Bill Belichick won big in the NFL. Can he do it as a rookie college coach at North Carolina?

Bill Belichick won big in the NFL. Can he do it as a rookie college coach at North Carolina?

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina bet big on Bill Belichick to elevate its football program beyond decades of also-ran status and mid-tier bowl appearances.

More simply, though, it was a bet Belichick could do something he never has before.

The 73-year-old with six Super Bowl titles as an NFL head coach is now a college rookie. He’s traded rosters of 30-somethings for recruiting teenagers yet to emerge from under their parents’ wings. He’s greeted donors at fundraising gatherings. And he’s working amid a wildly evolving landscape of player empowerment across college athletics.

The first on-field look comes Monday night when the Tar Heels host TCU.

“I’ve been through a lot of opening days,” Belichick said, “and every one is the same in that there’s some things you kind of feel good about, there’s some other questions that you have.”

The setting

The spotlight will lock on Belichick taking the field — possibly with his trademarked hoodie look — as he pushes a vision of building the NFL’s “33rd team” at a school better known for its storied men’s basketball program.

ESPN will host a pregame show from Kenan Stadium. UNC has sold out season tickets (at higher prices, no less) and single-game seats. And beyond Monday, streaming provider Hulu will feature the program in a behind-the-scenes show.

TCU coach Sonny Dykes has experience with spectacle, at least. Two years ago, his ranked Horned Frogs hosted Colorado in retired NFL star Deion Sanders’ Buffaloes debut — and lost.

“Never thought I would, no,” Dykes said of facing Belichick. “Just assumed he would aways coach in the NFL and assumed I’d always coach in college, and didn’t really consider that possibility. One thing I’ve learned about college football though is never say never.”

College pivot

Belichick’s NFL career featured a 24-year run leading the New England Patriots, producing six world titles alongside star quarterback Tom Brady. When Belichick and the Patriots split in January 2024, he held 333 regular-season and playoff wins, trailing only Don Shula (347) for the NFL record.

Belichick was later linked to NFL jobs but nothing materialized. That eventually led to the unlikely pairing with UNC when the school moved on from Mack Brown. At the time, Belichick said he “always wanted” to try college coaching and cited his late father Steve’s connection as a Tar Heels assistant in the 1950s.

In months since, he’s popped up at men’s basketball and baseball games and can rattle off a list of stops — Atlanta, New York and Chicago, included — on the donor circuit.

“It’s really fun to be part of a school,” Belichick said last month. “I grew up in Annapolis at the Naval Academy and there’s only one team: there’s Navy. It didn’t matter if it was Navy baseball, Navy lacrosse, Navy football, Navy swimming, Navy this, Navy that — you always root for the same team. … So you’re really part of a community.”

UNC gave Belichick a five-year deal, the first three guaranteed at $10 million in base and supplemental pay, to spark a program that last won an ACC title in 1980. It comes as the sport’s role as the revenue driver in college athletics has never been more important, particularly with July’s introduction of revenue sharing.

In a recent athletics department podcast, chancellor Lee Roberts pointed to early returns in added buzz from Belichick’s mere presence.

“I’d say, in a lot of ways the experiment — and I think that’s the right word — has already been successful,” Roberts said.

Coaching relationships

Of course, questions abounded. Among the biggest: would the NFL lifer known for terse and gruff responses in Patriots news conferences really hit the recruiting trail?

Rolesville High coach Ranier Rackley was quickly convinced.

His school, about 40 miles east of Chapel Hill, was an immediate stop for Belichick with the Rams featuring multiple prospects, including four-star senior edge rusher Zavion Griffin-Haynes.

“There was a situation for me with my schedule that I had to change the dates of him originally coming,” Rackley said. “He was like, ‘No, we’ll make it around your schedule.’ And he did that. For me, I’m like, ‘Wow, this is Bill Belichick adjusting to my schedule to come see my kids.’”

Rackley recalled Belichick spending two hours in his first visit “talking about ball, talking about life” while working to build relationships. Rackley said there’s an “open-door policy” for him to visit or talk with UNC’s staff, and that Belichick had been receptive to Rackley’s observations.

That included a tip to look at defensive lineman Xavier Lewis, landing the former Austin Peay recruit on UNC’s roster as a freshman.

Rackley said six of his players have UNC offers with three committed: Griffin-Haynes; his brother Jayden, a linebacker and fellow senior; and junior running back Amir Brown.

“Even when I go out to practices, when (Belichick) sees us, before he goes to anybody else, he’ll come talk to us,” Rackley said. “That means something to me. Not saying other coaches haven’t done that, but the fact that I know my guys will be in good hands — that makes me settled in my spirit, in my heart, that they’re going to be OK.”

Convincing a mother

Winning over Mom, however, is a tougher sell. And Latara Griffin, mother to the Griffin-Haynes brothers, wasn’t going to be easily swayed by numbers on a résumé.

“I am really a football mom,” she said. “I care about my kids. I care about being able to lay my head down at night and know my kids are good and being taken care of.”

So she didn’t hold back when questioning Belichick, including how he’d go from coaching grown men to teenagers never having lived away from home. Or whether this was a one-year pitstop before returning to the NFL.

Griffin said she sensed some nervousness from the coaching great in early conversations, though that faded into a welcoming vibe. She described establishing a strong connection with UNC’s defensive coordinator — Belichick’s son, Steve, and his family — and appreciated the elder Belichick’s effort to understand the importance for the brothers to play together.

After prayer-filled days for her, the brothers announced their commitment to UNC in June for a January enrollment.

