Stanly Journal Vol. 145, Issue 80 by North State Journal

Stanly NewS Journal

Hot tempers

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), left, confronts House Minority Leader Hakeem Je ries (D-N.Y.) over health care subsidies at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. The heated exchange re ects growing tensions as the federal government shutdown entered its second week with no resolution in sight.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

2 Pennsylvania state troopers wounded, suspect killed in gun re after high-speed chase

A Pennsylvania state trooper remains hospitalized in serious condition and another was treated and discharged after they were both shot by a man suspected of stealing clothing from a store and leading police on a high-speed chase. The suspect in the Wednesday evening shooting near Chambersburg is identi ed in a court a davit as 31-year-old Lamar Lorenzo Foy. Investigators say he was shot and killed when troopers returned re. Two woman in the van are charged with retail theft and drug o enses. They’re being held in the Franklin County Jail without bail.

Average long-term U.S. mortgage rate eases to 6.3%, back to lowest level in about a year

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged lower this week, returning to its lowest level in about a year. The average long-term mortgage rate slipped to 6.3% from 6.34% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year ago, the rate averaged 6.32%. The modest drop brings the average rate back to where it was two weeks ago, after a string of declines brought down home loan borrowing costs to their lowest since early October 2024. Mortgage rates generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Governor o ers reward for information on Locust murder

Investigators believe information is still being withheld

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

LOCUST — North Caroli-

na Gov. Josh Stein has authorized a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for the death of 6-year-old Locust resident Chance Douglas Smith in 2003.

“Even when all leads have been exhausted in a case, we cannot stop pursuing justice,” Stein said. “I urge North Carolinians who have information about this case to contact local law enforcement so that justice can be served

GOVERNOR’S

North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has authorized a $25,000 reward for information in a 2003 homicide case in Locust.

and Chance’s family can nd closure.”

In a press release on Tuesday, the Locust Police Department thanked the governor and his sta for their review of this case and their decision to approve the reward proclamation.

“Even when all leads have been exhausted in a case, we cannot stop pursuing justice.” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein

“Our department is also extremely grateful to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for their tremendous assistance in this investigation since the incident occurred, and for their assistance in this reward process,” the LPD said.

“Our department hopes that this o er of reward will encourage someone that knows what happened or can provide critical information on who is responsible for Chance’s death to come forward and talk to the investigators in this case.”

Stanly County Schools presents honors to local instructors

Bethany Lisk was named Stanly County Schools EC Educator of the Year

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Education recognized school district employees at its meeting Tuesday.

Bethany Lisk, exceptional children teacher at North Stanly Middle School, was named Stanly County Schools

EC Educator of the Year.

“She does an outstanding job and is great with her students, especially a group of students who need some extra support. Thank you for all you do,” SCS Superintendent Jarrod Dennis said.

The school district described Lisk as “a true cornerstone of her school community and an inspiring leader, collaborator and advocate for students” who is known for her dedication to co-teaching, her

“She does an outstanding job and is great with her students, especially a group of students who need some extra support,”

Jarrod Dennis, Stanly County Schools superintendent

On Dec. 13, 2003, Smith was reported missing in the Scout Road area of Locust. He was later found barely responsive in a horse pasture following a search-and-rescue e ort; his death was ruled a homicide caused by blunt force trauma to the head.

According to the LPD, investigators at the time believed that, in addition to anyone responsible for Smith’s death, others likely had information

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

JOHN MCDONNELL / AP PHOTO

COURTESY NORTH CAROLINA

OFFICE

Second annual Sisterhood of Success celebrates women entrepreneurs

The Locust event raised $5,000 for a foster care nonpro t

By Melinda Burris Stanly News Journal

LOCUST — More than

500 people attended the second annual Sisterhood of Success event Sept. 28, which celebrated women-owned businesses while raising $5,000 for a local foster care nonpro t.

The event, held at Meadow Creek Farm in Locust, featured more than 30 vendors, including boutiques, craft and jewelry creators, and food businesses. Organizers had to create a waitlist after receiving more than 50 vendor applications.

Meredith Moses, owner of Pure Vitality Med Spa, created the event last year to foster collaboration rather than competition among local businesswomen.

“When I started my business, I noticed there can some -

“Every time you shop local, you make a direct impact on someone’s life.”

Liz

Peele, Living Locus

times be jealousy or competition between local businesses, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” Moses said. “We can collaborate, support one another and celebrate that there’s room for everyone to succeed. That’s exactly what Sisterhood of Success represents.”

Moses partnered with Liz Peele of Living Locust, a social media platform that highlights local businesses and community events. Peele handled vendor coordination, sponsorship outreach, ra e organization and social media promotion.

“It’s an incredible honor to see so many women-owned businesses want to be part of something that uplifts and

connects one another,” Peele said.

Meadow Creek Farm donated the venue, allowing organizers to donate 100% of vendor fees, ra e proceeds and T-shirt sales to Faith Alive Ministries. The Albemarle-based nonpro t supports foster families and widows locally and conducts outreach in Honduras, India and Kenya.

The organization recently purchased a downtown Albemarle building that will serve as o ce headquarters and provide temporary housing for children awaiting foster home placement.

Plans are already underway for a third edition next September.

“There is so much value in supporting small businesses. These are our friends, neighbors and church members,” Peele said. “Every time you shop local, you make a direct impact on someone’s life. Living Locust exists to connect our community and the small businesses that make it thrive.”

Oct.

COURTESY LIZ PEELE

Liz Peele, left, and Meredith Moses, right, present Jordan Whitley from Faith Alive Ministries with a check for $5,000.

The 11th Circuit can put an end to political lawfare

THE CONVERSATION

The law should not be twisted into a partisan tool

Trip Ho

VISUAL VOICES

ALTHOUGH THE PREVIOUS administration has ended, its regulatory approach remains, harming seniors, American businesses and the economy. The Trump administration has worked to reverse some of those policies at a rapid pace, but change does not come from the executive branch alone. The

end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

One email even suggested this was done to pressure them into curbing conservative immigration enforcement policies.

THE CONVERSATION

Then, without warning, CMS declared those arrangements illegal. The result: Red states like Florida, Texas, and Missouri were punished, while blue states like California got a free pass.

Per NRO’s reporting, emails obtained through the Freedom of Information Act reveal that CMS made these decisions at the same time consultants were pressing the agency to cut o federal funding to states like Florida.

Republican and Democratic administrations alike had long respected the exibility in the structure and application of Medicaid funding. That is why the sudden crackdown stood out as political rather than policy driven.

To be clear, it is wrong when Republicans twist the law to target their opponents, and it is wrong when Democrats do it. In this case, it was Democrats doing the targeting, and it must

The o cial driving this e ort made the double standard unmistakable.

Rory Howe, the CMS sta er leading the charge to cripple red-state Medicaid nancing, was at the very same time approving the use of Medicaid dollars in Washington state to cover gender a rmation operations. In other words, while red states were being punished for nancing practices that had existed for years, blue states were rewarded with brand-new uses of Medicaid funds that had little to do with protecting the poor or vulnerable.

President Donald J. Trump was a personal victim of this type of lawfare. When Joe Biden and his allies failed to stop him at the ballot box, they turned to the courts, unleashing a blizzard of indictments designed not just to prosecute but to paralyze his campaign and destroy him personally. CMS ran the same playbook against conservative governors to drown them in legal and bureaucratic warfare.

forcing o cials to choose between raising taxes and letting rural hospitals close. Ordinary Americans would lose access to care because of decisions driven less by policy than by politics. The law should not be twisted into a partisan tool to hammer opponents and help friends. Technical jargon may make this ght sound

was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

GOP governors must follow Trump’s lead on census and redistricting

For states like Florida and Texas, the practical consequences are severe. Losing Medicaid dollars under these new restrictions would leave massive holes in state budgets,

The 11th Circuit can put an end to political lawfare

How

The law should not be twisted into a partisan tool to hammer opponents and help friends.

The president has called for a new census because illegal immigrants shouldn’t be counted.

FROM THE DAY President Donald Trump came down the golden escalator in Trump Tower to launch his rst presidential campaign in 2015, he’s been teaching his fellow Republicans how to “ ght, ght, ght” and call out the radical left for things they’ve been getting away with in plain sight for decades. In politics, choosing bold leadership over the path of least resistance is seldom an easy decision, but when it comes to saving America, shirking responsibilities is not an option. That’s why Trump is taking our horribly awed census and inaccurate reapportionment data head on.

realized long ago that in order to achieve political objectives, every tool in the toolbox must be deployed. Now it’s time for Republican governors to join Trump and ght back in the all-important e ort to save America.

JD Vance can clinch the 2028 nomination even before voting begins

How

One email even suggested this was done to pressure them into curbing conservative immigration enforcement policies.

donors and generate record-breaking results.

VICE PRESIDENT JD VANCE , should he make the necessary strategic moves, could e ectively clinch the 2028 Republican presidential nomination before a single vote is cast. But this is hardly a done deal.

forcing o cials to choose between raising taxes and letting rural hospitals close. Ordinary Americans would lose access to care because of decisions driven less by policy than by politics.

The president has called for a new census because illegal immigrants shouldn’t be counted. This is simply a matter of Trumpian common sense, even if it’s hard for the left to swallow. By counting illegals in the census, American citizens aren’t receiving the congressional representation they deserve, and this must change. All governors regardless of political party should push for an accurate census so they can best serve their constituents. American citizens and those in the country legally — the hardworking taxpayers who constitute the backbone of our country — must always be prioritized.

