This raccoon took an afternoon swim in Lake Tillery on Friday. Why did the raccoon swim across the cove, you ask? To get to the other side, of course.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
Swift, Kelce announce engagement
It’s a love story and, baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged. The superstar singer and football player revealed the news in a ve-photo joint post Tuesday on Instagram. It’s the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world. It’s unclear when and where the two got engaged. The announcement comes not long after Swift’s appearance on “New Heights,” the podcast hosted by the Kansas City Chiefs tight end and his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles o ensive lineman Jason Kelce.
DOT threatens funding for 3 states for not enforcing trucker English pro ciency
Transportation Secretary Sean Du y says California, Washington and New Mexico could lose millions of dollars of federal funding if they continue failing to enforce English language requirements for truckers. An investigation launched after a deadly Florida crash involving a foreign truck driver who made an illegal U-turn earlier this month found what Du y called signi cant failures in the way all three states are enforcing rules that took e ect in June after one of President Donald Trump’s executive orders. Truckers are supposed to be disquali ed if they can’t demonstrate English pro ciency, and Du y said these states have hardly done that. The states didn’t immediately respond to the proposed sanctions that were announced Tuesday morning.
Locust receives $500K grant for Shelton Park redevelopment
It will be an accessibility-focused improvement project
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
LOCUST — O cer Je Shelton Memorial Park, located within the Locust City Park complex, is set for major upgrades thanks to a highly competitive state grant for redevelopment.
The city announced last week that it received a $500,000 award from the North Carolina Accessible Parks Grant Funding Program to move forward with a major accessibility-focused improvement project for the park.
Out of 29 statewide applications requesting more than $11 million, Locust’s project was one of nine selected and tied for the highest score calculated by the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Parks
O cer Je Shelton Memorial Park in Locust is set to undergo a redevelopment project.
Division, which had $3.76 million available to distribute.
Work on the park may begin as soon as Sept. 1 and must be completed within three years.
The redevelopment will fea-
ture a new universal playground with accessible play structures, upgraded restrooms that meet ADA standards, new ADA-compliant pathways, a bridge, improved parking, up-
Rich eld commissioners debate charter changes with versus nominations for mayor
Board members di ered on the right path forward
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
THE TOPIC of not having a mayor, along with the possibility of changing the town’s charter, generated spirited discussion between the Rich eld Town Commission and members of the community at Monday’s meeting. Rich eld has been without a mayor since the recent resignation of Ian Focht, who was elected to the nonvoting o ce running unopposed in November 2022. Since then, Commissioner
Barry Byrd was elected mayor pro tem and has served in that capacity for several meetings.
The topic of nominating a mayor came up when C.J. Crisco, a local citizen, asked to speak to the commission about the possibility of nominating him to the position.
Crisco graduated from North Stanly High School and works at Charlotte Pipe in Oakboro. He has served in the community, umpiring and coaching youth sports, and previously was the public address announcer for Comets football.
“I believe this is a pivotal moment for us to unite and
“I believe this is a pivotal moment for us to unite and continue moving Rich eld toward progress and prosperity”
C.J. Crisco
“I think this is an incredible opportunity for Locust.”
dated signage, and planning and contingency funds to ensure quality and exibility.
“I think this is an incredible opportunity for Locust,” City Manager Cesar Correa said, “A few years ago, our city council made a commitment to really focus on our ability to expand and elaborate on the amenities that we provide for Locust Parks and Recreation. This is their leadership and e ort put into practice.”
The Locust City Council has committed just over $300,000 to support the project due to a required 20% local match, bringing the total investment to
THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Cesar Correa, city manager
WEDNESDAY
North State Journal (USPS 518620) (ISSN 2471-1365)
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Charles Curcio, Reporter
Jesse Deal, Reporter
PJ Ward-Brown, Photographer
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Albemarle tra c stop results in meth, fentanyl bust
Two arrests were made in the operation
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — A traf-
c stop in Albemarle conducted by the Stanly County Sheri ’s O ce last week led to the seizure of methamphetamine, fentanyl and a rearm.
According to the sheri ’s o ce, the Aug. 18 drug bust was conducted by the Special Operations Group with assistance from the Narcotics Unit.
Deputies reported nding more than 59 grams of methamphetamine, over 10 grams of fentanyl, multiple prescription medications not prescribed to the occupants and a rearm.
The driver, Brandy Sue Tucker, and the passenger, Darren Lynn Moore Jr., were arrested on multiple felony drug and rearm charges.
“The successful operation underscores the ongoing commitment of the Stanly County Sheri ’s O ce to combat drug tra cking and associated criminal activity within our community,” the SCSO said in a statement.
“The collaborative e orts between the Special Operations Group and the Narcotics Unit are vital in disrupting the ow of illegal drugs and ensuring the safety and well-being of Stanly County residents.”
Tucker was charged with multiple drug and rearm o enses, including tra cking methamphetamine, conspiring to deliver methamphetamine and conspiring to tra c heroin and opium,
“The successful operation underscores the ongoing commitment of the Stanly County Sheri ’s O ce to combat drug tra cking and associated criminal activity within our community.” Stanly County Sheri ’s O ce
according to court records. She also faces charges of possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine, Schedule II, III and VI controlled substances and felony conspiracy; additional charges include maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a rearm by a felon and a parole violation.
Tucker’s bond was set at $100,000 on the maintaining a dwelling charge and an
additional $100,000 on the conspiracy to tra c opium and heroin charge.
Moore faces multiple felony charges including trafcking methamphetamine, tra cking heroin and opium, conspiring to deliver methamphetamine and conspiring to tra c heroin and opium, according to court records.
He was also charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine, Schedule II, III and VI controlled substances, felony conspiracy, maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for controlled substances, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a rearm by a felon and a parole violation.
Moore’s bond was set at $100,000 on the maintaining a dwelling charge and an additional $100,000 on one of the heroin tra cking charges.
The case remains under investigation. The SCSO advises anyone with information about drug activity to submit a drug tip at stanlysheri .us/submitatip.
Locust Farmers Market
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
Sept.
1
Color & Connect: Drop In 9:30-11:30 a.m.
For those who need some relaxing “me” time. Come to the library and enjoy co ee or tea while you get a little creative! Supplies are provided, or feel free to bring your own.
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements to be published in Stanly News Journal. community@ stanlynewsjournal.com
Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
Aug. 18
• Chasze Leonard Green, 37, was arrested for larceny after breaking and entering and breaking and entering.
Aug. 19
• Dakota Wayne Rowland, 29, was arrested for felony possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• David Alexander Carpenter, 40, was arrested for defrauding drug or alcohol test.
Aug. 20
• Johnny Lynn Scott, 47, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny, rst degree trespass and breaking or entering.
Aug. 21
• Casey Renee Turner, 34, was arrested for larceny of a rearm, obtaining property by false pretense, felony conspiracy and breaking and entering.
• Mary Juliana Mabry, 24, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, larceny of a rearm, obtaining property by false pretense, felony conspiracy, possession of drug paraphernalia and breaking or entering.
Aug. 23
• Je rey Nicholas Hathcock, 31, was arrested for breaking or entering and injury to real property.
• Danielle Lee Carr, 35, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and assault with deadly weapon.
Aug. 24
• Jacob Erin Johnson, 23, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and assault on a female.
• Debra Jean Hartsell, 33, was arrested for felony possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, misdemeanor larceny and second degree trespass.
Main Library 133 E. Main St. Albemarle
Needle Bugs, Knitting and Crocheting
10:30-11:30 a.m.
Social group for those who enjoy any type of needlework. Bring your supplies.
