Air India ight headed to London with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeo Ahmedabad, India
An Air India plane crashed Thursday in the northwestern Indian city of Ahmedabad. Visuals showed smoke billowing from the crash site near the airport. India’s head of civil aviation told The Associated Press that Air India ight 171, a Boeing 787, crashed into a residential area ve minutes after taking o .
Supreme Court revives suit from Atlanta family whose home was wrongly raided by FBI
The Supreme Court is giving a family whose home was wrongly raided by the FBI a new day in court. The decision revives a lawsuit led after a predawn raid in 2017 when agents pointed guns at a couple and a 7-year-old boy before realizing they were in the wrong house. Trina Martin and her then-boyfriend sued, but lower courts tossed the case. Public interest groups said the case would severely narrow the legal path for people to sue the federal government and hold law enforcement accountable.
Back at Bragg
President Donald Trump made a trip to the newly renamed Fort Bragg on Tuesday as part of weeklong festivities celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army. Both the president and attendees received demonstrations of capabilities from Army units based at the facility, before speeches from N.C. native and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and the president.
School board members express concern on public transparency
The board is continuing to pursue school consolidation plans
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Multiple members of the Stanly County Board of Education recently voiced their concerns about board transparency regarding the county school district’s consolidation plans.
At the June 3 school board meeting, Board Member Carla Poplin spoke out on the issue, o ering her opinion that the board has been guilty of selectively choosing which policies and procedures to follow when it comes to clarity with the public.
The former Lexington water resources director brings 35 years of experience to the city
By Charles Cucio Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The City of Albemarle will have a new director for its public utilities department starting next month.
On Wednesday, Todd Clark, the Albemarle city manager, announced Tom Johnson has been appointed as the next director of public utilities.
Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from Brookstone College and holds certications in water treatment
“This board has been operating since January in a manner that I’m not personally proud of as it pertains to the public in a manner of civility and respect,” Poplin said. “A school board should be focused on student outcomes, due diligence and transparency. Instead, we are operating behind closed doors
and wastewater treatment.
The new utilities director has more than 35 years of work experience, both in municipal and private sectors, in the eld of water and wastewater. Included in Johnson’s experience is putting in place an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI), a project which is currently underway by the City of Albemarle.
“Tom Johnson’s vast experience in managing public utilities operations, both dayto-day and in long-term strategic planning, will be highly valuable to our city,” Clark said. “I look forward to Tom continuing the progress we’ve made to enhance service quality and reliability.”
“We are developing plans for redistricting in committee and pushing personal agendas.”
Carla
Poplin, board member
BOTTOM PHOTOS BY ALEX BRANDON/ AP PHOTO
Piano students of Alma Rae Tucciarone receive national honors
The piano students of local teacher Alma Rae Tucciarone recently received superior ratings during the National Piano Auditions. Students were evaluated by teachers in auditions sponsored by the National Guild of Piano Teachers, receiving superior ratings. The students were evaluated on both the musical and technical aspects of their performances. Seated: Natalie Clark. Standing, left to right: Elijah Ingle, Cora Barbee, Ry Ines, Bryson Barbee, Sydney McRae and Luke Jacobi.
Albemarle Police’s CALEA public comment portal opens
The department announced the status update on June 2
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Members of the general public can now submit evaluations of the performance and e ectiveness of the Albemarle Police Department.
The APD announced earlier this month that the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) public comment portal is open for submissions at cimrs2.calea.org.
“As part of the accreditation process, members of the public can o er input through an online public portal,” APD said in a June 2 statement. “The purpose of the portal is to receive input regarding an agency’s compliance with CALEA standards, engagement in the service community, delivery of public safety services, and overall candidacy for accredited status. The APD is com-
mitted to the CALEA’s accreditation standard: to foster continuous improvement in service and operations and further the pursuit of professional excellence.”
The announcement noted that all public input must be made using the CALEA portal because the commission does not receive any input from social media comments.
For three decades, APD has maintained its CALEA status as an accredited law enforcement agency, con rming that the department has met and achieved 461 standards related to life, health, safety, community engagement and personnel practices.
Representatives and members of the department attended last July’s four-day Summer CALEA Conference in Winston-Salem.
The 2025 summer conference will be held Aug. 6-9 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Following a continuous pattern that began in July 1995, the CALEA Board of Commissioners voted in Winston-Salem to approve APD’s
accreditation request. The accreditation lasts four years, and a governing body of 21 commissioners renders the decision following a public hearing and review of documentation.
Over the past 46 years, CALEA has maintained its status as a credentialing authority for law enforcement’s major executive associations.
The process begins with annual reports and training, continuing with onsite assessments and full commission review hearings.
CALEA’s accreditation for public safety agencies is based on evaluating the number of full-time employees in an agency, coupled with the e ectiveness of their respective responsibilities.
Created in 1979, CALEA was a joint e ort by four major law enforcement associations to bring together a credentialing authority: the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, the National Sheri ’s Association and the Police Executive Research Forum.
and around Stanly County:
June 16
Needle Bugs, Knitting and Crocheting
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Social group for those who enjoy any type of needlework. Bring your supplies.
Norwood Branch Library 207 Pee Dee Ave. Norwood
Color & Connect: Drop In
9:30-11:30 a.m.
For those who need some relaxing “me” time. Come to the library and enjoy co ee or tea while you get a little creative. Supplies are provided, or feel free to bring your own.
Main Library 133 E. Main St. Albemarle
June 18
Storytime (upstairs) 10-10:30 a.m.
Social group for children 3-plus for story, singing and dancing time. Children must be accompanied by parents at all times.
133 E. Main St. Albemarle
June 28
Sprinkle & Splash
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
Free water fun event. Children can play in sprinklers and participate in fun yard games. Be dressed to get wet and be sure to bring sunscreen, a chair/blanket and everything else you’ll need.
240 Lions Club Drive Locust
Summer Concert Series: Remington Cartee Music
7-10 p.m.
Along with live music, participants can enjoy goods from vendors o ering food, beverages, crafts and more. This family-friendly event provides multiple activities for children. Admission is free; bring your own chairs or blankets for seating.
Locust City Hall Backyard
186 Ray Kennedy Drive Locust
COURTESY PHOTO
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
The scavenger mentality
Society, it turns out, is constructed on success. It is founded on achievement.
AS LOS ANGELES burst into riots this week over a federal immigration raid, one protester took to his social media channels to explain just what was going on -- why arsonists armed with Palestinian ags stood alongside vandals armed with Palestinian ags, why some masked protesters hurled rocks at police cars while others summoned automated Waymo taxis only to set them on re. His explanation for the riots was lucid and fascinating. The riots, he said, were not about illegal immigration. Of course they weren’t -- there are tens of millions of people living illegally in the United States right now, and President Donald Trump ran three times on removing them. No, said the protester; the riots were about something more.
“Wherever you’re at,” the masked and gloved protester explained, “we all have a common enemy. It is the same one everywhere you go. When you go down the street, there’s the enemy -- there’s the enemy that works for the enemy, who they all work under. So we all share the same common enemy ... From LA to Africa to Palestine to Vietnam, we all have the same enemy ... We all have to work in unison to ght that one enemy.” One of his friends chimes in, “Capitalism, imperialism, Zionism!” The protester continues, “The more we can grow as a people, then the quicker we can get to this revolution, and overturn this m——erf---er!”
This, in a nutshell, is what I have labeled, in my upcoming book, “Lions and Scavengers,” the scavenger mentality. It seeks to build nothing. It seeks to tear down everything. From rioters setting cars a ame to ght the legal authorities on immigration in Los Angeles to students taking over universities in solidarity with the terrorist group Hamas, from criminals smashing storefronts in Paris to sel e-obsessed celebrities oating their way toward Gaza, the scavenger movement is about destruction.
Society, it turns out, is constructed on success. It is founded on achievement. It is reliant on those who actually believe that they
COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS
A burned out car sits destroyed after a night of protests in downtown Los Angeles on Monday.
are called to act in accordance with moral duty, that they are responsible for creating and innovating and building up the societies in which they live. These are the Lions.
And then there are the Scavengers, those who seek to tear down, who believe that their own failures are the fault of the society in which they live and that the only cure for inequality of outcome is evisceration of that society. Scavengers have taken hold of large swaths of the West -- from London, where you have a better shot of being arrested for a social media post criticizing Islam than for an assault on a Jew, to Los Angeles, where the Democratic Party will wink and nod at your criminality so long as you proclaim fealty to the Omnicause. And they show no signs of stopping or even slowing. Unless they are stopped.
The fact that so many in power, in so many countries, feel the need to cater to the Scavengers is a sign of a deep societal sickness and malaise. And that malaise must end.
Trump is right to call out the National Guard to put down the rioting in Los Angeles. The law must be enforced, and those who violate it must be punished. Scavengers ought not be treated with any level of respect. They are not merely misguided do-gooders who have gone too far; they are malign actors who chew away at the foundations of the systems that nourish them. The Scavengers must be defeated. And only Lions can do that.
Ben Shapiro is a graduate of UCLA and Harvard Law School, host of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” and co-founder of Daily Wire+. He is a three-time New York Times bestselling author.
The government failed at fatherhood
Statistically, children raised without a father face a bleak future.
THE GOVERNMENT spent decades trying to make fathers unnecessary. The failure of that experiment put society on the long-term path to collapse.
