Judge dismisses Comey, James indictments after nding prosecutor was illegally appointed
A federal judge has dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that prosecutor Lindsey Halligan, who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging, was illegally appointed by the Justice Department. The rulings halt a pair of prosecutions that had targeted two of the president’s most high-pro le political opponents.
DOJ renews bid to unseal Epstein grand jury materials
The Justice Department has renewed its request to unseal Je rey Epstein sex tra cking grand jury materials after Congress approved the release of investigative materials related to the prosecution of the late nancier. U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton signed a submission in federal court on Monday asking that the materials be released now that President Donald Trump signed the action requiring release of documents related to Epstein within 30 days. The DOJ said the congressional action was written to indicate an intent to override any contrary provisions of existing law.
Fogging leaves
There’s wasn’t much to see on this recent foggy morning, looking south over Lake Tillery with Stanly County o to the right.
12 miles of Stanly County roads to be repaved by spring 2027
Portions of U.S. 52, N.C. 740 and six secondary routes will be improved
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The North Carolina Department of Transportation recently announced that it has awarded a $3.3 million resurfacing contract that will smooth over 12 miles of roads in Stanly County with new pavement by a Stanly County contractor. This funding will lead to improvements of portions of
Albemarle City Council votes to permanently close Je eries Street
The unanimous decision arrived after a quiet public hearing
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
Lindsey Almond, Albemarle Economic
director
ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle City Council voted to permanently close Je eries Street, which is near the intersection of U.S. 52 and N.C. 24/27 in Albemarle, at its Nov. 17 meeting. A public hearing, at the request of adjacent property owner, AOC 202, LLC.,
was held to consider a right of way abandonment of the 16,400 -square-foot section in the city.
“The owner wants to abandon the street here and, in the future, create a new street with access o 24/27 into the site, which will be a betterment,” said Calvin Holbrook, who spoke during the public hearing on behalf of AOC 202.
Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall reiterated that while Holbrook is the current chair of the Albemarle Planning
U.S. 52, N.C. 740 and six secondary routes.
The contractor, J.T. Russell and Sons Inc. of Albemarle, could start work as early as mid-December and be completed by spring 2027. The contract covers resurfacing on a selection of Stanly County roadways, including U.S. 52 from north of Finch Road to Lavasque Street; N.C. 740 from the Northeast Connector to Catalina Drive and back to the N.C. 740 bypass; as well as Big Lick Road, Elm Street, the Northeast Connector, Stony Gap
COURTESY CALEB STEWART
Motorist tells 911: ‘I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield’
The incident happened in Swain County
By Corey Williams The Associated Press
A motorist in western North Carolina escaped injury when the carcass of a cat crashed into the passenger side of her front windshield along a highway near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
In a call to 911, the unidenti ed driver on U.S. Route 74 in Swain County, near Bryson City, told a dispatcher that a bald eagle dropped the cat. Bryson City is about 65 miles southwest of Asheville.
It’s not clear if the feline slipped from the eagle’s talons last Wednesday morning or was discarded simply because the big bird didn’t have a taste for it.
“You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield,” the incredulous driver said on the recorded 911 call. “It absolutely shattered my windshield.”
Any reservations about calling in such a story were put to rest when the dispatcher calmly responded, “OK. I do believe you, honestly,” then laughed.
The driver relayed that another person also saw the cat drop, remarking, “He’s like, ‘That is the craziest thing I’ve ever seen.’ I’m like, ‘Really?’”
The dispatcher o ered some assurance, saying, “Oh my goodness. Let’s see. I’ve heard crazier.”
“Well, that’s terrifying,” the caller said, to which the dispatcher replied with more nervous laughter, “Yeah.”
After getting the driver’s location, the dispatcher said she would send the Highway Patrol to do a report. “Another question,” the dispatcher asked. “Is the cat still alive?”
The caller said it wasn’t but noted that the cat was on the side of the road and not in her car.
“OK, I have to ask just to make sure,” the dispatcher said.
Kendrick Weeks, Western Wildlife Diversity Program supervisor for the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, said the cat dropped on the car could have been roadkill scavenged by the eagle.
“But they can take animals the size of a cat,” he said. “It is much harder for them to take a live cat than a dead
George Frederic Handel’s Messiah is being performed at the First Lutheran Church of Albemarle on Friday, December 5th at 7 PM.
The three-part oratorio tells the life story of Jesus Christ is free to the public and all are welcome. The Mid-Ohio Opera Company joined by the Trinity Music Academy Opera Chorus and Chamber Orchestra will perform.
cat. They usually don’t prey on something they don’t nd palatable. And scavenging is a common behavior in bald eagles.”
Eagles and other raptors can drop prey for several reasons, including having a poor grip or if the prey is struggling and the birds are trying to prevent injury to themselves, Weeks added.
Prey can also be dropped if a raptor is being harassed by another raptor or the prey becomes too heavy to continue carrying.
Bald eagles are native to North Carolina and most of North America. Their populations have been increasing, and there are more than 200 nesting pairs in North Carolina. The birds can weigh anywhere from 61⁄2 to 131⁄2 pounds and have wingspans of 6 to 7 feet, Weeks told The Associated Press.
Special guest artists include: Heidi Kirschenheither, soprano; Martha Anderson, mezzo-soprano; Joel Vega, tenor; George Washington III, bass; and Sophia Pavlenko playing the E rd Memorial Pipe Organ.
The musical performance conductor will be Dr. Paul Chandley with Rebecca Anliker as concert master.
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
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County:
Dec. 3
Adult Christmas Crafting Class Noon to 1 p.m.
Beginner-friendly class for ages 16 and up. Learn to make tiny yarn hats and paper bag snow akes. All supplies provided. Call 704-986-3755 to register and reserve your place. Stanly County Library 133 E. Main St., Albemarle
From Our Hands... Holiday Craft Show Noon to 4 p.m.
Sponsored by the Stanly Arts Guild, this is an opportunity to support local artisians while doing your holiday gift shopping.
330-C N. 2nd St., Albemarle
Norwood Christmas Parade 5 p.m.
Sponsored by the Town of Norwood and Center Rural Fire Department, the annual celebration welcomes entries at no charge. Parade participants should arrive at the community center building on Turner Street at 4 p.m. for line-up directions. Downtown Norwood
Dec. 5
An Albemarle
Downtown Christmas 5:30-8 p.m.