His position as the sitting vice president gives him a substantial advantage. Since 1960, eight vice presidents have run for their party’s nomination, and seven of them secured it. Only Mike Pence, President Donald Trump’s rst VP, failed to do so. Of the seven who became nominees, three — Richard Nixon, George H.W. Bush, and Joe Biden — went on to win the presidency. Historically, candidates in Vance’s position have strengthened their chances by investing early in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina. Building goodwill in these states often translates into early delegate support.

In recent weeks, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments in a case that could overturn one of the Biden administration’s ugliest policies: using the levers of federal power to punish political opponents. Florida is challenging the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) over a sudden reinterpretation of Medicaid rules and shining a light on the seeming double standard that led CMS to cut o funding for vulnerable patients in red states while permitting blue states to move forward with gender a rmation operations.

As National Review has reported, the Biden administration suddenly dusted o obscure Medicaid rules and began imposing new restrictions on Medicaid dollars.

However, due to the radicalization of the Democratic Party, Trump-hating blue state governors will never adopt the concept of putting America rst, so it’s Republican governors who must stand tall and do the right thing. The right thing is to follow Trump’s lead and join the chorus of those who want a new census that re ects the actual population of those living in the United States of America legally.

As we head into the 2026 midterm election season, Republicans hold a razor thin 220-215 majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democrats sense an opening and are scheming to exploit the situation by using every instrument at their disposal. In Trump’s rst term, the left relied on the Russia, Russia, Russia hoax to try to slow him down. This time, it’s by gerrymandering already gerrymandered states that they control.

To be clear, it is wrong when Republicans twist the law to target their opponents, and it is wrong when Democrats do it. In this case, it was Democrats doing the targeting, and it must be addressed.

The o cial driving this e ort made the double standard unmistakable.

At a New York City fundraiser, he raised $2 million in one night, with some couples contributing $250,000. In Nantucket, he brought in $3 million and set a new GOP record for the island. A day of events in Jackson Hole and Big Sky added another $4 million to the RNC’s totals. Under his leadership, the party has raised more than $96 million as of mid-2025, pulling ahead of the DNC in both fundraising and cash on hand.

His fundraising numbers suggest the potential for a national campaign and signal growing in uence with key GOP donors. However, sustaining that level of enthusiasm over multiple years will be a challenge. The ability to raise money at this level gives him a strategic advantage not just in campaign operations but in cultivating political loyalty and controlling the party infrastructure.

Look no further than unhinged California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who seeks to redraw California’s massive congressional map to negate the new map in Texas. If Democrats win the majority in the U.S. House, then Trump’s America First agenda will grind to a halt on Capitol Hill, and impeachment proceedings will begin as soon as left-wing New York Congressman Hakeem Je ries is handed the gavel. Those in positions of power must not allow it to happen. Strong resolve is needed to protect our constitutional republic right now.

The law should not be twisted into a partisan tool to hammer opponents and help friends.

election, and yet Republicans have to worry every two years about holding onto the Cornhusker State’s 2nd congressional district. This simply should not happen. Nebraska should have three safe Republican seats in Congress, full stop. Just look at the deep blue Commonwealth of Massachusetts, for example, the mirror opposite of Nebraska. Former Vice President Kamala Harris won 61% of the vote there in 2024, but, low and behold, Republicans have no chance of ever winning a single congressional seat because Democrats have made it an impossibility in the Bay State. Furthermore, purple states with Republican governors like New Hampshire should not have two Democrats in Congress and zero Republicans. Kamala Harris carried New Hampshire by just 23,000 votes, so Republicans are badly shortchanged by their current congressional map. Gov. Kelly Ayotte should reconsider her position so that New Hampshire’s map accurately represents the will of her constituents.

Technical jargon may make this ght sound narrow, but the larger concern is obvious. If federal agencies can reinterpret rules to punish some states today, nothing prevents them from targeting di erent groups tomorrow.

As we have seen over the past decade, lawfare corrodes faith in our institutions.

strongly consider establishing PACs in all 50 states before the 2026 midterms. Doing so would allow him to support a broad range of down-ballot Republican candidates, assist state parties and build relationships with key activists, donors and elected o cials in every corner of the country. This network would give him not only campaign infrastructure but also long-term political capital.

Americans begin to believe the system is rigged because too often it is. The only way to stop that spiral is for the courts to draw bright lines and say no.

A proper decision by the 11th Circuit will restore limits on partisan executive power and ensure that regulation is not used as a weapon of political convenience.

Once the early states are secured and nancial operations are in full swing, the momentum could carry him through Super Tuesday, when a large number of delegates are awarded. With each win, his delegate count will build toward the threshold needed to secure the nomination outright and potentially before other contenders even gain traction.

Gov. Joe Lombardo in the battleground state of Nevada should also join the ght. Right now, only one of the Silver State’s four districts has a Republican House member even though Trump carried the state by 46,000 votes in 2024. And it should go without saying that more red states with Republican governors — like Florida, Ohio, Missouri and Indiana, to name a few – must move forward with strengthening their congressional maps to confront the growing threat of the radical left.

For decades, in both red and blue states, long-standing nancing arrangements helped hospitals optimize the resources that support the mission of caring for vulnerable patients. Then, without warning, CMS declared those arrangements illegal. The result: Red states like Florida, Texas, and Missouri were punished, while blue states like California got a free pass.

His team needs to cultivate relationships with Republican leaders and support local, state and federal candidates in the 2025 and 2026 election cycles. Building goodwill and alliances in these states, particularly Iowa, where the rst votes are cast, is critical. Many of the political players in these states will go on to be delegates in 2028, and their early support can shape the trajectory of the race. In parallel, Vance is already building a formidable national fundraising machine. As chairman of the Republican National Committee’s nance operation, the rst time a sitting vice president has held such a position, he has demonstrated an ability to energize

Simultaneously, GOP governors must reexamine their congressional map and update it immediately if it doesn’t accurately re ect their state. For as long as I can remember, Democrats in deep blue states have been maximizing their representation in Congress by using raw political power in the redistricting process. The left

JD

Vance

To fully understand what the Democrats are doing, take the deep blue state of Maryland, for example. Just 25 years ago, the Old Line State had four Democrats and four Republicans making up its congressional delegation. Fast-forward to today, and the ratio is seven Democrats to one Republican, and now far left Gov. Wes Moore is trying to get rid of conservative champion and Republican Rep. Andy Harris and the last red district in Maryland. You see, for the left, it’s never enough.

To build on this momentum, Vance should prioritize the formation of individual state-level PACs, compliant with state campaign nance laws. These PACs would enable his team to support targeted candidates across state and local races, while simultaneously building political loyalty and identifying grassroots leaders. Importantly, these PACs should be created in accordance with the Federal Election Commission’s Advisory Opinion 2023-09, which clari ed how federal o ceholders may establish and interact with state-level political organizations.

Rather than limiting these e orts to just the early-voting states, Vance should

For states like Florida and Texas, the practical consequences are severe. Losing Medicaid dollars under these new restrictions would leave massive holes in state budgets,

Solid red state governors like Jim Pillen in Nebraska must realize what’s going on before it’s too late and act. Trump carried Nebraska with a commanding 60% of the vote in the last

If Vance continues his current trajectory of building early-state alliances, raising unprecedented sums and forming PAC networks in accordance with FEC guidance, he may enter the 2028 primary season not just as a front-runner, but as the presumptive nominee.

Targeted retribution, whether by Republicans or Democrats, must never again become a feature of American governance. Here’s hoping the 11th Circuit agrees and acts accordingly.

Whether we choose to see it or not, these are not normal times. It starts with xing the inaccurate census and not allowing illegal immigrants and awed congressional maps to dictate the lives of patriotic American citizens who pay the freight. Bold action is required without delay.

Charles Condon served as the 49th attorney general of South Carolina. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Trey Trainor currently serves as vice chairman of the Federal Election Commission, and Jim Ellis is the founder of the Ellis Insight election analysis service. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

David N. Bossie is president of Citizens United. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Supreme Court can restore fair court access for conservative election challenges

can clinch the 2028 nomination even before voting begins

Their cases are brought under the Voting Rights Act, the Civil Rights Act or the First Amendment. They will ght tooth and nail to preserve their own access to the courts.

The president has called for a new census because illegal immigrants shouldn’t be counted.

THIS WEEK the Supreme Court is set to hear Bost v. Illinois State Board of Elections. The case is about access to courts.

donors and generate record-breaking results.

For too long, courts have opened their doors to left-wing groups ling frivolous lawsuits to election integrity laws but denied challenges from conservatives. Bost can correct this.

Donald Trump’s executive order on elections seeks to enforce those same laws by eliminating these periods in Federal elections.

Michael Bost is a Congressman from Illinois. He challenged an Illinois law that allowed mail ballots to be received and counted up to 14 days after Election Day. He argued that by extending the receipt of mail ballots beyond Election Day, the Illinois law con icted with federal law that sets Election Day as the rst Tuesday after the rst Monday in November.

The lower courts dodged answering this question by nding that Bost did not have standing to challenge the law because he was not harmed by it. Bost was, therefore, tossed out of court before he could even make his case.

In parallel, Vance is already building a formidable national fundraising machine.

As chairman of the Republican National Committee’s nance operation, the rst time a sitting vice president has held such a position, he has demonstrated an ability to energize

Exactly 89% of Americans agree that allowing mail ballots to come in a full two weeks after the election is bad policy. The slow trickle of arriving ballots kills con dence in elections. Watching daily vote changes for two weeks after Election Day is detrimental to how the public views the election. As margins shrink and vote leaders change, con dence sinks. As days go by and no winner is declared, con dence further sinks. These long ballot acceptance periods need to go. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals has found that accepting mail ballots that arrive after Election Day violates federal law. And President

The Seventh Circuit, however, closed the courthouse door on Bost. They ruled he did not provide enough evidence that he was harmed by the Illinois law.

