House poised to pass $9 billion cut to public broadcasting and foreign aid
The House is expected to approve President Donald Trump’s request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid. A nal vote to approve the spending cuts package was scheduled for Thursday evening. Republicans are targeting institutions and programs they view as bloated or out of step with their agenda. The White House has described the package as a test case and says if Congress goes along, more requests will come. The House’s approval would mark the rst time in decades that a president has successfully submitted such a request to Congress.
ICE gains access to Medicaid recipients’ personal data, addresses
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement o cials will gain access to personally identi able information for all of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, according to an agreement obtained by The Associated Press. ICE o cials plan to track immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States. The agreement was signed Monday between o cials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Homeland Security. Direct access will be given to the addresses, Social Security numbers, birth dates as well as the ethnicity and race of all Medicaid enrollees.
Juul can continue selling its tobacco, menthol e-cigarettes
Federal health o cials will allow Juul to keep selling its electronic cigarettes. The FDA said Thursday that Juul’s bene ts as a less harmful alternative for adult smokers outweigh the risks of teen use. It’s a major win for a company that has struggled for years after being widely blamed for sparking the teen vaping trend. Parents, politicians and antitobacco advocates wanted a ban on the devices that many blame for the recent spike in underage vaping. The FDA decision applies to both tobacco and menthol- avored versions of the reusable product.
Atrium Health Stanly receives $1.45M grant from The Duke Endowment
The funding will help launch a virtual nursing program for the hospital
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Atrium
Health Stanly in Albemarle has been awarded a $1.45 million grant from The Duke Endowment to help launch the rst all-wired virtual nursing program and facility in rural North Carolina.
Atrium Health announced in a July 11 press release that its Atrium Health Foundation
is the bene ciary of $4 million — the largest gift it has received from The Duke Endowment — through ve grants to assist in advancing the health care network’s “commitments to uplifting the communities it serves and advancing rural health initiatives.”
The Albemarle hospital’s award is the largest of the ve grants given by the Charlotte-based private foundation that operates as a charitable trust.
“We are grateful to The Duke Endowment for embracing Atrium Health’s forward-thinking approach to
meeting our evolving needs for nursing care,” said Marietta Abernathy, facility executive for Atrium Health Stanly. “Having cameras in every room will enable our bedside nurses to focus on direct patient care while virtual nurses provide continuous monitoring and timely interventions, helping to reduce hospital readmissions and improve outcomes.”
For more than three decades, The Duke Endowment has nancially supported health care initiatives at
History center program keeps young minds engaged with past
History Hunters draws children with interactive lessons and crafts
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Keeping kids interested in the lessons history can teach has been a focus for nearly nine years with one program at the Stanly County History Center.
Megan Sullivan, director of the history center, has hosted a History Hunters program intended for children ages 2-5 on Wednesdays year-round, though children of all ages are welcome.
Sullivan said the History Hunters program was the
rst thing she started when she took over as director nine years ago.
“It’s a program for kids to come in and learn about history and then do a craft,” Sullivan said.
This week, Sullivan showed a brief PowerPoint presentation to kids in the crafting room about sharks ahead of Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week.”
During the presentation, Sullivan presented facts about various types of sharks, teaching kids about the marine animals with more positive information than some of the more sensationalized programs during “Shark Week.”
THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
congratulations
Makayla Little, North Stanly High School
Makayla Little, a rising senior at North Stanly High School, is going to the National Youth Leadership Forum: Law & CSI, on the University of Maryland’s College Park campus later this month.
It’s a program for students looking to get involved in legal or crime scene investigation careers who can gain experience with evidence collection and analysis, what courtrooms and trials are like and more. Students receive college credit for the weeklong class.
GRANT from page A1
Atrium Health to the tune of over $50 million in grants to Atrium Health Foundation.
“We share Atrium Health’s commitment to ensuring access to care in communities where people live and work,” said Lin Hollowell, director of health care at The Duke Endowment. “Whether through supporting emerging technologies or enhancing existing programs, together we can make a profound impact on our communities for generations to come.”
Based on the virtual nursing program implemented across Advocate Health, Atrium’s parent organization,
Atrium Health Stanly plans to use digital technology to provide high-quality care to the community.
The virtual nursing program is expected to create 50 new jobs in Stanly County while o ering bene ts for both patients and care teams.
Through philanthropic support, Atrium Health has also expanded access to care by placing virtual clinics in over 200 schools across 10 North Carolina counties that serve both rural and urban communities.
To help modernize scheduling for the program, The Duke Endowment awarded a $775,000 grant to develop a user-friendly mobile app and web-based platform which
will streamline work ow and improve communication between schools and Atrium Health.
“We are building upon the successes of the Atrium Health Cabarrus Family Medicine Residency Program, which embeds residents in clinics to provide maternity and primary care access,” said Dr. Erika Steinbacher, designated institutional o cial of Atrium Health Cabarrus and vice-chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Wake Forest School of Medicine. “We aim to re ne this model and replicate it for recruiting, training and retaining physicians in other rural communities we serve.”
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
July 21 Color & Connect:
July 24
This producers-only market o ers fresh produce, homemade foods and crafts by local creators. Conveniently located across the street from Locust Elementary School. Open May through September. Corner of 24/27 and Vella Drive Locust
Shake, Rattle & Roll 10:45-11:15 a.m.
Music and movement class for children ages 0-4 and their caregivers. These classes are designed to promote emotional, cognitive and social development, improve social skills and encourage caregiver/child bonding!
Albemarle Main Library 133 E. Main St. Albemarle
July 26
Sprinkle & Splash
10 a.m. to noon 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
July 28 –Aug. 3
The Duke’s Feast: Albemarle Downtown Restaurant Week
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily
Two restaurants in Albemarle’s historic downtown, Five Points Public House and The Courthouse Tavern & Table, will o er a special multi-course meal. Tickets range from $25 to $35 each. Call ahead to reserve your
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Why Mexicans are protesting mass immigration
Locals are now complaining about gentri cation and the increasing number of apartments that are being converted into Airbnb rentals.
MANY MEXICANS have similar complaints about American immigrants as Americans do about Mexican immigrants.
Earlier this month, a major city saw a xenophobic protest against immigrants. Those gathered hurled ethnic slurs at the foreigners. Someone spray-painted “not your home” on a wall. One sign read, “Respect my culture.” Complaints included the in ux driving up housing prices and foreigners not speaking the native language. At some point, the demonstration turned violent, with some participants vandalizing local businesses.
If that protest had happened in Dallas or Jacksonville, the left would be outraged. They’d blame President Donald Trump. They’d attack Republicans for being racist. They’d smear conservatives as violent, Christian nationalists.
That’s harder to do in this case. This protest was in Mexico City, and the protesters were Mexicans. They’re upset about the many Americans and other foreigners who’ve settled in their city, especially with the advent of remote work. Mexican o cials actively encouraged this immigration.
In 2022, Claudia Sheinbaum, thenmayor of Mexico City, worked with Airbnb to tout Mexico City as the “capital of creative tourism.” Sheinbaum, currently the president of Mexico, claimed the arrangement wouldn’t increase costs for Mexico City residents. Locals are now complaining about
gentri cation and the increasing number of apartments that are being converted into Airbnb rentals.
Foreign money has shifted both the local economy and culture. Some corner grocery stores have become high-end restaurants. Many foreigners expect the Mexican waiters to speak to them in English. One study found housing prices in Mexico City quadrupled between 2000 to 2022, even while per capita income fell after adjusting for in ation. Little wonder many residents feel priced out of their own city.