Albemarle kicks o the Christmas season with a variety of events, including a tree lighting at City Hall, the opportunity to meet Santa in Courthouse Square Park, children’s activities and the chance to take in music and dance performances. Downtown Albemarle
Dec. 6
Norwood Christmas on the Square 4-8 p.m.
Norwood Farmers Market hosts this annual event with a holiday tree lighting, music, train rides for children and an arts and crafts vendor market.
124 N. Main St., Norwood
NC HIGHWAY PATROL VIA AP
A car su ered a smashed windshield after a cat carcass crashed was dropped onto it by an eagle on a highway near Great Smoky Mountains National Park last Wednesday.
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Stablecoin loophole threatens North Carolina’s farm lending
Unlike Wall Street lenders, community banks know us by name.
I’VE SPENT MY whole life in Chatham County. For over 20 years, I raised chickens, and now I tend cattle on those same rolling hills. Like most folks around here, I take pride in hard work, family and the values that connect us to the land.
North Carolina has over 74,000 farmers, and together we generate more than $103 billion in economic impact. Agriculture supports more than 736,000 jobs across the state. But what keeps the whole system running isn’t just the weather or commodity prices; it’s credit. Access to a ordable nancing is the lifeblood of rural communities, and that credit often begins at our local community banks.
Unlike Wall Street lenders, community banks know us by name. They’re built on local knowledge, which can’t be automated or outsourced to an app. When a farmer needs to buy feed or replace machinery, the community bank down the street looks beyond the numbers on a page. They understand our land, our history and our word. That’s what keeps family farms alive.
COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI
But a quiet storm is brewing in Washington that could shake that foundation. Congress recently passed the GENIUS Act, which brought cryptocurrency, including stablecoin, into the nancial mainstream. Lawmakers wisely prohibited stablecoin issuers from paying interest, aiming to keep them separate from traditional deposits that fuel lending in the real economy. The idea was to allow innovation without draining the local deposits that banks use to make loans.
Unfortunately, that line is already being crossed. Some digital-asset companies are skirting the rules by o ering “rewards” that mimic yield or interest. Call it what you want, but interest by another name is still interest. And the danger is real. Treasury estimates show that, even without these gimmicks, stablecoins could reduce small-bank deposits by 6.4%, resulting in $19 billion less in small-business loans and $10.6 billion less in farm lending. If stablecoins begin paying full yields, the hit
could be catastrophic — up to $62 billion less in agricultural loans nationwide.
That’s not some abstract number on a balance sheet. That’s fewer young farmers getting started. That’s equipment left unrepaired and elds left empty. That’s a loss of opportunity for the rural backbone of America.
We can’t let Wall Street disguise speculation as “innovation” while siphoning deposits from the banks that actually serve us. Congress must close the loopholes in the GENIUS Act and make it crystal clear: If a company acts like a bank, it should play by the same rules. Our farms, our businesses, and our communities depend on it.
I’ve seen plenty of change over my lifetime, and not all of it bad. But if we allow Washington to stand by while digital currencies drain the lifeblood from rural credit, we’ll pay for it in lost farms, lost jobs and lost communities. Let’s make sure the next generation of North Carolina farmers has the same chance to build a life on the land that we did.
Danny Gaines is a lifelong Chatham County resident who spent more than 20 years as a chicken farmer and continues to raise cattle today. He is a proud Farm Bureau member who has dedicated his life to agriculture and his local community.
Release of Epstein files sets a horrible precedent
If conspiracists don’t get what they’re after, they’ll simply claim that other les are being hidden.
FORMER HARVARD president
Larry Summers has now lost virtually every professional association after a House committee released emails of his exchanges with child sex o ender Je rey Epstein. There are around 20,000 pages of them. Many of the correspondences are embarrassing. There’s going to be little, if any, sympathy for a well-known elite who’s angered conservatives and progressives and befriends creeps. And perhaps Summers doesn’t deserve any. Even so, there isn’t even a hint of illegality in those emails. There’s nothing suggesting that Summers participated in any kind of impropriety or conspiracy. The only purpose of the release was to destroy Summers.
Congress is about to release the socalled Epstein les, a trove of documents that were amassed during criminal investigations into the sex o ender who committed suicide in 2019. The contents are likely brimming with thousands of names of innocent people, many who have provided alibis or were never under any suspicion of sex tra cking or anything else. A signi cant portion of any criminal investigation consists of uncorroborated accusations that are oated by people on the periphery of the case, third-hand accounts, theories and rumors. This is why grand jury les are almost always sealed. We already know Epstein was a vile and depraved criminal. And no one should belittle the experience of his victims. Anyone, however, can make allegations. Even victims don’t always remember correctly. Even things a braggart like Epstein might have said may not be true. That’s why we have procedures and rule of
law and statutes of limitations and trials. Moreover, the Epstein les will be lled with information obtained by law enforcement using warrants based on probable cause signed o by a judge for speci c reason. The warrants, which allow the use of government coercion, weren’t signed so that the public could have access to emails of every person he spoke with. Americans caught up in criminal investigations have a presumption of privacy.
Those who continued their relationships with Epstein even after he was convicted of solicitation of prostitution from a minor are detestable. But fraternizing with criminals isn’t criminality itself. What principle stops future congresses from cracking open useful DOJ les and releasing any embarrassing secondhand conversations that involve their political enemies? Perhaps ask the people caught up in the “Russia collusion” investigations. There’s apparently a widespread public belief that Epstein was tra cking underaged girls to a cabal of powerful people. As of now, there is only evidence that Epstein participated in sexual crimes himself. It is perfectly plausible that the nancier befriended celebrities and kingmakers on one hand and tra cked women for himself on the other. If journalists want to prove that Epstein was the kingpin of the New World Order pedo -ring, go for it. If authorities believe that his prosecution in Florida was corrupt, launch an investigation into misconduct. This isn’t an ancient case. Most of the victims are still alive. Most of the powerful people who are involved with Epstein are still alive. His sidekick is still
alive and in prison. Investigate.
But much of this is driven by rank partisanship. Democrats like to act as if President Donald Trump is engaged in some cover-up. Well, they had every chance to release the les during Joe Biden’s presidency. I’ve not seen a single Democrat explain why they didn’t. One suspects that if there were anything implicating Trump of genuine wrongdoing, we’d have seen them leaked long ago. House Democrats couldn’t even muster the votes to censure Stacey Plaskett, who exchanged text messages with Epstein during a 2019 congressional hearing. The whole thing is farce.