Father’s Day is Sunday. It’s much less popular than Mother’s Day for a sad reason. Fewer fathers are involved in their children’s lives. That’s caused by two main factors, the rst being children born to single moms. In 2022, almost 40% of births were to unmarried women, according to the CDC. The second reason is the prevalence of divorce.
Statistically, children raised without a father face a bleak future. Homes led by a single mother are more than four times as likely to live in poverty compared to married couples. Poverty is associated with a host of problems, including lower academic achievement. Children without fathers around are more likely to go to prison. They’re less likely to attend college. Children without dads are more likely to act out and have substance abuse problems. Tragically, teenage girls without a father present are seven times more likely to become pregnant. And thus, the cycle repeats itself.
“A broken family is one of the biggest reasons why our children are committing crimes,” Nevada’s Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in a video promoting Dads in Schools. “Fatherless — no father at home is a huge deal. It has a huge impact on a child’s life.”
Given this, promoting fatherhood should be a societal priority. It hasn’t been.
Welfare once “went to mothers so long as no male was boarding in the household,” Harvard professor Paul Peterson wrote in a 2015 article for Education Next. He continued, “Marriage to an employed male, even one earning the minimum wage, placed at risk a mother’s economic well-being.”
Put together, these handouts were generous. “Analysts estimated that in 1975 a household head would have to earn $20,000 a year to have more resources than what could be obtained from Great Society programs,” Peterson wrote. In today’s dollars, that’d be more than $115,000. Little wonder marriage collapsed. Even today, some couples still face a tax penalty for getting married.
This is backward. Marriage provides major societal bene ts.
But most people don’t think so. Last year, Pew asked if “society is better o if people make marriage and having children a priority.” Among supporters of President Donald Trump, 59% agreed. That’s a low number. But among supporters of former President Joe Biden, before he dropped out, just 19% thought so. Among all voters, it was 39%.
Those are depressing numbers. It foreshadows the long-term decline of society. Most obviously, a country that doesn’t
reproduce shrinks. Look at Japan and South Korea. The U.S. birth rate has also fallen well below the replacement rate. Immigration can boost population numbers but can also create its own problems, as the country experienced under Biden.
More fundamentally, societies, even powerful ones, aren’t eternal. Just ask the Roman Empire. Oh wait. It doesn’t exist anymore.
If a country imports people who don’t share its fundamental principles, that society can quickly become unrecognizable. Look at the pro-Hamas protestors calling for “death of America” while in America.
A healthy society would grapple with and debate these issues. Sure, there’d be disagreements, but discussions would likely expose areas of agreement and potential solutions. But woe to those who mention how out-of-wedlock births have devastated the African American community. Or that all global cultures aren’t equal. If you point these things out, Democrats will quickly strawman your argument to accuse you of racism. That may be good politics in the moment, but its results aren’t. It’s one reason why the fatherlessness crisis, along with its negative downstream e ects, continues to fester.
Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast.
COLUMN | BEN SHAPIRO
DAMIAN DOVARGANES / AP PHOTO
She had a long list of credits, but none bigger than “Coco”
By Jocelyn Noveck
The Associated Press
RENÉE VICTOR, who voiced the no-nonsense, sandal-throwing Abuelita in Disney’s animated hit “Coco” and played the wisecracking Lupita on Showtime’s “Weeds,” has died. She was 86.
Victor’s death was conrmed on Monday by a representative, Julie Smith, who said the actor had lymphoma for several years. She died Friday at her home in Sherman Oaks, California, Smith said, with family by her side.
A post on the Instagram feed of Pixar, which produced “Coco,” said: “We are heartbroken to hear of the passing of Renée Victor, the voice (of) Abuelita in ‘Coco’ and an incredible part of the Pixar family. We will always remember you.”
Victor appeared in 22 episodes of “Weeds” as sassy housekeeper Lupita between 2005 and 2012, among many other TV credits including “ER,” “Matlock” and “The Addams Family.” But she was perhaps best known for what she called the chancla-throwing grandmother in “Coco,” the 2017 family-friendly movie that explored death through the journey of a young Mexican boy to the land of the dead.
“I play the part of ‘Abuelita,’ the chancla throwing grandma that preaches ‘No Music!’” she wrote on Instagram, looking back several years ago. “Enjoy ‘Coco’ with your family this Dia de los Muertos and forever more!”
She also looked back at “The Apostle,” the 1997 movie that Robert Duvall wrote, directed and starred in.
“He took a chance on me with this lm,” Victor wrote on Instagram. “This is where I got my nickname ‘one take Renée,’” she said, adding laughter emojis. “I had a small role but what a great one! Can somebody give me an amen?!”
Born in San Antonio, Texas, on July 25, 1938, Victor began her performing career as a singer and dancer. She moved to Los Angeles in the 1960s, according to biography material provided by her representatives, where she launched her career singing with prominent big band leaders Xavier Cugat and Pérez Prado. She also taught Latin dancing, including the salsa and tango.
She met her future husband, Ray, during that period, and from 1963 to 1973, they performed together as “Ray & Renée,” a variety show that took them around the world — including Australia, where “they enjoyed particular fame,” the materials said.
In the 1970s, Victor hosted the “Pacesetters” public a airs show on KTLA, her representatives said, and by the ’80s had moved into TV and lm work.
Her lm credits, other than “The Apostle,” included the 2014 horror lm “Paranormal Activity 5: The Marked Ones,” “The Doctor” with William Hurt (1991), and “A Night in Old Mexico” (2013), also with Duvall. In 2004, she had a recurring role as Florina Lopez on TV’s “ER” and the following year was cast in “Weeds.” Other series credits included “Snowpiercer” (2020 -21), “Mayans M.C.” (2022), “Dead to Me” (202022), and Amazon’s “With Love” (2021-23).
Victor is survived by her daughters, Raquel and Margo Victor, Smith said.
James Ray Barbee
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
obituaries
LOWELL IRVIN BROWN
FEB. 4, 1953 – JUNE 9, 2025
Dwight Farmer
January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023
James Roseboro
MICHAEL LEON STIREWALT
FEB. 10, 1962 – JUNE 3, 2025
Michael Leon Stirewalt, 63, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center - Main in Charlotte.
Michael (Mike) was born February 10, 1962, in North Carolina to Brenda Stirewalt and the late Leon Lambert.
John B. Kluttz
Doris Jones Coleman
June 2, 1947 –March 28, 2025
April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023
Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.
The family of James Ray Barbee is saddened to announce his sudden passing on March 28, 2025, at Meridian Park Hospital, at the age of 77.
Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor. Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Gar eld.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife, Sondra; children: Julia [Matt] Suplee, and Jason [Suraya] Barbee; and his grandchildren, who he deeply loved: Jack and Atlas Barbee, Iggy and Zula Ray Suplee; sister Kay [Larry] Baucom; brother-in-law, Mike Welch, sister-in-law Paula [Dan] Teel; as well as numerous relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents: Coil Wilson and Violet Coley Barbee, his parents-in-law: Walter Pharr and Mary Warwick Welch, and his brothers-in-law, Marshall Welch and Steve Gray.
Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.
Ray, as he was known, was born in June of 1947, and grew up on a small family farm in Locust, North Carolina. After graduating a proud Tarheel from UNC Chapel Hill, he married the love of his life, Sondra. While in school earning his MBA, he completed his service in the Army Reserves. Setting his sights high, he moved his family to Portland, Oregon, and started an illustrious career in the forest products industry. Ray was an executive in the eld of Sales and Marketing working at Boise Cascade, Louisiana Paci c, Roseburg Forest Products, and most recently as the President of Western Wood Products Association. When not working, he could be found with his nose in a book or local newspaper-as he was an avid reader. He had a signature personal style, often generously gifting pairs of Sperry Top Siders to friends and family spreading his love of the classic footwear. Ray enjoyed an active lifestyle going on a daily run, walking his beloved dogs, hiking local waterfalls, and spending summers in Sunriver, and at Cannon Beach with family. He was a long-time active member of both Lake Grove Presbyterian Church, and the Portland Carolina Club. His legacy is one of lovingly providing for his family, integrity in business, and devotion to his wife of 50 years. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 21, at 11am at Locust Presbyterian Church in Locust, NC. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Locust Presbyterian Church, locustpresbyterian.org (c/o Ray Barbee Memorial).
Lowell Irvin Brown, 72, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully at his home on June 9, 2025. A funeral service to honor his life will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, June 13, 2025, at Bethlehem Baptist Church with Pastor L. J. Brown o ciating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle. Born on February 4, 1953, in Montgomery County, NC, he was the son of the late Robert Lee Brown and Bonnie Lee Myrick Brown. A devoted minister of the Gospel for many years, Lowell faithfully served many congregations including Bethlehem Baptist Church in Norwood and Mt. Calvary Baptist Church in Albemarle and served for 21 years as the Chaplain of the Taylor House. His calling in life was to share the love of Christ, often gifting Bibles and words of encouragement to those around him.
Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.
June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023
He was also preceded in death by his stepfather Buddy Stirewalt, stepson Derick Poplin, grandson Devon Stirewalt . Mike was a man who loved to work, having his own Masonry company for many years. He spent majority of his working years at Tuscarora Yarns, after retirement he worked at Goodwill serving the local community. He spent his free time with his family and at the beach. Mike loved all of his children, but his grandchildren always had a special place in his heart. In his spare time you could nd him shing, watching movies, visiting his mom, and always getting a midnight snack.