Catering to expats and promoting tourism is a great way to boost GDP. The average salary in Mexico City is under $375 a month. But those economic bene ts aren’t evenly distributed. For those who own property or have capital to invest, this in ux of wealth is a boon. Their property values are up, and they can charge higher rents. Low-income residents, however, face high prices that may force them to move out of their neighborhoods.
People aren’t merely units of economic activity who exist to produce higher aggregate numbers on a spreadsheet. They’re human beings who nd meaning in their family, local community and country. And an invasion of foreigners — even if it’s encouraged by political leaders — can be extremely disruptive to a culture.
It’s not just about money. Countries — even regions within a large country — tend to have di erent beliefs and traditions. When
foreigners ood another country, there is often a con ict of values. Language di erences amplify these tensions. Immigration is like salt: A bit of it enhances a meal, but too much of it ruins it.
Instead of protecting their citizens, many Western political leaders have bought into critical race theory and now prioritize helping foreigners. Look at Europe. For years, Muslims from Pakistan systemically groomed and raped thousands of British girls. O cials covered it up. Men from Iraq and Somalia commit a disproportionate number of sexual assaults in Finland. O cials there told new Muslim immigrants that they can’t buy a wife. Syrian migrants are groping German teenagers at swimming pools. Germany is jailing people for writing mean things on social media.
The problem isn’t intolerant citizens. It’s political leaders who’ve prioritized the wants of foreigners over the needs of their fellow citizens.
There’s a simple way to x this. The president of Mexico should pursue policies that put Mexicans rst. Elected o cials in the United States should follow the example of President Donald Trump and do the same for Americans. This isn’t bigotry. It’s common sense — for both countries.
Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast.
The gender gap grows wider and wider
And it seems to be getting wider among the young.
THE GENDER GAP, we’re informed by some of the best polling analysts in the business, is bigger than ever. Ever, in this case, means since the election of 1980, when men were more willing than women to vote for Ronald Reagan and oust Jimmy Carter. That spurred political journalists to emit multiple articles examining just exactly what was on women’s minds and probing their di erent, and presumably superior, opinions. The assumption was that the gender gap was costing Republicans votes. Being of a contrary disposition, in October 1982, I wrote an opinion article titled (paraphrasing Sigmund Freud), “What Do Men Want?”
For most of four decades, the gender gap wobbled around three or four points. Now, coinciding — perhaps not accidentally — with the era of President Donald Trump, it is bigger. In 2024, according to analyst Daniel Cox, the gender gap was 11 points among black voters, 12 points among white voters, and 13 points among Hispanics.
And it seems to be getting wider among the young. Democratic pollster David Shor sees a gender gap of around 5% among over-70s and around 10% among those 35 to 70, dwarfed by a gap skyrocketing among the young, up above 20%.
Polling analyst Nate Silver, probing the sharp di erences in partisan preference among young men and young women — men are far more Republican, women far more Democratic — built on longstanding ndings that women tend to be more risk-averse than men.
“Young men take a more risk-on view of the economy,” he wrote, while Democrats “emphasize security — minimizing downside risk — above the opportunity to compete and maximizing upside outcomes.”
On a related issue, Silver notes the longstanding research on happiness that
shows young men are signi cantly more likely than young women to self-describe as happy, and other research showing that self-described conservatives report themselves much happier than self-described liberals.
On happiness studies, as Silver notes, “Age and religiosity matter a lot — religious people are happier, young people are sadder — but the liberal/conservative gap outweighs almost all other characteristics except age.”
“I was honestly surprised by how strong the relationship is,” Silver writes in a passage many of his political analyst readers found stunning. “Among voters who report poor mental health, liberals outnumber conservatives 45 to 19 percent. Among those who report excellent mental health, conservatives outnumber liberals 51-20.”
He concludes that young men being “lower on agreeableness and neuroticism” than women translates into greater support for Trump and for what has become a Trump Republican Party.
More partisan analysts attribute the growing gender gap among the young to young women’s greater neuroticism. Re ecting on results of a survey on whether doctors have ever told respondents they have a mental health problem, Republican sta er Andrew Follett, in a partisan and perhaps hysterical tone, tweets, “Literally half of young left wing woman...the cat ladies who are the basis for their party...are mentally ill. Young left wing MEN are more mentally ill than conservative WOMEN.”
Lest you think this comment is hyperbolic, consider a recent description of America today by Taylor Lorenz, a social media writer who is far enough from the fringe to have been hired and given bylines by both The New York Times and The Washington Post.
In one characteristic tweet in 2023, Lorenz, who constantly wears a mask in public,
presented an ultrapessimistic view of America and the world. “We’re living in a late stage capitalist hellscape during an ongoing deadly pandemic w record wealth inequality, 0 social safety net/job security, as climate change cooks the world.”
A more measured view comes from the Republican pollster and author Patrick Ru ni.
“Unhappiness is a feature of being on the left these days. A greater belief in societal ills is internalized, reinforced by being online 24/7. They talk often about right-wingers or Trump policies literally killing people.”
The partisan gender gap is perhaps the least dangerous result of this frenzied and breathtakingly ahistoric mindset. Talk show host Erick Erickson points to the Axios report that a House Democrat says constituents say “what we really need to do is be willing to be shot.” Dangerous speculations in a time of two assassination attempts on the president and armed assaults on Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in Texas.
Then there is the evidence of less contact between young men and women, with romances discouraged on campuses and at workplaces, fewer marriages, increasing childlessness and below-replacement birth rates, which threaten the fundamentals of society. But that’s a bigger subject, for another day.
The partisan gender gap, begun some 40 years ago as feminists decried toxic masculinity, has been widening in recent years as bros recoil at toxic femininity. In time, perhaps it will narrow, with a greater appreciation of nontoxic humanity.
Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co-author of “The Almanac of American Politics.”
COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS
COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE
RENEE MORGAN
AUG. 11, 1955 – JULY 15, 2025
Pamela Reneé Eudy Morgan,69, of Norwood, passed away on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.
A memorial service will be held on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at 2 p.m. at Porter Baptist Church in Norwood. Rev. Flynn Richardson will o ciate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023
Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.
Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor.
Reneé was born on August 11, 1955, to the late Franklin Delanore Roosevelt Eudy and Ernestine Connell Eudy. She worked as a cosmetologist for a decade, and later retired from Stanly County Schools, spending many years driving the school bus, and working in the cafeteria. She was a member of Porter Baptist Church. Renée loved her family and her garden. It pleased her to can her fresh vegetables and share them with her family. She also enjoyed cooking, sewing, quilting, and reading. Renée was also a big fan of the 49ers and the Carolina Tar Heels.
She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.
Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Gar eld.
Dwight Farmer
January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023
Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.
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.
In addition to her mother, she is survived by her loving husband of 52 years, Winfred Morgan, of the home, children: Tanya Hathcock ( Johnny), Christy Clark (Duane), Misty Nordan (Lee), and Alex Morgan, grandchildren: Austin Hathcock, Landon Hathcock, Christian Clark, Shelden Clark, Carter Morgan, Madison Nordan, Casey Nordan, Collin Nordan, and Chandler White, sister Tracy Minchin, and special cousin Cindy Garmon.
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.
Carolina TarHeels and Miami.
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.
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.
Doris Jones Coleman
October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023
Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.
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.
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
Connie Francis, whose hit songs included ‘Who’s Sorry Now?’ and ‘Pretty
By Bob Thomas The Associated Press
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.
Donald Rose, UK’s oldest WWII veteran, dies
The Associated Press
LONDON — Britain’s oldest World War II veteran, Donald Rose, has died at the age of 110. Rose participated in the D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, and was part of the division that liberated the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in northern Germany.
In a statement Friday, the leader of the Erewash Borough Council in the north of England, James Dawson, announced Rose’s death, calling him a “war hero.”
“Erewash was privileged to count him as a resident,” he added.