Norwood Branch Library 207 Pee Dee Ave. Norwood
Sept. 3
Albemarle Downtown Farmers Market
8 a.m. to noon
Locally grown and created items are available from this farmers market, representing vendors from across Stanly County.
Market Station 501 W. Main St. Albemarle
COURTESY STANLY COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Darren Lynn Moore Jr., left, and Brandy Sue Tucker were arrested in a drug bust last week following a tra c stop.
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Is socialism as popular as the media think?
Collectivist ideas always fail, yet they never die.
“DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS” have been getting the teenage-idol treatment from giddy reporters and editors at legacy media outlets for years.
Their newest crush, as New Yorkers already know, is jihadi-apologist and Marxist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
In a 4,500-word cover story headlined “The Meaning of Zohran Mamdani,” Time magazine paints a caricature of a well-meaning, authentic and not-really-so-radical go-getter. An “ideologue interested in creative solutions” is how Time puts it.
Sure, Mamdani might support genocidal rhetoric, but the Jewish community will be pleased to learn that he “often talked about the problem of antisemitism and the need for anti-hate-crime funding.”
Is Mamdani, as many would have it, a generational talent whose campaign should be mimicked nationally by Democrats?
Yes, the resentful young have convinced themselves they’re living in the worst era ever to have befallen man. “People our age have never experienced American prosperity in our adult lives — which is why so many millennials are embracing democratic socialism,” Harvard-educated writer Charlotte Alter once put it in a Time cover piece on a previous darling, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.).
But George Will recently argued that a Mamdani win would be bene cial in reminding the nation of “socialism’s many harms.” Collectivist ideas always fail, yet they never die.
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) championed Hugo Chavez in the 2000s — and even after Venezuelans predictably began foraging for food, Sanders, one of the most popular politicians in the country, was
still championing the same system. So it’s not as if we don’t have the lessons already. Indeed, we’ve been having the same debates in perpetuity. The zero-sum fallacy that capitalism is inherently evil and rigged has been hammered into our conscience for centuries. We’ve convinced millions of Americans that a gaggle of rich people can trigger economic havoc for pro t, control the economy to undermine the working class and push commodity prices higher to reap the pro ts.
It is a tragedy that Democrats continue to stagger leftward on all fronts to mollify and placate their activist class. And it’s not merely economics.
The modern “democratic” socialist comes with a slew of positions that not only undermine quality of life but clash with the moral outlook of normies: the pro-terrorist, pro-identitarian rhetoric; the championing of criminality and illegal immigration; the anti-modernity climate hysteria; and the deranged social science quackery on gender — just for starters.
So I wonder how popular socialism really is.
Right now, there is no real evidence that a socialist outlook plays in most places. It barely plays in cities. If NYC’s Democrats didn’t split the vote between Mayor Eric Adams and former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and perhaps found themselves a candidate who hadn’t already tarnished themselves with scandal, Mamdani would likely lose.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, former Chicago mayor and would-be 2028 presidential hopeful Rahm Emanuel pushed back on hard-left ideas, contending Democrats should run on centrist slogans, such as “build, baby, build.”
How Democrats plan on doing this without rolling back the climate hysteria that undermines growth and squanders billions on half-baked
The woke media is wrong. America’s cities need to be safe again
D.C. police o cials are accused of manipulating crime statistics in the weeks leading up to the federal takeover, allegedly reclassifying or downgrading violent incidents to mask the true scale of lawlessness.
From the nation’s capital to sanctuary cities coast-to-coast, President Donald J. Trump is demonstrating unwavering resolve and e ective leadership in restoring law and order and the safety American families deserve.
In the heart of Washington, D.C., under Trump’s decisive leadership, the federal government invoked Section 740 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to declare a “crime emergency” and place the Metropolitan Police Department under federal control — an unprecedented move guided by the urgent need to protect Americans under siege. This bold action deployed National Guard troops and federal agents, resulting in more than 400 arrests, including 60 individuals suspected of being undocumented immigrants and the seizure of 27 rearms. This marks a serious restoration of public safety in our Nation’s capital.
While critics cite data showing violent crime in D.C. was at a 30-year low and trending downward — including a 35% overall decline and a 37% drop in carjackings in 2025 — recent reporting suggests these numbers may not tell the whole story. According to Fox News, D.C. police o cials are accused of manipulating crime statistics in the weeks leading up to the federal takeover, allegedly reclassifying or downgrading violent incidents to mask the true scale of lawlessness. This raises a chilling question: Were Americans being misled about the reality on the ground just to protect political narratives?
Trump certainly thought so, and his hunch was right. Ask anyone who lives or has visited D.C. recently, and they’ll tell you the streets of our capital have been a mess. Now, thanks to Trump, it’s starting to feel like a safer environment for families, as it should.
Beyond Washington, D.C., the Trump-Vance
administration is placing sanctuary jurisdictions squarely on notice. More than 500 jurisdictions, including states like California, Illinois, New York and Washington, and in uential counties such as Cook County and San Francisco, have been o cially designated as obstructing federal immigration enforcement. Attorney General Pam Bondi has signaled that continued de ance could trigger withdrawal of federal funding and criminal enforcement, powerful measures designed to protect American communities from criminal alien elements.
Take New York City, for instance, where the U.S. Department of Justice has led suit, asserting that sanctuary policies have allowed “thousands of criminals” back onto the streets without accountability. Trump is not only demanding cooperation; he’s demanding accountability and refers to sanctuary policies not as protections, but as threats to public safety.
Earlier this year, the Trump-Vance administration launched a nationwide immigration enforcement campaign that so far has resulted in the arrests of more than 300,000 illegal aliens. About 70% of those are criminal illegal aliens with criminal charges or convictions. These actions reinforce the administration’s commitment to safeguarding communities from criminal elements hiding behind sanctuary policies.
This past January, Trump issued Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, which expanded deportation tools such as expedited removal, denied federal funding to sanctuary jurisdictions, and increased sta ng for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, reinforcing priorities for immigrationrelated public safety enforcement.
energy plans is going to be interesting. But he has a point. Centrist Democrats are poised to win entire purple states like Virginia, showing far wider appeal than Mamdani — but they can barely get any attention.
One of the most popular governors in the country right now is Kentucky’s Andy Beshear, a Democrat in a state with a Republican-controlled legislature that President Donald Trump won by more than a 30-point margin. Why isn’t he the way forward for Democrats? Other governors in the top 10 have similar dispositions, including North Carolina’s Josh Stein and Pennsylvania’s Josh Shapiro, both in states Trump won. All of them take moderated left-of-center positions without a fullthroated embrace of anti-market, anti-Western, racialist positions that are in vogue in cities.
No GQ covers for them.
The Democrats have become a party of the rich and the dependent poor — because the rich can a ord socialism and the poor marginally bene t. Since the market-fueled gentri cation of the ’90s, cities have become increasingly progressive and correspondingly more expensive and poorly run.
California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York have seen signi cant net outward migration since then, while market-driven states with lower regulations and taxes like Florida, Nevada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas have seen signi cant increases in newcomers. This is before New York City installed a socialist mayor. How popular is socialism? Far too popular. But not as popular as Democrats and the media would have us believe. At least, not yet.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.
Trump also zeroed out wasteful “consent decrees” that hampered state and local governments’ ability to address vagrancy and public disorder, redirecting federal funds toward substance-abuse programs and civil commitment where appropriate. This brings practical solutions to streets once marred by chaos. Trump’s approach is neither abstract rhetoric nor symbolic; it is action-driven. From exposing manipulated crime statistics in Washington, D.C., and tens of thousands of deportations in sanctuary cities to restoring federal cooperation and securing our borders, he is delivering on his promise to make America safe again.
