VOLUME 9 ISSUE 38 | THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2024
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Thrice as nice Joey Logano won Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series season-ending playoff race at Phoenix Raceway, denying Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney a repeat title and claiming his third Cup Series championship. Logano also won the championship in 2022 and 2018. It was the third straight series win for Team Penske and fourth overall — Brad Keselowski won Roger Penske’s first Cup championship in 2012. See more on B1.
the
NC divided on statewide races
BRIEF this week
Democrats and Republicans each won five of the 10 Council of State races
Durham writer pleads guilty to Jan. 6 charges, expects pardon Washington, D.C. A writer for a conservative media outlet pleaded guilty on Tuesday to joining a mob’s attack on the U.S. Capitol nearly four years ago, after a federal judge refused to pause his case until after Presidentelect Donald Trump takes office. Steve Baker, who has written articles about the Jan. 6, 2021, riot for Blaze News, entered his guilty plea on the day that his bench trial had been scheduled to begin. U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper is scheduled to sentence Baker on March 6, but the judge acknowledged that the case may never reach the punishment stage. Trump has repeatedly vowed to issue pardons to Jan. 6 riot defendants. Baker, 64, of Durham had asked Cooper to postpone all of the deadlines and hearings for his case until after Trump’s inauguration. But the judge denied Baker’s request. Other judges have rejected similar requests by Capitol riot defendants who hope Trump will pardon them. After his guilty plea, Baker told reporters that he is “very confident that I’m at the top of the list” if Trump hands out pardons. Baker said he pleaded guilty “to avoid the shaming exercise of a trial” and maintained that he didn’t do anything wrong on Jan. 6.
UN nuclear watchdog, Iran leaders to meet Baku, Azerbaijan The head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog is meeting with Iranian officials, including the country’s new president, this week and hopes for a breakthrough in monitoring the country’s nuclear program, a longstanding issue that has gained new urgency as Israel has twice struck Iran amid rising Middle East tensions.
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By A.P. Dillon North State Journal
North Carolina and several other states, including New York, Alabama, California, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee. They generally used a similar tone but varied in wording. Some instructed the recipient to show up at an address at a particular time “with your belongings,” while others didn’t include a location. Some of them mentioned the incoming presidential administration. It wasn’t yet clear who was
RALEIGH — For the second consecutive presidential cycle, North Carolina voters split their ballots by electing a Republican president but a Democratic governor. Voters continued to vote Democrat at the top of the statewide ballot, electing a Democrat to the lieutenant governor and attorney general spots; Democrat Mo Green also won state superintendent. The pickups turned the 10-seat Council of State into a 50/50 split down party lines, whereas Republicans held six seats heading into the November election. During a press conference held at the N.C. Republican Party Headquarters the day after the election, Senate Leader Phil Berger (R-Eden) and Rep. Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) talked about the ticket-splitting possibly being linked to Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson’s gubernatorial campaign issues. “I don’t think there’s any question that the wall of money that came in against Mark Robinson had a significant impact,” said Berger. “I also think that the news story out of CNN had a significant impact in that race and probably had some slight im-
See TEXTS, page A2
See DIVIDED, page A3
Racist text messages raise alarms across US The FBI and other agencies are investigating The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — Racist text messages invoking slavery raised alarm across the country this week after they were sent to black men, women and students, including middle schoolers, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other agencies. The messages, sent anonymously, were reported in
Dobson resigns, named hospital group CEO “After 21 years of public service, I look forward to pursuing new opportunities in the private sector.” Josh Dobson, Former N.C. labor commissioner
The labor commissioner announced his decision on election night By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — North Carolina Commissioner of Labor Josh Dobson resigned on election night, well ahead of the end of his term. In a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper, Dobson’s resignation was effective as of Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. “I am grateful for the last 14 years I have been able to serve in elected office and the opportunity to be your Commissioner of Labor,” Dobson said in the press release. “After 21 years of public service, I look forward to pursuing new opportuni-
AP PHOTO
Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson announced he was stepping down on election night. ties in the private sector. “I want to thank the employees at the N.C. DepartSee DOBSON, page A2
“Let me put it this way: Probably would be foolish just to point every loss at Mark Robinson and say it’s his fault, dust their hands off, and walk away and not trying to learn anything else from that election.” Jim Blaine, cofounder of The Differentiators