Supreme Court allows Tenn. ban on hormones, puberty blockers for transgender minors
Washington, D.C.
The Supreme Court has upheld Tennessee’s ban on hormone treatments and puberty blocking drugs for transgender minors. Another 26 states have laws similar to Tennessee’s.
In the 6-3 decision, Chief Justice John Roberts wrote that the law doesn’t violate the Constitution’s equal protection clause, which requires the government to treat similarly situated people the same.
An American Civil Liberties Union lawyer says the decision is “a devastating loss for transgender people.”
Trump extends TikTok ban deadline again
Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to keep TikTok running in the U.S. for another 90 days to give his administration more time to broker a deal to bring the social media platform under American ownership. It is the third time Trump has extended the deadline. The rst one was through an executive order on Jan. 20, his rst day in o ce, after the platform went dark brie y when a national ban took e ect. The second was in April when White House o cials believed they were nearing a deal to spin o TikTok into a new company with U.S. ownership that fell apart after China backed out following Trump’s tari announcement.
SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas explodes; no injuries reported
Starbase, Texas
A SpaceX rocket being tested in Texas exploded, sending a dramatic reball high into the sky. The company says the Starship “experienced a major anomaly” at about 11 p.m. Wednesday while on the test stand at Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site at the southern tip of Texas. The company says in a statement on X that “all personnel are safe and accounted for.” SpaceX says there are no hazards to nearby communities and asked people not to try to approach the site. The Starship rocket was preparing to undergo a “static re test” where the engines are stressed ahead of launch when the ship experienced what rocket and space companies call a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” or RUD.
Albemarle holds ribbon cutting for StoryWalk trails
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Albemarle Parks and Recreation’s new StoryWalk outdoor reading adventure trail.
While the Parks and Rec Department originally unveiled the project at City Lake Park late last year, a formal dedication event for the trail was held
Stanly insurance agent arrested on 72 felony charges
Ashley Barnhardt allegedly committed identity theft and fraud for years
By Jesse Deal and Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
LOCUST — A Locust insurance agent has been charged with 72 felonies after allegedly defrauding clients by using their identities to gain illicit commissions on life insurance policies.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the arrest of 43-year-old Ashley Barnhardt, an insurance agent who was charged with 22 felony counts of nan-
cial identity theft, 25 felony counts of common law forgery and 25 felony counts of obtaining property by false pretense.
Barnhardt was taken before judicial o cials in Stanly County and given a pretrial secured bond of $152,500; she has since posted her bond and is awaiting an initial court date at the Stanly County District Court on Monday.
“It’s always disturbing when an agent uses their position to bene t themselves illegally,” Causey said. “I’m grateful to our agents for uncovering and pursuing this case. I’ve pledged to ght insurance-related crimes
Wednesday morning in front of collaborators and city o cials.
The scenic 1.2-mile trail loop features an interactive reading experience — designed with a younger audience in mind — with pages from “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle displayed at intervals throughout the path, promoting a combination of reading, exercise and nature appreciation.
“This innovative trail combines the joy of reading with the bene ts of outdoor activity, making it a perfect outing for families and children,” Albemarle Parks and Recreation said in a statement. “This initiative aims to promote literacy, physical activity, and family engagement. It’s a wonderful way to inspire a love for reading and nature in children.”
StoryWalk begins near City Lake Park’s playground area,
THE STANLY
The outdoor reading adventure path is at City Lake Park
SUNDAY
Stanly County Alzheimer’s 5K
The event beat its funding goals by $3,000
By Melinda Burris Stanly County Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Race to Remember bene ting Alzheimer’s disease and dementia research held June 7 raised a record-breaking $14,000, exceeding expectations on both participation and money raised.
The annual event drew 177 runners and walkers, both in person and virtually, marking the fourth consecutive year the run/walk surpassed its expected participation.
Thanks to the support of community sponsors, 100% of every registration fee and donation goes directly to funding groundbreaking Alzheimer’s and dementia research.
Louisa Hartsell founded and chairs the yearly event in honor of her father, Je Hartsell, who died in 2022 after battling dementia.
“Watching someone you love fade away, piece by piece, is devastating — and far too many families know that pain,” Louisa Hartsell said.
“I wanted to be a voice for my dad and for all those a ected by Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.”
Customized medals were awarded to the top three male and female overall participants in seven age categories.
The race received substantial community support, with primary backing coming from the Albemarle Rotary Club and a nonpro t with ties to Rotary, the C.A.R.T. Fund (Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust). Other sponsors included local business-
es and civic organizations.
“The success of this race belongs to every sponsor, every participant, every volunteer and every supporter cheering from the sidelines,” Hartsell said in a speech to the crowd. “You made it inspiring. You made it powerful. You made it unforgettable.”
The date for next year’s annual Race to Remember has been set for Saturday, June 13, 2026. The event will take place at Stanly County YMCA Park at 115 C.B. Crook Drive in Albemarle.
June
June 25
June 26 Locust
the street from Locust Elementary School. Open May through September. Corner of 24/27 and Vella Drive Locust
June 28
Sprinkle & Splash
10 a.m. to 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
PHOTOS COURTESY OF EMELIA IRELAND AND RYAN MONTROY
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Newsom’s presidential launch is a
That’s like saying the Titanic had an uneventful voyage with some exceptions.
riot
MOST GOVERNORS would see looting, mayhem and attacks on police o cers as problems to x. California Gov. Gavin Newsom sees them as a means to boosting his presidential ambitions.
After several days of violent riots in Los Angeles, Newsom delivered a speech he titled “Democracy at a Crossroads.” He attacked federal o cials for enforcing federal immigration law. He downplayed the initial destruction by noting state and local o cials “sent our police o cers to help keep the peace and, with some exceptions, they were successful.”
That’s like saying the Titanic had an uneventful voyage with some exceptions.
He saved his harshest words for President Donald Trump. He accused Trump of starting a “downward spiral” by deploying the California National Guard to Los Angeles to restore order. That was Trump “fanning the ames even harder,” Newsom said.
This is like a criminal defense lawyer trying to exonerate his client by blaming the police.
“If only the o cers hadn’t arrested him, he wouldn’t have attacked them.” It’s beyond parody.
“Democracy is under assault right before our eyes. This moment we have feared has arrived,” Newsom said. He continued, “The rule of law has increasingly been given way to the rule of Don.”
Think about this for a moment. Trump ran on mass deportations and just won decisively. The riots are an attempt to stop federal o cials from enforcing immigration law. If Newsom cared about democracy or the rule of law, he’d be helping Trump deport illegal immigrants.
But these riots have made obvious — once again — what Newsom really cares about: running for president. And since his side gig as a podcast host hasn’t gone well, Newsom is trying a new approach.
Nothing uni es the Democrat base more than opposing Trump — even if it puts someone on the side of civil unrest and illegal immigration. And Newsom is making the most of this opportunity. Along with repeatedly
bashing Trump, he sued over Trump’s troop deployment. Trump has jumped into the fray too, musing about arresting Newsom and calling him “Newscum” on Truth Social.
“Newsom leans into L.A. unrest to position himself as leader of opposition,” The Wall Street Journal wrote last week.
Newsom interviewed with the paper on Monday evening. That night, police arrested 96 people for failure to disperse, according to an LAPD release. It continued, “Two LAPD o cers were injured and transported to a local hospital for medical treatment and released. Several businesses were looted during the evening, with 14 arrests made for Looting. During the crowd control situation, there were numerous less-lethal rounds used by the LAPD.”
What a perfect encapsulation of Newsom’s tenure. Instead of xing problems, he responds with a PR blitz to boost his personal political fortunes.
The New York Times raved that he used his speech “to seize a political moment.”
NBC News wrote this “could be the most consequential political ght of his career.” The BBC said the clash with Trump “o ers a political opportunity for a man whose term in o ce ends next year and has his own presidential ambitions.”
“I’m not thinking about running, but it’s a path that I could see unfold,” Newsom told The Wall Street Journal.
Technically, that’s probably true. Newsom isn’t thinking about running for president. He’s obsessing over it.
Picking a high-pro le ght with Trump may be a good strategy for winning Democratic primary voters. But doing so on this issue isn’t likely to play well in a nationwide general election.
Some people use life’s lemons to make lemonade. Newsom is using burning Waymo taxis to make his case to be president. What a riot.
Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast.
LETTERS
Legislature should fund antiobesity medication through Medicaid
AS A CONCERNED citizen with a general knowledge of health care, I witness the impact of obesity on our state daily. Forty- ve percent of North Carolinians are a ected by it, with rates skyrocketing even higher among minority populations. Fortunately, FDA-approved antiobesity medications (AOMs) have been a welcome tool as we look to confront this epidemic, and the ongoing coverage of them under N.C. Medicaid has meant that the residents who need them most can access them. Unfortunately, with the North Carolina legislature working to nalize the budget, this coverage is at risk of being eliminated. With so many across North Carolina a ected by obesity and the rates only rising, we cannot a ord to eliminate N.C. Medicaid coverage of AOMs — both for health and nancial reasons. The health bene ts of AOMs are undeniable, including improved cardiovascular health, lower rates of diabetes, better joint health and myriad other bene ts. These medications don’t just help with weight loss — they prevent the cascade of expensive complications that untreated obesity brings.