Republicans are no better. Attorney General Pam Bondi’s embarrassing press gaggle, featuring some of the world’s most vacuous “in uencers” waving empty “Epstein Files: Phase 1” binders around left the administration with a mess that’s now impossible to x.
The les, of course, will never be enough. There will be hundreds of ghosts to chase. If conspiracists don’t get what they’re after, they’ll simply claim that other les are being hidden. They’ll demand grand jury les — which are being protected by a judge, as they should be — be released.
If Americans want to speculate on Epstein, that’s their right. Maybe their theories will be proven correct. But longstanding norms regarding privacy and the presumption of innocence shouldn’t be trashed by cowardly politicians every time the mob howls.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner.
COLUMN | DANNY GAINES
Charlotte immigration crackdown goes on, Homeland Security says
More than 370 people have been arrested, DHS has said
By Gary D. Robertson and John Seewer
The Associated Press
RALEIGH — A federal immigration crackdown centered around North Carolina’s largest city of Charlotte appeared to be tapering o last Thursday, local law enforcement leaders said, but a Homeland Security ocial insisted the arrests would not let up.
The North Carolina operation that began last weekend was the most recent phase of Republican President Donald Trump ‘s aggressive mass deportation e orts that have sent the military and immigration agents into Democratic-run cities — from Chicago to Los Angeles.
“The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon,” said Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin.
Both the local sheri and police department said earlier in the day that the crackdown, which has resulted in hundreds of arrests, appeared to be over less than a week after it began. Federal o cials have o ered few details about those arrested, or when and where agents will show up next.
But even as confusion swirled over whether Operation Charlotte’s Web was on or o in North Carolina, immigration enforcement actions are taking place nationwide, often with far less media attention than the Border Patrol surges. In one example, the Department of Homeland Security said last Thursday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had arrested roughly 3,500 people
COUNCIL from page A1
and Zoning Board, the topic at hand did not come to the council meeting through a board recommendation.
“As part of our internal review process, sta circulated the request to all relevant city departments and utility partners for comment,” Albemarle Economic Development Director Lindsey Almond said.
over a six-week span in Houston.
Mecklenburg County Sheri Garry McFadden said in a statement that federal o cials con rmed that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection operation known as “Operation Charlotte’s Web ” had ended but that agents would continue operating as they have in the past.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police posted on social media last Thursday that it received “reliable information” that Border Patrol personnel involved with
“No operational concerns or objections were raised. The right of way segment is currently unused by the public, unimproved and does not serve a public transportation function based on our long-range planning documents. There’s also no anticipated future need for this corridor for connectivity or infrastructure purposes.”
Because the right of way is not under the control of the North
the operation had departed that morning.
Another statement attributed to an unnamed Homeland Security spokesperson said that federal agencies “continue to target some of the most dangerous criminal illegal aliens as Operation Charlotte’s Web progresses,” and that about 370 people have been arrested over ve days.
Federal agents are expected to descend next on New Orleans for operation “ Swamp Sweep,” a monthslong crackdown in southeast Louisiana. As many
Carolina Department of Transportation, it is a city-maintained street.
“If council elects to approve the abandonment, the right of way will revert to the adjoining property owner in accordance with the underlying few descriptions which are here,” Almond said. “The property owner now owns both sides of Je eries Street, as well as the other portion in the back. At this time,
as 250 federal troops could arrive as soon as Friday for the operation expected to kick o at the beginning of December. In North Carolina, agents — some heavily armed in tactical gear and unmarked vehicles — have carried out arrests in the Charlotte area and near the capital city of Raleigh.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, a Democrat, said last Thursday she was hopeful the enforcement operation was winding down.
“I’m relieved for our community and the residents,
sta nds no public purpose served by retaining the segment of the right of way and recommends that council consider approval of Ordinance 25-42.”
Following the public hearing and subsequent discussion, there was a 7-0 approval of the ordinance, which formally closed the street.
Albemarle is keeping its claim to any existing improvements or easements within the portion of
“The operation is not over and it is not ending anytime soon.”
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS spokesperson
businesses, and all those who were targeted and impacted by this intrusion,” Lyles wrote on X. “As we move forward, it is essential that we come together— not as separate groups divided by recent events, but as one Charlotte community.”
North Carolina Republican Party spokesperson Matt Mercer called the crackdown a success.
Homeland Security leaders have said they brought the large operation to North Carolina because of so-called sanctuary policies that limit cooperation between local authorities and immigration agents.
The crackdown in Charlotte was met with some resistance and protests. About 100 people gathered outside a Home Depot store in Charlotte last Wednesday, where federal agents were spotted multiple times during the surge.
Arrests in Charlotte and the Raleigh area created a chilling e ect in immigrant neighborhoods — school attendance dropped, and small shops and restaurants closed to avoid confrontations between customers and federal agents.
Customers at a laundromat in Charlotte left behind their clothes in washers and dryers and ran out the doors after agents showed up over the weekend at nearby stores, said the laundromat’s owner.
Immigration o cials have blanketed the country since January, pushing detention counts to all-time highs above 60,000. Big cities and small towns across the country are targeted daily amid higher-prole pushes in places such as Portland, Oregon, where more than 560 immigration arrests were made in October. Smaller bursts of enforcement have popped up elsewhere.
the street being closed. That includes utility, drainage, pedestrian, landscaping and conservation easements the city considers important to the public, as well as utility lines or easements owned by private companies that have an agreement or franchise with the city. The Albemarle City Council will hold its next regular meeting on Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.
ROADS from page A1
Road, Allenton Street and Cottonville Road.
“All of our crews do multiple things,” Todd Huneycutt, operations manager for J.T. Russell and Sons, said in an introductory video posted by the company.
“We go from interstate paving to highway paving to resurfacing contracts to driveways to parking lots. We have the ability to start a job from ground up, or we can come in behind other contractors and be their nal surface layers for the contract.”
The family-owned highway construction company runs a 50-mile radius with its ve asphalt plants, giving it the ability to pull out of two di erent plants per job.
J.T. Russell and Sons was es-
tablished as a business in 1939, incorporated in 1966 and built its rst asphalt plant in New London in 1987. The company worked its rst prime contractor NCDOT project in Stanly County in 1988.
“We do everything from runway projects to urban-widening projects, like we have going on in Kannapolis,” said Brian Weaver, grading division superintendent.
“We work on small parking lots that may be a half a day’s worth of work, up to some of our urban widening projects may last three to four years. … I started at J.T. Russell 11 years ago and have seen it grow from what it was then to where it is now.”