In May, Rose joined 45 other veterans as guests of honor at a tea party celebration hosted by the Royal British Legion at the National Memorial Arboretum to mark 80 years since Victory in Europe Day.
Rose, who was born on Christmas Eve in 1914 following the outbreak of hostilities in World War I, said at the event that he did not celebrate VE Day at the time.
“When I heard that the armistice had been signed 80 years ago, I was in Germany at Belsen and, like most active soldiers, I didn’t get to celebrate at that time,” he said. “We just did what we thought was right, and it was a relief when it was over.”
Originally from the village of Westcott, southwest of London, Rose joined the army aged 23 and served in North Africa, Italy and France, according to the Royal British Legion. He received a number of medals and was awarded France’s highest honor, the Legion d’Honneur.
Rose was also believed to have been the U.K.’s oldest man.
LOS ANGELES — Con-
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.
nie Francis, the wholesome pop star of the 1950s and ’60s whose hits included “Pretty Little Baby” and “Who’s Sorry Now?” — the latter would serve as an ironic title for a personal life lled with heartbreak and tragedy — has died at age 87.
Her death was announced Thursday by her friend and publicist, Ron Roberts, who did not immediately provide additional details. Earlier this month, Francis posted that she had been hospitalized with “extreme pain.” Francis had gained renewed attention in recent months after “Pretty Little Baby” became a sensation on TikTok, with Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner among the many celebrities citing it.
recordings attracted little attention, but then she released her version the old ballad by Ted Snyder, Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby, “Who’s Sorry Now?”
It had little success initially until Dick Clark played it on his “American Bandstand” show in 1958. Clark featured her repeatedly on “American Bandstand,” and she said in later years that without his support, she would have abandoned her music career.
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.
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.
Little Baby,’ dead at 87
Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC.
had faded by the mid-1960s, Francis was still popular on the concert circuit when she appeared at the Westbury Music Center in Westbury, New York, in 1974. She had returned to her hotel room and was asleep when a man broke in and raped her at knifepoint. He was never captured.
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.
Darrick Baldwin
Francis followed with such teen hits as “Stupid Cupid,” “Everybody’s Somebody’s Fool” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.” Her records became hits worldwide as she rerecorded versions of her original songs in Italian and Spanish, among other languages. Her concerts around the country quickly sold out.
January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023
“I’m abbergasted and excited about the huge buzz my 1962 recording of ‘Pretty Little Baby’ is making all over the world,” she said in a video on TikTok, which she had joined in response to the song’s unexpected revival. “To think that a song I recorded 63 years ago is captivating new generations of audiences is truly overwhelming for me.”
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
Francis was a top performer of the pre-Beatles era, rarely out of the charts from 1957- 64. Able to appeal to both young people and adults, she had more than a dozen Top 20 hits, starting with “Who’s Sorry Now?” and including the No. 1 songs “Don’t Break the Heart That Loves You” and “The Heart Has a Mind of Its Own.” Like other teen favorites of her time, she also starred in several lms, including “Where the Boys Are” and “Follow the Boys.”
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.
Meanwhile, a romance bloomed with fellow teen idol Bobby Darin, who had volunteered to write songs for her. But when her father heard rumors that the pair was planning a wedding, he stormed into a rehearsal and pulled a gun on Darin, ending their relationship and seeming to set Francis on a pained and traumatic path.
Francis sued the hotel, alleging its security was faulty, and a jury awarded her $2.5 million in 1976. The two sides then settled out of court for $1.475 million as an appeal was pending. She said the attack destroyed her marriage and put her through years of emotional turmoil.
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.
She chronicled some of it in her autobiography, “Who’s Sorry Now?”
He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.
“My personal life is a regret from A to Z,” she told The Associated Press in 1984, the year the book came out. “I realized I had allowed my father to exert too much in uence over me.”
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.
The dark-haired singer was just 17 when she signed a contract with MGM Records following appearances on several TV variety shows. Her earliest
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.
Her father, George Franconero, was a roo ng contractor from New Jersey who played the accordion. She was just 3 when her father presented her with a child-size accordion as soon as she began to show an aptitude for music. When she was 4, he began booking singing dates for her, going on to become her manager. Although her acting career
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.
She su ered tragedy in 1981 when her brother George was shot to death as he was leaving his New Jersey home. Later that decade, her father had her committed to a psychiatric hospital, where she was diagnosed as manic-depressive. At one point, she tried to kill herself by swallowing dozens of sleeping tablets. After three days in a coma, she recovered.
Around that time, she wrote to President Ronald Reagan and volunteered to help others, calling herself “America’s most famous crime victim.” Reagan appointed her to a task force on violent crime.
John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Rich eld, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; ve great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.
Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was sel ess, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.
She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, out ts for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.
“I don’t want people to feel sorry for me,” she told The New York Times in 1981. “I have my voice, a gift from God I took for granted before. He gave it back to me.”
Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley.
She was married four times and would say that only her third husband, Joseph Garzilli, was worth the trouble. The other marriages each lasted less than a year.
Concetta Rosemarie Franconero was born on Dec. 12, 1937, in Newark, New Jersey. At age 9 she began appearing on television programs, including “Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts” and “The Perry Como Show.” It was Godfrey who suggested she shorten her last name.
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.
“My personal life is a regret from A to Z.” Connie Francis
Singer Connie Francis poses for a portrait in Los Angeles in 1978.
WALLY FON / AP PHOTO
JACOB KING/PA VIA AP World War II veteran Donald Rose, 110, poses for a photo at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Sta ordshire, England on May 8.
It’s part of an extended legal battle between executive and legislature
By Makiya Seminera
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein decided Wednesday against appealing a trial court ruling that did not go in his favor last month, securing a small victory for Republican lawmakers whom the governor was challenging.
The case focused on whether Stein has the authority to choose his own State Highway Patrol commander. The GOP-dominated legislature passed a law in December 2024 — just before Stein was sworn into o ce — that included a provision stating the governor was required to keep the current incumbent, Col. Freddy Johnson, in the position. Stein then sued.
After hearing arguments in court last month, a panel of Superior Court judges decided unanimously to dismiss the case, saying the provision wasn’t unconstitutional.
Johnson, who was appointed by former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper in 2021, was a defendant in the lawsuit. Cooper was also a plainti . Stein believed the provision to be “ambiguous” on whether he would be allowed to remove Johnson from his position if necessary, which is why he initially challenged the provision, according to a Wednesday news release from the governor’s o ce.
That ambiguity could have led to the interpretation that the commander could keep his post, even if he refused his duties or abused his power, the governor’s o ce said.
“Making a Commander of the State Highway Patrol unremovable for any reason would threaten public safety, and I am relieved the Court did not endorse such a result,” Stein said in a statement. “I continue to have con dence in Colonel Freddy Johnson’s ability to lead the State Highway Patrol e ectively, and I look forward to continuing to work with him to keep people safe.”
Attorneys representing GOP House Speaker Destin Hall and Senate leader Phil Berger successfully argued in court last month that the governor’s arguments against the provision were largely hypothetical. Additionally, Stein’s legal representation and a lawyer for Johnson both rea rmed that there was no personal con ict between the governor and the State Highway Patrol commander.
Stein has also challenged various other parts of the sweeping state law that eroded many powers of the governor and several other top Democrats holding statewide o ce. One of the most consequential changes transferred the power to appoint State Board of Elections members from the governor to the state auditor, who is a Republican.
The governor is still challenging that provision in court. State Auditor Dave Boliek’s appointments to the board — which shifted from a Democratic to Republican majority — have stayed in place as the provision’s constitutionality continues to be debated in courts.
GARY D. ROBERTSON / AP PHOTO
Gov. Josh Stein speaks to reporters after a Council of State meeting at the Department of Transportation headquarters in Raleigh earlier this month.