Fiscally, maintaining coverage now will guarantee cost savings for years to come. N.C. Medicaid currently spends approximately $1 billion annually on obesity-related health care expenses — AOMs can help to reduce those costs. As I recently read in another publication, we can pay for e ective obesity treatment now, or we can pay the price later in the form of worse health outcomes and higher obesity-related health care expenditures. The North Carolina legislature needs to choose the former and protect N.C. Medicaid coverage of AOMs.
Misty Palmer, Rich eld
BE IN TOUCH
Letters addressed to the editor may be sent to letters@ nsjonline.com or 1201 Edwards Mill Rd., Suite 300, Raleigh, NC 27607. Letters may be edited for style, length or clarity when necessary. Ideas for op-eds should be sent to opinion@ nsjonline.com.
Contact a writer or columnist: connect@ northstatejournal.com
COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS
ERIC THAYER / AP PHOTO
A protester holds a sign as a Waymo taxi burns near the metropolitan detention center of downtown Los Angeles on June 8 following an immigration raid protest.
obituaries
Anne Burrell, TV chef who coached the ‘Worst Cooks in America,’ dies at 55
Dwight Farmer
She starred on Food Network for two decades
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023
By Jennifer Peltz
Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.
The Associated Press
Still, Burrell persisted through 27 seasons, making her last appearance in 2024.
January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023
Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.
NEW YORK — TV chef
Anne Burrell, who coached culinary fumblers through hundreds of episodes of “Worst Cooks in America,” died Tuesday at her New York home. She was 55.
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.
The Food Network, where Burrell began her two-decade television career on “Iron Chef America” and went on to other shows, con rmed her death. The cause was not immediately clear, and medical examiners were set to conduct an autopsy.
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.
Police were called to her address before 8 a.m. Tuesday and found an unresponsive woman who was soon pronounced dead. The police department did not release the woman’s name, but records show it was Burrell’s address.
“If people want to learn, I absolutely love to teach them,” she said on ABC’s “Good Morning America” in 2020. “It’s just them breaking bad habits and getting out of their own way.”
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. He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheri ’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.
Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.
Burrell was born Sept. 21, 1969, in the central New York town of Cazenovia, where her parents ran a ower store. She earned an English and communications degree from Canisius University and went on to a job as a headhunter but hated it, she said in a 2008 interview with The Post-Standard of Syracuse.
Shirley Jo Di ee Lowder
James Roseboro
June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023
June 27, 1941 –May 23, 2025
James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.
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.
Shirley Jo Di ee Lowder, age 83, of Albemarle, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at her home on May 23, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Born on June 27, 1941, in Troy, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late James and Margaret Di ee.
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.
Frank Edwin Williams
John B. Kluttz
March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023
March 17, 1941 – June 17, 2025
Doris Jones Coleman
October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023
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.
Burrell was on TV screens as recently as April, making chicken Milanese cutlets topped with escarole salad in one of her many appearances on NBC’s “Today” show. She faced o against other top chefs on the Food Network’s “House of Knives” earlier in the spring.
“Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent — teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring,” the network said in a statement.
Known for her bold and avorful but not overly fancy dishes, and for her spiky platinum-blonde hairdo, Burrell and various co-hosts on “Worst Cooks in America” led teams of kitchen-challenged people through a crash course in savory self-improvement.
On the rst show in 2010, contestants presented such unlikely personal specialties as cayenne pepper and peanut butter on cod, and penne pasta with sauce, cheese, olives and pineapple. The accomplished chefs had to taste the dishes to evaluate them, and it was torturous, Burrell confessed in an interview with The Tampa Tribune at the time.
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.
Having always loved cooking, she soon enrolled in the Culinary Institute of America, for which she later taught. She graduated in 1996, spent a year at an Italian culinary school and then worked in upscale New York City restaurants for a time.
“Anytime Anne Burrell gets near hot oil, I want to be around,” Frank Bruni, thenfood critic at the New York Times, enthused in a 2007 review.
He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.
By the next year, Burrell was hosting her own Food Network show, “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,” and her TV work became a focus. Over the years she also wrote two cookbooks, “Cook Like a Rock Star” and “Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower,” and was involved with food pantries, juvenile diabetes awareness campaigns and other charities.
Burrell’s own tastes, she said, ran simple. She told The Post-Standard her favorite food was bacon and her favorite meal was her mother’s tuna sh sandwich.
“Cooking is fun,” she said. “It doesn’t have to be scary. It’s creating something nurturing.”
Survivors include her husband, Stuart Claxton, whom she married in 2021, and his son, her mother and her two siblings.
“Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world,” the family said in a statement released by the Food Network.
of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
A proud graduate of Troy High School and the Cabarrus School of Nursing, she later earned a Master’s Degree in Social Work, equipping her for a lifetime of service to others. For 34 years, she served with dedication as the Medical Social Worker and Coordinator of Student Services for Stanly County Schools. She also shared her knowledge and support with countless families as a Lamaze instructor and certi ed childbirth educator for more than a decade.
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.
Her commitment to public service extended far beyond her professional career. Shirley served on the Albemarle City Council and contributed to numerous boards and committees including the Stanly County Board of Health, Stanly Community College Board of Trustees, Stanly County Partnership for Children, and the Stanly County Republican Party. At the state level, she was appointed to the NC Department of Corrections Substance Abuse Advisory Board and the NC Commission for Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services, where she advocated for comprehensive and compassionate care.
She is survived by her children: Lisa Deese (Terry), Dodd Lowder, and Sally Lowder (Jesse); grandchildren: Hamilton Deese (Lani), Alley Moreo (Christopher), Margaret Kline (Jackson), and Bela Lowder; and one great-grandchild, Emily Rose Moreo.
Darrick Baldwin
January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, June 29, 2025, at 3:00 p.m. at Our Lady of Annunciation Catholic Church in Albemarle, NC. The family will receive friends in the sanctuary prior to the service, beginning at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of owers, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the Butter y House Children’s Advocacy Center in Albemarle.
Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.
He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Frank Edwin Williams, 84, was born in Camden, NJ to Francis L. and Dorothy E. (Wright) Williams of Audubon, NJ. He ran a newspaper route on his bike as a rst job. He enjoyed spending time at a great-uncle’s farm, where he learned to drive a tractor at age 12. He ran cross country and track and eld at Audubon High School and continued these sports at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, AR, where he became student body president and met and married his wife of 53 years, Nanette Jean (Jacobs) Williams. They were married in Rogers, AR, on August 23, 1964. He earned a degree in electrical engineering from JBU. Then he earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Arkansas in 1966. He and Nanette moved to Raleigh, NC where he went to work at IBM in the Research Triangle Park. After a few years, his daughters Sharon and Carol were born. He was always very active in church, especially with music. He played trumpet, sang in choirs, quartets, and later played trumpet in church orchestras, two of which he helped start. He frequently xed the organ at one church. He gave the love of music to his whole family. He enjoyed photography and became a church photographer. He enjoyed the outdoors. He was very happy when boating, shing, hunting, camping, hiking, riding his 4-wheeler, or just working outside. He took lots of friends out in his boat and taught many of them to ski. Our family went to Jordan Lake weekly or every other week. He hiked parts of the Appalachian Trail with friends. He was talented at working on things like car engines, washing machines, water pipes, etc. He even put the HVAC system in his house. He could do just about anything. He also played softball on two di erent teams at the same time for many years. He was pitcher. But the greatest love of his life was the Lord. He and Nanette were blessed to have the opportunity to travel to Israel twice with churches. The 2nd trip was a music mission trip during which the orchestra and choir ministered to the people of Israel.
Nanette, his daughters and grandchildren were his life. He was at just about every event, every game, every birthday party,
etc. He taught his daughters as much softball as they could learn. He tried really hard to make hunters out of them, since he had no sons. He paid for piano lessons, bought us two horses, took us to horse shows (he also rode in horse shows), and gave us cars when the time came, even if one was a ’74 Pinto. He supported us through college and came to visit when we moved away. He greatly enjoyed his grandchildren and did as many things with them as he could. He was there for his adult daughters whenever they needed him. His wife died suddenly just before her 78th birthday in 2017. God put another lady in his life in 2019. Her name is Joan Owen. She became the love of his life, his “lady friend”. They were good to each other and had good times together. Dad’s journey with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia began in 2020. He had several more good years with Joan and with his family. Things got tougher ~March 2024 and hospice was called in. He was eventually moved to a memory care facility around Thanksgiving 2024. He then was moved to a skilled nursing facility in March 2025. He did well until the beginning of June, at which point he was moved back home with Sharon. Carol also stayed to help take care of him until his death. We are grateful for all the help of Stanly EMS coming numerous times to help Sharon get him up if he had fallen. We are grateful for hospice and their care. They are like family to us. We appreciate all the concerns and prayers of friends and family. And thank you to the neighbors who helped lift Dad to his wheelchair from time to time. We thank the Lord for his long and full life and for his being able to serve the Lord with music for so long.
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.
Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC.
Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.
Frank was preceded in death by his wife, Nanette Williams, as well as his parents, Francis and Dorothy Williams, his sister, Elizabeth Johnson (David), and one nephew. He is survived by his daughters Sharon Barker and Carol Henshaw (Jerry), as well as grandchildren Kara Barker, Jordan Henshaw, Amanda Barker, Emily Barker, Lauren Henshaw, and Caleb Henshaw. He is also survived by his brotherin-law, David Johnson, his sisterin-law, Jerre Lynne West, a few cousins, several nieces and one nephew.
