Social Security’s retirement trust fund faces funding shortfall
1 year earlier
Washington, D.C. Social Security’s retirement trust fund is projected to face a funding shortfall in 2032, a year earlier than previously expected. That’s according to an annual report released Tuesday. Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund will be unable to pay full bene ts in 2033, unchanged from last year’s estimate. Rising health care costs and government spending contributed to the projected depletion dates. The programs will continue issuing bene ts after those dates, but at reduced amounts. The trustees emphasize the urgency of changes, but political challenges remain. AARP’s CEO is urging Congress to act, highlighting the importance of the bene ts for retirees.
OpenAI les con dential SEC paperwork for IPO, opening door to Wall Street debut
OpenAI has led preliminary paperwork to potentially become a publicly traded company. The company announced Monday it has submitted con dential documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. OpenAI says it hasn’t decided on timing yet, as there are advantages to staying private. The move follows Anthropic’s June announcement of its own IPO plans. Both companies are following SpaceX, which is also pursuing an IPO. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentioned last fall that an IPO was the “most likely path” due to the company’s size and capital needs.
Flesh-eating cattle parasite spreads beyond Texas as new screwworm cases found
Three more cases of the New World screwworm have been con rmed, including one outside Texas, demonstrating the di culty of stopping a pest that could potentially devastate the nation’s cattle industry. The USDA announced Monday the new cases were found in a dog from New Mexico and hundreds of miles away in a goat and calf in Texas. The screwworm is actually a y, which produces a larva that eats live esh instead of dead material. Before it was eradicated in the 1960s, the y was an annual warm-weather scourge of cattle ranchers.
Stanly commissioners approve county appointments
Membership decisions were presented for three boards
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Commissioners lled several board seats this week while delaying action on one pending appointment. On Monday night, commissioners were presented with appointments for the Region F Aging Advisory Commit-
tee Board, Economic Development Commission Board and Stanly Community College Board of Trustees.
The rst item was presented by Pamela Sullivan, senior services director, who said the county is seeking to ll several positions on the RFAAC, including two delegate positions for two-year terms and one alternate position for a one-year term.
The lone volunteer application — submitted by Kimberly Blackburn — had been vetted by the Centralina Area Agency on Aging with a request
that she be appointed as a delegate for a two-year term effective July 1 through June 30, 2028. Sullivan was asked about the vetting process and
Stanly board approves criminal justice CTE course
“We
whether she could personally contact Blackburn before commissioners voted on the appointment, since Sullivan said she had not spoken with Blackburn herself.
“It doesn’t have to happen at this meeting,” Sullivan said of the commissioners’ decision. “I think if you have some reservations on it, we can ask her to attend a meeting and bring her in if you would like.” Commissioners opted to table the appointment until next month.
County Manager Andy Lucas next presented the EDC appointment item, asking commissioners to consider ve members, one from each district, for two-year terms expiring May 31, 2028.
Five EDC board member
Mandy Melton, CTE director
Albemarle police will teach the new course
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — A criminal justice course is coming soon to Stanly County Schools through a new partnership with the Albemarle Police Department.
On June 2, the Stanly County Board of Education voted 7-0 to approve the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) course, which will be based at Albemarle High School but open to high school students from across the county.
CTE Director Mandy
Melton said the idea for the course came after Albemarle Police Chief Ryan Manley spoke to the district about creating a new opportunity for students interested in law enforcement.
“We were approached by Chief Manley about adding a criminal justice course at Albemarle High School, which we felt would be a great complement to our re ghter program, medical assisting and other courses around public safety,” Melton said.
District leaders also met with Lt. David Salyers, who presented the curriculum proposed for the course. The program will begin as an
STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
A judge credited social media perfectionism for driving the mullet’s global comeback
By James Brooks The Associated Press
COPENHAGEN — Business in the front, party in the back.
A packed Danish crowd celebrated on Saturday the much-maligned but enduring mullet hairstyle, de ned by very short hair at the front and longer hair at the back.
Denmark’s raucous 2026 Mullet Championship, presented on an outdoor stage in central Copenhagen, attracted 12 well-coi ed competitors and more than a thousand spectators to the evening’s “mane” event.
Organizer Ste en Stiw Weber, a 37-year-old electrician, said the championships, now in their fourth year, began after he had a hair transplant and chose to grow out a mullet.
After realizing he couldn’t compete in a mullet competition in the United States because he wasn’t a U.S. citizen, Stiw Weber started his own in Denmark.
