Brian Smith named new president and CEO of GoTriangle

Brian Smith named new president and CEO of GoTriangle

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – The area’s mass transit efforts will soon have new leadership. According to a press release, GoTriangle, the Research Triangle’s transit system, has recently announced that on June 1, 2025, Brian Smith will be named the agency’s newest President and CEO.

“We need strong regional collaboration to be successful and that’s something I’m deeply committed to. GoTriangle is right there at the heart of it, and it will be a great honor to work with the Board, community stakeholders and GoTriangle’s dedicated staff to achieve the agency’s vision going forward,” said Smith.

After spending over 16 years at Hampton Roads Transit—Virginia’s largest multi-modal transit agency outside the Washington, D.C. metro area—Smith joins GoTriangle with extensive leadership experience. He advanced from an entry-level role to Deputy CEO, spending more than a decade in executive leadership and working closely with department heads to oversee daily operations and organizational strategy. Smith has led several strategic initiatives with public, private, and non-profit stakeholders, including garnering more than $32 million annually in new investments to expand regional high-frequency bus service and improve technology, safety, security, customer amenities and bus fleet reliability. His dissertation focused on leadership in collaborative regional networks.

“Brian impressed all of us with his experience and his emphasis on collaborative leadership. He is the right person at the right time to lead GoTriangle,” said Board Chair Mary-Ann Baldwin. “With his focus on strategic planning and partnerships, he will do a great job leading our organization as we reinvent ourselves and move forward with big ideas that will better serve our region.”

GoTriangle recently finalized a strategic plan positioning GoTriangle to best serve an area facing transit planning challenges and population growth. The Raleigh Union Bus Facility is one of the many ways GoTriangle proactively taking on the demand for enhanced transportation options. The station will open in Downtown Raleigh to increase transit service and allow convenient access to the Raleigh Union Station rail service.

“This region is so dynamic, it’s essential to have a mix of reliable transportation options,” said Smith. “Thousands of people rely on GoTriangle every day to provide vital connections and get them where they need to go. That need is only going to grow in the years to come.”

They also recently picked the master developer for the new Triangle Mobility Hub, a transformative 19-acre, mixed-use community located within Research Triangle Park (RTP). The project will redefine how residents and visitors connect, work, play and live across the region.

The agency will also routinely review its service route offerings and make adjustments for efficiency. As part of the change process, GoTriangle will soon offer its first 15-minute service alon the 400 route between Durham and Chapel Hill.

“I have no doubt in my mind that Brian is the absolute best person to lead GoTriangle into the next era of growth and innovation,” said Byron Smith, Acting President/CEO. “His experience as a leader and his dedication to public transportation are second to none.”

Stroke Awareness Month brings focus to high-risk areas like North Carolina

Stroke Awareness Month brings focus to high-risk areas like North Carolina

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – A stroke is a medical emergency that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted, potentially resulting in permanent brain damage, disability, or death. With more than 795,000 people experiencing a stroke each year and over 160,000 dying as a result, public health experts are urging awareness and action during Stroke Awareness Month in May.

Dr. Clinton Wright, a vascular neurologist and Associate Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders, says the risks are not evenly distributed across the United States. He notes that North Carolina lies within a high-risk area often referred to by researchers as the “stroke belt.”

“When you map the number of strokes that happen in the United States by city, you can see that there’s [a section] that includes North Carolina that is in the south southern region that has the highest risk of stroke and stroke mortality,” said Wright.

Risk factors for stroke are well documented and include a range of underlying health conditions and lifestyle behaviors. Many of these factors are becoming more prevalent, according to researchers and healthcare providers.

“Hypertension, diabetes, smoking, high cholesterol, obesity, these are all strong risk factors for stroke. I think most people realize that those risk factors have not been getting better over the years, they’ve actually been getting worse,” said Wright.

According to UTMBHealth, around 80% of strokes are considered preventable with proper awareness, management of health conditions, and changes in daily habits. Genetics also play a role, and individuals with a family history of stroke may face a higher risk.

Wright said multiple factors are contributing to the rise in stroke risk, including diet and physical activity. He emphasized the importance of routine medical care and awareness of personal health metrics.

