U.S. ight cancellations will continue even after shutdown ends
Air travelers should expect worsening cancellations and delays this week even if the government shutdown ends. The Federal Aviation Administration is moving ahead with deeper cuts to ights at 40 major U.S. airports. After a weekend of thousands of canceled ights, airlines scrapped another 2,300 ights Monday and more than 1,000 for Tuesday. Air tra c controllers have been unpaid for nearly a month. Some have stopped showing up to work, citing the added stress and the need to take second jobs. Controller shortages led to average delays of four hours at Chicago O’Hare on Monday.
Record-low temps shock Southeast while snowfall blankets parts of Northeast
The southeastern U.S. has plunged into record-low temperatures, a ecting 18 million people under a freeze warning across Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The cold spell moved from the Northern Plains and brought an abrupt transition to wintry temperatures. Some daily records were shattered, including a low of 28 degrees in Jacksonville, Florida. In Florida, temperatures led to a “falling iguana advisory” as iguanas froze into survival mode and fell from trees. Meanwhile, parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast experienced signi cant snowfall, causing hazardous driving conditions. Forecasters expected temps to rise by the end of the week.
Already-struggling economy furher hurt by shutdown
Washington, D.C.
The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history appears to be nearing an end, but not without leaving a mark on an already-struggling economy. About 1.25 million federal workers missed at least one or two paychecks. Thousands of ights have been canceled. Government contract awards have slowed and some food aid recipients have seen their bene ts interrupted. Most of the lost economic activity will be recovered when the government reopens, as federal workers receive back pay. But some canceled ights won’t be retaken, missed restaurant meals won’t be made up, and some postponed purchases by workers will not happen at all.
Albemarle receives clean audit report for ABC system
The Albemarle ABC Board gave the city $483,000
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle City Council was recently presented with the scal 2024-25 audit report for the city’s Alcoholic Beverage Control system.
At the council’s meeting on Nov. 3, Durham Lewis, CPA, shared the full report, summarizing that the Albemarle ABC Board had a clean audit overall for the data reviewed for June 30, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
“That paragraph indicates that we were able to give an unquali ed opinion to the nancial statements,” Lewis said. “That’s the highest opinion that
can be given by an auditor to a set of nancial statements. That means the books and records were in good order. There were no discrepancies and there were no problems.”
The auditor said the Albemarle ABC Board provided nearly a half of a million dollars to the city in taxes over the past scal year, coming up to a $43,000 increase over the previous scal year.
“The board was able to distribute $20,510 for law enforcement, $28,714 for alcohol education — which is computed according to the formulas laid down by the state ABC Commission — and $483,000 was distributed to the city,” Lewis said.
A total of $4.8 million has been given to the city since the board’s inception.
“Council, I would say to look
Uwharrie Players present ‘Smoke on the Mountain’
The local theater group opened the production last weekend
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — After an opening run last weekend, The Uwharrie Players are returning to the Albemarle Neighborhood Theatre this weekend with their stage production of “Smoke on the Mountain.”
Showtimes are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee at 3 p.m.
“We had a great opening weekend of ‘Smoke on the Mountain,’” The Uwharrie Players said in a statement.
“Only three more chances to
“There were no discrepancies and there were no problems.”
Durham Lewis
at the $483,000 and think about the di cult budget we had this year,” Mayor Ronnie Michael said. “Without that, where would we be? That’s about a two-and-a-half-cent property tax increase for us to be equivalent to that amount. This is very much needed for our budget because this year is going to be even tougher.”
Albemarle’s lone ABC Store located at 1930 E. Main St. brought in a gross pro t of $1.4 million last year. Other statistics included in the audit report were a cash
see this show. Don’t miss it!”
The musical comedy marks the third and nal live performance of 2025 for the Albemarle-based community theater organization, which has been celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Earlier in the season, the group staged “You Can’t Take It With You” in the spring and “Once Upon a Mattress” in the summer.
All three main stage productions in the anniversary season have been encore performances of fan favorites from the company’s history. “Smoke on the Mountain” was rst performed by The Uwharrie Players in 1998. Conceived by Alan Bailey and based on a book by Connie
balance of $1,083,422, an inventory of $679,178, net xed assets of $965,682, liabilities payables of $159,683 and a net position of $2,313,862. Additionally, there was $5.9 million for the year in total gross sales, $1.3 million paid out in various liquor taxes and a total cost of sales at $3.1 million.
“That indicates that the board was on strong nancial footing,” Lewis said. “We had a strong cash position and the liabilities were paid current.”
The membership of the Albemarle ABC board is currently held by Chairman John McIntyre, General Manager Cathryn Clayton, and Members Je rey Flake and Terry Morgan. Under the board’s division of revenue, gross pro ts are distributed to law enforcement and alcohol education, while 100% of net pro ts are given to the Albemarle General Fund.
The Albemarle City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
Polar Express train ride heads north from Spencer
The popular holiday attraction at the Transportation Museum runs through Dec. 23
Stanly News Journal sta THE POLAR Express train ride is underway at the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer for its 11th season, running through Dec. 23. The holiday attraction drew approximately 83,000 visitors last year. The rst departure was Nov. 7. The train ride operates on
weekends through Dec. 7, then runs daily Dec. 11-23, with various departures between 2:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
The museum begins installing decorations after Labor Day, using more than 1 million lights that take until late October to set up. More than 180 cast members are trained to recreate scenes from the movie.
The round-trip train ride to the “North Pole” includes hot chocolate and cookies served by dancing chefs, a reading of Chris Van Allsburg’s book “The Polar Express,” and a visit from Santa. Each guest
receives a souvenir sleigh bell and golden ticket. Before boarding, families can enjoy live entertainment, holiday lights, s’mores stations and food vendors. After the ride, Candy Cane Lane o ers crafts, photo opportunities, model trains and gift shop items. The experience lasts approximately 70 minutes.
Tickets are available through the museum’s website at nctransportationmuseum.org. Standard class tickets start at $42.77 for children ages 2-12 and $49.69 for those 13 and older.
Nov. 4
• Tracey Janelle Hartsell, 62, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny, rst degree trespass, aiding and abetting obtain property by false pretense, felony larceny, larceny after breaking and entering, and breaking and entering.
• Deon Novell Jackson, 51, was arrested for failure to register as a sex o ender.
• Harry Michael Fahy, 29, was arrested
for communicating threats, larceny of motor fuel, injury to personal property, misdemeanor conspiracy, misdemeanor larceny, and rst degree trespass.
Nov. 8
• Kristen Michelle Harris, 47, was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence and simple assault.
• Jonathan Brian Bra ord, 40, was arrested for failure to register as a sex o ender.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County.
Nov. 15
Handmade Craft Market
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
This one-day outdoor event sponsored by the Stanly Arts Guild supports local artisans and allows the public the opportunity to purchase distinctive holiday gifts.
330-C N. 2nd St. Albemarle
Nov. 18
Women of Purpose Brunch 10-11 a.m.
A social event speci cally for widows to assist and encourage them to make new connections. For more information, call 704-781-5119.
Greater Life Church 103 Locust Ave. Locust
Nov. 20
Locust Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration 5-8 p.m.
Christmas tree lighting takes place at 6:30 p.m. There will also be opportunities to shop from local artist vendors and take holiday pictures with the Grinch. Refreshments available onsite. Locust Town Center
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
Federal and state governments are rooting out DEI & ESG
FOLLOWING PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s executive orders to root out and eliminate ESG and DEI policies from government agencies and departments, it might be easy to think the war against these destructive ideas is won.
Radical leftists are losing voter support for ESG and DEI at the ballot box, in legislative chambers around the country and in public opinion. But sadly, any attempt to declare victory regarding the end of ESG or DEI would be wrong. Ultra-left activists and entrenched government bureaucrats who support these polices are working overtime to rename ESG and DEI rules so they attract less attention but are still enforced.
ESG (environmental, social and governance) and DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) sound innocent, and that’s the point. Nestled within these two seemingly innocuous acronyms (who could be against inclusion?) are radical, insidious and anti-American agendas.