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.
His visitation and funeral will be at Carolina Presbyterian Church, 406 Renee Ford Rd., Locust, on Friday, June 20, with visitation beginning at 1 p.m. The funeral service will begin at 2:30 p.m. Following his funeral, his burial will be at Cabarrus Cemetery, 3892 NC-73 E, Concord (intersection of NC Hwy 73 and Cold Springs Rd.). Contributions can be made to Tillery Compassionate Care (hospice), Stanly County EMS, Carolina Presbyterian Church, and Hickory Grove Baptist Church.
She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, out ts for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.
Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones. Celebrate
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.
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.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in NSJ at obits@northstatejournal.com
Chef Anne Burrell attends an event in New York in April.
ANDY KROPA / INVISION / AP
DAVID MICHAEL STEGALL
MAY 27, 1969 –JUNE 17, 2025
David Michael Stegall, 56, entered his eternal rest on Tuesday, June 17, 2025.
A service celebrating his life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at Houston Baptist Church in Monroe, the congregation he loved and faithfully served. The family will greet friends at the church beginning at noon. Interment will follow in the adjoining church cemetery.
Born on May 27, 1969, in Mecklenburg County, David was the son of Carolyn Mae Stikeleather Stegall of Matthews and the late Walter David Stegall. A proud graduate of Sun Valley High School, he built a successful career as a regional sales manager with Kubota, where his quick wit, steady patience, and genuine care for customers earned him deep respect and lasting friendships.
Whether on the golf course, casting a line or charting a new travel adventure, David embraced life with an open heart and an infectious laugh. He was the rst to lend a helping hand, the one cracking jokes around the table, and the steady presence family and friends could always count on. Fiercely devoted to those he loved, he served as a dedicated caregiver to his mother and rarely missed an event for his beloved stepgranddaughters.
David is survived by his wife, Rheina Trexler of Indian Trail; his mother, Carolyn Mae Stikeleather Stegall of Matthews; his brother, Todd Stegall of Indian Trail; his sister, Cynthia Stegall of Washington, D.C.; stepchildren, Cathy Spence, Joy Smith (A.J.), and Paul Lacarta; and stepgranddaughters, Mia Smith and Paisley Lacarta. He is also remembered fondly by extended family, countless colleagues and a wide circle of friends who will miss his generous spirit and warm smile. In lieu of owers, memorials may be made to Houston Baptist Church Missions Fund, PO Box 366, Mineral Springs, NC 28108, re ecting David’s lifelong commitment to helping others.
Davis Chapel-Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Monroe is serving the Stegall family.
DONALD JOE WISE
MARCH 4, 1971 –JUNE 12, 2025
Donald Joe Wise, 54, of Locust, passed away on Thursday, June 12, 2025, at Tucker Hospice House in Kannapolis. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Born on March 4, 1971, in Cincinnati, Ohio, he was the son of the late James D. Wise and Ernestine Hunt Randall. Donald was a graduate of Glen Este High School in Cincinnati and worked as a forklift operator at Fiberon in New London.
He enjoyed the freedom of riding his Harley and found peace at the beach. He was known by his family as funny, kind, intelligent, and deeply loving — a man who cherished his friends and left a lasting impression on those who knew him.
Donald is survived by his wife, Brenda Dulude Wise, of the home; his sister, Tammy R. Hawes and husband Greg of Concord and nephew Noah L. Hawes; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Statehouse security tightens after Minnesota lawmaker shootings
The shootings happened at home, adding a layer of complexity
By Scott Bauer The Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. — Anxious lawmakers convened Wednesday under heightened security in Wisconsin’s state Capitol, one of the most publicly accessible statehouses in the country, days after a legislator and her husband in neighboring Minnesota were shot and killed at their home and others were targeted.
The tension playing out in Wisconsin and other states after the Minnesota killings pits those who want to keep state capitols as open and accessible as possible against those concerned about increasing threats and acts of violence against o ceholders.
Other states take action
Numerous states took action this week to protect personal information of lawmakers after the targeted shootings of two Minnesota state lawmakers. The second legislator and his wife sustained serious injuries in the shootings early Saturday. A suspect, Vance Boelter, surrendered to police on Sunday.
Prosecutors say Boelter had dozens of additional potential targets. They included state and federal o ceholders in Wisconsin.
Legislatures in most states are done meeting for the year, but those like Wisconsin that are still in session are taking emergency action to bolster security.
The police chief at the North Carolina General Assembly said Monday in an email to legislators that “we are working on enhanced security plans and are doing our best to keep everyone safe.” But further details haven’t
been released and there’s been no signi cant change seen in security on the surface.
In Arizona, more state troopers were assigned to the state Senate building, said Senate GOP Spokesperson Kim Quintero.
Security bolstered in Wisconsin
Security changes for Wednesday’s meeting of the Wisconsin Legislature were mostly out of sight.
Visitors to the Capitol could still enter the building without going through a metal detector, but anyone wanting to watch in the Senate’s public gallery had to go through an additional security check. Those wishing to watch the Assembly session from the gallery could do so, but they were encouraged to instead view it from another room.
In a more visible sign of force, there were state patrol o cers in the building and around both legislative chambers in addition to the usual Capitol Police. There were new security screenings for reporters attending a news conference in the Senate parlor, and the Democratic Assembly leader’s door that is
Pair of enormous agpoles installed at White House
dency with grand ideas for remaking the building.
By Chris Megerian and Darlene Superville The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The American ag has long own from a pole on the White House roof, but that’s always been too small for President Donald Trump, who wants everything to be bigger and more beautiful.
On Wednesday, massive new agpoles were erected on the North and South Lawns of the White House.
“It’s such a beautiful pole,” Trump said as workers used a crane to install the latest addition to the South Lawn. He returned to the same spot later in the day, saluting as the stars and stripes were hoisted for the rst time. The second pole, on the North Lawn, is close to Pennsylvania Avenue. The two poles are the most notable exterior modi cation to the White House since Trump returned to the presi-
He’s already updated the Oval O ce, adding gold accents, more portraits and a copy of the Declaration of Independence. Workers have begun paving over the grass in the Rose Garden, and there are plans to construct a new ballroom somewhere on the White House grounds. The changes bring the iconic building more in line with Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s private club in Florida.
The president made time to watch one of the agpole installations despite the escalating conict between Iran and Israel, plus questions of whether the U.S. would become directly involved.
“I love construction,” said Trump, who made his mark as a New York real estate developer. “I know it better than anybody.”
He talked about how the pole went down 9 feet deep for stability, and the rope would be contained inside the cylinder, unlike the one at Mar-a-Lago. When the wind blows, “you hear that rope, banging.”
“This is the real deal,” he said. “This is the best you can get. There’s nothing like this.”
typically open was locked with a sign saying anyone with an appointment could knock to gain entry.
“I feel safe in our Capitol building,” Democratic Senate Minority Leader Dianne Hesselbein said before session began Wednesday.
Not everyone felt the same way.
“We need to have a higher level of security,” Republican Sen. Chris Kapenga told WISN-TV. He supports adding metal detectors and banning guns for anyone in the building except for lawmakers. He said he always carries a gun in the Capitol.
“We should not be worried about our lives walking into that building,” Kapenga said.
Prior security concerns
Wisconsin is a presidential battleground state used to high-stakes political ghts and frequent large protests both inside and outside of the Capitol.
Two years ago, a man armed with a loaded handgun came into the Wisconsin Capitol looking for Gov. Tony Evers, who was not there at the time.
Wisconsin is one of seven states where concealed weapons are allowed in the Capitol, according
to a 2021 report by the Council of State Governments. Thirty-six states ban concealed weapons in their capitol buildings. There have been some visible security increases at the Wisconsin Capitol in recent months. Anyone attending oral arguments of the state Supreme Court, which meets in a room just around the corner from the legislative chambers, must go through a metal detector. That was added after a retired judge was shot and killed in a targeted attack at his home in 2022 and amid increasing threats to members of the judiciary. Evers and other lawmakers were also on a list that gunman had.
No metal detectors
The Wisconsin Capitol has its own police force housed in the basement, but the building is not protected by metal detectors, screening checkpoints or X-rays.
Anyone can walk in o the street between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. during the week and go straight to the o ces of state lawmakers and others.
The Wisconsin Capitol is one of 11 state capitols that does not have metal detectors, a state au-
dit found last year. It is one of 19 states without X-ray machines to scan items people bring into the building, the audit found.
Metal detectors were installed at the Capitol in late February 2011 at the height of protests over then-Gov. Scott Walker’s proposal, later signed into law, that e ectively ended collective bargaining for most public workers. They were removed four months later under an agreement reached between Walker’s administration and the state employees union, which sued to get the Capitol reopened without metal detectors. State Capitol security concerns were raised again after the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But at the time, the Wisconsin Capitol was closed to the general public due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Wisconsin Republican Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said Wednesday that it was important to “take a breath” and not have a “knee-jerk reaction” to the Minnesota shootings. “Trying to make the Capitol into a fortress” is not the answer, he said.
“The thing that’s most scary is this didn’t occur in a Capitol,” Vos said, “it occurred in someone’s home.”