In December 2024, NC-
DOT awarded J.T. Russell and Sons a $1.2 million resurfacing contract to smooth over a trio of roads within Stanly County. In a combined span approximating 2.5 miles, the contract included improvements to segments of U.S. 52 in Albemarle, N.C. 742/205 in Oakboro and Falls Road in Badin. The project was given a completion estimate for fall 2026.
NCDOT’s Traveler Information System can be viewed online at drivenc.gov.
MATT KELLEY / AP PHOTO
Former mayor of Charlotte Jennifer Roberts addresses the media during a protest outside of a Home Depot last Wednesday in Charlotte.
OBITUARIES
Ned Edward Lowder Sr.
Aug.7 , 1937 – Nov. 13, 2025
Ned Edward Lowder Sr., 88, of Fair Play, South Carolina, passed away peacefully at home on November 13, 2025. Born in Albemarle, North Carolina on August 7, 1937, he was the son of Malvern Adolphus Lowder and Bessie Geneva (Hahn) Lowder, of Albemarle.
Ned was a proud 1955 graduate of Albemarle High School, and he faithfully attended his class reunions until he could no longer travel. He later served in the Army Security Agency during the Cold War where he worked as a code breaker on the Germany-Czech border.
In 1961, Ned enrolled at Pfei er College in Misenheimer, North Carolina. Ned graduated in 1964 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting, he then went on to have a long and successful career in computer software sales.
Ned is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Diane Lewis Lowder, son and daughter-inlaw Ned “Chip” Lowder Jr. and Kristen Lowder of Ball Ground, Georgia, his daughter Kelly Lowder Baldwin of Cumming, Georgia, his sister-in-law Linda Lewis and his beloved grandchildren, Anna Lowder Deets, William Lowder, Jack Baldwin and Katie Baldwin.
Teresa Haywood Stamper
June 19, 1946 – Nov. 19, 2025
Teresa Haywood Stamper, 79, of Mt. Gilead, passed away Wednesday, November 19, 2025, at Atrium Health Anson.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at 2:00 PM at First Baptist Church in Mt. Gilead. Dr. Kevin Taylor and Rev. Evelyn Crews will o ciate, and interment will follow at Sharon Cemetery. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service.
Mrs. Stamper was born on June 19, 1946, in Montgomery County to the late Everette Smart and Sadie Mayse Haywood. She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church in Mt Gilead where she served as a Deacon and taught Sunday School. She also served as the Cub Scout leader for Pack 560 for over 28 years. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her sister, Patricia Ann Haywood.
She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Mickey Stamper; her children: Michael Stamper and Wendy Saunders (Derrick); and four grandchildren: Kendall Stamper, Karlye Stamper, Christian Burris, and Jacob Dunn.
Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church Mt. Gilead: PO Box 207 Mt. Gilead NC 27306.
Sally Rheta Thompson Aycock
Mar. 18, 1929 – Nov. 13, 2025
Sally Rheta Thompson Aycock passed away on November 13, 2025, at the age of 96. She was born on March 18, 1929, in Easley, SC, to Rheta Patrick and John Allen Thompson Sr. Her loving parents had ve other children to support during the Great Depression. Her aunt and uncle, Sallie Thompson and Arthur G. King, asked to raise her in their nearby home, as they had good jobs at the time— school teacher and postmaster— but could not have children. Her parents agreed, as they knew she would be well provided for and receive a good education. She graduated from Easley High School, Agnes Scott College (bachelor’s), and Furman University (master’s of education). She met and married Marvin Brady Aycock Jr. in 1959. They had four children, including a daughter who died at birth. Sally lived in Albemarle, NC, for 25 years and at Friends HomeGuilford in Greensboro, NC, from 2012 until her passing.
Among other jobs, Sally served on the faculty at the Greenville Hospital School of Nursing and later as a guidance counselor in the Stanly County (NC) Schools system. In between, she served alongside her husband, a Baptist and later Episcopalian minister, in Elizabeth City, WinstonSalem, Warrenton, Salisbury and Thomasville (all in North Carolina).
She was committed to several causes throughout her life, including the advancement of women’s rights, through the formation and leadership of a League of Women Voters chapter; education, as one of the rst women elected to the Stanly County Board of Education; and the environment.
She is pre-deceased by her husband; her brothers— John Allen Jr., Charles Robert, Joseph Patrick—and her sisters Beulah Lee (Boo) Arnold and Jean Still; and her son David. She is survived by her daughter, Amy Aycock Cole (Franklin), Greensboro, NC, and son, Clark Allen Aycock (Lisa Witler), Asheville, NC; grandchildren LaShonda Aycock (Jimmy Isbill), Christopher Aycock (Emily Morton), and John Patrick Aycock; and great-grandchildren Rayden Isbill and Kerri Isbill, and Savannah Aycock and Weston Aycock.
Sally chose to have her body sent to the Whole Body Donation Program at Wake Forest School of Medicine to be used for medical courses and studies. A memorial service will be held at Friends Home-Guilford at a date to be determined later. If you would like to get in touch with the family, please call or text 828771-6983. Gifts in her memory should be sent to the Greensboro Housing Coalition (122 North Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27402 or greensborohousingcoalition.org) to help families in need of nding good homes.
IN MEMORY
FRANCES “FRANKIE” ROUSE HARDY
MARCH 15, 1953 – NOV. 14, 2025
Frances (“Frankie”) Rouse Hardy, 72, of Albemarle, NC, passed away suddenly on November 14, 2025.
Born March 15, 1953, and raised in La Grange, NC, Frankie was the youngest daughter of the late Harvey and Frances Rouse. She attended King’s Business College in Raleigh, NC, where she was the homecoming queen and graduated with a 4.0 average. She worked as an administrative assistant at Wachovia Bank; operated a DMV location in Snow Hill, NC; and served as a bookkeeper for Greene County Schools. She was also instrumental in the early success of the family business, Hardy’s Appliance & Furniture, including designing and accessorizing gallery displays. She later worked at Lenoir Memorial Hospital before retiring. Frankie moved to Albemarle, NC, after her rst grandchild was born to be close to and part of her grandchildren’s lives.
Frankie will be remembered as a loving mother and grandmother. She was a devoted Christian. She loved to craft, garden, rescue animals, visit the coast, and her favorite thing in the whole world was spending time with her children and grandchildren. Frankie was an avid reader, often nishing more than a dozen books each week before her passing. The library thoughtfully devised a new system for tracking books that their members borrowed because of Frankie’s love of reading and how many books she was going through.