There are many ways Bost is harmed by the Illinois rule. First, the rule imposes a nancial impact on candidates. Instead of paying lawyers to monitor the counting of ballots on a single election night, Bost must do so for two weeks of counting. Second, the rule makes get-out-the-vote e orts longer and more expensive. The costs are imposed on candidates by Illinois law and in ict harm that should allow Bost to get into court. But the Seventh Circuit said no.

But lawsuits from the right are vastly di erent, and liberals are perfectly happy to close the courthouse doors to them. In the left’s view of elections, the only harms are discrimination. Being forced to waste money and eroding faith in elections are not harmful to them. If their favored election laws are unchallengeable in court, so much the better. Conservatives have historically struggled far more than the left to get into court, and rulings like Bost promise to keep it that way.

This contrasts with the Fifth Circuit, which allowed the Republican National Committee to challenge a similar Mississippi statute. Bost shares the same — or perhaps even a greater — level of interest in the administration of an election as a political party.

The Supreme Court must recognize harm caused by extended mail ballot deadlines and grant Bost standing to challenge Illinois law. The nancial strain on candidates, the prolonged uncertainty of election outcomes, and the erosion of public con dence are not abstract concerns — they are tangible consequences that undermine the integrity of our electoral process.

The left loves the Seventh Circuit’s holding. That may seem counterintuitive. The left often challenges election laws. The reason they love this case has everything to do with the type of case it is versus the cases the left brings. Almost without fail, the left brings cases based upon fringe, “woke” theories. Insert your favorite “marginalized” group, and the left has brought a case claiming that things as basic as showing ID or needing to register to vote constitute “suppression.”

If political parties are permitted to challenge such laws, candidates should be a orded the same right. The Seventh Circuit’s refusal to acknowledge this harm sets a dangerous precedent, one that shields awed election policies from scrutiny. Upholding Bost’s standing would not only restore fairness but also rea rm the principle that election laws must serve voters and candidates—not partisan advantage.

Chad Ennis is the vice president of the Honest Elections Project. This column was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.

Rather than limiting these e orts to just the early-voting states, Vance should

COLUMN | TREY TRAINOR AND JIM ELLIS

COLUMN | DAVID BOSSIE

COLUMN | CHAD ENNIS

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

COLUMN | CHARLES CONDON

COLUMN | TREY TRAINOR AND JIM ELLIS

The model will be trialed with 2,000 adolescents at rural health clinics

By William Gim The Chronicle via AP

DURHAM — A team at Duke University has secured a $15 million federal grant to expand an arti cial intelligence model designed to predict mental illness in adolescents.

The Duke Predictive Model of Adolescent Mental Health (Duke-PMA), co-developed by professors Jonathan Posner and Matthew Engelhard and AI health fellow Elliot Hill, is an AI-based tool that assesses factors related to adolescent mental health.

The model is used to predict who is most likely to develop a mental illness within a year. It also identi es the key factors driving those predictions, o ering the potential to guide targeted preventive interventions.

“In the way that psychiatry is currently practiced, it tends to be reactive, meaning we wait until someone’s developed a psychiatric illness and then we institute treatment,” Posner said. “So (the model) would really be a paradigm change in psychiatry from a reactive to a proactive approach.”

The model achieved 84% accuracy in identifying adolescents of ages 10 to 15 who are at risk for future serious mental health issues and maintained consistent performance across socioeconomic status, race and sex. This accuracy was achieved using only questionnaires, instead of expensive imaging or blood tests, making the model a highly scalable and accessible assessment tool.

The model maintained high accuracy when limited to factors that can be directly in uenced through clinician intervention, such as sleep disturbances and family con ict. Its results could o er clinicians actionable insights to guide prevention and intervention strategies before illness develops.

“So a patient comes into their clinic, they do this quick assessment, and then the primary care doctor gets a report saying, ‘This child in front of me has a 90% chance of developing an illness within a year, and these are the factors that are driving that prediction,’” Posner said.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal. com

Securing the $15 million federal grant marks a turning point in the project’s development. “This is exactly the pathway to get it in (the clinicians’) hands and actually identify people early and connect them with services and support that can hopefully bend that trajectory,” Engelhard said.

The next phase of the project will enroll 2,000 adolescents from rural clinics in North Carolina, Minnesota and North Dakota.

“We wanted to go to places where the resources for mental health care are pretty limited across the board,” Posner said.

“Having an automated tool like this, while it would be helpful virtually anywhere, would be particularly helpful in a rural setting, which doesn’t have the mental health resources that you’d see in an urban clinic.”

The team will conduct an observational study, using the Duke-PMA to assess participants and generate predictions. Families will be recontacted a year later for detailed psychiatric evaluations to determine whether the model’s predictions prove accurate.

The use of arti cial intelligence in medicine may spark both excitement and unease, particularly when applied to sensitive areas like adolescent mental health. For one, to address the risk of false positives, Hill emphasized that DukePMA is designed as a supportive tool, not a replacement for clinical judgment.

“We’re very serious about protecting patients’ privacy, both in the context of the study that we’re doing, as well as more broadly, going forward,” Engelhard said. “And so this is information that would be between you and your care providers.”

This approach attempts to balance innovation with caution, enhancing care while preserving essential human presence during clinical judgment.

“This type of research would not be possible unless you had people from lots of di erent disciplines collaborating together. … I think Duke is unusually well positioned for that type of work,” Posner said.

This story was originally published by The Chronicle at Duke University and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

REWARD from page A1

about what happened and who was involved, but that information was never received.

Over the past seven months, detectives with the LPD, along with special agents and analysts from the State Bureau of Investigation, have reexamined the homicide case. Their work has included reviewing the original investigation, reevaluating evidence for analysis and conducting numerous interviews across multiple states.

Investigators continue to believe there are individuals who know exactly what happened or who have information that could help bring closure to the case.

“Nearly 22 years ago, 6-year-old Chance Smith was killed. He was just a child who went to school, played with his friends, and loved dogs and playing in the woods,” Locust Police Chief Je Shew said.

“It’s horrible to think about the moment that Chance was assaulted and then left in a cold, wet horse pasture to die. It’s equally tragic that 22 years have passed knowing there is someone, or multiple individuals, who know what happened or have information that could help us solve this case.

“I’m asking those who know something and have never come forward, or those who have spoken with our investigators before but didn’t share everything they know, to please contact investigators. Give Chance and his family both closure and justice in this tragic case.”

Anyone with new or vital information regarding this case is advised to contact LPD Detective Sgt. Brittany Tucker or Detective Jared Smith at 704-888-4744, or the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation Southern Piedmont o ce at 704-454-5264.

Mem ber FDIC

EMERY P. DALESIO / AP PHOTO

Duke University Hospital is part of the Duke University Medical Center in Durham.

Sports resume at military schools after government shutdown disruption

reason for their death sentence.

“For nearly two decades, judicial and administrative roadblocks have stopped true justice for victims, and it’s time for that to end,” Berger said in a news release Monday.

The bill eliminates cashless bail for many crimes and discretion on pretrial release

are voting on today does noth

The Defense secretary ordered student extracurricular activities to resume

By Gary D. Robertson

By Bruce Schreiner

The Associated Press

EXTRACURRICULAR ac-

tivities have resumed at schools for military families after a pause tied to the federal government shutdown halted sports and other school-related pursuits for several days.

RALEIGH — In response to the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee on Charlotte’s light rail system, the North Carolina legislature gave nal approval Tuesday to a criminal justice package that limits bail and seeks to ensure more defendants undergo mental health evaluations.

The Republican-penned bill also could help restart executions in the state.

For students at places like Fort Campbell and Fort Knox high schools, it means touchdowns, soccer goals and volleyball digs are back, as their schools were untangled from shutdown politics.

The House voted 81-31 to accept the omnibus measure passed by the Senate on Monday, sending it next to Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Stein, a former attorney general, has said he supports some pretrial reforms following the fatal Aug. 22 attack upon 23-year-old Iryna Zarutska.

Democrats blasted Berger’s addition, saying it’s wrong and cynical to use the measure to push what one lawmaker called “barbaric” punishments to take someone else’s life.

“Our servicemembers and their children shouldn’t pay the price for Washington’s failure to fund the government.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)

“No matter what you think about the death penalty more generally, there’s just no question that these methods are risky and have the potential to be extremely gruesome,” said Democratic Rep. Vernetta Alston, an attorney who previously represented death-row inmates in appeals. Still no deals on Medicaid spending, budget

The bill was approved while lawmakers returned this week to continued fallout from not having passed a budget for the ninth-largest U.S. state.

Without having practiced for a week, the team picked right back up by winning its rst match Tuesday since resuming play, said parent Sarah Moore. The squad’s senior night game was called o last week due to the government shutdown.

“Allowing the sports to continue is just a small thing to some people, but to the students, coaches and parents, it’s huge,” Antonia Kruse, whose son, Levi, plays wide receiver and cornerback on the Fort Campbell High football team, said Tuesday. “They already have so many unknowns in their lives with being military dependents. They can have some sort of stability with their sports and activities.”

It wasn’t immediately clear whether Stein would sign the bill into law or veto it. A Stein spokesperson said he was reviewing the measure.

The attack suspect, Decarlos Brown Jr., had been arrested more than a dozen times and was released earlier this year by a magistrate on a misdemeanor count without any bond. Brown is charged with rst-degree murder in state court and a federal count in connection with Zarutska’s death. Both crimes can be punishable by the death penalty.

