A teen discovers the thrill of wakeboarding at a Wake the World event on Lake Tillery late last month. The organization, founded by Greg Hodgin, brings joy to children, veterans and families through watersports. Read more on Page B4.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Whatsit Books to hold pop-up book signing at Livi Bug’s Boutique on Saturday
Livi Bug’s Boutique on 106 South 2nd St., will partner with proposed downtown Albemarle bookstore Whatsit Books to host a pop -up book signing event Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will feature local romance author Lea Robinson, one half of The New York Times bestselling writing duo Alexa Riley. Whatsit Books will o er new and used books for sale, including “Blind Date with a Book” options.
Violent crime in U.S. dropped 4.5% last year, FBI data shows
A new FBI report says violent crime in the United States fell 4.5% last year, while property crime dropped 8% from the year before. The FBI statistics released Tuesday show murder and nonnegligent manslaughter in the U.S. fell nearly 15% in 2024, continuing a decline that’s been seen since a coronavirus pandemic- era crime spike. Reported hate crimes decreased 1.5%. The FBI collects data through its Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
House committee subpoenas for Epstein les, depositions with Clintons
The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Justice Department for les in the Je rey Epstein investigation and is also seeking depositions with the Clintons and eight former top law enforcement o cials from multiple presidential administrations.
Stanly commissioners approve demolition of unsafe mobile home
An eviction notice will be served to any remaining occupants
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — A dilapidated mobile home on a 3.3-acre property in Rich eld will soon be demolished after multiple violations of Stanly County’s Minimum Housing Code were unaddressed by property owners. At Monday night’s Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting, the board voted 4 -2 to approve an ordinance authorization for demolition and removal at 49122 Willie Road because the home was declared un t for human habitation.
Vice Chairman Brandon King joined Commissioners Scott E rd, Trent Hatley and Billy Mills voted for the move, while Chairman Mike Barbee and Commissioner Bill Lawhon voted against it.
Lawhon was in favor of slowing down the process, noting that the majority of the property taxes had been paid, although the payment details were unclear.
“Could this be brought back to our next meeting?” Lawhon asked. “The reason I’m asking is that somebody paid taxes on it, and that person might be willing to save the property. They will still own the property — we’ll just have a lien against it. I’d like to know if they’re willing to pay what it’s going to cost to have it removed before we remove it.”
The adopted ordinance authorizes Zoning Code Enforcement O cer Michael Williams to proceed with demolition and allows the planning department to serve a notice of eviction to any remaining occupants.
Costs for removal will be covered by the county’s violation abatement budget and placed as a lien against the property, which is owned by the three heirs of the late prop -
“I’m speaking on behalf of ve other neighbors who have all had problems.”
Steven Hatley Jr.
erty owner Winfred Steven Hatley: Steven Hatley IV, Harlon Hatley and Hunter Hatley. Williams stated that the county’s attempt at contacting the three owners has been unsuccessful.
The commissioners’ decision follows an 18-month enforcement process led rst by former zoning o cer Tim Swaringen and continued by Williams. The case began in January 2023 after then-planning director Bob Remsburg led a formal complaint regarding the deteriorating condition of the manufactured home.
Inspections revealed multiple code violations, including faulty electrical wiring
and plumbing, structural decay, lack of permanent heat and widespread unsanitary conditions.
A formal hearing held in April 2023 resulted in an order for the structure to be vacated and brought into compliance by July 18, 2023. However, a follow-up inspection in July 2023 found no progress had been made.
Steven Hatley Jr., the grandfather of the current heirs, recently visited the Stanly County Planning and Zoning Department to express concern over delays in removing the dilapidated mobile home. Hatley reported ongoing safety issues, including homeless individuals living behind the structure who have allegedly thrown glass bottles and rocks at pedestrians. He also noted that Elizabeth Garen Edwards, the mother of the current heirs, continues to occupy the dwelling despite its condemned status.
The funding is for a local waterline replacement project
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
RICHFIELD — A nonpro t water utility corporation based in Rich eld has been awarded nearly $5 million in state funding for a major infrastructure upgrade.
Gov. Josh Stein and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently announced that the Pfei er–North Stanly Water Association will receive $4.9 million in Drinking Water State Revolving Funds to support its North Main Street and Old U.S. 52 waterline replacement project.
The funding is part of a larger state allocation — morewthan $204 million — for 48 drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects across 27 counties in the state.
The Pfei er–North Stanly Water Association’s waterline replacement project is aiming to replace outdated and deteriorating water mains along two key roadways.
By upgrading these lines, it will modernize aging water infrastructure and ensure safe drinking water for residents in northern Stanly County. The project will help reduce the risk of service disruptions and improve overall system e ciency while also strengthening the utility’s ability to meet public health and environmental standards.
“These investments will help ensure North Carolinians have access to clean drinking water and will help keep people safe when disaster strikes.” North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein
THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY AUG 6 HI
North State Journal
(USPS 518620) (ISSN 2471-1365)
Neal Robbins, Publisher
Jim Sills, VP of Local Newspapers
Cory Lavalette, Senior Editor
Jordan Golson, Local News Editor
Shawn Krest, Sports Editor
Dan Reeves, Features Editor
Charles Curcio, Reporter
Jesse Deal, Reporter
PJ Ward-Brown, Photographer BUSINESS David Guy, Advertising Manager
anniversary
Oakville couple celebrates 60th anniversary in style
Surrounded by family and friends, Leonard and Donna Harvell celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary on July 6 at Five Points Public House in Albemarle. The couple was married on July 2, 1965. Their son, Je Harvell, and his wife, Charlene, hosted the elegant event, which featured a soft color palette of baby blue, baby pink, white and silver, accented with diamond crystal details.
Guests enjoyed appetizers, a lunch bu et and a custom two-tier cake named “Our First Dance.” The top tier was chocolate with fudge lling, and the second tier was vanilla with mascarpone cream cheese lling. Decorated with white royal icing and three tiers of roses, the cake was a centerpiece of the celebration.
The couple kicked o the festivities with a dance to “The Days of Wine and Roses,” and guests enjoyed music from a playlist of their favorite songs. Photos were taken beneath a 60th anniversary banner and a balloon arch.
POSTMASTER:
Send address changes to: North State Journal
1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh, NC 27607
July 29
• Thomas Gray Smith, 55, was arrested for damaging real property.