“I think after being around us a little bit more, I’ve seen him kind of be a little bit more open: telling jokes, laughing and smiling,” she said with a laugh. “When you see Bill Belichick on pictures, you don’t really feel like he’s funny and cool like that. But he is.”

What’s ahead

Belichick’s current players, meanwhile, have had time to get past star-struck first encounters with a man they grew up watching at the sport’s highest level.

“It’s pretty normal now,” receiver Alex Taylor said.

Still, that doesn’t mean Belichick’s presence has lost its luster, or that friends and families have stopped inquiring about what Belichick is like.

“Honestly it’s just every meeting I walk into, every new day,” Boise State transfer linebacker Andrew Simpson said, “I just sit there and I understand that I’m in front of greatness.”

The only thing left now? Actually winning games.

“The whole college football world is going to notice in regards to what they’re going to bring,” Rackley said of UNC’s staff. “It’s going to be interesting to see, man.”

___

AP Sports Writer Stephen Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas, contributed to this report.

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Charlie Gaddy, one of North Carolina’s most recognizable broadcasters and a longtime anchor on WRAL-TV, has died at age 93.

Before beginning his television career, Gaddy worked for a time at WPTF, the flagship station of the North Carolina News Network. In a 2024 interview marking WPTF’s 100th anniversary, he recalled the early days of local radio programming, including a show called Ask Your Neighbor.

“It was just something that somebody came up with as an idea, and they tried it to see how it would work,” Gaddy said. “And it worked beautifully. It was a very popular program and lasted a long time. But that’s how it started.”

Gaddy was born in Biscoe, North Carolina, attended Guilford College, and served in the U.S. Army. He became a household name across central North Carolina during his years anchoring WRAL’s evening newscasts, known for his calm demeanor and trusted presence.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

September 15th 2025

September 15th 2025

Thought of the Day

September 15th 2024
Photo by Getty Images

Failure is not defeat until you stop trying.

After Charlie Kirk’s death, workers learn the limits of free speech in and out of their jobs

After Charlie Kirk’s death, workers learn the limits of free speech in and out of their jobs

By CATHY BUSSEWITZ and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — In the days following the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, numerous workers have been fired for their comments on his death, among them MSNBC political analyst Matthew Dowd.

Several conservative activists have sought to identify social media users whose posts about Kirk they viewed as offensive or celebratory, targeting everyone from journalists to teachers. Right-wing influencer Laura Loomer said she would try to ruin the professional aspirations of anyone who celebrated Kirk’s death.

It’s far from the first time workers have lost their jobs over things they say publicly — including in social media posts. But the speed at which the firings have been happening raises questions about worker rights versus employer rights.

In the U.S., laws can vary across states, but overall, there’s very little legal protections for employees who are punished for speech made both in and out of private workplaces.

“Most people think they have a right to free speech…but that doesn’t necessarily apply in the workplace,” said Vanessa Matsis-McCready, associate general counsel and vice president of HR Services for Engage PEO. “Most employees in the private sector do not have any protections for that type of speech at work.”

Add to that the prevalence of social media, which has made it increasingly common to track employees’ conduct outside of work and to dox people, or publish information about them online with the intent of harming or harassing them.

Employers have a lot of leeway

Protections for workers vary from one state to the next. For example, in New York, if an employee is participating in a weekend political protest, but not associating themselves with the organization that employs them, their employer cannot fire them for that activity when they return to work. But if that same employee is at a company event on a weekend and talks about their political viewpoints in a way that makes others feel unsafe or the target of discrimination or harassment, then they could face consequences at work, Matsis-McCready said.

Most of the U.S. defaults to “at-will” employment law — which essentially means employers can choose to hire and fire as they see fit, including over employees’ speech.

“The First Amendment does not apply in private workplaces to protect employees’ speech,” said Andrew Kragie, an attorney who specializes in employment and labor law at Maynard Nexsen. “It actually does protect employers’ right to make decisions about employees, based on employees’ speech.”

Kragie said there are “pockets of protection” around the U.S. under various state laws, such as statues that forbid punishing workers for their political views. But the interpretation of how that gets enforced changes, he notes, making the waters murky.

Steven T. Collis, a law professor at the University of Texas at Austin and faculty director of the school’s Bech-Loughlin First Amendment Center, also points to some state laws that say employers can’t fire their workers for “legal off duty conduct.” But there’s often an exception for conduct seen as disruptive to an employer’s business or reputation, which could be grounds to fire someone over public comments or social media posts.

“In this scenario, if somebody feels like one of their employees has done something that suggests they are glorifying or celebrating a murder, an employer might still be able to fire them even with one of those laws on the books,” Collis said.

For public employees, which can range from school teachers and postal workers to elected officials, the process is a bit different. That’s because the First Amendment plays a unique role when the government is the employer, Collis explains. The Supreme Court has ruled that if an employee is acting in a private capacity but speaking on a matter of public concern, they could be protected. Still, he noted that government employers can discipline a worker if they determine such conduct will interfere with the government’s ability to do its job.

Some in the public sector have already worked to restrict speech in the aftermath of Kirk’s death. For instance, leaders at the Pentagon unveiled a “zero tolerance” policy for any posts or comments from troops that make light of or celebrate the killing of Kirk.

The policy, announced by the Pentagon’s top spokesman Sean Parnell on social media Thursday, came hours after numerous conservative military influencers and activists began forwarding posts they considered problematic to Parnell and his boss, defense secretary Pete Hegseth.

“It is unacceptable for military personnel and Department of War civilians to celebrate or mock the assassination of a fellow American,” Parnell wrote Thursday.