March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023
Lowell was known for his generous heart, humble spirit, and unwavering faith. He was a jokester who loved to laugh and bring joy to others. His family remembers him as a true servant of God—a good man whose life was marked by kindness and compassion.
Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran.
James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.
October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023
He enjoyed playing golf and had a fondness for classic television, especially The Andy Gri th Show, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza. An avid reader, he cherished quiet moments with a good book and a deeper understanding of God’s Word.
He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheri ’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.
He is survived by his loving wife of almost 52 years, Vickie Butler Brown; his children: L. J. Brown and wife Jenny of Albemarle, Daniel Jason Brown and wife Anna of Oakboro, and April Brown Nickel of Albemarle; and his grandchildren: Abigail and Justin Rogers, Nathaniel Brown, Elijah Brown, Bailey Brown, Elisabeth Brown, and Avery Brown. He is also survived by his brothers, Danny Brown and Randy Brown, both of Robbins. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Charles Brown and Bobby Brown.
Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.
Lowell’s legacy of faith, love, and service will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.
Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.
In lieu of owers the family requests that memorials be made to Bethlehem Baptist Church, 32283 Bethlehem Church Rd, Norwood, NC 28128, to Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, 703 Snuggs St., Albemarle, NC 28001 or to the Gideons International.
He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.
JANET DEE BENDER KUPFER
FEB. 16, 1946 – MAY 28, 2025
Janet Kupfer, 79, of Albemarle, NC passed away Wednesday, May 28, 2025 at Spring Arbor of Albemarle.
He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty.
Mrs. Kupfer was born February 16, 1946 in Delaware County, Pennsylvania to the late Carl Bender and the late Elizabeth Bender. She was also preceded in death by her twin-sister, Cheryl Burtis, and her husband Richard Kupfer.
Mrs. Kupfer was a longtime resident of Meadville, PA, as well as Erie, PA before moving to North Carolina in December of 2022.
Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.
He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.
A memorial service is being planned and will be held on Saturday, June 21st from 1pm-3pm at Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord. Survivors include daughter, Jennifer (Charles) Riordan of Concord, NC, son, Adam (Shelly) Kupfer of Erie, PA, and her three grandchildren, Caeley Riordan, Graydon Kupfer, and Regan Kupfer. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. The family’s team will be participating in the Rowan-Cabarrus Walk to End Alzheimer’s in October of 2025, donations can be made here: act.alz. org/goto/mommomsangels
Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Kupfer family.
MARY LOU TARLTON LYNN
JULY 16, 1946 – JUNE 8, 2025
Mary Lou Tarlton Lynn, 78, of New London, passed away on June 8, 2025. A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, June 14, 2025, at Dunn’s Grove Baptist Church with Pastor Jeremy Holt o ciating. Burial will follow at Sharon Memorial Park in Charlotte. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 6 PM to 8 PM at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.
Darrick Baldwin
January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023
Born on July 16, 1946, in Mecklenburg County, NC, she was the daughter of the late Lloyd Emmitt Holt Tarlton and Mary Opie Suycott Tarlton. Mary Lou was the proud owner of Expressions Hair and Nail Salon and attended Dunn’s Grove Baptist Church.
She will be lovingly remembered for her vibrant spirit and warm heart. Her family describes her as sassy, full of life, kind, thoughtful, and endlessly giving. She was a free spirit who lived with empathy and enthusiasm, lighting up every room she entered. Mary Lou had a deep love for raising and showing horses and found great joy in dancing. Even when words no longer came easily, her body still responded to music, and she would dance with a spark in her eyes. Christmas was her favorite time of year, and she cherished making the holiday magical for her children.
Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Billy Anderson Lynn, and by her siblings Shirley Marie Tarlton and Bartley Lloyd Tarlton.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Cheryl Lawing Edwards and husband Russell of New London, and James Ernest Lawing Jr. and wife Astrid of Rich eld; seven grandchildren, Alyssa Lyman, Chelsea Moore, Ciara Cairo, Clayton Paige, Brandon Lawing, Cameron Lawing, and Elijah Lawing; and eight great-grandchildren. Mary Lou’s legacy of love, laughter, and generosity will continue to live on in the hearts of all who knew her.
He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.
He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 am - 12:15 pm, Friday, June 20, 2025 at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service will be on Friday at 12:30 pm at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. Burial will follow at the Stanly Gardens of Memory at 2001 East Main St., Albemarle.
Survivors include wife, Amy Stirewalt of Albemarle, NC, children, Adam Stirewalt, Bridget Taber, Christopher Stirewalt, Emily Stirewalt, Felix Stirewalt, mother, Brenda Stirewalt, siblings, Pat Leonard, David Stirewalt, Lee Stirewalt, Frank Stirewalt. He was also blessed with 16 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Stirewalt family.
John grew up in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.
MARGARITA PLACINO
MARCH 30, 1946 – JUNE 4, 2025
Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long ght in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away ghting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.
Margarita Placino, 79, of Albemarle, passed away Wednesday, June 4, 2025, at Kiser Hospice House in Salisbury, NC.
Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC.
Margarita was born on March 30, 1946, in Lucban, Quezon (Philippines) to the late Simplicio A. Salvanera and the late Manuela Zaide Salvanera.
When John purchased his rst Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!
At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily. While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.
Margarita who is fondly called “Maggie” was a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She was married for 53 years to Fermin Placino. Her young adult life was spent working as an elementary school teacher in the Philippines. She migrated to Pennsylvania, USA with her husband in 1972. They moved to Albemarle, NC in 1976 where they raised their family. Maggie proudly worked for 23 years and retired from Phillip Morris in Concord, NC. Maggie was the eldest of eight children and was able to help most of them immigrate to the United States of America. She and her husband were avid gardeners. She loved to share her fruits and vegetables with her friends and family. She loved her owers most of all. Maggie was also a wonderful cook who used food to show her love. If you came to her house, you were guaranteed to leave with a full belly. The family will receive friends from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service will be on Friday, June 13, 2025, at 11:00 am at Our Lady of the Annunciation Catholic Church, 416 North Second Street, Albemarle, N. C. o ciated by Very Reverend Peter Fitzgibbons VF. Burial will follow at the Norview Gardens at 949 Pee Dee Avenue, Norwood. Survived by husband, Fermin L. Placino of Albemarle, NC, sons, Marvin Placino of Concord, NC, and Will Placino (Abigail) of Raleigh, NC, daughter, Elaine Brooks (Zach) of Carlisle, PA. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Zachary Placino, Olivia Brooks and Melanie Brooks.
John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.
Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Placino family.
This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men. John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Rich eld, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; ve great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.
Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was sel ess, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.
She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, out ts for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@ northstatejournal.com
Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.
Pecan trees in Stanly infected
Homeowners have been asked to clean up and burn twig and leaf debris
Stanly News Journal sta THE PECAN TREES in Stanly are having some trouble this spring, according to information released from the Stanly County Cooperative Extension Service.
US reduces presence of diplomats and families in the Middle East as tensions rise
All nonessential personnel will leave Iraq, with optional departures from Bahrain and Kuwait
By Matthew Lee, Tara Copp and Jon Gambrell
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. —
The United States is drawing down the presence of sta ers who are not deemed essential to operations in the Middle East and their loved ones due to the potential for regional unrest, the State Department and military said Wednesday.
The State Department said it has ordered the departure of all nonessential personnel from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad based on its latest review and a commitment “to keeping Americans safe, both at home and abroad.” The embassy already had been on limited sta ng, and the order will not a ect a large number of personnel.
The department, however, also is authorizing the departure of nonessential personnel and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. That gives them the option of leaving those countries at government expense and with government assistance.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth “has authorized the voluntary departure of military dependents from locations” across the region, U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The command “is monitoring the developing tension in the Middle East.”
Speaking at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday evening, President Donald Trump said, “They are being moved out because it could be a dangerous place, and we’ll see what happens. We’ve given notice to move out, and we’ll see what happens.”
Tensions in the region have been rising in recent days as talks between the U.S. and Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program appear to have hit an impasse. The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions that the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic. Iran insists its nuclear program is peaceful.
The next round of talks — the sixth — had been tentatively scheduled for this weekend in Oman, according to two U.S. o cials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss diplomatic matters. However, those o cials said Wednesday that it looked increasingly unlikely that the talks would happen.
Trump, who has previously said Israel or the U.S. could carry out airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities if negotiations failed, gave a less-than-optimistic view about reaching a deal with Iran, telling the New York Post’s “Pod Force One” podcast that he was “getting more and more less con dent about” a deal.
“They seem to be delaying,
and I think that’s a shame.
I’m less con dent now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them,” he said in the interview recorded Monday and released Wednesday.
Iran’s mission to the U.N. posted on social media that “threats of overwhelming force won’t change the facts.”
“Iran is not seeking a nuclear weapon, and U.S. militarism only fuels instability,” the Iranian mission wrote.
Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh separately told journalists Wednesday that he hoped talks with the U.S. would yield results, though Tehran stood ready to respond.
“If con ict is imposed on us, the opponent’s casualties will certainly be more than ours, and in that case, America must leave the region, because all its bases are within our reach,” he said. “We have access to them, and we will target all of them in the host countries without hesitation.”