July 30
• Debra Jean Hartsell, 33, was arrested for felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
July 31
• Joshua Darrell Hatley, 38, was arrested for carrying a concealed weapon, possession of methamphetamine, tra cking opium or heroin, maintaining a vehicle/dwelling/place for controlled substances and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Kevin Maurice Sturdivant, 38, was arrested for domestic criminal trespass and communicating threats.
August 1
• Gary Demetrius Crump, 32, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana, maintaining a vehicle/ dwelling/place for controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance.
August 3
• Richard Anthony Victor Elwood, 35, was arrested for assaulting a government o cial/employee, driving while license revoked (not impaired), resisting a public o cer, communicating threats, assault by strangulation and damaging personal property.
Incorporated in 1964, the Pfei er–North Stanly Water Association has e ectively operated as a rural water utility provider as it delivers water purchased from the City of Albemarle to its member areas through its own distribution network.
“When you turn on the faucet in your home, you shouldn’t have to worry about whether that water is safe for your family,” Stein stated in a DEQ press release on July 23. “These investments will help ensure North Carolinians have access to clean drinking water
and will help keep people safe when disaster strikes.”
Collectively, the funding awards are designed to improve drinking water and wastewater infrastructure, identify and replace lead pipes, improve resiliency after future storms, and to address per uoroalkyl, poly uoroalkyl and other forever chemicals.
“At DEQ, we’re committed to ensuring everyone in North Carolina has access to clean water,” DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson added. “This funding will address aging infrastructure and improve public health for communities large and small.”
NOTICE OF ALBEMARLE CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARINGS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN to the general public that the City of Albemarle City Council will conduct public hearing(s) concerning the item(s) listed below at the dates, times, and location provided herein:
ZMA 25-03- a public hearing will be held to consider a request to rezone a 3 27 +/- acre parcel on Knollwood Circle, tax record 4198 from the existing split zoning of GHBD General Highway Business District and R-10 General Residential to R-10 General Residential
The hearing(s) will be conducted in the City Council Chambers of City Hall , located at 144 N Second St ., Albemarle, N.C. 28001 at the following time(s): Monday, August 18th, 2025, at 6:30 p.m All interested parties are invited to attend the hearing. Anyone wishing to speak for or against this action shall adhere to applicable City policies and statutes regarding open meetings. The City Council approved agenda can be found on the city ’s website www.albemarlenc.gov
Dated: July 28, 2025
Publish: Wednesday, August 6, 2025, & Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County.
Aug. 9
Summer Moo-vie
Series: “Ferdinand” 6:30 p.m.
Free, family-friendly event where participants can enjoy goods from vendors o ering food, beverages, crafts and more. A petting zoo will be available for children. Admission is free; bring your own chairs
Aug. 11
DEQ reviewed 133 eligible applications requesting a combined $1.57 billion. The State Water Infrastructure Authority — an independent body responsible for awarding state and federal water infrastructure funding — approved the awards during its July 16 meeting; funding for this round came from the State Revolving Funds, including money from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Applications for service and payment information for the Pfei er–North Stanly Water Association are available at pfei ernstanlywater.com.
Aug. 13 Albemarle
Aug. 14 Locust
COURTESY CHARLENE HARVELL
THE CONVERSATION
Neal Robbins, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
COLUMN | STEVE GOLD
Record trucking-related carnage is no accident
American truck drivers move more than 70% of all freight across the country.
AFTER A FATAL ACCIDENT caused by a non-English-speaking trucker with a commercial drivers’ license (CDL), President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Transportation to review the nondomiciled CDLs issued by each state over the past four years. This is a massive victory for highway safety — preventing further loss of American lives.
Just ve years ago, new truckers had to produce a birth certi cate, speak English and con rm state residency to even qualify for a CDL. If the driver couldn’t speak English, he couldn’t get a driver’s test. Today, any evidence of a work permit or foreign visa is enough to qualify for a nondomiciled CDL.
In 2022, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCSA) set high, federal standard training requirements through the Entry Level Driver Training rules. The goal was to make highways safer, in conjunction with state commercial driver training laws that have been in place for decades. But these new rules have more exemptions than the federal tax code. Employers, municipalities and online video providers, posing as educators, now provide commercial driver training through unchecked “self- certi cation.”
Consider for a minute that almost every state requires 16 -year- olds to attend a state licensed driver training program before they can get behind the wheel of an automobile. But, as Teamsters President Sean O’Brien just testi ed in the Senate Commerce Committee hearing, if you want to drive an 80,000 -pound truck on our nation’s highways, there is no oversight or enforcement of the new FMCSA rules. Because of the lack of enforcement, the fraud and abuse are profound as the FMCSA has allowed unquali ed “CDL training providers” to recruit and train unquali ed truck drivers, who ultimately degrade the American truck driving workforce and put the unsuspecting general public at risk every day.
The results have been catastrophic.
According to the National Highway Safety Administration, 153,472 highway truck accidents resulted in 5,472 highway fatalities in 2023, a 40% increase from 2014. The 2024 data show similar fatality rates. The odds of getting killed by a truck driver is 20 times greater than dying while ying on a U.S. airline.
More than 30,000 commercial driving schools are now approved by the FMCSA, but only 2,100 are state licensed. As founder and CEO of one of the nation’s largest commercial truck driving schools, I know rsthand that the largest employers or truckers make up only 10% of the trucking industry. These employers are rumored to be rejecting nearly half of truck driver applicants as they have strict safety guidelines and driver evaluation criteria.
But the $1 trillion U.S. trucking industry is 90% comprised of companies with 10 drivers or less with thin margins. These employers lack compliance and safety departments, and are hiring individuals trained at unquali ed schools. These are the trucking companies you’ve never heard of that are in the news every day causing another fatality. Everyone wants cheaper prices, and no one wants burdensome regulations, but at what cost?
In a letter to the FMCSA, the American Trucking Association outlined the problem and lambasted the agency for being too “insu ciently robust to shield prospective drivers and the motoring public from fraudulent and non- compliant training entities that fast-track CDL applicants with minimal, if any, training.”
Some states aren’t waiting for the FMCSA to take action and are taking matters into their own hands. California, which was second in the nation in the most highway fatalities in 2023, unanimously passed a bill to eliminate
nefarious commercial- driving schools in the state. Florida and Colorado, among others, are sending cease-and- desist letters to unlicensed commercial training schools that assert they are exempt because of “new federal rules” and ignoring state laws.
