The Badin Dam, photographed with a drone last week for a unique perspective, was constructed in 1917 at the Narrows gorge on the Yadkin River and was the world’s highest spillway dam at the time, housing the largest hydroelectric units in the world. The dam, which created what is now Badin Lake, was built to provide power for aluminum production and was the rst of four dams constructed by Alcoa in the area.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Long-term US mortgage rate slips to 6.27%, nearing a low for 2025
Washington, D.C.
The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage declined again this week, easing to just above its lowest level this year. The average long-term mortgage rate slipped to 6.27% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.44%. The latest dip brings the average rate to just above where it was four weeks ago after a string of declines brought down home loan borrowing costs to their lowest level since early October 2024. Mortgage rates are in uenced by several factors.
A crowd of 700, but no witnesses? S.C. investigation into mass shooting at bar stalls
Columbia, S.C.
A sheri says his deputies continue their methodical investigation into a shooting at a South Carolina bar that killed four people and injured 16 others. Beaufort County Sheri P.J. Tanner says authorities are testing DNA, analyzing weapons, and enhancing video footage. He says testing physical evidence is important because none of the 700 people at the party has identi ed any shooter likely because they fear retribution if they talk. No arrests have been made. The sheri says investigators believe the shooting at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island began as a dispute between two or three people.
Albemarle to host open-house community event for land use plan
The city is encouraging dialogue between city o cials and residents
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Albemar-
le residents are invited to learn more about the city’s long-term growth and development goals during an open-house community event on Thursday in the City Hall Council Chambers.
The open house will focus on Envision Albemarle 2045, the city’s updated comprehensive land use plan — a 20-year strategic document designed to guide Albemarle’s growth over the coming decades.
Sessions will be held from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Residents only need to at-
tend one session, as both will cover the same material.
The event will o er an opportunity for residents to see how community input has shaped the plan’s draft so far. Over the past year, city sta and a volunteer steering committee have gathered input from more than 700 residents through surveys, neighborhood meetings and interactive planning exercises.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming our residents and showing how their input has been incorporated into the city’s comprehensive land use plan,” said Brittani McClendon, Albemarle’s interim planning director. “This plan wouldn’t be complete without their voices. It takes everyone sharing their ideas to help shape the future of our city.”
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra returns to Albemarle in Nov.
Admission is free of charge for Stanly County students
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas will be making a stop in Albemarle next month at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center. Tickets went on sale earlier this week for the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra’s upcoming full-length concert on Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m.
The nationally-recognized symphony, conducted by Daniel Cho, will be performing its “A Magical Evening with the Charlotte Symphony” show in Albemarle, where the group has made regular appearances for the past seven years.
“We are so excited to welcome back the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra to Stanly County,” the Stanly County Arts Council said in a statement. “This has become an annual tradition for our community since 2018. This program includes selections by classic
The plan’s draft, now available for public review at albemarlenc.gov/future, has not yet been formally approved by the
“We are so excited to welcome back the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra to Stanly County.” Stanly County Arts Council
THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Albemarle City Council. As a plan study area, it cov-
COURTESY CITY OF ALBEMARLE Albemarle city o cials speak to residents during a previous Envision Albemarle 2025 open-house event.
The data has been postponed until Oct. 24 as employees are recalled
By Christopher Rugaber The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
The government shutdown is delaying another major economic report, leaving policymakers at the Federal Reserve with a cloudier picture even as the economy enters a challenging phase of stubbornly persistent in ation and a sharp slowdown in hiring.
The Labor Department’s monthly in ation data was scheduled for release Wednesday, but late last week was postponed until Oct. 24. The department is recalling some employees to assemble the data, which was collected before the shutdown began. The gures are needed for the government to calculate the annual cost of living adjustment for tens of millions of recipients of bene t programs such as Social Security.
The shutdown could make things worse for agencies like the Fed if it continues, because government agencies cannot
Oct. 8
• Frankie Gary Stephens, 41, was arrested for tra cking in opium or heroin, possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver schedule II controlled substance, maintaining a vehicle/ dwelling for controlled substances, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Oct. 9
• Autumn Star Caldwell, 54, was arrested for simple
collect the raw data that are then compiled into the monthly reports on jobs, in ation, and other economic trends. The September employment report, for example, which was due to be released Oct. 3 but was not issued because of the shutdown, was essentially completed before the government closed and could be released fairly quickly once the shutdown ends. But October data could be delayed much longer.
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Tuesday in remarks to the National Association for Business Economics that the central bank for now is looking at data from the private sector, such as payroll processor ADP, which issues its own monthly report on hiring by U.S. businesses, to gauge the economy. It is also relying on anecdotal reports from the hundreds of businesses that the regional Fed banks consult with.
But while there are many rms that compile jobs-related data, there are fewer alternative sources of information to track in ation and growth, Powell added.
“We’ll start to miss that data and particularly the October
assault and misdemeanor domestic violence.
Oct. 11
• David Bryan Houck, 47, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor domestic violence.
• Charles Andrew Phillips, 34, was arrested for communicating threats and second degree trespass.
data,” Powell said. “If this goes on for a while, they won’t be collecting it. And it could become more challenging.”
The Fed is already in a dicult spot, Powell has said, as it grapples with two policy goals that are nearly in con ict. It is tasked by Congress with seeking both maximum employment and stable prices.
Right now, in ation remains above the Fed’s target of 2%, with the latest gures showing prices rose 2.9% compared with a year earlier, according to the Fed’s preferred measure. Typically, elevated in ation would lead the Fed to raise its key interest rate, or at least keep it elevated. Yet hiring has also weakened considerably, and the unemployment rate has ticked up to a still-low 4.3% in August from 4.2% in the previous month. When the Fed’s other goal of maximum employment is threatened, it usually responds with the opposite approach: Cutting rates to spur more borrowing and spending.
On Tuesday, Powell noted those challenges and said, “There really isn’t a risk-free path.”
Oct.
23
Ladies
Oct. 25
Badin
Oct. 25
Oct. 12
• Mitchell Bernard Bordeaux, 33, was arrested for breaking and entering a motor vehicle, resisting a public o cer, and attempted breaking and entering a motor vehicle.
• Roberto McIntyre, 49, was arrested for felony larceny and possession of stolen goods/property.
• Christopher Lamont McRae, 32, was arrested for misdemeanor stalking.
Oct. 25 Stanly
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | CLAY SHOEMAKER
After Charlie, no unity with the violent Left
They called us fascists, Nazis, threats to democracy, you name it.
ON WHAT would’ve been Charlie Kirk’s 32nd birthday today, there’s no greater honor President Trump could have bestowed on him than keeping his promise to Erika Kirk and awarding Charlie the Medal of Freedom posthumously. He more than deserved this. His legacy speaks for itself.
But he also deserved to be here, to celebrate this with his wife, kids, and all who loved him. This moment, and many future ones, were stolen from all of them.
The Left may never fully grasp why today means so much to many. But after what we saw this past month, and well before that, we wouldn’t expect them to.
During the initial shock of Charlie Kirk’s assassination, by a radical leftist who hated him for his politics, one of the more hypocritical reactions from Democrats was the rush to tone down the rhetoric and demand “unity.”
They couldn’t even wait a day. While Americans were still processing the rst viral political assassination, and likely not the last, given the Left’s continued rhetoric, Democrats pounded the airwaves with a dual message of “let’s heal” coupled with “the real threat is still you.”
Sure, their side just killed one of the most in uential conservative voices in decades, but the actual problem was your response to it. In their eyes, your outrage is more dangerous than their murder.
But why was this tone-deaf response their rst gut reaction? Everyone knew they’d resort to the typical blame game at some point. But that quickly, and forcefully?
One media yelling match that stands out in the aftermath helps illuminate why.
When conservative commentator Dave Rubin challenged leftist Cenk Uygur on Piers Morgan Uncensored about the Left’s history of dangerous rhetoric against us,
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
Cenk was less than thrilled. While denying this was true, all Dave Rubin had to do was point out Cenk’s own words over the years, labeling us “fascists” too. Rather than try to win the argument, Cenk’s response was to scream at Dave to stop reading his words on air, supposedly concerned for his safety. Funny how that works.
Welcome to our world, Cenk. Conservatives have had to grapple with that fear for a while now. That’s why we understand Charlie Kirk’s murder wasn’t random; it was years in the making. Since the Trump era began, the loudest voices on the Left have hardly gone a week without signaling to their rabid, violent base how we should be treated. They called us fascists, Nazis, threats to democracy, you name it. But they didn’t just use words. When they nally reclaimed power after 2020, they wielded it against their opponents like no administration has. They dehumanized and targeted us as the enemies they believed us to be.
The Left’s leaders set the violent tone, and their followers took it to heart. Charlie’s killer certainly did.
What everyone witnessed a month ago was the climax of a 10-year e ort to label us as not just politically wrong, but as evil that must be dealt with. They had ample opportunity to call o their dogs throughout it. They chose not to. Whenever Democrats were questioned about violence on their side, they’d write it o as some fringe element. But Charlie’s murder proved otherwise. We saw the cheering afterwards. And the posting of videos justifying the killing. And the redirecting of their attacks to Charlie’s widow Erika.
You didn’t see many Democrats attempting to condemn it either. Maybe deep down, they gure it’s too late, that they can’t put the genie back in the bottle. They might be right. But we’ll never know
Donald Trump, peace president
The only way to achieve peace is strength.