Going through the letters “ESG,” the realities become apparent. “Environmental” really means climate alarmism and eliminating the safest, most a ordable and most reliable energy sources in favor of solar and wind, which are as unreliable as they are una ordable. “Social” is where DEI lives with racial quotas for hiring, discriminating based on skin color and the worst elements of gender ideology. And “governance” underpins it all by manipulating our free enterprise system to take control of companies and turn them into tools for the woke.
COLUMN | JENNY BETH MARTIN
It’s all a scheme to package the woke left’s agenda and to fundamentally change America for the worse, making it unrecognizable. It is moving us from a meritocracy that values hard work and rewards success to a kakistocracy. Particularly insidious is that this allows the left to implement the worst elements of its agenda without winning elections, without passing laws in Congress or state legislatures, and without any of us having a say in our nation’s future.
There is, however, positive momentum. Many state policymakers have been sounding the alarm for years, but this year the movement against ESG and DEI achieved critical mass. Trump has issued three executive orders targeting DEI (Executive Order 14151, Executive Order 14173, and Executive Order 14168) and two targeting ESG (Executive Order 14154 and Executive Order 14259).
These orders terminated all DEI positions in the federal government, banned contractors from using it in hiring, directed the Department of Justice to investigate civil rights violations related to its use in the private sector, directed the U.S. attorney general to block enforcement of state and local ESG laws, and rescinded all Biden ESG and DEI executive orders.
The Trump administration has taken unprecedented steps to weed out DEI and ESG from both the public and private sectors, ending programs and cutting funding. The Harts eld-Jackson Atlanta International Airport lost more than $37 million in grants when it refused to end DEI. The Trump administration also halted $18 billion in funding
for infrastructure projects in New York City due to concerns about the city’s DEI policies.
State governments have also acted. So far, 22 states have banned or restricted DEI and ESG. Earlier this year, nancial o cers from 21 states sent a warning letter to the nation’s largest banks, urging them to end woke investing policies.
Texas enacted a parental bill of rights that ends DEI and bans instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in public K-12 schools. In Indiana, State Attorney General Todd Rokita moved to block state contracts with law rms that have DEI initiatives following an executive order from Gov. Mike Braun. Before stepping down in August to become a deputy director of the FBI, former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sued IBM and Starbucks for their discriminatory DEI policies and launched an investigation into two foreign-owned proxy advisory rms for promoting ESG.
Despite all this progress, victory celebrations would be premature. Sal Nuzzo, executive director of Consumers Defense, which works to protect American consumers from ESG and woke companies, warns:
“ESG isn’t dead, it’s simply rebranding. The radicals on the Left are publicly proclaiming that they have seen the light while at the same time simply changing the terms to things like ‘sustainability’ and ‘transparency’ in the hopes of waiting out the current momentum. We forget this to our detriment.”
ESG and DEI aren’t just bad ideas — they are destructive forces that must be eradicated. They harm our economy, divide our country, and increasingly violate state and federal laws. Those who want to change the very fabric of America will not simply concede and surrender. We all must remain vigilant to recognize the next iterations of ESG and DEI and continue to root them out.
Harry Roth is director of outreach for Save Our States. This column was rst published by The Daily Signal.
It’s time to impeach Judge Boasberg
PUBLIC TRUST IN THE impartiality of our judiciary is one of the crown jewels of the American republic. Federal judges, unlike politicians, do not stand for election, and the power they wield is immense precisely because it is supposed to be restrained by duty, precedent and the Constitution. When that restraint fails, the remedy is clear: impeachment. Judge James E. Boasberg’s conduct in approving sweeping subpoenas and gag orders as part of the FBI’s “Arctic Frost” investigation shows a breach of trust serious enough to merit that remedy.
Start with the facts: Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, recently disclosed that the FBI’s Arctic Frost probe — launched under the Biden administration and later folded into Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe — was far broader than the public was led to believe. The investigation targeted not just a few Trump allies or campaign gures but “the entire Republican political apparatus.” Agents sought records from at least 430 individuals, groups and businesses tied to the GOP, issuing some 197 subpoenas in the process. Among those ensnared were Republican senators, former Trump o cials and conservative organizations such as Turning Point USA.
That level of sweep might be understandable, and tolerable, if justi ed by credible evidence of criminal conspiracy. But Grassley’s review found no probable cause linking this many targets to an identi able crime. Instead, the evidence points to what Grassley called “the vehicle by which partisan FBI agents and DOJ prosecutors could achieve their partisan ends.” In short, Arctic Frost appears to have been less an investigation into wrongdoing than an exercise in political surveillance.
Boasberg’s role was not tangential. As chief dudge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, he personally approved the subpoenas and the gag orders that kept their existence secret. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, whose phone metadata was sought,
revealed that AT&T had been forbidden by court order to inform him of the subpoena for at least one year. “If a judge signs an order reaching a factual conclusion for which there is no evidence whatsoever,” Cruz said, “that judge is abusing his power.” Cruz is right.
Judges are not grand jurors, nor are they partisan gatekeepers. Their constitutional duty is to test the government’s assertions before granting its requests to intrude on private citizens. A judge’s signature carries the force of law only because it represents independent judgment. When that independence is abandoned — when a judge becomes a rubber stamp for politically charged investigations — the separation of powers itself begins to erode.
Boasberg’s defenders note that the chief judge of the D.C. Circuit routinely handled classi ed or grand jury matters and that his approvals may have been routine. That is precisely the problem. What should never be “routine” is secret surveillance of political actors without clear, nonpartisan justi cation.
Impeachment is not to be taken lightly. The Constitution reserves it for “high crimes and misdemeanors,” which historically includes serious abuses of o ce. A judge who repeatedly fails to exercise due scrutiny over politically sensitive investigations ts that description.
Some will object that impeachment of a sitting federal judge risks politicizing the judiciary further. That argument reverses cause and e ect. It is precisely because the judiciary must remain apolitical that accountability is essential when a judge steps into politics. Congress impeached and removed Judge Alcee Hastings in 1989 for falsifying evidence and perjuring himself. It impeached and removed Judge Thomas Porteous in 2010 for corruption. Judicial independence is not immunity. The same principle must apply when a judge’s conduct facilitates the weaponization of justice for partisan ends.
The larger question is whether Americans still believe the law applies equally. The Arctic Frost
a air is a troubling episode that lends weight to the argument that the law is applied unequally. When subpoenas reach across entire political parties while evidence of actual criminality is not made available for public review, citizens cannot be blamed for suspecting the system is tilted.
Congress cannot restore that trust merely by complaining in hearings or issuing press releases. It must act. The House of Representatives has the authority — and the obligation — to investigate Boasberg’s role, to subpoena the Justice Department’s submissions for his approval and to determine whether he violated his oath to “administer justice without respect to persons.” If the evidence shows that he violated his oath, the House should pass articles of impeachment, and the Senate should hold a trial. No other mechanism will su ce to reassert the principle that even judges are accountable under the Constitution.
The strength of America’s republic depends on the restraint of those who wield power — especially those who wield it for life. If Boasberg believed it was appropriate to sign orders allowing the FBI and DOJ to harvest the communications of elected lawmakers and political organizations without solid cause, then he has demonstrated precisely the kind of judgment that the Founders feared. The time has come for Congress to redraw the line. Judicial independence requires it. So does the Constitution.
Jenny Beth Martin is honorary chairman of Tea Party Patriots Action. This article was rst published by Daily Caller News Foundation.
COLUMN | HARRY ROTH
Johnson shuttered House, amassed quiet power by deferring to Trump
The House has been out of session for nearly two months
By Lisa Mascaro
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After refusing to convene the U.S. House during the government shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson is recalling lawmakers back into session — and facing an avalanche of pent-up legislative demands from those who have largely been sidelined from governing.
Hundreds of representatives are preparing to return Wednesday to Washington, D.C., after a nearly eight-week absence, carrying a torrent of ideas, proposals and frustrations over work that has stalled when the Republican speaker shuttered the House doors nearly two months ago.