Celebration of the Arts Camp continues this summer
The Stanly County Arts Council has hosted weeklong camps for kids in grades K-5 since 2008
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Summertime always brings up the memories of activities enjoyed while having the time o from school: going to the pool, hanging out with friends and going to vacation bible school, summer camp and more
Since 2008, however, many Stanly kids can look back on their childhood summers as the time they rst discovered an artistic talent they loved.
The Stanly County Arts Council has hosted a summer arts camp for students for nearly two decades, allowing children to learn more about art, music, dance and theater. More than 85 kids in two separate weeks attended the camps at West Stanly and Albemarle high schools. Instructors for the programs
HISTORY from page A1
“The kids learned about the history of sharks, some fun facts about sharks and then they made shark puppets,” Sullivan said.
Sullivan said she hopes the program can help children be more interested in history and what happens in museums.
“I think sometimes museums get a bad rap of being boring and stu ,” Sullivan said. “History is the furthest from that. It’s so important for kids to realize when they are young, and hopefully develop a lifelong appreciation of history and museums.”.
When the History Hunters program rst started, only three kids came to the rst session, but now the numbers are higher, Sullivan added.
“The best part is when I’m out in public and I see older kids who remember me from years ago, and they are like, ‘Yay! You’re from the museum,’” Sullivan said. “It makes me feel like we made a positive impression, and hopefully they have a positive association with museums.”
“It’s important that our youth have the opportunity to explore their creative side.”
this year included Wes Tucker, head of the West Stanly players and drama teacher at WSHS, as well as Rebekah Crisco, an art teacher also with Stanly County Schools. Ariel Jones taught the music classes this year, while Mary Grubbs taught dance. Many of the camps’ volunteer counselors are older kids who have been through the program and are still actively involved in the arts. Several camp instructors wore T-shirts from the recent West Stanly Players’ production of “Anything Goes.” Approximately 85 students at the weeklong camps at Albemarle and West in grades kindergarten through fth grade built musical instruments, painted an image of the Grinch of Dr. Seuss fame, and learned
the ner points of theater and dance.
“Although the structure of the camp of engaging in all four disciplines has not changed since 2008, our talented, committed art teachers ensure each year their curriculums o er di erent activities and themes,” Renee Van Horn, director of the Stanly County Arts Council, said.
“Many of our campers start as rising rst graders and attend each year; then when they age out, they want to come back as counselors.”
The camp works with partners like SCS for the use of the high schools during the summer, while Atrium Health Stanly o ers scholarships for at-risk youth who wish to attend the camps. The Stanly County Community Foundation helps provide art supplies campers can take home, along with giving a classic book for each camper to add to their personal library.
“For us, the best aspect is seeing the joy, pride and excitement as each camper shows their nished projects to their families on the last day,” Van Horn said. “It’s important that our youth have the opportunity to explore their creative side.”
PHOTOS BY CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Left, Braelynn Noyes colors her shark puppet as part of the Stanly County History Center’s History Hunters program.
Top right, Eliza Herrin cuts out her puppet. Lower right, Luke Herrin and Ben Noyes work on making their shark puppets.
Renee Van Horn, Stanly County Arts Council director
PHOTOS BY CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Asher Denning-Sigmon attaches a bell with a pipe cleaner to his Jingle Bells popsicle stick instrument.
Left, West Stanly drama teacher
Wes Tucker demonstrates the art of mime by holding a pretend beach ball after having kids “throw” the ball around the room. Right, Blakely and Elzy Chandler get their brushes ready to paint.
Stanly County Amateur Radio Club celebrates annual ARRL Field Day
The nonpro t organization provides communications during emergencies
By Melinda Burris Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Stan-
ly County Amateur Radio Club participated in a public demonstration for ham radio enthusiasts and interested members of the community at the Albemarle YMCA on the last Saturday in June as part of the annual celebration of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) Field Day. The gathering of amateur radio clubs was rst organized by ARRL in 1933, and it is now touted across the United States
and Canada as the most popular on-air event held in either country.
Je Balfrey, president of Stanly County Amateur Radio Club, is unsure when the local chapter was formed but believes it to have been sometime in the 1950s. Turnout for last year’s Field Day event included in excess of 31,000 hams participating from thousands of locations across North America. Balfrey estimates that for the recent 2025 Field Day, the Albemarle club’s celebration “had about 15 club members” attend.
One of the primary goals of the Albemarle chapter of ARRL is to educate individuals about how ham radios and operators serve the public, especially in times of emergency.
“Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers.”
Je Balfrey, President,
Stanly County Amateur Radio Club
“Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell
towers,” Balfrey said. “Ham radio functions completely independently of the internet and phone systems, and a station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Hams can quickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate e ectively with others.”
As an example, the experienced ham operator points to the fallout after sections of the western part of the state were devastated by Hurricane Helene.
“When Helene came through North Carolina last year and all the communications and cell towers and stu were knocked out, the ham radio guys were the rst ones back on the air,” he said. “And for the rst week or so,
especially, they provided a lot of contacts and services and helped the law enforcement and rescue people direct their e orts.”
One of the central tenets of the nonpro t Amateur Radio Service is “contributing to international goodwill.” The Stanly County club does this on a community level by providing portable operation communications for things like 5k events, including the annual Race to Remember for Alzheimer’s Research and the Badin Lake Triathlon, both of which are held each June in Albemarle.
“What we typically do is set up checkpoints where if somebody has an issue or anything like that, we can call it in and get somebody to take care of them,” Balfrey said.
Historical Commission updates leadership roles
A new chair and vice chair were appointed to the Albemarle HRC
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — At its recent meeting at City Hall on July 8, the Albemarle Historical Resources Commission swore in its commissioners and also named a new chair and vice chair.
Composed of nine members currently, Albemarle’s HRC is a city-appointed board dedicated to preserving the historic character of the city and its extraterritorial zoning area by making recommendations for local historic districts and general beauti cation e orts.
All members must live within Albemarle’s jurisdiction and have “demonstrated special interest, experience or education in history, architecture, archaeology, landscape design, horticulture, city planning, or closely related elds.”
Incoming Commissioner Daniel Beck was sworn in at the beginning of the meeting as a new member, while Chair John Williams, Vice Chair Tim Johnson and Commissioners Lauren Wagner, Steven Trudeau and Razan Abd El Haque-Brown
COURTESY CITY OF ALBEMARLE
The Albemarle Historic Resources Commission named a new chair and vice chair at its July 8 meeting.
were each sworn in.
Commissioners Benjamin Lisk, John Crawford and Lori Baucom were absent from the meeting.
“At what point do we need to vote on a new chairperson?”
Williams asked Brittani McLendon, planning manager for the City of Albemarle. “I have gone far past my one-year llin situation and I would like to not be chair. … If you’re going to be on the board, you need to be chair at some point. It’s really easy. You just can’t make a motion, which is the part I don’t like.”
“We could not get you all to vote on anyone last time,” McLendon answered. “But you can do it right now.”
A quick discussion between the commissioners ensued as they internally discussed whether to make a decision at
the ongoing meeting or at a future meeting.
“I will do it. I will submit myself,” Johnson said. “However, remember, I make a lot of motions, and you all can’t just sit there.”
After Johnson was unanimously voted in as the HRC’s new chair, he recommended that Trudeau be named as the commission’s vice chair; a motion was made and Trudeau received a 6-0 vote in favor of the move.
“We do have one more vacant seat that we are working to ll, so we could see another member with our new great leadership,” McLendon said. “Thank you all.”