The schools have stayed open for normal instructional activities during the government shutdown. But the congressional stalemate left other school-related pursuits, even practices, in limbo. Fort Knox is in central

Brown “should have never been allowed out of the jail. The catch-and-release practices for

violent o enders will end today with your support,” Charlotte-area Republican state Rep. Tricia Cotham told colleagues during two hours of House debate. “This heinous act was preventable.”

Kentucky, while Fort Campbell straddles the Kentucky-Tennessee border. The shutdown disrupted extracurriculars at other military post schools, including teams at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

laying out when o enders should be examined for possible involuntary commitment.

The football team at the high school on Camp Lejeune Marine Base had to reschedule its football game ahead of the government shutdown.

Brown’s mother told media outlets that her son has been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

now be able to suit up and get back in the game.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell (RKy.) welcomed the reprieve for military families.

Public outrage over Zarutska’s death intensi ed with the release of security video showing the attack on the commuter train, leading President Donald Trump and GOP allies to accuse Charlotte and statewide elected Democrats of promoting soft-on-crime policies.

“Iryan’s Law” addresses bail, magistrates, behavioral health

“Our servicemembers and their children shouldn’t pay the price for Washington’s failure to fund the government,” McConnell said in a statement Tuesday evening. “I’m so grateful they’ll

Much of the bill entitled “Iryna’s Law” focuses on eliminating cashless bail for many crimes, limiting the discretion that magistrates and judges have in making pretrial release decisions, and

The Republican senator successfully intervened in the matter. He wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth last week, asking that athletics and extracurriculars at the schools be designated as activities allowed to proceed despite the shutdown. Within days, his request was granted.

Several House Democrats took issue with the soft-on-crime label, pointing out that Republicans have controlled the General Assembly for over a decade. They said the bill falls well short in providing mental health services that advocates say could stop crimes before they occur, as well as funds to hire additional police o cers and crisis responders and to house defendants being held for behavioral problems.

The Department of Defense Education Activity, known as DoDEA, manages prekindergarten through 12th grade educa-

“Tough on crime doesn’t only mean let’s pay attention to punishment after the fact,” said Democratic Rep. Marcia Morey of Durham, a former judge. “We grieve the murder. It was senseless, it was horrible. But what you

But an amendment from Senate leader Phil Berger would direct the state Adult Correction Department secretary to nd another form of execution if lethal injection — currently the state’s sole method — is declared unconstitutional or is “not available,” potentially if the drugs can’t be accessed.

tional programs for the Department of Defense. DoDEA said in a statement that it received instructions from Hegseth that all student extracurriculars, including athletics and after-school clubs, be considered “excepted activities during the current lapse in appropriations.”

The secretary would have to select another method that’s been adopted by another state. That could include the use of a ring squad, a method used to execute South Carolina inmates twice this year, or perhaps electrocution.

At Fort Campbell High, that means the girls’ volleyball team’s banner season won’t be derailed. The team is on its way to the school’s rst winning campaign in 15 years in the sport.

Capital punishment has been put on hold in North Carolina in part over legal challenges on the use of the injection drugs. Inmate challenges also have occurred under a now-repealed law that has allowed some prisoners to receive life without parole if they could show racial bias was the

Manchester synagogue attacker pledged allegiance to Islamic State group, police say

Jihad Al-Shamie was killed by police during the attack

The new scal year began July 1. State law and a stopgap spending measure have kept North Carolina government operating.

“They have worked so hard to improve and be competitive this year, they couldn’t wait to get back on the court,” said Moore, whose daughter, Ava, plays on the team.

“We are thankful for the people who stood up for our kids and took action,” she added.

The disruption impacted much more than sports.

But the state Department of Health and Human Services said $600 million in additional Medicaid funds included in the stopgap measure still left a $319 million shortfall. The agency said it would have to cut Medicaid provider reimbursement rates on Oct. 1 unless lawmakers provided more.

It applied to such activities as the Lejeune High School Marine Corps Junior Reserve Ofcer Training Corps program, which has been recognized for its superior performance. The program’s cadets have participated in community service projects, leadership training exercises and competitive events, the school said.

House and Senate Republicans approved competing measures that located more Medicaid money, but they couldn’t agree. The Senate plan includes funding it contends was previously agreed upon for building a standalone children’s hospital near Raleigh and rural health care. The legislature now doesn’t plan to return to Raleigh until Oct. 20.

whether or not the attacker acted alone, they have arrested three men and three women in the greater Manchester area on suspicion of the “commission, preparation and instigation of acts of terrorism.”

First radar images from new Earth-mapping satellite showcase Maine coast, North Dakota farmland

By Pan Pylas

The Associated Press

LONDON — The assailant in last week’s attack on a synagogue in the northwest of England that left two congregants dead pledged allegiance to the Islamic State group, police said Wednesday.

By Marcia Dunn

Associated

The attacker, Jihad Al-Shamie, called emergency dispatchers during his deadly attack on Oct. 2. to express his commitment to the terror group, Counter Terrorism Policing North West said in a statement.

rocketed into orbit from India two months ago.

The joint U.S.-Indian mission, worth $1.3 billion, will

Al-Shamie, 35, was shot dead by police outside the Heaton Park Congregation Synagogue in Manchester after he rammed a car into pedestrians, attacked them with a knife and tried to

survey virtually all of the world’s land and ice mass es multiple times. By track ing even the slightest shifts in land and ice, the satellite will give forecasters and rst responders a leg up in deal ing with oods, landslides, volcanic eruptions and other disasters.

NASA said these rst pictures are a preview of what’s to come once science operations begin in November.

force his way into the building.

The satellite, ying 464 miles high in a near polar orbit, is called NISAR, short for NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar. ISRO is the Indian Space Research Organization.

Assistant Chief Constable Rob Potts said that minutes after Greater Manchester Police were alerted to the attack and as rearms ocers were making their way to the scene, Al-Shamie called 999 — the U.K.’s emergency phone number — claim-

People attend a protest outside Manchester Cathedral following an attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue in Crumpsall, where two people died, in Manchester, England, last weekend.

ing responsibility for the attack.

“He also pledged allegiance to Islamic State,” Potts said.

Congregation members Melvin Cravitz, 66, and Adrian Daulby, 53, died in the attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Police say Daulby was accidentally shot by an armed o -

cer as he and other congregants barricaded the synagogue to block Al-Shamie from entering.

Three other men remain hospitalized with serious injuries.

“This has been a week of deep trauma and mourning for the Jewish community at a time when they should have been observing one of the holiest periods in the calendar of their faith,” Potts said.

Police have revealed that Al-Shamie was on bail over an alleged rape at the time of the attack, but hadn’t been charged. However, police have said he had never been referred to the authorities for exhibiting extremist views.

Potts said that “at this stage of our investigation, we are more con dent that he was inuenced by extreme Islamist ideology. The 999 call forms part of this assessment.”

As police work to determine

A court on Saturday granted police ve more days to hold four of the suspects: men ages 30 and 32, and women ages 46 and 61. An 18-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man were released over the weekend with no further action, and two further releases are planned for later Wednesday, police said. Police haven’t identi ed those arrested or disclosed their links to Al-Shamie.

NASA / JPL-CALTECH VIA AP

The attack has devastated Britain’s Jewish community and intensi ed debate about the line between criticism of Israel and antisemitism.

NISAR imaged land adjacent to northeastern North Dakota’s Forest River, light-colored wetlands and forests line the river’s banks, while circular and rectangular plots throughout the image appear in shades that indicate the land may be pasture or cropland with corn or soy.

Recorded antisemitic incidents in the U.K. have risen sharply since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s ensuing campaign against Hamas in Gaza, according to Community Security Trust, a charity that provides advice and protection for British Jews.

ALLEN G. BREED / AP PHOTO

DANNY LAWSON / PA VIA AP

Missing Va. store cat found after hitching a ride to Garysburg

The cat, who lives at a Lowe’s store, snuck into a distribution truck

By Julie Walker and John Raby

The Associated Press

FRANCINE THE calico cat is back home at a Lowe’s store in Virginia after going missing for a few weeks, hitching a ride on a truck that turned up at a sister facility in another state.

Two employees from a Lowe’s in Richmond made the 90-minute drive early Monday to pick up Francine, who disappeared in September and recently was discovered at the company’s distribution center in Garysburg, North Carolina.

She was back on the job Tuesday, playing with customers, posing for photos and soaking in a ection.

“Francine is one of us,” store supervisor Wayne Schneider said in a telephone interview.

“She’s just amazing. What she means here to the store and the employees, you really can’t imagine the outpouring that the employees and also the customers give her daily.”

Francine spends much of her time either at the customer service desk or in the store’s seasonal area. But things went awry in September as the store brought in items for the upcoming Christmas season.

Store general manager Mike Sida said that disruption may have prompted Francine to seek comfort elsewhere.

After store employees hadn’t seen Francine for a few days, they reviewed past surveillance video. There were glimpses of her in the appliance section and then the receiving department, where she darted into a truck. An overnight manager is then seen shutting the truck’s door, and o it went to Garysburg, about 85 miles to the south.

“And then, of course, when she got down to the distribu-

tion center, she shot o the truck,” Sida said. “That’s when we found out where she was and she was missing.”

An animal control o ce set up humane traps at the distribution center, where photos of Francine were posted

throughout. The center had dozens of monitoring cameras, and Lowe’s brought in thermal drones to survey the area.

An Instagram account una liated with Lowe’s dedicated to nding Francine grew to more than 34,000 followers.

On Saturday, Francine was spotted on camera near the distribution center. After more humane traps were installed, a volunteer checked each trap throughout the night. Finally, one of the traps triggered, and Francine’s meows could be heard.