Trump’s requested study, coupled with his executive order requiring commercial truck drivers to be pro cient in English, should disqualify many recently minted unquali ed commercial drivers, if properly enforced. Substandard training providers who falsely attested in the Federal Training Provider Registry, should not only be removed from the program but also face the same explicit penalties as those who abused the Paycheck Protection Program after the pandemic. That alone would prevent unquali ed drivers from getting behind the wheel and putting us all at risk.
American truck drivers move more than 70% of all freight across the country. They keep supply chains running — from delivering food and medicine to stocking shelves and fueling factories. Their hard work, often behind the scenes, keeps America moving, and they deserve to be well- compensated.
The trucking industry applauds Trump and Secretary of Transportation Sean Du y for already doing so much to protect America’s truck drivers and our highways. We look forward to working alongside them to go a step farther and enforce the FMCSA rules and protect the American public by eliminating nefarious CDL training schools.
With approximately 3,000 accidents and 100 fatalities each week caused by heavy trucks, the trucking industry and general driving public can’t wait much longer.
Steve Gold is the founder and chief executive o cer of 160 Driving Academy and the Truckers Network Association. This article was originally published by Daily Caller News Foundation.
COLUMN | MICHAEL BARONE
Heading toward midterm elections, Democrats not up o the floor
It looks like the Democrats’ baggage, especially from the Biden years, is heavier than the loads Trump Republicans must juggle.
HERE’S A CLUE that the o -year elections in November 2026 may not go the way conventional wisdom suggests. That conventional wisdom is that the president’s party almost always loses the House and, slightly less often, Senate seats.
There are two structural reasons for this. One is that parties in power tend to do things or produce results that some voters dislike. The second reason is that out-party candidates can adapt to local terrain, focusing on issues on which the president’s party’s stands are unpopular. But that depends on the out party being an acceptable alternative.
Which leads to the clue referred to above.
Politico’s Andrew Howard reports that former Democrats Brian Bengs in South Dakota (Trump +29 in 2024) and Todd Achilles in Idaho (Trump +36) are joining former Democrat Dan Osborn of Nebraska (Trump +20) to run for senator as self- declared independents, with no credible Democrat in the race.
Osborn did so in 2024, scaring incumbent Republican Rep. Deb Fischer while losing by only six points. This was an improvement on Greg Orman’s 2014 independent candidacy in Kansas, where he lost by 11 points in a state that was +22 Republican for president two years before.
Why are these Democrats, some in states such as South Dakota and Nebraska that have reelected Democratic senators in recent years, shunning the Democratic label? Most likely because, in a country of increased straight-ticket voting, they believe the Democratic label is political poison.
After four years of the Biden administration, the Pew Research Center said the presidential electorate moved favoring Democrats by six points in 2020 to favoring Republicans by one point in 2024, with Republicans close to equal among under-30 voters. “For months now,” Republican pollster Patrick Ru ni notes, “we’ve observed a new trend in polling: The Democratic Party’s favorability ratings have fallen below the GOP’s. That’s hardly ever happened before.”
The Wall Street Journal’s July 16 -20 poll shows that 63% of voters have negative feelings about the Democrats, the highest
since 1990. That poll also showed Republicans maintaining their 2024 lead in party identi cation, in sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s rst term. And it showed pluralities of voters favored Republicans even on issues on which majorities disapproved of Trump’s most recent actions, including the economy, tari s, immigration, foreign policy and Ukraine.
It looks like the Democrats’ baggage, especially from the Biden years, is heavier than the loads Trump Republicans must juggle. Democrats’ credibility has been damaged as their arguments, one after another, have proven to be based on lies: the Russia collusion hoax, COVID -19 school closings, “transitory” in ation, the Hunter Biden laptop and open-borders immigration.
All of which suggests that Democrats’ hopes of overturning the Republicans’ 53- 47 Senate majority may rest more on independents running in Trump -heavy states than on purple-state Democrats. And, despite conventional wisdom, there’s a cognizable chance that Republicans will not lose the narrow 220 -215 majority they won in the House of Representatives in 2020.
Once upon a time, in the split-ticket voting era, Democrats maintained their large House majority in 1972 despite Richard Nixon’s 61% landslide by winning fully half the seats in House districts Nixon carried. Those days are gone. In 2024, voters in only 16 House districts split their ticket between president and congressman.
The Democrats’ problem is that Republicans are defending only three districts carried by former Vice President Kamala Harris, while Democrats are defending 13 seats won by Trump. That’s one of the reasons Steve Kornacki, to the dismay of his MSNBC audience, says Republicans could hold onto the House.
Meanwhile, Harry Enten dismays his CNN audience by pointing out that the narrow leads Democrats enjoy in House generic ballot polling leave them not nearly as well positioned for 2026 as they were at this point in 2005 and 2017 for their big gains in 2006 and 2018.
Core Democratic hatred of and obsession with Trump will certainly have them stomping
to the o -year polls, and Trump Republicans’ newly biracial and young male coalition may not be similarly motivated. But Republican gains are widespread, while Democratic gains are scarcely visible. As Bloomberg columnist Conor Sen writes, “It’s currently not possible to identify any cohort of potential rst-time Dem voters.”
As The New York Times’ brilliant graphics point out, Trump has gained a percentage over three elections in 1,433 counties with 42 million people, while his Democratic opponents gained three times in only 57 counties with 8 million people. “For years, the belief was Democrats have had demographic destiny on our side,” pollster Ben Tulchin said.
“Now, the inverse is true.”
Veteran liberal reporter Thomas Edsall portrays in his Times online column a “realignment (with) staying power” and fears. There is a “real possibility that discontent with the Democratic Party — its perceived failure to value work, its political correctness, the extremity of its social and cultural liberalism — might have become deeply embedded in the electorate.”
Meanwhile, the economic numbers are coming in more positively than those who predicted doom in April from Trump’s tari s (I called them “lunatic”), and as analyst Nate Silver writes, “There remains a strong case that voters are concerned about the economy and the cost of living, but that everything else is priced in.” As for the fuss over the Epstein tapes, Silver writes, “It looks like we’re back to the usual pattern: The overwhelming majority of voters either already hate Trump, or are happy to shrug o his scandals.”
“The country is moving toward Trump,” says Chris Matthews, onetime sta er for Jimmy Carter and Tip O’Neill. “They want a president who is a strong gure. And he’s got it. And half the country buys it.” Nothing’s inevitable in politics, but so far, the Democrats have not gotten up o the oor.