Meanwhile, the Board of Governors at the International Atomic Energy Agency was potentially set to vote on a measure to censure Iran. That could set in motion an e ort to snap back United Nations sanctions on Iran via a measure in Tehran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers that’s still active until October.
Trump withdrew from that agreement in his rst term.
Earlier Wednesday, a statement from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center, a Mideast-based e ort overseen by the British navy, issued a warning to ships in the region that it “has been made aware of increased tensions within the region which could lead to an escalation of military activity having a direct impact on mariners.”
It urged caution in the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz. It did not name Iran, though those waterways have seen Iranian ship seizures and attacks in the past.
The top U.S. military ocer for the Middle East, Gen. Erik Kurilla, was scheduled to testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday, but that testimony has now been postponed, according to the committee’s website. The Pentagon has not commented on the postponement.
Meanwhile, Iraq’s staterun Iraqi News Agency said in a statement attributed to an unnamed government o cial that the evacuation of some nonessential employees from the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was part of “procedures related to the U.S. diplomatic presence in a number of Middle Eastern countries, not just Iraq” and that Iraqi o cials “have not recorded any security indicators that warrant an evacuation.”
“We reiterate that all security indicators and brie ngs support the escalating assessments of stability and the restoration of internal security,” the statement said.
In an email Wednesday, the county’s horticultural agent, Andrew Pfeifer, said green warty growths have been seen on pecan trees around the county this spring. The issue started back in April, according to the release, when the pecan buds opened. Warty growths have been caused by insects called phylloxera, which cause galls to form on leaves and green twigs.
According to the release, damage to the pecan trees cannot be xed this season. Badly infected trees may not produce nuts this year.
The N.C. Cooperative Extension’s recommendation for homeowners is to clean up and burn leaf and twig debris. Commercial pesticides are ine ective in controlling phylloxera and should not be used.
are pulled from a harvested batch.
The release also stated the pecan trees will typically recover in one to two growing seasons.
For further questions, homeowners may call the Stanly Cooperative Extension at 704 -983-3987.
Stanly EMS honored by American Heart Association
The award recognizes the care given to heart attack and stroke victims
Stanly News Journal sta
ALBEMARLE — Stanly County’s Emergency Management Services department was honored this week by the American Heart Association.
The association awarded the Mission: Lifeline EMS Silver Achievement Award to Stanly EMS, according to a press release from Dale Chandler, Stanly’s EMS chief.
“Stanly County EMS is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack patients,” Chandler said. “The Mission: Lifeline program puts proven knowledge and guidelines to work on a daily basis so patients have the best possible chance of survival.”
The Mission: Lifeline EMS is a nationwide initiative with the
“Stanly County EMS is honored to be recognized by the American Heart Association for our dedication to providing optimal care for heart attack patients.”
Dale Chandler, Stanly EMS chief
stated goal of recognizing EMS agencies for their on-scene care of patients with high-risk diseases such as strokes or heart attacks.
“The program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment — starting from when 911 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge,” according to the release. “Optimal care for heart attack and stroke patients takes coordination between the individual prehospital providers and healthcare systems.
“Emergency medical services sta can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone goes to the hospital by car. EMS sta are also trained to provide resuscitation e orts to someone whose heart has stopped. People who arrive by ambulance may also receive faster treatment at the hospital.”
Dr. Kacey Kronenfeld, chair of the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline EMS Taskforce, added, “Arguably the most important link in the chains of survival for acute stroke and cardiovascular emergencies is emergency medical services and prehospital professionals.
“Early condition identi cation, stabilization and prehospital interventions, and initiation of actions within the regional systems of care provide patients with the best chance for receiving expedient de nitive therapies leading to optimal outcomes and maximized quality of life.”
Runaway pet zebra captured in Tennessee after week on run
Ed the Zebra had become a social media sensation
The Associated Press
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — A runaway pet zebra that was on the loose for more than a week in Tennessee and became an internet sensation in the process was captured Sunday, authorities said.
Ed the Zebra was captured safely after being located in a pasture near a subdivision in the Christiana community in central Tennessee, the Rutherford County Sheri ’s O ce con rmed. The sheri ’s o ce said aviation crews captured the zebra.
“Ed was airlifted and own by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer,” the sheri ’s ofce said in a statement.
Video posted by the sheri ’s o ce showed Ed wrapped in a net with his head sticking out as he is carried by the helicopter to the trailer.
Ed arrived in Christiana on May 30, the sheri ’s o ce said. His owner reported him missing the next day.
RUTHERFORD COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE VIA AP
A zebra named Ed evaded capture for several days after it ran away from its owner. It was airlifted to a waiting animal trailer.
The zebra was spotted and lmed running along Interstate 24, forcing deputies to shut the roadway, but Ed escaped into a wooded area. There were several sightings posted to social media. Ed was lmed trotting through a neighborhood. The zebra quickly became the
subject of internet memes. One fake posting showed Ed dining at a Wa e House, a Southern staple. Others had him visiting other Tennessee cities or panhandling on the side of the road.
The pursuit of Ed came a month after a runway kangaroo shut down a section of Alabama interstate.
DAVID J. PHILLIP / AP PHOTO
Bad pecans
MANUEL BALCE CENETA / AP PHOTO
Secretary of State Marco Rubio steps o Air Force One at Hagerstown Regional Airport, in Hagerstown, Md., on his way to Camp David last week.
Southern Baptist delegates at national meeting call for banning same-sex marriage
Pornography and sports betting also received disapproval at the meeting
By Peter Smith
The Associated Press
DALLAS — Southern Baptist delegates at their national meeting overwhelmingly endorsed a ban on same-sex marriage — including a call for a reversal of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 10-year-old precedent legalizing it nationwide.
They also called for legislators to curtail sports betting and to support policies that promote childbearing.
The votes Tuesday came at the gathering of more than 10,000 church representatives at the annual meeting of the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.
The wide-ranging resolution doesn’t use the word “ban,” but it left no room for legal same-sex marriage in calling for the “overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God’s design for marriage and family.” Further, the resolution a rmatively calls “for laws that a rm marriage between one man and one women.”
A reversal of the Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell decision wouldn’t in and of itself amount to a nationwide ban. At the time of that ruling, 36 states had already legalized same-sex marriage, and support remains strong in many areas.
However, if the convention got its wish, not only would Obergefell be overturned, but so would every law and court ruling that a rmed same-sex marriage.
There was no debate on the marriage resolution. That in itself is not surprising in the solidly conservative denomination, which has long de ned marriage as between one man and one woman. However, it marks an especially assertive step in its call for the reversal of a decade-old Supreme Court ruling, as well as any other legal pillars to same-sex marriage in law and court precedent.
Gender identity, fertility and other issues
The marriage issue was incorporated into a much larger resolution on marriage and family — one that calls for civil law to be based on what the convention says is the divinely created order as stated in the Bible.
The resolution says legislators have a duty to “pass laws that re ect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family” and to oppose laws contradicting “what God has
made plain through nature and Scripture.”
The same resolution calls for recognizing “the biological reality of male and female” and opposes “any law or policy that compels people to speak falsehoods about sex and gender.”
It urges Christians to “embrace marriage and childbearing” and to see children “as blessings rather than burdens.”
But it also frames that issue as one of public policy. It calls for “for renewed moral clarity in public discourse regarding the crisis of declining fertility and for policies that support the bearing and raising of children within intact, married families.”
It laments that modern culture is “pursuing willful childlessness which contributes to a declining fertility rate,” echoing a growing subject of discourse on the religious and political right.
The pornography resolution, which had no debate, calls such material destructive, addictive and exploitive and says governments have the power to ban it.
The sports betting resolution draws on Southern Baptists’ historic opposition to gambling. It called sports betting “harmful and predatory.”
One pastor urged an amendment to distinguish between low-stakes, recreational gambling and predatory, addictive gambling activities. But his proposed amendment failed.
Andrew Walker, chair of the Committee on Resolutions, said at a news conference that the marriage resolution shows that Southern Baptists aren’t go -
The resolution says legislators have a duty to “pass laws that re ect the truth of creation and natural law — about marriage, sex, human life, and family.”
ing along with the widespread social acceptance of same-sex marriage.
But Walker, a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, acknowledged that a realistic rollback strategy would require incremental steps, such as seeking to overturn Obergefell.
“I’m clear-eyed about the difculties and the headwinds in this resolution,” he said.
Whistleblower’s death casts pall on Dallas meeting
The two-day annual meeting began Tuesday morning with praise sessions and optimistic reports about growing numbers of baptisms. But casting a pall over the gathering is the recent death of one of the most high-pro le whistleblowers in the Southern Baptists’ scandal of sexual abuse.
Jennifer Lyell, a onetime denominational publishing executive who went public in 2019 with allegations that she had been sexually abused by a seminary professor while a student, died Saturday at 47. She “suf-
fered catastrophic strokes,” a friend and fellow advocate, Rachael Denhollander, posted last Sunday on X.
Friends reported that the backlash Lyell received after going public with her report took a devastating toll on her.
Several abuse survivors and advocates for reform, who previously had a prominent presence in recent SBC meetings, are skipping this year’s gathering, citing lack of progress by the convention.
Two people sought to ll that void, standing vigil outside of the meeting at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas as attendees walked by. The pair held up signs with photos of Lyell and of Gareld Duane Rollins, who died earlier this spring and who was among those who accused longtime SBC power broker Paul Pressler of sexual abuse.