Schneider and Sida got in a car early Monday and drove to get Francine.

“That ride going down, knowing that we were going to get her, was just heartwarming. Knowing she’s safe and that she’s coming back to the store to get o her two-week vacation,” Schneider said. Francine was a stray when

“What she means here to the store and the employees, you really can’t imagine the outpouring that the employees and also the customers give her daily.”

Wayne Schneider, Lowe’s store supervisor

she started living at the Lowe’s store more than eight years ago. Cats are common sightings around feed stores and garden centers, which contain large amounts of grain and seed that can be attractive to mice and rats. In New York City, cats are beloved xtures of the city’s bodegas and delis.

At the Lowe’s store, Francine “just showed up,” Sida said. “We had a bit of a mice problem. So, of course, I’m like, wow. I like this cat a lot because it’s helping me.”

Lowe’s doesn’t have an ocial policy about cats in stores. Asked why Francine wasn’t taken to someone’s residence after showing up, Sida said she is loved by employees and the community.

“Francine picked us. We didn’t pick her,” Sida said. “Later, we would embrace her being our store cat. But at the end of the day, she came to us. Where she’s at is where she wants to be. She does whatever she wants.”

Unlike Lowe’s employees, Francine does not wear a vest. She had been previously outtted with several collars but escaped them all. Now they intend to t her with a harness that includes identifying information.

A local brewery hosted a “Francine Fest” community event on Wednesday to celebrate the homecoming, while the store is planning its own team party.

Employees welcome back Francine on Tuesday.

Francine is back home at her Lowe’s store in Richmond, Virginia.

data-driven approach and her commitment to always putting students rst.

Shane Young, media specialist at East Albemarle Elementary, was honored as the 2025 NC School Library Media Association Region 6 School Librarian of the Year.

“Each year, the state chooses a Media Specialist of the Year from each of the eight regions in North Carolina who then goes on to further competition,” said Lynn Plummer, chief academic o cer for SCS. “Ms. Young, in everything that she does at East Albemarle Elementary School, was selected for Region Six for this school year.”

Dennis also announced that Oakboro Choice STEM School was o cially renewed as a STEM School of Distinction by Charles Aiken during a recent State School Board meeting. The school also received a nearly $15,000 grant from the National Inventors Hall of Fame to support two new STEM modules for its K-5 students.

“This recognition highlights the incredible work of our students, sta , and community in preparing learners for success through innovation, collaboration, and hands-on learning,” Dennis said.

Through the school’s STEM AMP classes, students will have the opportunity to innovate and explore hands-on learning experiences designed

to enhance creativity and problem-solving skills.

As a monthly tradition, Lydia Hedrick, assistant superintendent of human resources, announced the recipients of the school district’s Stanly Stars award, which recognizes the school district’s “exceptional, certi ed and classi ed employees.”

The six latest winners were Heather Nance (third grade teacher) and Kennedy Kirby (secretary) at Badin Elementary; Laura Almond (math teacher) and Julie Hunt (data manager) at North Stanly High; and Liddy Bray (third grade teacher) and Taylor Shue (teacher assistant) at Rich eld Elementary.

The school district also

made a special sta recognition, as North Stanly Middle School teacher Shawanna Long and school nurse Holly Williams were praised for their quick actions that recently saved a student who began choking during lunch.

Long immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver, dislodging the obstruction and saving the student’s life, while Williams provided follow-up medical care to ensure the student’s recovery.

The Stanly County Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 4 at 6:15 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.

COURTESY STANLY COUNTY SCHOOLS

Stanly County Schools EC Educator of the Year Bethany Lisk, left, greets school board member Meghan Almond.

STANLY SPORTS

Pfei er volleyball approaches midpoint of conference play

The Falcons are 3-4 against USA South opponents

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — Now in its eighth season as a USA South Athletic Conference member, the Pfei er Falcons volleyball team is still in the hunt for its rst USA South regular season or tournament title.

The Falcons (7-10, 3-4 USA South), who have won three of

their seven conference matchups so far during the 2025 season, recovered from a 3-0 loss to conference leader Greensboro College on Oct. 4 in Merner Gym with a 3-0 nonconference victory over Johnson and Wales Charlotte later that afternoon.

In the doubleheader win, the Falcons took down the Wildcats (5-13, 1-1 C2C) in straight sets, 25-20, 25-21, 25-18, marking a step forward after dropping three 25-20 sets to the Pride (12-2, 7-0 USA South) earlier that day.

Pfei er was paced in the vic -

“I’ve got ve seniors who want to go out and leave Pfei er on a high, and we’re doing it.”

Heather Schoch, Pfei er volleyball coach

tory by senior Madison Tate, who recorded a match-high 10 kills and a .667 hitting percentage. Junior Gabi Gama added 10 kills, eight digs and three aces, while junior setter

Karmen Rion directed the offense with 23 assists.

“Going into Greensboro, we knew they were going to be a really tough team,” Gama said. “They were undefeated in the USA South Conference, so in practice, we watched lots of lm. It was a competitive game, and we still thought that even though we lost, we did what we needed to do in preparation for Johnson & Wales. Coming in here, we just needed to play our game.”

Pfei er currently sits in sixth place out of 10 teams in the USA South standings.

Third-year head coach Heather Schoch is aiming to lead the Falcons to continued improvement after nishing 5-25 overall and 2-16 in USA South play last season. Since 1994, Pfei er volleyball has had just one winning season (2021) over the past 14 years.

“Coming o last season, we wanted to play as a group and as a family,” Schoch said. “We wanted to support each other. That shows on the court — they want the wins. They’re eager, and they wanted to improve on our record from last year. We’ve already done that. We have goals to get in the conference tournament, and we’re on pace to do that right now with the wins we’ve had. I’ve got ve seniors who want to go out and leave Pfei er on a high, and we’re doing it.”

The Falcons will hit the road to face conference third-place contender Salem (15-4, 5-2 USA South) on Tuesday night.

West Stanly volleyball claims 7th straight RRC title

The Colts are 75-0 in conference play since 2019

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

OAKBORO — The West Stanly volleyball team has done it again.

The Colts (19-3, 12-0 Rocky River Conference) used a 3-0 road victory (25-22, 25-23, 25-23) over the Mount Pleasant Tigers (9-13, 6-5 RRC) on Wednesday to claim their seventh consecutive regular-season conference championship — all with an undefeated league record.

The Colts — led by rst-year coach Alyssa Goforth — remain unbeaten in RRC play since dropping two conference games in 2018.

That marks 75 straight conference wins for West Stanly since the beginning of the 2019 season.

This year, West’s unblemished 12-0 conference record placed the Colts above second-place Anson and thirdplace Parkwood in the RRC standings, who had conference records of 10-2 and 7-4, respectively.

West now turns its focus to the Rocky River Conference Tournament, set for Monday

12-0

West Stanly volleyball’s conference record this season

through Wednesday with opponents to be determined. The state playo s are scheduled to begin Oct. 18. The Colts’ win at Mount Pleasant on Wednesday was their seventh straight victory, with their only setbacks this season coming against Cox Mill, Southwestern Randolph and Carson. With a deep lineup that includes eight players who have logged at least 30 sets, the Colts are led by seniors Saylor Edwards and Scarlet Grifn, along with junior Georgia Mo tt.

In the state’s 4A ranks, Edwards is fth in kills with 240, Gri n is 14th in aces with 55 and third in assists with 565, and Mo tt is 12th in digs with 302. For the Colts, senior Payton Watson is second on the team with 140 kills, junior Layla Little is second with 138 digs and sophomore Elan Hagerty is rst with 16 blocks. The 2025 Colts have proven

Pfei er’s Kelsey Hussey makes a play during the Falcons’ matchup at Brevard on Sept. 30.

STANLY VS. STANLY SPORTS STANDINGS

A look at the rivalry games between county teams in volleyball, soccer and football

Stanly News Journal sta

WE’VE TRACKED Stanly County’s rivalry games against other county rivals. Originally, we were planning to look at the teams across all sports. However, one school that doesn’t field teams in other sport has shown on the field and floor that our decision was short-sighted. So, with apologies for the unintended slight, we welcome Gray Stone Day to our standings.

North Stanly closed out its volleyball regular season with a 3-0 home win over Albemarle.

That moved the Comets into a tie with West Stanly for most rivalry wins among the county’s teams.

With postseason play on the horizon, here are the standings.

West Stanly 4-0

North Stanly 4-2

South Stanly 2-4

Albemarle 0-4

Remaining intracounty showdown: Oct. 7, Albemarle at North Stanly

Expanding the field to include Stanly’s fifth school shakes up the standings a bit. Unbeaten West has the best record but one fewer win than North. The Knights make a strong case for being included all season by placing third.

West Stanly 5-0

North Stanly 6-2

Gray Stone Day 3-4

South Stanly 3-5 Albemarle 0-6

Upcoming games: Oct. 13 Albemarle at South Stanly

In boys’ soccer, North Stanly beat South Stanly, 8-5. North also fell to Gray Stone Day, 5-1.

Albemarle 3-0

North Stanly 2-1

West Stanly 0-0

South Stanly 0-4

Upcoming intracounty showdown

games

South Stanly at West Stanly, Oct. 9

• Albemarle at Gray Stone Day, Oct. 13

• Albemarle at North Stanly, Oct. 15

South Stanly at Gray Stone Day, Oct. 15

And here are the standings expanded to include charter school soccer powerhouse Gray Stone Day.

Gray Stone Day 5-0

Albemarle 3-1

North Stanly 2-3

West Stanly 0-1

South Stanly 0-5

In football, North Stanly got a 37-0 shutout of Albemarle to jump in front in the county vs. county standings.