President Donald Trump praised the “beautiful pole” at a ceremony
Left, a Capitol police o cer, left, stands with a Wisconsin state patrol o cer at the top of the public gallery in the Assembly Chamber at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison, Wis., on Wednesday. Right, sta search visitors entering the Wisconsin Senate gallery in the state Capitol on Wednesday in Madison, Wis.
SCOTT BAUER / AP PHOTO TODD RICHMOND / AP PHOTO
EVAN VUCCI / AP PHOTO
A new ag pole on the South Lawn of the White House ies an American ag on Wednesday.
Justice Department targets voter registration compliance in battleground states
The DOJ is working to ensure states comply with election laws
By Christina A. Cassidy and Scott Bauer
The Associated Press
ATLANTA — In North Carolina, it was a lawsuit over the state’s voter registration records. In Arizona and Wisconsin, it was a letter to state election o cials warning of potential administrative violations. And in Colorado, it was a demand for election records going back to 2020.
The actions by the U.S. Department of Justice’s voting section come amid signi cant personnel changes in the division, including the departures of career attorneys and decisions to drop various voting rights cases led under the previous administration.
The department’s focus on voter registration compliance and election record-keeping re ects priorities that align with concerns raised by conservative activists following the 2020 election. The targeted states include several presidential battlegrounds and others controlled by Democratic o cials.
David Becker, a former department attorney who worked on voting rights cases and now leads the Center for Election Innovation & Research, criticized the Justice Department’s approach as misplaced priorities.
“This would be like the police department prioritizing jaywalking over murder investigations,” he said.
A Justice Department spokesperson responded with “no comment” to an emailed request for more information about the actions, including whether similar ones had been taken in any other states.
Actions come amid major changes at the DOJ
Conservatives for years have called for an overhaul at the Justice Department in both personnel and priorities. President Donald Trump also has criticized how elections are run, blaming his 2020 loss on widespread fraud. Earlier this year, he signed an executive order seeking a sweeping overhaul of election operations — an authority the Constitution grants to the states and Congress.
After his win last November, Trump installed key allies at the Justice Department, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has made similar claims about the 2020 election.
Multiple reviews in the presidential battleground states afrmed Democrat Joe Biden’s win in 2020, Trump and his allies lost dozens of lawsuits, and even Trump’s attorney general at the time said there was no evidence of widespread fraud.
Justin Levitt, a former deputy assistant attorney general in the department’s civil rights division, said most of the DOJ’s actions appeared reasonable and focused on issues that had
already been raised by conservative activists in those states. They also are the type that would be expected from a conservative administration, he said, with the exception of the Colorado request. He called that “well out of bounds.”
“This administration has prioritized grievance, even perceived grievance when there is no basis in fact,” said Levitt, who also served as a senior policy adviser in the Biden administration. “And it’s dismaying, but not surprising, that the civil rights division would do the same.”
Department wants records related to the 2020 election
The department’s request to Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold, a Democrat, asked for all records relating to last year’s presidential election. Federal law requires those to be kept for 22 months.
In the request, the department stated it had received a complaint alleging that Griswold’s o ce was not in compliance with federal law relating to voter registration. The
Judges side with GOP lawmakers over highway patrol commander
Three Superior Court judges ruled unanimously
By Makiya Seminera
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — A panel of North Carolina judges dismissed one of Democratic Gov. Josh Stein’s cases against Republican legislative leaders Monday, upholding part of a power-shifting law that prevents Stein from selecting the State Highway Patrol commander.
Three Superior Court judges made the decision unanimously. The judges’ decision means that the dispute won’t go to trial, but it can be appealed.
The lawsuit focuses on a portion of a more sweeping law passed by the GOP-dominat-
ed General Assembly that eroded the governor’s powers, as well as the abilities of other top Democrats that hold statewide o ces, last year. A day after its nal passage, Stein and former Gov. Roy Cooper led the legal challenge that the judges dismissed Monday.
The law says Stein cannot select his own commander to the State Highway Patrol and, instead, State Highway Patrol Commander Col. Freddy Johnson will keep the job until 2030. Johnson was appointed by Cooper in 2021 and is a defendant in the lawsuit.
In the order that sided with legislative leaders and Johnson, the judges wrote there were “no genuine issues of material fact” and that the plainti — Stein — did not prove that the provision was unconstitutional.
request also directs Griswold to preserve any records of the 2020 election that might still be in the state’s possession. Griswold, in an interview, called the request a “ shing expedition” and said her o ce responded by providing state voting les.
“I’m not even sure they know what they are looking for,” Griswold said. “They can request all the data they want, and it’s not going to prove anything.”
North Carolina elections have been a particular target for Republicans
In North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers recently wrested control of the state election board from the Democratic governor, Justice Department lawyers led a lawsuit accusing state election o cials of failing to ensure that all voter records include identifying information, such as a driver’s license.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, who oversees the civil rights division, said in a statement announcing the lawsuit that accurate voter rolls are critical to ensuring elections are conducted “fairly, accurately, and without fraud.”
The previous board had acknowledged the issue and updated the state’s voter registration form. The new board leadership has vowed to address it.
Skeptical of the motives
In Wisconsin, which Trump won in 2016 and 2024 but lost in 2020, department lawyers recently sent a letter to the state election commission accusing it of not providing a complaint process for those raising concerns.
This comes as Republican state lawmakers are pushing legislation to expand the ability to appeal decisions made by the six-member commission, which is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats. Republican lawmakers have long complained about commission decisions they perceive as bene ting Democrats. The Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a law rm that frequently defends Republicans on election issues, supports both e orts, said Lu-
cas Vebber, the rm’s deputy counsel.
“It’s ensuring that Wisconsinites are entitled to have their complaints heard and adjudicated,” he said. “As something as important as our elections, it’s vital to ensure that process is transparent and available to everyone.”
Rep. Lee Snodgrass, a Democrat on the Wisconsin Legislature’s elections committee, said state law needs some tightening around how election complaints are handled, but she’s dubious about the motives of the Trump administration and conservative activists in the state. They are looking for ways “to cast doubt on election integrity, so if they don’t get the results they want they can cry foul,” Snodgrass said.
Concerns about future actions
In Arizona, DOJ lawyers said the state was not clearly telling voter registration applicants to provide a driver’s license if they have one and asked the state to conduct a review to identify any noncitizens.
Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, a Democrat, responded by saying Arizona requires those registering to vote in state and local elections to provide proof of citizenship and conducts checks using the state’s motor vehicle records.
In Oregon, Justice Department lawyers weighed in on an ongoing lawsuit led by the conservative group Judicial Watch. It alleges the state has failed to comply with federal laws on maintaining voter lists and making these records available for public inspection.
John Powers, a former Justice Department attorney who now serves as legal director for the Advancement Project, said he was concerned about the moves coupled with the Justice Department’s sta departures and its withdrawal from voting rights cases.
Powers said he hoped, with midterm elections next year, that the department would not pursue minor technical issues in a way that could undermine public con dence in elections.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned about what the future might hold,” he said.
An attorney for Stein, Eric Fletcher, had argued in Wake County court Monday that the provision guts the governor’s abilities and violates the separation of powers. The commander would not be “directly accountable” to the governor, Fletcher said, but rather “indirectly accountable” to the General Assembly.
Fletcher insisted the lawsuit was not a re ection of Johnson’s character and ability to do his job.
Lawyers representing Republican legislative leaders Destin Hall and Phil Berger argued the case should be thrown out because Stein hasn’t publicly contended that he wants to remove Johnson from his post and the governor’s arguments were largely hypothetical.
Johnson’s lawyer, William
Boyle, further a rmed there is “no crisis here” between the governor and the State Highway Patrol commander and that they aren’t “at odds with each other.” Granting the governor the ability to appoint a new commander as the suit makes its way through the courts would also cause “lasting detrimental harm,” Boyle said. Stein is separately ghting an-
other provision in the same state law passed last year that transferred the power to appoint State Board of Elections members from the governor to the state auditor, who is a Republican. Appointments have stayed in place as the provision’s constitutionality continues to be debated in courts. They shifted the state elections board from a Democratic to Republican majority.
MORRY GASH / AP PHOTO
Election workers process ballots for the 2024 General Election last year in Milwaukee.
GERRY BROOME / AP PHOTO
North Carolina State Highway Patrol members closing a highway near Nags Head in 2010 due to Hurricane Earl.
with each stop encouraging children to continue along the trail as the story’s plot progresses. Bilingual pages, movement prompts, QR codes to hear the story read aloud and a brief survey at the end for feedback are among the project’s interactive features.
The StoryWalk Project was created in 2007 by chronic disease prevention specialist Anne Ferguson in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library.
Since then, the concept has spread internationally, with libraries, schools and parks adopting StoryWalks to promote early literacy and healthy lifestyles.
The Stanly County Chamber of Commerce referred
CHARGES from page A1
by aggressively pursuing and prosecuting them in North Carolina.”
According to the N.C. Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division, Barnhardt allegedly used her capacity as an insurance agent to retain personal identifying information of clients and their bene ciaries. She then used this information to manipulate policy applications for her own personal nancial gain, collecting payments from two di er-
“This innovative trail combines the joy of reading with the bene ts of outdoor activity, making it a perfect outing for families and children.”