“It’s not a healthy thing for them (survivors) to be here,” said Johnna Harris, host of a podcast on abuse in evangelical ministries. “I felt like it was important for someone to show up. I want people to know there are people who care.”
Past attempts at reforms in the SBC
The SBC Executive Committee, in a 2022 apology, acknowledged “its failure to adequately listen, protect, and care for Jennifer Lyell when she came forward to share her story.” It also acknowledged the denomination’s o cial news agency had not accurately reported the sit-
uation as “sexual abuse by a trusted minister in a position of power at a Southern Baptist seminary.”
SBC o cials issued statements this week lamenting Lyell’s death, but her fellow advocates have denounced what they say is a failure to implement reforms.
The SBC’s 2022 meeting voted overwhelmingly to create a way to track pastors and other church workers credibly accused of sex abuse. That came shortly after the release of a blockbuster report by an outside consultant, which said Southern Baptist leaders mishandled abuse cases and stonewalled victims for years.
But the denomination’s Executive Committee president, Je Iorg, said earlier this year that creating a database is not a focus and that the committee instead plans to refer churches to existing databases of sex offenders and focus on education about abuse prevention. The committee administers the denomination’s day-to-day business.
Advocates for reform don’t see those approaches as adequate.
It is the latest instance of “ofcials trailing out hollow words, impotent task forces and phony dog-and-pony shows of reform,” abuse survivor and longtime advocate Christa Brown wrote on Baptist News Global, which is not SBC-a liated.
In a related action, the Executive Committee will also be seeking $3 million in convention funding for ongoing legal expenses related to abuse cases. What else is on the agenda?
As of late Tuesday afternoon, attendance was at 10,541 church representatives (known as messengers). That is less than a quarter of the total that thronged the SBC’s annual meeting 40 years ago this month in a Dallas showdown that marked the height of battles over control of the convention, ultimately won by the more conservative-fundamentalist side led by Pressler and his allies.
Messengers will also debate whether to institute a constitutional ban on churches with women pastors and to abolish its public-policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission — which is staunchly conservative, but according to critics, not enough so.
Brent Leatherwood, president of the ERLC, said Tuesday he would address the “turbulence” during his scheduled remarks Wednesday but was con dent in the messengers’ support.
RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ / AP PHOTO
Messengers attending the Southern Baptist Convention lay on hands and pray over missionaries.
RICHARD W. RODRIGUEZ / AP PHOTO
Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley gives the President’s Address during the 2025 SBC Annual Meeting on Tuesday in Dallas.
and in closed sessions. We are developing plans for redistricting in committee and pushing personal agendas.”
In a special meeting that afternoon before the school board’s regular meeting, the board decided to move forward with a facilities assessment by Moseley Architects that will make an evaluation of longterm planning for high school facilities within the district.
The Stanly County Schools’ Capital Improvement Planning (CIP) Committee has targeted a school consolidation plan that would re gure the county’s high schools with new buildings and increased enrollment numbers, potentially combining individual community high schools into larger schools.
Poplin wasn’t the only school board member who brought up a perceived sense of obfuscation surrounding the planning methods.
Board Member Meghan Almond said she opposed the approval of a facilities assessment
DIRECTOR from page A1
Johnson has served as the water resources utility director for the City of Lexington since 2018 and oversaw drinking water treatment, wastewater treatment, sewer collection and water distribution.
“I’m eager to join the City of
because of a lack of involvement with both the public and the Stanly County Board of Commissioners.
“When we’re discussing consolidation, the public is the rst person that we should even go to because they’re the ones that pretty much say yay or nay,” Almond said. “They hire us to do a job, and that is to work for them. … Why do we not communicate with our commissioners? Why do we not tell them the plan? Why did we not tell them that we had a demographer coming the very next day? These are the questions that need to be answered, and we have to be more transparent.”
Multiple citizens used the public comment portion of the meeting to address their thoughts on the direction the school board is taking, referencing the nancial and community burdens on the county that consolidation could bring.
“I am here tonight not only as a parent but as a concerned taxpayer and advocate for our schools and community,” Han-
Albemarle’s operations,” said Johnson. “I was drawn to Albemarle in part because of the City’s Strategic Plan, which places a clear emphasis on proactively improving infrastructure. This is an approach I strongly believe in. Proactive asset management, transpar-
nah Lear told the board. “I stand before you deeply troubled by the direction this board is taking. We are being told that consolidation is the solution, but let’s be honest — consolidation isn’t the cure-all. It’s a Band-Aid and doesn’t address the root problem.”
“You’ve operated as bullies and tyrants in public meetings and against fellow board members in getting this far,” added William Shafer.
In her closing address, Board Member Vicky Watson responded to the criticism of the school board that was given previously in the meeting:
“This county o ce works really hard to make decisions for these kids, and so do we,” she said. “Sometimes I wonder what people think out there in the public, but sometimes you’re not right, so just remember to look at yourself sometimes.”
The Stanly County Board of Education will hold its next regular meeting on Aug. 5 at 6:15 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.
Avoid Summer Learning Loss
ency with stakeholders, and building resilient utility systems through modern technology and data-driven decision-making are principles I see as essential to delivering top-quality service.”
Johnson will start his position with Albemarle July 21.
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STANLY SPORTS
Stanly Sports Hall of Fame adds 3 new inductees in Class of 2025
Monday’s ceremony at Pfei er University used a new format to enshrine the latest class
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
MISENHEIMER — The 2025 Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony was held Monday night at the Grady Board Room of Pfei er University’s Stokes Student Center.
This year’s ceremony had a new format for inductees Teresa Davis, Joe Viscomi and Larry Wagner. Instead of a keynote speaker, inductees had a reside chat with Steve Cum-
ming, the public address announcer for Pfei er University basketball.
Before the reside chats, Toby Thorpe, chair of the Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame, announced the donation by Chris and Pat Bramlett of two new display cases for memorabilia, which will be on display at the Stanly County History Museum.
A laptop in the back also had a demo of the new online version of the local sports hall of fame, with photos and biographies of each inductee. Davis, who holds the Stanly County and Rocky River Conference records for the fastest 400-meter run, said running started for her in the eighth
grade, earning the Presidential Fitness award.
She added running for Campbell in college was like a job, which taught her discipline and time management skills.
Davis was hired by her alma mater, North Stanly High School, as a data manager by her former principal. He o ered her the job, she said, and the track and eld coaching position, but there was a catch.
“He said, ‘The problem is, you’re going to have to coach cheerleading with it as well,’” Davis said.
The former North coach said Mattie Kelly, a PE teacher, coach and former mayor of New London, got her started in track and eld.
“There is no di erence between a coach and a teacher. A coach is just a teacher on an athletic eld or in a gymnasium. Basically, they are doing the same thing.”
Larry Wagner, former West Stanly football coach and 2025 inductee
She also mentioned Doug Moose, who coached the women’s track team when it had 12 members running in 19 events and the Com-
ets won the conference title.
“He was such a good motivator,” Davis said. “He put it in our minds that we were good and we could do this, and we did it.”
Davis also credited Nancy Napier, who still works with the tennis teams at North, for being like a mom to her.
While she was running, John Herlocker, the drafting teacher at North, also took time to help her learn to run out of blocks.
Davis also credited the many athletic directors at North, including Lonnie Chandler, and former North principal Joy Hathcock for their support in her years of coaching both teams.
She also thanked her family, including her children, Will and Megan.
“I had to miss quite a few baseball and softball games to have the track meets,” Davis said, “and they were understanding.”
Viscomi, an accomplished former member of the Professional Bowlers Association,
See HOF, page B3
Wampus Cats’ season continues with home win, road loss
Uwharrie’s third season continued with two recent games
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
THE EARLY JUNE schedule for the Uwharrie Wampus Cats has not gotten along well with Mother Nature.
Uwharrie has only played twice in the last week or so, hosting the Carolina Disco Turkeys for a rare 11 a.m. game for youth baseball players taking part in summer rec leagues around the area.
The Cats then played Sunday at the independent Boone Bigfoots and su ered the team’s second loss of the season.
This weekend, Uwharrie will host the Troutman Dogs on Saturday at 7 p.m., followed by a Father’s Day game versus the Queen City Corndogs at 6.
Uwharrie 11, Carolina Disco Turkeys 10
The rst matchup between the two rivals this season came at Don Montgomery Park last Wednesday, and the Cats rallied from an early
The Wampus Cats celebrate their walk-o victory against the Carolina Disco Turkeys last Wednesday.
CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
The Stanly County Sports Hall of Fame inducted three new members in its 2025 class, from left, Larry Wagner, Joe Viscomi and Teresa Davis.
Locust Parks and Rec o ers summer sports programs
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
Signups for tennis, pickleball, volleyball and basketball are available through Locust’s online registration links.
Information about the tennis and pickleball programs at Locust City Park for juniors and adults — beginner through advanced — can be accessed at tennisbloc.com.
Tennis runs from June 17 to Aug. 5, while pickleball runs from June 14 to July 26.
“Ready to take your game to the next level? There is still time to get registered for summer pickleball and tennis through TennisBloc,” Locust Parks and Rec said in an advertisement on Tuesday. “Pickleball begins this Saturday and tennis begins on June 17. Our programs bring the perfect balance of fun and technique development with an emphasis on building a strong and pos -
itive community right here in the heart of Locust, NC.”