“I think a lot of it has to do with American’s diet, has to do with lifestyle things like getting enough exercise. We’re trying to really make that something that people are aware of so that they get checked out by the doctor and that they know what their numbers are and get those numbers under control if they need to be treated,” said Wright.

Recognizing the signs of stroke quickly is key to improving outcomes. Health officials continue to promote the acronym BEFAST, which helps people remember the warning signs and the urgency of seeking help.

“The brain is very complicated and there’s lots of different places in the brain that you could have a stroke which could cause a lot of strange symptoms, but the most important thing to remember is BEFAST: Balance, Eyes, Face, Arms, Speech, and then that critical piece of Time,” said Wright.

Resources on stroke prevention, risk factors, and emergency preparedness can be found at the American Stroke Association’s website.

Salvation Army of Raleigh provides year-round support beyond the holidays

Salvation Army of Raleigh provides year-round support beyond the holidays

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – The Salvation Army of Raleigh is well known during the Christmas season, but its support for the community extends far beyond the holidays. From helping families in crisis to offering programs that empower individuals year-round, the organization’s impact is felt throughout Wake County. Christine Rogers with the Salvation Army Raleigh says they offer more resources than just the angel tree program.

“Most people think of us only around the holidays, but we absolutely provide vital resources year-round. Our community kitchen, our shelter our food pantry,” said Rogers.

In addition to food and shelter services, the Salvation Army of Raleigh runs specialized programs designed to address critical social issues. One such initiative is Project Fight, a program aimed at supporting victims of human trafficking in North Carolina.

“We want victims to be able to build a life free from abuse and violence and exploitation because sadly North Carolina ranks number ninth in the nation for human trafficking, so at the Salvation Army we provide crisis intervention and case management for victims, getting them shelter, clothing and medical care,” said Rogers.

The Salvation Army’s ability to deliver these services is supported by the generosity of the local community. Across the Triangle area, volunteers and donors play a vital role in helping the organization meet the needs of thousands of individuals each year.

“We cannot do what we do without donors and volunteers. I can tell you just the, i mean, we have hundreds of volunteers who come help us because we typically have over 7,000 kids that we provide gifts for. It’s just, my heart is very warm because of that kind of support,” said Rogers.

For those interested in contributing, the Salvation Army of Raleigh provides a variety of opportunities to get involved. The organization encourages people to learn more about its programs and explore different ways to help.

“I would just recommend going to our website which is WakeArmy.org. There you can see all the different programs that we offer. You can also see ways that you can engage, how you can donate, or how you can volunteer because as I said we can’t do the work that we do without that support,” said Rogers.

Dedicated to offering support without discrimination, the Salvation Army’s mission is to uplift individuals, empower families, and improve the well-being of communities. Through programs addressing food insecurity, housing needs, crisis intervention, and community development, the Salvation Army of Raleigh continues to serve Wake County year-round.

Hamas says it released American-Israeli hostage in goodwill gesture toward Trump administration

Hamas says it released American-Israeli hostage in goodwill gesture toward Trump administration

By WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — An American-Israeli soldier held hostage for more than 19 months in the Gaza Strip was released Monday, Hamas said, in a goodwill gesture toward the Trump administration that could lay the groundwork for a new ceasefire with Israel.

An Israeli official confirmed that the transfer of Edan Alexander was underway without providing specifics. The official was not authorized to brief media and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Alexander was taken from his military base in southern Israel during Hamas’ cross-border attack on Oct. 7, 2023, which set off the war in Gaza. His release would be the first since Israel shattered an eight-week ceasefire with Hamas in March, unleashing fierce strikes on Gaza that have killed hundreds.

Israel has promised to intensify its offensive, including by seizing the territory and displacing much of its population again. Days before the ceasefire ended, Israel blocked all imports from entering the Palestinian enclave, deepening a humanitarian crisis and sparking warnings about the risk of famine if the blockade isn’t lifted. Israel says the steps are meant to pressure Hamas to accept a ceasefire agreement on Israel’s terms.

Israel says 59 hostages including Alexander remain in captivity, with about 24 of them said to be alive. Many of the 250 hostages taken by Hamas-led militants in the 2023 attack were freed in ceasefire deals.

Television footage showed Alexander’s mother, Yael Alexander, arriving at the Reim military base in southern Israel, where her son was expected to be taken first.