THIS WEEK , I had the opportunity to visit the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, to hear President Donald Trump speak. Trump, who had just brokered a cease re deal involving the release of all 20 living Israeli hostages from Hamas — without a full Israeli withdrawal, and with a stated commitment by Hamas, backed by erstwhile allies like Qatar and Turkey, to disarm — was met with ecstatic applause. Calling out his Israeli counterpart, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump stated, “We’re not gonna go into a war, but if we do, we’re going to win that war like nobody has ever won a war before. We will not be politically correct ... I think, you know, as you mentioned, Bibi, before, ‘Peace through strength.’ And that’s what it’s all about.” Indeed it is.
Critics of the Trump administration have claimed that President Joe Biden’s cease re plan from 2024 was similar to the cease re achieved by Trump. That’s absolutely untrue. Biden’s plan involved a pullback of Israeli forces from “all populated areas of Gaza,” in exchange for an unspeci ed number of living hostages; phase two would involve a complete end to hostilities, which would involve the release of the remaining hostages. The proposal did not include the disarmament of Hamas. Trump’s plan, by contrast, committed Hamas and its allies to return of all hostages, living and dead, in phase one; Israel would not be forced to withdraw from all populated areas (in fact, Israel currently continues to militarily
control some 53% of the Gaza Strip); only after phase two, with the demilitarization and disarmament of Hamas, would Israel pull back fully from Gaza.
In short, Trump’s plans contained immediate deliverables — and those deliverables came in the form of Israeli hostages, who were returned to their families. Those deliverables were made possible not only because of Trump’s negotiating acumen but because between Biden’s proposal and Trump’s, the situation on the ground changed: Israel killed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, and utterly decimated Hezbollah’s o ensive capacity, including via the most highly targeted anti-terror attack of all time — the famed beeper operation; Israel’s destruction of Hezbollah capacities led indirectly to the collapse of the Syrian regime, which in turn made the Syrian border safer for Israel; Israel shattered Iran’s nuclear capacity, with the assist of Trump’s daring Operation Midnight Hammer; Israel performed continuing operations in Judea and Samaria to degrade Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s terrorist operations there; Israel made clear, by striking Hamas leadership inside Qatar, that it would target its enemies anywhere they were found. Much of that situational change between June 2024 and October 2025 was due to Netanyahu’s stalwart leadership and the extraordinary performance of the Israeli defense community.
But without Trump supporting the Israeli moves, it would have been di cult if
because they never try.
The Left paved the way for Charlie Kirk’s assassination, and they know it. We know they know it because suddenly, out of self-preservation, they believe words matter.
The ultimate irony of their 180 on rhetoric is that they never stopped to think about theirs. They still haven’t. Here’s another: Their fear is wildly misplaced because what they fear is that we are like them.
But we’re not. Charlie Kirk de nitely wasn’t. He was the best among us, trying to undo a violent agenda the Left sowed. A fact they would understand if they had listened to him. Instead, they murdered him for it. Yet unlike them, we didn’t riot — we gathered to pray. And unlike us, they couldn’t o er prayers and condolences and leave it at that. Instead, they danced on Charlie’s grave, condemned our rhetoric, and went right back to calling us “fascists.”
In Erika Kirk’s unforgettable words, we can and should forgive Charlie’s killer. But that’s di erent from unifying with a movement that’s greenlighting the next one. The Left has a clear violence problem. Anyone denying it can look to Democrats’ attorney general candidate in Virginia, who’s still enjoying widespread Democratic support. They spent a decade convincing themselves that we were worth hating. Now, they demand we come together without them reversing course. Well, they got their wish. Just not quite the way they envisioned. Our side is more united than ever. If we are to succeed in nishing Charlie’s work, it must stay that way.
Clay Shoemaker is the Communications Director and Chief Marketing O cer for America First Works. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.
not impossible to reach the end of the war in such victorious fashion. And that’s why Trump received a hero’s welcome in Israel. Trump has always been a peace president, because the only way to achieve peace is strength. Geopolitics is an arena of force — and only the credible threat of its use can bring people to the table. The oft-repeated saw that peace cannot be won on the battle eld is just as false as it is hackneyed. Peace can only be won on the battle eld — because only through victory can the conditions for peace be achieved. A preliminary peace is no peace at all. It is merely a hudna, a waystation on the road back to war and terrorism.
So, what comes next?
Given Hamas’ attempts to reconsolidate control of the areas of the Gaza Strip from which Israel has withdrawn, it is doubtful that phase two will ever come into play. Will Arab and Muslim nations supply a peacekeeping force to make the Strip quiescent and nally stop Hamas’ murderous reign? If not, how will an interim government ever take power? These questions remain open. But one thing is certain: The same strategy that brought home Israel’s hostages will be the only strategy that ensures eventual prosperity not just in Gaza but in Ukraine and in other hot spots around the globe. That strategy is Peace Through Strength. And there is no substitute for it.
Ben Shapiro is host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+.
IN MEMORY
WORTHY EDWARD GREENE
APRIL 2, 1937 – OCT. 11, 2025
Worthy Edward Greene, 88, of New London, peacefully passed away on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at his home surrounded by his loving family.
The family will receive friends on Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle. A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at 2 p.m. in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel, o ciated by Rick Brantley.
Born on April 2, 1937, in Montgomery County, Worthy was the son of the late Isaiah and Gronie Greene. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend who lived a life marked by quiet strength, wisdom, and steadfast love for his family.
Mike Greenwell, longtime Red Sox out elder, dead at 62
He went on to compete in NASCAR and as county commissioner in Florida
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
Dwight Farmer
James Roseboro
Worthy retired from Alcoa after many dedicated years of service. He was known for his kind heart, sound advice, and gentle spirit. A man of few words but deep wisdom, he was always committed to his family and loved his wife of 62 years, Mary Frances Greene, unconditionally.
January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023
June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023
John B. Kluttz
League champions, who lost 4-3 to the New York Mets in a World Series lled with heartbreak for the Red Sox.
Doris Jones Coleman
April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023
Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.
Those left to cherish his memory include his beloved wife, Mary Frances Greene; children, Antonette Greene, Zina Greene, and Worthy Greene Jr.; grandchildren, Shannon Greene (Malcome), Daymein Greene, Mary Ingram, and Isaiah Bennett; and great-grandchildren, Jaylen, Mariah, Makayla, Messiah, Malaysia, Makiyah, Manijah, Malachi, Maison, Kaiser, Marley, and Nigel.
Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.
Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.
James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.
He is also survived by brothers Spurgeon Greene, James Greene (Mildred), and Freddie Greene (Gloria); sisters Susie Lambb and Patty Watson; brothers-in-law, George Currie (Inez), and Lindsey Pryor and close friends, Rose Aliseo, Bobby McDonald, and Rowland Williams.
March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023
The Associated Press
October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023
In addition to his parents, Worthy was preceded in death by his son Franklin Greene and brothers Chester Greene, June Greene, and Woodrow Greene.
In lieu of owers, memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care, 960 N. 1st Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.
Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran.
Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is honored to be serving the Greene family.
Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Gar eld.
Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.
PHILIP ALEXANDER “PAPPY” HARWOOD
AUG. 13, 1946 – OCT. 12, 2025
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.
Philip Alexander “Pappy” Harwood, 79, of Albemarle, peacefully passed away on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at Atrium Health Stanly, surrounded by his family.
He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheri ’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.
Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.
The family will receive friends on Friday, October 17, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle. A funeral service to celebrate his life will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025, at 11 a.m., in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel.
Born August 13, 1946, in Stanly County, Philip was the son of the late Macon and Rosemary Harwood. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 46 years, Donna Harwood, who passed away in 2021.
Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.
BOSTON — Mike Greenwell, an out elder who played 12 seasons with the Boston Red Sox and nished second in the 1988 American League MVP voting, died last Thursday, his wife said. He was 62.
The Boston Globe reported in mid-August that Greenwell had medullary thyroid cancer. Tracy Greenwell told WINK, a radio station in Lee County, Florida, that her husband died in Boston.
John grew up in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.
In 1987, Greenwell emerged as Boston’s full-time left elder, taking over the position previously occupied by three MVPs — Ted Williams, Carl Yastrzemski and Jim Rice — who would later become Hall of Famers.
Although he fell short of those luminaries, the left-handed-hitting Greenwell had a solid career, nishing with a lifetime batting average of .303, 130 home runs, 726 RBIs and 80 stolen bases.
“With a heavy heart, I lost my best friend today,” Tracy Greenwell wrote on social media. “It was Mike’s time to be an angel. At 10:30 a.m. in Boston’s General Hospital. We are forever grateful for the life he has given us.”
Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long ght in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away ghting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.
Philip proudly served his community as a member of the Albemarle Fire Department, where he later retired. Never one to sit still, he continued working with Marvin Smith Driving School after retirement. Known for his passion for racing RC cars, he was even sponsored to race at the annual Snowbird Nationals.
He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.
Those left to cherish his memory include his daughter, Dayshel Harwood of Albemarle; his chosen family, Bob (Kathy) LeFloch; grandchildren, Caroline LeFloch Harrison (Lee), Will LeFloch, Karlee Clontz, and Brody Clontz.
Philip will be remembered for his sharp wit, dry sense of humor, and his generous heart. He was the kind of man who could x anything; and if he couldn’t, it probably couldn’t be xed. A gentle giant who loved deeply, gave freely, and brought laughter wherever he went, Pappy will be missed by all who knew him.
In lieu of owers, memorials may be made to The Salvation Army of Cabarrus/Stanly County, 216 Patterson Ave SE, Concord, NC 28025.
Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Harwood family.
JANE HOLMES HARTSELL
He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.
JAN. 17, 1956 – OCT. 13, 2025
He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.
Jane Holmes Hartsell, 69, of Midland, passed away Monday, October 13, 2025.
Services to celebrate Jane’s life will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025. The family will receive friends from 12:30-1:45 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Stan eld. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. Burial will follow the service in the church cemetery.
In lieu of owers, memorial donations may be made to Stanly County Humane Society. Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving the Hartsell family.
JANET LUNSFORD CRISCO
SEPT. 30, 1940 – OCT. 13, 2025
Janet Lunsford Crisco, 1481 White Oak Ave., Albemarle, passed away Oct. 13, 2025.
Darrick Baldwin
Her funeral will be at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, at Hartsell Funeral Home’s Le er Memorial Chapel. The Rev. Jim Yow will o ciate.
January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023
Visitation will be from 2-3:30 p.m. prior to the hour of service. Internment will be at Poplin’s Grove Baptist Church Cemetery.
When John purchased his rst Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!
Lee County Manager Dave Harner also announced Greenwell’s death on the county government’s social media account. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Greenwell to the county commission in 2022, and he was re-elected to the post in 2024.
“He was a great teammate and an even better person,” right-handed pitcher Bob Stanley said. “He had big shoes to ll in left eld, and he did a damn good job. He played hard and never forgot where he came from — Fort Myers. Just a great guy. We’ll all miss him.”
At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily. While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Commissioner Mike Greenwell, a lifelong Lee County resident,” the post read. “He was a strong advocate for the people and businesses of Lee County and will be remembered for seeking meaningful solutions to the challenges his community faced. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and all who were touched by his leadership.”
His best season came in 1988, when he batted .325 with 22 homers, 119 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and hit for the cycle in a September game. Greenwell also delivered a then-AL record 23 game-winning RBIs, a statistic that is no longer recognized by Major League Baseball, and he drove in all of Boston’s runs in a late-season 9-6 victory over Seattle.
Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC. Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.
That put him in the MVP mix. When Canseco later acknowledged he was using steroids that season, Greenwell asked, “Where’s my MVP?” Greenwell earned his nickname for a spring training incident in which he captured an alligator, taped its mouth shut and put it in a teammate’s locker in Florida.
“The Gator” was better known for his baseball exploits than his political career.
Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Greenwell spent most of his childhood in Florida and played baseball and football at North Fort Myers High School.
John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.
He played an abbreviated nal season in Japan, retiring suddenly after just seven games because of a fractured right foot he su ered on a foul ball.
Born in Stanly County on Sept. 30, 1940, she was the daughter of the late James Howard and Annie Mae Dennis Lunsford. She was a homemaker who cared for her children, parents and aunt. She also worked as an in-home caregiver for several years. Janet was a member of the Albemarle Wesleyan Church, but in recent years had visited Central United Methodist Church with her daughter’s family when her health permitted. Janet was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and sister. She enjoyed music, crafting, bird-watching and spending time with her family. Attending her grandsons’ recitals, concerts, scouting activities and sporting events were some of her favorite pastimes. She was so eager to show how proud she was of her children and grandchildren.
She was predeceased by her husband of 48 years, James Durant Crisco and her brothers, Ted Lunsford and Gary Lunsford. She will be missed by her children; son Mark Durant Crisco of Albemarle; daughter, Cynthia Crisco Horton (husband Larkin) of Albemarle; grandsons, Larkin Tyler Horton and James Durant Horton ( ancée Keely Brown) of Albemarle; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Crisco family.
Peggy Ann Hartsell
July 4, 1948 – Oct. 14, 2025
Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.
He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.
Peggy Ann Hartsell, 77, of Locust, North Carolina, went to her heavenly home on October 14, 2025. Born on July 4, 1948, to the late Luther Madison Hartsell and Autie Whitley Hartsell. She was preceded in death by her sisters Lucielle Mullis and Linda Mullis and her brother Larry Hartsell. Peggy is survived by her daughters, Amy Buckles (Ralph) and Julie Phifer (Woody). She was a proud and loving grandmother to Kyle Ford (Lauren), Cody Buckles (Hayley), and Brittany Brazell (Gri n), and a cherished great-grandmother to Hadlee, Jamison, and Remi, who all brought her endless happiness. She also survived by Dwight Hartsell (brother).
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.
Peggy was raised in a Christian home and carried her faith throughout her life. She attended New Life Church of Locust.
A graduate of Bethel High School, Class of 1966, Peggy will be remembered for her deep love for her family and friends. She especially enjoyed attending the senior center’s music nights, where she loved tapping her feet and visiting with her friends.
Peggy’s faith, strength, and unwavering love will continue to inspire those who were blessed to know her. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered in the hearts of her family and friends. Memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care or New Life Church of Locust, in honor of Peggy’s life and faith.
He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.
This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men.
Greenwell played his entire major league career for Boston, making two All-Star appearances, winning the 1988 Silver Slugger Award and nishing second in that year’s MVP voting to Oakland Athletics outelder Jose Canseco. Greenwell was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2008.
After his playing career, Greenwell moved into auto racing. He began competing in late-model stock cars in 2000 and made two starts in NASCAR’s Truck Series in 2006. He retired in 2010.
Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was sel ess, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.
John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Rich eld, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; ve great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.
He made his big league debut in 1985 and appeared in 31 games on the 1986 American
“You always wanted to be around him — I truly enjoyed my time with him,” former Boston out elder Dwight Evans said. “He was a gamer in every sense of the word, and he will be deeply missed.” Greenwell and his wife had two sons, Bo and Garrett.
She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, out ts for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.
Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.
WINSLOW TOWNSON / AP PHOTO
Boston Red Sox out elder Mike Greenwell cheers from atop a police horse while riding around Fenway Park in Sept. 1995 after the Red Sox clinched the American League East Championship.
ORCHESTRA from page A1
masters of Mozart and Beethoven, as well as favorites by John Williams — truly a program designed to bring the magic of the symphony to life with selections from classical to modern day.”
With 65 professional, fulltime musicians, the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1932, connects with over 100,000 listeners on an annual basis through concerts, broadcasts, community events and educational programs.
Tickets are now available online at stanlycountyartscouncil.com and in person at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center, Harris Teeter in Albemarle, and First Bank locations in Albemarle, Locust, Rich eld, Mount Pleasant and Troy.
General admission tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for children and groups of 10 or more; reserved seating is also available for $25 but must be pur-
Justices sparred with lawyers for Louisiana and the NAACP over the law
By Mark Sherman The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
The Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared ready to gut a key tool of the Voting Rights Act that has helped root out racial discrimination in voting for more than a half century, a change that would boost Republican electoral prospects, particularly across the South.
During 2 1/2 hours of arguments, the court’s six conservative justices seemed inclined to e ectively strike down a Black majority congressional district in Louisiana because it relied too heavily on race.
Such an outcome would mark a fundamental change in the 1965 voting rights law, the centerpiece legislation of the Civil Rights Movement, that succeeded in opening the ballot box to Black Americans and reducing persistent discrimination in voting.
A ruling for Louisiana could open the door for legislatures to redraw congressional maps in southern states, helping Republican electoral prospects by eliminating majority Black and Latino districts that tend to favor Democrats. Legislatures already are free to draw extremely partisan districts, subject only to review by state courts, because of a 2019 Supreme Court decision.
Just two years ago, the court, by a 5-4 vote, a rmed a ruling that found a likely violation of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in a similar case over Alabama’s political boundaries. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined their three more liberal colleagues in the outcome.
Roberts and Kavanaugh struck a di erent tone Wednesday, especially in their questions to civil rights lawyer Janai Nelson.
The chief justice suggested the Alabama decision was tightly focused on its facts and should not be read to require a similar outcome in Louisiana.
Kavanaugh pressed Nelson on whether the time has come to end the use of racebased districts under the Voting Rights Act, rather than “allowing it to extend forever.”
The court’s liberal justices focused on the history of the Voting Rights Act in combating discrimination. Getting to the remedy of redrawing districts only happens if, as Justice Elena Kagan said, a court nds “a speci c identi ed,
chased in person at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center ticket o ce on Monday through
proved violation of law.”
A mid-decade battle over congressional redistricting already is playing out across the nation after Republican President Donald Trump began urging Texas and other GOP-controlled states to redraw their lines to make it easier for the GOP to hold its narrow majority in the House.
The court’s conservative majority has been skeptical of considerations of race, most recently ending a rmative action in college admissions. Twelve years ago, the court bludgeoned another pillar of the landmark voting law that required states with a history of racial discrimination to get advance approval from the Justice Department or federal judges before making election-related changes.
The court has separately given state legislatures wide berth to gerrymander for political purposes. If the Supreme Court now weakens or strikes down the Voting Rights Act’s Section 2, states would not be bound by any limits in how they draw electoral districts. Such a result would be expected to lead to extreme gerrymandering by whichever party is in power at the state level.
The court’s Alabama decision in 2023 led to new districts there and in Louisiana that sent two more Black Democrats to Congress.
Now, though, the court has asked the parties to answer a fundamental question: “Whether the state’s intentional creation of a second majority-minority congressional district violates the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.”
Louisiana and the Trump administration joined with a group of white voters in arguing to invalidate the challenged district and make it much harder to claim discrimination in redistricting.
The arguments led Justice Sonia Sotomayor to assert that the administration’s “bottom line is just get rid of Section 2.”