Locust’s summer volleyball (grades 5-8) and basketball camps (grades 3-8) will both be played inside the Locust Elementary School gymnasium; enrollment is available at locustnc.recdesk.com.
The volleyball camp will take place from July 7-11. As of June 11, the camp has six remaining spots out of 16 openings.
“Locust Parks and Rec is partnering with Tara Molles, a volleyball coach who has led teams in our recreation league for the past three seasons, to host a summer volleyball camp,” Locust Parks and Rec stated. “The camp will focus on fundamentals, skill development, and game play. It is a great opportunity for players to prepare for the upcoming volleyball season and build con dence in their skills.”
The basketball camp is from July 28-30. As of June 11, the camp has 20 remaining spots out of 60 openings.
“Locust Parks and Rec is partnering with Perfect 10 Skills Academy to host a basketball camp this summer,” Locust Parks and Rec said. “Rising 3rd-8th graders (boys and girls) will be able to participate in the camp. The camp will consist of skill instruc -
“Our programs bring the perfect balance of fun and technique development with an emphasis on building a strong and positive community right here in the heart of Locust, NC.” Locust Parks and Recreation
tion, competitions, and games.” Locust Parks and Recreation Department manages and operates local facilities, sports programs, special events and community building rentals. More information is available about the department at locustnc.com.
COURTESY PHOTO
COURTESY PHOTO
6 Stanly County baseball players honored by NCBCA
North Stanly’s Heath Klingensmith was named 2A Player of the Year
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
STANLY COUNTY — Every year, the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) announces the top overall player, pitcher and all-state teams for each of the state’s four high school classi cations.
On June 3, the NCBCA revealed that Stanly County has six names on that list for their e orts during the 2025 baseball season.
North Stanly junior pitcher Heath Klingensmith was named the association’s 2A Player of the Year, while a pair of Comet teammates — senior catcher Zach Lowder and senior pitcher Charlie Shaver — were both on the NCBCA 2025 2A All-State Team.
Additionally, South Stanly’s senior shortstop Jack Crump, junior catcher Carter Callicutt and senior out elder Gavyn Miller were named to the NCBCA 2025 1A All-State Team.
@HKLINGENSMITH26 / X
North Stanly pitcher Heath Klingensmith was named the NCBCA 2A Player of the Year.
“I appreciate all the time and work my coaches and teammates put in that helped make this such an unforgettable season.”
Heath Klingensmith, North Stanly pitcher
school baseball coaches across North Carolina.
ATHLETE
Braylin Furlow
“The NCBCA is dedicated to promoting baseball across all levels in North Carolina, from Little League to college and professional play,” the association described itself in a statement. “The organization upholds the traditions and sportsmanship of the game while providing education for coaches on rules and fundamentals.”
The Comets pitcher is an active player for the South Charlotte Panthers travel baseball club that has 21 major league alumni and seen 87 players selected in the MLB Draft.
Established in 2012, the NCBCA is a nonpro t professional organization representing high
“It’s an honor to be named the NCBCA 2A Player of the Year for 2025,” Klingensmith said. “What a great ride this spring. I appreciate all the time and work my coaches and teammates put in that helped make this such an unforgettable season. Looking forward to ’26.”
said his father was the rst person to get him bowling at Dogwood Lanes, the sinceclosed bowling center on East Main Street in Albemarle.
He said pot bowling on Friday nights at Dogwood helped him to become a better bowler.
“You’re put in situations every game trying to win, so it’s probably one of the best things you can practice, even though it was gambling,” Viscomi quipped.
Viscomi noted pot bowling was a lot like professional events in that you pay a fee to take part while hoping to win prize money.
He threw 36 perfect 300 games in his career.
“The first time, I had the first 11, and my legs felt numb,” Viscomi said. “How I got to the line and struck, I’ll never know. As they kept falling, it got easier. You just didn’t think about it. It was just another shot, but you have
de cit and earned a ninth-inning walk-o win.
Shaked Baruch’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Wampus Cats to a one-run win. Uwharrie is 2-0 this season in one-run games.
to have a little bit of luck, too.”
Viscomi said he no longer bowls, but his son, Chase, does, and now he serves as a second pair of eyes for him, just as his father and ex-wife were for him at di erent points in his career when he competed.
Wagner, who played football at Clemson and later coached football at West Stanly for 40 years, said coaching and teaching were his rst loves.
“There is no di erence between a coach and a teacher. A coach is just a teacher on an athletic eld or in a gymnasium. Basically, they are doing the same thing,” Wagner said.
Wagner, for whom West Stanly’s football eld is named, was a member of three ACC championship football teams at Clemson (1956, 1958 and 1959) under legendary Tigers coach Frank Howard. He said while most of the stories he could not share with the attendees, he noted Howard
“As the voice of high school baseball coaches to the NCHSAA, the NCBCA advocates for rule changes and other key issues. It also selects the NC AllState Baseball Team (1A–4A) and hosts the NCBCA Convention, Hall of Fame, and Awards Banquet. Through its initiatives, the NCBCA fosters a strong sense of pride and community in North Carolina baseball.”
would never refer to Clemson’s rivals, the University of South Carolina, by their mascot.
The former West coach said the best thing about coaching was working with young people, which he said “keeps you young.”
“You have something that hopefully you can pass on to them,” he said. “You know the mistakes you have made, and maybe you can help them to not make those mistakes and be a role model for them.”
Wagner also said that sports like football are important in the lives of young people, helping keep kids out of trouble and teaching lessons of humility, as well as how to win and lose.
“(Football) teaches you that you can get knocked down, but you can get back up and keep going,” Wagner said. “No matter how good you think you are, there’s always somebody across the line that’s probably just as good or maybe a little bit better.”
Braylin Furlow was part of the Stanly County team that brought home a total of 19 gold medals, nine silvers, eight bronzes and 10 fourth-place ribbons from the 2025 North Carolina Special Olympics Summer Games in Raleigh. Furlow competed in the athletics/ track and eld games and took gold in all three events she entered. She won the softball throw, the 25-meter dash and the 50-meter dash.
The Disco Turkeys took an early 4-0 lead in the top of the second and led 6-1 heading to the bottom of the fourth. Uwharrie answered with seven runs over the next four innings to lead 8-6 after six innings.
Trailing 10-7 in the top of the ninth, the Turkeys tied the game with a two-out, three-RBI triple to left.
Sam Schwamb had a big day at the plate for the Wampus Cats (41), going 2 for 4 with a home run and four RBIs. Baruch drove in three runs, while Ben Mecimore had two RBIs in the win.
Uwharrie had the bases loaded with one out in the bottom of the ninth on a walk, an error and a hit batter. Schwamb then delivered a walk-o line drive RBI single to center.
Drew Burton earned the win in relief for Uwharrie, not allowing an earned run in two innings of work. Freeman Wallace started for the Cats and allowed four earned runs on ve hits in 1⅓ innings.
Boone 18, Uwharrie 1
The Wampus Cats got o to a good start Sunday against the Bigfoots of the Coastal Plain League with an early lead.
However, Boone scored 18 unanswered runs and dropped Uwharrie to 4-2 on the season.
Schwamb tripled to lead o the top of the second and scored on a James Germosen RBI ineld single to shortstop.
Boone then broke the game open in the third with seven runs, taking advantage of ve Wampus Cat errors en route to the seven-inning win.
Liam Fulbright and Anderson Moreno each had a double in the game for Uwharrie.
Malik Foster took the loss for the Cats, allowing ve earned runs on four hits with three walks and a strikeout in 2⅓ innings.
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HOF from page B1
BASEBALL from page B1
Tar Heels embrace new world as part of coach Belichick’s rst college team
The
73-year-old
coach is installing his system at UNC
By Aaron Beard The Associated Press
CHAPEL HILL — Jordan
Shipp remembers the conversation with his roommates after learning Bill Belichick was UNC’s new football coach.
“It was just like, ‘That’s the greatest coach of all time,’” the receiver recalled, “‘and he’s about to be coaching us.’”
Tar Heels players hadn’t spoken to reporters since last year’s team ended its season with a Fenway Bowl loss to UConn three days after Christmas, all of which came after Belichick had been hired as coach for the 2025 season.
So last week marked the rst time UNC had made players available to reporters since then to discuss Belichick’s arrival. That has meant being coached by someone with a long track record of success at the sport’s highest level, along with getting a peek behind the terse and grumpy persona he was known for with the New England Patriots.
Defensive back Will Hardy said the players are used to the curiosity that comes with being coached by the NFL lifer who is now giving college a try.
“There’s a lot of that, you get a lot of ‘How is Coach Belichick? What’s new? What’s di erent?’” Hardy said. “So I’ve rehearsed these questions a lot with family and friends.”
The school hired Belichick in December to elevate the program at a time when football’s role as the revenue driver in college sports has never been bigger.
He and general manager Mi-
NOTICES
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA COUNTY OF STANLY
chael Lombardi have described their goal as building a pro-style model at the college level.
Belichick’s rst on- eld work in Chapel Hill came during spring workouts.
“Look, these are great kids to work with, they really are,” Belichick said. “We’ve had great buy-in. There have really been no problems at all. These guys are on time, they’re early, they work hard, they put in the work in the weight room, out on the eld. They spend time on their own, whether it’s doing extra
Having quali ed on the 30th day of May 2025, as Executors of the Estate of Merle William Britt deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the decedent to exhibit the same to the undersigned Executors on or before the 12th day of September 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the estate should make immediate payment.