Frankie is survived by her daughter, Melissa Grimes and her husband, Doug; son, Carl G. Hardy IV (“CG”); and son, Christopher Hardy and his wife, Emily; grandchildren, Madeline Grimes, Bryce Hardy, and James Grimes; and sisters, Sue Neil Godwin and Peggy Pelletier.
The family will hold a private celebration of life at Frankie’s beloved destination, Harker’s Island.
In lieu of owers, memorials may be o ered in memory of Frankie to any animal shelter/rescue or to the charity of one’s choice.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in Stanly News Journal at obits@ stanlynewsjournal.com
STANLY SPORTS
Postseason journey ends for North Stanly, South Stanly football
The Comets and Bulls both lost third-round playo games
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The third round of the NCHSAA football state playo s proved to be the nal stop of the season for North Stanly and South Stanly, the county’s two remaining teams in the postseason.
Both squads, with 19 combined wins heading into their recent matchups, had gone well over a month without a loss heading into their respective matches Friday night.
No. 12 West Davidson at No. 4 North Stanly
Hosting West Davidson in the 3A bracket, North Stanly was hoping to achieve its fth-straight win as the Dragons (10-3) came to New London. Instead, the No. 4 Comets (10-2) were edged out in a 23-21 loss as the No. 12 Dragons overcame an eight-point halftime de cit to outscore North Stanly 17-7 in the second half. After a scoreless rst quarter for both teams, junior quarterback Brady Lowder unloaded a 62-yard touchdown pass to junior Kylan Dockery to lift the Comets to a 7-0 lead.
West Davidson running back
Gray Stone boys’ soccer falls short in 2A state championship
The Knights lost 1-0 to Manteo
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
MISENHEIMER — The Gray Stone boys’ soccer team came up short in its bid for another state crown last weekend.
The Knights (16-4-4) lost 1-0 to the No. 1 Manteo Redskins (20-4) in the NCHSAA 2A boys’ soccer state championship on Nov. 21 at Guilford College.
Two years removed from capturing the 1A state title, Gray Stone returned to the championship stage with hopes of adding another trophy to the school’s collection. But this time, the Knights were denied by a Manteo squad that earned its rst state title in program history.
The decisive moment came in the 69th minute, when Manteo senior captain Eli Jones converted a penalty kick with
a low shot that slipped past the hands of Gray Stone goalkeeper Matt Lappin.
“I felt like maybe early we were a little nervous with the big moment and big atmosphere,” Gray Stone coach Brad Harrington said. “Some of these guys played in our state title game a couple years back, and I thought that might help us settle into the game a little bit quicker. But, obviously, we’re playing another good team in Manteo. You have to give them credit for making you speed up the pace of the game a little bit.”
Manteo’s defense held rm, led by sophomore goalkeeper Hazael Alverez-Navarro, who nished with four saves and was named the championship match MVP.
The victory marked the Redskins’ fourth straight shutout in the state playo s.
“I thought we did play more to our capabilities in the second half,” Harrington said.
Nic Hu put the Dragons on the board with a touchdown shortly before halftime, but Dockery struck again with a kicko return to the end zone to give North Stanly a 14-6 halftime lead.
The only score of the third quarter was a 30-yard rush by Dragons quarterback Carson Correll to trim the Comets’ lead to 14-13.
In the fourth quarter, West Davidson ipped the script in a trio of game-changing plays to build a nine-point lead: a 35 -yard eld goal, an interception and a 5-yard touchdown run from Hu . While the Comets made it a 23-21 game with a late rush-
ing score, they ran out of time as the Dragons drained out the clock on the nal drive of the night.
West Davidson will next play at No. 8 Lincolnton in the fourth round.
No. 7 South Stanly at No. 2 Starmount
Playing in Boonville for a third-round 2A matchup, South Stanly’s ve-game winning streak came to an end as Starmount delivered a 35-0 shutout.
The No. 7 Rowdy Rebel Bulls (9-3), who had not allowed more than 14 points in a game since early September, found
themselves down three touchdowns by the end of the rst quarter. The No. 2 Rams (10-2) added a touchdown in both the second and third quarters to build their lead to 35.
South Stanly’s o ense failed to pick up any steam as it was forced to play without Kaleb Richardson. The Bulls’ senior quarterback su ered a season-ending broken collarbone in last week’s 38-0 home win over Christ the King.
The result was the only contest this season during which the Bulls scored fewer than 14 points.
With 315 rushing yards, the Rams racked up four touchdowns on the ground as their running back unit was led by Jymir Billips’ 18 carries for 126 yards. Deuce Best added seven carries for 76 yards, while Cody Hernandez notched three trips to the end zone on just six carries.
Starmount will host No. 11 Mitchell in the fourth round.
“I felt like maybe early we were a little nervous with the big moment and big atmosphere.”
Brad Harrington, Gray Stone coach
“I just wish we could’ve done it for a full game. Like I told them in the huddle, soccer will give to you, like it did Tuesday night in PKs, and it will quickly take away like it did tonight with
the late PK. I thought we had a good response after that, but not enough time to nd the back of the net.” Pregame sportsmanship awards were presented to Gray Stone’s Jonathan Mata-De La Rosa and Manteo’s Erick Hernandez-Torres. The Knights’ postseason run included four playo victories, making them the only Stanly County team to advance past the second round. After a rst-round bye, Gray Stone rolled through No. 14 Hayesville 8-0 in the second round on Nov. 6, then blanked No. 6
Murphy 3-0 in the third round on Nov. 10. In the fourth round, the Knights defeated No. 2 Highland Tech 3-2 in Gastonia on Nov. 13. Their regionalnal in Misenheimer ended in a 1-1 draw with No. 5 Community School of Davidson, but Gray Stone advanced with a 4-2 win in the penalty shootout. Gray Stone nished second in the Yadkin Valley Conference at 8-1-1, while Manteo entered the title match as a co-champion of the Albemarle Athletic Conference.
COURTESY CALEB STEWART PHOTOGRAPHY
South Stanly’s Zach Laton boots a kicko .
COURTESY NFHS NETWORK
Gray Stone was held scoreless in its state championship matchup with Manteo.
Hamels, Braun, Kemp among 12 newcomers on Baseball Hall of Fame ballot
Carlos Beltran, A-Rod and Manny Ramirez head the list of returning players on the ballot
The Associated Press
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — Cole Hamels, Ryan Braun and Matt Kemp are among 12 newcomers on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot released Monday, and Carlos Beltrán heads 15 holdovers after falling 19 votes shy in 2025 balloting.