First will be a vote to reopen the government. But that’s just the start. With e orts to release the Je rey Epstein les and the swearing in of Arizona’s Rep.elect Adelita Grijalva, the unnished business will pose a fresh test to Johnson’s grip on power and put a renewed focus on his leadership.
“It’s extraordinary,” said Matthew Green, a professor at the politics department at The Catholic University of America.
“What Speaker Johnson and Republicans are doing, you have to go back decades to nd an example where the House — either chamber — decided not to meet.”
Gaveling in after two months away
When the House gavels back into session, it will close this remarkable chapter of Johnson’s tenure when he showed himself to be a leader who is quietly, but brazenly, willing to upend institutional norms in pursuit of his broader strategy, even at the risk of diminishing the House itself.
Rather than use the immense powers of the speaker’s o ce to forcefully steer the debate in Congress, as a coequal branch of the government on par with the executive and the courts, Johnson simply closed up shop — allowing the House to become unusually deferential, particularly to President Donald Trump.
Over these past weeks, the chamber has sidestepped its basic responsibilities, from passing routine legislation to conducting oversight. The silencing of the speaker’s gavel has been both unusual and surprising in a system of government where the founders envisioned the branches would vigorously protect their institutional prerogatives.
“You can see it is pretty empty around here,” Johnson (R-La.) said on day three of the shutdown, tour groups no longer crowding the halls.
“When Congress decides to turn o the lights, it shifts the authority to the executive branch. That is how it works,” he said, blaming Democrats,
“You have to go back decades to nd an example where the House — either chamber — decided not to meet.”
Matthew Green, professor, Catholic University of America
with their ght over health care funds, for the closures.
An empty House as political strategy
The speaker has defended his decision to shutter the House during what’s now the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. He argued that the chamber, under the GOP majority, had already done its job passing a stopgap funding bill in September. It would be up to the Senate to act, he said. When the Senate failed over and over to advance the House bill, more than a dozen times, he refused to enter talks with the other leaders on a compromise.
Johnson also encouraged Trump to cancel an initial sit-down with the Democratic leaders Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Je ries to avoid a broader negotiation while the government was still closed.
Instead, the speaker, whose job is outlined in the Constitution, second in line of succession to the presidency,
held almost daily press conferences on his side of the Capitol, a weekly conference call with GOP lawmakers and private talks with Trump. He joined the president for Sunday’s NFL Washington Commanders game as the Senate was slogging through a weekend session.
“People say, why aren’t you negotiating with Schumer and Je ries? I quite literally have nothing to negotiate,” Johnson said at one point.
“As I’ve said time and time again, I don’t have anything to negotiate with,” he said on day 13 of the shutdown. “We did our job. We had that vote.”
And besides he said of the GOP lawmakers, “They are doing some of their best work in the district, helping their constituents navigate this crisis.”
Accidental speaker delivers for Trump
In many ways, Johnson has become a surprisingly e ective leader, an accidental speaker who was elected to the job by his colleagues after all others failed to win it. He has now lasted more than two years, longer than many once envisioned.
This year, with Trump’s return to the White House, the speaker has commandeered his slim GOP majority and passed legislation including the president’s so-called “One Big Beautiful Bill” of tax breaks and spending reductions that became law this summer.
Johnson’s shutdown strat-
egy also largely achieved his goal, forcing Senate Democrats to break ranks and approve the funds to reopen government without the extension of health care subsidies they were demanding to help ease the sticker shock of rising insurance premium costs with the A ordable Care Act.
Johnson’s approach is seen as one that manages up — he stays close to Trump and says they speak often — and also hammers down, imposing a rigid control over the day-to-day schedule of the House and its lawmakers.
Amassing quiet power
Under a House rules change this year, Johnson was able to keep the chamber shuttered inde nitely on his own without the usual required vote. This year, his leadership team has allowed fewer opportunities for amendments on legislation, according to a recent tally. Other changes have curtailed the House’s ability to provide a robust check on the executive branch over Trump’s tari s and use of war powers.
Johnson’s refusal to swearin Grijalva is a remarkable ex of the speaker’s power, leading to comparisons with Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell’s decision not to consider President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, said David Rapallo, an associate professor and director of the Federal Legislation Clinic at
Georgetown University Law Center. Arizona has sued to seat her.
Marc Short, who headed up the White House’s legislative a airs o ce during the rst Trump administration, said of Johnson, “It’s impressive how he’s held the conference together.”
But, said Short, “The legislative branch has abdicated a lot of responsibility to the executive under his watch.”
Tough decisions ahead for speaker
As lawmakers make their way back to Washington, the speaker’s power will be tested again as they consider the package to reopen government.
Republicans are certain to have complaints about the bill, which funds much of the federal government through Jan. 30 and keeps certain programs — including agriculture, military construction and veterans a airs — running through September.
But with House Democratic leaders rejecting the package for having failed to address the health care subsidies, it will be up to Johnson to muscle it through with mostly GOP lawmakers — with hardly any room for defections in the chamber that’s narrowly split. Je ries, who has criticized House Republicans for what he called an extended vacation, said, “They’re not going to be able to hide this week when they return.”
J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE / AP PHOTO
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) makes a statement to reporters following a vote in the Senate to move forward with a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government through Jan. 30 at the Capitol on Monday.
David Phelps on faith, music, life built in harmony
The powerhouse gospel vocalist brings decades of devotion and storytelling to Albemarle on Friday
By Dan Reeves Stanly News Journal
THE VOICE on the other end of the line is warm, easygoing and unmistakably familiar — smooth as a hymn, powerful as a Sunday morning choir.
David Phelps has lived a life built on musical expression and unwavering faith. And as he prepares to take the stage at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center in Albemarle this Friday, he carries with him three decades of experience, four Grammy nominations and an artistic journey that has taken him from Texas church pews to the Metropolitan Opera.
Phelps grew up surrounded by music and faith — two forces that have de ned him from the beginning.
“I grew up in a family where both faith and music were very important,” he said. “Music became an expression of our faith. It became an expression of emotions and all of that kind of stu because it was something we did all the time.”
His mother was a classical soprano, his sisters both pursued professional music, and their house rang with everything from opera to Journey and Anne Murray. Eclectic, yes — but in his own artistry today, you can hear exactly where that blend took root. By the time he reached his teens, Phelps was singing in church and anywhere else that would have him.
“The preacher at a church in Houston told me, ‘Sing everywhere you can,’” he recalled. “Best advice I ever got.”
He followed it — Rotary Clubs, Sunday schools, small congregations. Wherever a microphone was, he showed up. Each performance built con dence. Each invitation back told him he was on the right path.
After graduating from Baylor University, he and his wife moved to Nashville, Tennessee — ground zero for the contemporary Christian industry. But success wasn’t immediate.
“I signed up with a temp agency. I did anything they sent me to do,” he said. “Data entry, any-
THEATRE from page A1
Ray, “Smoke on the Mountain” features musical arrangements by Mike Craver and Mark Hardwick. The current production is directed by Tom Hollis, with musical direction from Michael Lanier and stage management by Sarah Tysinger.
The story follows Rev. Oglethorpe, the minister of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, as he enlists the Sanders family to help him bring his congregation into the modern world.
“Between songs, each family member witnesses, telling a story about an important event in their life,” the Players provided
thing. Then on the weekends I’d go out and sing.”
Eventually, Word Records took notice and opened the door for an audition with the Gaither Vocal Band — one of the most in uential names in gospel music. Phelps joined the legendary ensemble at age 28, launching a decade-long run that brought Grammy nominations, Dove Awards and lifelong friendships.
“It was a dream come true,” he said. “Bill and Gloria Gaither were iconic to me. I learned so much from them.”
He left the group to pursue his solo work and later returned at Bill Gaither’s request to help reinvent the vocal band.
“It felt like the right thing to do,” he said. “Some things in life just do.”