“I was like, OK, I have to do it on my own here in Denmark,” he said while smiling.
Competitors in Saturday’s championships were evaluated on their cuts’ style, uniqueness, and overall performance and “mullet moves,” explained judge Bobby Agren.
Contestants were given 60 seconds each to perform on stage to showcase their cuts.
“I like the nesse, the twist, the nostalgia. I like it if it looks ridiculous or maybe ugly in a beautiful way,” said Agren, who owns two hair salons in Copenhagen.
“I think in our culture, when everything must … be perfect on social media and everything
like that, I think that’s why people have to stand out from the crowd,” said Stiw Weber.
The event featured an array of over-the-top performances, including beer-swilling, body-popping, and a live saxophone show. One competitor even wore a mullet haircut styled to resemble the Danish ag.
The crowd screamed and chanted with their energy seemingly feeding directly into the various performers on stage.
After every performance, judges held up scorecards to distribute points to the competitors.
Forty-three-year-old construction worker Thomas Berg eventually took home the top prize after wowing judges by frantically jumping on a trampoline while clad in neon green gym wear. He completed his mullet haircut with an orange headband. “I think it’s just funny. It’s just a big party,” said a smiling Berg after collecting his prize. “It’s just nice to be a bit outside the box.”
Though mullets have likely been around longer than there
have been barbers, the Oxford English Dictionary cites hip-hop legends the Beastie Boys for helping popularize the term mullet with the song “Mullet Head” on their 1994 recording “Ill Communication.”
The short-in-the-front, long-in-the-back coi ure was popularized by ice hockey players and ’80s musicians but later fell out of favor.
Fashion magazine Vogue reportedly once described the mullet as “history’s most divisive hairstyle.”
But in recent years, the mullet has seen a global resurgence — British magazine i-D declared 2020 “the year of the mullet” as the COVID-19 pandemic shuttered hair salons and lockdown-weary citizens let their locks ow.
Numerous mullet competitions are now staged around the world. Belgium hosted the European Mullet Cup last month.
“It comes back every 20 to 30 years. There’s always a circular motion in fashion,” said Agren, the Denmark mullet competition judge.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County.
June 13
Albemarle Academy of Dance Recital noon and 6 p.m.
The Albemarle Academy of Dance presents its annual recital with a matinee and evening performance.
entry fees bene ting Alzheimer’s and dementia research through the Coins for Alzheimer’s Research Trust program. Awards go to top nishers in seven age groups; packet pickup is Friday, June 12, from 3 to 6 p.m. at The Independent Bistro at 251 W. Main St. Stanly County YMCA Park 115 C.B. Crook Drive Albemarle
June 15 Make Music Day Pre-Event Drop-In Craft
Stanly County Public Library branches o er a free drop-in rhythm shaker craft for all ages throughout the week leading up to Make Music Stanly
JAMES BROOKS / AP PHOTO
Competitor Martin Sedolf performs as character pro wrestler “Benny Bacchus” at Denmark’s Mullet Championship in central Copenhagen on Saturday.
THE CONVERSATION
Trip
Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
Having di cult conversations
Talking to your parents about money is di cult at any age.
THEY ARE CALLED di cult conversations for a reason. But the ironic thing is, for the most part, the di culty is almost always in starting the conversation, not in the reaction to the topic itself. I know from my experiences that most people are self-aware enough that if I think there is a real problem that needs addressing, they do too. The problem is they don’t want to start the conversation either, so it festers. And that makes it harder on both sides.
As someone who has managed many people in my professional career, one of the most surprisingly di cult conversations I ever had illustrates this. One of my employees was underperforming badly. Missing deadlines, showing up late for meetings, unreliable work product, almost everything was o . But he was (and still is) a great person to be around, and everyone liked him. So I delayed the conversation and hoped it would get better. It didn’t.
When it was nally time for his formal end-of-year review, I was very honest with him and told him that if he continued to perform the way he had that he would be
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terminated in the coming months. I’ll never forget the look on his face when, rather than being defensive, angry or even surprised, he simply responded, “Thank you for being so honest. I needed to hear that.”
Approached correctly, you are likely to have a similar experience when you broach di cult nancial conversations. It’s not that people are unaware they should communicate on these topics, it’s that to discuss someone’s nancial success, or lack thereof, can feel like a crude judgment. Or to discuss someone’s death can feel like you don’t appropriately value their life. In fact, when broached with care and respect, the most common response is a thank you for bringing it up — they have wanted to talk about it too.