A surge of political debate

The ubiquity of social media is making it easier than ever to share opinions about politics and major news events as they’re unfolding. But posting on social media leaves a record, and in times of escalating political polarization, those declarations can be seen as damaging to the reputation of an individual or their employer.

“People don’t realize when they’re on social media, it is the town square,” said Amy Dufrane, CEO of the Human Resource Certification Institute. “They’re not having a private conversation with the neighbor over the fence. They’re really broadcasting their views.”

Political debates are certainly not limited to social media and are increasingly making their way into the workplace as well.

“The gamification of the way we communicate in the workplace, Slack and Teams, chat and all these things, they’re very similar to how you might interact on Instagram or other social media, so I do think that makes it feel a little less formal and somebody might be more inclined to take to take a step and say, ‘Oh, I can’t believe this happened,’” Matsis-McCready said.

Employers are not ready

In the tense, divided climate of the U.S., many human resource professionals have expressed that they’re unprepared to address politically charged discussions in the workplace, according to the Human Resource Certification Institute. But those conversations are going to happen, so employers need to set policies about what is acceptable or unacceptable workplace conduct, Dufrane said.

“HR has got to really drill down and make sure that they’re super clear on their policies and practices and communicating to their employees on what are their responsibilities as an employee of the organization,” Dufrane said.

Many employers are reviewing their policies on political speech and providing training about what appropriate conduct looks like, both inside and outside the organization, she said. And the brutal nature of Kirk’s killing may have led some of them to react more strongly in the days that followed his death.

“Because of the violent nature of what some political discussion is now about, I think there is a real concern from employers that they want to keep the workplace safe and that they’re being extra vigilant about anything that could be viewed as a threat, which is their duty,” Matsis-McCreedy said.

Employees can also be seen as ambassadors of a company’s brand, and their political speech can dilute that brand and hurt its reputation, depending on what is being said and how it is being received. That is leading more companies to act on what employees are saying online, she said.

“Some of the individuals that had posted and their posts went viral, all of a sudden the phone lines of their employers were just nonstop calls complaining,” Matsis-McCready said.

Still, experts like Collis don’t anticipate a significant change in how employers monitor their workers speech — noting that online activity has come under the spotlight for at least the last 15 years.

“Employers are already and have been for a very long time, vetting employees based on what they’re posting on social media,” he said.

____

Associated Press Staff Writer Konstantin Toropin in Washington contributed to this report.

Political leaders confront security concerns — and fear — after Kirk’s assassination

Political leaders confront security concerns — and fear — after Kirk’s assassination

By STEVE PEOPLES and MIKE CATALINI Associated Press

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Even before the killing of Charlie Kirk, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania was struggling with the emotional toll of political violence.

In the middle of the night just five months ago, someone broke into his home and set it on fire. Shapiro, who is also a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, was asleep with his wife and children.

And in the weeks since his family fled the blaze, Shapiro has been forced to confront the vexing questions now consuming elected officials in both parties as they face the impact of Kirk’s assassination on their own public lives.

“The emotional challenge for me that’s been the hardest to work through is that, as a father, the career I chose, that I find great purpose and meaning in, ended up putting my children’s lives at risk,” Shapiro, a father of four, told The Associated Press. “Make no mistake, the emotional burden of being a father through this has been something that continues to be a challenge for me to this day.”

Across the nation, it is much the same for Republican and Democratic officials after another stunning act of political violence. Politicians in both parties and at virtually every level of public service are suddenly being forced to deal with acute security concerns — and feelings of grief, anger and fear — as they move deeper into a fraught election season.

Some political leaders are canceling public appearances. Others are relying on a large police presence to keep them safe. And still others insist that the fallout from Kirk’s death won’t have any impact on their duties.

Indeed, even as Shapiro offered prayers for Kirk’s widow and children, the Democratic governor said he is undeterred in his duties as a leading figure in his national party and his state.

“I’m not slowing down,” he said.

On that, he and President Donald Trump appear to agree.

The Republican president was asked during a Friday appearance on Fox News if he would cancel any public appearances of his own.

“You have to go forward,” he said.

Violent rhetoric surges

Bellicose rhetoric and even death threats have surged in the days since Kirk was killed.

“The left is the party of murder,” Elon Musk, the tech titan and CEO of the social media platform X, wrote. “If they won’t leave us in peace, then our choice is to fight or die.”

To that, Fox News host Jesse Waters said during a broadcast, “They are at war with us. Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. What are we going to do about it?”

On Friday, a right-wing activist posted online a video outside Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s home, calling on followers to “take action.”

The charged environment prompted a number of public officials, largely Democrats, to postpone public appearances.

Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., canceled a Saturday town hall in Las Vegas “out of an abundance of caution for town hall participants, attendees, and members of the media.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., also postponed a weekend event in North Carolina due to security concerns.

Former Republican Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, president of Young America’s Foundation, which works to attract young people to the GOP, said his group canceled a Thursday night event in California featuring conservative commentator Ben Shapiro out of respect for Kirk and his family.

And while officials in both parties acknowledged that new security precautions would be in place — for the short term, at least — cancelations have been rare.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, another potential Democratic presidential prospect who recently announced his 2026 reelection campaign, said he would not change his public schedule because of the increased threat even as political violence will be on his mind.

“It’s never something that completely leaves you, but I don’t think it can be something that debilitates you,” Moore told The Associated Press.

When asked if he expects a retaliatory attack against Democrats, the former Army captain insisted, “We are not at war with one another.”

