deals with fallout from an explosive media report that saw most of his senior campaign staff resign. See NSJ Page A1 for more.
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BRIEF this week
Absentee ballots finally being mailed out Counties have started distributing absentee ballots for the November general election to those who have requested them. Election officials in all 100 N.C. counties planned to mail out the first ballots to regular state residents starting Tuesday. Ballots to military and overseas voters requesting them went out starting this past Friday. More than 207,000 absentee ballot requests have been received. State law directed that the first absentee ballots were to go out on Sept. 6, but appeals courts prevented ballots containing Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s name from going out. That led to reprinting and a roughly two-week delay.
Cary man sentenced as one of first Jan. 6 rioters Four men who were among the first rioters to assault police officers and the first to breach a security perimeter during the attack on the U.S. Capitol have been sentenced to prison terms. James Grant, 31, of Cary, was sentenced to three years in prison after he climbed into the Capitol through a broken window and entered a senator’s office. Following his arrest, he told investigators that the FBI was “the biggest threat to Americans” and that prosecuting Jan. 6 rioters was “a big witch hunt.” Grant’s attorney called it “almost incomprehensible” that prosecutors would seek a nine-year prison sentence. He should be eligible for release within months with credit for time served.
Chatham Schools sees Sheriff SROs get two new K-9 partners increase in school performance grades Leo and Cheeno are joining SROs on the school safety team
“The work that our teachers are doing… I would put them up against any in the state.” Amanda Moran, CCS assistant super intendent
Yondr Pouch smartphone pilot showing positive early results By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Schools Board of Education was presented with some of the data from the annual school accountability report provided by the state at their Sept. 9 regular business meeting. CCS had one A-rated school, six B-rated schools, nine C-rated schools, two D-rated schools and one F-rated school. Of those, nine schools saw improvements in their overall performance grade.
“The state of North Carolina in accordance with federal guidelines determines the school performance grade by giving a grade that is 80% based on student achievement and proficiency on state-level exams and then 20% dedicated to growth,” said Amanda Moran, assistant superintendent for academic services and instructional support. “These numbers are then combined, put on a scale and then given a letter grade.” Some 26% of CCS schools exceeded growth, 32% met growth and 42% that did not meet the growth indicator. Of those that did not meet growth, two were designated as low-performing: Siler City
By Melinda Burris Chatham News & Record
See SCHOOLS, page A2
See K-9, page A7
Hispanic Heritage Fiesta draws more than 5K People were having such a great time and it was such a good spirit.” Hispanic Liaison executive director Ilana Dubester
Celebrating culture and heritage, it brought together Latinos from near and far By Ena Sellers Chatham News & Record PITTSBORO — The Hispanic Heritage Fiesta — a celebration of culture, heritage, and community — was a resounding success, organizers declared, drawing together Latinos from near and far in a vibrant display of unity. The Hispanic Liaison hosted the Hispanic Heritage Fiesta on Saturday at the Shakori Hills Arts Center in Pittsboro, drawing more than 5,000 visitors. According to Hispanic Liaison executive director Ilana Dubester, the
fiesta had some 95 vendors and 200 volunteers on site. The Hispanic Heritage Fiesta was a feast for the senses, with vendors showcasing an array of Latin American dishes that filled the air with the mouth-watering aroma of cocina criolla. Families enjoyed live performances from bands like La Nueva Elegancia, the No Passport Band, Revelación Sevilla, and Los Ninis de la Banda. See FIESTA, page A3
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PITTSBORO — Students will soon have some new furry friends wandering the halls of Chatham County schools, as the Sheriff’s Office has added two new K-9 officers to its school safety team. The two dogs, Leo and Cheeno, will join the existing (human) Student Resource Officers Mackenzie Abbott and Dalton Oldham. The K-9 units are trained to sniff out firearms and explosives and to signal these potential threats by sitting down in a calm, controlled manner. The teams will be available to deploy districtwide as part of the School
I have learned [so much], not only about dog handling but how to accept failure and learn from it.” Mackenzie Abbot, student resource officer