Looking past the woke media noise, Americans will be glad he did it. Consider the latest news from this D.C. crime crackdown, where an MS13 gang member was arrested. Had Trump not stepped in, a local resident or future visitor could’ve been this criminal’s next victim.
If we are to preserve the American dream and the stability our children inherit, law and order must remain foundational. Standing up to sanctuary jurisdictions, enforcing federal immigration laws, reclaiming urban streets and deploying resources where they matter, the president is making our communities safe for all of us. In D.C. and cities across the country, Americans should start to feel safe again, thanks to the Trump administration. If it’s not clear to the critics, it certainly is to the rest of us; all we ever needed was a new president.
Jorge Martínez is senior adviser and National Director of Hispanic Outreach for America First Works. He formerly served as press secretary at the U.S. Department of Justice. This column was originally published by Daily Caller News Foundation.
COLUMN | JORGE MARTÍNEZ
COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI
NC Supreme Court says bars’ COVID-19 lawsuits can proceed
the opportunity to put them to the test,” Newby wrote. “Plainti s have stated colorable constitutional claims under Article I, Sections 1 and 19. Because they have satis ed the requirements to successfully plead a Corum claim, sovereign immunity does not bar plainti s’ suit.”
The majority decisions by the justices mean a pair of lawsuits remain alive, and future court orders directing the state pay them nancial damages are possible.
A sign indicates that a hotel in Chapel Hill is closed due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in March 2020.
treated them unfairly compared to restaurants.
“On the Fruits of Labor claim, we modify and a rm in part the decision of the Court of Appeals and remand this matter to the trial court to reopen factual discovery and provide a new discovery schedule for the parties,” Associate Justice Phil Berger Jr. wrote in the majority opinion in N.C. Bar and Tavern Ass’n v. Stein. “We reverse the Court of Appeals on its Equal Protection determination and a rm on plainti s’ statutory claims.”
Chief Justice Paul Newby authored the ruling in the second case, Howell v. Cooper, writing that “We acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic was a chaotic period of time,” and that the governor was not the only one facing uncertainty — small businesses did as well.
“It may be that the executive orders’ restrictions on bars were reasonably necessary, but the state constitution gives plainti s
As a way to ease the spread of coronavirus, Cooper — a Democrat who left o ce last December and is now running for U.S. Senate — issued a series of executive orders that closed bars starting in March 2020. By that summer, bars still had to remain closed, but restaurants and breweries could serve alcohol during certain hours. Later in 2020, bars could serve alcoholic drinks in outdoor seating, with time limits later added, but the plainti s said it was unpro table to operate. All temporary restrictions on bars were lifted in May 2021.
Lawyers defending Cooper have said the orders were based on the most current scientific studies and public health data available at a time when thousands were ill or dying and vaccines weren’t widely available.
On Friday, the court’s ve Republican justices in one lawsuit agreed it could continue to trial, rejecting arguments from state attorneys that the litigation must be halted based on a legal doctrine that exempts state government from most lawsuits. That
“From the beginning, we never asked for special treatment, only equal treatment.”
Zack Medford, N.C. Bar and Tavern Association president
decision largely upheld a Court of Appeals decision from two years ago that had a rmed a trial judge’s order to allow the action led by Ti any Howell, seven other people and nine businesses to be heard.
“We acknowledge that the COVID-19 pandemic was a chaotic period of time,” Newby wrote in the prevailing opinion. “It is important to remember, however, that the Governor was not the only person facing uncertainty. Small business owners across the state dutifully shuttered their doors and scaled back operations without knowing exactly when they could open or operate fully again.”
A broader group of plainti s — the North Carolina Bar and Tavern Association and scores of private bars — that sued separately but made similar claims received a favorable ruling last year from
a Court of Appeals panel that reversed a trial judge’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit.
Friday, the same ve justices ruled that the Court of Appeals shouldn’t have allowed the association to sue based on claims its members’ constitutional rights for equal treatment were violated. But the plainti s can return to a trial judge now and present evidence on the claim that their right under the state constitution to earn a living was violated, Berger wrote in the majority opinion.
The association and the private bars “su ciently alleged unconstitutional interference, and thus have a right to seek discovery to prove those allegations are true,” Berger wrote.
The Supreme Court’s two Democratic justices opposed decisions made by the majority in both cases and said the lawsuits should be dismissed. Associate Justice Allison Riggs wrote that the Bar and Tavern Association failed to signal it had evidence of a more reasonable plan to contain the virus’ impact than what Cooper chose.
Writing the dissent in the Howell case, Associate Justice Anita Earls said the majority “grants itself a roving license to second-guess policy choices, re-
weigh trade-o s, and displace decisions appropriately made by the political branches.”
The state Attorney General’s O ce, which represented Cooper in both cases, said Friday it was reviewing the decisions. Through a spokesperson, Cooper’s Senate campaign declined to comment.
The N.C. Bar and Tavern Association called the decision in its case a “major victory.”
“From the beginning, we never asked for special treatment, only equal treatment,” association President Zack Medford said. Chuck Kitchen, a lawyer representing plainti s in the Howell case, also praised the ruling in their litigation.
Cooper was the subject of several lawsuits challenging his COVID-19 actions early in the pandemic, and he was largely successful in court. In August 2024, the state Supreme Court sided with a small racetrack that was closed briefly for defying state gathering limits and said the track and its operators could sue the top health regulator in Cooper’s administration.
North State Journal’s A.P. Dillon contributed to this report.
GERRY BROOME / AP PHOTO
Former Harmanco’s restaurant takes new direction
Tanner Denton, a former partner at Courthouse Tavern, purchased the old Harmanco’s building
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Social media has been abuzz recently with the closure of a longtime Albemarle restaurant on the east side of town, Harmanco’s.
Now one local restaurateur has purchased the building and the process is underway for its transformation.
Tanner Denton, who previously was one of the partners involved with the restaurant now known as Courthouse Tavern and Table, has purchased the old Harmanco’s building.
Denton said the process of purchasing the building started around January and included some of the equipment, but mostly the purchase was the about the building.
“We don’t have a concrete timeline, but we are working with the architects to get our
MAYOR from page A1
continue moving Rich eld toward progress and prosperity, and that’s why I’m here tonight to express my interest in being appointed,” Crisco said.
He expressed his vision for the town, which included “supporting education and youth programs to build a stronger tomorrow, promoting responsible growth that creates revenue while preserving our smalltown roots, the feeling that we all love about Rich eld, and ensuring transparent, collaborative leadership where every voice matters.”
After Crisco nished speaking, Byrd moved to adjourn the meeting, but Commissioner Kevin Almond interjected, asking if the board was going to discuss the issue.
Almond asked Byrd if the board was going “to leave you as mayor pro tem,” to which Byrd said no.
“What I’m saying is, if (Crisco) wants to do it, what if we give it 30 days, and if somebody else wants to come forward with their name and what they can bring, let’s pick the best candidate,” Almond said. “Are we going to ll the mayor’s seat back, or are we going to keep it like it is until the election?”
The mayor pro tem said the board previously had discussed
PARK from page A1
more than $800,000 as the city aims to create a “more inclusive and welcoming space for individuals and families of all abilities.”
The former Harmanco’s building on East Main Street in Albemarle has been purchased by
drawings submitted, to get our permits pulled,” Denton said.
Much of the online discussion was the new restaurant will be a steakhouse, which Denton said is not untrue, adding, “I prefer to say we’re focusing on steak. There’s a lot of things that come with a steakhouse that I’m not sure we will be doing.”
Denton said the new place will feature steak and pairings with seafood, while another feature of the restaurant will
with the League of Municipalities updating the town’s charter to possibly reorganize the board into a di erent structure.