Justice Department lawyer Hashim Mooppan disagreed and said state lawmakers would have no incentive to get rid of every majority Black district because doing so would create swing districts and imperil some Republican incumbents.
In addition, Mooppan said, only 15 of the 60 Black members of the House represent majority Black districts. “But even if you eliminated Section 2 entirely, fully 75% of the Black congressmen in this country are in districts that are not protected by Section 2.”
The court is expected to rule by early summer in 2026.
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra performs at a previous event.
accompanied by a paying adult. Pfei er and SCC students can receive free admission by showing a student ID at the door.
“With our mission being ‘to encourage and promote broadbased cultural and educational activities in the arts throughout Stanly County,’ we wanted to make sure that everyone would be able to partake in this opportunity,” the Stanly County Arts Council said.
“Our goal is to ensure that ticket prices are not cost-prohibitive. Fortunately, the local business community recognizes the importance of this concert each year. Their generosity ensures that financially we can afford to bring this world class concert to the local community.”
First Bank and Corning are joined by Dr. John Kilde of Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat, Uwharrie Bank, Starnes Bramlett Jewelers and Atrium Health Stanly as nancial benefactors for the show, along with grassroots grant funding from the North Carolina Arts Council.
Mem ber FDIC
COURTESY CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
The last 20 hostages were released after spending two years in captivity
By Melania Lidman The Associated Press
TEL AVIV, Israel — They will be treated for malnutrition, lack of sunlight and the trauma of wearing leg chains for months. They su er from unexplained pain and unresolved emotions, and they will have to relearn how to make everyday decisions as simple as when to use the bathroom.
The last 20 living hostages released by Hamas are beginning a di cult path to recovery that will also include rebuilding a sense of control over their lives, according to Israeli health o cials. Along the way, each one will be accompanied by a team of doctors, nurses, specialists and social workers to guide their reentry to society after two years of captivity in Gaza.
All of the hostages were in stable condition Monday following their release, and none required immediate intensive care.
“But what appears on the outside doesn’t re ect what’s going on internally,” explained Hagai Levine, the head of the health team for the Hostages Family Forum, who has been involved in medical care for returned hostages and their relatives.
The newly freed hostages will stay in the hospital for several days as they undergo tests, including a full psychiatric exam, according to protocols from the Israeli Ministry of Health. A nutritionist will guide them and their families on a diet to avoid refeeding syndrome, a dangerous medical condition that can develop after periods of starvation if food is reintroduced too quickly.
Hostages emerged thin and pale
After previous releases, some hostages and their families chose to stay together in a hotel north of Tel Aviv for a few weeks to get used to their new reality. Others returned home immediately after their discharge from the hospital.
All of the hostages who emerged Monday were exceptionally thin and pale, the likely result of enduring long periods without enough food, Levine said.
The lack of sunlight and nutrition can lead to issues with the kidneys, liver and cognition, as well as osteoporosis. Many hostages wore leg chains for their entire captivity, which can lead to orthopedic problems, muscle waste and blood clots.
Elkana Bohbot told his family
he su ers from pain all over his body, especially his back, feet and stomach due to force-feeding, according to Israeli television’s Channel 12.
“Ahead of his release, he received food in large portions so he will look a bit better for the world,” Rebecca Bohbot, Elkana’s wife, told reporters Tuesday from the hospital.
Some hostages who previously returned had minor strokes in captivity that were not treated, Levine said. Many also had infections and returned with severely compromised immune systems, which is why the number of visitors should be kept to a minimum, he said.
Levine denounced politicians’ visits to the hostages as both unnecessary and potentially dangerous. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited ve hostages Tuesday evening and was diagnosed Wednesday with bronchitis. President Isaac Herzog and Defense Minister Israel Katz also visited hostages.
“Previously released hostages were told they look ‘pretty good,’ but some needed surgeries that were very complicated. Some had constant pain. Many have all types of pains that they are not able to explain, but it’s really impacting their quality of life,” Levine said.
Levine said Israel also learned from the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, when more than 60 Israeli soldiers were held for six months in Syria. Many of them
later developed cancer, cardiovascular problems and accelerated aging and were at risk for early death.
The war began when Hamasled militants burst across the Israeli border, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251. The ghting has killed more than 67,600 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government. The ministry maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not say how many of the deaths were civilians or combatants.
Restoring a sense of autonomy
The most important step for returning hostages is to help them regain a sense of control, explained Einat Yehene, a clinical neuropsychologist and the head of rehabilitation for the Hostages Families Forum. Many of the hostages were brought straight from Hamas tunnels, seeing sunlight for the rst time in nearly two years, she said.
“I’m happy to see the sun. I’m happy to see the trees. I saw the sea. You have no idea how precious that is,” Elkana Bohbot told his family, according to Israeli media.
“Stimulation-wise and autonomy-wise, it’s really overwhelming,” Yehene said. “Someone is
asking you a question — do you need to go to the bathroom? Would you like to eat something? These are questions they never heard for two years.”
Hostages’ sense of autonomy can be jump-started by allowing them to make small decisions. According to protocol, everyone treating them must ask their permission for each thing, no matter how small, including turning o a light, changing bedsheets or conducting medical tests.
Some returned hostages are terri ed of the physical sensation of thirst because it makes them feel as if they are still in captivity, Yehene said. Others cannot spend time on their own, requiring a family member to be present around the clock.
Among the hostages who have experienced the smoothest integration from long-term captivity were those who were fathers, Levine said, though it took some time to rebuild trust with their young children.
“It’s a facilitator of recovery because it forces them to get back into the role of father,” Levine said. None of the women held in captivity for long periods of time were mothers.
The world starts ‘to move again’
The rst few days after being released, the hostages are in a state of euphoria, though many feel guilty for the pain their families have been through,
Yehene said.
For those who saw little media and have no idea what happened in Israel, people should take care to expose them to information slowly, she added.
Yehene said she also saw an immediate psychological response from hostages who were released in previous cease res after Monday’s release. Many of the previously released hostages have been involved in the struggle to return the last hostages and said they were unable to focus on their own recovery until now.
“I see movement from frozen emotions and frozen trauma,” Yehene said. “You don’t feel guilty anymore. You don’t feel responsible.”
Iair Horn was released from captivity in February, but it did not feel real until Monday, when his younger brother, Eitan, was nally freed.
“About eight months ago, I came home. But the truth is that only today am I truly free,” Horn said, sobbing as he spoke from the hospital where his brother is being evaluated. Only now that Eitan is back “is my heart, our heart, whole again.”
Liran Berman is the brother of twins Gali and Ziv Berman, who were also released.
“For 738 days, our lives were trapped between hope and fear,” Liran Berman said. “Yesterday that chapter ended. Seeing Gali and Ziv again, holding them after so long, was like feeling the world start to move again.”
LEO CORREA / AP PHOTO
Ziv Berman, an Israeli hostage released from the Gaza Strip gestures from the window of a helicopter landing at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel, last Monday.
NC court: GOP can narrow governor’s appointment powers on some boards
It’s the latest in a series of back-and-forth lawsuits
between the Governor and General Assembly
By Gary D. Robertson
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — Decade-long political quarrels over legislative and executive powers in North Carolina advanced Wednesday as a state appeals court permitted the Republican-controlled General Assembly to chip away at the Democratic governor’s appointment authority for several key commissions. The judges also said lawmakers went too far remaking other boards.
A state Court of Appeals panel upheld the composition of four of the seven boards approved by lawmakers in 2023 but later challenged by then-Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper. The four implement policies and legislation on the environment, shing and hunting and residential building codes in the ninth-largest state. But the judges struck down the composition of three that approve transportation policy, public health rules and select economic incentive recipients.
“The majority’s well-reasoned opinion recognizes the breadth and limitations of the General Assembly’s power to alter the Executive Branch’s own powers,” Court of Appeals Judge Tom Murry wrote in a separate opinion agreeing with the conclusions of the two other judges who also heard the case.
Wednesday’s decision marks the latest ruling from several lawsuits led since 2016 by Cooper and successor Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. They’ve opposed laws designed to erode gubernatorial powers in a state
where Democrats have been governor in 28 of the last 32 years and Republicans have controlled the legislature since 2011.
Results on litigation ranging from state elections board control to Cabinet appointee conrmations and choosing the Highway Patrol commander have been mixed. Lawmakers even tussled in the 2010s over appointments with then-GOP Gov. Pat McCrory. The ruling provided a slightly more favorable outcome for Stein — now the lawsuit plainti — compared to the early 2024 rulings of three trial judges who upheld the composition of ve of the seven boards challenged. The Court of Appeals panel disagreed with the lower judges, however, by also striking
down the makeup of the Commission for Public Health.
The North Carolina Constitution says the governor “shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.” The governors’ lawyers have argued that means he needs enough supervision of executive branch commissions so that he can control them — which they say means appointing a majority of members.
Republican legislative leaders counter North Carolina has other elected executive branch o cials for whom the General Assembly can approve duties — and that’s what they’ve done by giving certain Council of State members appointment powers while the executive branch retains board control. The all-Republican Court of Appeals panel — Murry and Court of Appeals
Judges Je Carpenter and John Tyson — agreed with the GOP leaders here.
For three of the four boards whose compositions were upheld, the insurance commissioner or agriculture commissioner were granted appointment duties as the governor lost some. In each — the Environmental Management Commission, Wildlife Resources Commission and Coastal Resources Commission — “the executive branch holds majority-appointment power,” Carpenter wrote in the majority opinion. The appeals judges also upheld the makeup of a newly created Residential Code Council in which the governor would still make a majority of appointments.