“As someone who has seen war, as someone who knows what war looks like, as someone who will live with the realities of war for the rest of my life, I refuse to ever believe that we in the country are at war with one another,” he said. “And I refuse to believe that that we as a country are devolving into some just kind of type of retaliatory tit for tat.”

“Resorting to violence is a remarkable sign of weakness,” Moore added. “It means you can’t win a political argument.”

And yet political violence is becoming more frequent in the United States.

Former Democratic Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot in the head as she met with constituents in 2011. Republican Rep. Steve Scalise was shot at a congressional team baseball practice in 2017. Trump was grazed by a bullet last summer on the stump in Pennsylvania. And barely three months ago, the top Democrat in the Minnesota state house and her husband were gunned down at home.

What it looks like on the campaign trail

Several uniformed police officers stood side by side along the entrance of a public park where the Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor, Mikie Sherrill, met voters Friday to discuss measures designed to bring transparency to the state budget process.

The significant security presence was a sharp shift from Sherrill’s recent events.

In Illinois, Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Aaron Del Mar, said he and other GOP candidates are discussing new security precautions, such as bringing events indoors, enhanced use of metal detectors and background checks on those who attend their events.

“There’s a lot of concern right now,” he said.

Back in New Jersey, 35-year-old Democrat Maira Barbosa attended Sherrill’s event with her 16-month-old son. She said she’s never been more resolved to show up to a political event in person, even as she admitted she had second thoughts.

“We’re seeing so much hate speech and we’re seeing people advocate for violence, so of course it makes me concerned, especially to the point of bringing my son,” she said. “If we don’t participate, if we don’t get involved, who is going to represent us?”

Top Democratic governors speak out

In interviews, governors Shapiro and Moore largely avoided casting blame for the current era of political violence, although they were critical of Trump’s immediate response to Kirk’s shooting.

The Republican president highlighted only attacks against Republicans during his Oval Office address on Thursday and blamed “the radical left” for Kirk’s shooting, even before the suspect was arrested.

Shapiro said Trump “misused the power of an Oval Office address.”

“To be clear, the political violence has impacted Democrats and Republicans, and the rhetoric of vengeance and the language that has created division has come from both sides of the political divide,” Shapiro said. “No one party has clean hands, and no one party is immune from the threat of political violence.”

Moore called for everyone to tone down the rhetoric.

“I just think it’s important for the president and anyone else to understand that your words matter, and leadership is how you lift us up in darkness, not how you use it as a moment for opportunism and to introduce more darkness and finger pointing into into an already horrific situation,” he said.

“I’m praying for our country,” Moore continued. “I’m praying that the legacy of this moment is we got better — not that we got worse.”

___

Associated Press writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix; Laura Bargfeld in Chicago; Chris Megerian in Washington; and Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed.

Red and black chokeberries thrive in North Carolina landscapes

Red and black chokeberries thrive in North Carolina landscapes

By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener

Red Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) are versatile shrubs native to North Carolina. I have seen many of the red varieties, while black varieties have never shown up in my path. They are similar however, with obviously, the main difference, the color of the berries. In addition, the red has a more upright and slender shape preferring moist soil, while the black are more tolerant of various soil conditions. The berries of the black varieties usually drop in summer while the berries of the red varieties last until winter. Otherwise the two types are much alike. The flowers, of course, come in the spring and with the help of pollinators, make these small berries.

In the wildlife world, all kinds of birds just dig these plant’s berries, and so do some mammals. Yes, deer will eat Chokeberry shrubs, especially in the winter when their food supply is a little scarce. The berries of this shrub are very astringent so not all berry-loving animals can deal with the taste. If you pick any Chokeberries off the shrubs in your yard and eat them, they will make you pucker. They also could make you feel like you are choking because of their sour, dry qualities. Which brings me to the history of the Chokeberry.

Native American tribes used the berry in a number of ways as a food source and a food preservative. As Europeans encountered new plants, they took them home to various countries where they used them as ornamental plants. Over time they developed cultivars that were easier on the tastebuds and digestive system. In the 20th century, the Russians even used them to make wine. This was likely the “Aronia melencarpa” varieties which can be processed for all kinds of foodie type things.

The Chokeberry is high in antioxidants and flavanoides, so a lot of research is being done on these plants which usually aren’t the first choice for planting by homeowners. I’m told you can make jams out of Chokeberries. Check for varieties that will aid in making jams and jellies if you are so inclined. Black Chokeberries varieties “Viking,” “Nero,” “Autumn Magic” will work. When it comes to red Chokeberries, “Brilliantissima” is the one to look for. You have to cook them with a sweetener- boil and mash and then mix with other fruits to get around the bitterness. You can find them in bulk from Amazon under the name of Aronia berries. They are also sold at some specialty retailers. I must say, I have never had Chokeberry jam, nor do I ever remember anyone mentioning it on the show.

Plant your Chokeberry by using a sharp shovel. Anne Clapp and Rufus always recommend that. Dig a hole that is at least twice as wide as the root ball and just as deep. Place your shrub in the hole, gently spreading out the roots, and then backfill to ground level and water well. To get your plant off to a good start, incorporate some organic matter in the soil, and cover the root zone with a layer of mulch to help keep the soil cool and moist.

The Chokeberry can be an attractive plant. I have noticed however, that a single specimen doesn’t work well. Since it often looks a little leggy over time, plant in mass for a better effect. Just don’t plant a bunch of them thinking you are going to make jam every year. That seems like a lot of trouble unless you can’t figure out any other way to pucker!