“We have the opportunity to decide when the board decides what they want to do with the charter,” Byrd said. “It had been discussed to completely do away with the mayor’s position and change the form of our charter.”
He added the charter was written in 1905 and “has so much language in it that has nothing to do with anything going on in this day and time. It needs to be updated.”
Almond responded: “But how long will that take? I thought they talked about that it could take years.”
Byrd said he has an attorney named David Ford who has relatives in the area with whom he has discussed the town’s situation. He added any change in the charter would have to be approved by the North Carolina General Assembly before it could be implemented.
Almond again asked if Byrd wished to remain mayor pro tem, and Byrd responded, “Denitely not.”
Commissioner Christy NeCaise said she had no problems with people submitting their names, adding, “As the time came that we decided to do it, we would already know ahead of time (who wanted to serve) so
be a fresh salad bar, “a buildyour- own bu et salad bar.”
A smaller selection of appetizers will be on the menu, he said, adding steaks and sh will be among the entrees with chances to combine both for a surf and turf dish.
“It’s going to be like you can make it any experience you want,” Denton said.
“I don’t want us to be branded as a steakhouse. The rst couple of months being open, I’ll be re-
“We’re not looking for a transactional dollar. We’re looking to build relationships and to o er something special to the community.”
Tanner Denton
ceiving feedback on what people in our community are looking for. We will revisit and revamp our menu.”
The new owner said the building will be totally renovated and have a new name, which he is asking members of the community to suggest via email or other ways.
“I think this could be a fun thing for the community, which is a big thing for me,” Denton said. That is what I tried to do at Courthouse.”
The feel for the new restaurant, he added, will be rustic, with the amount of wood inside it, but still intimate, which
The Rich eld commissioners had a spirited discussion over the best way to select a new mayor.
we are not waiting a whole other month or two.”
NeCaise added while Byrd had spoken with an attorney, he “has not proceeded to get this thing redone. I don’t want that to come across.”
Byrd mentioned previous issues the town has had with having a town attorney who did not return their phone calls.
NeCaise said she wanted 60 days for citizens to submit their names, but Byrd said, “I don’t want to put a deadline on it.”
Almond mentioned the absence of Commissioner Mike Beaver, who had missed two consecutive town meetings earlier this year and was not in attendance Monday night.
“We aren’t going to replace him,” Almond said.
Planning for the new redevelopment project began in summer 2024 with community forums, meetings with local disability advocates, and review from the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. The Locust City Council approved the proposal in March 2025. In the next phase of park redevelopment, the city will continue working with disability advocates, building on the partnerships formed during the grant application process.
City o cials said the project will preserve the O cer Je Shelton Memorial while enhancing the park’s accessibility.
The park was renamed in 2007 to honor Shelton, a Locust native and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police o cer who was killed in the line of duty. City
“Mike basically can’t be replaced,” Byrd answered.
The mayor pro tem suggested the town needed a workshop with an attorney to discuss the options for the charter.
“I think we need to do something instead of sitting still,” Almond said.
After discussing when the workshop could be, Almond asked if the board wanted to open nominations for someone to submit their name for the position.
NeCaise appeared to make a motion, saying, “I make a motion,” but before she nished, Byrd said, “Do you just want to keep a list of people’s names?”
Almond said, “It’s been hard to get somebody to ll in,” to
leaders dedicated the park to preserve his legacy and provide a community space that reects his commitment to public service.
he called “an approachable upscale. It’s not going to be somewhere you feel like you have to wear a dress shirt.” He added he will be using Chima Steakhouse in uptown Charlotte as some inspiration for the new place, though maybe not quite that upscale.
Denton said he believes in the revitalization e orts on the east side of town, which includes the old Harmanco’s.
“It’s important because it’s not going to be a chain restaurant, which is what’s dominating over there right now,” Denton said.
The experience Denton wants people to have at the new place is not one of being a customer but being a guest of his family.
“I want our sta to understand that we’re not looking for a transactional dollar,” he said. “We’re looking to build relationships and to o er something special to the community.”
Denton can be emailed at 1407emainst@gmail.com for people to give suggestions for the name of his future place.
which Byrd responded, “I can understand why.”
After the meeting was adjourned, the topic was discussed during the public comments section.
Crisco spoke again briefly, saying, “If it goes to a board-and-manager government, or stays mayor and government, the board can appoint somebody, no matter what, until the charter is changed.”
Another citizen, Jennifer Lehn, noted the City of Albemarle’s recent opening following the resignation of Chris Whitley has asked for letters from those wishing to serve on the council before Sept. 12, ahead of the council’s Sept. 15 meeting.
“I just wanted to make the suggestion that maybe you follow their lead,” Lehn said to the board.
When another citizen asked if the board was going to give people 30 days to submit names, Byrd said, “I don’t think we ever agreed to that.”
She asked again if the board was going to open it up, and Byrd said, “I didn’t say that either. … The only thing we decided on is to meet with an attorney to see what our options are. We haven’t set a date on when we are going to make that decision.” NeCaise said, “We did say we were going to open for everyone to turn in (letters).”
“We are very proud of everything that we’re trying to do over here with Locust Parks and Rec,” Correa said. “Fortunately, this is just the beginning of our e orts over there. Hopefully, it won’t be too long before we’re able to get it all nished up and reopen to the public and invite everybody to come out and enjoy it.”
All updates on the project’s timeline and planning process will be shared at locustnc.com and on the city’s social media accounts.
CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Tanner Denton.
OBITUARIES
NELLIE CROPSEY BOST
MARCH 10, 1931 – AUG. 21, 2025
Nellie Cropsey Bost, 94, of Oakboro, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2025, at Bethany Woods Nursing and Rehab in Albemarle. A graveside service to honor her life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 23, 2025, at Oakboro Cemetery.
Born on March 10, 1931, in Stanly County, NC, Cropsey was the beloved daughter of the late George Walter Bost and Vinnie Phillips Bost. She dedicated many years of her life as an employee of Stanly Knitting Mill and was a proud and faithful member of West Oakboro Baptist Church.
Cropsey will be remembered as strong-willed and determined, a woman who stood rmly by her values and beliefs. She had a gift for storytelling and loved sharing memories of days gone by, often re ecting on family, friends, and the simple joys of life.
She leaves behind a loving extended family, including numerous cousins, who will cherish her memory and the legacy of strength and faith she leaves behind. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister, Virginia Bost, and a brother, George Junior Bost.
The family requests that memorials be made to West Oakboro Baptist Church, 16803 Silver Road, Oakboro, NC 28129.
REBECCA “BECKY” DUNN
MARCH 2, 1946 – AUG. 22, 2025
Rebecca “Becky” Thompson Dunn, 79 of Mt. Gilead, died Friday Evening, August 22, 2025, at Trinity Place in Albemarle.
Funeral Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 30, 2025, at Liberty Hill Baptist Church, Mt. Gilead. Rev. Davie Wensil will o ciate, and burial will follow in Hamer Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends 30 minutes prior to the service at the church.
Becky was born March 2, 1946, in Montgomery County to the late Lacy and Ruth Harris Thompson. She was a member of Liberty Hill Baptist Church.
Becky worked at Pee Dee Hosiery Mill during her teenage years and retired after thirty years of employment with Burger Shack in Mt. Gilead. She was an excellent cook and loved cooking a big ham and a bowl of potato salad for family gatherings. She took great pride in her home and in decorating. She developed Lewy Body Dementia in 2020 when she was admitted to Trinity Place in Albemarle.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Harold “Scott” Dunn, brothers Philip and Brad Thompson, sister Argene McKeithan, and her in-laws, Harold and Mary Sue Dunn.