Alexander’s grandmother, Varda Ben Baruch, said she had barely been able to sleep and had baked Edan’s favorite foods, some of which she sent to the military base.

Trump calls expected release ‘hopefully’ a step toward ending war

Hamas on Sunday announced its intention to release Alexander, shortly before U.S. President Donald Trump is set to arrive Tuesday in the Middle East on the first official foreign trip of his second term.

Trump on Sunday called the planned release “a step taken in good faith towards the United States and the efforts of the mediators — Qatar and Egypt — to put an end to this very brutal war and return ALL living hostages and remains to their loved ones.”

“Hopefully this is the first of those final steps necessary to end this brutal conflict. I look very much forward to that day of celebration!” Trump said on social media.

Trump, who is traveling to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, is not scheduled to stop in Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Monday with the U.S. special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff and the U.S. ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, and discussed efforts to release the remaining hostages, his office said.

“To this end, Prime Minister Netanyahu directed that a negotiations team leave for Doha tomorrow,” the prime minister’s office said, adding that Netanyahu had “made it clear that the negotiations would only take place under fire.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing relatives of hostages, welcomed the news that an Israeli delegation was headed to Doha for talks.

“While Edan Alexander’s release gives us hope, all 58 of our loved ones must come home. Time is running out. These negotiations must bring everyone back,” the group said in a statement. “Trump’s plan offers a real path to freeing all hostages immediately. Every passing day puts their lives at greater risk. We cannot wait any longer.”

Israel says it still plans to escalate its offensive

On Monday, a statement from Netanyahu’s office said Israel was not granting any concessions for Alexander’s release.

The statement said Israel did not commit to a ceasefire or the freeing of Palestinian prisoners as part of the release and that it had only agreed to create a “safe corridor” to allow for Alexander to be returned.

The statement said Israel would carry on with plans to ramp up its offensive in Gaza. Israel says it won’t launch that plan until after Trump’s visit to the Middle East, to allow for a potential new ceasefire deal to emerge.

A statement by the office on Sunday said the U.S. had told Israel that Alexander’s release could lead to a new deal with Hamas to free more hostages.

Netanyahu faces criticism for not freeing all hostages

Israel’s involvement in Alexander’s expected release wasn’t immediately clear. But it created a backlash against Netanyahu, with critics accusing him of having to rely on a foreign leader to help free the remaining hostages.

At the opening of his trial for alleged corruption, where he is giving testimony, a woman in the courtroom asked whether he was “ashamed that the president of the United States is saving his citizens, and he is leaving them to die there in captivity.”

Critics assert that Netanyahu’s insistence on keeping up the war in Gaza is politically motivated. Netanyahu says he aims to achieve Israel’s goals of freeing the hostages and dismantling Hamas.

Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people in the 2023 attack. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 52,800 Palestinians, many of them women and children, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants or civilians.

Israel’s offensive has obliterated vast swaths of Gaza’s urban landscape and displaced 90% of the population, often multiple times.

___

Magdy reported from Cairo and Goldenberg from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writer Melanie Lidman in Tel Aviv, Israel, contributed to this report.

Trump defends the prospect of Qatar gifting him a plane to use as Air Force One

Trump defends the prospect of Qatar gifting him a plane to use as Air Force One

By ZEKE MILLER and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is ready to accept a luxury Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet as a gift from the ruling family of Qatar during his trip to the Middle East this coming week, and U.S. officials say it could be converted into a potential presidential aircraft.

The Qatari government said a final decision hadn’t been made. Still, Trump defended the idea — what would amount to a president accepting an astonishingly valuable gift from a foreign government — as a fiscally smart move for the country.

“So the fact that the Defense Department is getting a GIFT, FREE OF CHARGE, of a 747 aircraft to replace the 40 year old Air Force One, temporarily, in a very public and transparent transaction, so bothers the Crooked Democrats that they insist we pay, TOP DOLLAR, for the plane,” Trump posted on his social media site on Sunday night. “Anybody can do that!”

ABC News reported that Trump will use the aircraft as his presidential plane until shortly before he leaves office in January 2029, when ownership will be transferred to the foundation overseeing his yet-to-be-built presidential library.