Meanwhile, the appeals judges agreed the lower court was
EVENT from page A1
“The majority’s wellreasoned opinion recognizes the breadth and limitations of the General Assembly’s power to alter the Executive Branch’s own powers.”
Court of Appeals Judge Tom Murry
correct striking down laws giving the General Assembly or its leaders the ability to appoint a majority of Board of Transportation and Economic Investment Committee members. The governor has previously chosen majorities in both. The modied composition of the Commission for Public Health — now also thrown out — would give the governor ve of 13 appointments.
Spokespersons for Stein and top GOP legislators didn’t immediately respond to emails Wednesday seeking comment. Registered Republicans hold ve of the seven state Supreme Court seats.
Earlier this year, state appeals courts permitted for now a state law to take e ect that shifted the power to appoint State Board of Elections members from the governor to the state auditor, who is a Republican. And while trial judges struck down in June as unconstitutional a law that placed some limits on whom the governor could choose to ll appeals court vacancies, the panel let stand provisions taking away Stein appointments from two commissions.
ers 88 square miles, expanding beyond the city’s 18.3-squaremile limits to include nearby unincorporated areas of Stanly County. The expansion adds roughly 70 acres that could be considered for future annexation. During Thursday’s sessions, residents can explore the draft plan and o er feedback on topics such as residential and business growth, transportation, city services and environmental sustainability.
“As our community continues to grow and change over time, we will need to invest in services and infrastructure to sustain our quality of life,” said Lindsey Almond, Albemarle’s economic development director.
Both sessions are designed to foster open dialogue between residents and sta , providing a forum for questions and discussion about Albemarle’s future landscape.
The Envision Albemarle 2045 plan will serve as a roadmap for future development, aligning land use and
“It takes everyone sharing their ideas to help shape the future of our city.”
infrastructure investments with community goals. The plan’s key elements include land use, public facilities, economic impacts and community involvement.
City sta previously hosted a series of neighborhood meetings across Albemarle’s central, north, south, east, west, southwest and southeast areas, giving residents a hands-on opportunity to share thoughts on housing needs, transportation improvements and areas for new development.
By incorporating public input and long-term planning principles, the Envision Albemarle 2045 plan is intended to steer the city’s future in a way that re ects residents’ priorities.
GARY D. ROBERTSON / AP PHOTO
North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall, (R-Caldwell), left, speaks while state Senate
leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham), listens during a news conference at the North Carolina Legislative Building in Raleigh last month.
ICE agents in Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras, judge says
They must also wear badges and are restricted from using certain riot control techniques
By Christine Fernando The Associated Press
CHICAGO — Federal immigration o cers in the Chicago area will be required to wear body cameras, a judge said Thursday after seeing tear gas and other aggressive steps used against protesters.
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis said she was a “little startled” after seeing TV images of clashes between agents and the public during President Donald Trump’s administration’s immigration crackdown.
“I live in Chicago if folks haven’t noticed,” she said. “And I’m not blind, right?”
Community e orts to op -
pose U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have ramped up in the nation’s third-largest city, where neighborhood groups have assembled to monitor ICE activity and lm incidents involving
“All agents who are operating in Operation Midway Blitz are to wear body-worn cameras, and they are to be on.”
U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis
agents. More than 1,000 immigrants have been arrested since September.
Separately, the Trump administration has tried to deploy National Guard troops, but the strategy was halted last week by a di erent judge.
Ellis last week said agents in the area must wear badges, and she banned them from using certain riot control techniques against peaceful protesters and journalists.
“I’m having concerns about my order being followed,” the judge said.
“I am adding that all agents who are operating in Operation Midway Blitz are to wear body-worn cameras, and they are to be on,” Ellis said, referring to the government’s name
for the crackdown.
U.S. Justice Department attorney Sean Skedzielewski laid blame with “one-sided and selectively edited media reports.” He also said it wouldn’t be possible to immediately distribute cameras.
“I understand that. I would not be expecting agents to wear body-worn cameras they do not have,” Ellis said, adding that the details could be worked out later.
She said the eld director of the enforcement e ort must appear in court Monday.
In 2024, Immigration and Customs Enforcement began deploying about 1,600 body cameras to agents assigned to Enforcement and Removal Operations.
At the time, o cials said they would be provided to agents in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, Bu alo, New York and Detroit. Other Homeland Security Department agencies require some agents to wear cameras. U.S. Customs and Border Protection has released body-camera video when force has been used by its agents or o cers.
What is hospice care?
Hospice care aims to ease pain in patients who are not expected to recover from their condition; life expectancy is 6 months or less and treatment is no longer being pursued.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care aims to ease pain and help with symptoms caused by a chronic or serious illness but is not considered to be life-limiting at this time. This service adds an extra layer of support working in conjunction with an individual’s medical team and life-prolonging medications or treatments.
STANLY SPORTS
Pfei er men’s soccer remains undefeated
The Falcons are 2-0-2 in USA South play
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
MISENHEIMER — A dozen games into the 2025 campaign, the Pfei er University men’s soccer team still hasn’t logged a loss.
The undefeated Falcons (90-3, 2-0-2 USA South) are o to their best start in a decade, their strongest since the 2015 season when they nished 25-0 and captured the NCAA national championship.
Last weekend, Pfei er extended its unbeaten streak to
12 matches with a 3-1 home victory over USA South Athletic Conference rival Greensboro College at Lefko-Mills Field.
The win placed the Falcons in a two-way tie with the William Peace Pacers atop the conference standings; the Falcons and Pacers had a 1-1 tie when the two teams squared o in Misenheimer on Oct. 8.
After being picked to nish sixth in the USA South preseason coaches poll, Pfei er remains the only team in the eight-team league with no losses over a month and a half into the 2025 campaign.
With nine wins, the Falcons have already blown past their
“Everyone’s just pushing each other.”
Pfei er junior defender Alex Michael
4-8-3 record from last season, matching the highest win total during coach Tony Faticoni’s nine-year coaching tenure at Pfei er.
Faticoni’s most successful season until this one was the Falcons’ 9-8 campaign in 2018.
Pfei er’s Alex Michael was recently named the USA South Men’s Soccer Defender of the Week for his e orts against
William Peace and Greensboro. The junior defender from New Orleans, Louisiana, ranks rst in goals scored (11) among all players in the USA South this season.
“I think people just put the work in during the o season,” Michael said of his team’s strong season. “We came in with more upperclassmen and we’re clicking more. And then the freshmen came in, they’re ghting for minutes. Everyone’s just pushing each other.
The team camaraderie is at an all-time high and it feels more like a family than ever.”
In terms of Falcon representation among other conference statistics, sophomore forward
Wesley Hooker ranks rst in shots (51) and shots on goals (25), third in goals (eight) and third in game-winning goals (three), while junior mid elder Caleb Yopp ranks rst in assists ( ve) this season.
As the Falcons continue the hunt for their rst USA South title, Pfei er will now head to Staunton, Virginia, to face Mary Baldin on Saturday afternoon before returning home to Lefko-Mills Field on Oct. 25 for a Senior Day matchup with Southern Virginia. Pfei er will then host Brevard on Oct. 29 before preparing for the rst round of the USA South Tournament on Nov. 1.
Gray Stone soccer rides ve-game winning streak
The Knights are rst in their conference standings
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
MISENHEIMER — After their streak of ve consecutive Yadkin Valley Conference boys’ soccer titles got snapped last season, the Gray Stone Day Knights have responded this season by posting zero league losses.
The Knights (10-2-4, 7-01 YVC), who are currently on a ve-match winning streak, hold a narrow lead over reigning YVC champion Union Academy (17-2-1, 6-0-1 YVC) in the conference standings.
The two squads faced o in Misenheimer on Sept. 17, playing to a 2-2 draw, and will soon meet again in Monroe for the regular-season nale — a matchup that could prove pivotal in deciding the YVC standings as both teams battle for rst place.
Gray Stone is also the county’s only team with an overall winning record, topping West Stanly (8-9-1, 5-3-1 Rocky River), Albemarle (8-9-1, 4-4-1 YVC), North Stanly (5-10-2, 2-4-2 YVC) and South Stanly (2-11, 0-9 YVC).
COURTESY NFHS NETWORK Gray Stone’s Abraham Mata-De La Rosa leads a charge down the eld during the Knights’ home game against Albemarle on Oct. 13.
The Knights have been strong against their intracounty opponents this season, recording decisive wins over all four local foes with a 38-4 goal differential in those matchups. In recent weeks, Gray Stone defeated North Rowan 9-0 on the road on Oct. 1 before coming home for a 5-1 victory over North Stanly (Oct. 6) and a 7-2 win versus Albemarle (Oct. 13). The team’s only loss -
es during its 2025 campaign were both in nonconference play: a 6-0 home loss to Southwestern Randolph on Aug. 27 followed by a 1-0 loss to Montgomery Central on Sept. 2. Seniors Auden Pethel and Anthony Varbanov join juniors Walker Bullard and Jackson Cotoni as the Knights’ four players with at least eight goals this season. Sophomore Matthew Burleson leads the team with 11 assists, while senior goalkeeper Matt Lappin has recorded eight shutouts. Last season, the Knights went 13-7-4 overall with a second-place 8-2 YVC record, advancing to the second round of the state playo s. Now only two years removed from the team’s rst state championship in 2023, Gray Stone is continuing to chase another deep playo run.