She is survived by her son Harold “Todd” Dunn (Sarah) and granddaughter Caitlyn Elizabeth Dunn all of Southport. Her Siblings, Tony (Dempsey) Surratt, Sam Thompson, Marie (Jim) Bowles, Alice (Phillip) Richardson, Jason (Reba) Thompson and Brenda (Larry) Marley.
DONNIE RICHARD LOVE
JANUARY 11, 1948 – AUG. 23, 2025
Donnie Richard Love, 77, of Stan eld, North Carolina, passed away peacefully at his home on Saturday, August 23, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family. A private family gathering to honor his life will be held at a later date.
Born on January 11, 1948, in Stanly County, Donnie was the son of the late Richard C. Love and Atha Fink Love. He spent his career with Southern Mechanical Services and retired after years of hard work and dedication.
Donnie shared his life with his devoted wife, Ruby Pickler Love, and together they built a home lled with love, care, and countless cherished memories. A man of many talents, Donnie was known for his love of hunting and shing, his passion for drag racing, and his incredible ability to x just about anything. His family remembers him as loyal and dependable—a man who always kept his word. He loved going to races with his stepchildren and often reminded his family that they could accomplish anything they set their minds to.
Donnie’s legacy of love, strength, and determination lives on through his family. He is survived by his loving wife, Ruby; two children, Lisa Simpson (Kenny) of Monroe and Michael Love of Kannapolis; four stepchildren, Savannah Burris of Albemarle, Darrin Pankey of Albemarle, Tammy Pankey of Albemarle, and Johnny Pankey (Sandy) of Monroe; and three brothers, Ronnie Love of Salisbury, Cli ord Love of Stan eld, and Rick Love of Albemarle.
He was a proud grandfather to thirteen grandchildren: Jessica Haigler, Matthew Simpson, Coleton Simpson, Johnny Adams, Jaimie Adams, Heather Chastain, Dakota Wade, McKinsie Fesperman, Hunter Fesperman, Trevor Pankey, Sarah Pankey, Miranda Pankey, and Dylan Love; and a loving great-grandfather to twenty great-grandchildren who brought him endless joy.
His family and friends will deeply miss Donnie, but his memory will continue to inspire those who knew and loved him.
‘Sopranos’ star Jerry Adler, Broadway backstage vet who later acted, dead at 96
He had a long theater career before moving in front of the camera
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Jerry Adler, who spent decades behind the scenes of storied Broadway productions before pivoting to acting in his 60s, has died at 96.
Adler died Saturday, according to a brief family announcement con rmed by the Riverside Memorial Chapel in New York. Adler “passed peacefully in his sleep,” Paradigm Talent Agency’s Sarah Shulman said on behalf of his family. No immediate cause was given.
Among Adler’s acting credits are “The Sopranos,” on which he played Tony Soprano adviser Hesh Rabkin across all six seasons, and “The Good Wife,” where he played law partner Howard Lyman. But before Adler had ever stepped in front of a lm or television camera, he had 53 Broadway productions to his name — all behind the scenes, serving as a stage manager, producer or director.
He hailed from an entertainment family with deep roots in Jewish and Yiddish theater, as he told the Jewish Ledger in 2014. His father, Philip Adler, was a general manager for the famed Group Theatre and Broadway productions, and his cousin Stella Adler was a legendary acting teacher.
“I’m a creature of nepotism,” Adler told TheaterMania in 2015. “I got my rst job when I was at Syracuse University and my father, the general manager of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, called me (because) there was an opening for an assistant stage manager. I skipped school.”
After a long theater career, which included the original production of “My Fair Lady” and working with the likes of Marlene Dietrich, Ju-
lie Andrews and Richard Burton, among many others, Adler left Broadway during its 1980s slump. He moved to California, where he worked on television productions like the soap opera “Santa Barbara.”
“I was really getting into the twilight of a mediocre career,” he told The New York Times in 1992. But the retirement he was contemplating was staved o when Donna Isaacson, the casting director for “The Public Eye” and a longtime friend of one of Adler’s daughters, had a hunch about how to cast a hard-to- ll role, as The New York Times reported then. Adler had been on the other side of auditions, and, curious to experience how actors felt, agreed to try out. Director Howard Franklin, who auditioned dozens of actors for the role of a newspaper columnist in the Joe Pesci-starring lm, had “chills” when Adler read for the part, the newspaper reported.
So began an acting career that had him working consistently in front of the camera for more than 30 years. An early role on the David Chase-written “Northern Exposure” paved the way for his time on a future Chase project, “The Sopranos.”
“When David was going to do the pilot for ‘The Sopranos’ he called and asked me if I would do a cameo of Hesh. It was just supposed to be a one-shot,” he told Forward in 2015. “But when they picked up the show they liked the character, and I would come on every fourth week.”
Films included Woody Allen’s “Manhattan Murder Mystery,” but Adler was perhaps best known for his television work. Those credits included stints on “Rescue Me,” “Mad About You,” “Transparent” and guest spots on shows ranging from “The West Wing” to “Broad City.” He even returned to Broadway, this time onstage, in
“When David was going to do the pilot for ‘The Sopranos’ he called and asked me if I would do a cameo of Hesh. It was just supposed to be a one-shot. … But when they picked up the show they liked the character.”
Jerry Adler
Elaine May’s “Taller Than a Dwarf” in 2000. In 2015, he appeared in Larry David’s writing and acting stage debut, “Fish in the Dark.”
“I do it because I really enjoy it. I think retirement is a road to nowhere,” Adler told Forward, on the subject of the play. “I wouldn’t know what to do if I were retired. I guess if nobody calls anymore, that’s when I’ll be retired. Meanwhile this is great.”
Adler published a memoir, “Too Funny for Words: Backstage Tales from Broadway, Television and the Movies,” last year. “I’m ready to go at a moment’s notice,” he told CT Insider then, when asked if he’d take more acting roles. In recent years, he and his wife, Joan Laxman, relocated from Connecticut back to his hometown of New York. Survivors include his four daughters, Shulman said.
For Adler, who once thought he was “too goofy-looking” to act, seeing himself on screen was odd, at least initially. And in multiple interviews with various outlets, he expressed how strange it was to be recognized by the public after spending so many years working behind the scenes. There was at least one advantage to being preserved on lm, though, as he told The New York Times back in 1992.
“I’m immortal,” he said.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Stanly News Journal at obits@northstatejournal.com
RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO
Actor Jerry Adler arrives for the funeral service of James Gandol ni in New York in 2013.
STANLY SPORTS
South Stanly kicks o football season with West Stanly shutout
The Rebel Bulls posted the program’s rst shutout of the Colts since 1984
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
RED CROSS — The South Stanly football squad opened the 2025 season by accomplishing a feat against county rival West Stanly that the program had not seen since Charlie Phillips was head coach.
South’s defense pitched a shutout Friday night in opening the season with a 27-0 road win at West. The Bulls had not shut out the Colts since Oct. 5, 1984, when South beat West 6-0. The win also narrowed the gap in the all-time series between the two schools, which the Colts still lead 35-28-2.
South senior quarterback Kaleb Richardson came out ring down eld on the rst play of the game, drawing a pass inter-
ference penalty. Richardson nished the game 9 of 18 for 195 yards and two touchdowns with one interception.
“We were intentional about being aggressive,” South head coach Terry Shankle said. “We just react and are taking what the defense gives us.”
Carter Calicutt had a solid night for the Bulls, catching three passes for 101 yards and a touchdown along while adding a rushing score.
The Bulls’ defense limit-
ed West Stanly (0-1) to 163 net yards of o ense and forced ve turnovers, three fumbles and a pair of picks. West had 87 net yards on the ground on 26 carries, while Colts quarterback Maverick Scott was 7 of 15 for 76 yards and two interceptions. Scott was also sacked three times.