The Historical Resources Commission is set to hold its next regular meeting Aug. 12 at 6 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
Palliative
STANLY SPORTS
Pro wrestling returns to Albemarle, including Matt Hardy, Lex Luger and more
Proceeds from Sunday’s AML Wrestling event at Albemarle HS will bene t the Butter y House
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
TWO LEGENDS of professional wrestling, along with the stars of today and tomorrow, are scheduled to appear this Sunday afternoon in a charity event at Albemarle High School.
America’s Most Liked wrestling (AML) will help raise funds for Stanly’s children’s advocacy center, the Butter y House, with Battle Scars, a card of professional wrestling at the AHS gym. A meet and greet will start
at 2 p.m. Sunday with the opening bell set at 4 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission and kids 10 and under are free.
The meet and greet for fans is scheduled to include WWE Hall of Famer Lex Luger, a former member of the famed Four Horseman, and Matt Hardy, the Cameron native who, with his brother, Je , won the WWE and WCE Tag Team Championships as the Hardy Boyz, along with several individual titles. Hardy is scheduled to team up with wrestling legend George South against the Andersons, Brock and CW. Brock is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson.
The current AML Champion, Gustavo, will take on Fodder
with Angelina Love in his corner.
In an intergender matchup, Brad Attitude and his wife, Amy Attitude, take on JAC and Clara Carter. In this particular feud, Brad and Jac were tag team partners in the past.
The current AML Tag Team Champions, Money ENT, have issued an open challenge for their tag belts.
A triple-threat match will feature Diego Hill versus Zuka King versus Logan Quindell.
Other matches include John Skyler versus the Beer City Bruiser and BLK Mike facing o with Billy Brash.
Brian Hawks, AML co-owner and general manager, said
See WRESTLING, page B3
Former Wampus Cat becomes rst in program history picked in MLB Draft
Ethan Young, who pitched in the inaugural season of the team, was drafted this year by the St. Louis Cardinals
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
THE UWHARRIE Wampus Cats baseball program recently received a kudo for one of its players who was a part of the team’s inaugural season three years ago.
Ethan Young, a native of Harrisburg who played at Catawba Valley Community College and East Carolina University, was the rst Uwharrie Wampus Cat to be drafted to play professional baseball Young was selected in the fth round of the 2025 Major League Baseball draft, 150th pick overall, by the St. Louis Cardinals.
After playing high school ball at Hickory Ridge, Young played in 2023 at Hillsborourgh Community College. In his sophomore year at Catawba Valley CC, he made 20 appearances, going 0-1 with a 2.52 earned-run average with seven saves while striking out 49 batters in 352⁄3 innings pitched. Young advanced to the NCAA Division I level to play baseball
for the Pirates and posted solid numbers this past season. He had a 5-0 won-loss record with three saves, striking out 92 batters in 701⁄3 innings, nishing with a 3.84 ERA. His numbers
put him amongst the top ve on the squad in several categories, including second in strikeouts and tied for second in innings pitched.
“We’re proud of Ethan and
want to congratulate him, his family and his coaches. He was already a talented player when he came to us from his junior college, and through his hard work he advanced to East Car-
olina and will now compete in the St. Louis Cardinals system,” said Greg Sullivan, owner of the Uwharrie Wampus Cats.
”We see how hard our players work day in and day out on the eld at Don Montgomery Park. It sometimes takes a little time before we get to enjoy them being recognized like this, but it’s very exciting and we hope and expect to have many more players drafted in the near future.”
Since Young was drafted by the Cardinals, the Wampus Cats’ owner said some fans and former players have been “talking a lot the last couple days about how excited they were to see Ethan go in the draft, so this has been a lot of fun. It’s also great for our program for recruits to see players with us to reach their same goals.”
The MLB Draft has been reduced over the years in terms of the number of players selected. In 1998, there were 50 rounds, but the number of rounds was lowered to 20 in 2022.
Sullivan noted how important this accomplishment was for Young, saying, “a very small amount of baseball players are drafted by MLB organizations in the modern era. (Ethan) being drafted after a college career with so few selections means scouts really liked him.”
COURTESY PHOTO
The Andersons, CW and Blake Anderson, will take on George South and Matt Hardy in Albemarle at Battle Scars on July 28.
Young’s won-loss record at ECU this season
COURTESY PHOTO
Gustavo, the reigning AML Champion, will defend against Fodder at Battle Scars.
COURTESY ECU ATHLETICS
East Carolina pitcher Ethan Young, who played for the Uwharrie Wampus Cats, was selected 150th overall in the fth round of the MLB Draft.
Area golfers to compete in US Kids World Championship
Maverick Craig and Jennings Kinard will soon head to Pinehurst
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
LOCUST — Hosted at Pinehurst Resort from July 31 to Aug. 2, the 2025 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship is expected to showcase more than 1,500 children ages 5 to 12, representing every U.S. state and more than 50 countries.
Two young golfers in the 26th annual USKGWC — 9-yearold Maverick Craig and 6-yearold Jennings Kinard — will represent the city of Locust in the tournament.
Regulars at Locust’s Red Bridge Golf Course, Craig and Kinard are soon headed to Pinehurst with their families as they get ready to compete in the event organized by the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation.
Both golfers found out earlier in the year that they quali ed for the USKGWC due to their strong performances in various local tournaments over the past year.
Maverick Craig’s father, Nate, said his son has been interested in golf since he was a toddler, even whacking ping pong balls around the house with a broom stick handle as he watched golf on the television as a toddler.
Competing in golf events for the past three years, Maverick’s upcoming appearance at the USKGWC will mark his second time playing at the tournament after he played in last year’s event.
“For me and my wife, it’s just a matter of nourishing it at this point,” Nate Craig said. “It’s making sure that he’s not getting burned out, keeping everything light, and making sure he knows it’s a game and not a job. It’s been a lot of fun.
Craig said his son is “pumped
up” about being able to go back to Pinehurst Resort, watching “The Short Game” — a 2013 documentary lm about eight entrants in the 2012 USKGWC — “ ve or six times a week” on Net ix.
“In golf, you want to make sure that your game is trending up going into the tournament, and his game is de nitely trending in the right direction at the moment,” Craig added. “About a month ago, he was playing a tournament at Longleaf (Golf and Family Club) in Pinehurst, and he shot 68. That’s four un-
der through 18 holes, and it was his personal record.”
Bo Kinard said his son, Jennings, was fascinated as a baby by watching him hit balls via a golf simulator in his garage.
By the time Jennings was old
enough to stand, he too had a golf club in his hand and soon developed an appreciation for the sport. Kinard said his son has always appeared con dent and assured of his own skills when playing in local tournaments, no matter what the outcome might be.
“At this age, it’s trying to create the love for the game. For them to be process-driven and not results-driven,” Kinard said. “That’s a hard thing to ght because, especially as a parent, you want your kid to do the best they possibly can. There’s no
hiding in golf. In baseball, you can stick somebody in certain positions where the ball doesn’t get hit too much, and same with football. But golf, man, it’s all on you.”
Kinard noted that Jennings and Maverick have bonded over the sport and their shared skills.
“They’re both pretty good for their age, and they both seem to be obsessed with it,” he said. “They love practicing with each other.”
The rst round of the 2025 USKGWC is scheduled for Thursday, July 31 at 7:30 a.m.
Seth Limbert is preparing for his sophomore season
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
MISENHEIMER — As one of three goalkeepers on the current roster for Pfei er University’s men’s soccer team, Seth Limbert is preparing for the Falcons’ 2025 campaign that is set to begin in a little over a month.
The sophomore from Mooresville and Lake Norman High School has played club soccer for Charlotte Independence, but now he is hoping to get more involved with the Falcons after a freshman season during which he was buried on the depth chart.