North Stanly 2-0

South Stanly 1-0

West Stanly 1-2

Albemarle 0-2

Next intracounty showdown:

North Stanly at South Stanly, Oct. 10

Remaining games

South Stanly at Albemarle, Oct. 31

Gray Stone doesn’t participate in football.

Over all three sports, North has pulled in front by percentage points.

Overall Stanly-on-Stanly standings: volleyball, soccer and football

North Stanly 8-3

West Stanly 5-2

Albemarle 3-6

South Stanly 3-8

Including Gray Stone, the overall standings are:

North Stanly 10-5

Gray Stone Day 8-4

West Stanly 6-3

South Stanly 4-10

Albemarle 3-9

FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets have gone on sale

The rst round of ticket buyers were selected by lottery

By Tim Reynolds The Associated Press

MIAMI — Not even half of the spots in the 48-team eld have been claimed. The schedule of matches won’t be nalized until December. And other than host nations U.S., Canada and Mexico, nobody has any idea where or when they’ll be playing.

Millions of soccer fans worldwide evidently don’t seem to mind any of those points. Tickets to next year’s FIFA World Cup o cially went on sale last Wednesday. The buyers will be those who were selected, out of 4.5 million applicants in a lottery that took place last month, to have the rst formal chance to purchase tickets. FIFA said lottery winners were informed by email.

There are unique questions for consumers heading into the tournament, particularly about how they’ll get visas, if necessary, to visit the U.S. as the country cracks down on immigration. There are also more traditional concerns such as who, when and where — and none of those will be answered until the draw on Dec. 5. FIFA knows many fans won’t fret about those answers; they just want tickets now and will gure out the rest later.

“These are not only outstanding gures, but also a strong statement,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said on social media, reacting to the 4.5 million applicants for a spot in the purchase window that opened last Wednesday. “The whole world wants to be part of the FIFA World Cup 26, the biggest, most inclusive and most exciting event ever. From Canada, Mexico and the United States, to countries big and small across every continent, fans are proving once again passion for football truly unites.”

In divided times, the notion of soccer being something that “truly unites” will be put to the test.

Here are some things to know as tickets go on sale.

Fans can purchase seats in one of four categories; Category 1 is the best seats, Category 4 is somewhere around the tops of stadiums. Ticket prices will range ini-

tially from $60 for group-stage matches to $6,730 for the nal but could — and almost certainly will — change as soccer’s biggest event utilizes dynamic pricing for the rst time.

The U.S., Mexico and Canada all automatically quali ed as host nations. Also in so far: defending champion Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, Iran, Uzbekistan, Jordan, South Korea, Brazil, Australia, Ecuador, Uruguay, Tunisia, Colombia, Paraguay and Morocco.

That leaves 30 spots still unclaimed.

FIFA said fans from 216 countries and territories applied to be part of the rst ticket lottery. The top three nations of interest, to no surprise, were the hosts: the U.S., Mexico and Canada, in that order. The rest of the top 10, also in order of application totals, were Germany, England, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Spain and Italy.

Nobody has said how many tickets FIFA plans to sell in this rst window. Availability won’t be depleted; based on the listed stadium attendance gures, there are roughly 7.1 million seats to ll for the 104 matches around 16 North American venues, though it’s unknown how many of those seats will be available for sale to the public.

The U.S. cities that are scheduled to host are East Rutherford, New Jersey; Inglewood, California; Foxborough, Massachusetts; Houston; Arlington, Texas; Atlanta; Seattle; Santa Clara, California; Philadelphia; Kansas City, Missouri; and Miami Gardens, Florida.

A second phase, called an early ticket draw, likely will run from Oct. 27-31, with purchase time slots from mid-November to early December. A third phase, termed a random selection draw, will start after the nal draw of teams Dec. 5 determines the World Cup schedule.

Tickets also will be available closer to the tournament “on a rst-come, rstserved basis.” FIFA also said it will start an o cial resale platform.

Some tickets already have been snagged; hospitality packages sold out in May.

“The world will come together in North America,” Infantino promised, “like never before.”

The tournament runs from June 11 through July 19.

Landon Kimrey

North Stanly, volleyball

Landon Kimrey is sophomore co-captain for the North Stanly volleyball team.

The Comets won four straight and eight of nine to move to 15-10, 9-1 in conference.

In last week’s straight-set wins over North Rowan, Concord and Albemarle, Kimrey had a total of 11 service aces, 17 digs, 10 assists and 26 receptions.

For the season, she ranks 15th in the state in digs and leads the Yadkin Valley 2A/3A.

ACC bets on being 1st league in college football to bring TV viewers inside live replay reviews

By Aaron Beard The Associated Press

FLORIDA STATE and Virginia were locked in a double-overtime thriller as the ball headed to Seminoles receiver Duce Robinson in the end zone. Robinson bobbled the catch, then continued that juggle through the back of the end zone and out of bounds. The call was a touchdown, the kind of narrow-margin play certain to get closer scrutiny in replay review.

Only now, TV viewers for ACC games get a clear window into how o cials decide to overturn or uphold those calls.

The ACC is the rst college league to let viewers listen live to reviews during select broadcasts. There’s no waiting for referees to take o their headset after a mystery- lled stoppage and deliver a verdict. Instead, viewers can hear frame-by-frame discussions between stadium ocials and the replay command center at the league headquarters in Charlotte.

It’s o ered a welcome dose of transparency, along with rave reviews for taking viewers somewhere they’ve never been before.

“You hear the whole conversation,” said Bryan Jaroch, ESPN vice president of sports production. “That transparency takes out any of the second-guessing of how they came to their decision. I would love to see this across every conference. We’re trying to push for that. But I think it’s exactly what we need to do.”

The rst run

The debut came with 6:34 left in the rst quarter of the Aug. 30 game between SMU and East Texas A&M on the ACC Network, a review that overturned a fumble call on Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings by ruling his arm was coming forward for an incompletion. There have been seven games with the replay listen-in, generally earmarked for Friday night broadcasts on ESPN or ESPN2, as well as Saturday

nights on the ACC Network. The ACC and ESPN, which have a media rights deal through the 2035-36 season, are still tinkering with the visual presentation of video overlays and graphics. But the experiment already has succeeded in pulling back the curtain with reviews.

“I think, generally speaking, when people communicate, things get better,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “Because when people don’t communicate, then people assume, right? Our brains are designed to tell stories, so we either have the facts of the story or we make up the facts of the story.

Getting started

ESPN had experimented with providing access to replay-review conversations going back to XFL games in 2023. The broadcaster had worked with the ACC last year to have a rules analyst listen to conversations between the on- eld referee, the stadium replay o cial in the booth and the Charlotte replay center. Then ESPN suggested letting viewers listen in, too.

The ACC had been working with o -site replay assistance for roughly a decade back to its previous home in Greensboro. When it opened its current

Federer leads Tennis Hall of Fame nominees

Svetlana Kuznetsova and Juan Martin del Potro are also on the ballot

By Howard Fendrich The Associated Press

ROGER FEDERER LEADS

the list of nominees announced for the International Tennis Hall of Fame’s class of 2026. He was the rst man to win 20 Grand Slam singles titles and ushered in an era of unprecedented greatness with younger rivals Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. With a terri c forehand and serve, an attacking, all-court style and footwork that helped make everything seem so e ortless, Federer won 103 trophies and 1,251 matches in singles, totals surpassed among men only by Jimmy Connors in the Open era, which began in 1968. Federer nished ve seasons

at No. 1 in the ATP rankings, spent a record 237 consecutive weeks in that spot, led Switzerland to the 2014 Davis Cup title and teamed with Stan Wawrinka to claim a doubles gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

At the height of his powers, Federer reached a record 10 consecutive Grand Slam nals from 2005-07, capturing eight titles in that span; he extended that dominance by making 18 of 19 major nals into 2010. There also were streaks of 36 quarternals in a row and 23 straight semi nals.

Federer, an ambassador for the game who often spoke in English, French and Swiss German at news conferences, played his last match at Wimbledon in 2021. He was a month shy of 40 at the time.

“You hear the whole conversation. That transparency takes out any of the secondguessing of how they came to their decision.”

Bryan Jaroch, ESPN vice president of sports production

headquarters in Charlotte two years ago, the plan included a video feed in the new command center showing replay o cials huddling around monitors to study replays.

“We always say we have nothing to hide in that room,” said Michael Strickland, league senior vice president for football. “We wanted to put our money where our mouth was. So we started with the camera and that worked well. TV liked to use it.

“This sharing of the audio is kind of just the next iteration of that underlying philosophy that we’ve had for quite a while. And it is re ective of the ACC being willing to be a rst mover in many di erent areas.”

Jaroch credited the ACC for making “a leap of faith” by putting those pressure-packed reviews on display. As he said: “Access always wins when it comes to fans.”

Strickland credited Commissioner Jim Phillips for signing o on the idea as good for the league and, more broadly, the sport.

“He could’ve easily said, ‘I don’t want to take that risk,’” Strickland said. “But he did not. He went the other route. It’s pretty awesome to work for somebody who believes in a group of people like he did and does.”

illo and administrator Marshall Happer. The inductees will be announced in November.

His retirement announcement didn’t come until the following year, and he bid farewell with an appearance alongside Nadal in doubles at the Laver Cup, an event his management company founded.