Phelps’ solo career grew alongside his work with the Gaithers. His powerful ballads, wide-ranging vocals and multigenre inuences earned him a devot-
in a plot synopsis. “Though they try to appear perfect in the eyes of a congregation who wants to be inspired by their songs, one thing after another goes awry and they reveal their true — and hilariously imperfect — natures. By the evening’s end, the Sanders Family have endeared themselves to us by revealing their weaknesses and allowing us to share in their triumphs.”
The cast includes Jet Miller as Rev. Oglethorpe, Jeremiah Tucker as Dennis Sanders, Todd Basinger as Stanley Sanders, Suzanne Holshouser as Vera Sanders, Red Almond as Burl Sanders, Maggie Garrido as Denise Sanders, Lauren Bu-
“The
David Phelps
ed global following. And with that voice, Christmas became one of the natural pillars of his work. An early performance of “O Holy Night” helped launch a decades-long series of Christmas tours. More recently, his Christmas album “It Must Be Christmas” led to his participation in a glossy Google holiday campaign — “Catching Santa,” lmed to promote a new device.
“Christmas is such a great outlet for voices like mine,” he said, laughing. “Mariah Carey comes out every year; Bublé comes out every year. It just works.”
choltz as June Sanders, Michael Lanier as Banjo Player, Heather Almond as Piano Player, Rick Hansen as Guitar Player, Martha Sue Hall and Charles Harris as Bass Players, and Brooke Burrage as Fiddle Player.
Tickets are available at theuwharrieplayers.org. General admission for adults is $20, while senior (60 and older) and junior (17 and under) tickets are $15.
Founded in 1975 as an outgrowth of the Stanly County Arts Council, The Uwharrie Players have brought live dramas, comedies and musicals to Stanly County and surrounding communities for over four decades.
In recent years, Phelps has stepped onto stages far beyond the gospel world. He ful lled a lifelong dream by appearing at New York’s Metropolitan Opera — after rst auditioning there decades earlier. Then came a call from Stephen Schwartz, the revered composer behind “Wicked” and other Broadway staples. Schwartz wanted him for “Children of Eden,” where Phelps would play Adam and Noah. The show ran at the Lyric Opera in Chicago and later at Lincoln Center in New York.
“It was nerve-wracking but amazing,” he said. “To jump in with the best of the best — it was incredible.”
Yet even with his résumé of major venues, awards and Broadway-caliber productions, Phelps remains deeply connected to the spiritual core of what he does. His audience spans teenagers to grandparents, and he sees that range as a
re ection of the message itself.
“In gospel music, it’s the message that de nes the genre,” he said. “People come because they’re searching or they’ve landed in a place of faith and want to be reminded of it. They want to be encouraged. That’s what makes it so special.”
North Carolina has become familiar ground for him, even without family connections.
“We’ve been there so many times,” he said. “North Carolina keeps us coming back.”
And on Friday evening in Albemarle, that connection will continue.
“We’re going to have a great time,” Phelps said. “We’ll laugh, we’ll celebrate music together— and it’s going to be a good time.”
With his roots planted in faith and his voice carrying him across genres and generations, David Phelps stands exactly where he started: singing everywhere he can.
PHOTO COURTESY CRAIG P. SMITH
David Phelps and Selah: Lift Your Voice Tour is coming to Stanly County Agri-Civic Center in Albemarle on Friday, Nov 14.
Bonnie Sue Blackburn
June 14, 1949 – Nov. 6, 2025
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Bonnie Sue Blackburn, of Oakboro, NC, a woman of faith, beloved wife, loving mother, and friend, who left us on November 6, 2025, at the age of 76. Born on June 14, 1949, in North Carolina, Bonnie lived a vibrant life lled with creativity, kindness, and unwavering strength. Bonnie is survived by her husband, Dayle Blackburn, with whom she shared a beautiful journey of love and devotion that began in high school in 1964 where he would always save her a seat on the school bus. Their love story spanned over 57 years, married in 1968, always supporting each other and doing so many things together - traveling, camping trips, boating, and cherished moments with family and friends. She is also survived by her son, Jason M. Blackburn (Becky), of Wilmington, NC, as well as her sisters, Betty W. Smith (John), Judy W. Ricketts (deceased husband Ricky), and Nancy W. Austin (Alvin), along with numerous nieces and nephews. Throughout her life, Bonnie was known for her unwavering spirit and calm demeanor. Despite facing signi cant health challenges starting about 6 years ago, including Covid-19 and kidney failure, she approached each day with courage and a smile despite her home hemodialysis and Covid-19 taking a serious toll on her mobility. After falling six weeks prior to her passing and undergoing back surgery, Bonnie’s health took a turn, but she never lost hope and continued to inspire those around her, never once complaining. It was just too much for her to overcome and passed away peacefully with her husband and sister by her side. Bonnie’s passion for helping others was evident in all she did. She skillfully balanced her career as a claims adjuster in the insurance industry, following her studies in Paralegal Technology and Insurance, working with two law rms, as a legal assistant and three insurance companies as a claims representative, while also sharing her love of crafting with many. She had a special ability to connect with people, whether teaching crafts to a group of ladies or collecting cherished recipes and angels. In honor of Bonnie’s wishes, there will be no formal funeral service. Instead, we will gather to celebrate her life and all the joy she brought to those around her after the rst of the year. In lieu of owers, Bonnie’s family asks that contributions be made in her memory to the National Kidney Foundation. Bonnie will always be remembered as tough as nails, never giving up on a task, never complaining, and above all as Dayle put it, “she was my Trusty Sidekick for over 60 years”. She dedicated her life to loving others and leaving a positive mark on everyone she met. We invite all who knew and loved Bonnie to join us in honoring her remarkable spirit when we come together to celebrate her life. Bonnie was preceded in death by her parents, Louis White, Mary White. Condolences may be made online at www. greenefuneral.com
OBITUARIES
Ruby Marie Burris Hudson
Dec. 10, 1937 – Nov. 3, 2025
Ruby Marie Burris Hudson, 87, peacefully passed away on Monday, November 3, 2025, at Atrium Health Stanly. A graveside service will be held at 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at Poplins Grove Baptist Church Cemetery, o ciated by Rev. Delane Burris. There will be no formal visitation. Born December 10, 1937, in Stanly County, Ruby was the daughter of the late Burch Elem Burris and Annie Maybelle Honeycutt Burris. She built a life centered on faith, hard work, and devotion to her family. Over the years she worked with Stanly Regional Medical Center in Dietary Services and also held positions with Stanly Knitting Mills, Trinity Place, the Stanly News & Press, and Susie’s Friends Daycare. Ruby was active in Poplins Grove Baptist Church for as long as her health allowed and was known for her gentle heart and the unwavering love she showed her family. She is lovingly survived by her son, Rodney Lowder (Karen) of Albemarle; granddaughter, Elizabeth Pintea (Matt) of Stan eld; great-granddaughter, Savannah; and her sister, Susie Bowers. Ruby was preceded in death by her husband, William Lewis Hudson; her brother, Joe Lee Burris; and her sisters, Mary Roselene Schreppel, Sara Elizabeth Yow, and Monzell Coley. Ruby will be remembered as a devoted mother and a woman who cherished those she loved. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is serving the Hudson family.
Vann Burleson Jr.
Nov. 24, 1944 – Nov. 3, 2025
Vann Burleson Jr, 80, of Albemarle, passed away Monday, November 3, 2025, at Atrium Health Cabarrus Hospital in Concord.
He was born November 24, 1944, in North Carolina to the late Vann Burleson Sr. and Alice Tommie Foreman. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Tommie Burleson.
Vann enjoyed tractors and antique farming equipment and was an avid collector. He often displayed his tractors and other machines at the annual Southeast Old Threshers Reunion in Denton. Vann enjoyed westerns and bluegrass music, particularly the Malpass Brothers, and spending time in the garden and with his grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 12-1:45 p.m., on Friday, November 7, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle, followed by the funeral service at 2 p.m., o ciated by Rev. Don Burleyson. A private burial will follow the ceremony.