The gift was expected to be announced when Trump visits Qatar, according to ABC’s report, as part of a trip that also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the first extended foreign travel of his second term.

Before Trump’s post trumpeting the idea, Ali Al-Ansari, Qatar’s media attaché, said in a statement that the “possible transfer of an aircraft for temporary use as Air Force One is currently under consideration between Qatar’s Ministry of Defense and the US Department of Defense.”

“But the matter remains under review by the respective legal departments, and no decision has been made,” the statement added.

Meanwhile, administration officials, anticipating ethics concerns, have prepared an analysis arguing that accepting the plane would be legal, according to ABC. The Constitution’s Emoluments Clause bars anyone holding government office from accepting any present, emolument, office or title from any “King, Prince, or foreign State,” without congressional consent.

One expert on government ethics, Kathleen Clark of the Washington University School of Law in St. Louis, accused Trump of being “committed to exploiting the federal government’s power, not on behalf of policy goals, but for amassing personal wealth.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer poked fun at Trump’s “America first” political slogan.

“Nothing says ‘America First’ like Air Force One, brought to you by Qatar,” the New York Democrat said in a statement. “It’s not just bribery, it’s premium foreign influence with extra legroom.”

Even some conservatives expressed dismay online, noting that an aircraft being offered by a foreign government could present security risks if used by a U.S. president.

Air Force One is a modified Boeing 747. Two exist, and the president flies on both, which are more than 30 years old. Boeing Inc. has the contract to produce updated versions, but delivery has been delayed while the company has lost billions of dollars on the project.

Trump intends to convert the Qatari aircraft into a plane he can fly on as president, with the Air Force planning to add secure communications and other classified elements to it. But it will still have more limited capabilities than the existing planes that were built to serve as Air Force One, as well as two other aircraft currently under construction, according to a former U.S. official.

The official was briefed about the plane and spoke Sunday on the condition of anonymity to discuss plans that have not yet been made public.

The existing planes used as Air Force One are heavily modified with survivability capabilities for the president for a range of contingencies, including radiation shielding and antimissile technology. They also include a variety of communications systems to allow the president to remain in contact with the military and issue orders from anywhere in the world.

The official told The Associated Press that it would be possible to quickly add some countermeasures and communications systems to the Qatari plane, but that it would be less capable than the existing Air Force One aircraft or long-delayed replacements.

Neither the Qatari plane nor the upcoming VC-25B aircraft will have the air-to-air refueling capabilities of the current VC-25A aircraft, which is the one the president currently flies on, the official said.

Jordan Libowitz, communications director for the advocacy group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, called such a gift “unprecedented.”

“The totality of gifts given to a president over their term doesn’t get close to this level,” Libowitz said, adding, “You have to ask, if he makes foreign policy — especially in regards to the Middle East — how much is he being influenced by his gifts and his business deals.”

ABC said the new plane is similar to a 13-year-old Boeing aircraft Trump toured in February, while it was parked at Palm Beach International Airport and he was spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club.

Trump faced lawsuits for violating the Emoluments Clause during his first term, but those were ended by the Supreme Court in 2021, which found the cases moot because the Republican had left office.

Trump’s family business, the Trump Organization, which is now largely run by his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has vast and growing interests in the Middle East. That includes a new deal to build a luxury golf resort in Qatar, partnering with Qatari Diar, a real estate company backed by that country’s sovereign wealth fund.

Qatar, which is ruled by the Al Thani family, is home to the state-owned airline Qatar Airways. The country also has worked to have a close relationship to Trump after he apparently backed a boycott of Doha by four Arab nations in his first term. Trump later in his term applauded Qatar.

Administration officials have brushed off concerns about the president’s policy interests blurring with family’s business profits. They note that Trump’s assets are in a trust managed by his children and that a voluntary ethics agreement released by the Trump Organization in January bars the company from striking deals directly with foreign governments.

But that same agreement allows deals with private companies abroad. That is a departure from Trump’s first term, when the organization released an ethics pact prohibiting both foreign government and foreign company deals.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, when asked Friday if the president might meet with people who have ties to his family’s business, said it was “ridiculous” to suggest Trump “is doing anything for his own benefit.”

___

Associated Press writer Christine Fernando in Chicago and Jon Gambrell in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, contributed to this report.