It was West Stanly’s defense that came up big in the rst quarter two times. South took the opening kicko and drove to the Colts’ 3-yard line, but
West stopped the Bulls on four straight plays.
A bad punt by West kept the Colts pinned deep for South’s next possession, but Richardson’s pass was picked o by Carter Yow.
Two plays later, West lost a fumble and South scored on the next play. Richardson found Callcutt for a 55-yard touchdown pass. Jose Garcia’s extra point put South up 7-0 with 39 seconds left in the opening quarter.
South made it 14-0 after recovering the ensuing kicko and driving 30 yards in under two minutes. Richardson found Jaylen Woods for a 19 -yard touchdown pass one minute into the second quarter.
“We were communicating on See SOUTH, page B3
Bulldogs open gridiron season with home win
Albemarle’s win versus CBLA was the Bulldogs’ rst win to open a season since 2017
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle football squad opened the 2025 season at home against a team the Bulldogs had never faced in school history.
Coming from Jamestown on the coast, the College Prep and Leadership Academy Royals paid a visit to the Bulldogs’ football stadium Friday.
Trailing after one quarter, the Bulldogs rallied to open the season with a 48-14 win, the rst time since 2017 Albemarle opened the season with a victory.
Albemarle (1-0) outscored CPLA 20-0 in the second quarter to lead 26-8 at halftime, then continued in the second half, scoring 22 points to the Royals’ six.
The Bulldogs scored ve rushing touchdowns, led by A.J. Butler, who rushed for 121 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns. Skylar Potts added 66 yards on three rushes, with 64 coming on a touchdown run, while Ray Blakeney, Joneil Cabrera Arroyo and Treyvian Legrande also added rushing scores. As a team, the Bulldogs had 310 on 31 carries, averaging nearly 10 yards per rush. Blakeney was a perfect 4 for 4
for 75 yards through the air, including tossing two touchdowns to Jaymi Campbell, who nished with a team-high 49 receiving yards.
Defensively, Tahj McLendon led the “Oak Tree” defense with ve tackles, including one for a loss, while Campbell, A.J. Butler and Jon Pierre Browne had
four tackles each. Daniel Brahman had a sack in the game for the Bulldogs, and Browne also had a fumble recovery, forced by Rashawn Thompson.
Albemarle will be at home
Friday night against the North Wake Saints. The game will be the season opener for the Saints, who hail from Wake Forest.
CHARLES CURCIO / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
South Stanly’s Kaleb Richardson hands o to Carter Callicutt in the rst quarter of the Bulls’ road win at West Stanly last Friday.
Joneil Cabrera Arroyo nds room to run up eld in the Bulldogs’ home win Friday.
Blaney’s last-second surge at Daytona denies underdogs Cinderella moment
A late run moved him from 13th to rst
By Jenna Fryer The Associated Press
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.—
The Cup Series’ playo system is designed to give a long shot a chance to race for the championship.
As a pack of underdogs hurtled toward the nish line at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night, there was a real possibility of an upset and someone racing their way into the postseason by winning the regular-season nale.
Then a favorite spoiled it all.
Ryan Blaney won a four-wide race to claim the checkered ag — a victory that denied a Cinderella moment and gave Alex Bowman the nal spot in the playo s.
Blaney was 13th with two laps to go, then muscled his Team Penske Ford to the front and surged slightly ahead right before the nish line. He beat Daniel Suarez by 0.031 seconds, Justin Haley by 0.036 seconds and Cole Custer by 0.049 seconds. Erik Jones was fth, Kyle Larson sixth, Chris Buescher seventh and Ty Gibbs eighth. Any of the seven drivers behind Blaney besides Larson would have been rst-time winners this season and claimed thenal spot in the 16-driver playo eld.
But Blaney — a former series champion already locked into the eld — denied them all. His victory assured Bowman, who crashed early in the race and had to watch for more than three hours on TV to learn his fate, would race for
“It’s de nitely not as traditional a way as we like to run them, we like to lead laps and things like that.”
Ryan Blaney
the championship this season.
The rst 19 cars across the nish line were all within a half-second of Blaney, who wound up second in the regular-season standings. Daytona 500 winner William Byron had already wrapped up the regular-season title.
“What a wild couple last laps,” said Blaney, who waited until the end to aggressively move through tra c. “It’s
de nitely not as traditional a way as we like to run them; we like to lead laps and things like that. We just couldn’t really get there until the last second.”
Suarez, who is being replaced at Trackhouse Racing at the end of the season, was disappointed not to make the playo s.
“All in all, a good car. Just not enough and a little too late,” Suarez said.
Haley, who is likely to be replaced at Spire Motorsports at the end of the year, also was frustrated. Haley and Spire’s only Cup Series win came in this race in 2019, when it was shortened by rain while Haley was the leader.
“It hurts, especially with the year the 7 car has had. We obviously had a rough season,” Haley said. “You’re counting them down and just trying to
play everything out. It stings, but still a good night.”
Buescher said coming up short of the playo s would force him to “just be mad about it for a while.
“Not trying to pout, just I’m proud of this team,” he continued. “It was a great night. We certainly had a shot and had the speed again, so want to be excited about that, and I am. But man, it’s just another one of those we had the ability to win this race, had the speed, had the handling, and no champagne to celebrate.”
The victory was on brand for Team Penske, winner of the last three Cup Series championships. Joey Logano won in 2023, Blaney in 2024 and Logano again last year.
The team has won those titles by overcoming summer slumps and then turning it up when the playo s begin. Blaney’s win snapped an 11-race losing streak for Penske and Ford.
Roger Penske, who was in Victory Lane to celebrate with the No. 12 team, has all three of his drivers in the playo eld.
Sharapova, Bryan brothers enter tennis hall
Serena Williams made a surprise appearance
By Jimmy Golen
The Associated Press
NEWPORT, R.I. — Serena Williams made a surprise — and early — appearance at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, emerging from behind the stage to introduce “former rival, former fan and forever friend” Maria Sharapova for her induction.
Williams, a 23-time Grand Slam champion who will be eligible for her own enshrinement in 2027, drew gasps and shrieks from the crowd at the Newport shrine.
“There are only a few players in my career who challenged me to be the very best, every single time we stepped out on the court,” Williams said. “Maria Sharapova was one of them. Whenever I saw her name next
to mine in the draw, I made sure I practiced harder.”
And the feeling was mutual.
“It’s a gift to have someone who motivates you to reach those heights. And I’ll forever be grateful for bringing out the best in me,” Sharapova said in her acceptance speech. “We both knew no other way than to ght our hearts out. ... We both hated to lose more than anything on this Earth, and we both knew that the other was the biggest obstacle between ourselves and the trophy.”
The rst Russian woman ever to reach No. 1 in the rankings and one of 10 women to complete the career Grand Slam, Sharapova was joined in the Class of 2025 by dominating doubles team Mike and Bob Bryan. The twin brothers nished their speech with one of their trademark chest bumps.
Hall of Famers Martina Navratilova, Jim Courier, Stan Smith and Andy Roddick were
“When voices inevitably tell you to ease up, to round your edges, dull your ambition, I hope you can nd a way to ignore them.”
Maria Sharapova
among those in the crowd, wearing their blue Hall of Fame blazers. Sharapova and the Bryan brothers also received a cast tennis racket that is the hall’s newest o ering to inductees.
Sharapova was described in her introductory video as someone who “combined grit with glamour,” and some of the stylish out ts she competed in are already displayed in the hall — including a tuxedo-inspired dress she wore at Wimbledon in 2008.