Albemarle Parks and Recreation
to the project as “a testament to the power of partnership,” referencing the collaboration between Albemarle Parks and Recreation, Stanly County Partnership for Children, Stanly County Library, Atrium Health and Stanly Health Foundation that made
ent life insurance companies. Barnhardt, owner of Barnstormer Insurance Group, LLC, allegedly collected more than $25,000 in fraudulent payments with crimes dating as far back as 2023.
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ database reveals that she has been a licensed producer since 2019 and was appointed with seven life insurance companies.
Defense attorney Stacy Fulcher of Albemarle led a notice of appearance on Wednesday to represent Barnhardt.
the completion of StoryWalk possible.
“It’s something new to do when visiting Stanly County with the kids,” the Stanly County Convention and Visitors Bureau said of the trail.
“Check out the new StoryWalk at City Lake Park on the northwestern edge of Albemarle. It’s a beautiful park with shing, kayaks, playgrounds, trails and picnic areas, and now StoryWalk.”
City Lake Park, located at 815 Concord Road, has been a part of Albemarle’s parks system since 2003, covering about 75 acres of land around a 100acre lake. It includes an 18-hole disc golf course, playground, bank shing, canoe and kayak access, shelters, an amphitheater, as well as both paved and unpaved trails.
COURTESY STANLY COUNTY SHERIFF Ashley Barnhardt
What is hospice care?
Hospice care aims to ease pain in patients who are not expected to recover from their condition; life expectancy is 6 months or less and treatment is no longer being pursued.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care aims to ease pain and help with symptoms caused by a chronic or serious illness but is not considered to be life-limiting at this time. This service adds an extra layer of support working in conjunction with an individual’s medical team and life-prolonging medications or treatments.
www.tiller ycompassionatecare.org
For questions or to seek care, call us today at 704.983.4216. Visit us at Tiller yCompassionateCare.org
Monica & Co. Hemp Company is dedicated to bringing wellness to the world by offering a variety of hemp goods.
MISENHEIMER — A softball pitcher for the Pfei er Falcons was selected by College Sports Communicators (CSC) to the Academic All-America Second Team for NCAA Division III.
Recent graduate Emma Bullin was given the honors last week, as she became the rst stu-
dent-athlete in Pfei er’s NCAA DIII era to earn the Academic All-American recognition.
CSC annually releases its list of national academic honors to recognize the top student-athletes for their combined performances both on the baseball eld and in the classroom.
Bullin is the only softball player from the USA South to receive the award for the 2024 -25 academic calendar and one of just ve players statewide.
Academically, Bullin recently completed her studies in special education with a 4.00 GPA;
she is among eight of the 33 members of the CSC Academic All-America DIII softball team with a perfect GPA in their studies.
On the eld, Bullin batted .369 at the plate and recorded a 2.00 ERA in the circle with 137 strikeouts and an 18-0 conference record.
The Arafat native joins four other Lady Falcons Academic All-Americans in Pfei er’s record book: women’s tennis player Jenny Reeves (third team at-large, 2000), women’s lacrosse player Brenna Clark ( rst
team at-large, 2006 and 2007), softball player Dacia Ijames (third team, 2007) and women’s basketball player Brittany Cox ( rst team, 2012 and 2013).
For the 2025 softball season, Bullin was honored as the USA South Pitcher of the Year with First Team All- Conference honors, and she was also a six-time Pitcher of the Week winner for the conference.
She was MVP for both the USA South Tournament and the NCAA Regional Tournament.
The NCAA Division III CSC Academic All-America pro -
5
Lady Falcons All-Americans in Pfei er history
gram is partially nancially supported by the NCAA Division III national governance structures to assist CSC with handling the awards ful llment aspects for the 2024-25 Division III Academic All-America programs.
Pfei er baseball players Hunter Huneycutt and Austin Wood were recently included by CSC among the honorees for the 2025 Academic All-District Baseball Teams.
South Stanly baseball players named All-State
Two seniors and one junior from this year’s squad were named to the coaches association’s 1A All-State team
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
NORWOOD — Three South Stanly baseball players received all-state honors this week by the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association.
Carter Callicutt (Jr., C/RHP), Jack Crump (Sr., SS/RHP) and Gavyn Miller (Sr., LHP/OF/1B) were named to the 2025 NCBCA All-State team released this month.
Callicutt hit .479 this season for the Rebel Bulls with 16 doubles, a triple and 33 RBIs. He led the Bulls with an on-base plus slugging mark of 1.203.
Crump, who will play in college next season at Pfei er University, led the Bulls with a .511 batting average, including two doubles, a triple, a home run and 26 RBIs with an OPS of 1.194. On the mound, Crump was 2-1 with a 2.08 earned-run average in 301⁄3 innings. He allowed nine earned runs while walking 25 and striking out 49 batters. Miller hit .429 for the Bulls
21-7
South’s record this season, the nal for long-time head coach Terry Tucker
and three
South Stanly’s Carter Callicutt poses with a football coach at the Piedmont Friday Night Lights awards. The multisport athlete just received a postseason baseball honor as well.
Pfei er Falconz softball pitcher Emma Bullin prepares to throw a pitch from the mound.
Federal judge calls on NASCAR, teams to settle bitter antitrust battle
Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin are plainti s in the lawsuit
By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE — A federal judge urged NASCAR and two of its teams, including one owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan, to settle their increasingly acrimonious legal ght that spilled over into tense arguments during a hearing on Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell of the Western District
North Carolina grilled both NASCAR and the teams — 23XI Racing, which is owned by Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports, owned by entrepreneur Bob Jenkins — on what they hoped to accomplish in the antitrust battle that has loomed over the stock car series for months.
“It’s hard to picture a winner if this goes to the mat — or to the ag — in this case,” Bell said. “It scares me to death to think about what all this is costing.” 23XI and Front Row were the only two organizations that refused to sign a take-it-or-leave-it o er from NASCAR last September on a new charter agreement. Charters are NASCAR’s version of a franchise model, with each charter guaranteeing entry to the lucrative Cup Series races and a stable revenue stream; 13 other teams signed the agreements last fall, with some contending they had little choice.
The nearly two-hour hearing was on the teams’ request to
toss out NASCAR’s countersuit, which accuses Jordan business manager Curtis Polk of “willfully” violating antitrust laws by orchestrating anticompetitive collective conduct in negotiations. NASCAR said it learned in discovery that Polk in messages among the 15 teams tried to form a “cartel” type operation that would include threats of boycotting races and a refusal to individually negotiate.
One of NASCAR’s attorneys even cited a Benjamin Franklin quote Polk allegedly sent to the 15 organizations that read: “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
Je rey Kessler, an attorney representing the teams, was angered by the revelation in open court, contending it is privileged information only revealed in discovery. Kessler also argued
none of NASCAR’s claims in the countersuit prove anything illegal was done by Polk or the Race Team Alliance during the charter negotiation process.
“NASCAR knows it has no defense to the monopolization case so they have come up with this claim about joint negotiations, which they agreed to, never objected to, and now suddenly it’s an antitrust violation,” Kessler said outside court. “It makes absolutely no sense. It’s not going to help them de ect from the monopolizing they have done in this market and the harm they have in icted.”
He added that “the attacks” on Polk were “false, unfounded and frankly beneath the dignity of my adversary to even make those type of comments, which he should know better about.”
NASCAR attorneys said Polk improperly tried to pres-
Bob Jenkins, owner of Front Row Motorsports, and Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, pose before a NASCAR Cup Series race in October. Both are embroiled in a legal battle with NASCAR
sure all 15 teams that comprise the RTA to stand together collectively in negotiations and encouraged boycotting qualifying races for the 2024 Daytona 500. NASCAR, they said, took the threat seriously because the teams had previously boycotted a scheduled meeting with series executives.
“NASCAR knew the next step was they could boycott a race, which was a threat they had to take seriously,” attorney Lawrence Buterman said on behalf of NASCAR.
Kessler said outside court the two teams are open to settlement talks but noted NASCAR has said it will not renegotiate the charters. NASCAR’s attorneys declined to comment after the hearing. Bell did not indicate when he’d rule, other than saying he would decide quickly.
Preliminary injunction
status
Kessler said he would le an appeal by the end of the week after a three-judge federal appellate panel dismissed a preliminary injunction that required NASCAR to recognize 23XI and Front Row as chartered teams while the court ght is being resolved. Kessler wants the issue heard by the full appellate court. The injunction has no bearing on the merits of the case, which is scheduled to go to trial in December. The earliest NASCAR can treat the teams as unchartered is one week after the deadline to appeal, provided there is no pending appeal or whenever the appeals process has been exhausted.
There are 36 chartered cars for the 40-car eld each week. If 23XI and Front Row are not recognized as chartered, their six cars would have to compete as “open” teams — which means they’d have to qualify on speed each week to make the race and would receive a fraction of the money guaranteed for chartered teams.
Discovery issues
Some of the arguments Tuesday centered on Jonathan Marshall, the executive director of the RTA. NASCAR has demanded text messages and emails from Marshall and says it has received roughly 100 texts and over 55,000 pages of emails. NASCAR wants all texts between Marshall and 55 people from 2020 through 2024 that contain speci c search terms. Attorneys for the RTA said that covers more than 3,000 texts, some of which are privileged, and some that have been “deleted to save storage or he didn’t need them anymore.” That issue is set to be heard during a hearing next Tuesday before Bell.
