VOLUME 147 ISSUE 3 | THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2024
CHATHAMNEWSRECORD.COM
C HATHAM NEWS & R ECORD THE CHATHAM COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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BRIEF this week
Rescued dogs soon ready for adoption 85 dogs and puppies rescued from a suspected Chatham County puppy mill will soon be ready for adoption, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office says. The animals received comprehensive care and support at Animal Rescue Corps’ Rescue Center in Tennessee, and will soon find their forever homes at three adoption agencies in North Carolina: Pawfect Match Rescue and Rehabilitation in Holly Springs Forsyth Humane Society in Winston-Salem Humane Society of Charlotte Visit the social media channels of those shelters for updates. PHOTO COURTESY SHERIFF MIKE ROBERSON
Cooper rescinds order setting NIL guidelines Gov. Roy Cooper rescinded an executive order from 2021 that established guidelines for allowing college athletes to profit from their fame. The order originally came as the NCAA cleared the way for college athletes to make money off the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL). It was designed as “a standard for for individual institutions to use as they formalize their own policies and procedures” while multiple states passed their own varying NIL laws. A federal judge recently barred the NCAA from enforcing NIL rules in a case involving the states of Tennessee and Virginia, a ruling that was cited in the decision. “While these rules were helpful earlier in the process they are no longer necessary and I want to thank our colleges and universities for working with us so closely,” Cooper said in a statement. Athletic directors at the state’s four ACC schools — Duke, UNC, NC State and Wake Forest — expressed support for the move. Officials who work for and with booster-funded collectives that handle NIL deals with college athletes nationally have said lifting rules will bring more clarity and simply make permissible what was formerly against NCAA rules regarding athlete compensation.
Cold for a cause Sheriff Mike Roberson poses with, from left, District Attorney Jeff Nieman, Steve Burnham, Jared Gallaher, John Nieman and Sean Cavanaugh of top fundraising group “I Was In The Pool.” The team raised more than $3,500 for Special Olympics North Carolina in Chatham County Sheriff’s Office’s annual Polar Plunge on Feb. 24 at Jordan Lake State Park. “Although taking the plunge may sound a little daunting, I chose to participate in this event because the act symbolizes much more than fundraising to me,” said Roberson. “It sends a message that nothing can stop our quest to make a difference in our community.”
Chapel Hill spends $3M more on Rosemary parking deck Policies and procedures of advisory boards to be overhauled By Ryan Henkel Chatham News & Record THE TOWN of Chapel Hill will spend another $3 million on the Rosemary Street Parking
Deck. The funding was approved by Town Council at its March 6 meeting, alongside other matters. “This is to cover the remaining costs for completing the deck due to materials cost escalation and so forth,” said deputy town manager Mary Jane Nirdlinger. “We started working on this project during a global pandemic as the cost of materials and labor began to rise. We’ve continued to
operate in a really unprecedented environment with global disruptions to the construction industry, changes in the cost of the labor market and general cost inflation.” According to director of business management Amy Oland, the additional spending will be temporarily funded through debt service and the town is currently investigating installment financ-
ing options. The additional costs will also delay the revenue generation of the facility. “The positive annual cash flow may be pushed, with the additional borrowing, up to fiscal year 2030, due to the additional amount we need to borrow, the rising interest rates and the delayed opening,” Oland said. “That would mean a total cumulative positive cash flow would be some time in fiscal year 2033.” “I know we’re all frustrated by the challenges, delays and cost overruns associated with this project,” Anderson said. “It is an important part of our East Rosemary renovation and innovation See PARKING, page A9
Chatham schools launch teletherapy program for students By Robert Owens For Chatham News & Record
THE DAILY NEWS VIA AP
House primary winner and East Carolina University student Wyatt Gable.
21-year-old bests longtime Rep. in NC House primary By James Pollard The Associated Press WHILE HIS COLLEGE friends celebrated the end of midterm exams with a spring break trip to Florida, 21-year-old Wyatt Gable entered the home stretch of his bid to oust a 10term Republican from the North Carolina House. Weeks spent phone bank-
ing after class and driving about an hour home on the weekends to knock on doors paid off. The East Carolina University junior narrowly beat state Rep. George Cleveland, 84, this week in a primary election in which he cast himself as “the future of the Republican Party.” Gable’s victory comes as votSee GABLE, page A2
CHATHAM COUNTY Schools are now providing students with free teletherapy, virtual mental health consults via a new partnership with Daybreak, a company that specializes in remote mental health care. “All K-12 students will have access to Daybreak’s evidence-based teletherapy programs,” said an announcement from the company. They aim to help kids understand their emotions, while learning new skills and strategies to manage them. The program launched last month and within two weeks, nearly 30 students had been referred to Daybreak. Students receive up to 12 weeks of free teletherapy, with programs vary by grade and tailored to be age appropriate. Elementary aged students will have parents or guardians included in the teletherapy sessions. Children older then 10 have the option to meet privately with their therapist. “We are dedicated to supporting the holistic well-being of our students,” said Superin-
tendent Anthony Jackson in a statement. The district aims to have mental health services readily available for students. “Most kids don’t have access to these mental health supports and that schools play a critical role in reaching children in need,” said Daybreak Health CEO Alex Alverado. “I commend Chatham’s school counselors and social workers who worked hard to bring these services into their schools and have been incredible partners and collaborators in quickly getting students into care.” According to the company, 81% of students who participate see better anxiety and depression scores, with improvements also observed concurrently by teachers and parents.
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