Last season, Limbert was joined by junior Tommaso Cantini and senior Ali Jaafar as one of three goalkeepers on the roster; the rising sophomore is now grouped with Cantini and freshman Isaac Barefoot on the 2025 roster.
Limbert recently re ected on his introduction to the university and how his experience has been so far.
“I chose Pfei er for many different reasons,” Limbert said in a video pro le from the Falcons’ soccer program. “The rst was
WRESTLING from page A1
entertainment is family friendly. His daughter, Holly Hawks, serves as AML’s ring announcer.
Many former top-level wrestlers have appeared in AML, including Nic Nemeth, known in WWE as Dolph Ziggler.
Hawks said AML is well known on the indepen-
Pfei er men’s soccer goalkeeper Seth Limbert is gearing up for his sophomore season with the Falcons.
the coaching sta . Coach Tony (Faticoni) was super helpful during my recruiting process. He made everything easy, quick and clear. If I had any questions, I was able to text or call him, and all that was great. He made it super easy for me.”
He mentioned that another factor in choosing Pfei er’s soccer team was because he “loved the environment” the team brought to the locker room.
“All the guys are super close,” Limbert said, “It honestly feels like you’re part of a second fam-
dent wrestling scene for developing talent in the business. He added AML started with events at Wrestlecade, a wrestling convention in Winston-Salem, but now puts on monthly events with proceeds going to charities like a Christmas toy drive. The Albemarle event is being presented in part by Mike and
It honestly feels like you’re part of a second family being on Pfei er soccer.”
Seth Limbert, Pfei er sophomore goalkeeper
ily being on Pfei er soccer. ... My roommate turned into my best friend the whole year. I really found a good group, and it feels good.”
Limbert explained that he didn’t know that he wanted to play college soccer until his junior year of high school, when he got in touch with Faticoni and soon found himself on a path to a roster following a showcase at Pfei er.
“My journey to college soccer was a little up and down,” he said. “Obviously, it started when I was really young, 4 or 5, and then I played all throughout middle school. I played club soccer my whole life.”
Pfei er’s rst scrimmage of 2025 is set for Aug. 20 at Misenheimer’s Lefko-Mills Field against Montreat.
The Falcons, who had a 4-8-3 record last year, will look to get their rst regular-season win of the season on Aug. 29 against Guilford in Greensboro.
Jill Hatley as part of their fundraising e orts for the Butter y House’s Stanly County Dancing with the Stars this September. Mike Hatley has participated in two previous DWTS events and enters his third this year with his wife, Jill.
Full-length videos of AML’s previous events are online at titlematchwresling.com.
Uwharrie Wampus Cats
This week’s Stanly Athlete of the Week is the Uwharrie Wampus Cats’ Rhett Barker. In Sunday’s game against the Catawba Valley Stars, Barker was 4 for 4 with a double, triple and an RBI. Barker played high school baseball at South Mecklenburg High School and is a rising sophomore at Emory and Henry.
Celtics’ Stevens shuns idea team in rebuild with Tatum out
The former Duke star will miss the season with a torn Achilles
By Kyle Hightower
The Associated Press
BOSTON — Even before Jayson Tatum limped o the court with a torn Achilles tendon during the Celtics’ Eastern Conference semi nals loss to the New York Knicks, Brad Stevens knew big changes would be on tap for the franchise this o season. Yes, big spending on free agents and contracts had lured in key players like Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis, who, combined with stars Tatum and Jaylen Brown, ultimately helped Boston capture the NBA championship in 2024.
But keeping the core of that roster intact next season with Tatum possibly missing all of it while rehabbing from his injury would have come with a combined payroll and luxury tax bill of more than $500 million. And as a team exceeding the second apron of the salary cap, it would have also meant additional penalties limiting ways they could sign or trade for players.
“We’ve known for a long time
that hard decisions were coming,” Stevens said on the decisions to trade both Holiday and Porzingis. “The second apron is why those trades happened. I think that is pretty obvious. And the basketball penalties associated with those are real. ... So that was part of making the decision to push and put our chips on the table and go for the last two years.”
Now under that dreaded second apron, it’s also brought about a di erent way of looking at what’s next for the Celtics. As the team’s president of basketball operations, Stevens knows their approach will have to change while Tatum is out. But as a former coach, he also said he’s never going to put a ceiling on any team’s potential.
“My expectations are always the same — compete like hell to win the next game,” he said.
Stevens said he doesn’t want to hear any mention of the term “rebuild” this upcoming season.
“That’s not going to be part of the lexicon in our building, and that’s the way we’re going to focus moving forward,” he said. While the team could make additional moves to get completely out of the luxury tax, Stevens said it’s not the mandate he’s been given by incom-
ing team owner Bill Chisholm.
“Bill has been pretty clear from the get go that he wants to make sure that we’re prioritizing basketball assets and the ability to retool this thing at the highest level that we can,” Stevens said. “The most important acquisition that we’re going to be able to make in the next couple of years is getting Tatum out of a (walking) boot. We’re not beating that one. So that’s going to be the best thing that can happen for us.”
Trainers help Boston Celtics’ Jayson Tatum (0) o the court after he was injured during the Eastern Conference semi nals.
Both Tatum and Brown, who had minor knee surgery last month, were in the Celtics’ facility last Tuesday rehabbing. According to Stevens, Tatum was moving “really fast” in his walking boot, while Brown was already getting shots up and is expected to get full clearance for basketball activities soon. In the meantime, Stevens said he’s completely comfortable with Brown being the team’s focal point on the court. He thinks it’s a challenge that Brown welcomes and one that he’s proven an ability to excel in during previous times Tatum has been sidelined by injury.
“He’s ready for any challenge, and he always has been,” Stevens said.
FRANK FRANKLIN II / AP PHOTO
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them, duly veri ed, to the undersigned, care of Thomas J. Falish, Atty., 525 N. Tryon St., Suite 210, Charlotte, North Carolina 28202, on or before the 14th day of October, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said estate will please make immediate settlement with the undersigned. This the 13th day of July, 2025. Jacob B. Taylor, Administrator
MARK T. LOWDER Commissioner M.T. Lowder & Associates Attorneys at Law P.O. Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone: 704-982-8558 Fax: 704-986-4808 PUBLISH: July 20 and 27, 2025
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
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NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25E000389-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having duly quali ed as Executrix of the Estate of Juanita Thompson Hatley, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, are 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 6th day of October, 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 2nd day of July, 2025.
Susan Hatley Furr Executrix of the Estate of Juanita Thompson Hatley 36452 Millingport Road New London, NC 28127
PUBLISH: July 6, 13, 20, 27, 2025. James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162
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STANLY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
STANLY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
Notice is hereby given that the Stanly County Board of Commissioners will, on Monday, August 4, 2025 at 6:00 p.m., hold one legislative hearing at the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room located at 1000 North First Street, Albemarle, NC to consider the following:
Funders commit $1B toward developing arti cial intelligence for frontline workers
Gates and others will o er grants through NextLadder Ventures
By Thalia Beaty The Associated Press
A COALITION of funders, including the Gates Foundation and Ballmer Group, will spend $1 billion over 15 years to help develop arti cial intelligence tools for public defenders, parole o cers, social workers and others who help Americans in precarious situations.
The funders announced Thursday that they will create a new entity, NextLadder Ventures, to o er grants and investments to nonpro ts and for-pro ts to develop tools for those who often manage huge caseloads with few resources.
“The solutions that we’re investing in, the hundreds of entrepreneurs that are going to bring forward solutions that incorporate leading edge technologies, are going to do it by coming alongside people who are living through some of the struggles in the economy,” said Brian Hooks, CEO of Stand Together, a nonpro t started by Kansas-based billionaire Charles Koch.