The summer program is at North Stanly Middle School
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
NEW LONDON — In a tradition that has continued since 1994, the annual Hoops Unlimited Basketball Camp is back for its 31st year.
The summer youth basketball camp for both boys and girls at North Stanly Middle School (and North Rowan High School) held its session for rising second through fth graders last week. The camp is set to continue this coming week with its session for rising sixth through ninth graders between Monday and Thursday.
The daily schedule is a mix of skill development, competitions and scrimmages delivered by a sta of experienced high school and college coaches, as well as former players. Campers are grouped by age
“The camp will focus on individual improvement both on and o the court.”
Hoops Unlimited Basketball Camp
and skill level to ensure an appropriate level of competition and challenge.
The 2025 edition of the camp has eight veteran members on its sta who have a combined 94 years of participating in Hoops Unlimited leadership and mentor roles. Camp founder and former East Rowan High coach Rick Roseman is joined by former North Stanly Middle coach Larry Gibson, along with former North Stanly High players Luke Gibson and Brooke Whitley.
Uwharrie Wampus Cats coach Bryson Bebber, former
East Rowan High player Jocelyn Shuping, Charlotte men’s basketball assistant and former North Stanly High player Mac Bar eld and South Rowan graduate Austin Peacock round out the sta list.
“The camp will stress fundamental skills such as shooting, passing, ball handling, rebounding, individual defense, and individual o ense in teaching sessions each day,” Hoops Unlimited said in a promotional advertisement. “The camp will focus on individual improvement both on and o the court.”
Per camp guidelines, individuals who are attending Hoops Unlimited are expected to conform to proper behavior regulations and to follow instructions set by the camp sta .
The cost for the camp is $150, which includes an all-you- can- eat lunch each day and a T-shirt. Each session is limited to 65 applications, which are available to ll out at www. hoopsunlimitedcamp.com.
How Prime Video’s new ‘Burn Bar’ changes how fans watch NASCAR races on TV
The new graphic uses AI technology to calculate fuel mileage during the race
By Joe Reedy The Associated Press
NASCAR fans have grown accustomed to seeing speed, throttle and braking on broadcasts for years. There has been one measurement, though, that has eluded networks and viewers for years.
Until now.
Viewers of the Prime Video races have been able to see fuel usage with the introduction of the Burn Bar. Race teams have measured burn rates and fuel levels down to the last ounce for years, but the methodology has been kept secret for competitive reasons.
Prime Video, though, developed an AI tool using car data available to broadcasters and teams that can measure miles per gallon. The Burn Bar made a brief appearance during Prime’s rst broadcast, the Coca-Cola 600 on May 25. It has been used more frequently the past three weeks, most recently during the race in Mexico City.
NASCAR on Prime analyst Steve Letarte, a former crew chief for Je Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., contributed to the development of the Burn Bar and sees it as the rst step in taking race analysis to a new level.
“It’s the rst true tool that is taking information o the car,
“It’s the rst true tool that is taking information o the car, making calculations and then displaying to the fan a calculation or measurement that is being used in the garage.” NASCAR on Prime analyst Steve Letarte
making calculations and then displaying to the fan a calculation or measurement that is being used in the garage. And it does a ect the team,” he said.
“There’s not a sensor on the car giving us miles per gallon. It’s a mathematical calculation of other cars’ performances.”
The AI model analyzes thousands of performance data per second, including a range of in-car telemetry signals, RPMs, throttle and optical tracking of each car’s position. The model then evaluates each driver’s fuel consumption and e ciency throughout the race.
Letarte worked with Prime Video “Thursday Night Football Prime Vision” analyst Sam Schwartzstein and Amazon Web Services during the process. They came up with four methodologies that were tested during the rst part of the season, which was broadcast by Fox. Schwartzstein and Letarte would then get the data from teams after races
Jake Smith
Uwharrie Wampus Cats, shortstop
This week’s Stanly News Journal Athlete of the Week is Jake Smith, shortstop for the Uwharrie Wampus Cats.
Smith, the Winston-Salem native who plays baseball collegiately with Tusculum, had a huge game in the Wampus Cats’ 13-2 win last Saturday versus the Troutman Dawgs.
The Uwharrie shortstop went 4 for 4 with three singles, a home run and three RBIs.
Smith’s day at the plate lifted the Wampus Cats to a 5-3 record this season and ended a two-game slide.
to see how close they were until they picked one that worked the best.
The Burn Bar received its toughest test during last week’s race at Michigan as the nal 48 laps were run without a caution ag. Most teams made theirnal pit stops with 50 laps to go, meaning teams were going to be down to the end of their fuel runs at the checkered ag.
“We projected William Byron to run out, which he did, and then we were on the razor’s edge for Denny Hamlin. And then watching the truck push him back into Victory Lane at the end, knowing he was as close as we thought he was — what a cool way to see this feature come to life and elevate NASCAR broadcasts,” Schwartzstein said.
Alex Strand, Prime Video’s senior coordinating producer for live sports, also sees the Burn Bar as the rst tool of many that Amazon and Prime Video can develop for its coverage. Prime Video is in the rst year of a seven-year agreement to carry ve races per season.
“It’s really cool to live in a world where it shows us that anything is possible. We’re starting with something that we’re really excited about, but it’s setting us down a path that will open up new doors for us,” he said. “I think that’s what we’re really excited about is to say, ‘OK, we’ve had success in Year 1 on a feature that’s resonated with fans right out of the gate.’ It raises the table for our o season.”
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@ stanlynewsjournal.com
Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
PRIME VIDEO VIA AP
The “Burn Bar,” lower left, is used to measure Denny Hamilin’s performance during a NASCAR on Prime broadcast of the Nashville race earlier this month. The AI tool was developed by Prime Video to measure a car’s burn rate and fuel levels.
A grassland bird eavesdrops on prairie dog calls to keep itself safe from predators
Prairie dogs bark at each other to warn of predators
By Christina Larson
The Associated Press
PRAIRIE DOGS are the Paul Reveres of the Great Plains: They bark to alert neighbors to the presence of predators, with separate calls for dangers coming by land or by air.
“Prairie dogs are on the menu for just about every predator you can think of”— golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, foxes, badgers, even large snakes — said Andy Boyce, a research ecologist in Montana at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Those predators will also snack on grassland nesting birds like the long-billed curlew.
into their burrows to avoid approaching talons and claws.
“Those little barks are very loud — they can carry quite a long way,” said co-author Andrew Dreelin, who also works for the Smithsonian.
The long-billed curlew nests in short-grass prairie and incubates eggs on a ground nest. When one hears the prairie dog alarm, she responds by pressing her head, beak and belly close to the ground.
times while playing recorded prairie dog barks.
When the barks were played, curlews ducked into the grass quickly, hiding when the badger was around 160 feet away. Without the barks, the remote-controlled badger got within about 52 feet of the nests before the curlews appeared to sense danger.
To protect themselves, the curlews eavesdrop on the alarms coming from prairie dog colonies, according to research published last Thursday in the journal Animal Behavior.
stances of birds eavesdropping on mammals.
Previous research has shown birds frequently eavesdrop on other bird species to glean information about potential food sources or approaching danger, said Georgetown University ornithologist Emily Williams, who was not involved in the study. But, so far, scientists have documented only a few in-
“That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s rare in the wild,” she said, “it just means we haven’t studied it yet.”
Prairie dogs live in large colonies with a series of burrows that may stretch for miles underground. When they hear each other’s barks, they either stand alert watching or dive
NOTICES
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 VANMIDDELEM.
TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above-entitled Special Proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: Petition to Partition real estate including a house and
0.570 acres located at 220 Vanderbilt Blvd., and a vacant lot located at 218 Vanderbilt Blvd., Locust, North Carolina to make assets.
You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than July 18th, 2025 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought. A hearing shall be held at 10:00 A.M. August 26th, 2025, before the Clerk of Superior Court, on the third oor in Courtroom #301, of the Stanly County Courthouse, 201 S. Second St., Albemarle, NC 28001. All interested parties should appear.
This the 29th day of May, 2025.
MARK T. LOWDER M.T. Lowder & Associates P.O. Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002
704-982-8558
Publish: June 8, 15, and 22, 2025 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, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Ethel E. Whitley aka Ethel Eubanks Whitley to present them to the undersigned on or before September 2, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 22nd day of May 2025. Executor: J. David Rollins 12 Old American Blvd. Pendleton, SC 29670 (GS 28A-14-1)
NOTICE The City of Locust will hold
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000268-830
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as administrator of the estate of Judith Ann Carter, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the estate of said Judith Ann Carter to present them to the undersigned or before July 22, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.
Wendell Scott Carter 12897 Maranatha Dr. Norwood, NC, 28128 wscottcarter@msn.com This 22nd day of June, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having quali ed as the Administrator of the Estate of William H. Tucker, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, rms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned Administrator on or before the 26th day of September, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This the 17th day of June, 2025.
Steven D. Tucker Administrator of the Estate of William H. Tucker 1442 Montgomery Avenue Albemarle, NC 28001 David A. Beaver Attorney for the Administrator 160 N. First Street (P.O. Box 1338) Albemarle, NC 28001 (28002) 704-982-4915 Dates of publication: June 22, and 24 and July 6 and 13, 2025.