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.”
JORDAN GOLSON / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Volvo trucks lined up outside the company’s assembly plant in Dublin, Virginia.
The new board was created as part of the town’s overall e orts to create a comprehensive recreation plan
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
NORWOOD — At Mon-
day’s Norwood town meeting, the council unanimously approved to establish a new advisory board for the town’s parks and recreation department.
The council voted 4 - 0, with council member Robbie Cohen not in attendance, to establish a seven-member board to advise the town on recreation issues.
The suggestion for the board came at the June meeting, coming out an advisory group
BOARD from page A1
which assisted the town with the creation of a comprehensive recreation plan recently.
Michael Sandy, the town’s zoning o cer, said the board would meet as often as the town council deemed necessary.
“There is always preplanning for ball seasons coming up. (The board could) have some input on Arbor Day and eld usage for di erent teams,” Sandy said. “Let (the board) bring it up instead of sta members here in town hall having to deal with parks and rec.”
He added the board could “step in and give some guidance” on those issues.
When asked by councilmember Keith Morgan if the board had any power to make decisions, Sandy said the new parks and recreation board would only advise the town council.
Morgan also asked if the new advisory board would
have “the authority to say who can and can not use the facilities,” to which Sandy said the new board would not.
Town administrator Ray Allen noted the board had six names instead of the full seven to start the board, and added the bylaws were written so only three of the new board’s members could reside outside of town.
After a discussion, the board determined thenal spot on the parks and rec
advisory board could go to someone from out of town using those parameters.
Allen also said having an active parks and rec board would be helpful for the town to apply for various grants in the future.
Morgan moved to approve the new board with the amendment for the board to meet quarterly. The board also elected six members to three levels of staggered terms. Toby Thorpe, Lisa Coone and Kevin Dockery were named to three-year terms ending June 2028. Tonya Edwards and Jules Cohen were appointed to two-year terms, and Norwood Police Chief James Wilson was nominated to a one-year term. Mayor Linda Campbell moved to approve the new members, seconded by Mayor Pro Tem James Lilly.
The
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Heather Ross Miller
Sept. 15, 1939 – July 9, 2025
Heather Ross Miller, a proli c author, poet, and educator, passed away in July 9th, 2025 in Lexington, Virginia. She was 85. She is survived by her daughter, Melissa Miller of Albemarle, North Carolina; her son, Kirk Miller (Tina); and her grandsons, Alexander and Finnegan Miller of Natural Bridge, Virginia. She was preceded in death by her husband Clyde Miller, a WWII Pearl Harbor survivor. Heather was born on September 15, 1939, in Badin, North Carolina, to Fred and Geneva Ross, both now deceased. Heather grew up in a family of storytellers famously known as “The Writing Rosses.” Many of her works use the old aluminum-smelting town of Badin as a background.
OBITUARIES
Heather, who would go on to publish over a dozen books of poetry, ction, and short stories. Heather earned both her undergraduate and MFA degrees from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Over the years, she taught English and creative writing at Pfei er College, the University of Arkansas, and Washington and Lee University in Virginia. She is remembered as a dedicated and inspiring educator. Heather was a literary force in North Carolina and beyond winning the North Carolina Award for Literature in 1983. At age 25, she published her debut novel, The Edge of the Woods (1964), launching a distinguished career that spanned more than ve decades.
Among her most cherished works is Crusoe’s Island (2000), an autobiographical account of her family’s years living near Singletary Lake State Park. Her contributions to literature include titles such as Tenants of the House (1966), which won the Sir Walter Raleigh Award, Gone a Hundred Miles (1968), Champeen (1999), Creative Writing Murders (2007), Women Disturbing the Peace (2018), and numerous volumes of poetry and short stories, including Hard Evidence and Friends and Assassins. The family wishes to thank Trinity Place of Albemarle, NC, The May ower of Lexington, Va, and Connection Plus Healthcare.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Stanly News Journal at obits@ northstatejournal.com
Popular 1980s actor Loni Anderson of ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ dead at 79
The show, about an Ohio radio station, aired from 1978 to 1982
By Christopher Weber The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — Loni Anderson, who played a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the hit TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” died Sunday, just days before her 80th birthday.
Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a prolonged illness, said her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” Anderson’s family said in a statement.
“WKRP in Cincinnati” aired from 1978 to 1982 and was set in a agging Ohio radio station trying to reinvent itself with rock music. The cast included Gary Sandy, Tim Reid, Howard Hesseman, Frank Bonner and Jan Smithers, alongside Anderson as Jennifer Marlowe, whose good looks were matched by her intelligence.
As the station’s receptionist, the blonde and high-heeled Jennifer routinely de ected unwanted business calls for her boss, Mr. Carlson. Her efciency often kept the station running in the face of others’ incompetence.
The role earned Anderson two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations.
Anderson starred on the big screen alongside Burt Reynold s in the 1983 comedy “Stroker Ace,” and the two later married and became tabloid xtures before their messy breakup in 1994.
Their son, Quinton Reynolds, was “the best decision that we ever made in our entire relationship,” she said during the unveiling of a bronze bust at Reynolds’ Hollywood grave site in 2021.
“I think back to the beginning of our relationship, it was so, oh, gosh, tabloidy. We were just a spectacle all the time. And it was hard to have a relationship in that atmosphere. And somehow, we did it through many ups and downs,” Anderson told The Associated Press. Anderson detailed their tumultuous marriage in the 1995 autobiography, “My Life in High Heels,” which she said was about “the growth of a woman, a woman who survives.”
“I think if you’re going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all,” Anderson told the AP while promoting the book. “You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself because you’re telling the truth.”
She married four times, most recently to Bob Flick in 2008.
Anderson was born Aug. 5, 1945, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Her father was an environmental chemist, and her mother was a model. Her rst role as an actress was a small part in the 1966 lm “Nevada Smith,” starring
Steve McQueen. Most of her career was spent on the small screen with early guest parts in the 1970s on “S.W.A.T.” and “Police Woman.” After “WKRP,” Anderson starred in the short-lived comedy series “Easy Street” and appeared in made-for-TV movies, including “A Letter to Three Wives” and “White Hot: The Mysterious Murder of Thelma Todd.” In 2023, she co-starred in Lifetime’s “Ladies Of The 80s: A Divas Christmas” with Linda Gray, Donna Mills, Morgan Fairchild and Nicollette Sheridan.