Talking to your parents about money is di cult at any age. Whether you are in high school and want to consider what college you can a ord to attend or if you are my age and have elderly parents you need to discuss wishes for care and their wills with, it always feels invasive. But the alternative is so much worse — you need to
The SPLC’s real scam
How can any reputable media outlet ever use the SPLC as a source again?
IT TURNS OUT that the most generous funder of white supremacist groups in the United States was likely the Southern Poverty Law Center.
At least that’s what the Department of Justice’s superseding indictment against the SPLC alleges.
The organization secretly paid informants to engage in the active promotion and funding of racist groups while denouncing and “ ghting” the very same groups in public. The SPLC purportedly created ctitious entities to hide funding from their donors.
The SPLC, for instance, is accused of bankrolling the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally, paying a leader nearly $300,000 to post racist messages, organize and even transport people to the infamous Charlottesville protest, where one person was killed.
In another instance, a pair of white supremacists who approached the SPLC about leaving the Klan were encouraged to stay in the group and recruit new members. Given salaries, the two men were allegedly reimbursed for the costs of their activities, including those “incurred for cross-burning events, to include the wood and fuel used.”
In the end, I’m not sure what the legal jeopardy there is in engaging in this brand of duplicitous activity, but it is without a doubt corrupt, fraudulent, immoral and bad for the country.
Many people correctly point out that SPLC is merely interested in keeping white supremacist groups operational to justify its existence. White nationalists and identitarian groups have no genuine political power or support, so it makes sense that SPLC and other groups would prop them up for fundraising. The
notion that Americans live in a nation of deep-seated systemic and cultural racism is a foundational belief of the American left. Having a bunch of cartoonishly racist groups running around the country not only perpetuates the myth but helps raise money.
But a far more vital objective of the SPLC is destroying the reputations of e ective legitimate organizations that are involved in mainstream political debates that have absolutely nothing to do with racism or extremism.
The purpose of the “hate” maps and enemies’ lists compiled by SPLC isn’t to alert Americans about local skinheads but to associate those skinheads with the American College of Pediatricians, Family Research Council, Ben Carson, Turning Point USA, American Family Association and Moms for Liberty.
In 2016, for instance, the SPLC “Hate and Extremism” list added Alliance Defending Freedom, a highly e ective legal organization that’s won multiple religious freedom cases in front of the Supreme Court. Oftentimes the ADF represents minority clients. Its most high-pro le case involved Jack Phillips, the persecuted cake maker from Colorado whose First Amendment rights were stripped by the government. But the group also takes on cases regarding state funding for abortion or the biological males competing in girls’ sports.
You may disagree with ADF’s positions on those issues, but only an extremist progressive actually considers it a “hate” group worthy of inclusion on a list with “neo-confederates.” It’s not the pinhead “Neo Volkisch” that concerns the SPLC, it’s the impressive lawyer with the ADF.
By making their case to the press, these
nd a way today to begin those conversations. There are too many examples of kids working hard to get into a college they can’t possibly pay for, and too many examples of parents passing away without communicating their wishes and intents. My retirement team here at the department would also want me to remind you that while you’re having those conversations, please be sure that everyone has updated their nancial bene ciaries and other legal designations to align with their current wishes! Remember that nancial success, or lack of success, is not a referendum on someone’s worth. And eventually, no matter who you are, someone else will have to deal with your nancial a airs, despite how much you want to keep them to yourself. So spend some time today guring out how to talk to your parents, signi cant other or kids about money. Discuss goals, dreams and intent. And you’ll likely be surprised by just how happy they are that you did.
Brad Briner is state treasurer of North Carolina.
conservatives are wisely appealing to the SPLC’s most powerful source of in uence. Yet the SPLC’s “hate list” has been treated as an authoritative source on extremism by virtually every legacy media outlet for years.
During the height of BLM protests and riots, The New York Times cited the SPLC as an unimpeachable authority on hate groups in hundreds of stories over a one-year span. The group was cited by the paper thousands of times over the previous decade. That’s a single media organization. From the mid-2010s through 2025, when the SPLC was sending millions to prop up the worst right-wing extremists in the country, virtually any story about rising extremism on NBC News featured the SPLC. The question is, how can any reputable media outlet, much less a government agency, ever use the SPLC as a source again?
They’ll try. Even now, outlets like The Associated Press refer to the SPLC as a “civil rights” group. The SPLC, formed in 1971 by civil rights activists in Montgomery, Alabama, hasn’t been ghting for the rights of African Americans for a long time. By the mid-1980s, the SPLC had already shifted away from the civil rights ght to rooting out “right-wing extremism.” In 1986, the entire legal sta , save founder Morris Dees (who was pushed out of the organization in 2019 after allegations of sexual harassment and racial discrimination), quit over the change.