The Knights are scheduled to host TMASACCC (The Math and Science Academy of Charlotte - Concord Campus) on Monday night in a nonconference detour before gearing up for their conference showdown at Union Academy on Wednesday night.
COURTESY
Pfei er’s Alex Michael (12) celebrates with Wesley Hooker (12) during the Falcons’ matchup with William Peace on Oct. 8.
Hamlin’s controversial move: Did he make right call in Cup Series playo s?
His late pass of Ross Chastain allowed Joey Logano to advance
By Jenna Fryer
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — The rst thing Denny Hamlin said when he climbed from his car after advancing into the third round of the Cup Series playo s was he wish he’d known not to pass Ross Chastain on the nal lap.
In racing Chastain for that position, it knocked Chastain out of the playo s and gave the nal spot in the round of eight to Joey Logano, the reigning Cup Series champion and winner of two of the last three titles.
In fact, Logano and Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney have combined to win the last three consecutive championships, so Hamlin was ercely criticized for not taking Logano out of contention.
There’s controversy surrounding the Hamlin and Chastain incident two Sundays ago in part because a year ago Logano was initially eliminated from the playo s at Charlotte. He learned later that night he was back in the eld when Bowman’s car failed inspection, then Logano won Las Vegas a week later to lock up a spot in the championship-deciding nale.
“Denny would have to ask himself, ‘What’s going to give me the best chance to win the championship?’ if that’s your No. 1 goal. If that’s your main goal to do that, ‘What gives me the best chances to win the whole thing?’” Logano wondered. “Is one competitor tougher than the other? I don’t know. I don’t know if you want to race against either one of us. Ross has proven to do whatever it takes to get to the next round or to win. He’s done that multiple times. Do you want to race against him? I
“I had no allegiance to either party, and so at that point, my question would be: ‘Do I have a right to choose my competitor?’”
Denny
Hamlin
don’t know. “Do you want to race against us? I don’t think so either. You’re probably in a no -win situation, so you might as well just pass him and go and get a better spot.”
The entire situation is also being scrutinized by NASCAR, which said this week it would be carefully monitoring potentials of race manipulation over thenal month of the season. NASCAR managing director of communications Mike Forde said on the series’ “Hauler Talk” podcast that series o cials would have acted if it had heard Joe Gibbs Racing telling Hamlin not to pass Chastain. “If we heard that radio transmission say, ‘Hey, (Chastain) needs this point to advance to the next round over (Logano)’ or something of that ilk, and all of a sudden, (Hamlin) let o the gas, that would probably raise a red ag on our side,” Forde said.
Hamlin believes that isn’t right.
“I don’t see any reason why I can’t know what the point situation is,” Hamlin said. “I had no allegiance to either party, and so at that point, my question would be: ‘Do I have a right to choose my competitor?’
“I think the some of the sensitivity around this is obviously probably gambling focused because I know that NASCAR is very, very sensitive, as they should be, with that to make sure everyone’s getting a fair shake,” Hamlin continued. “But on the race track, I feel as though, as long as you’re you don’t have a bias to one party or another. ... I don’t know why you can’t make the best deci-
sion for yourself. I’m more wondering, what is going to be allowed?”
The entire eld of eight had the same question for NASCAR.
“It’s a slippery slope either way because where is the line? Is just telling somebody where you are in points and what’s going on around you, is that too far?” Logano said. “Saying straight-up what to do is probably too far. We can kind of understand that, but just saying what the point situation is, I don’t think that’s too far.
“I think just feeding someone data it still leaves it in the driver’s hands to do what they please with it. It’s just giving information. That’s all you’re doing.”
ACC’s 1st Atlantic-to-Paci c travel o ers tweaks, lessons
Stanford and Cal will make logistical changes to make the schedule more bearable
By Aaron Beard The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE — Ask California women’s coach Charmin Smith about her team’s rst run of cross-country travel for Atlantic Coast Conference games last year, and she’ll shrug o the question about the challenges of doing it.
“We’re in the ACC, we’re happy to be in the ACC,” she said during preseason media days. “And we get on a plane and we go.” Still, the league’s expansion to stretch from the Paci c to the Atlantic coastlines last year led to lots of ight hours, airborne study halls and sleep-altering routines as men’s and women’s teams criss-crossed the country. The losses piled up at a much higher rate than other road games too. And the challenges were particularly acute for teams like California and Stanford as the ACC’s western outposts, forced to cross all four continential U.S. time zones multiple times in the same season.
“It’s just something we can’t change,” Stanford men’s coach Kyle Smith said with a chuckle. “We can’t move the school closer.”
Losses accumulate
The league revamped its scheduling model with the arrivals of Cal and Stanford, along with SMU, to have teams making the lengthy trip play twice on the same outing. That typically meant men’s teams would cross the country to play a Wednesday-Saturday set, while the women followed a Thursday-Sunday model.
It’s been a tough ask.
ACC women’s teams crossing between the Eastern and Paci c U.S. time zones went just
“It’s just something we can’t change. We can’t move the school closer.”
men’s coach
Stanford
Kyle Smith
7-23 — a 23.3% win percentage, far lower than that of all other league road games (67-65, .508). It was worse on the men’s side, with teams going just 6-26 (18.8%) in road games when crossing all four U.S. continental time zones compared to 6187 (41.2%) in all other league road games. Neither Cal nor Stanford won both games on a single men’s or
women’s trip east, while only the UNC women and Wake Forest men managed to sweep the Bears and Cardinal on the same trip.
Changing logistics
Charmin Smith tinkered with her plans last year, following player feedback by leaving earlier the day before the game so the team could practice after ying out rather than before leaving campus. Stanford women’s coach Kate Paye is altering her schedule to go out the day before a game instead of two days earlier, saying she thought the long stints away from home had a “cumulative e ect.” “It was brand new,” Paye said.
“You make the best choices you can. But again, experience is the best teacher.”
Both the men’s and women’s Cardinal programs will also use a bigger charter plane this year to avoid having to stop to refuel, with Kyle Smith noting: “Getting home nonstop is important.”
“Our guys never really complained about it,” he said, adding: “I just sell them on, ‘Look, we get to do it, you play in the ACC, you’re going to Stanford and you’re getting paid. And it’s pretty awesome.’”
Heading west
Louisville women’s coach Je Walz’s team plays at Stanford on Jan. 29, followed by at Cal on Feb. 1. He joked simply that he’s ruled out taking a bus, adding: “We were trying to see how many national parks we could stop at on the way.”
Louisville sophomore guard Tajianna Roberts is looking forward to the trip, at least. Her hometown is San Diego, and she’ll be able to play in front of family.
“It’s going to be an adjustment for sure,” Roberts said. “But I think if we eat right, sleep right, we’ll be OK.”
For the Eastern-footprint teams, that challenge comes only every other year. Yet it’s still something that teams are thinking about, some more than others.
MATT KELLEY / AP PHOTO
Denny Hamlin, left, and Ross Chastain, right, jockey for position behind Brad Keselowski heading into Turn 3 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
STEPHEN LAM / SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE VIA AP
California head coach Charmin Smith reacts during a game against UNC last season in Berkeley.
Kenneth Harper
Albemarle, football
Kenneth Harper is a sophomore tight end and linebacker for the Albemarle football team. He has also wrestled for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs beat Bonnie Cone, 41-14,
last Friday. Harper came up big, returning an interception 20 yards for a score. He also added a tackle for a loss as well as a pair of solo stops. For the season, Harper is tied for second on the team in sacks.
What’s in Burns’ backpack? Maybe the secret to Avalanche defenseman playing in 1,500 NHL games
The former Hurricane is seeking a Stanley Cup to go with his milestones
By Pat Graham The Associated Press
DENVER — Brent Burns carries a lot of weight on his shoulders these days.
Not pressure-related or anything, just from his heavy, military-style backpack that’s crammed with all the necessities to keep the 40-year-old Colorado defenseman humming along.
The precise contents remain a mystery, but whatever’s stu ed inside sure is working. Burns, who’s embarking on his 22nd NHL season and rst in Colorado, played in his 1,500th NHL game Saturday. Delving deeper, he hasn’t missed a contest since 2013, running his streak to 927 straight, which is the league’s fourth-longest “Iron Man” streak of all time.
Burns is chasing his rst Stanley Cup title late in his hockey tenure. The Avalanche would love nothing more than to make that title happen, too.
“He came here for a reason,” fellow defenseman Cale Makar said of Burns. “We’ll get there at some point, but right now we’ve got to focus on the day-to-day.”
Milestone alert
On Saturday, Burns skated in game No. 1,500, becoming the league’s eighth defenseman to reach the milestone.
If Burns were to suit up in every game this season, he could move up to No. 2 on the all-time consecutive games
played list with 1,007. At that point, he would trail only Phil Kessel’s streak of 1,064.
For this sort of healthy run in a hard-hitting sport, some credit goes to the contents of Burns’ backpack. It’s the stu of legend around the locker room.
“Don’t even try to pick it up,” captain Gabriel Landeskog warned. “You’ll blow your back out.”
The backpack supposedly contains everything from stretching bands to assorted recovery gear to his own coffee setup.
“It’s a secret,” he said with a laugh, adding the backpack has been part of his routine since his San Jose days. “Denitely too heavy, and it keeps getting heavier and heavier.”
Age just a number
Avalanche forward Gavin Brindley was still a year away from even being born when Burns made his NHL debut on Oct. 8, 2003, with Minnesota after being a rst-round pick by the Wild.