Howie Kendrick, Daniel Murphy and Rick Porcello also are among the rst-time eligibles, joined by Shin-Soo Choo, Edwin Encarnación, Gio González, Alex Gordon, Nick Markakis and Hunter Pence.
Beltrán received 277 of 394 votes for 70.3% in the 2025 balloting, when Ichiro Suzuki, CC Sabathia and Billy Wagner were elected.
A nine-time All-Star, Beltrán hit .279 with 435 homers and 1,587 RBIs over 20 seasons with Kansas City (19992004), Houston (2004, ’17), the New York Mets (2005-11), San Francisco (2011), St. Louis (2012-13), the New York Yankees (2014 -16) and Texas (2016).
He received 46.5% support in his rst ballot appearance in 2023, then rose to 57.1% in his second.
Beltrán was the only player cited by name in baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred’s 2020 report concluding the Astros used electronics in violation of rules to steal signs during Houston’s run to the 2017 World Series title and again in the 2018 season. Three days after the report was issued, the New York Mets said Beltrán was out as their manager, just 21⁄2 months after he was hired.
Other holdovers include steroids-tainted stars Alex Rodriguez (146 votes, 37.1%) and Manny Ramirez (135, 34.3%), along with Andruw Jones (261, 66.2%), Chase Utley (157, 39.8%), Andy Pettitte (110, 27.9%), Félix Hernández (81, 20.6%), Bobby Abreu (77, 19.5%), Jimmy Rollins (71,
18%), Omar Vizquel (70, 17.8%), Dustin Pedroia (47, 11.9%), Mark Buehrle (45, 11.4%), Francisco Rodríguez (40, 10.2%), David Wright (32, 8.1%) and Torii Hunter (20, 5.1%).
Pettitte is on the ballot for the eighth time after doubling support from 13.5% in 2024. A player can appear on the ballot up to 10 times. BBWAA members with 10 or more consecutive years of membership are eligible to vote. Ballots must be postmarked by Dec. 31, and results will be announced Jan. 20. Anyone elected will be inducted on July 26 along with anyone chosen Dec. 7 by the hall’s contemporary baseball era committee ballot considering eight players whose greatest contributions to the sport were from 1980 on.
Hamels, a four-time All-Star, was 163-122 with a 3.43 ERA for Philadelphia (2006-15), Texas (2015-18), the Chicago Cubs (2018-19) and Atlanta (2020), pitching a no-hitter for the Phillies against the Cubs on July 25, 2015. He was MVP of the 2008 NL Championship Series and World Series as Philadelphia won its second title, its rst since 1980.
Braun, the 2011 MVP and a six-time All-Star, hit .296 with 352 homers and 1,154 RBIs for Milwaukee from 2007-20. He was suspended for the nal 65 games of the 2013 season for violations of baseball’s drug program and labor contract. A 50-game suspension for an alleged positive test in 2011 was overturned after Braun challenged the chain of custody of the urine sample.
Kemp, a three-time AllStar, batted .284 with 287 homers and 1,031 RBIs for the Los Angeles Dodgers (200614, ’18), San Diego (2015-16), Atlanta (2016-17), Cincinnati (2019) and Colorado (2020). Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Don Mattingly and Dale Murphy are being considered by the contemporary era committee, along with Carlos Delgado, Je Kent, Gary She eld and Fernando Valenzuela.
SETH WENIG / AP PHOTO
New York Mets’ Carlos Beltran smiles during a press conference in 2019.
BASKETBALL ROUNDUP
County teams manage three wins in tough week
Stanly News Journal sta SOUTH STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL
0-0, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley 2A/3A (17-9 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• None This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 at Piedmont
SOUTH STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
0-0, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley
2A/3A (1-20 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• None
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 at Piedmont
Border battles bring out the weird when it comes to prizes
By Jack Dura The Associated Press
BISMARCK, N.D. — The winners of the annual North Dakota State-South Dakota State rivalry football game get an unusual honor: hoisting a 78-pound trophy for all to see. The Dakota Marker is a rock — and it is heavier than it looks.
“When you get a chance to run over and grab it, you better be ready,” former North Dakota State player Landon Lechler recalled.
The trophy is a small-scale replica of the hundreds of large, pink, quartzite markers survey crews planted in the early 1890s to delineate North Dakota from South Dakota, one every half-mile for 360 miles. The two states were established in 1889 from the Dakota Territory.
“The boundary between North and South Dakota was the only one in the nation that had these monuments every one-half mile on the entire border,” said Gordon Iseminger, who taught for 57 years in the University of North Dakota History Department and walked nearly all of the border, decades, ago, to nd the lonely markers. Maybe few-
er than half of them remain.
Border battles on the smaller stages of college football have plenty of totems beloved by fans who often don’t have a professional team to root for. They might not be as well known as the “Play Like a Champion Today” signs at Oklahoma and Notre Dame — or another rock, Howard’s Rock, at Clemson — but they are treasured just as much.
Idaho and Montana play for the Little Brown Stein, an oversized replica stein mug fashioned in 1938. Since 1968, Colorado State and Wyoming have battled for the Bronze Boot, an actual combat boot worn in battle by a professor in Vietnam and later bronzed for the trophy. Ball State and Northern Illinois play for the Bronze Stalk, Akron and Kent State for the Wagon Wheel, Houston and Rice for the Bayou Bucket, and the list goes on.
Montana and Montana State have the “Brawl of the Wild” with the Great Divide Trophy at stake, a 306-pound bronze behemoth depicting a grizzly bear and a bobcat ghting for a football on top. Going into the 124th edition of the rivalry, the home team has won the bragging rights every year since 2019.
The Dakota Marker trophy debuted in 2004. It represents two rural states with a lot in
common, from agriculture to an “east vs. west” dynamic, Lechler said.
“Even though we’re rural agriculture states out here away from the big cities, we still have some pretty prestigious athletes that can showcase on this stage (from) either of the two schools,” he said.
The Dakotas’ rivalry is a battle whether in Brookings or Fargo, said former South Dakota State player Jake Wieneke, who caught the game-winning touchdown in 2016 that landed the trophy for the rst time in seven years. The noise of 19,000 fans drowns out everything, he said.
In recent years, the teams have been closely matched, meeting in the playo s and even the FCS national championship. This year’s game in October was won for the second straight season by NDSU, which is ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision and 11-0 going into this weekend’s regular-season nale.