NORTH CAROLINA
NOTICE
STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE
SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000365-830 Having quali ed as EXECUTOR of the estate of Beverly Roach Wilson deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Beverly Roach Wilson to present them to the undersigned on or before Sept. 23, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 17th day of June, 2025 Kevin Lee Wilson 290 Ketchie Estates Road China Grove, North Carolina 28023 Executor ADVERTISING FEE $150.00 TO: STANLY NEWS JOURNAL 1548 NC 24-27 Bypass W Albemarle, North Carolina
NOTICE
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
In this crouched position, the birds “rely on the incredible camou age of their feathers to become essentially invisible on the Plains,” Dreelin said.
To test just how alert the birds were to prairie dog chatter, researchers created a fake predator by strapping a taxidermied badger onto a small remote-controlled vehicle. They sent this badger rolling over the prairie of north-central Montana toward curlew nests — sometimes in silence and some-
“You have a much higher chance of avoiding predation if you go into that cryptic posture sooner — and the birds do when they hear prairie dogs barking,” said co-author Holly Jones, a conservation biologist at Northern Illinois University.
Prairie dogs are often thought of as “environmental engineers,” she said, because they construct extensive burrows and nibble down prairie grass, keeping short-grass ecosystems intact.
“But now we are realizing they are also shaping the ecosystems by producing and spreading information,” she said.
PUBLIC NOTICE: PUBLIC HEARING-Rezoning
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION STANLY COUNTY BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO.
25E000305-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Co-executors of the estate of Peggy Love Long, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Peggy Love Long, deceased, 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 28th day of May, 2025 Roger Wayne 2001 Polk Ford Road Stan eld, NC 28163
Cathy Jo Long 4139 Polk Fork Road Stan elf, NC 28163
Randy Nelson Long 4163 Polk Fork Road Stan eld, NC 28163
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000332-830
Having quali ed as EXECUTOR of the estate of Dianne Aldridge Plowman, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Dianne Aldridge Plowman 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.
Notice of Discharge of Untreated Storm/Wastewater Stanly County Utilities (SCU) experienced an over ow on Tuesday, June 17th 2025 due to a heavy rain event all day. An estimated 15,000 gallons of untreated storm/wastewater was spilled at the Greater Badin WWTP Badin, NC. SCU responded to the bypass and performed necessary cleanup and treatment as appropriate. The NC Division of Water Quality was noti ed of the event on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. No sh were killed or environmental damage was reported following the spill. Pumps eventually were able to pump more out than what was coming into the station. For more information contact the SCU o ce at (704) 9863686. Notice of Discharge of Untreated Wastewater - Public Notice The Greater Badin Wastewater Treatment Plant had an over ow of
PHOTOS VIA SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE VIA AP
A long-billed curlew ies over the American Prairie reserve in Montana.
Left, a prairie dog at the American Prairie nature preserve in Montana.
Right, a longbilled curlew, bottom left, reacts to the “badgerinator,” a simulated predator, during eld research.
PHOTOS BY SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE VIA AP
PUBLIC AUCTION
201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC 28097
Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Built Office Furniture, Janitorial Supplies, Lots of Paper, Ink Cartridges/ Toners, Desks, Office Chairs/Tables, Filing Items. Lots of
Items. For
201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC 28097
HELP WANTED
Seeking skilled artist with an eye for color matching to do art restorations. I anticipate work will require acrylics and some airbrush. No deadlines. Call or text 704-322-1376. Email bdavis34@carolina.rr.com.
NCAF5479/6163
Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Built Office Furniture, Janitorial Supplies, Lots of Paper, Ink Cartridges/ Toners, Desks, Office Chairs/Tables, Filing Items. Lots of Quality Items. For Details & Pictures, go to
Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Built Office Furniture, Janitorial Supplies, Lots of Paper, Ink Cartridges/ Toners, Desks, Office Chairs/Tables, Filing Items. Lots of
NCAF5479/6163
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 48033 Clodfelter Road Albemarle, North Carolina 28001 Administrator
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
FOR SALE
AKC German Shephard Puppies 7 months old, $250.00 Call: 910-576-4886
Let’s Work Together
Full-Time
Full-Time
Coordinator, Clinical - LPN Program
Coordinator, Clinical - LPN Program
Coordinator Fire/Rescue/Emergency Management
Training Programs
Coordinator, Fire/Rescue/Emergency Management Training Programs
Director, Campus Food Services
Director Nursing Program
Instructor, Business Administration (9-month) - ACI O cer, Security
Instructor,
Program Head, Accounting Program Head, Electrical Line Worker
Part-Time
Part-Time
Adjunct Instructor, Carolina Auction Academy
Adjunct Instructor Carolina Auction Academy
Adjunct Instructor, Carpentry/Building Construction
Adjunct Instructor, Carpentry/Building Construction
Adjunct Instructor, Electrical Systems Technology
Adjunct Instructor Electrical Systems Technology
Adjunct Instructor EMS (EMT Continuing Ed)
Adjunct Instructor, Nurse Aide I & II Programs
Adjunct Instructor, EMS Clinical Practicum
Adjunct Instructor, Plumbing
Adjunct Instructor Nurse Aide I & II Programs
Adjunct Instructor, Real Estate
Adjunct Instructor Plumbing
Assistant, Eagle’s One Stop
Adjunct Instructor, Real Estate
Housekeeping
Specialist Allied Health Learning (Part-Time)
Specialist, Learning Revised
Sta , Food Service
Tutoring Specialist, Academic Support Center
Tutoring Specialist, Academic Support Center
Job
Please
an online application at www.stanly.e du/colle ge-information/ employment-opp ortunities.
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:
Should you let pets sleep next to you?
Does it even matter what the experts say?
By Albert Stumm The Associated Press
IT TURNS OUT, our furry best friend might be our sleep enemy.
Lots of pet owners let their animals sleep on the bed with them, which usually disrupts sleep. But many would say it’s worth it.
And researchers don’t necessarily disagree.
Melissa Milanak, a professor at Medical University of South Carolina specializing in sleep health, said most people at her clinic say their pets disturb them often at night.
“You can’t say that, hands down, it’s bad for every single person, but there is a lot out there saying it negatively impacts your sleep,” she said.
Generally speaking, having a pet is good for many people’s health. Pets have been shown to lower their humans’ stress levels, get them to exercise and more.
Many pet owners also say they feel an immeasurable amount of comfort by having their pets close as they sleep.
But dogs’ and cats’ natural sleep cycles aren’t the same as those of humans.
Dogs tend to be light sleepers and wake up multiple times at night. Some display instinctual behavior like scratching at bedding, which can prevent deeper phases of sleep even if it doesn’t wake you up.
Thomas, a golden retriever mix, lies on a bed in
As many cat owners know, “the zoomies” often happen before they are ready to get out of bed. Cats evolved to hunt in low light, meaning they are particularly active at dusk and dawn.
Milanak also said allergens such as pet dander and microbes brought into the house can a ect owners’ breathing, preventing them from getting enough deep sleep.
Brian Chin, a professor of social and health psychology at
Trinity College in Connecticut, said his research has found sleeping with pets was associated with poor sleep, “particularly those dimensions of sleep quality and insomnia symptoms.” That’s even accounting for the fact that pet owners may be less inclined to report problems in a survey because they don’t believe their beloved pets cause problems.
“I hate to even admit that my cat disrupts my sleep at all,” said Chin, who has one cat that keeps him awake and another that leaves him alone.
Moreover, a higher number of pets was associated with higher sleep disruption, he said.
It’s not as simple as telling pet owners that they shouldn’t share the bed, Milanak said. For a lot of people, it becomes part of their sleep routine, which makes it difcult to sleep without it because they have come to associate pets with sleep.
Because the topic is sensitive, Milanak asks new patients several questions before getting to whether they sleep with a pet. If they’re waking up multiple times a night, for example, they may
not realize why. Once the association is made, she then asks whether they are open to not sleeping together.
“It’s like if I said to somebody, you need to stop smoking,” she said. “They’re going to give me all the reasons why they want to continue smoking.”
The rst, most obvious solution is putting a dog bed on the oor in the bedroom or locking the cat out of the room at night. For those who insist on having the pet in bed with them, she advises washing the sheets more frequently and perhaps adjusting their sleep schedule to match their pet’s routine.
“Maybe you need to go to bed earlier so you can get up earlier to accommodate the pet,” she said. Despite any problems, many pet owners feel that the bonding and emotional bene ts outweigh minor sleep disruption.
Angela Wilson, who lives in Cobb County, Georgia, said she has bought a series of ever-more plush beds for her golden retriever, Sadie. But Sadie jumps into her bed anyway.
Then they usually sleep peacefully back to back.
“People complain about their dogs waking them up, but she doesn’t wake me up,” Wilson said. “She’s very gentle.”
Inside the eye of a hailstorm with storm-chasing scientists
Research aims to better predict dangerous and damaging ice storms
By Seth Borenstein, Brittany Peterson and Carolyn Kaster
The Associated Press
INSIDE A TEXAS HAILSTORM — Wind roared against the SUV’s windows as its tires sloshed through water dumped onto the road by the downpour. A horizon-wide funnel cloud loomed out the window, several miles away. Then came the loud metallic pings on the roof. First one, then another. Then it was too fast to count and too loud to hear much of anything else.
Hailstones were pelting down, and the car was driving toward them.