Bell wins at Bristol, completing sweep in first round of NASCAR Cup playoffs for Joe Gibbs Racing

Bell wins at Bristol, completing sweep in first round of NASCAR Cup playoffs for Joe Gibbs Racing

BRISTOL, Tenn. (AP) — Joe Gibbs Racing completed a clean sweep of the first round in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as Christopher Bell charged to a victory Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Bell went from fourth to first on the final restart and led the last four laps at the 0.533-mile oval, ending a 24-race winless streak with his fourth victory of the season.

“It wasn’t pretty there at the end, but we got her done,” said Bell, who led only 12 laps in his 13th career victory. “We just know that any given week, it could be us, and it hasn’t been for a long time. But Bristol, baby, tonight it’s us.”

He joined JGR teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe as playoff winners with the first round concluding at Bristol. Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen and Josh Berry were eliminated from the 10-race championship run.

“Just so excited about the start to the playoffs,” team owner Joe Gibbs said.

Bell finished 0.343 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski, who was trying to end a 51-race winless streak.

“Just the story of our season,” Keselowski said. “Just a 50-50 shot on the restart, and I got the lane that couldn’t launch. Just frustrating. We had a great car, great strategy and on the last restart, we just rolled the dice and didn’t get anything good.”

Zane Smith finished third, followed by Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano.

There were a season-high 14 caution flags for 137 laps as drivers and teams struggled to get a handle on a new right-side tire with excessive wear that required more pit stops.

The playoff drama spiked with 40 laps remaining when a fire erupted under Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford. His team was able to extinguish the flames, but Cindric lost several laps in the pits and re-emerged outside the top 30.

His 30th-place finish still was good enough for the 12th and final transfer spot into the second round.

“Moving on,” Cindric said after finishing 30th. “I believe in this team. I believe in myself. I have not been driving as well as I am now in the Cup Series.”

Bowman ran as high as second after rebounding from a spin on the 100th lap. He would have bumped Cindric with a victory but finished eighth and came up 10 points short of advancing.

“I don’t think you can really point at something that cost us,” said Bowman, who benefited from a pit crew overhaul after sufferin through some disastrous stops in the past two races. “Our back was against the wall coming in here. We knew it was going to be a tough thing to do.”

Seeking his first Cup victory, Ty Gibbs led a race-high 201 of 500 laps but bungled while trying to reach the pits for his final green-flag stop, losing major time in his No. 54 Toyota.

First out

With smoke billowing from the cockpit and flames shooting out from his right-front tire, Berry made an eye-catching exit as the first driver eliminated. The Wood Brothers Racing driver qualified 10th and ran as high as third before a fire erupted on his No. 21 Ford.

“Man, just so disappointing,” Berry said. “That was going to be a lot of fun. We were moving forward. It’s been a tough couple of weeks, but it hasn’t been because of performance. We executed well and ran well, just haven’t had the finishes.”

Berry, whose playoff debut began with a crash on the first lap of the Southern 500, finished last in all three races of the first round. “I don’t think you could ever script three last-place finishes in the ways that we’ve gotten them,” he said.

Uncharacteristic outburst

Bell is typically low-key, but the Joe Gibbs Racing driver blasted his team and its strategy with a vulgarity-laced tirade after finishing seventh in the prior race at Gateway. Bell, who is winless in 24 races and without a top five since July, said he was frustrated after watching teammates Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe win the first two races of the playoffs.

“If I was consistently leading laps and in position to win, then I would never have been frustrated,” Bell said. “But the fact of the matter is I haven’t been in position to win races, I haven’t led laps. My teammates are leading it seems like almost every lap, and they’re getting the results. It’s less about winning races and more about being in position to do well, and we haven’t had that.”

Up next

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs will open the second round Sunday, Sept. 21 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. It’s the first Cup race at the 1.058-mile oval since June 2024 and the first playoff race in Loudon, New Hampshire, since September 2017.

September 14th 2025

September 14th 2025

Thought of the Day

September 14th 2024
Photo by Getty Images

Children need love, especially at those moments when they don’t deserve it.

Gio Lopez accounts for 3TDs as North Carolina dominates Richmond for Belichick’s first home win

Gio Lopez accounts for 3TDs as North Carolina dominates Richmond for Belichick’s first home win

By DOUG BONJOUR Associated Press

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Gio Lopez threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, freshman Demon June had 148 rushing yards and a touchdown, and North Carolina beat Richmond 41-6 on Saturday for its first home win of the Bill Belichick era.

Both passing touchdowns went to Jordan Shipp, who caught four passes for 52 yards.

Lopez went 10 of 18 for 119 yards and also threw an interception.

North Carolina’s defense was no match for the Spiders (1-2), who gained just 199 total yards. The Spiders also committed three turnovers, including a fumble that Makai Gbayor returned for a 62-yard touchdown.

The Tar Heels scored on their first four possessions and outgained Richmond 193-58 in the opening half to grab a 20-3 lead.

Hoping to regain momentum, Richmond recovered a surprise onside kick to begin the second half. The Spiders took their subsequent drive all the way down to the 1, where Kyle Wickersham was stuffed on a fourth down run.

Wickersham was 6 of 8 through the air for 47 yards.

THE TAKEAWAY

Richmond: The Spiders didn’t record a first down until early in the second quarter and managed just 199 total yards.

North Carolina: The Tar Heels authored their most complete performance under Belichick, scoring the first 20 points and never looking back.

UP NEXT

Richmond: Hosts VMI next Saturday.

Patel faces congressional hearings after missteps in Kirk assassination probe and turmoil at FBI

Patel faces congressional hearings after missteps in Kirk assassination probe and turmoil at FBI

By ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hours after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, FBI Director Kash Patel declared online that “the subject” in the killing was in custody. The shooter was not. The two men who had been detained were quickly released, and Utah officials acknowledged that the gunman remained at large.