“It’s just two great programs that get to go head to head, and they’re from states right next to each other, where they already play each other every year and already have that rivalry, and the fact that now they’re competing for national championships I think just adds to the rivalry,” Wieneke said.
WEST STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL
0-2, 0-0 in Rocky River 4A/5A (10-15 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Lost 82-42 to Charlotte Latin
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 at Gray Stone Day
• Dec. 2 vs. Albemarle
WEST STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
0-2, 0-0 in Rocky River
4A/5A (14-12 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Lost 59-16 to Charlotte Latin
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 at Gray Stone Day
• Dec. 2 vs. Albemarle
NORTH STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL
1-0, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (22-7 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Won 53-44 vs. East Rowan
This week’s schedule:
• Dec. 2 at Montgomery Central
• Dec. 3 ast Bradford Prep
NORTH STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
1-0, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley
(13-13 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Won 51-43 vs. East Rowan
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 vs. Anson
• Nov. 25 vs. Union
• Nov. 26 vs. Montgomery
• Dec. 3 at Bradford Prep
ALBEMARLE BOYS’ BASKETBALL 1-2, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (2-21 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Lost 78-58 vs. Forest Hills
• Lost 76-47 vs. Anson
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 25 at Uwharrie Charter Academy
• Dec. 2 at West Stanly
ALBEMARLE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
2-1, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (25-5 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Lost 53-21 vs. Forest Hills
• Won 59-21 vs. Anson
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 25 at Uwharrie Charter Academy
• Dec. 2 at West Stanly
GRAY STONE DAY BASKETBALL
0-2, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (3-17 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Lost 55-28 at South Rowan
• Lost 55-26 vs. Sun Valley
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 vs. West Stanly
• Dec. 2 vs. Anson
• Dec. 3 at Central Academy
GRAY STONE DAY
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
0-2, 0-0 in Yadkin Valley (2-17 last year)
Last week’s scores:
• Lost 65-29 at South Rowan
• Lost 42-23 vs. Sun Valley
This week’s schedule:
• Nov. 24 vs. West Stanly
• Dec. 2 vs. Anson
• Dec. 3 at Central Academy
MICHAEL SMITH / AP PHOTO
A Colorado State o ensive lineman kisses the Bronze Boot trophy after defeating Wyoming.
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Publc Hearing Notice
The City of Locust will hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 7:00 pm in the Joel Huneycutt Community Room to hear citizens comments for or against the proposed text change to the Land Development Ordinance Zoning Districts Use Table to include Regional Commercial as a district.
Public Hearing Notice
The Mayor and City Council have called a special joint meeting on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, between City Council and Planning and Zoning Board. The purpose of this meeting is to jointly review the tra c impact analysis ordinance.
Public Hearing Notice
The City of Locust will hold a public hearing on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at 7:00 pm in the Joel Huneycutt Community Room to hear citizens comments for or against the conditional rezoning request submitted by, BPD Elkin, LLC, parcel pin# 55653028560000 Cabarrus &, 6719 NC Hwy 24/27, Locust NC
25SP000126
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000584-830
Having quali ed as Co-Executors of the estate of Sherrill Edwin Clark deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Sherrill Edwin Clark to present them to the undersigned on or before February 20, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.
This 19th day of November, 2025 Brenda Shoe 16217 HWY 73 E Mt. Pleasant, NC 28124 Co-Executor Annette Harkey 28410 NC 73 HWY Albemarle, NC 28001 Co-Executor
NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE SALE
NORTH CAROLINA, STANLY COUNTY Under and by virtue of a Power of Sale contained in that certain Deed of Trust executed by Rafael Granados-Ugarte dated June 28, 2022 recorded on June 28, 2022 in Book 1791, Page 794 of the Stanly County Public Registry (“Deed of Trust”), conveying certain real property in Stanly County to Moore & Van Allen PLLC, Trustee, for the bene t of Northpointe Bank. Default having been made of the note thereby secured by the said Deed of Trust and the undersigned, having been substituted as Trustee in said Deed of Trust, and the holder of the note evidencing said default having directed that the Deed of Trust be foreclosed, the undersigned Substitute Trustee will o er for sale at the courthouse door of the county courthouse where the property is located, or the usual and customary location at the county courthouse for conducting the sale on December 3, 2025 at 12:00 PM, and will sell to the highest bidder for cash the following described property situated in Stanly County, North Carolina, to wit: Being all of that tract and parcel of land designated as Lot 86 as shown on that plat entitled “Final Plat for Island Creek Subdivision Phase Four” recorded at Plat Book 17, Page 233, 234 and 235 of the Stanly County Register of Deed O ce. Save and except any releases, deeds of release or prior conveyances of record. Said property is commonly known as 13783 St. Johns Drive, Stan eld, NC 28163; Parcel ID: 31381
AVISO DE AUDIENCIA PÚBLICA
Sección 5311 (ADTAP), 5310, 5339, 5307 y la nanciación estatal aplicable, o combinación de ellas.
Esto informa al público de que se celebrará una audiencia pública sobre la propuesta de solicitud del Programa de Transporte Comunitario del Condado de Stanly, que debe presentarse al Departamento de Transporte de Carolina del Norte a más tardar el 30 de octubre de 2025. La audiencia pública se celebrará el 1 de diciembre de 2025 a las 18:00 horas ante los comisionados del condado de Stanly (de la junta directiva) en la sala de reuniones Gene McIntyre, situada en 1000 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001. Quienes estén interesados en asistir a la audiencia pública y necesiten ayudas auxiliares y servicios bajo la Ley de Estadounidenses con Discapacidades (ADA) o un traductor de idiomas deben contactar con Tyler Brummitt antes del 16 de noviembre de 2025, en el número de teléfono 704-986-3602 o por correo electrónico en tbrummitt@ stanlycountync.gov. El Programa de Transporte Comunitario proporciona asistencia para coordinar los programas de transporte existentes que operan en el condado de Stanly , así como ofrece opciones y servicios de transporte para las comunidades dentro de esta área de servicio. Estos servicios se ofrecen actualmente mediante vías de demanda y respuesta y suscripción. Los servicios se prestan con furgonetas y vehículos ligeros de transporte. La cantidad total estimada solicitada para el periodo del 1 de julio de 2026 al 30 de junio de 2027. NOTA: La cantidad de la participación local está sujeta a la disponibilidad de nanciación estatal.