“I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of the wonderful Loni Anderson!” Fairchild wrote on X. “The sweetest, most gracious lady! I’m just devastated to hear this.” Anderson is survived by Flick, her daughter Deidra and son-in law Charlie Ho man, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Ho man, stepson Adam Flick and wife Helene, and step-grandchildren Felix and Maximilian.
A private family service is planned at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Kagan said.
KENNETH JOSEPH LOWDER SR. APRIL 2, 1943 – JULY 30, 2025
Kenneth Joseph Lowder Sr., 82, of Norwood, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, July 30, 2025. A private family service will be held at a later date to honor his life.
Born on April 2, 1943, in Toledo, Ohio, he was the son of the late Gilbert Lowder and Julia Riggo Lowder. Kenneth proudly served in the U.S. Army as part of an artillery unit and later retired as a land ll manager.
Kenneth had a deep love for the outdoors. He was an avid sherman and hunter, and he had a lifelong passion for drag racing, participating in the sport for nearly 20 years. He enjoyed working on cars and riding motorcycles. He also had a soft spot for his dogs and found joy in the simple pleasures of life.
To his family, Kenneth was more than just a husband and father—he was a best friend, mentor, provider, and protector. His wife described him with one word: Love. He shared a special bond with his son, often joking and carrying on in a way only they understood. He was deeply proud of his children and cherished every moment spent with them.
Kenneth is survived by his loving wife, Theresa Dixon Lowder; children, Kristy Meggs (Steve) of Indian Trail, Kenneth Joseph Lowder Jr. (Meredith) of Norwood, and Julia Lowder of Charlotte; brother, Gilbert Lowder (Ginny) of Columbus, OH; sister, Joyce Procetto (Je ) of St. Petersburg, FL; seven grandchildren, Katelyn Lee, Hanna Meggs, Summer Lowder, Steven Meggs, Cylus Baskins, Russell Lowder, and Stormy Skidmore; and two great-grandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son Jason Patrick Lowder and a brother, Robert Lowder.
Kenneth will be remembered for his big heart, his adventurous spirit, and the unwavering love he had for his family.
HAZEL KENDALL
MAY 22, 1955 – AUG. 1, 2025
Hazel Kendall, 70, of Mt. Gilead, passed away peacefully on August 1, 2025, surrounded by her loving family and friends.
The family will receive friends at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at Twin Harbor Worship Center. A memorial service will follow at 4 p.m., o ciated by Pastor Tommy Blackwell.
Hazel was born on May 22, 1955, in Moundsville, West Virginia, to the late Delilah and Harry Wright Sr. She attended high school in Augusta, Georgia, and later completed her education at Wilkes Community College. Hazel devoted much of her life to caring for others through her work as a nursing assistant.
She is survived by her devoted husband of 44 years, John Kendall, who lovingly described her as “the heart of his life and an angel sent from God above.” She is also survived by her son, Michael James Kendall (Janie) of Little Washington, NC; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; her sister, Anna Wright of Augusta, GA; and her brothers, Harry Wright Jr. and Dennis Wright, both of Augusta, GA.
In addition to her parents, Hazel was preceded in death by her daughter, Sarah Young, and her brother, Thomas Wright. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care is serving the Kendall family.
DONNA ROSE HUNEYCUTT
NOV. 1953 – AUG. 3, 2025
Donna Rose Huneycutt, 71, of Stanly County, passed away peacefully on the evening of August 3, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family. Born in Stanly County to Louise Smart and the late Dean Smart, Donna was a woman whose kindness and generosity touched everyone she met. Grounded in a deep and unwavering faith in God, Donna believed her purpose in life was to serve others—and she lived that out fully. God gave her the incredible gift of service, and she used it to bless all those around her. She lived her life with a servant’s heart—always thinking of others, o ering compassion freely, and showing up for those who needed her without hesitation.
Donna was the beloved wife of Leon Huneycutt of 50 years and devoted mother to Bradley Huneycutt (Cindy), Brent Huneycutt (Brandy), and Brittany Medlin (Michael). She was the proud grandmother of Brittany Jenkins, Logan Huneycutt, Chayse Huneycutt, Gracie Huneycutt, Rory Huneycutt, Mila Medlin, and Olivia Medlin, all of whom were the lights of her life.
She is also survived by her loving mother, Louise Smart, and her brothers, Mike and David Smart.
Donna had a deep love for gardening and took great joy in making Christmas magical for her family each year. Her quiet strength and dependable spirit were a comfort to all who knew her. She was a long-time supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, re ecting her lifelong dedication to helping others.
Donna was deeply loved and will be missed beyond measure.
There will be no public services! Memorial donations may be made in her name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP
Loni Anderson arrives at the 22nd Annual Race To Erase MS Event in Los Angeles in 2015.
STANLY SPORTS
COURTESY BO KINARD
Jennings Kinard takes a swing during the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships event in Pinehurst.
Locust golfers show o skills at U.S. Kids Golf World Championships
This past weekend’s tournament marked the 26th annual event
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
LOCUST — Two young golfers from Locust represented Stanly County at the 2025 U.S. Kids Golf World Championships in Pinehurst over the weekend.
The 26th annual event brought together over 1,500 children ages 5 to 12 from every U.S. state and more than 50 countries to compete on an international level.
Maverick Craig and Jennings Kinard — both regulars at Locust’s Red Bridge Golf Course — each nished in the top half of their respective leaderboards.
In the 9-year-old boys’ division, Craig tied for 57th out of 123 competitors from 19 di erent countries, nishing as the second-best performer from North Carolina at Pinehurst Resort’s 18-hole Pinehurst No. 1 course.
He landed 14-over par with a three-round total of 230, posting
rounds of 75 on Thursday, 78 on Friday and 77 on Saturday.
Sean Wilding, out of Bangkok, Thailand, won the division as he shot 7-under par with a three-round total of 209.
“Maverick’s coming home with a lot to be proud of: consistent scores, great memories, new friends from around the world, and a bunch of lessons to help him keep getting better,” said Nate Craig, Maverick’s father.
“As parents, we couldn’t be more proud of Maverick watching him do what he loves. Qualifying for the 2026 championship is underway, and he’s excited to keep working hard for a shot in next year’s eld.”