Survivors include daughters, Laura (Charles) Curcio, and Amy (Roger) Whitley, and grandsons, Tate Hudson Whitley and Laine Alexander Whitley.
The family wants to express their appreciation to the doctors and sta of the Levine Cancer Center in Albemarle for their care and compassion.
Memorials may be made to Hometown Heroes of Monroe.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Burleson family.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com
Beth Ann Turner
Aug. 8, 1964 – Oct. 29, 2025
Beth Ann Turner, 61, of Indian Trail, passed away Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at Atrium
IN MEMORY
Health Pineville in Charlotte. Beth was born August 8, 1964, in North Carolina to the late Charles Franklin Turner and Martha Sue Turner. She was also preceded in death by brother, Charles Timothy Turner, niece, Mary Kate Turner Severin, and grandparents Mrs. and Mrs. Milton Harris, Mr. and Mrs. J.F. Turner. Beth was a lifelong avid NC State Wolf pack fan, she enjoyed traveling and spending time with her family. The family will receive friends from 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm, Monday, November 10, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home Albemarle. The funeral service will follow on Monday at 3:00 pm at Hartsell Funeral Home’s Le er Memorial Chapel, o ciated by
SAMUEL EDWARD PRICE JR. NOV. 17, 1934 – NOV. 4, 2025
Rev. Evan Hill. Burial will follow at New London Cemetery. Survivors include mother, Martha Sue Turner of New London, NC, sister, Susan Brewer (Bob) of Burlington, NC, brother, Joseph Frank Turner (Debbie) of Albemarle, NC, niece, Dana Turner (Tim), niece, Meagan Williams, great nephews, Aiden Williams and Nolan Williams.
Memorials may be shared to Kay Yow Cancer Fund. 4804 Page Creek Lane, Suite 118, Durham, NC 27703 or New London UMC P.O. Box 146 New London, NC 28127 Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Turner family.
Online condolences may be made at www.hartsellfh.com
Samuel Edward Price Jr., 90, of Mount Gilead, passed away Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at Atrium Health Stanly Hospital in Albemarle, NC.
Samuel was born on November 17, 1934, in South Carolina to the late Samuel Edward Price Sr. and the late Jessie Lanilta Cooper Price. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Betty Kuykendall Price.
Samuel was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He served his nation proudly by joining the United States Marine Corps and later served another term in the Army. He was a member of the Charlotte Life Saving Crew in Charlotte, NC, and also served as a volunteer re ghter.
Samuel and his wife Betty owned and operated Betty’s Gifts, Flowers, and Cards on North Second Street, Albemarle, NC, in the 1980s. They also owned and operated a bed and breakfast in Mt. Gilead, and they shared ownership with Thaddeus Furr in Uwharrie Sportsman in Mt. Gilead, NC. Samuel served on the initial Board of Directors of Lake Tillery Fire and Rescue of Mt. Gilead, where he also volunteered. He also worked security for numerous organizations such as Carolina Medical Center, Celanese Corporation in Charlotte, NC, The Charlotte Coliseum and Carolina Forest in Troy, NC.
Samuel was a member of The National Society Sons of the American Revolution, The Colonial Order of the Crown, The Summerset Chapter Magna Charta Barons, Sons of the Confederate Veterans and received a certi cate of appreciation from the State of North Carolina Department of Human Resources for his service. He also volunteered for nearly 15 years at Roll-a-Bout Skating Rink in Asheboro, NC.
Some of Samuel’s favorite pastimes were roller skating, playing ice hockey, shing out on the lake, eating butter-pecan ice cream and drinking a Pepsi-Cola. He also made jewelry out of sea shells when he would go to the beach with his family. But out of all the things he has done and places he has been, his most cherished moments were the times he got to spend with his family.
The family will receive friends from 10-11:45 a.m. on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle. The funeral service will follow at noon at Hartsell Funeral Home’s Le er Memorial Chapel, o ciated by Pastor Scott Williams. Burial will follow at Sharon Memorial Park at 5716 Monroe Road, Charlotte, NC.
Survivors include daughter, Brenda Price Campbell of Troy, NC; son, Samuel Edward Price, III, of Mount Gilead, NC; 10 wonderful grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
HAZEL THOMPSON SMITH
MARCH 7, 1929 – NOV. 5, 2025
Hazel Thompson Smith, 96, of Albemarle, passed away on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at Trinity Place.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 8, 2025, in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel, Albemarle, with Pastor Ron Lo in o ciating. Burial will follow at Stanly Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., prior to the service.
Born March 7, 1929, in Stanly County, Hazel was the daughter of the late Swink Alexander Thompson and Lucy Hatley Thompson. A devoted homemaker and former member of Grace Baptist Church, she was lovingly known as “Nannie.” Her family remembers her as nurturing and compassionate, an excellent cook, a determined and independent spirit and a tireless gardener with a remarkable green thumb. Each October, she planted a thousand pansies, and she could coax life and color from any patch of earth.
Hazel loved being outdoors and was rarely without a purposeful walk; often covering miles on foot while carrying cakes to her son’s business. “Hey, sweetie,” was her trademark greeting to those she loved. “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino was her favorite song; for years, she called the radio station every morning to request it, and they soon knew her voice by heart. She delighted in caring for animals, especially her cats, and her daughter Donna fondly recalls how Hazel spoiled the horses. Above all, she took great pride in serving her family good, home-cooked meals.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Max Herman Smith, in 2003.
Survivors include her son, Terry Mitchell Smith (Penny) of New London; her daughter, Donna Smith Baucom (Tommy) of Rockwell; her brother, Ronnie Thompson (Rovetta) of Albemarle; two grandchildren, Tracy B. Heglar (Terence) of Rockwell and Kelly T. Baucom (Katherine) of Wrightsville Beach; and ve great-grandchildren: Dalton Heglar, Max Heglar, Scout Baucom, James Baucom and Indie Baucom.
In lieu of owers, memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at stjude.org.
ETHEL “FRANCES” BARBEE ALMOND
NOV. 5, 1936 – NOV. 5, 2025
Ethel “Frances” Barbee Almond, 89, of Locust, passed away on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at Stanley Total Living Center in Stanley, NC.
Frances was born on November 5, 1936, in Cabarrus County, NC, to the late Melbert Arleen Barbee and the late Ella Mae Aycock Barbee. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Reece Ray Almond, her sister, Bessie Ruth Tolbert, and her grandson, Neil Brandon Palmer.
Frances was a dedicated lifetime member of Kinza Memorial Baptist Church and loved her Locust community. She enjoyed word searches, coloring and playing board and card games. Frances was a loving mom, grandma and sister.
Survivors include son, Gilton (Bennie) Almond of North Myrtle Beach, SC; daughter, Sybil (Dennis) Bell of Mount Holly, NC; daughter, Sharon (Chris) Truitt of Charlotte, NC; sister, Louise Little of Concord, NC; brother, Bobby (Linda) Barbee of Midland, NC; brother, Roy Lee (Louise) Barbee of Monroe, NC; eight grandchildren Mark, Chris, Brad, Karen, Michael, Jessica, Matt and Allison; 11 great-grandchildren; and three great-great grandchildren.
The family will receive friends from 1-1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, at Kinza Memorial Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. at the church, o ciated by Pastor Tab Whitley. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to Stanley Total Living Center, 514 Old Mt. Holly Road, Stanley, NC 28164.
STANLY SPORTS
Albemarle holds o Cherokee in rst round state playo game
The Bulldogs had 186 rushing yards in their win
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Albemar-
le opened its NCSHAA football playo campaign with a 21-15 home win over Cherokee in Bulldog Stadium on Friday night.
Snapping a two-game losing skid they had going into the postseason, the No. 16 Bulldogs
(5-6) used their six-point victory over the No. 17 Braves (3-8) to advance to the second round of the 2A bracket.
Albemarle will now be on the road for the rest of the tournament, beginning with a matchup on Friday against the No. 1 Murphy Bulldogs (8-2), who received a bye last week.