The other funders include hedge fund founder John Overdeck and Valhalla Foundation, which was started by Inuit cofounder Steve Cook and his wife Signe Ostby. Ballmer Group is the philanthropy of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie. The funders declined to reveal the exactnancial commitments made by each of the contributors.
The point of investing in these AI tools is to spur economic mobility, a focus all the funders share, they said. The funders believe there are many ideas for how AI technologies could help match people with resources after a disaster or an eviction, for example, or help a parole o cer close out more cases for people who have met all of the criteria but are waiting for the paperwork to be processed.
“As we traded notes on where we were making investments
and where we saw broader gaps in the sector, it was readily apparent that there was a real opportunity to come together as a group of cofunders and cofounders to establish a new kind of investment organization,” said Kevin Bromer, who leads the technology and data strategy at Ballmer Group. He will also serve as a member on NextLadder’s board, which will include three independent board members and representatives from the other funders.
NextLadder will be led by Ryan Rippel, who previously directed the Gates Foundation’s economic mobility portfolio. The funder group has not yet determined if NextLadder will incorporate as a nonprofit or a for pro t organization but said any returns they make from investments will go back into funding new initiatives. Jim Fruchterman, founder of Tech Matters and author of the recent book “Technology for Good,” said he expects NextLadder to mostly fund nonpro ts if they want to accomplish their mission of reaching
“As we traded notes on where we were making investments and where we saw broader gaps in the sector, it was readily apparent that there was a real opportunity to come together.”
Kevin Bromer, NextLadder board member
the poorest people and places. He said he was optimistic about their focus on serving frontline workers rather than trying to replace them.
“The nonpro t sector is about humans helping humans,” Fruchterman said. “And if instead of in icting the AI on poor people, or people in need, we’re saying, ‘Hey, you’re a frontline worker. What’s the crappiest part of your job that is the least productive?’ And they’ll tell you and if you work on that, you are likely to be more successful.”
NextLadder will partner with AI company Anthropic, which will o er technical expertise and access to its technologies to the nonpro ts and companies it invests in. Anthropic has committed around $1.5 million annually to the partnership, said Elizabeth Kelly, its head of bene cial deployments, which is a team that focuses on giving back to society.
“We want to hand-hold grantees through their use of Claude with the same care and commitment we provide to our largest enterprise customers,” Kelly said, referencing Anthropic’s large language model.
Hooks, of Stand Together, said philanthropy can reduce the riskiness of these types of investments and o er organizations more time to prove out their ideas.
“If we’re successful, this will be the rst capital to demonstrate what’s possible,” Hooks said.
Suzy Madigan, who is the Responsible AI Lead at Care International UK, has researched the risks and bene ts of using
AI tools in humanitarian contexts. She said she’s seen a rush to explore how AI technologies might ll in gaps as funding has been cut.
“The rise of arti cial intelligence being deployed in more sensitive contexts brings some really important new ethical and governance questions because it can actually exacerbate increasing inequalities, even when there were good intentions behind it,” said Madigan.
The key to not harming vulnerable communities is to involve them in every step of developing, deploying and assessing AI tools and to ensure that those tools do not replace frontline workers, she said.
Researchers like those at the Active Learning Network for Accountability and Performance in humanitarian action have studied some of the risks associated with using AI tools when interacting with sensitive populations or handling highstakes interactions, for example, in humanitarian contexts.
They recommend assessing whether AI is the best tool to solve the problem and, crucially, if it works reliably and accurately enough in high-risk settings. They also recommend assessing tools for bias, considering privacy protections and weighing the cost of potential dependence on a speci c provider.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology also emphasizes that trustworthy AI systems should be accountable to users and that it should be possible to explain or trace how a tool arrived at a certain conclusion or decision.
Hooks emphasized that any AI tools NextLadder invests in will be shaped by the needs and feedback of these frontline workers. Tools that don’t work for them, won’t succeed, he said. Even with the potential risks of AI tools, he said it’s imperative that groups that are struggling to move up the economic ladder have access to new technologies.
“The idea that we would deprive those who are struggling in our country from the bene ts of the leading edge solutions is unacceptable,” Hooks said.
AI rm Anthropic will o er its technology and expertise.
RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO
LINDSEY WASSON / AP PHOTO
Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman poses for a portrait at the Gates Foundation campus, in Seattle earlier this year.
famous birthdays this week
Carlos Santana is 78, Gisele Bundchen turns 45, Jennifer Lopez is 56, Mick Jagger hits 82
The Associated Press
THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.
JULY 20
Singer Kim Carnes is 80. Rock musician Carlos Santana is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen is 50. Supermodel Gisele Bundchen is 45.
JULY 21
Author Michael Connelly is 69. Comedian Jon Lovitz is 68. Actor/singer Charlotte Gainsbourg is 54. Actor Rory Culkin is 36.
JULY 22
Movie writer-director Paul Schrader is 79. Actor Danny Glover is 79. Actor-comedian-director Albert Brooks is 78. Rock singer Don Henley is 78. Jazz musician Al Di Meola is 71. Actor Willem Dafoe is 70.
JULY 23
Actor Woody Harrelson is 64. Rock musician Slash is 60. Basketball Hall of Famer Gary Payton is 57. Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky is 52.
JULY 24
Actor Dan Hedaya is 85. Actor Chris Sarandon is 83. Actor Robert Hays (“Airplane!”) is 78. Actor Michael Richards (“Seinfeld”) is 76. Actor Lynda Carter is 74. Director Gus Van Sant is 73. Actor-singer Kristin Chenoweth is 57. Actor-singer Jennifer Lopez is 56.
JULY 25
Singer-guitarist Bruce Woodley of The Seekers is 83. Drummer Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds is 82. Guitarist Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth is 67. Actor Matt LeBlanc (“Joey,” ″Friends”) is 58.
JULY 26
Actor Robert Colbert (“The Time Tunnel,” “Maverick”) is 94. Singer Darlene Love is 84. Singer Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones is 82. Actor Helen
AMY HARRIS / INVISION /AP PHOTO
Iconic guitarist Carlos Santana, pictured performing in 2022, turns 78 on Sunday.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
Jennifer Lopez, pictured presenting the award for best Latin pop album during the 2025 Grammy Awards, is 56 on Thursday.
AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones, pictured performing in 2024, turns 82 on Saturday.
Mirren is 80. Drummer Roger Taylor of Queen is 76. Actor Sandra Bullock is 61. Actor Jeremy Piven is 60.
Justin Bieber releases ‘Swag,’ his long-awaited seventh album
The 31-year-old has sold more than 150 million records worldwide
By Maria Sherman The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Never say never! Justin Bieber surprised fans Friday by releasing “Swag,” his seventh studio album, hours after he teased it on billboards and social media posts.
It is his rst album since 2021’s “Justice” and rst since becoming a father last year.
“Inspired by his devotion as a husband and father, this new era of music has fueled a deeper perspective and more re ective sound, resulting in some of his most personal music yet,” Def Jam Recordings said of the 21-track album.
Billboards depicting Bieber were found by fans Thursday in Reykjavik, Iceland, and Los Angeles. The singer also shared images of billboards on his ofcial Instagram account along with a track list that included song names like “All I Can Take,” “Walking Away,” “Dadz Love” and “Forgiveness.”
Recommendations for an intimate new album
There’s a lot to love across the 21 tracks of the intimate “Swag.” Here are a few choice cuts.
“Daises” — The second track on the album may very well be
“Inspired by his devotion as a husband and father, this new era of music has fueled a deeper perspective and more re ective sound, resulting in some of his most personal music yet.” Def Jam Recordings
its strongest; an exemplar in Bieber’s slow-burn brand of alternative R&B-pop, now anchored with lo- guitar. Here, his sweet voice is pronounced — exactly what his most dedicated fans want to hear.