The false assurance was more than a slip. It spotlighted the high-stakes uncertainty surrounding Patel’s leadership of the bureau when its credibility — and his own — are under extraordinary pressure.

Patel now approaches congressional oversight hearings this coming week facing not just questions about that investigation but broader doubts about whether he can stabilize a federal law enforcement agency fragmented by political fights and internal upheaval.

Democrats are poised to press Patel on a purge of senior executives that has prompted a lawsuit, his pursuit of President Donald Trump’s grievances long after the Russia investigation ended, and a realignment of resources that has prioritized the fight against illegal immigration and street crime even though the agency has for decades been defined by its work on complicated threats like counterintelligence and public corruption.

That’s in addition to questions about the handling of files from the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case, the addition of a co-deputy director to serve alongside Dan Bongino, and the use of polygraphs on some agents in recent months to identify sources of leaks. Republicans, meanwhile, are likely to rally to his defense or redirect the spotlight toward the bureau’s critics.

The hearings will offer Patel his most consequential stage yet, and perhaps the clearest test of whether he can convince the country that the FBI, under his watch, can avoid compounding its mistakes in a time of political violence and deepening distrust.

“Because of the skepticism that some members of the Senate have had and still have, it’s extremely important that he perform very well at these oversight hearings” on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Gregory Brower, a former FBI executive who served as its top congressional affairs official.

The FBI declined to comment about Patel’s coming testimony to the committee.

He claimed the subject was ‘in custody’

Kirk’s killing was always going to be a closely scrutinized investigation, not only because it was the latest burst of political violence inside the United States but also because of Kirk’s friendships with Trump, Patel and other administration figures and allies.

While agents from Salt Lake City investigated, Patel’s account on the social media platform X posted that “the subject for the horrific shooting today that took the life of Charlie Kirk is now in custody.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said at a near-contemporaneous news conference that “Whoever did this, we will find you,” suggesting authorities were still searching. Patel soon after posted that the person in custody had been released.

“That does not deliver the message that you want the public to hear,” said Chris O’Leary, a retired FBI counterterrorism executive. “It had the opposite effect. People start to wonder what is going on. This looks like the Keystone Cops and it continues to get worse.”

The next day, a scheduled afternoon news conference was canceled for “rapid developments” as Patel and Bongino flew to Utah. It was held instead in the evening. Patel appeared but did not speak.

As the search stretched on for over a day, Patel angrily vented to FBI personnel Thursday about what he perceived as a failure to keep him informed, including that he was not quickly shown a photograph of the suspected shooter. That’s according to two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to discuss it by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. The New York Times earlier reported details of the call.

Asked about the scrutiny of his performance, the FBI issued a statement saying that it had worked with local law enforcement to bring the suspected shooter, Tyler Robinson, to justice and “will continue to be transparent with the American people.”

Patel’s overall response did not go unnoticed in conservative circles. One prominent strategist, Christopher Rufo, posted on X that it was “time for Republicans to assess whether Kash Patel is the right man to run the FBI.”

Patel, at a news conference Friday and again on social media Saturday, touted his oversight of the investigation, highlighting his decision to publicize photographs of Robinson as a key break in the investigation. Robinson’s father recognized him from the photos, setting off a chain of events that resulted in the son turning himself in.

Patel received support Saturday from Trump. He reposted on X a post from a Fox News Channel journalist who said she had spoken with Trump and that the president had said that Patel and the FBI “have done a great job.”

Then there’s the personnel purge

On the same day Kirk was killed, Patel faced a separate problem: a lawsuit from three FBI senior executives fired in an August purge that wiped away decades of institutional experience and that they characterized as a Trump administration retribution campaign.

Among them was Brian Driscoll, who as acting FBI director in the early days of the Trump administration resisted Justice Department demands for names of agents who investigated the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol. Driscoll alleged in the lawsuit that he was let go following a clash with Patel over administration demands to fire an FBI pilot who had been wrongly identified on social media as the case agent in the classified documents investigation of Trump.

The lawsuit quotes Patel as having told Driscoll his job depended on firing people the White House wanted gone. The FBI has declined to comment on the lawsuit.

The other plaintiffs are Spencer Evans, a former top agent in Las Vegas whose termination letter cited a “lack of reasonableness and overzealousness” in implementing COVID-19 policies while serving as a human resources official — a claim his lawyers call false — and Steve Jensen, who helped oversee FBI investigations into the Jan. 6. Capitol riot.

The upheaval continues a trend that began even before Patel took over, when more than a half-dozen of the bureau’s most senior executives were forced out under a Justice Department rationale that they could not be “trusted” to implement Trump’s agenda.

There’s since been significant turnover in leadership at the FBI’s 55 field offices. Some left because of promotions and planned retirements, but others because of ultimatums to accept new assignments or resign. The head of the Salt Lake City office, an experienced counterterrorism investigator, was pushed out of her position weeks before Kirk was killed at a Utah college, said people familiar with the move.

In July, an agent based in Norfolk, Virginia, Michael Feinberg, authored a first-person account saying he was told to brace for a demotion and a polygraph exam because of his friendship with Peter Strzok , a lead FBI agent in the investigation into ties between Russia and Trump’s 2016 campaign fired over derogatory text messages sent about Trump. Feinberg resigned instead.

FBI’s priorities shift under Patel

Patel arrived at the FBI having been a sharp critic of its leadership, including for investigations into Trump that he says politicized the institution. Under Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi, the FBI and Justice Department have become entangled in their own politically fraught inquiries, such as one into New York Attorney General Letitia James.