The Bulldogs won all six of their conference matchups during the regular season and have not lost since Sept. 12.
Looking ahead, the winner between Albemarle and Mur-
phy will play a third-round game against either No. 8 Swain County or No. 9 Community School of Davidson on Nov. 21.
In Friday’s home win versus the Braves, Albemarle found itself up 21-7 in the fourth quarter before Cherokee mounted an unsuccessful comeback attempt.
The rst points of the game didn’t come until the nal eight seconds of the rst half when Shoddy Pergee gave the Bulldogs the lead with a 20-yard
run to the end zone. The junior running back nished the night with 13 carries for 125 yards and scored all three of the Bulldogs’ touchdowns.
Pergee added his second score of the night early in the third quarter when he exploded up the middle for an untouched 58-yard run to give Albemarle a 14-0 lead following the extra point.
At the 5:20 mark of the third quarter, the Braves got on the board when running back Kingston Welch took a 25-yard
South Stanly, North Stanly to host second-round state playo matchups
The Bulls and Comets were two of three YVC co-champions
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Stanly County’s four varsity football teams will each see NCHSAA state playo action this week as two squads prepare for home matchups and two others hit the road.
While a pair had a rst-round bye this past weekend, the other two won their games to stay alive and advance to the second round of postseason play.
No. 10 Christ the King at No. 7 South Stanly
Following a bye week in the 2A bracket, the No. 7 South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls are set to host the No. 10 Christ the King Crusaders, who also had a bye to open the state playo s.
The Bulls (8-2) have won four games in a row — along with six of their seven Yadkin Valley Conference matchups — on their way to claiming a share of the YVC title. Meanwhile, the Crusaders (7-3) came away with wins in three of their four October contests leading up to November play.
The winner will play either No. 2 Starmount or No. 15
Cherryville in the third round on Nov. 21.
No. 13 East Surry at No. 4 North Stanly
Like South Stanly, North Stanly also had a rst-round bye to kick o the tourna-
ment after becoming a YVC co-champion at the end of the regular season. In the 3A bracket, the No. 4 Comets (9-1) will now host the No. 13 East Surry Cardinals (5-6), a team that was inconsistent throughout the year but handled No. 20 Polk County
with ease in a 35-15 rst-round victory over the weekend. If North Stanly is able to take down the Cardinals to achieve its fourth consecutive victory, the Comets will face either No. 5 Providence Grove or No. 12 West Davidson in a third-round matchup.
rush to the house to make it a one-score game. Not to be outdone by Cherokee’s rushing attack, Pergee took advantage of a few key blocks to add his third score of the game on a 16-yard run midway through the fourth quarter. Welch then had a response of his own nearly a minute later as his 4-yard score capped o a quick Brave drive to narrow Albemarle’s lead again.
Cherokee faked its extra point kick, and snapper Dillon Beam threw a pass to a wideopen Kimo Sokol in the back left corner of the end zoneto make it 21-15 game with 5:41 left in the matchup. Albemarle’s defense held strong for the remainder of the fourth quarter, ensuring the Bulldogs’ advancement to the second round of the state playo s.
No. 16 Albemarle at No. 1 Murphy
Hosting No. 17 Cherokee in the rst round of the 2A bracket, No. 16 Albemarle got the job done on Friday as the Bulldogs (5-6) snapped a two - game losing skid with a 21-15 win over the Braves (3-8).
Albemarle will now tackle the remainder of the state playo s on the road, starting with a matchup against the No. 1 Murphy Bulldogs (8-2). Murphy is on a six-game winning streak after sweeping its opponents in the Smoky Mountain Conference throughout September and October.
The victor of the two Bulldogs teams will play a third-round game against the winner of No. 8 Swain County and No. 9 Community School of Davidson.
No. 24 West Stanly at No. 8 Burns
Still alive as a No. 24 seed in the 4A bracket, the West Stanly Colts (2-9) pulled out a 24 -22 road win over the No. 9 Lexington Senior Yellow Jackets (6-5) on Friday.
The upset victory snapped a seven-game losing streak for West Stanly, which will now travel to Lawndale to face the No. 8 Burns Bulldogs (6-4). Burns had a rst-round bye after a season in which its 6-2 record in the Southern Piedmont Conference landed the team in third place among eight other teams in the league.
Either No. 1 Brevard or No. 16 West Stokes will be waiting for the Colts or Bulldogs in the third round.
COURTESY STARLA WHITLEY
Albemarle’s Shoddy Pergee takes a hando from Adam Jordan during the Bulldogs’ home win over Cherokee on Nov. 7.
COURTESY CALEB STEWART PHOTOGRAPHY
South Stanly’s Jayden Woods operates in the open eld during a home matchup with Mountain Island Charter on Oct. 24.
NCAA revokes eligibility of 6 more basketball players 30
Arizona State, New Orleans and Mississippi Valley State players are involved in the gambling probe
By Doug Feinberg
The Associated Press
THE NCAA REVOKED the eligibility of six men’s college basketball players as a result of three separate sports-betting cases that involved a power-conference school and allegations of players throwing games to lose by more points than the spread.
The NCAA Committee on Infractions released ndings from an investigation that concluded Chatton “BJ” Freeman at Arizona State; Cedquavious Hunter, Dyquavian Short and Jamond Vincent at New Orleans, and Donovan Sanders and Alvin Stredic at Mississippi Valley State either manipulated their performances to lose games, not cover bet lines or ensure certain prop bets were reached, or provided information that enabled others to do so during the 2024 -25 regular season.
The NCAA said last month it was investigating at least 30 current or former players for gambling allegations. The NCAA also banned three college basketball players in September for betting on their own games at Fresno State and San Jose State.
Arizona State is the only power-conference school involved in the recent announcements. Freeman became implicated in the investigation when the NCAA reviewed text messages between him and a player banned in September, Mykell Robinson, who played at Fresno State. Records on Robinson’s phone indicated that on four separate occasions between November and December 2024, Freeman knowingly provided information to Robinson, who was betting on Freeman through daily fantasy sports accounts. Freeman also knowingly provided information on at least two occasions to his then-girlfriend, who was also betting on Freeman.
In one instance, Freeman provided information to Robinson to bet the over on Freeman’s turnover total against Florida on Dec. 14, 2024, according to the NCAA. Arizona State entered the game 8-1. The Sun Devils lost 83-66 to the ninth-ranked Gators and went on to nish the season 13-20. Freeman had one turnover in the game.
The violations at New Orleans against Hunter, Short and Vincent came to light after the NCAA received a tip about game manipulation. The NCAA said a student-athlete overheard the three players discuss a third party placing a bet on their game against
Number of current or former players currently under NCAA investigation for gambling allegations
McNeese State on Dec. 28, 2024. New Orleans lost 86-61.
That same student-athlete reported that during a timeout near the end of the game, Short instructed him not to score any more points. New Orleans suspended all three student-athletes for the remainder of the season while it investigated the allegations.
The NCAA investigation showed that the three players manipulated their performances in seven games from December through January to lose by more points than the spread for that game.
The NCAA reached out to an integrity monitoring service to review Mississippi Valley State games after a related but separate NBA gambling ring that was uncovered earlier this year showed potential ties to college basketball, including the school.
The service indicated betting trends for the Mississippi Valley State games on Jan. 6 against Alabama A&M were suspicious. Mississippi Valley State lost 79-67.
During an interview with the NCAA, a men’s basketball student-athlete said that before the team’s Dec. 21, 2024, game, he overhead Sanders on the phone with an unknown third party talking about “throwing the game.”
Sanders asked the student-athlete to participate in the call because the third party had told Sanders the individual intended to bet on the game and wanted to know that another of Sanders’ teammates would participate in the scheme.
The student-athlete denied altering his performance or receiving money from Sanders or any other individuals. Sanders texted the same student-athlete after that game and told him to delete their messages.
During a second interview, Sanders could not explain the student-athlete’s account of the events or the text messages. He did say, however, that he and Stredic were o ered money to throw the team’s Jan. 6 game by another anonymous caller, who instructed them to perform poorly in the rst half.