In the 6-and-under boys’ division, Kinard nished 21st out of 77 competitors from 13 di erent
countries at the nine-hole Midland Country Club, ranking as the top performer from North Carolina as he shot a 115 across three rounds, nishing 7-over par.
He opened with a 40 on Thursday and followed with a 36 on Friday before nishing with a 39 on Saturday.
Trey DeSantis, from Henderson, Nevada, red a 12-under 96 to take rst place in the division.
“U.S. Kids Golf and the town of Pinehurst put on a wonderful event,” said Bo Kinard, Jennings’ father. “Jennings enjoyed playing in the tournament, as well as meeting other golfers his age from around the world. We are extremely proud of the way he played and the con dence he is building on and o the course.”
Both golfers found out earlier in the year that they had quali ed for the championship event due to their strong performances in local tournaments throughout the state; they will now continue their gol ng journeys as they prepare to achieve a spot in the 2026 U.S. Kids World Championship.
West Stanly earns top-10 nish in Wells Fargo State Cup
The high school came in ninth place with 170 points
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Over the weekend, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association announced the nal standings for the 2024-25 Wells Fargo State Cup.
West Stanly was the only Stanly County school to make the list, nishing ninth in the 2A classi cation with 170 points.
The overall winners were Christ the King (1A) with 410, Seaforth (2A) with 527.5, North Lincoln (3A) with 407.5 and Cardinal Gibbons (4A) with 567.5.
“The NCHSAA, in conjunction with Wells Fargo, is proud
to release the nal standings in the 46th annual Wells Fargo Cup competitions for the 20242025 academic year,” the NCHSAA stated in a Aug. 1 media release. “The awards recognize the high schools that achieve the best overall interscholastic athletic performance within each of the state’s four competitive classi cations.”
The bulk of West Stanly’s points in the State Cup 2A standings came from its softball state championship victory and its runner-up nish in the baseball state championship. According to guidelines, State Cup points are awarded based on performance in state championship events, with schools that nish in the top eight — including ties — earning points. In championships that include teams from multiple classi ca-
tions, points are determined by each school’s nal placement. Points are awarded in each sport as follows: 50 for rst place, 45 for second, 40 for
Madison Kirkland takes a swing for West Stanly during softball season.
third, 35 for fourth, 30 for fth, 25 for sixth, 20 for seventh and 15 for eighth. In the event of a tie, teams receive an equal number of
points based on the number of schools tied and those nishing ahead of them; an additional ve points are given for each sanctioned sport in which a school quali es for postseason competition.
For the NCHSAA’s Wells Fargo Conference Cup award, which is a companion to the statewide competition based on regular-season performances within conference play, Stanly County was not represented.
Piedmont won the Rocky River 2A/3A crown, besting West Stanly, while Union Academy came out on top for the Yadkin Valley 1A/2A title over North Stanly, South Stanly and Albemarle.
Both Piedmont and Union Academy are consecutive Wells Fargo Conference Cup winners in their respective conferences.
COURTESY NATE CRAIG
Stanly County 9-year-old Maverick Craig poses while competing at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championships event in Pinehurst.
“U.S. Kids Golf and the town of Pinehurst put on a wonderful event.” Bo Kinard
Paul Gervase was traded Friday in a three-team deal to the Los Angeles Dodgers
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
THE MAJOR League Baseball trade deadline was July 31 this year, and a former Pfei er University pitcher was part of a three-way deal.
Just before the deadline, the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Tampa Bay Rays put together a deal to send right-hander Paul Gervase, a former Falcon, to the Dodgers. The Dodgers also received
left-handed pitcher Adam Serwinowski from the Reds and catcher Ben Rortvedt from the Rays.
Right-handed pitcher Zack Littell was shipped to Cincinnati, and the Rays got catcher Hunter Feduccia from the Dodgers and right-handed pitcher Brian Van Belle from the Reds.
Gervase debuted with Tampa Bay on June 21 this season, pitching 62⁄3 innings in ve games, allowing three earned runs on three hits with ve walks and six strikeouts. He became the fth Pfei er product to pitch in the majors and rst since Dorn Taylor in 1990.
During his time with the Triple-A Durham Bulls, Gervase appeared in 28 games with a 3.12 earned-run average. He was 2-3 with four saves this season.
In 401⁄3 innings pitched, he had the fth-best strikeouts minus walks rate, 31.7%, in the minor leagues for pitchers who had thrown a minimum of 30 innings.
On Saturday, the Dodgers optioned Gervase to the team’s Triple-A franchise in Oklahoma City, where he appeared in and nished out the game that night with a scoreless inning in a 3-2 loss.
Gervase would be the tallest pitcher to ever don a Dodgers
Owen James is a three-time state champion in waterskiing
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
BADIN — A Badin 8-year-old has become a success in the ranks of water ski jumping.
Owen James, the son of Tommy James and Anna McLaurin, is a three-time state slalom champion in the Boy 1 division, having won the past three years. He is coached by his father, Tommy, and Bill Barringer. James won the overall wa-
terski state championship for two summers running and has received national ranking this year in slalom (17th) and jumping (sixth in the Boys 2 division).
This summer, James took rst place in the Boys 2 Division ump at the North Carolina State Championship, taking on competitors two to four years older than he is because the Boys 1 Division does not have a jump division in his age range.
As one of the youngest water jump skiers in the nation and world, James recently quali ed to ski in the upcoming Regional Championships in Greenwood, South Carolina, and the Nation-
al Championships in Bakerseld, California. James’ personal best in slalom is three buoys at a speed of 30.4 mph, and his best jump distance in competition is 43 feet. In practice, he has jumped as far as 50 feet and has a goal this season to jump 60 feet.
Eventually, before he leaves the Boys 1 division in 2027, James said his goal is to jump 100 feet.
A rising third grader at Badin Elementary, James started water skiing when he was 21⁄2 years old and has been competing since he was 5. He trains three to four days per week and competes in tour-
naments on the weekends with his father.
According to Tommy, the two would often practice skiing in the cold pool at the Stanly County Family YMCA with a homemade waterski set-up. This would simulate what it feels like to be pulled along in the water. This practice rst started when the younger James was just 2 years old.
Owen James said he wanted to thank Barringer for his support in skiing. Barringer, a member of the North Carolina Waterski Hall of Fame, is from Rich eld and currently holds the national jump record for the Men’s 6 Jump Division at 110 feet.
When he is not in school or training, James said his hobbies are basketball, drawing, radio-controlled cars and “showing o .”