Hurricanes’ Andersen, Oilers’ Skinner enter Monday’s playoff Game 4s on far different trajectories

Hurricanes’ Andersen, Oilers’ Skinner enter Monday’s playoff Game 4s on far different trajectories

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Frederik Andersen has been playing so well in net for the Carolina Hurricanes that coach Rod Brind’Amour is staying with his hands-off approach when it comes to goaltenders.

Things have been trickier for the Edmonton Oilers and Stuart Skinner.

Andersen is coming off his first postseason shutout with Carolina in Game 3 of the second-round series with the Washington Capitals. Skinner, meanwhile, was pulled after a rough start to the playoffs and then returned to allow four goals — including the winner on an own goal by Leon Draisaitl with less than a second left — in a Game 3 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights. Their series resume Monday, with the Hurricanes and Oilers each holding 2-1 leads.

The 35-year-old Andersen has been strong since taking over the lead role in the playoffs, going 5-2 while posting a 1.32 goals-against average and a .940 save percentage — with the latter two numbers standing as the best among goaltenders playing multiple games in this postseason.

Saturday night’s 4-0 win came with Andersen having to stand up to early quality chances for the Capitals, notably a 1-on-1 chance for Tom Wilson just 30 seconds in and a clean look from the slot for Taylor Raddysh just 2 minutes later. It also included stopping three first-period shots from Alex Ovechkin, who passed Wayne Gretzky this year for the NHL’s all-time goals record.

“I don’t get to choose who shoots,” Andersen said. “I’ve just got to try to see what comes my way and do my best to stop it.”

Andersen has allowed more than one goal in just two of his seven appearances, though one ended early on a hit from New Jersey’s Timo Meier in the crease knocked him out for the rest of the rest of Game 4 and the Game 5 clincher.

Otherwise, Andersen is making decisions easy for Brind’Amour and goaltender coach Paul Schonfelder.

“I don’t get involved into much of that,” Brind’Amour said Sunday. “”We got guys that take care of that. Paul does a great job with the goalies, he kind of tells me how that’s going. … I just ask (Andersen) how he’s doing and that’s about it. As long as he feels good, he’s going to be in there.”

The 26-year-old Skinner, by comparison, is 0-3 and ranks last among postseason goalies with more than one appearance with a 5.36 GAA and .817 save percentage. The regular-season lead goalie gave up 11 goals through the first two games of the first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings before the Oilers switched to Calvin Pickard.

But Pickard was strong in the Game 2 win against Vegas, but appeared uncomfortable in the third and was seen shaking out his left leg. That opened the door for Skinner, who allowed four goals on 24 shots on Saturday — though the last came after he had sprawled out to stop Reilly Smith only to see the puck get behind him and deflect off Draisaitl’s stick for the shocking score.

Coach Kris Knoblauch said Sunday that Pickard won’t play Game 4 and remains day-to-day.

“I think Stuart’s made some really big saves, especially in the third period, made a really good one, made some other ones early in the game on the penalty kill,” Knoblauch said. “I think, like Game 1 and 2 when he played early in the LA series, we just need to be better in front of him.”

Washington Capitals at Carolina Hurricanes

When/where to watch: Game 4, Monday, 7 p.m. EDT (TNT, TruTV)

Series: Hurricanes lead 2-1.

Ovechkin had 44 regular-season goals then four more in the five-game win against Montreal in Round 1, but he’s yet to crack the score sheet in Round 2. He averaged 3.8 shots on goal against the Canadiens, but has just eight through three games against the Hurricanes (2.7 average).

Coach Spencer Carbery pointed Sunday to the challenge for Ovechkin and top-line center Dylan Strome against a defense that makes it difficult to create off entries into the offensive zone.

“They just have to continue to work,” Carbery said. “It’s not going to be perfect every night. I thought they did some good things last night. In these series, in these games, you have one game where you make a difference offensively and it could be the difference in this series.”

Vegas Golden Knights at Edmonton Oilers

When/where to watch: Game 4, Monday, 9:30 p.m. EDT (TNT, TruTV)

Series: Oilers lead 2-1.