The enforcement sta demonstrated that Sanders knowingly provided information to a third party for the purposes of sports betting for two games and Stredic did the same for one game.
Basketball season ready for tip
County boys’ and girls’ teams will hit the oor for the 2025 -26 season
Stanly News Journal sta HIGH SCHOOL basketball starts this week.
West Stanly and Albemarle get things started with cross-conference boys’ and girls’ games hosted by the Bulldogs on Nov. 14.
West Stanly is coming o a 10-15 season, the third losing campaign in a row for the Colts. The West Stanly girls were 14-12, a half-game better than the previous season and its second straight winning season.
Albemarle is looking to improve on a 2-21 record in
2024-25. The Bulldogs’ girls were 25-5 with a trip to the state’s nal eight.
Gray Stone Day also opens its season on the 14th, on the road at South Rowan. The boys are looking to improve on last year’s 3-17 record. The girls are coming o of a 2-17 campaign.
North Stanly gets things started on Nov. 19, at home against East Rowan. The Comets boys were 22-7 last year, losing in the second round of the playo s. The girls were 13 -13, snapping a string of three straight 20-win seasons.
South Stanly is the last to tip things o , with a Nov. 21game against Central Academy. The Rowdy Rebel Bulls were 17-9 on the boys’ side last season, and the girls were 1-20.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
• Nov. 14 West Stanly at Albemarle 6:00 girls 7:30 boys
• Nov. 14 Gray Stone Day at South Rowan 6:00 girls 7:30 boys
• Nov. 18 Charlotte Latin at West Stanly 6:00 girls 7:30 boys
• Nov. 18 Forest Hills at Albemarle 6:00 girls 7:30 boys
• Nov. 18 Sun Valley at Gray Stone Day 6:00 girls 7:30 boys
• Nov. 19 East Rowan at North Stanly 6:00 girls 7:30 boys
Paul Tagliabue, former NFL commissioner, dead at age 84
The league’s longtime leader’s legacy includes more money, diversity and a concussion conundrum
By Arnie Stapleton
The Associated Press
PAUL TAGLIABUE led the NFL to greater riches, more diversity and soaring popularity during his 17-year tenure as commissioner of America’s favorite sport. His stewardship also was marked by the league’s dawdling recognition of the impact and severity of concussions.
Tagliabue, who died Sunday of heart failure at age 84, was commissioner from 1989 to 2006. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
League revenues skyrocketed during the 17 years under Tagliabue, who was succeeded by current commissioner Rodger Goodell after brokering new television and labor deals. In addition to billions of dollars in broadcast revenue, the league also saw construction of a slew of new stadiums and expansion to 32 teams.
Tagliabue established the “Rooney Rule,” under which all teams with coaching vacancies must interview minority candidates. It has since been expanded to include front-o ce and league executive positions. Although the rule is named for the late Dan Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, it could easily have carried Tagliabue’s ID.
Art Shell, a Hall of Fame player, became the NFL’s rst modern-day black head coach with the Raiders. He got to see Tagli-
abue up close and thought him utterly suited for his job.
“After my coaching career was over, I had the privilege of working directly with Paul in the league o ce,” Shell said.
“His philosophy on almost every issue was, ‘If it’s broke, x it. And if it’s not broke, x it anyway.’
“He always challenged us to nd better ways of doing things. Paul never lost sight of his responsibility to do what was right for the game. He was the perfect choice as NFL commissioner.”
There were no labor stoppages during Tagliabue’s 17 years in charge, and that contributed to the sport’s increasing popularity, not only in the U.S. but globally. Tagliabue’s death was announced Sunday morning during the NFL’s game in Berlin, where the Indianapolis Colts beat the Atlanta Falcons 31-25 in overtime in the rst regular-season game played in the German capital.
Taking heed of his predecessor’s regrets, Tagliabue called o NFL games the weekend after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. One of Pete Rozelle’s great
regrets was proceeding with games two days after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963. The league pushed the Week 2 slate of games in 2001 to the rst week of January and pushed the playo s back a week.
Tagliabue insisted the Saints remain in New Orleans after owner Tom Benson sought to move the team to San Antonio following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. A few years later, Drew Brees and Sean Payton, who arrived for the rebuild, brought the Big Easy its rst Super Bowl title.
Among Tagliabue’s major achievements was implementing a policy on substance abuse that was considered the strongest in all major sports. Yet his long wait for enshrinement in Canton, Ohio, was pinned on the issue of concussions, which have plagued the NFL for decades.
In 2017, Tagliabue apologized for remarks he made decades earlier about concussions in football, acknowledging he didn’t have the proper data at the time in 1994.
Mason Jackson West Stanly 3-11
Goly Gonda West Stanly 1-11
Javier Padilla West Stanly 1-11
Holden Pope West Stanly 1-10
Pedro Mincitar West Stanly 1-4 AJ Butler Albemarle 1-4 Naijay Hastings Albemarle 1-3
Games last week (Nov. 7) • South Stanly, bye as 7-seed in NCHSAA Class 2A playo s
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon
GENE J. PUSKAR / AP PHOTO
Paul Tagliabue receives his gold jacket at his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Centennial Class in 2021 in Canton, Ohio.
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NOTICES
BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000556-830
NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY. SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25SP000120-830
NOTICE
TONY BIGGERS, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF ALVIN DAVID SPEIGHTS, JR. Petitioner, Vs. SYLVIA SMITH, MAXINE UNDERWOOD, ROGER BLAKE, AL BLAKE, WELLS FARGO BANK AND SYNCHRONY BANK Respondents
NOTICE OF SALE OF REAL PROPERTY
Pursuant to an
The
The
nal
subject to the con rmation of the court.
and
will
Any further announcements shall be made at the sale.
Tony Biggers 20283 Hwy 52 S. Albemarle, NC 28001
James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for Tony Biggers Administrator of the Estate of Alvin David Speights, JR. P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002 704-983-2709
Publish: November 5, and 12, 2025
Posted on: October 22, 2025
NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25SP000082-830 ANNMARIE STOLLE-ROCCO, Petitioner, vs. JOHN ABRUZZO, HOWARD G. STOLLE, JR., MARK STURT TRIPP, LINDA SUSAN VINICOMBE, and PATRICIA MARIE VANMIDDELEM, Respondents.
NOTICE OF SALE
Notice
Under and by virtue of an Order of the Clerk of Superior Court of Stanly County, North Carolina, entered on the 27th day of August, 2025, made in the above captioned Estate, the undersigned, was by said Order appointed Commissioner to sell the land described in the Petition, and will on the 24th day of November, 2025, at 12:00 Noon at the Stanly County Courthouse, Albemarle, North Carolina, o er for sale to the highest bidder for cash, that certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in Locust, Stanly County, North Carolina and being more particularly described as follows:
TRACT ONE BEING all of Lot 30 in Locust Valley Subdivision as shown on map thereof in Plat Book 19, page 153, Stanly County Public Registry. Reference to said plat being hereby made for a more complete description by metes and bounds.
The above-described property is subject to a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants, including the creation of a homeowners association, as shown in Book 1077, page 89, Stanly County Registry. For reference see Deed Book 1166, Page 588, Stanly County Registry. For further reference see deed recorded in Book 1039, page 147, Stanly County Registry. Parcel ID: 557502665767 That by deed dated April 16, 2010, and recorded in Deed Book 1321, Page 294, Stanly County Registry, Fifth Third Bank, conveyed to William H. Dehn (Deceased) property in Locust Township, Stanly County, North Carolina, said property more particularly described as follows:
TRACT TWO
BEING all of Lot 29 of LOCUST VALLEY SUBDIVISION as same is shown on map thereof recorded in Map Book 19 at Page 149-150 in the Stanly County Registry.