DUANE BURLESON / AP PHOTO
Paul Gervase pitches for the Tampa Bay Rays in a game against the Detroit Tigers last month.
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.
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NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000409-830
Having quali ed as Administrator of the estate of Rebecca Harwood Edwards deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Rebecca Harwood Edwards to present them to the undersigned on or before Oct 17, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 16th day of July, 2025 John Christopher Edwards 345 Mount Pleasant Road N Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 Administrator
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NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000359-830
Having quali ed as Administratrix of the estate of Judith Little McGee, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina. This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Judith Little McGee to present them to the undersigned on or before Oct 31, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.
This 30th day of July, 2025.
Julie M. Crayton 707 North College Street Oakboro, NC 28129 Administratrix
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NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000416-830
Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of Janet D. Kupfer, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina. This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Janet D. Kupfer to present them to the undersigned on or before November 6, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.
This 6th day of August, 2025 Adam Kupfer aka Adam R. Kupfer 3101 Loveland Avenue Erie, PA 16506 Executor
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NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 22E000715-830
Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of
WRIGHT HINSON; Heirs of James Wright Heirs of Diane Brown Wright; JAMES SWARINGEN; Heirs of Bobby Ray Wright: JOWANNA FISHER; AUSTRALIA WRIGHT; Heirs of William Earl Wright: EARL JUNIOR WRIGHT; Heirs of William Emanuel Wright: WILLIAM JAMIA WRIGHT; TYSEAN WRIGHT; WILHEMINA W. GREEN; DENISE W. HARRIS; RACHEL W. THREADGILL; Heirs of Clark Oliver Wright, Sr.: MARY TYSON WRIGHT (wife of Clark Oliver Wright, Sr. CLARK WRIGHT, JR.; AARON WRIGHT; EARL O. WRIGHT; LADEBORAH W. BRUTON; BERNICE W. WANCHIA; ANGEL W. JOHNSON; Heirs of MARTHA ELLEN WRIGHT; Heirs of Mae Esther Wright Martin: TORRENCE LOUIE FUNDERBURK; TORRENA FUNDERBURK SMITH; Heirs of Connie Wright Rushing:
BOBBY RUSHING, JR.; Heirs of Timothy Boyd Rushing: TIMOTHY RUSHING, JR.; MIRANDA RUSHING; ERNEST B. RUSHING; TRAVIS L. RUSHING; MARY R. STEWART; Heirs of Elijah Wright; Heirs of Lois Wright Bennett: JAMES W. BENNETT, JR; KAREN RENA BENNETT; DAREN BENNETT; CHRISTOPHER S. BENNETT; and those persons born, unborn, and/or minors of BETTY TURNER, interested in the premises hereinafter described whose names are unknown to and cannot, after due diligence, be ascertained by the Petitioner, Respondents. TO: MARY HELEN WRIGHT WILLIAMS EUNICE WRIGHT KENDALL BONNIE WRIGHT HINSON JAMES SWARINGEN
JOWANNA FISHER AUSTRALIA WRIGHT
Wake the World: Changing lives one ride at a time
The nonpro t has grown to host about 45 events a year across the U.S. and Canada
By Dan Reeves Stanly News Journal
WAKE THE WORLD is more than an organization or a wakeboarding event — it’s a mission to bring joy to children, veterans and families who might never get the chance to experience the thrill of riding a wakeboard, waterskiing or simply doing something they thought impossible.
A 2006 car accident nearly cost Greg Hodgin his life.
“My truck ipped three times, and everything ew out except for me,” Hodgin said. “I wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, and my feet were where my butt was, and my head was out the passenger window.”
During a long recovery, the husband, father and business owner started pondering his path.
“It made me realize I needed to think about my life — what was I doing, and what was my purpose.”
The crash led Hodgin, a sixtime Masters Wakeboard state champion and U.S. Masters champion, to reevaluate what mattered most. At a church service, he heard a testimony about children in need.
In 2010, after a challenging experience at the marina where the rst two events were held, Hodgin started looking for a new venue. He’d been doing repairs and improvements at his own cost and even o ered help from his painting business to spruce up the place. But the marina owner said no. So Hodgin said he prayed for a better place to hold the events.
Hours later, he walked into Old North State Club at Badin Lake — an upscale, well-maintained marina. The manager greeted him with, “What can we do to get you here?”
“That was a clear sign,” Hodgin said. “It felt like everything had fallen into place, and we’ve been there ever since.”
Wake the World has spread across the country and Canada, giving children, veterans and families an unforgettable experience.
One of those stories sticks with Hodgin — a young man named James, who was ready to quit.
ask how they can help, don’t just say, ‘Give me money.’” Local businesses, boat dealers and gear companies have stepped up, o ering shirts, hats and boat cleaners to improve the experience.
“Some dealers send us gear that makes the day more fun for everyone,” Hodgin said. What started with children’s homes soon grew to include veterans and people with disabilities. Hodgin helped launch adaptive wakeboarding events to make sure everyone could ride.
“When we rst started adaptive events, I had no idea what to expect,” he said. “But we were determined to make it happen.” At one event, a nonverbal child was trying wakeboarding for the rst time.
“The boat driver asked, ‘How do you know if he’s happy?’ The parents said, ‘If he’s happy, he’ll slap his forehead,’” Hodgin recalled.
That was the beginning of Wake the World.
Hodgin set out to give children from local homes the chance to go wakeboarding. What started with a few boats and a couple of kids turned into something much bigger, growing into a nationwide movement with 45 events planned for 2025 as far west as Oregon.
He organized the rst event at High Rock Lake.
“I had self-doubt,” Hodgin said. “I wasn’t sure why anyone would let me take their kids out on the water. But I did it anyway.”
That rst event involved eight
“I thought, these kids don’t get the things my own kids take for granted,” he said. “They deserve more.”
“Every summer, I hear kids say, ‘This is the best day of my life,’ and it humbles me. To see the joy and excitement on their faces makes all the hard work worth it.”
Greg Hodgin, Wake the World founder
boats and children from two local homes. Its success laid the foundation for everything that followed.
“He was about to drop out of school and leave the children’s home,” Hodgin said. “I told him, ‘You’ve made it this far, why quit now? Stick it out for three more months. Finish school, and the state will pay for your college.’”
A year later, James returned to a Wake the World event. This time, everything had changed.