Vegas had lost home games to start this series despite jumping to first-period leads, then found itself down 2-0 by midway through the first period of Game 3. Then forward Mark Stone went down with an upper-body injury.

The Golden Knights recovered to earn their first win, but Stone’s status is uncertain for Game 4. Coach Bruce Cassidy said after the win that Stone was day to day, then offered no change to reporters Sunday.

Stone has four goals and four assists in nine playoff games.

Creamy Beef Vol au Vents

Creamy Beef Vol au Vents

Creamy Beef Vol au Vents

Photo Courtesy of BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Creamy Beef Vol au Vents Recipe from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Serving size: 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Beef Tenderloin, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 1 package (10 ounce) frozen unbaked puff pastry shells
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 package (8 ounce) sliced mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
  • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Bake puff pastry shells according to package directions.
  2. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until an internal temperature of 145°F for medium rare as measured by a meat thermometer. Remove beef from skillet; set aside.
  3. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, tarragon and thyme to same skillet and heat over medium heat until hot. Cook 4 to 5 minutes until tender and all liquid is evaporated, stirring often. Return beef to skillet; stir in heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally.
  4. Press shell centers down. Evenly divide beef mixture and spoon into center of shells. Sprinkle with parsley.
Book signing and historic pottery exhibit coming to Johnston County

Book signing and historic pottery exhibit coming to Johnston County

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – A unique piece of North Carolina history will be on display this month at the Johnston County Heritage Center and Museum. On Saturday, May 17, the museum will host a special one-day exhibition and book signing event focused on Smithfield Art Pottery, produced locally between 1927 and 1942.

The exhibition will feature select works from the personal collection of Raleigh-based historian and collector Stephen Compton. His display will highlight the work of Herman Cole, a regional potter whose artistry left a mark on Carolina craftsmanship.

“Herman Cole was part of a long line of famous potters and back in the 1920s he found out about some really nice clay between Smithfield and Four Oaks near the Neuse River,” Director Todd Johnson told the WPTF Afternoon News.

Building on his background in traditional pottery, Cole entered into a partnership to help expand his operations and bring his work to a wider audience.

“He partnered with a lady named Anna Graham from New York. She was kind of the business mind and also an artist. She helped design a lot of the pottery pieces and helped sort of formulate the business plan,” said Johnson.

Located near what is now Highway 301, the original pottery site became a popular stop for travelers heading between New York and Florida.

“[The] 301, back then it was the main traffic artery between New York and Miami, so people who wintered in Florida or people who were heading North would stop in at this roadside pottery and buy these beautiful pieces,” said Johnson.

During its peak, the operation shipped out as many as 2,000 pieces of pottery each week—a remarkable feat during the economic hardships of the Great Depression.

Johnson noted that visitors to the May 17 event will have the opportunity to see rare items on loan for the day, alongside pieces in the museum’s permanent collection.

“They’ll be able to see Steve Compton’s collection just for the day, the other pieces I was talking about we do have in our permanent collection. I’ll put in a plug for another exhibit that we have, we also have the traveling exhibit on Carolina BBQ, so you can learn about pottery and BBQ history,” said Johnson.

The event will take place near the banks of the Neuse River on Highway 301. Compton will also be signing copies of his book, North Carolina’s Hillside Pottery and Smithfield Art Pottery: The Pottery With Two Names, which is available for purchase in the museum’s gift shop. Visit http://www.jcheritagecenter.org/ to learn more.

An Alaska Mother’s Day tradition: Mingling with ice age survivors on a farm

An Alaska Mother’s Day tradition: Mingling with ice age survivors on a farm

By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press

PALMER, Alaska (AP) — It is one of Alaska’s favorite Mother’s Day traditions, getting up close and personal with animals that have survived the ice age.

All moms get a daisy and free admission Sunday at the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, about an hour’s drive north of Anchorage. Once inside they will have the chance to view 75 members of the musk ox herd, including three young calves just getting their feet under them. Also a draw is an old bull named Trebek, named after the late “Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek, a benefactor of the facility.

“Who doesn’t want to celebrate Mother’s Day with a musk ox mom and the most adorable calf you’re ever going to find in your life?” said Mark Austin, the farm’s executive director.