The property hereinabove described was acquired by Grantor by instrument recorded in Book 1309, Page 375 of the Stanly County, North Carolina Register of Deeds (the “Registry”). For reference see Deed Book 1321, Page 294, Stanly County Registry. Parcel ID: 557502665649
The Address of the properties are: 220 Vanderbilt Boulevard, and a vacant lot located at 218 Vanderbilt Boulevard, Locust, Stanly County, North Carolina
The above-described real property will be sold subject to any and all liens or encumbrances, superior mortgages, deeds of trust liens, including, without limitation, easements, conditions, restrictions and matters of record, and any unpaid county and city ad valorem taxes, including those for the year 2025, and city assessments, if any. Subject to any encroachments. An earnest money deposit equal to ve percent (5%) of the bid price, or $750.00, whichever is greater, will be required from the highest bidder at the time of sale as evidence of good faith. This sale will be held open for ten (10) days for upset bids.
This the 20th day of October, 2025.
MARK T. LOWDER Commissioner M.T. Lowder & Associates Attorneys at Law P.O. Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone: 704-982-8558 Fax: 704-986-4808 PUBLISH: November 12 and 19, 2025
‘Freakier
Friday,’ NF, ‘Landman,’
‘Palm Royale,’
Soul powerhouse Summer Walker drops “Finally Over It”
The Associated Press
JAMIE LEE CURTIS and Lindsay Lohan re-teaming as the body-swapping mother and daughter duo in “Freakier Friday” and albums from 5 Seconds of Summer and the rapper NF are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.
Also among the streaming o erings worth your time this week: Claire Danes and Matthew Rhys team up for the new limited-series thriller “The Beast in Me,” gamers get Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 and Apple TV’s star-studded “Palm Royale” is back.
MOVIES TO STREAM
Richard Linklater’s love letter to the French New Wave and the making of Jean-Luc Godard’s “Breathless,” “Nouvelle Vague,” will be streaming on Net ix on Friday. In his review, Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle writes that, “To a remarkable degree, Linklater’s lm, in French and boxed into the Academy ratio, black-and-white style of ‘Breathless,’ has fully imbibed that spirit, resurrecting one of the most hallowed eras of movies to capture an iconoclast in the making. The result is something endlessly stylish and almost absurdly uncanny.” Curtis and Lohan are back as the body-swapping mother and daughter duo in “Freakier Friday,” a sequel to their 2003 movie, now streaming on Disney+.
Black Ops 7
JORDAN STRAUSS / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Sam Elliott and Billy Bob Thornton attend the “Landman” Season 2 screening in October in Los Angeles. The show returns to Paramount+ on Sunday.
In her review, Jocelyn Noveck writes, “The chief weakness of ‘Freakier Friday’ — an amiable, often joyful and certainly chaotic reunion — is that while it hews overly closely to the structure, storyline and even dialogue of the original, it tries too hard to up the ante. The comedy is thus a bit more manic, and the plot machinations more overwrought (or sometimes distractingly silly).” Ari Aster’s latest nightmare “Eddington” is set in a small, ctional New Mexico town during the coronavirus pandemic, which becomes a kind of microcosm for our polarized society at large with Joaquin Phoenix as the sheri and Pedro Pascal as its mayor. In my review, I wrote that, “it is an anti-escapist symphony of masking debates, conspiracy theories, YouTube proph-
ets, TikTok trends and third-rail topics in which no side is spared.”
An incurable cancer diagnoses might not be the most obvious starting place for a funny and a rming lm, but that is the magic of Ryan White’s documentary “Come See Me in the Good Light,” about two poets — Andrea Gibson, who died in July, and Megan Falley — facing a difcult reality together. It will be on Apple TV on Friday.
MUSIC TO STREAM
The R&B and neo soul powerhouse Summer Walker has returned with her third studio album and rst in four years.
“Finally Over It,” out Friday, is the nal chapter of her “Over It” trilogy; a release centered on transformation and autonomy. That’s evident from the dreamy
able to arrange on-site visits to see the interior and exterior of the apartments on the following dates: Wednesday, Thursday, November 12 and 13, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, November 18, 19 and 20, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM or at other times by contacting Pedro Mincitar at 805-363-0149 or pmincitar@ci.albemarle.nc.us to schedule a visit. Bidders MUST notify Pedro Mincitar in advance of any site visits.
throwback single, “Heart of A Woman,” in which the song’s protagonist is disappointed with her partner — but with striking self-awareness. Consider him one of the biggest artists on the planet that you may not be familiar with. NF, the musical moniker of Nate Feuerstein, emerged from the Christian rap world as a modern answer to Eminem only to top the mainstream, all-genre Billboard 200 chart twice, with 2017’s “Perception” and 2019’s “The Search.”
SERIES TO STREAM
Apple TV’s star-studded “Palm Royale” is back just in time for a new social season. Starring Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, Leslie Bibb, Kaia Gerber, Ricky Martin AND Carol Burnett, the show is campy, colorful and fun, plus it has great costumes. The rst episode premiered Wednesday, and one will follow weekly into January.
“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” cast member Heather Gay has written a book called “Bad Mormon” about how she went from a devout Mormon to leaving the church. Next, she’s fronting a new docuseries that delves into that too called “Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay.” The reality TV star also speaks to others who have left the religion. All three episodes are streaming now on Peacock.
Thanks to “Homeland” and “The Americans,” Danes and Rhys helped put the prestige in the term prestige TV. They grace the screen together in a new limited series for Net ix called “The Beast in Me.” Danes plays
Questions regarding the project or bidding shall be directed to bids@stognerarchitecture.com.
Complete Plans and Project Manual will be open for inspection in the o ce of Stogner Architecture, PA, 615 East Broad Avenue, Rockingham, North Carolina (Designer); at the City of Albemarle, Department of Public Housing O ce; or complete Plans and Project Manual will be available for on-line viewing from the o ces of Construct Connect www.constructconnect. com; Dodge Data & Analytics http://dodgeprojects. construction.com; The Blue Book www.thebluebook. com; Construction Journal www.constructionjournal. com, East Coast Digital Plan Room (ECD – Minority Plan Room Provider) plans@speedyblue.com 252758-1616 and Metrolina Minority Contractor’s Resource Center, 2915 Rozzells Ferry Road, Charlotte, NC 28208, Phone: 704-332-5746, Fax: 704-342-9584; E-mail: mmca@mmcaofcharlotte.org.
Complete Bid Documents may be obtained by download from Stogner Architecture, PA. by quali ed bidders.
a Pulitzer Prize-winning writer who nds a new subject in her next-door neighbor, a real estate tycoon who also may or may not have killed his rst wife. Howard Gordon, who worked with Danes on “Homeland,” is also the showrunner and an executive producer of “The Beast in Me.” It premieres Thursday.
David Duchovny and Jack Whitehall star in a new thriller on Prime Video called “Malice.” Duchovny plays Jamie, a wealthy man vacationing with his family in Greece. He hires a tutor (played by Whitehall) named Adam to work with the kids who seems likable, personable and they invite him into their world. Soon it becomes apparent that Adam’s charm is actually creepy. Something is up. As these stories go, getting rid of an interloper is never easy. All six episodes drop Friday.
“Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints” returns to Fox Nation on Sunday for a second season. The premiere details the story of Saint Patrick. The show is a passion project for Scorsese who executive produces, hosts and narrates the episodes.
Billy Bob Thornton has struck oil in the second season of “Landman” on Paramount+. Created by Taylor Sheridan, the show is set-in modern-day Texas in the world of Big Oil. Sam Elliott and Andy Garcia have joined the cast, and Demi Moore also returns. The show returns Sunday.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
The Call of Duty team behind the Black Ops subseries delivered a chapter last year — but they’re already back with Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. The new installment of the bestselling rst-person shooter franchise moves to 2035 and a world “on the brink of chaos.” (What else is new?) Publisher Activision is promising a “reality-shattering” experience that dives into “into the deepest corners of the human psyche.” Lock and load Friday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.
SCOTT A GARFITT / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis pose for photographers at the premiere of the lm ‘Freakier Friday’ in London. The body swap comedy is streaming now on Disney+.