He’s moved quickly to remake the bureau, with the FBI and Justice Department working to investigate one of the Republican president’s chief grievances — the years-old Trump-Russia investigation. Trump has routinely called that probe, which did not establish a criminal conspiracy between Russia and Trump’s campaign, a “hoax” and “witch hunt.”

The Justice Department appeared to confirm in an unusual statement that it was investigating former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan, pivotal players in the Russia saga listed by Patel in a book he authored as “members of the Executive Branch Deep State,” but did not say for what. Bondi has directed that evidence be presented to a grand jury, and agents and prosecutors have begun requesting information and interviews from former officials related to the investigation, according to multiple people familiar with the outreach.

Critics of the fresh Russia inquiry consider it a transparent attempt to turn the page from the fierce backlash the FBI and Justice Department endured from elements of Trump’s base following their July announcement that they would not be releasing any additional documents from the Epstein investigation.

Patel has meanwhile elevated the fight against street crime, drug trafficking and illegal immigration to the top of the FBI’s agenda, in alignment with Trump’s agenda.

The FBI has been key to the federal government’s takeover of the Washington police department, participating with partner agencies in arrests for crimes, like drunken driving, not historically thought of as central FBI priorities.

The bureau makes no apologies for aggressive policing in American cities the Trump administration contends have been consumed by crime. Patel and Bongino have been promoting the number of arrests involving federal law enforcement in an initiative they dub Operation Summer Heat. Patel says the thousands of cumulative arrests, many of them immigration-related, are “what happens when you let good cops be good cops.”

But some are concerned the street crime focus could draw attention from the sophisticated public corruption and national security threats for which the bureau has long been primarily, if not solely, responsible for investigating. In one example, a federal corruption squad in Washington was disbanded this past spring.

“One of the big problems that I see is that the investigative programs that have been hurt the most this year are the ones that really only the FBI does, or the FBI does better than anybody else,” said Matt DeSarno, who retired in 2022 as head of the Dallas field office.

FAA seeks $3.1 million in fines from Boeing over safety violations, 2024 midair panel blowout

FAA seeks $3.1 million in fines from Boeing over safety violations, 2024 midair panel blowout

By ALEX VEIGA AP Business Writer

The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking $3.1 million in fines from Boeing over safety violations, including ones related to an Alaska Airlines jetliner losing a door plug panel on its fuselage in midflight.

The proposed penalty is for safety violations that occurred from September 2023 through February 2024, the FAA said Friday.

That period includes the January 2024 blowout of a paneled-over exit door — called a door plug —- on an Alaska Airlines Boeing 737 Max 9 shortly after it took off from Portland, Oregon.

None of the 171 passengers or six crew members on the flight were seriously injured. Pilots landed the plane safely back at the airport.

In June, the National Transportation Safety Board said its 17-month long investigation found that lapses in Boeing’s manufacturing and safety oversight, combined with ineffective inspections and audits by the FAA, led to the door plug blowout.

The FAA said Friday that it identified hundreds of quality system violations at Boeing’s 737 factory in Renton, Washington, and Boeing subcontractor Spirit AeroSystems’ 737 factory in Wichita, Kansas.

Among other violations, the regulator also found that a Boeing employee pressured a member of Boeing’s ODA unit, which is tasked with performing certain inspections and certifications on the FAA’s behalf, to sign off on a 737 Max airplane “so that Boeing could meet its delivery schedule, even though the ODA member determined the aircraft did not comply with applicable standards.”

Arlington, Virginia-based Boeing has 30 days to respond to the FAA.

In a statement Saturday, Boeing said it is reviewing the agency’s proposed civil penalty, noting that the company put in place a safety and quality plan last year, under FAA oversight, that aims to enhance safety management and quality assurance in its airplane production.

“We regret the January 2024 door-plug accident and continue to work on strengthening our safety culture and improving first-time quality and accountability across our operations,” the company said.

The Max version of Boeing’s bestselling 737 airplane has been the source of persistent troubles for the company since two of the jets crashed, one in Indonesia in 2018 and another in Ethiopia in 2019, killing a combined 346 people.

The Justice Department reached a deal in May allowing Boeing to avoid criminal prosecution for allegedly misleading U.S. regulators about the Max before the two crashes.

Boeing was also in the news in June when a 787 flown by Air India crashed shortly after takeoff and killed at least 270 people. Investigators have not determined what caused that crash, but so far they have not found any flaws with the model, which has a strong safety record.

They witnessed Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Now students reckon with the trauma

They witnessed Charlie Kirk’s assassination. Now students reckon with the trauma

By JESSE BEDAYN, HANNAH SCHOENBAUM, LINDSEY WASSON and RIO YAMAT Associated Press

OREM, Utah (AP) — One student holed up in his house for two days after witnessing Charlie Kirk’s assassination, nervous about going back to the Utah college campus where the conservative activist was shot. Another, unable to sleep or shake what she saw and heard, called her dad to come take her home.

As investigators spend the weekend digging deeper into suspect Tyler James Robinson ahead of his initial court appearance Tuesday, students who witnessed Wednesday’s shooting at Utah Valley University are reckoning with trauma, grief and the pall the killing has cast on their community.

Charlie Kirk was killed Wednesday during an outdoor debate event on campus. Students who witnessed his assassination are reckoning with trauma and grief. Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was a top podcaster, culture warrior and ally of President Donald Trump. (AP video by Thomas Peipert)

Robinson’s arrest late Thursday calmed some fears. Still, questions persist about the alleged shooter’s motive and planning, as well as security lapses that allowed a man with a rifle to shoot Kirk from a rooftop before fleeing.