“That’s wild, just wild,” Brindley said of Burns’ longevity. “It’s so impressive what he does on the ice.”
Burns has quickly emerged as another leader for the Avalanche, joining Landeskog as a respected voice. He assists by keeping things loose.
“I’m a little bit more of a goof — I screw drills up all the time,” Burns said. “I’m just a little di erent.
“Obviously, we’re not all around the same age, so it’s kind of fun to hear what they’re doing. It keeps me feeling bet-
ter and energized — just to talk to other guys and mess around and make them feel good.”
Added coach Jared Bednar:
“I love the personality that he brings to our team. He’s hungry to win.”
Burns got to the Stanley Cup nal in 2016 with the Sharks, where they lost in six games to Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Burns has played in 135 career playo contests.
“We’re so happy to have him here,” Landeskog said. “He wanted to be here. He wanted to be a part of this group, and I think that says a lot about where we’re at as a team.”
Over the summer, Burns signed a one-year deal with the Avalanche, his fourth NHL team. He joined a squad that’s a Stanley Cup favorite.
One thing that Burns quickly realized was that it’s lled with players who get to the rink early.
“I feel like I’m going to be one of the rst cars in the parking lot, and it’s packed,” Burns said. “I’m like, ‘Holy crap.’”
As an older player — “I know you’re not saying old player,” he playfully interjected — there are extra things he does to stay ready.
“But I’d be here until tomorrow, trying to tell you all the new things,” Burns cracked.
More than anything, he stays young at heart.
“Just a big kid in a big man’s body,” goaltender Scott Wedgewood said. “Just down to earth, fun to be around. Just has a little bit of a joking side, a high-energy side. He loves the game, cares about it and he’s chasing that ultimate goal.”
Stanly vs. Stanly sports standings
Stanly News Journal sta
WE’VE BEEN TRACKING
Stanly County’s rivalry games against other county rivals. North Stanly opened conference tournament play with a pair of rivalry wins, beating South Stanly 3-2 and Gray Stone Day, 3-2 the following day. South Stanly earned the rematch with North by beating Albemarle, 3-0, the previous day. Here are the Stanly vs. Stanly standings for the county’s four football playing schools, and the full standings for everyone.
West Stanly 4-0 North Stanly 5-2 South Stanly 3-5 Albemarle 0-5
All schools
West Stanly 5-0 North Stanly 8-2 South Stanly 4-6 Gray Stone Day 3-5 Albemarle 0-7
Upcoming games: TBD
In boys’ soccer, Albemarle beat North Stanly, 7-3. South Stanly su ered a pair of 9-0 shutout losses, to West Stanly and Gray Stone Day. Albemarle also fell to Gray Stone, 7-3. Here are the rivalry game soccer standings
Albemarle 4-0 North Stanly 2-2
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
DAVID ZALUBOWSKI / AP PHOTO
Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns pursues the puck against the Utah Mammoth.
Colleges are ghting to prove their return on investment
As tuition continues to rise, parents and students are wondering if it’s worth the price
By Collin Binkley
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — For a generation of young Americans, choosing where to go to college — or whether to go at all — has become a complex calculation of costs and bene ts that often revolves around a single question: Is the degree worth its price?
Public con dence in higher education has plummeted in recent years amid high tuition prices, skyrocketing student loans and a dismal job market — plus ideological concerns from conservatives. Now, colleges are scrambling to prove their value to students.
Borrowed from the business world, the term “return on investment” has been plastered on college advertisements across the U.S. A battery of new rankings grade campuses on thenancial bene ts they deliver. States such as Colorado have started publishing yearly reports on the monetary payo of college, and Texas now factors it into calculations for how much taxpayer money goes to community colleges.
“Students are becoming more aware of the times when college doesn’t pay o ,” said Preston Cooper, who has studied college ROI at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. “It’s front of mind for universities today in a way that it was not necessarily 15, 20 years ago.”
Most bachelor’s degrees are still worth it
A wide body of research indicates a bachelor’s degree still pays o , at least on average and in the long run. Yet there’s growing recognition that not all degrees lead to a good salary, and even some that seem like a good bet are becoming riskier as graduates face one of the toughest job markets in years.
A new analysis released
Thursday by the Strada Education Foundation nds 70% of recent public university graduates can expect a positive return within 10 years — meaning their earnings over a decade will exceed that of a typical high school graduate by an amount greater than the cost of their degree. Yet it varies by state, from 53% in North Dakota to 82% in Washington, D.C. States where college is more a ordable have fared better, the report says.
It’s a critical issue for families who wonder how college tuition prices could ever pay o , said Emilia Mattucci, a high school counselor at East Allegheny schools, near Pittsburgh. More than two-thirds of her school’s students come from low-income families, and many aren’t willing to take on the level of debt that past generations accepted.
Instead, more are heading to technical schools or the trades and passing on four-year universities, she said.
“A lot of families are just saying they can’t a ord it, or they don’t want to go into debt for years and years and years,” she said.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has been among those questioning the need for a four-year degree. Speaking at the Reagan Institute think tank in September, McMahon praised programs that prepare students for careers right out of high school.
“I’m not saying kids shouldn’t go to college,” she said. “I’m just saying all kids don’t have to go in order to be successful.”
Lowering college tuition and improving graduate earnings
American higher education has been grappling with both sides of the ROI equation — tuition costs and graduate earnings. It’s becoming even more important as colleges compete for decreasing numbers of college-age studentsas a result of falling birth rates.
Tuition rates have stayed at on many campuses in recent years to address a ordability concerns, and many private col-
“I’m not saying kids shouldn’t go to college. I’m just saying all kids don’t have to go in order to be successful.”
Education
Secretary Linda McMahon
leges have lowered their sticker prices in an e ort to better reect the cost most students actually pay after factoring innancial aid.
The other part of the equation — making sure graduates land good jobs — is more complicated.
A group of college presidents recently met at Gallup’s Washington headquarters to study public polling on higher education. One of the chief reasons for agging con dence is a perception that colleges aren’t giving graduates the skills employers need, said Kevin Guskiewicz, president of Michigan State University, one of the leaders at the meeting.
“We’re trying to get out in front of that,” he said.
The issue has been a priority for Guskiewicz since he arrived on campus last year. He gathered a council of Michigan business leaders to identify skills that graduates will need for jobs, from agriculture to banking. The goal is to mold
degree programs to the job market’s needs and to get students internships and work experience that can lead to a job.
A disconnect with the job market
Bridging the gap to the job market has been a persistent struggle for U.S. colleges, said Matt Sigelman, president of the Burning Glass Institute, a think tank that studies the workforce.
Last year the institute, partnering with Strada researchers, found 52% of recent college graduates were in jobs that didn’t require a degree. Even higher-demand elds, such as education and nursing, had large numbers of graduates in that situation.
“No programs are immune, and no schools are immune,” Sigelman said.
The federal government has been trying to x the problem for decades, going back to President Barack Obama’s administration. A federal rule rst established in 2011 aimed to cut federal money to college programs that leave graduates with low earnings, though it primarily targeted for-pro t colleges.
A Republican reconciliation bill passed this year takes a wider view, requiring most colleges to hit earnings standards to be eligible for federal funding. The goal is to make sure college graduates end up earning more than those without a degree.
Others see transparency as a
key solution.
For decades, students had little way to know whether graduates of speci c degree programs were landing good jobs after college. That started to change with the College Scorecard in 2015, a federal website that shares broad earnings outcomes for college programs. More recently, bipartisan legislation in Congress has sought to give the public even more detailed data.
Lawmakers in North Carolina ordered a 2023 study on the nancial return for degrees across the state’s public universities. It found that 93% produced a positive return, meaning graduates were expected to earn more over their lives than someone without a similar degree.
The data is available to the public, showing, for example, that undergraduate degrees in applied math and business tend to have high returns at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, while graduate degrees in psychology and foreign languages often don’t.
Colleges are belatedly realizing how important that kind of data is to students and their families, said Lee Roberts, chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill, in an interview.
“In uncertain times, students are even more focused — I would say rightly so — on what their job prospects are going to be,” he added. “So I think colleges and universities really owe students and their families this data.”
GERRY BROOME / AP PHOTO
People walk through University of North Carolina campus in March 2020.
CHARLES KRUPA / AP PHOTO
Left, a woman walks past a dog sculpture on the campus of the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine in Raleigh.
Right, the Great Dome on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass.
ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO
famous birthdays this week
Eminem celebrates 53, John Lithgow hits 80, Snoop Dogg is 54, Judge Judy turns 83
OCT. 19
Artist Peter Max is 88. Actor John Lithgow is 80. Fox News host Steve Doocy is 69. Singer Jennifer Holliday is 65. Boxing Hall of Famer Evander Holy eld is 63. Filmmaker Jon Favreau is 59. “South Park” co-creator Trey Parker is 56.
OCT. 20
Japan’s Empress Michiko is 91. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer Wanda Jackson is 88. Baseball Hall of Famer Juan Marichal is 88. Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky is 85. Retired MLB All-Star Keith Hernandez is 72. Actor Viggo Mortensen is 67. Rapper Snoop Dogg is 54.
OCT. 21
Rock singer Manfred Mann is 85. TV’s Judge Judy Sheindlin is 83. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is 76. Film director Catherine Hardwicke is 70. Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.) is 54. Reality TV star Kim Kardashian is 45.