“Devotion” ft. Dijon — Dijon is a rising R&B voice; some fans might be familiar with his 2021 debut album “Absolutely” or his contribution to Bon Iver’s “SABLE, fABLE” from earlier this year. He makes for a standout collaboration on “Swag,” a sweet song about deepening a ection.
“Go Baby” — Bieber married the model Hailey Bieber (nee Baldwin) in 2018; she’s long been source material for his most loving tracks.
“Go Baby” is a standout for that reason. “That’s my baby, she’s iconic,” he opens the track, “iPhone case, lip gloss on it,” referencing her Rhode skincare
and beauty brand, which sold to Elf Beauty in a $1 billion deal.
“Walking Away” — Marriage isn’t easy; that’s clear on “Walking Away,” a slightly-more-up-tempo track where Bieber makes his dedication evident. It’s the perfect song for dancing in the kitchen with your partner.
“All I Can Take” — The throwback opener “All I Can Take” has a vintage groove — echoes of Beiber’s early work, now matured to re ect his current adult reality. He sounds as sweet as ever in the prechorus, his declaration of “Ooh, baby, don’t it feel good? Baby, don’t it feel nice? / Ooh, baby, don’t it feel good? You don’t have to think twice.”
Bieber before “Swag”
Bieber, the two-time Grammy Award winning singer and Canadian pop idol who revolutionized teen pop and social media fame, is best known for his silky R&B pop lyric tenor, demonstrated on the diamond-selling “Baby,” “Sorry,” and “Stay” with the Kid Laroi. At the beginning of his career, and as a tween, Bieber began working with Usher and the inuential music manager Scooter Braun.
In 2023, Bieber sold the rights to his music — all six of his albums, including hits like “Sorry” and “Baby” — to Hipgnosis, a U.K-based music investment company.
Jennifer Hudson to headline Whitney Houston estate’s
The foundation raises money for the Children’s Defense Fund and St. Jude Children’s Research
By Maria Sherman The Associated Press
NEW YORK — No one could replace the inimitable talent that was Whitney Houston. But when you need someone to sing her timeless tracks, the great EGOT (that’s Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner) Jennifer Hudson has proven time and time again that she’s up for the job.
Hudson will headline the fourth annual Whitney Houston Legacy of Love gala on Aug. 9, presented by The Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation and Primary Wave Music. The event, held at the St. Regis Hotel in Atlanta on what would have been Houston’s 62nd birthday, doubles as a celebration of 40 years since the launch of her career. Houston’s self-titled debut album was released in 1985. The Legacy of Love gala will bene t the late singer’s foundation aimed at helping young people. A grant will also be awarded to the Los Angeles-based Kids in the Spotlight, an organization that seeks to heal and empower children through storytelling and lmmaking. Houston founded the Whitney Houston Foundation for Children in 1989 with the goal of empowering youth, providing resources to unhoused children, giving out college scholarships, and raising funds for
charities like the Children’s Defense Fund and St. Jude Children’s Research. A charity auction will raise money for the foundation, which is now called the Whitney E. Houston Legacy Foundation. Other performers include R&B singer-songwriter Meli’sa Morgan and Jimmy Avance.
The gala will also feature a preview performance of the upcoming orchestral tour, “The Voice of Whitney: A Symphonic Celebration,” conducted by William R. Langley.
“This year marks Whitney’s fortieth anniversary and our fourth Annual Legacy of Love Gala and we are delighted how the foundation has developed and expanded over the past four years,” co-host Pat Houston said in a statement. She is Houston’s sister-in-law and the executor of her estate. Houston died in February 2012 at age 48. “Though Whitney is known worldwide for her exemplary talent in music and entertainment, one of the things she loved more than anything was supporting children and our youth. She always reached back to various communities globally.” In addition to Pat Houston, the gala will be hosted by Entertainment Tonight’s Kevin Frazier. Clive Davis, CCO of Sony Music, is honorary chair.
CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO
Jennifer Hudson, pictured performing during the 2025 BET Awards, will host the fourth annual Whitney Houston Legacy of Love gala on Aug. 9.
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION/AP PHOTO
Justin Bieber attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute bene t gala in 2021.
this week in history
Man walks on moon, Greensboro Woolworth’s desegregates, Tuskegee experiment exposed
JULY 20
1917: The World War I draft lottery began when Secretary of War Newton Baker, blindfolded, drew number 258 from a glass bowl in the Senate o ce building.
1944: An attempt by a group of German o cials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader.
1951: Jordan’s King Abdullah I was assassinated in Jerusalem by a Palestinian gunman who was shot dead on the spot by security.
1969: Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the rst men to walk on the moon.
JULY 21
1925: The so-called “Monkey Trial” ended in Dayton, Tennessee, with John T. Scopes found guilty of violating state law for teaching Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. (The conviction was later overturned.)
1861: During the Civil War, the rst Battle of Bull Run was fought at Manassas, Virginia, resulting in a Confederate victory.
1944: American forces landed on Guam during World War II, capturing it from the Japanese some three weeks later.
1954: The Geneva Conference concluded with accords dividing Vietnam into northern and southern entities.
JULY 22
1933: Aviator Wiley Post landed at Floyd Bennett Field in New York City, completing the rst solo ight around the world in 7 days, 18 hours and 49 minutes.
1934: Bank robber John Dillinger was shot to death by
federal agents outside Chicago’s Biograph Theater.
1942: The Nazis began transporting Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto to the Treblinka concentration camp.
1943: American forces led by Gen. George S. Patton captured Palermo, Sicily, during World War II.
JULY 23
1903: The Ford Motor Company sold its rst car, a Model A, for $850.
1958: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II named the rst four women to peerage in the House of Lords.
2011: Singer Amy Winehouse, 27, was found dead in her London home from accidental alcohol poisoning.
JULY 24
1567: Mary, Queen of Scots, was forced to abdicate her throne to her 1-year-old son James.
1847: Mormon leader
Brigham Young and his followers arrived in the Salt Lake Valley in present-day Utah.
1866: Tennessee became the rst state to be readmitted to the Union after the Civil War.
1915: The SS Eastland, carrying more than 2,500 passengers, capsized at Chicago’s Clark Street Bridge, killing an estimated 844 people.
JULY 25
1866: Ulysses S. Grant was named General of the Army of the United States, the rst ocer to hold the rank.
1946: The United States detonated an atomic bomb near Bikini Atoll in the Pacific in the rst underwater test of the device.
1956: The SS Andrea Doria collided with the Stockholm o the New England coast, killing 51 people before sinking the next morning.
1960: A Woolworth’s in Greensboro ended its whites-only lunch counter policy after
NEIL ARMSTRONG / NASA VIA AP
Re ections of Neil Armstrong, the U.S. ag, lunar module and TV camera appear in Buzz Aldrin’s visor as Armstrong took the photo during the rst moonwalk in history on July 20, 1969.
nearly six months of sit-in protests.
1972: The Tuskegee syphilis experiment was exposed, revealing that black men were left untreated for decades so researchers could study the disease — more than 100 died.
JULY 26
1775: The Continental Congress established a Post O ce and appointed Benjamin Franklin its Postmaster-General.
1863: Sam Houston, former president of the Republic of Texas, died in Huntsville at age 70.
1947: President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act, creating the CIA and reorganizing the U.S. military.
1953: Fidel Castro began his revolt against Fulgencio Batista in an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba.
1990: President George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination based on mental or physical disabilities.
KURZ & ALLISON / LIBRARY OF CONGRESS VIA WIKIPEDIA Confederate troops claimed victory in the rst Battle of Bull Run, fought in Manassas, Virginia, during the Civil War on July 21, 1861.