“How big are they?” meteorology professor Kelly Lombardo asked from the passenger seat.
“Probably no more than a nickel or dime, but they’re just owing at 50 mph,” said fellow researcher Matthew Kumjian as he steered through the ooded road.
Lombardo and Kumjian are part of a team of about 60 researchers chasing hail across the Great Plains to better forecast an underappreciated hazard that causes about $10 billion a year in damage in the U.S. The researchers brought along three Associated Press journalists to observe the rst-of-its kind project called ICECHIP, including trips into the heart of the storms in fortied vehicles like the one driven by Kumjian.
The payo is data that could improve hail forecasts. Knowing what’s going on inside a storm is crucial to knowing what’s going to happen to people in its path, meteorologists said.
“We have a really tough time forecasting hail size,” said Northern Illinois University meteorology professor Victor Gensini, one of the project leaders. “All scienti c experiments start with data gathering, and without that data we don’t know what we’re missing. And so that’s what this project is all about.”
Inside a hail storm
On this afternoon, Lombardo and Kumjian, Penn State University professors who are married to each other, were negotiating rapid weather changes while collecting their data.
Minutes before the hail started, the couple were launching 3-foot-wide weather balloons designed to give scientists a glimpse of what’s happening in the leading edge of the storm. A tornado in the distance was slowly getting closer.
Soon cell phones blared tornado alarms, and a nearby town’s storm sirens roared to life. The couple jumped in the car and drove into a part of the storm where they could collect hail after it fell, the same stretch of ooded road where they encountered the 50-mph winds. A wind meter protruding from the black SUV’s
front captured data that was displayed on Lombardo’s laptop.
“This is up there in terms of severity of winds and intensity of precipitation,” Kumjian told an AP reporter after nding a safe place to pull over.
Elsewhere in the storm, Joshua Soderholm of the Australian Bureau of Meteorology launched weather balloons carrying devices built to mimic golf ball-sized hail and out tted with microphones and special sensors. One ew up 8.9 miles at 163 mph.
“It’s free oating. It does whatever the storm wants it to do,” Soderholm said. “This is the only way you could actually get a measurement of what a hail storm might be doing.’’
Researchers also deploy special funnels that capture pristine hail, crushers that measure how strong the ice balls are and other high-tech machinery, including radar and drones.
Keeping storm chasers safe
The teams also use a variety of gear and practices to stay coordinated and safe. At morning brie ngs, they review forecasts to plan the safest way to reach the storms producing the most hail. At their destination, teams set up at varying distances to the
“All scienti c experiments start with data gathering, and without that data we don’t know what we’re missing. And so that’s what this project is all about.”
Victor Gensini, Meteorology professor
storms, with three forti ed vehicles driving into the heart of the weather. Each vehicle has radar screens in the front seats showing brilliant reds, oranges and yellows of the storm they chase. Gensini is in a command vehicle that tracks and deploys the teams based on weather in real time. At times he has to rein in some enthusiastic chasers. So Northern Illinois meteorology student Katie Wargowsky radios a team deep inside a storm to nd safety. Twice. The 21-year-old Wargowsky described how becoming a storm chaser began as an e ort to overcome weather anxiety so intense she would dry heave while taking shelter in her family’s basement. But confronting her fear helped
her develop a deep curiosity that led her to chase tornadoes with her father.
“You get a rush of adrenaline,” she said. “You really start to notice the little things around you, and your head just feels kind of light. Your natural survival instincts tell you, you need to take shelter, and you need hide from it. But you just know that it’s about to be some good research, and you are changing the world one storm at a time.”
The three forti ed vehicles are equipped with special metal mesh to protect their windshields. But it’s not foolproof. The SUV driven by the Penn State researchers lost its windshield in May to sideways-blowing hail that ew under the mesh just 15 minutes into their rst storm chase. Another one of the fortied vehicles, called the Husky Hail Hunter, was pelted by 31⁄2-inch hail during a trip into a storm with an AP photographer aboard.
“We’re getting some new dents,” said Tony Illenden, the Northern Illinois student at the wheel. “This is insane.”
When he stepped out to collect a hailstone — wearing a helmet to protect his head — one slammed into his right hand,
causing it to swell in what Gensini called the rst hail injury of the season. A few days later Illenden, said his hand felt ne. Natural beauty and better roo ng
For the storm chasers, the payo isn’t just the data. It’s also the natural beauty. Illenden’s team, for example, collected a 3-inch hailstone that looked like a rose. That same night a double rainbow emerged.
After the storm passed, several vans descended on a Walmart parking lot to crush hailstones with special machines that measured how much force was needed to shatter them.
“In hailstones we have layers. So we start o with an embryo, and then you’ve got di erent growth layers,” said Central Michigan University scientist John Allen.
Since May 18, while logging more than 5,700 miles, the team has collected, measured, crushed, weighed and sliced hailstones as big as 5.5 inches, about the size of a DVD.
The study funded in part by $11 million from the National Science Foundation, which took eight years to plan, is already paying o even before researchers have had a chance to thoroughly review the data, scientists said. Gensini said one early data trend he’s noticing is that “the largest hail that we found is not where we thought it would be in terms of the Doppler radar.” And that’s an issue because Doppler radar is the only tool forecasters have been using across the country to say where the big dangerous stones should be falling, he said.
Given the federal cuts to science, particularly related to the climate, Gensini said this is likely the rst and last time a hail project like this can be done, at least for several years.
Scientists from the insurance industry, which is helping fund the study, are testing new types of roof shingles that so far seem to resist hail better, said Ian Giammanco, a meteorologist at the Insurance Institute For Business and Home Safety.
“One of our goals is to replicate all of this back at our lab so we can really understand how durable our roo ng materials are to all the di erent avors of
he said.
hail,”
LLOYD GREEN VIA AP
PHOTOS BY CAROLYN KASTER / AP PHOTO
Left, a latex weather balloon with an attached instrument called a windsond is released into a storm to collect data. Right, Victor Gensini, lead scientist of Project ICECHIP, works on a laptop in the command vehicle at a Valero gas station in Brown eld, Texas, earlier this month.
Tony Illenden crouches in a helmet and gloves outside Northern Illinois University’s Husky Hail Hunter vehicle to collect hail during a storm in Levelland, Texas, earlier this month.
Westchester County, New York, in July 2024.
this week in history
Custer’s last stand, British exits EU, WWI begins
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.
JUNE 22
1815: Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated for a second time as emperor of the French.
1938: American Joe Louis knocked out German Max Schmeling in just two minutes and four seconds to retain his heavyweight boxing title in front of 70,000 spectators at New York’s Yankee Stadium.
1941: Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, a massive and ultimately ill-fated invasion of the Soviet Union that would prove pivotal to the Allied victory over the Axis powers.
JUNE 23
1931: Aviators Wiley Post and Harold Gatty took o from Roosevelt Field in New York on a round-the-world ight that lasted eight days and 15 hours.
1972: President Richard Nixon signed into law the Education Amendments of 1972, including Title IX, which barred discrimination
on the basis of sex for “any education program or activity receiving federal nancial assistance.”
2016: Britain voted to leave the European Union after a bitterly divisive referendum campaign, toppling Prime Minister David Cameron.
JUNE 24
1509: Henry VIII was crowned king of England; his wife, Catherine of Aragon, was crowned queen consort.
1939: The Southeast Asian country of Siam changed its name to Thailand. (It reverted to Siam in 1945, then became Thailand once again in 1949.)
1948: Communist forces cut o all land and water routes between West Germany and West Berlin, prompting the western allies to organize the Berlin Airlift.
JUNE 25
1876: The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer’s Last Stand, began in southeastern Montana Territory. As many as 100 Native Americans were killed in the battle, as were 268 people attached to the 7th Cavalry Regiment.
1947: “The Diary of a Young Girl,” the personal journal of Anne Frank, a German-born Jewish girl hiding with her family from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II, was rst published.
1950: War broke out in Korea as forces from the communist North invaded the South.
JUNE 26
1917: U.S. troops entered World War I as the rst troops of the American Expeditionary Force landed in Saint-Nazaire, France.
1945: The charter of the
United Nations was signed by
50 countries in San Francisco.
1948: The Berlin Airlift began in earnest after the Soviet Union cut o land and water routes to the isolated western sector of Berlin.
1963: President John F. Kennedy visited West Berlin, where he delivered his famous speech expressing solidarity with the city’s residents, declaring: “Ich bin ein Berliner” (“I am a Berliner”).
2015: In its 5-4 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage across the country.
JUNE 27
1844: Mormon leader Joseph Smith and his brother, Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois.
1950: The U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling on member nations to help South Korea repel an invasion from the North.
1957: Hurricane Audrey slammed into coastal Louisiana and Texas as a Category 4 storm, causing as many as 600 deaths.
1991: U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, the rst black jurist to sit on the nation’s highest court, announced his retirement.
JUNE 28
1914: In an act that sparked World War I, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, were shot to death in Sarajevo by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip.
1919: The Treaty of Versailles was signed in France, ending the First World War.
1940: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Alien Registration Act, also known as the Smith Act, which required adult foreigners residing in the U.S. to be registered and ngerprinted.
AP PHOTO
Boxer Joe Louis, left, knocks out Max Schmeling in the rst round to win the heavyweight title on June 22, 1938, at Yankee Stadium in New York.