OCT. 22
Black Panthers co-founder Bobby Seale is 89. Actor Christopher Lloyd is 87. Actor Derek Jacobi is 87. Actor Catherine Deneuve is 82. Physician and author Deepak Chopra is 79. Actor Je Goldblum is 73. Actor-comedian Bob Odenkirk is 63.
OCT. 23
Film director Philip Kaufman is 89. Advocate and humanitarian Graça Machel is 80. Film director Ang Lee is 71. Jazz singer Dianne Reeves is 69. Country singer Dwight Yoakam is 69. Film director Sam Raimi is 66. Comedic musician “Weird Al” Yankovic is 66.
OCT. 24
Rock musician Bill Wyman is 89. Actor F. Murray Abraham is 86. Actor Kevin Kline is 78. Actor B.D. Wong is 65. Fashion designer Zac Posen is 45. Singer-rapper Drake is 39.
Former
Park
OCT. 25
Marion Ross is 96. Author Anne Tyler is 84. Rock singer Jon Anderson (Yes) is 81. Political strategist James Carville is 81. Basketball Hall of Famer Dave Cowens is 77. gold medal hockey player Mike Eruzione is 71. Actor Nancy Cartwright (TV: “The Simpsons”) is 68.
Judge tosses out Drake’s defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
UMG, the parent record label for both artists, denied the allegations
By Larry Neumeister and Andrew Dalton The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A defamation lawsuit that Drake brought against Universal Music Group was tossed out last Thursday by a federal judge who said the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar’s dis track “Not Like Us” were opinion.
The feud between two of hip-hop’s biggest stars erupted in the spring of 2024, with the pair trading a series of vitriolic tracks that culminated in Lamar landing the “metaphorical killing blow” with his megahit that May, Judge Jeannette A. Vargas said in her written opinion.
While the track’s lyrics explicitly branded Drake as a pedophile, Vargas said, a reasonable listener could not have concluded that “Not Like Us” was conveying objective facts about the Canadian superstar.
“Although the accusation that Plainti is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and o ensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe
“We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.”
Attorneys for Drake
that ‘Not Like Us’ imparts veri able facts about Plainti ,” Vargas wrote.
After the decision Drake’s legal team said in a statement: “We intend to appeal today’s ruling, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing it.”
“Not Like Us” — described by Vargas as having a “catchy beat and propulsive bassline” — was one of 2024’s biggest songs. It won record of the year and song of the year at the Grammys and helped make this year’s Super Bowl halftime show the most watched ever, as fans speculated on whether Lamar would actually perform it. (He did, but with altered lyrics.)
The track, which calls out Canadian-born Drake by name, attacks him as “a colonizer” of rap culture, in addition to making insinuations about his sex life, including, “I hear you like ’em young” — implications that Drake rejects.
Filed in January, the lawsuit — which does not name Lamar — alleged that Universal Music Group intentionally published and promoted the track despite knowing that it contained false and defamatory allegations against Drake and suggested listeners should resort to vigilante justice. The track tarnished his reputation and decreased the value of his brand, the suit said.
“From the outset, this suit was an a ront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day,” it said in a statement. “We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”
In the suit, Drake also blamed the tune for attempted break-ins and the shooting of a security guard at his Toronto home.
The mansion was depicted in an aerial photo in the song’s cover art, with what Vargas described as “an overlay of more than a dozen sex o ender markers” — which, she said, was “obviously exaggerated and doctored.”
“No reasonable person would view the Image and believe that in fact law enforcement had designated thirteen residents in Drake’s home as sex o enders,” she wrote.
Bad Bunny’s music streams soar since Super Bowl announcement
Donald Trump claims he’s never heard of him
By Maria Sherman
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny’s music catalog has seen a jump in streams since his 2026 Super Bowl halftime performance was announced.
According to Luminate, an industry data and analytics company, Latin music is primarily consumed via streaming. They found that Bad Bunny saw a 26% increase in on-demand streams in the United States following the Sept. 28 announcement, soaring from 173 million nine days before the announcement to 218.5 million streams in the eight days that followed.
The singer born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio recently said concerns about the mass deportation of Latinos played into his decision to bypass the mainland U.S. during his residency. He performs in Spanish and will do so at the Super Bowl, further proving that connecting with a U.S. and international audience does not require singing in English.
Since the NFL, Apple Music and Roc Nation announced Bad Bunny will lead the halftime festivities from Levi’s Stadium on Feb. 8 in Santa Clara, California, the selection has provoked conversation.
For his fans, Bad Bunny’s booking at the Super Bowl is viewed as a landmark moment
“What Bad Bunny has done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
Jay-Z
for Latino culture. That feeling is no doubt related to his just-concluded, 31-date residency in Puerto Rico that brought approximately half a million people during the slow summer tourism season and generated an estimated $733 million for the island.
Roc Nation founder Jay-Z said in a statement that what Bad Bunny has “done and continues to do for Puerto Rico is truly inspiring. We are honored to have him on the world’s biggest stage.”
He is a known global hitmaker who ties his music to Puerto Rican identity, colonial politics and immigrant struggles.
Bad Bunny hosted the season 51 premiere of “Saturday Night Live” with a few jokes about his forthcoming Super Bowl halftime show.
He has long been critical of President Donald Trump and backed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Some Trump supporters consider his Super Bowl booking to be a divisive political pick.
“I’ve never heard of him,” Trump said in an interview
“I
REBECCA BLACKWELL / AP PHOTO
heavyweight boxing champion Evander Holy eld turns 63 on Sunday.
PAUL R. GIUNTA / INVISION / AP PHOTO
“Weird Al” Yankovic performs during the Shaky Knees Music Festival in 2025, at Piedmont
in Atlanta. The satirical musician turns 66 on Thursday.
MARK HUMPHREY / AP PHOTO Singer, songwriter and musician Wanda Jackson poses for a photo in 2018 in Nashville. The “Queen of Rockabilly” turns 88 on Monday.
MATT SLOCUM / AP PHOTO
Kendrick Lamar performs during halftime of Super Bowl 59 between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles in New Orleans in February.
this week in history
Beirut truck bombing kills 241 American service members, Albert B. Fall convicted in “Tea Pot Scandal”
The Associated Press
OCT. 19
1987: The stock market crashed as the Dow Jones plunged 508 points, or 22.6%, on “Black Monday.”
1781: British troops under Gen. Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia.
1914: The First Battle of Ypres began in World War I.
1960: The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was arrested during a sit-in at a segregated Atlanta lunch counter.
1977: The supersonic Concorde made its rst New York landing, completing the ight from France in 3 hours and 44 minutes.
OCT. 20
1944: Gen. Douglas MacArthur waded ashore in the Philippines, ful lling his World War II promise to return after being ordered to evacuate in 1942.
1803: The U.S. Senate ratied the Louisiana Purchase.
1947: The House Un-American Activities Committee opened hearings on alleged Communist in uence in Hollywood.
1977: Three members of Lynyrd Skynyrd, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant, were killed in a plane crash near McComb, Mississippi.
OCT. 21
1797: The U.S. Navy frigate Constitution, also known as “Old Ironsides,” was christened in Boston Harbor.
1805: A British eet commanded by Vice Adm. Horatio Nelson defeated a French-Spanish eet in the Battle of Trafalgar.
1940: Ernest Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was rst published.
1959: The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Guggenheim Museum opened in New York.
1966: A coal waste landslide engulfed a school and 20 houses in Aberfan, Wales, killing 144 people, including 116 children.
OCT. 22
1836: Sam Houston was inaugurated as the rst elected president of the Republic of Texas, which won independence from Mexico earlier that year.
1934: Bank robber Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd was killed by federal agents and local police.
1962: President John F. Kennedy revealed Soviet missile bases under construction in Cuba and announced a naval blockade.
2012: Cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from Olympic sports after the International Cycling Union upheld doping charges.
OCT. 23
1915: An estimated 25,000 women marched on Fifth Avenue in New York City in support of women’s su rage.
1944: The Battle of Leyte (LAY’-tee) Gulf began; the largest naval battle of World War II resulted in a major Allied victory against Japanese forces, paving the way for the retaking of the Philippines.
1956: A student-sparked revolt against Hungary’s Communist rule began; as the revolution spread, Soviet forces entered the country, ending the uprising on November 4.
1983: A suicide truck bombing at the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut killed 241 American service members, most of them Marines, while a near-simultaneous attack on French bar-
AP PHOTO
Charles “Pretty Boy” Floyd, the notorious bank robber and mass murderer, was shot to death by law enforcement on Oct. 22, 1934.
racks killed 58 paratroopers.
OCT. 24
1537: Jane Seymour, the third wife of England’s King Henry VIII, died 12 days after giving birth to Prince Edward, later King Edward VI.
1861: The rst transcontinental telegraph message was sent by Chief Justice Stephen J. Field of California from San Francisco to President Abraham Lincoln in Washington, D.C.
1931: The George Washington Bridge, connecting New York City with New Jersey, was dedicated.
OCT. 25
1760: Britain’s King George III succeeded his late grandfather, George II.
1859: Radical abolitionist John Brown went on trial in Charles Town, Virginia, for his failed raid at Harpers Ferry.
1929: Former Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall was convicted of taking bribes for oil eld leases in the “Teapot Dome scandal,” becoming the rst U.S. Cabinet member imprisoned for crimes in o ce.
RON FREHM / AP PHOTO
The Concorde SST rests on the runway at New York’s Kennedy Airport on Oct. 19, 1977, after its rst ight from France and inaugural landing in the city.