Williams noted that her rival was the highest-paid female athlete in the world for 11 straight years — bolstered by endorsement income that surpassed her on-court winnings.
“She showed us all how to take excellence on the court and turn it into excellence in business, and fashion, branding and everything that she touched,” Williams said. “She changed how women not only approached tennis, but sports and opportunity. She showed us that you can be erce on the court and strategic o the court, and unapologetically herself the entire time.”
Sharapova said her induction gave her a chance to look back — something she tried not to do when she was playing. And she credited her success to “embracing the struggles and leaning into the hard stu .”
“When voices inevitably tell you to ease up, to round your edges, dull your ambition, I hope you can nd a way to ig-
nore them,” she said. “Compete ercely. Raise your standard. Set goals that intimidate you. And don’t forget to celebrate your victories, no matter how small.
“In giving my life to tennis, tennis gave me a life. And what a remarkable, remarkable life. And I’m so deeply grateful for it.”
The Bryans shared a speech as if they were taking turns hitting on a court, alternating at the microphone as they thanked coaches, friends and Davis Cup teammates from a career in which they won 119 ATP titles, including 16 Grand Slams, and an Olympic gold medal. They spent a record 438 weeks atop the world rankings.
Bob Bryan said he was fortunate because “for most of my career, I had the No. 1 player in the world across the hall.”
“Doubles was our love from Day 1,” Mike Bryan said. “We loved everything about doubles. We loved the strategy, the teamwork, sharing the highs and lows. Like our personalities, our games complemented each other perfectly.”
JOHN RAOUX / AP PHOTO
Ryan Blaney (12) crosses the nish line to win Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona.
North opened the football season with a win for the third straight year
By Charles Curcio Stanly News Journal
NEW LONDON — The North Stanly football program took on a highly successful charter school program Friday night to open the 2025 season.
North hosted the Community School of Davidson Spartans, who won 20 games combined over the past two seasons.
Down 14 points with 8:55 left in the game, the Comets scored three unanswered touchdowns and roared back for a 27-21 home win.
The rushing attack of Juice Lilly and Jaden Little combined for 137 yards on 18 carries for North (1-0), with Little scoring two rushing touchdowns. As a team, the Comets had 40 carries for 243 yards, averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Through the air, Brady Lowder, in his rst year as North Stanly’s quarterback, was 8 for 12 for 120 yards, including a game-tying touchdown to Jaden Little.
Head coach Chad Little said the team had some jitters early on as the Comets drove the ball three times inside the CSD 35-yard line but fumbled twice.
“After that, we settled in
Points the Comets scored in the nal nine minutes to earn the win
and played good defense,” Coach Little said.
The Spartans (0-1) led 7-0 when Tyler Johnson scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 6:05 left in the opening quarter.
Jaden Little scored the rst of his two rushing touchdowns with just under two minutes left in the rst half to tie the game, 7-7.
CSD took the lead with exactly four minutes left in the third quarter when Johnson scored on a 4-yard bootleg to the right side of the line. The extra point was good, putting the Spartans up 14-7.
The Spartans made it 21-7 with 8:55 left in the game on a 16-yard touchdown pass before the Comets’ rally began.
North went to the air on the team’s ensuing drive as Lowder found Kylan Dockery for a long gain downeld to the Spartans’ 35-yard line. On the next play, Lowder rolled to his right and connected with Dockery in double coverage in the end zone for the touchdown. The extra point was no good, leaving the Comets down 21-13.
With just under ve min-
utes to play in the fourth, R.A. Bruton returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown, and a two-point conversion tied the game.
The Comets’ Little recovered a fumble at the CSD 47-yard line with 3:06 left in the game, giving North the chance for the win.
Kaden Little then went straight up the middle with 50.1 seconds left for his second rushing touchdown of the game to put North ahead for good.
The Comets’ R.J. Brooks recovered another fumble on the Spartans’ nal drive of the game in the last 20 seconds to seal the win.
Brett Curlee led North’s defense with 10 tackles, while Nathan Helms added nine tackles and an interception. Little also recovered a fumble late in the game to help lead the Comets to the win.
For the Spartans, Johnson nished with 124 rushing yards on 13 carries with two touchdowns to go with 120 receiving yards. Quarterback Ty Sigler was 15 of 23 through the air for 183 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
“So many players made this win happen,” Little said. “Our coaches coached their tails o from spring until now.”
North goes on the road Friday to face county rival West Stanly.
South Stanly and Albemarle are both at home this week
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Three of Stanly County’s four varsity football teams kicked o the 2025 season with victories. Week 2 brings another intracounty clash, while the other two squads aim to protect their home turf in nonconference play.
North Stanly at West Stanly
One week after a 27-0 shutout loss at Larry Wagner Field against South Stanly (1-0), the West Stanly Colts (0-1) will look for their rst points of the season as they host the North Stanly Comets (1-0), who edged out Community School of Davidson 27-21 on Friday. Last fall, North came out on top in the annual matchup between the two schools with a 38-37 double overtime home victory in New London. The Comets haven’t lost to the Colts since the 2019 season.
West senior quarterback Maverick Scott will try to get the Colts’ o ense into a rhythm as the team aims to snap its ve-game losing streak dating back to Oct. 10, 2024.
Piedmont at South Stanly
Fresh o their aforemen-
SOUTH from page B1 the sidelines,” Richardson said of the team’s strong start early in the game.
“Everybody kept their head up and were talking,” he said. “That’s what we wanted to do coming into this game.”
Later in the second, another West fumble set up the Bulls at the West 45-yard line. Six plays later, Calicutt scored on an 11-yard touchdown run to put South up 21-0. Turnovers came back again for the Colts in the second half as South turned it into instant points. From his cornerback position, Woods jumped in front of a short slant route and picked o Scott’s pass, returning it 55 yards for a touchdown.
The extra point was blocked.
Regarding the team’s defense, South’s Jasiah Holt, who also picked o a West pass in the win, said the team studied lm all week.
tioned shutout road victory, the South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls are set for their home opener in K.L. Young Stadium, where they will face the Southern Carolina Conference’s Piedmont Panthers.
The Panthers (0-1) began their 2025 campaign with a 28-12 loss at Parkwood last weekend, trailing by two points at halftime as they failed to put any points on the board in the second half.
Coming o a two-touchdown night, South’s senior quarterback Kaleb Richardson has a chance to help continue the Bulls’ strong start to the season if the team can take down a larger school in front of South’s home crowd.
North Wake at Albemarle
The Albemarle Bulldogs, who rolled to a 48-14 road win over College Prep and Leadership Academy last weekend, are scheduled to open a three-game homestand this week at Bulldog Stadium.
Albemarle will begin its homestand against the North Wake Saints, an independent squad based in Wake Forest for homeschool, private and charter school players. The Saints nished 4-6 last season.
This game will serve as both the Bulldogs’ home opener and the Saints’ season opener. After dominating the ground game with ve rushing touchdowns in Week 1, Albemarle’s running back corps could be put to the test again.
5
Number of turnovers forced by South Stanly
“Our coaches told us we had to rush the quarterback and make them throw it,” Holt said. “When they throw it, I’m just a ball hawk. I just go wherever the ball is.”
South’s quarterback, talking about the defense, said, “I love our defense. I think they are going to be the best in the state.” The Bulls host Piedmont (0 -1) this Friday. The Panthers lost their rst game of the season 28-12 against Parkwood. West Stanly will host North Stanly (1-0) . The Comets rallied late for a 27-21 home win versus the Community School of Davison last Friday.
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Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
219 W. Main Street Albemarle, NC 28001
COURTESY OF DAWN LUCAS PHOTOGRAPHY
Jaden Little, right, had two rushing touchdowns, including the winning score, in North Stanly’s home win overthe CSD Spartans last Friday.