Esta solicitud puede inspeccionarse en 1000 N. First Street, Suite 15, Albemarle, NC de 9:00 a 15:00. Los comentarios escritos deben dirigirse a Andy Lucas antes del 16 de octubre de 2025.
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 30, 2025. The public hearing will be held on December 01, 2025 at 6:00pm before the (governing board) Stanly County Commissioners in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room located at 1000 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001. 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 Brummitt on or before November 16, 2025, at telephone number 704-986-3602 or via email at tbrummitt@stanlycountync.gov.
The Community Transportation Program provides assistance to coordinate existing transportation programs operating in Stanly County as well as provides transportation options and services for the communities within this service area. These services are currently provided using demand and response and subscription routes. Services are rendered by vans and light transit vehicles. The total estimated amount requested for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. NOTE: Local share amount is subject to State funding availability.
This application may be inspected at 1000 N. First Street, Suite 15, Albemarle, NC from 9:00am – 3:00pm. Written comments should be directed to Andy Lucas before October 16, 2025.
the stream
“The Beatles Anthology,” a nine-episode documentary series, is now
streaming on Disney+.
‘Stranger Things,’ ‘Mickey 17,’ Kevin Hart, ‘A Grand Ole Opry Christmas’
“The Beatles Anthology” documentary series lands on Disney+
The Associated Press
BONG JOON HO’S “Mickey 17,” a new batch of “Stranger Things’” nal season and Kevin Hart debuting a new comedy special on Net ix 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: “Everybody Loves Raymond” gets a 30th anniversary special on CBS, the Hallmark’s special “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas” with Brad Paisley and Mickey Guyton, and a new Beatles documentary series hits Disney+.
MOVIES TO STREAM
Shih-Ching Tsou, the Taiwanese lmmaker known for collaborating with and producing several Sean Baker lms including “Tangerine” and “The Florida Project,” makes her solo directorial debut with “Left-Handed Girl,” about a single mother and her two daughters who return to Taipei to open a stand at a night market. Net ix acquired the lm after it was warmly received during the Cannes Film Festival, and Taiwan has already selected the lm as its Oscar submission. It
“‘The Last Duel’ is more like a medieval tale deconstructed, piece by piece, until its heavily armored male characters and the genre’s mythologized nobility are unmasked.”
Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer
begins streaming on Net ix on Friday.
Bong’s “Mickey 17” arrives on Prime Video on Thursday for some dystopian holiday viewing. In her review for The Associated Press, Jocelyn Noveck praised Robert Pattinson’s performance (or, rather, performances) as an expendable who is constantly being reprinted anew. She writes, “It’s his movie, and he saves it from Bong’s tendencies to overstu the proceedings. In an extremely physical, committed, even exhausting performance, Pattinson takes what could have been an unwieldy mess and makes it much less, well, expendable.”
OK, “The Last Duel,” streaming on Hulu on Sunday, might be four years old but it’s a far better option than, say, “Flight Risk” (on HBO Max on Wednesday). Ridley Scott’s medieval tale, written by Matt Damon, Ben A eck and Nicole Holofcener, is a brilliant spin on the historical epic told from three di erent perspectives, Damon’s Jean de Carrouges, Adam Driv-
er’s Jacques Le Gris and Jodie Comer’s Marguerite. In his review for the AP, lm writer Jake Coyle wrote that it “is more like a medieval tale deconstructed, piece by piece, until its heavily armored male characters and the genre’s mythologized nobility are unmasked.”
MUSIC TO STREAM
In 2021, over Thanksgiving, Disney+ released Peter Jackson’s six-hour “The Beatles: Get Back” to its streaming platform. The gargantuan project provided fans with a deepdive into the band’s “Let It Be” sessions — including footage of their entire rooftop concert, shared in full for the rst time. It was an ideal release date, to say the least. After all that delicious food, who doesn’t want to settle in for a lengthy journey into one of the greatest musical acts of all time? Well, in 2025, there’s yet another reason to be grateful: “The Beatles Anthology” documentary series is on Disney+. That’s nine episodes
tracing their journey. Lock in.
’Tis the season for Hallmark holiday lms. And for the country music fanatic, that means “A Grand Ole Opry Christmas.”
The lm follows a woman forced to confront her musical past and heritage in the esteemed venue — and there may or may not be some time travel and Christmas magic involved. Stay tuned for the all-star cameos: Paisley, Megan Moroney, Guyton, Rhett Akins, Tigirlily Gold and more make an appearance. It’s now streaming on Hallmark+.
SERIES TO STREAM
It’s hard to believe that “Everybody Loves Raymond” has been o the air for two decades. The multicamera sitcom starred Ray Romano and Patricia Heaton as Ray and Debra Barone, a young married couple whose daily lives are interrupted regularly by Ray’s meddling parents, played by Peter Boyle and Doris Roberts, who live across the street. CBS recently taped a 30th anniversary special, which is now streaming on Paramount+. Hosted by Romano and creator Phil Rosenthal, it recreates the set of the Barone living room and features interviews with cast members including Romano, Heaton, Brad Garrett and Monica Horan. There will also be a tribute to Boyle and Roberts, who died in 2006 and 2016, respectively. It’s tting for the special to
come out around the holidays because its Thanksgiving and Christmas episodes were topnotch. All nine seasons stream on both Paramount+ and Peacock.
“Stranger Things” is nally back with its fth and nal season. Net ix is releasing the sci- series in three parts, and the rst four episodes are ready to watch. Millie Bobby Brown says fans will “lose their damn minds” with how it ends.
Also, Hart has a new comedy special on Net ix. It’s called “Kevin Hart: Acting My Age.” The jokes center around, you guessed it, aging.
A new “Family Guy” special on Hulu pokes fun at those holiday movies we all know, love and watch. It’s called “Disney’s Hulu’s Family Guy’s Hallmark Channel’s Lifetime’s Familiar Holiday Movie” and pokes fun at the commonly used trope of a big city gal who ends up in a small town at Christmas and falls in love. It drops Friday on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
Arti cial intelligence: friend to all humanity or existential threat to the planet? In A.I.L.A, Brazilian studio Pulsatrix leans toward the latter. You play as a game tester who’s asked to try out an AI-created horror story. But while you’re busy ghting o ghosts, zombies and ax murderers, the AI may be up to something more nefarious in the background — which could be bad news if you own a smart refrigerator. It all has the potential to be very meta, whether or not you welcome our new robot overlords. Play now on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.