Federer is joined in the Hall’s player category on the ballot by two-time major singles champion Svetlana Kuznetsova and 2009 U.S. Open winner Juan Martin del Potro. There are two nominees in the contributor category: TV announcer Mary Car-

Federer is among eight men with at least one singles trophy from each of the sport’s four most important events, winning eight at Wimbledon, six at the Australian Open, ve at the U.S. Open and one at the French Open. He completed his career Grand Slam at Roland-Garros in 2009. His rst major championship came at the All England Club in 2003, and he broke Pete Sampras’ then-record for a man of 14 Slam titles by winning Wimbledon in 2009, defeating Andy Roddick 16-14 in the fth set of the nal.

Federer’s run of ve consecutive U.S. Opens — no man has won two in a row there since — ended in the 2009nal with a ve-set loss to del Po-

tro. At the time, del Potro was not quite 21 and seemed destined for an elite career thanks in part to his booming forehand, but a series of wrist and knee injuries derailed the 6-foot-6 Argentine. He ended up with 22 tour-level titles and a career-high ranking of No. 3, while reaching one other Grand Slam nal, nishing as the runner-up to Djokovic at the 2018 U.S. Open. Del Potro earned a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics and helped Argentina win the Davis Cup that year. His last appearance at a major tournament was a fourth-round run at the 2019 French Open.

Kuznetsova won major trophies in singles at the 2004 U.S. Open and 2009 French Open, and in doubles at the Australian Open on 2005 and 2012, got to No. 2 in the WTA rankings in singles and No. 3 in doubles, and was part of three championships with Russia in the competition now known as the Billie Jean King Cup. Kuznetsova won 18 tour-level events in singles and 16 in doubles.

AARON BEARD / AP PHOTO

Alberto Riveron, right, the ACC supervisor of football o cials, works in the league’s new gameday operations center Saturday in Charlotte.

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned has quali ed as Executrix of the Estate of KENNETH W. MORGAN a/k/a KENNETH W. MORGAN, SR., deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina (Stanly County File Number 25E000525830). This is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said decedent or his estate to present the same duly itemized and veri ed to the undersigned Executrix or her Attorney on or before the 29th day of December 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the decedent or to his estate are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executrix or her attorney. This the 28th day of September 2025. ANITA M. WILSON Executrix ESTATE OF KENNETH W. MORGAN a/k/a KENNETH W. MORGAN, SR. 21485 McNeil Road Albemarle, NC 28001

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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE ROWAN COUNTY DISTRICT COURT DIVISION 25 CVD 1133 LARRY WAYNE FURR, JR,) (Plainti ,) Vs. HELEN MICHELLE THOMAS, (Defendant,) TO: HELEN MICHELLE THOMAS PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT A COMPLAINT AND SUMMONS HAVE BEEN FILED AGAINST YOU BY PLAINTIFF LARRY FURR FOR ABSOLUTE DIVORCE IN THE ROWAN COUNTY COURTHOUSE. YOU WILL HAVE UNTIL TO DECEMBER 1, 2025 TO ANSWER THIS COMPLAINT AT 210 N. MAIN STREET, SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA, 28144. THIS NOTICE IS SENT PURSUANT TO N.C. GEN STAT 1-597. THIS IS THE 28 DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2025.

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Losing family pet gives parents chance to teach children about death, grieving

Sadness, anger and other overwhelming emotions associated with grief may be more di cult for younger children

By Cheyanne Mumphrey

The Associated Press

LOSING A PET is the rst time many children encounter death. The experience can become an opportunity for profound emotional learning and in uence how young people understand and process grief when they are adults, according to psychologists and pet bereavement specialists.

Parents and guardians therefore have important roles to play when a family pet dies. Along with helping children accept the painful permanence of death, caregivers can guide kids through a healthy and healing mourning process that provides a foundation for coping with an inevitable part of life.

“People are so adverse to talking about death and grief, but it is the one thing that is guaranteed: We are all going to die. We need to be open to talking about that,” said Deirdra Flavin, CEO of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief.

Here are some things to consider when talking with children about death and supporting them through pet loss.

Children respond to death in di erent ways

Depending on how old they are and their individual circumstances, children vary in their ability to comprehend the concept of death. The way they process grief, how long they mourn and the impact of the loss is also unique to each child, just as it is for adults. Experts say sadness, anger and other overwhelming emotions associated with grief may be more di cult for younger children to navigate, so having support is crucial.

Psychologists and bereavement counselors say some people feel the heartbreak from a pet’s death as intensely as the loss of any other loved one, reecting the potential depths of human-animal bonds. In the case of children, their relationship with a pet, and whether the death was sudden or not, are other factors that may shape individual responses.

Colleen Rolland, president of the Association for Pet Loss and Bereavement, says parents usually know how intellectually and emotionally capable their children are of processing death. Children as young as 4 years old might have been exposed to death through fairy tales and other stories but may struggle to understand its nality, Rolland said. Older children, who will know their loss is forever, may need more emotional support from friends and family, she said.

Elizabeth Perez said she learned quickly how di erently her three children processed the death of their dog, Zoe, who was hit by a car nearly a yearand-a-half ago in front of their second daughter. The other two children were inside the family’s home in Pullman, Washington.

“Carmen would talk about

how the images kept replaying in her head, she was having nightmares and couldn’t sleep,” Perez said, adding that her daughter hasn’t worn the dress she had on that day since.

Perez recalls she and her husband spending a lot of time with Carmen, now 11, and asking her questions about her feelings.

Even their youngest child, who did not see the car hit Zoe and had spent the least amount of time with the dog, still tears up thinking about the April 2024 accident.

“It was really hard for the whole family. Everybody was feeling it di erently and at different times,” Perez said. “We, as parents, did not feel prepared.”

Using clear language and avoiding euphemisms

Experts say it’s important to be honest and use clear language when discussing death with children. Adults often are inclined to protect children with euphemisms, such as a pet

went to sleep, got lost or was put down.

“That can be alarming for children and cause a lot of confusion and fear. So, saying ‘The sh went to sleep’ might create concerns for the child when they are going to sleep,” Flavin said. “Particularly with younger kids because they are so literal in terms of the way that things are expressed to them.”

When Leah Motz’s daughter was 2 years old, she told her their 15-year-old dog, Izzy, had a “good life but his body is broken and it won’t be able to x itself.” Motz recalled that before taking him to be euthanized near their home in Renton, Washington, she further explained they were going to “help Izzy die.”

Support children through deep feelings

Sometimes adults have a hard time recognizing the impact that losing a pet instead of a person might have on chil-

dren. Rolland says child grief tends to be trivialized in general, and that people who are very devoted to their pets can produce as much stigma as sympathy.

“But pet loss is a very real form of grief,” she said.

Raquel Halfond, a licensed clinical psychologist with the American Psychological Association, says children’s behavior often indicates how they are feeling even if they are not expressing it verbally.

“Maybe you notice your child is having more tantrums. Suddenly there’s stu that they used to love doing, they no longer want to do. Maybe they start to refuse to go to school. It’s really normal to have these for a while,” Halfond said.

Other signs to look for include uncharacteristic sadness, tears, anger and even silence, she said. A child’s emotional response is often independent of their willingness to talk about death, but she said it might be time to seek professional help if their emotions or behavior affect their ability to function.

It’s OK for adults to grieve with children

Much like they do in other situations or developmental stages, children often learn how to handle grief by watching their caregivers. The way adults respond to loss is likely to set an example for their children.

“Parents, or caregivers, must be con dent in how they deal with pet loss,” Rolland said, adding that parents who are unfamiliar with grief or display unhealthy behaviors might teach children to act in the same manner.

Two of Meaghan Marr’s dogs died in Euharlee, Geor-

gia, when her two children were young. The rst to go, Sadie, had ongoing health issues, so Marr was able to have continuous conversations and prepare her then-7-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter.

“My son de nitely understood what was going on. While my daughter was sad, it didn’t quite reach her as deeply,” Marr said. She said it seemed like a lot of the children’s’ emotions were in response to her own grieving for a pet she refers to as her “soulmate dog.”

Halfond advises parents not to hide their feelings from their children.

“If you’re feeling sad, it’s OK for the child to see you feeling sad. In fact, it could be confusing if something sad happened and they don’t see that emotion re ected in their parents,” she said.

Leave room for closure and lifelong memories

One way to help children come to terms with the death of a pet is by memorializing the lives of the late companions through activities such as raising money for animals in need, drawing pictures, holding funerals or doing the things their pets loved to do.

Before their dog Sadie died, Marr said many of the conversations with her kids centered around how dogs don’t live forever and would one day go to heaven. The di cult part for her was explaining that was true of every pet.

“We talked about if they still wanted animals even though they are not going to last as long as we do,” she said. “It hurts to lose them, but they make your life so much better while they are here.”

PHOTOS BY BRYNN ANDERSON / ASSOCIATED PRESS

Meaghan and Chris Marr pose with their children and dogs for a photograph last month in Cartersville, Georgia.

Meaghan Marr holds the ashes her previous dog, Jewels, last month.

famous birthdays

this week

Shirley Caesar is 87, Marie Osmond turns 66, Jerry Rice is 63, Bob Weir turns 78, Eminem is 53

The Associated Press

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

OCT. 12

NASCAR Hall of Famer Ned Jarrett is 93. Broadcast journalist Chris Wallace is 78. Singer-songwriter Jane Siberry is 70. Actor Hiroyuki Sanada is 65. Jazz musician Chris Botti is 63. Actor Hugh Jackman is 57. Actor Kirk Cameron is 55.

OCT. 13

Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is 87. Singer-musician Paul Simon is 84. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is 83. Singer-musician Sammy Hagar is 78. Singer/ TV personality Marie Osmond is 66. Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is 63. Actor Sacha Baron Cohen is 54.

