VOLUME 9 ISSUE 31 | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2024
NSJONLINE.COM
Minor leagues staying in Kinston, B1 the
BRIEF this week
UNC student from Avery County found dead in South Africa Johannesburg An Avery County woman who went missing while on a hike on Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa, was found dead, authorities said on Monday. Brook Cheuvront, a 20-year-old UNC Chapel Hill student who was interning with a human rights group in South Africa, was reported missing on Saturday after a tracking app she was using stopped updating and friends could not reach her, said SANParks spokesman JP Louw. The management of SANParks, which manages Table Mountain and other national parks, said the cause of death was still unclear and an inquest into her death has been opened. An initial search was conducted by rangers, wilderness search and rescue members, and trail runners until late Saturday evening when it was no longer practical to continue, said Louw. An aircraft joined the search the next day and helped to locate the body. Cheuvront was from Newland and a MoreheadCain scholar at UNC. South African authorities have urged people to avoid hiking on their own, suggesting it be done in groups of at least four people.
GENE GALIN FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson speaks during a campaign event Sept. 3 in Siler City. Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign is in disarray after a CNN story led to the resignation of several staff members and calls for him to exit the race.
Robinson’s bid for governor in turmoil after news report
NSJ wins best in group, 16 individual honors at NC Press Awards Raleigh North State Journal claimed first place for general excellence and its staff won 16 individual writing, photography and design awards at the 2024 North Carolina Press Association Awards last Thursday in Raleigh. It is the first time since NSJ was categorized in Division B that it won the top prize in its group after claiming first in Division A several times. Seven different writers won individual awards, led by sports editor Shawn Krest with six total wins — two each for first, second and third place. Reporter A.P. Dillon received a first- and two third-place awards, and photographer PJ Ward-Brown won a first place for a story and a second place in photography. Duplin Journal’s Ena Sellers and Chatham News & Record’s Asheebo Rojas each won firstplace awards, while design editor Lauren Rose and senior editor Cory Lavalette won first- and second-place awards, respectively.
NCGOP hosts event to educate polling place volunteers Speakers highlighted election integrity and transparency By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Jason Simmons stressed election integrity and transparency during the party’s “Protect the Vote” event held on Sept. 14.
U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, Republican candidate for attorney general
The Republican is facing U.S. Rep. Jeff Jackson for the right to succeed Democrat Josh Stein By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — As the race for North Carolina attorney general intensifies, Republican candidate Congressman Dan Bishop is pitching himself as the lawand-order candidate. In a recent interview with North State, Bishop addressed concerns about rising crime rates, juvenile offenses and immigration enforcement while also responding to anticipated campaign attacks from his Democratic opponent. “Charlotte police showed another 36% increase in homi-
By Cory Lavalette North State Journal
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, candidate for state attorney general and U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop, former acting U.S. Attorney General Matt Whitaker and Brad Knott, the 13th District’s Republican congressional nominee, attended the event as the party aims to prepare volunteers for Election Day. “We set a very audacious goal of recruiting and trainSee NCGOP, page A3
Bishop campaigns on ‘law and order’ in AG race “I’m the guy that wants to enforce law.”
A scandalous CNN story led to several staff resignations
cides, 300% increase in juvenile homicides,” Bishop said. “Raleigh police data showed a 7.5% year over year increase in homicides in that six-month period.” Bishop said he anticipates that his opponents will attack his character by tying him to the Jan. 6 breach at the U.S. Capitol or his stance on House Bill 2 — the 2016 Bathroom Bill — as a “demonization strategy.” Democrats have already tried to tie Bishop to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson following last week’s CNN story that rocked the state’s gubernatorial campaign. Bishop, however, wants to redirect the conversation to crime and safety in the state. “They’ll just insult and talk about mean tweets and call people extremist,” said Bishop. “Think about how ridiculous that is.
RALEIGH — Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson defiantly stayed in the race after CNN published a story last week claiming North Carolina’s lieutenant governor referred to himself as “a black NAZI,” among other scandalous comments, on a pornography message board more than a decade ago. In a post last Thursday on X, Robinson blamed the media and his opponent, Attorney General Josh Stein, for the story that had many suggesting the Republican would abandon his run for governor. “Let me reassure you, the things you will see in that story, those are not the words of Mark Robinson,” he said in a video on X. “You know my
“I’m the guy that wants to enforce law. There’s no more sort of traditional kind of political messaging than ‘law and order.’ And that’s exactly what I’m talking about consistently. In fact, apolitical, neutral and unpoliticized enforcement of law.” Bishop called the rise in juvenile crime a “crisis.” “I think putting the two words together, juvenile homicides, is shocking enough as it is. It means 12 children killed somebody in Charlotte,” Bishop said. Bishop also wants improved coordination between law enforcement agencies. “What I’ve talked about is the attorney general’s office doesn’t have direct prosecutorial powSee BISHOP, page A2
$2.00
words, you know my character, and you know I have been completely transparent in this race and before. ... We are staying in this race, and we are in it to win it, and we know with your help, we will.” A report by Carolina Journal said Robinson was under pressure from both former President Donald Trump’s campaign and his own campaign to step aside. “Sources with direct knowledge have spoken with Carolina Journal on the condition of anonymity and said that Robinson is under pressure from staff and members of the Trump campaign to withdraw from the governor’s race due to the nature of the story, which they say involves activity on adult websites,” Carolina Journal reported. A spokesperson for the Robinson dismissed Carolina Journal’s article as “complete fiction.” See ROBINSON, page A8