Mother’s Day is the traditional start of the summer season for the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, about an hour’s drive north of Anchorage. All moms get a flower, free admission and the chance to get up close with musk oxen: hefty Ice Age survivors whose ancestors once roamed the Earth with saber-toothed tigers and mastodons. (AP video by Mark Thiessen)

Mother’s Day is the traditional start of the summer season for the farm, which traces its roots back to 1964 and at several locations before moving in 1986 to Palmer.

That move put it on Alaska’s limited road system, provided easier access to grazing land than in tundra communities and it to incorporate educational opportunities at the farm facility, which is dwarfed by the the Talkeetna and Chugach mountain ranges.

“When we opened the doors here, we started doing Mother’s Day as a grand opening every year,” Austin said.

He called it a natural decision, celebrating mothers with cute, newborn baby musk oxen on the grounds. So far this year, three baby musk oxen have been born and are on display, and more could be on the way.

Mother’s Day is the busiest day of the year, attracting more than 1,500 visitors. It is a tradition that now stretches over three generations.

“It’s a huge, just kind of rite of passage for a lot of people,” Austin said. “If we ever talked about not doing it, there’d be a riot.”

Musk oxen are ice age survivors.

“They were running around with saber-toothed tigers and mastodons, and they’re the ones that lived,” Austin said. The herd members all have diverse personalities, he added, and they are crafty, smart and inquisitive.

Their closest relatives to animals of today would be Arctic goats. Mature musk ox bulls can stand 5 feet (about 1.5 meters) tall and weigh as much as 800 pounds (about 360 kilograms), while female cows are smaller at about 4 feet (about 1.2 meters) and up to 500 pounds (about 230 kilograms), according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s website.

They are stocky, long-haired animals with a slight hump in their shoulder, a short tail and horns, the website says. The Inupiat call musk ox “itomingmak,” which means “the animal with skin like a beard,” for its long hair hanging nearly to the ground.

The mammals once roamed across northern Europe, Asia, Greenland and North America before they began to die off. By the 1920s the last remaining ones were in Greenland and Canada.

Efforts to reintroduce the musk ox to Alaska started in 1934, when 34 were delivered to Fairbanks from Greenland. Since then, the wild population has grown to about 5,000, located throughout the nation’s largest state, Austin said.

The nonprofit farm welcomes donations from visitors on Sunday. Some people will make a beeline for the baby musk oxen, while others will throw a $100 bill on the counter first.

“We do like to see the donation, but we truly offer this as an event to the community, as a thank you,” Austin said. “It really gives us a chance to give something back.”

Svechnikov, Andersen lead Hurricanes past Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 of 2nd-round playoff series

Svechnikov, Andersen lead Hurricanes past Capitals 4-0 in Game 3 of 2nd-round playoff series

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Andrei Svechnikov pounced on a loose faceoff puck for his sixth postseason goal while Frederik Andersen had 21 saves as the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 4-0 on Saturday night for a 2-1 lead in their second-round playoff series.

Svechnikov sprang into the circle to beat John Carlson to the puck and beat Logan Thompson at 12:34 of the second for the game’s first goal in what turned out to be the start of Carolina’s game-seizing surge.

Jack Roslovic added a power-play goal late in the second period for the Hurricanes, while Eric Robinson charged up the left side to beat Thompson early in the third to make it 3-0.

Jackson Blake added a clinching power-play finish near the post late as the Hurricanes improved to 4-0 at home in the playoffs.

The Hurricanes dominated play in the series opener but needed Jaccob Slavin’s overtime goal to push through on the road. The Capitals did a better job of countering in Game 2 and tied the series behind a strong two-way effort from Tom Wilson.

The Capitals seemingly had reversed the script on Carolina with a strong start, which included Andersen having to stand up to an immediate skating-in chance by Wilson and an early shot from Taylor Raddysh while the Hurricanes struggled to get on their aggressive game.

And Andersen was strong throughout — carrying the load until the Hurricanes finally asserted control once Svechnikov broke the scoreless tie. In fact, Washington managed just one shot through 14 critical minutes of the second, spanning Svechnikov’s score and before to Roslovic’s man-advantage finish.

Thompson finished with 24 saves for Washington, while the Capitals managed just 10 shots in the final 39+ minutes.

Game 4 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night in Raleigh.

Recent News

Powered By SoCast