The university has said there will be increased security when classes resume on Sept. 17.

In Robinson’s hometown, about 240 miles (390 kilometers) southwest of campus, a law enforcement presence was significantly diminished Saturday after the FBI executed a search warrant at his family’s home. A gray Dodge Challenger that authorities say Robinson drove to UVU appeared to have been hauled away.

No one answered the door Saturday at his family’s home in Washington, Utah, and the blinds were closed.

The killing has prompted pleas for civility in American political discourse, but those calls were not always heeded, and some people who have criticized Kirk in the wake of his death have been fired or suspended from their jobs.

On Friday, Office Depot said it fired a worker at a Michigan store who was seen on video refusing to print flyers for a Kirk vigil and calling them “propaganda.” On Thursday, a conservative internet personality filmed a video outside Illinois Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker’s home, urging viewers to “take action” after Kirk’s assassination. Pritzker’s security has been stepped up.

At a makeshift memorial near Utah Valley University’s main entrance in Orem, people have been leaving flowers. Cars looped nearby streets Saturday, honking horns, flying American flags and displaying messages such as “We love you Charlie,” “Charlie 4 Ever” and “RIP Charlie.”

In the area where the Turning Point USA co-founder was shot, a crew has begun taking down tents and banners and scrubbing away reminders of the killing.

A memorial to Kirk brings stunned students together

Student Alec Vera stopped at the memorial after finally leaving his house Friday night for a drive to clear his head. Vera said he had been in a daze, unable to concentrate and avoiding people, since watching Kirk collapse about 30 or 40 feet (9 to 12 meters) in front of him.

“I just kind of felt the need to come here, to be with everyone, either to comfort or to be comforted, just to kind of surround myself with those that are also mourning,” Vera said.

One woman knelt, sobbing. Others stood quietly or spoke softly with friends. On the campus’ perimeter, trees were wrapped in red ribbons.

A handful of cars remained stranded in parking lots by students who left behind keys while fleeing the shooting. One student pleaded with an officer to let him retrieve his bike from beyond the police tape and cracked a smile as the officer let him through. The university said people can pick up their belongings early next week.

Anxious about returning to campus

Student Marjorie Holt started crying when she brought flowers to campus Thursday, prompting her to change her mind about returning to campus this weekend.

Hours after the shooting, the 18-year-old said she lay in bed, haunted by the horror she witnessed: the sound of a single gunshot as Kirk answered a question and then, “I saw him fall over, I saw the blood, but for some reason it couldn’t click to me what happened.”

Unable to sleep because of a pounding headache, nausea and the day’s trauma, she called her dad, who brought her home to Salt Lake City, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) to the north.

Returning to campus, Holt said, is “going to feel like a terrible, like a burden on my heart.”

Vera said Kirk was shot in the campus’ main gathering spot — where students take naps, meditate, do homework and hang out.

“Seeing it when I go back, I will be pretty uncomfortable at first, knowing I have to walk past it each time, knowing what had just occurred here,” Vera said.

Struggling with flashbacks and a weird heaviness

Student Alexis Narciso said he has flashbacks when he hears a bang, a honking horn or other loud noise. He was about 10 feet (3 meters) away.

“I just feel numb. I don’t feel anything,” Narciso said. “I want to cry but at the same time I don’t.”

Jessa Packard, a single mother of two who lives nearby, said even with a suspect in custody, her feeling of unease hasn’t lifted. Packard’s home security system captured video of the Dodge Challenger that police say Robinson drove to campus. After the shooting, she said, law enforcement officers descended on her neighborhood, searching yards and taking security footage.

“There’s this really weird heaviness and I think, honestly, a lot of fear for me personally that hasn’t gone away,” Packard said. “The fact that there was like this murderer in my neighborhood, not knowing where he is but knowing he’s been through there, coursing things out, is a really eerie feeling.”

Searching for closure from one campus to another

Halle Hanchett, 19, a student at nearby Brigham Young University, said she had just pulled her phone out to start filming Kirk when she heard the gunshot followed by a collective gasp. Hanchett said she saw blood, Kirk’s security team jump forward and horror on the faces around her. She dropped to the ground in the fetal position, wondering: “What is going on? Am I going to die?”

On Friday, she brought flowers and quietly gazed at the place where the kickoff to Kirk’s “American Comeback Tour” ended in violence.

“The last few days I’ve just, haven’t really said much, I just kinda like zone out, stare off,” Hanchett said, standing with her fiancé as water fountains bubbled nearby. “The memory, it just replays.”

She’s praying for the strength to move forward, she said, “and take it as: ‘OK, I was here for this. How can I learn from this? And how can I help other people learn from this?’”

A neighbor of Robinson’s looks for answers

In Robinson’s hometown, neighbor Kris Schwiermann recalled him as a shy, studious and “very respectful” student who loved to read. Schwiermann, 66, was head custodian at the elementary school that Robinson and his siblings attended.

She said she was stunned by the news of his arrest, describing the Robinsons as a “very tight-knit family.”

Like the Robinsons, Schwiermann is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She said they belonged to the same congregation, though she said the family hadn’t been active in the church in at least eight years.

“I want to make sure that people know that we don’t have any ill feelings towards their family or him,” Schwiermann said. “He made the wrong choice.”

___

Yamat reported from Washington, Utah, and St. George, Utah. Associated Press reporters Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix, Nicholas Riccardi in Denver and Michael R. Sisak in New York also contributed to this report.

Recent News

Powered By SoCast