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NOTICE
August 13, 2025 ADVERTISEMENT REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Sealed Request for Proposals for furnishing the City of Albemarle NC with a Proposal for Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Services in accordance with speci cations, conditions and instructions, will be received by the City of Albemarle, Assistant Finance Director, 144 North Second Street, Albemarle NC 28001; or by Mail at P O Box 190, Albemarle NC 28002-0190; on or before 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 10, 2025; in a Sealed Envelope, Clearly Marked RFP 2026-01 Solid Waste and Recycling Collection Services. Instructions for submitting the Proposal and Complete Speci cations may be obtained at the O ce of Ross Holshouser, Director Public Works Department, 704984-9675, rholshouser@albemarlenc. gov; or by visiting the following Website: https://www.albemarlenc.gov/ departments/ nance/purchasing/bidopportunities. The City of Albemarle, North Carolina, reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for any reason determined to be in the best interest of the City of Albemarle.
CITY OF ALBEMARLE
Jacob W. Weavil Finance Director RFP NUMBER: 2026-01 PUBLICATION DATES: Wednesday, August 20, 2025 Wednesday, August 27, 2025 Wednesday, September 3, 2025
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Lisa A. L. Deese, Sherrill D. Lowder, Jr. and Sally M. Lowder have quali ed as Co-Executors of the Estate of Shirley Jo Lowder a/k/a Shirley D. Lowder a/k/a Shirley Di ee Lowder, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, and do hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to the undersigned in care of Crisp Cherry McCraw PLLC, Attn: C. Michael Crisp, 615 S. College Street, Suite 1430, Charlotte, NC 28202, on or before the 13th day of November, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 13th day of August, 2025.
Lisa A. L. Deese Sherrill D. Lowder, Jr. Sally M. Lowder c/o Crisp Cherry McCraw PLLC 615 S. College Street, Suite 1430 Charlotte, NC 28202 (704) 332.0203
NOTICE
The undersigned, having quali ed as Co-Administrators of the Estate of Nila Lyn Elliott late of Stanly County, North Carolina, hereby noti es to all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said Estate to present them to the undersigned on or before November 20, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said Estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This, the 20th day of August, 2025. Ashley Grace Elliott Co-Administrator 102 Windmill Road Salisbury, North Carolina 28147
Emily G. Thompson, Esq. Attorney for Co-Administrators Reed & Thompson, PLLC 204 Branchview Dr SE Concord, NC 28025
Estate File No.: 25E000290-830
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Executor of the ESTATE OF DONNA ROSE SMART HUNEYCUTT, deceased of 16207 Pless Mill Road, Stan eld, NC 28163 (Stanly County Clerk of Court Case No. 25E000464-830), the undersigned does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said Decedent DONNA ROSE SMART HUNEYCUTT to present them to the undersigned RICHARD LEON HUNEYCUTT, Executor, PO Box 56, Locust, NC 28097, in care of Tanya N. Oesterreich, Oesterreich Law PLLC, at PO Box 2067, Concord, North Carolina 28026, on or before the 20th day of November, 2025, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the said ESTATE OF DONNA ROSE SMART HUNEYCUTT will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.
This the 20th day of August, 2025.
RICHARD LEON HUNEYCUTT, Executor ESTATE OF DONNA ROSE SMART HUNEYCUTT PO Box 56 Locust, NC 28097
c/o Tanya N. Oesterreich, Esq. Oesterreich Law PLLC PO Box 2067 Concord, North Carolina 28026
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000431-830 Having quali ed as Administrator of the estate of Jason Allen Huneycutt, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina. This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Jason Allen Huneycutt to present them to the undersigned on or before November 20, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 20th day of August, 2025 Cassidy Huneycutt 20890 Ridgecrest Road Locust, NC 28097 Administrator
NOTICE
25SP000032-830 AMENDED
or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate place make immediate payment. This sixth day of August , 2025. Amanda Rose Aplin 28109 McSwain Rd Lot 39 Albemarle NC 28001
Notice to Creditors
Having quali ed as
NOTICE
Deceased. NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Personal Representative of the Estate of Marie Josephine L. Tucker of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of the said Marie Josephine L. Tucker, to present them to the undersigned or her attorney on or before the 1st day of December, 2025, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said Estate please make immediate payment.
This the 27th day of August, 2025.
Administrator: Gina Douglas 20167 Tucker Road Oakboro, NC 28129
Attorney for Estate: Connie E. Mosher 239 N. First Street Albemarle, NC 28001
704-983-0086
Dates of publication: August 27, September 3, 10 and 17
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000291-830 Having quali ed as Co-Executors of the estate of Glenna Collett Kirk, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina. This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Glenna Collett Kirk to present them to the undersigned on or before November 20, 2025, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.
This 20th day of August, 2025 Ronald James Kirk 44009 Cat sh Road New London, NC 28127 Co-Executor Sandra Lee Kirk P.O. Box 451 New London, NC 28127 Co-Executor
NOTICE
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
NOTICE
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION COUNTY OF STANLY. BEFORE THE CLERK File No. 25E000451-830 IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JASPER TURNER Deceased.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of JASPER TURNER, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of the said JASPER TURNER to present them to the undersigned or his attorney on or before November 12, 2025 or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said Estate please make immediate payment.
This the 13th day of August, 2025.
Executor: Bobby Turner 231 Poplin Street Norwood, NC 28128 Attorney for Estate: Connie Edwards Mosher 239 N. First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 704-983-0086 Publication dates: August 13, August 20, August 27, September 3
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
Section 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 and applicable State funding, or combination thereof.
This is to inform the public that a public hearing will be held on the proposed Stanly County Community Transportation Program Application to be submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation no later than October 4th 2025. The public hearing will be held on September 3rd at 6:00 pm before the Stanly County Board of Commissioners.
Those interested in attending the public hearing and needing either auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or a language translator should contact Tyler Brummit on or before August 29, 2025, at telephone number 704.986.3602 or via email at tbrummit@stanlycountync.gov. The Community Transportation Program provides assistance to coordinate existing transportation programs operating in Stanly County as well as provides transportation
through June 30, 2027.
NOTE: Local share amount is subject to State funding availability.
This application may be inspected at Stanly County Senior Center Albemarle NC 28001 from 8:30am-5:00pm. Written comments should be directed to Pamela Sullivan before August 29 2025.
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA
Esto es para informar al público que se llevará a cabo una audiencia pública sobre la propuesta del programa de aplicación del Transporte de la Comunidad del Condado de Stanly que se enviará al Departamento de Transporte de Carolina del Norte a más tardar el 4 de octobre de 2025. La audiencia pública se llevará a cabo el 3 de septiembre 2025 a las 6:00 pm antes de Los Comisionarios del Condado de Stanly. Los interesados en asistir a la audiencia pública y necesitan de cualquier recursos y servicios bajo la Ley Estadounidenses con Discapacidades o un traductor de idiomas deben contactar a Tyler Brummitt en o antes del 29 de agosto 2025, al número de teléfono 704-986-3602 o vía correo electrónico al tbrummitt@ stanlycountync.gov . El Programa de Transporte de la Comunidad proporciona asistencia para coordinar programas de transporte existentes en el Condado de Stanly , así como proporciona opciones de transporte y servicios para las comunidades dentro de esta área de servicio. Estos servicios son proporcionados actualmente usando rutas de suscripción, respuestas y demandas. Los servicios se proporcionan por vans y vehículos de transporte ligeros.
La cantidad total estimada para el periodo 1 de julio del 2026 al 30 de junio del 2027.