“He came up to me and said, ‘I’m in college because of you,’” Hodgin said. “To hear that was incredibly rewarding. It made me realize we’re truly making a di erence.”
At its core, Wake the World is a community e ort. Hodgin doesn’t just ask for money; he builds relationships.
“You have to know what you need,” he said, “and when people
As the boat picked up speed, the child started slapping his forehead. “The driver looked in the mirror, saw that and came back teary-eyed,” Hodgin said. “He told me, ‘I just want to quit my job and do this forever.’”
Outside of Wake the World, Hodgin is a decorated athlete. On top of his Masters’ resume, he received the Larry Meddock Award (Watersports Man of the Year) in 2015 and the “Pass the Handle” award from Wakeboarding Magazine in 2019. But for Hodgin, the biggest reward is what Wake the World has become — and where it’s going.
“Every summer, I hear kids say, ‘This is the best day of my life,’ and it humbles me,” he said. “To see the joy and excitement on their faces makes all the hard work worth it.”
MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Everyone enjoyed a relaxing day at the water during the Wake the World event at Lake Tillery on July 10.
South Stanly High School’s Trailblazers Club wins award
In just its second year, it has been recognized as Club of the Year
By Melinda Burris Stanly News Journal
NORWOOD — South Stanly High School’s Trailblazers Club has been named Club of the Year for the 2024-25 school year by the N.C. Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission. The organization is a member of the commission’s Trailblazers Program, a statewide initiative with the goal of encouraging North Carolina youth to get out and experience nature.
The advisers for the school’s club are Billie Conte, digital learning and media innovation facilitator, and Christy Wilson-Kaber, a science teacher. The two faculty members share much in common, as Conte also taught science for nearly two decades.
“Christy and I have worked together for a long time,” Conte said, describing their organiza-
tional approach to club activities as “just kind of tag teaming it.”
South Stanly High School was one of the rst schools to apply for the new program in 2023 and was accepted as one of 50 clubs for the 2023-24 school year. Since the organization’s inception, members have been exposed to a wide range of outdoor activities.
“We’ve done a variety of things,” Conte said, “I kind of try to let the kids have a say in what they’d like to do. I kind of
Weathered Pages Booktique looks to share the love of reading with a mobile bookshop
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
ONE NEW business focused on bookselling is seeking to bring the love of reading to customers instead of readers going to a store to nd a great story.
Two Rich eld Elementary teachers, Melanie Huneycutt and Crystal Morris, have opened a bookstore on wheels for various pop-up events called Weathered Pages Booktique.
On Friday, the mobile bookstore had its rst pop-up event in downtown Albemarle in the parking lot next to Make It Personal on South First Street.
The name for the booktique comes from the tragedies both have su ered in their lives, with Huneycutt losing a 2-month-old child and Morris’ husband passing away seven years ago.
“We have been through a lot together in our lives with our
give them ideas for some options ... and then they choose from there.”
The club’s excursions include several di erent ropes courses, zip lining in South Carolina, camping, hiking, disc gol ng, shing, skeet shooting and archery. Conte mentioned horseback riding as a particular highlight, observing how much she enjoyed hearing students comment that the experience was “so quiet and relaxing.” Mostly, the educator nds satisfaction
families,” Morris said. “That’s how Weathered Pages came about. We’ve weathered a lot of storms.
“We’ve been through a lot together, and we still made this happen, so there is always hope even when you feel like there is not.”
For both, books are an escape, and they created the mobile bookstore because they “want to be able to provide” an escape to others.
The logo for the converted camper is that of the birth ower and birth owers into heaven for the ones both lost.
Titles in the Weathered Pages Booktique are targeted more toward mothers and younger women, according to Morris, but the store on wheels has books from di erent young adult and other genres.
“We have a little bit of something for everybody,” Huneycutt said. “We de nitely love the secondhand (books). We wanted to provide books for people at an a ordable price.”
The teachers said they fell in love with the trailer when they saw it, saying it was more
in “just getting (students) away from their phones and technology for the day and having them enjoy nature and being outdoors.”
Local destinations, including Boone’s Cave Park, Morrow Mountain, Little Long Mountain and the Uwharrie National Forest, have provided ample opportunities for the students to get out, observe and engage outdoors.
The advisers have purposely kept membership in the club small, numbering a dozen or so students for safety and transportation reasons, but also because limiting the size of the group has advantages.
“It gives you an opportunity to get to know them more and for them to really get to know each other because they’re not in this large group that can be intimidating, and they don’t have their little cliques,” Conte said.
“We kind of just come together.”
She also credits the arrangement with helping to build bonds that encourage teamwork. Students of di erent grade levels and backgrounds nd themselves working together for a common goal.
“It’s really fun to watch them on the ropes courses and things when they’re scared, and then they’re coaching each other through. ... Just seeing them encourage each other and build
“I wasn’t expecting it, but I was very excited that we were chosen because of the variety of things that we tried.”
Billie Conte, club adviser
teamwork and get to know other people that they wouldn’t have probably engaged with otherwise has been really cool,” Conte said.
Conte said she was “shocked” by the Club of the Year honor.
“We try to do the best we can to get them out there and try new things. ... I wasn’t expecting it, but I was very excited that we were chosen because of the variety of things that we tried,” she said.
For schools considering applying to establish a Trailblazers Club of their own, Conte said, “I think it’s a great opportunity to get the kids away from technology and to get them outdoors and trying new things. I would say give it a chance and give it a try; I think it’s really good for the kids.”
The Trailblazers Program provides grant funding to public, private and charter middle and high schools throughout North Carolina.
eye-catching than bigger vehicles. Because both teach full time, a brick-and-mortar business was out of the question, so their business will have pop -up events and attend various festivals.
“This is just what practically ts our lives,” Morris said.
Both Huneycutt and Morris have three children each, which further take the time which would be spent on a store instead of the trailer.
“Right now, this is what works for us,” Huneycutt said.
Morris noted social media has helped to increase the number of people reading actual physical books and not just e-versions.
“Social media has really blown reading up,” Morris said.
“It’s become more of a hobby that’s more popular now than it used to be.”
The two are looking for donations of gently used books for their business, and more information on how to donate is available on their Facebook page.
“We have been through a lot together in our lives with our families. That’s how Weathered Pages came about. We’ve weathered a lot of storms.”
Crystal Morris
PHOTOS COURTESY SOUTH STANLY HIGH SCHOOL
Left to right, Billie Conte and Christy-Wilson Kaber