This the 2nd day of June 2025. Monica Huneycutt J. Suzanne Britt Ehmann 806 Mountain Creek Road 319 53rd Avenue North Albemarle, NC 28001 North Myrtle Beach, SC 29852 Sonya L. Williamson Garner & Williamson, PA 111 Courthouse Square Troy, NC 27371
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY
SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25 -SP-82
ANNMARIE STOLLE-ROCCO, Petitioner, vs. JOHN ABRUZZO, HOWARD G. STOLLE, JR., MARK STURT TRIPP, LINDA SUSAN VINICOMBE, and PATRICIA MARIE VANMIDDELEM, Respondents. NOTICE OF SERVICE PROCESS BY PUBLICATION
TO: JOHN ABRUZZO, HOWARD G. STOLLE, JR., MARK STURT TRIPP, LINDA SUSAN VINICOMBE, and PATRICIA MARIE
PUBLIC NOTICE
training or coming over and watching lm and that type of thing.
“They’ve made a ton of improvement, and these guys are a lot better than they were when we started in January, on every level. So it’s exciting to see where that’s going to take us.”
For the players, part of the adjustment had been the reality that their coach was winning Super Bowls with quarterback Tom Brady while they were growing up and watching on TV.
Notice is hereby given that the Town of Oakboro will hold a Public Hearing at Oakboro Town Hall located at 109A N Main Street, Oakboro, NC 28129 on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 7:00pm. The purpose of this hearing is to hear comments for, or against, the 2025 -2026 proposed budget. Further information is available at Oakboro Town Hall. Any person wishing to speak should plan to attend the Public Hearing. Leslie Hatley-Murray Town Clerk
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NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION STANLY COUNTY BEFORE THE CLERK OF COURT FILE NO. 25E000312-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of Samuel Hunter Blakely, III, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said deceased to present them to the undersigned on or before September 1st, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 28th day of May 2025. Tonya Denise Blakely 300 Church Street Locust, NC 28097 Executor
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 25 -E-294 Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Walter Kevin Ayers, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned or her attorney on or before August 25, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 20th day of May, 2025.
DREW M. DENNIS
EXECUTOR FOR THE ESTATE OF WALTER KEVIN AYERS MARK T. LOWDER
ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284
206 E. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002
Telephone (704) 982-8558
Publish: May 25 and June 1, 8, and 15, 2025
Intimidating much?
“I mean, maybe at rst when you see him, all you see is the Super Bowls that he’s won,” said o ensive lineman Christo Kelly, a Holy Cross transfer and Belichick’s rst portal commitment. “But when you get here and you see the way he cares, you see the way that he approaches the game, you see how hard he works, there’s no question why he has the success that he has.
“The attention to detail, the emphasis on fundamentals and really just kind of creating com-
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 25 -E-302 Having quali ed as Executrix of the Estate of Bealus
Alonzo Smith, Jr., deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned or her attorney on or before August 25, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 21st day of May, 2025.
PHYLLIS RUTH SMITH
EXECUTRIX FOR THE ESTATE OF BEALUS ALONZO SMITH, JR.
MARK T. LOWDER
ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284
206 E. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558
Publish: May 25 and June 1, 8, and 15, 2025
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000 -830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as CO -EXECUTORS of the estate of Sibley M. Hatley, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Sibley M. Hatley to present them to the undersigned on or before September 1, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 1st day of June, 2025. Lisa Hatley Barbee 1154 N. Oak Ridge Rd. Oakboro, NC 28129 Co-Executor James B. Hatley, Jr. 37374 Mercedes Dr. Albemarle, NC 28001 Co-Executor
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000285 -830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of Ethel E. Whitley aka Ethel Eubanks Whitley, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina,
“That’s the greatest coach of all time, and he’s about to be coaching us.”
Jordan
Shipp, UNC receiver
petition for the guys, that’s what’s getting built here. Guys are embracing it. He treats everybody with tremendous respect, and it’s been great.”
Defensive back Thad Dixon had met Belichick before when he was at Washington, playing under Belichick’s son Steve — now the Tar Heels’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
“I really just wanted the opportunity just to learn from somebody like that, that had did it in the league for so long,” Dixon said.
Yet not every surprise has been about X’s and O’s. Sometimes it’s simply when Belichick has dropped the all-business facade to expose an unexpectedly humorous side.
“I feel like that’s the biggest curveball, you’re coming to the rst meeting and you’re expecting it to be serious, 100% locked in,” said Shipp, who played 12 games for UNC last season. “He comes in and he introduces himself and then he busts a joke. That’s the second thing he said.” Hardy pointed out that vibe, too.
“There are times when he’ll just crack a joke out of nowhere,” he said. “And just him being kind of monotone sometimes will make those jokes so funny.”
Still, Hardy noted it’s mingled amid the work, such as lm sessions when “there’s no hiding” when Belichick highlights a mistake.
“I’ve loved having 1-on-1 conversations with him,” Hardy said. “It’s cool to see and meet him personally because you grow up and see him on TV and everything. And he’s just a completely di erent coach and guy when you get to be around him all day. It’s cool.”
Publish: June 8, 15, and 22, 2025
S. RANDOLPH MARK T. LOWDER 206 E. NORTH STREET PO BOX 1284 ALBEMARLE, NC 28002 RESIDENT PROCESS AGENT FOR THE ESTATE OF BONNIE S. RANDOLPH MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 206 E. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Publish: May 25 and June 1, 8, and 15, 2025 NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000328-830 Having quali ed as ADMINISTRATOR of the estate of ALBERT CONNON BARFIELD JR., deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said ALBERT CONNON BARFIELD. JR to present them to the undersigned on or before Sept. 16, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 15th day of June, 2025 James Lee Bar eld
CHRIS SEWARD / AP PHOTO UNC coach Bill Belichick watches his team during spring practice in March.
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NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25E000299 -830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having duly quali ed as Executrix of the estate of George T. Walters, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, rms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or his estate, to present the same to the undersigned Executrix, duly itemized and veri ed on or before the 15th day of September, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executrix. This the 9th day of June, 2025.
Dianne Walters Executrix of the Estate of George T. Walters 24484 Rogers Road Rich eld, NC 28137 PUBLISH: June 15, 22, 29, July 6, 2025
James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000319 -830
NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as executor of the estate of Richard Marshall Wells, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Richard Marshall Wells to present them to the undersigned on or before September 15th, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of this recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.
This 11th day of June, 2025. Rena Page 24270 Mini Airport Rd. Albemarle, NC 28001
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned has quali ed as Executor of the Estate of JOHNNY EUGENE GIBSON, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina (Stanly County File Number 25E000292-830). This is to notify all persons, rms or corporations having claims against said decedent or his estate to present the same duly itemized and veri ed to the undersigned Executor or her Attorney on or before the 25th day of August, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said decedent or to his estate are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executor or his attorney. This the 19th day of May, 2025. Amber Gibson Speight Executor Estate of Johnny Eugene Gibson 167 W Red Cross Road Oakboro, North Carolina 28129
CHARLES P. BROWN Brown & Senter, P.L.L.C. Post O ce Box 400 Albemarle, North Carolina 28002
Telephone: 704 982-2141 Fascimile: 704 982- 0902
PUBLISH: May 25,
famous birthdays this week
Rapper-turned-actor Ice Cube pictured in Los Angeles in April turns 56 on Sunday.
Actor Isabella Rossellini, pictured at the 18th Rome Film Festival in 2023, turns 73 on Wednesday.
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Actor Courteney Cox, pictured at the world premiere of “Scream VI” at AMC Lincoln Square in 2023, turns 61 on Sunday.
AP PHOTO
Singer Barry Manilow, pictured in New York in 2023, turns 82 on Tuesday.
THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.
JUNE 15
Guitarist Leo Nocentelli of the Meters is 79. Actor Jim Belushi is 71. Actor Courteney Cox is 61. Actor Neil Patrick Harris is 52. Rapper-actor Ice Cube is 56. Actor Leah Remini is 55. Actor Jake Busey is 53.
JUNE 16
Actor Eileen Atkins (“The Crown,” ″Doc Martin”) is 91. Country singer Billy “Crash” Craddock is 87. Singer Eddie Levert of The O’Jays is 83. A Singer Eddie Levert. Actor Joan Van Ark is 82. Actor Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne,” ″Norm”) is 70.
JUNE 17
Actor Peter Lupus (TV’s “Mission: Impossible”) is 93. Singer Barry Manilow is 82. Comedian Joe Piscopo is 74. Singer Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys) is 67. Actor Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways”) is 65. Actor Greg Kinnear is 62. Actor-comedian Will Forte (“Saturday Night Live”) is 55.
JUNE 18
Musician Paul McCartney is 83. Actor Constance McCashin (“Knots Landing”) is 78. Actor Linda Thorson (“The Avengers”) is 78. Actor Carol Kane is 73. Actor Isabella Rossellini is 73.
JUNE 19
Hall of Fame auto racer Shirley Muldowney is 85. Nobel peace prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is 80. Author Tobias Wol is 80. Author Salman Rushdie is 78. Actor Phylicia Rashad is 77. Rock singer Ann Wilson (Heart) is 75. Actor Kathleen Turner is 71. Singer-choreographer-TV personality Paula Abdul is 63.