OCT. 14

Former White House counsel John W. Dean III is 87. Fashion designer Ralph Lauren is 86. Football Hall of Famer Charlie Joiner is 78. Musician Thomas Dolby is 67. Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi is 64. Actor Steve Coogan is 60.

OCT. 15

Baseball Hall of Famer Jim Palmer is 80. Musician Richard Carpenter is 79. Film director Mira Nair is 68. Chef Emeril Lagasse is 66. Actor Dominic West is 56. R&B singer Ginuwine is 55.

OCT. 16

Actor Fernanda Montenegro is 96. Actor Barry Corbin is 85. Musician Bob Weir is 78. Actor-director Tim Robbins is 67. Rock musician Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers) is 63. Singer John Mayer is 48.

OCT. 17

Singer Gary Puckett is 83. Actor-musician Michael McKean is 78. Astronaut Mae Jemison is 69. Country singer Alan Jackson is 67. Animator- lmmaker Mike Judge is 63. Reggae singer Ziggy Marley is 57. Musician Wyclef Jean is 56. Golf Hall of Famer Ernie

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Eleven-time Grammy winner and pastor Shirley Caesar performs at BET network’s Annual Celebration of Gospel in 2007. The “Queen of Gospel” turns 87 on Monday.

Els is 56. Rapper Eminem is 53. OCT. 18

Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka is 86. Composer Howard Shore is 79. Actor Joe Morton is 78. Author Terry McMillan is 74. Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova is 69. Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme is 65. Jazz musician Wynton Marsalis is 64.

this week in history

Hazel devastates Carolinas, Napoleon exiled, Marie Antoinette beheaded, “Baby Jessica” rescued

The Associated Press

OCT. 12

1492: Christopher Columbus’ rst expedition made landfall on what is now San Salvador Island in the Bahamas.

1870: General Robert E. Lee, former overall commander of the Confederate States Army in the Civil War, died in Lexington, Virginia, at age 63.

1984: British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher escaped an attempt on her life when an Irish Republican Army bomb exploded at a hotel in Brighton, England, killing ve people.

OCT. 13

1792: The cornerstone of the executive mansion, later known as the White House, was laid by President George Washington.

1943: Italy declared war on Germany, its one-time Axis partner.

1972: A Uruguayan ight with 45 people crashed in the Andes; 16 survivors were rescued after more than two months, having endured by eating the dead.

2016: Bob Dylan won the Nobel Prize in literature.

OCT. 14

1066: Normans under William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.

1586: Mary, Queen of Scots, went on trial in England, accused of committing treason against Queen Elizabeth I. (Mary was beheaded in February 1587.)

1947: U.S. Air Force Capt. Chuck Yeager became the rst person to break the sound barrier.

1964: Civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize.

1964: In one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, American Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota, won the 10,000-meter race at the Tokyo Summer Games.

OCT. 15

1815: Napoleon Bonaparte

Marie Antoinette, queen of France, was beheaded on Oct. 16, 1793, during the French Revolution after being convicted of treason amid the fall of the monarchy.

was exiled to the South Atlantic Island of St. Helena, where he spent the nal 51⁄2 years of his life.

1954: Hurricane Hazel struck the Carolina coast as a Category 4 storm, killing about 1,000 in the Caribbean, 95 in the U.S. and 81 in Canada.

2017: Actor and activist Alyssa Milano tweeted that women who had been sexually harassed or assaulted should write “Me too” as a status. Within hours, tens of thousands had taken up the #MeToo hashtag.

OCT. 16

1793: Marie Antoinette, queen of France, was beheaded during the French Revolution.

1859: Abolitionist John Brown led a failed raid on the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, deepening North-South ten-

sions that led to the Civil War.

1934: Chinese Communists, under siege by the Nationalists, began their “Long March,” a year-long retreat from southeastern to northwestern China.

1962: The Cuban missile crisis began as President John F. Kennedy was informed that reconnaissance photos had revealed Soviet nuclear missile sites in Cuba.

1987: Eighteen-monthold Jessica (“Baby Jessica”) McClure was pulled from an abandoned well in Midland, Texas, after being trapped for more than two days.

OCT. 17

1777: British forces under Gen. John Burgoyne surrendered to American troops in Saratoga, New York, marking a turning point in the Revolutionary War.

1931: Mobster Al Capone was convicted in Chicago of income tax evasion. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and ned $50,000.

1979: Mother Teresa of India was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

OCT. 18

1867: The United States took formal possession of Alaska from Russia.

1931: Inventor Thomas Edison died at age 84.

1977: Reggie Jackson hit three home runs in Game 6 of the World Series to lead the New York Yankees to an 8-4 win and a 4-2 Series victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. His performance earned him the nickname “Mr. October.”

Taylor Swift’s ‘The Life of a Showgirl’ out now, breaking records

Swifties can collect vinyl and CD variants of the new album

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Lights, camera, action. Taylor Swift’s 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” has arrived. Are you ready for it?

Swift announced her latest era back in August, when she began teasing the release.

Here’s everything you need to know: how to stream, which variants exist and, of course, how the album came together. Enjoy the show!

How to listen to Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl”

“The Life of a Showgirl” is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.

Fans were able to presave the album ahead of its release on Oct. 3. Presaving ensures the new music automatically appears in a fan’s library the moment it is available. It is also a way for an artist to promote streams ahead of the drop date.

Spotify announced last Friday that Swift’s album surpassed 6 million presaves on their platform to become the most presaved album in its history. The previous title holder? Her 2024 album “The Tortured Poets Department.” “The Life of a Showgirl” also became Spotify’s most-streamed album in a

“The Life of a Showgirl” broke the record for most streams in its rst 24 hours, globally.” Amazon Music

single day in 2025 — and in its rst 11 hours of release. Also last Friday, Amazon Music announced “The Life of a Showgirl” broke the record for most streams in its rst 24 hours, globally. In addition to the many streaming options, there will also be a digital-download variant of “The Life of a Showgirl” available via iTunes, featuring a new cover image and a nearly three-minute “exclusive video from Taylor herself detailing inspirations behind the album” labeled “A Look Behind the Curtain.”

What physical variants are there?

Target is once again a major partner with Swift. Their stores are carrying three CD variants, titled as “It’s Frightening,” “It’s Rapturous” and “It’s Beautiful” editions. There is also an exclusive vinyl release, “The Crowd Is Your King” edition in “summertime spritz pink shimmer vinyl.” Many Target locations will remain open past midnight on the day of release for superfans to pick up in real time.

“The

There are a number of other vinyl variants as well: “The Tiny Bubble in Champagne Collection,” which features two vinyl variants described as “under bright lights pearles -

cent vinyl” and “red lipstick & lace transparent vinyl.”

There is also “The Baby That’s Show Business Collection,” in two colorways: “lovely bouquet golden vinyl” and “lakeside beach blue sparkle vinyl.”

Then there’s “The Shiny Bug Collection” in “violet shimmer marbled vinyl” and “wintergreen and onyx marbled vinyl.”

PORTRAIT OF MARIE ANTOINETTE (17551793) VIA WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Rock frontman Sammy Hagar turns 78 on Monday.

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO Actor Kirk Cameron, pictured in 2017 in Washington, D.C., turns 55 on Sunday.

AP PHOTO

High tides, whipped in by Hurricane Hazel, shatter boats and buildings in Swansboro, North Carolina, Oct. 15, 1954, as the storm lashes the Atlantic seaboard.

JEFF CHIU / AP PHOTO

Amy Davis, left, and Jenni Boyer take photos before the o cial release of Taylor Swift’s new album,

Life of a Showgirl,” at the AMC Metreon in San Francisco last Friday.

Once-secret emperor’s passage to Colosseum prepares for opening

The ancient amphitheater has been undergoing renovations

By Andrea Rosa and Giada Zampano

The Associated Press

ROME — For the rst time in nearly 2,000 years, visitors to Rome’s world-renowned Colosseum will have the opportunity to walk through a hidden imperial passage that once allowed Roman emperors to reach the ancient amphitheater unseen.

The once-secret corridor — known as the “Commodus Passage” and named after the Roman emperor turned into a pop icon by Ridley Scott’s movie “Gladiator” — opens to the public on Oct. 27, marking an extraordinary milestone in archaeological preservation and access.

Archaeologists at the Colosseum Archaeological Park explained that Roman emperors would use the passage to enter

the arena unseen and protected, leading them directly to their reserved honor box overlooking the games.

The passage was named after Emperor Commodus, who lived between 180 and 192 A.D., when it was initially discovered in the 1810s. Commodus was known to be passionate about gladiators’ games and history relates that while he was passing through the tunnel, someone attempted to assassinate him, but was unsuccessful.

At the passage entrance, archaeologists discovered remnants of decorative elements directly related to arena spectacles, including depictions of boar hunts, bear ghts and acrobatic performances. These artistic elements provided a tting prelude to the brutal entertainments that awaited beyond, they noted.

The corridor is shaped as an ’S’ and continues outside the Colosseum arena, but its nal destination remains uncertain.

“Visitors can now have a taste of what it was like to be an emperor entering the arena,” said Barbara Nazzaro, the architect who oversaw the restoration works. “With a little e ort of imagination and the help of a virtual reconstruction, they can appreciate the decorations, stuccoes, frescoes and marbles that covered the walls.”

The project — completed between Oct. 2024 and Sept. 2025 — included structural conservation, restoration of decorative stuccoes and plasters and the installation of a new walkway. A new lighting system recreates the natural light that once ltered through small vault openings, and a digital reconstruction helps visitors visualize the passage’s original appearance.

A second restoration project, expected to begin in early 2026, will involve the section of the tunnel extending beyond the perimeter of the Colosseum.

SUDOKU