VOLUME 147 ISSUE 38 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
GENE GALIN FOR CHATHAM NEWS & RECORD
Ballin’ Five boys’ and ten girls’ teams from Chatham and surrounding counties got together at Jordan-Matthews High School on Saturday for the fourth annual preseason basketball jamboree. Scores weren’t kept, but much practice and experience was gained. Above, J-M took on Carrboro, while Seaforth battled Middle Creek in a neighboring gym. In all, some 20 games were played across three different courts.
the
BRIEF this week
Trump taps Army vet and Fox News host as defense secretary President-elect Donald Trump has stunned the Pentagon and the broader defense world by nominating Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be defense secretary. Trump has picked someone who’s largely inexperienced and untested on the global stage to take over the world’s largest and most powerful military. The news Tuesday was met with bewilderment and worry among many in Washington. Trump passed on a number of established national security heavy-hitters and chose an Army National Guard captain who’s well known in conservative circles as a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends Weekend.” He could bring sweeping changes. Hegseth opposes “woke” programs that promote inclusion and questions the role of women in combat.
Don’t deep-fry frozen turkeys! Deep-frying turkeys during the holidays requires extra caution to prevent burns and house fires, the state fire marshal reminded residents. Safe frying requires outdoor setup on flat, nonflammable surfaces, careful oil measurement to prevent spillover, and fully thawed turkeys. That last part is essential, as deep frying a frozen turkey is especially dangerous. Keeping a multipurpose fire extinguisher nearby is advised, said Marshal Brian Taylor. He advised oven-roasting or grilling as safer alternatives.
$2.00
Chatham to merge water utilities with Sanford
Damage from Hurricane Helene flooding is seen along eastbound lanes of Interstate 40 in Cocke County, Tennessee, near the North Carolina state line. GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO
Southern Pines woman dies after crash on hurricane-damaged I-40 The vehicle that went off the collapsed road and down an embankment on I-40 East.
Patricia Mahoney crashed after driving around a barricade The Associated Press WAYNESVILLE — A Southern Pines woman has died after driving around a barricade on a hurricane-damaged North Carolina highway that became a symbol of Helene’s destruction, then driving off
By Morgan Matthews For Chatham News & Record THE CHATHAM COUNTY Sheriff’s Office is strengthening its emergency response capabilities with the addition of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) aimed at improving cardiac arrest survival rates in the community. The initiative is part of the RACE-CARS Trial, a seven-year program led by FirstHealth EMS to reduce emergency response times for cardiac arrest patients. Chatham County joins 61 other North Carolina counties participating in this innovative research project, which is
By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record
the roadway, officials said. Photos of Interstate 40 with multiple lanes washed out by Helene near the Tennessee state line garnered widespread attention in the days after the storm as the region was largely cut off by numerous road closures. Emergency workers from Tennessee and North Carolina responded to a report of a crash involving a
PITTSBORO — The Chatham County Board of Commissioners has approved a utilities merger between the county and the City of Sanford, essentially pulling all of the water utilities in the county under one umbrella as TriRiver. The merger agreement, which includes not only the county but Pittsboro and Siler City as well, transfers all responsibility for setting rates and operating the water system to TriRiver, which is the City of Sanford’s water entity. “After careful consideration, each of our boards have made a decision that puts our residents first and meets the current and future needs of our communities,” said Sanford Mayor Rebecca Salmon. “We sat down with staff from Sanford as well as our utility staff, and we talked about how we could work together to move water through our pipes to serve both of those customer bases (Pittsboro and
See CRASH, page A3
See WATER, page A3
Sheriff vehicles get AEDs for faster response Five defibrillators have been placed in patrol cars
The merger will officially go into effect no later than July 1, 2025
being conducted by the Duke Clinical Research Institute in collaboration with Emory University and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Five AEDs have been strategically placed in patrol cars that operate daily throughout the county. These devices are crucial in treating cardiac arrest, a condition where electrical malfunctions in the heart can prove fatal without rapid intervention. The AEDs work by delivering a controlled electrical shock that helps reset the heart’s rhythm, allowing it to resume pumping blood normally. Research has shown that quick access to AEDs significantly increases survival rates for cardiac arrest victims. See AED, page A2
“These AEDs will make a difference in our community, giving our deputies tools to potentially save lives when time is critical.” Chatham Sheriff Mike Roberson