JUNE 20
Singer Anne Murray is 80. TV personality Bob Vila is 79. Musician Lionel Richie is 76. Actor John Goodman is 73. Rock bassist John Taylor (Duran Duran) is 65. Actor Nicole Kidman is 58.
JUNE 21
Composer Lalo Schifrin is 93. Musician Ray Davies (The Kinks) is 81. Actor Meredith Baxter is 78. Nobel peace prize laureate Shirin Ebadi is 78. Actor Michael Gross is 78. Author Ian McEwan is 77. Actor Juliette Lewis is 52. Britain’s Prince William is 43.
How a NY man played golf for 35 hours in quest for world record
Flashlights and glow-in-the-dark balls helped his e orts
By Dave Collins The Associated Press
A NEW YORK man is laying claim to the record for most consecutive hours playing golf — a 35-hour stint on a course on Long Island that began early last Sunday evening and ended early Tuesday morning.
Kelechi Ezihie initially planned to play 24 hours to set a Guinness World Record, only to learn hours into his e ort that a British golfer had played for 32 straight hours on a course in Norway at the end of May. His sister had called him after seeing the 32-hour record while searching the internet, he said.
Surprised but determined, he plodded on through rain, fatigue and drenched and aching feet to outlast the Brit, Isaac Rowlands.
“I feel proud to be able to say I am a world champion,” he said. “This is an opportunity that not many people have. It’s de nitely something I will denitely be telling my kids and my grandkids moving forward in the future.”
Armed with friends, ashlights and glow-in-the-dark golf balls, the 27-year-old Ezihie teed o at Huntington Crescent Club at about 6:30 p.m. on Sunday and sank his last putt shortly after 5:30 a.m. Tuesday — playing the 18 holes seven times for a total of 126 holes, he said.
Along the way, friends took video of the entire outing and other people served as witnesses so Guinness could verify the record, he said. He was allowed a ve-minute break per hour, under Guinness rules, and ended up taking 20-minute breaks at the end of each round while still following the rules.
Kylie Galloway, a spokesperson for London-based Guinness, said it takes 12 to 15 weeks for specialists with the organization to review evidence and declare whether a record has been set. He said no one currently holds the record for longest golf marathon, and anyone who applies must have played at least 24 hours.
Ezihie, an assistant manager at an organization that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism, said he wanted to set the record to promote diversity in golf.
“People become intimidated
Indiana Jones’ whip and Culkin’s ‘Home
Alone’ snow cap going up for auction
The Rosebud sled from “Citizen Kane” and Star Wars props, too
The Associated Press
BEVERLY HILLS, Ca-
lif. — Many of movies’ most sought-after props are going up for auction, including the Rosebud sled from “Citizen Kane,” Macaulay Culkin’s knit snow cap from “Home Alone” and a whip wielded by Harrison Ford during the Holy Grail trials of “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”
The Summer Entertainment Auction being held July 15-19 by Heritage Auctions also includes sci- gems from the “Star Wars” galaxy, like a lming miniature of Luke Skywalker’s X-wing star ghter used in Industrial Light & Magic’s e ects work for “The Empire Strikes Back,” and the lightsabers brandished by Ewan McGregor’s Obi-Wan Kenobi and Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker in “Revenge of the Sith.”
The Rosebud sled from the
This combination of images shows the Rosebud sled from the lm “Citizen Kane,” left, a whip wielded by Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” center, and the knit hat worn by Macaulay Culkin in the lm “Home Alone.”
title character’s childhood sits at the center of Orson Welles’ 1941 “Citizen Kane.” It’s the last word tycoon Charles Foster Kane speaks before his death at the opening of the lm
that is regarded by many critics groups as the greatest ever made.
Long thought lost, the sled is one of three of the prop known to have survived. It’s owned by
“Gremlins” director Joe Dante, who stumbled on it when he was lming on the former RKO Pictures lot in 1984. Dante wasn’t a collector, but knew the value of the sled and qui-
when they hear about golf and they think it’s for the wealthy,” he said in a phone interview Wednesday. “I see how much golf has taught me, and I just believe that golf is a game that everybody should be able to get a chance to play and they could de nitely learn life lessons from this game.”
Ezihie, who has been playing golf for only 21⁄2 years, also promotes the sport locally and is trying to raise funds to build a golf center in Imo State in Nigeria, where he is from, to grow interest in the game among children. He has lived in the U.S. since 2008.
Near the end of his golf marathon in Tuesday’s early hours, Ezihie said his feet were really hurting.
“I was willing to play til the wheels fell o , and I did just that. My legs gave up on me and I was limping almost through the whole round,” he said, adding “I enjoyed every round.”
“These aren’t just props. They’re mythic objects.”
Joe Maddalena, Heritage executive vice president
etly preserved it for decades, putting it as an Easter egg into four of his own lms.
Ford gave the Indiana Jones whip going up for auction to then-Prince Charles at the 1989 U.K. premiere of “The Last Crusade.” It was given as a gift to Princess Diana, who gave it to the current owner.
“These aren’t just props. They’re mythic objects,” Joe Maddalena, Heritage’s executive vice president, said in a statement. “They tell the story of Hollywood’s greatest moments, one piece at a time.”
Also going up for sale are a blue velvet suit that Mike Myers wore as Austin Powers in “Goldmember,” and a Citroën 2CV driven by Roger Moore as James Bond in “For Your Eyes Only,” one of the lms Myers was parodying.
The auction also includes essential artifacts from the collection of legendary director Cecil B. DeMille, including a promotional pair of the titular tablets from DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments,” which the director had cut from stone from Mount Sinai.
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PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
CHARLES SYKES / INVISION /
HERITAGE AUCTIONS VIA AP
MAC MCCOY VIA AP
Kelechi Ezihie, right, plays golf at the Huntington Crescent Club in Huntington, New York, where he played for 35 straight hours, between Sunday evening and Tuesday morning, and is seeking validation of the Guinness World Record.
Kelechi Ezihie played for 35 straight hours.
MAC MCCOY VIA AP
this week in history
War of 1812 begins,
O.J. arrested after Bronco chase, Brits win at Bunker hill, Queen Victoria crowned
JUNE 15
1215: England’s King John placed his seal on Magna Carta (“the Great Charter”), which curtailed the absolute power of the monarchy.
1775: The Second Continental Congress voted unanimously to appoint George Washington head of the Continental Army.
1934: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most-visited national park in the United States, was established by Congress.
JUNE 16
1858: Abraham Lincoln, accepting the Illinois Republican nomination for U.S. Senate, declared, “A house divided against itself cannot stand,” calling for the resolution of the slavery issue.
1903: The Ford Motor Co. was incorporated in Detroit.
1963: Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, 26, became the rst woman in space, orbiting Earth 48 times over 71 hours aboard Vostok 6.
JUNE 17
1775: The Revolutionary War Battle of Bunker Hill resulted in a costly British victory, with heavy losses.
1885: The disassembled Statue of Liberty arrived in New York Harbor in 214 crates aboard the French frigate Isère.
1930: President Herbert Hoover signed the Smoot-Hawley Tari Act, raising U.S. tari s to historic levels and prompting foreign retaliation.
1994: O.J. Simpson was arrested and charged with murder in the deaths of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman after a slow-speed police chase on Southern California freeways.
JUNE 18
1812: The War of 1812 began as Congress approved, and President James Madison signed, a declaration of war against Britain.
1815: Napoleon Bonapar-
On June 21, 1893, the rst Ferris wheel, which carries 1,400 persons 250 feet into the air, was opened to the public at Chicago World’s Fair.
On June 18, 1983, astronaut Sally Ride became the rst American woman in space, launching aboard the space shuttle Challenger for a sixday mission.
te was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo as British and Prussian troops overcame the French Imperial Army in Belgium.
1983: Astronaut Sally Ride became the rst American woman in space, launching aboard the space shuttle Challenger on a six-day mission.
JUNE 19
1865: Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, with news that the Civil War was over and that all remaining enslaved people in Texas were free — an event now celebrated nationwide as Juneteenth.
1910: The rst Father’s Day in the United States was celebrated in Spokane, Wash.
1953: Julius Rosenberg, 35, and his wife, Ethel, 37, convicted of conspiring to pass
U.S. atomic secrets to the Soviet Union, were executed.
JUNE 20
1782: The Continental Congress approved the Great Seal of the United States, featuring the emblem of the bald eagle.
1837: Queen Victoria acceded to the British throne following the death of her uncle, King William IV.
1893: A jury in New Bedford, Mass., found Lizzie Borden not guilty of the ax murders of her father and stepmother.
1947: Gangster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was shot dead at the Beverly Hills, Calif., home of his girlfriend, Virginia Hill.
1967: Boxer Muhammad Ali was convicted in Houston of violating Selective Service laws by refusing to be drafted and was sentenced to ve years in prison.
JUNE 21
1788: The United States Constitution went into e ect as New Hampshire became the required ninth state to ratify it.
1893: The rst Ferris wheel opened to the public as part of the Chicago World’s Fair.
1964: Civil rights activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner were murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi.
1982: A jury in Washington, D.C. found John Hinckley Jr. not guilty by reason of insanity in the shootings of President Ronald Reagan and three others.
Monica & Co. Hemp Company is dedicated to bringing wellness to
Albemarle, NC
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JIM BUELL / AP PHOTO
On June 18, 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo when British and Prussian forces routed the French army in Belgium.