The SPLC, probably super uous when it was formed, has long been a shady left-wing activist group with a near-billion-dollar endowment. The new indictment only further con rms it was worse than we thought.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
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A global repair movement is helping people restore broken goods and build community connections
By Michael Weissenstein The Associated Press
NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — On a drizzly Saturday morning late last month, the basement of the New Paltz United Methodist Church lled with old lamps, blunt knives, malfunctioning sound mixers and balky zippers.
About a dozen volunteers welcomed the broken goods and their owners to a worldwide movement that’s evangelizing new relationships between people and their things.
Repair Cafes — free events where volunteers with technical know-how help neighbors x myriad household items — are part of a new brand of anticonsumerism that’s trying to o er an alternative to the mass-produced disposable goods that have dominated the global economy for the last half-century. Helping fuel that move to repairing, not buying, are U.S. consumer prices, which climbed sharply again last month as the war with Iran delivered higher gasoline prices and more pain for Americans.
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introductory criminal justice course, with Albemarle police providing instructors.
“We have high hopes, and hopefully we can extend this to other places,” Melton said.
“Hopefully this is the start of more to come.”
Superintendent Jarrod Dennis thanked Manley for bringing the proposal to the district, comparing the potential of the course to the district’s existing re ghter programs.
“It looks like a win-win, espe-
cially looking at how successful the re ghting programs are,” Dennis said.
District leaders have discussed starting the course during the second semester, allowing time to promote the program and identify students who would be a good t; the rst class is estimated to include around 25 students.
SCS also plans to work with ApprenticeshipNC to explore preapprenticeship and apprenticeship opportunities connected to the program. Melton said the course could help students
After starting in the Netherlands with a single event in 2009, Repair Cafe has grown into a global nonpro t with more than 59,000 members, some 4,000 cafes and close to 850,000 items xed a year.
“We need to change our mindset. We need to change the economy,” Repair Cafe founder Martine Postma said. “Even if Repair Cafes can’t solve the problem alone, then still they are a very clear sign that change is needed on a much higher level.”
Repair Cafes are both a way to x things and to form community
In New Paltz, a Hudson Valley college town about two hours from New York, 50 people brought about 85 items to the Repair Cafe: an antique fan that required rewiring, shirts, pants, jackets, stu ed animals. There were old family photos that needed restoring and jewelry awaiting work like restringing beads or replacing clasps.
Bill Sorenson, board
begin building a pathway into law enforcement before they are old enough to enter Basic Law Enforcement Training.
Repair experts waited behind long cafeteria tables to teach alternatives, giving people chances to learn that awed goods aren’t automatically junk.
“Maybe their initial reason for coming is monetary or sentimental,” organizer Holly Shader said.
More than that, she added, “it gives people a chance to work together and extend the life of something. People form relationships.”
The experts on hand xed 71 of the items, found that four needed more work and deemed 10 beyond repair. They said they volunteer for the low-pressure joy of xing things, with networking as a side bene t.
“I get to come and actually do the work and meet the nice people and show them how to put something together,” contractor Patrick L. Murphy said.
Networks touting this new brand of anticonsumerism are growing
The Buy Nothing Project, “right to repair” legislation, and a growing number of tool libraries also are dedicated to repairing, trading, and giving instead of buying and selling.
Starting in Washington state in 2013, the Buy Nothing Project maintains an app and social media presence that links people giving things away with people nearby who want them — a worldwide network of gift economies, as described on its Facebook page.
Founder Liesl Clark said the network has expanded to at least 12.5 million people on Facebook, showing a growth rate with the ability to inuence corporate and state behavior.
“What was a social movement has really become a safety net for millions of people,” she said. “People are seeing that you don’t have to go to the Amazons of the world to get what you might need, there is a robust material culture in your community.
“We want to change the way that the world consumes.”
The movement “started as a social and economic and environmental experiment,” she noted.
“There’s going to be a conversation that you have, when you and someone else are x-
“You have to be 20 years old by the time you graduate from BLET training, so this is a way for them to get in with the preapprenticeships to get started on that pathway and be exposed to the police department,” Melton said.
Board Member Bill Sorenson said the course could help connect students with local law enforcement careers.
“I’m excited about the opportunities for our kids that this is going to provide,” Sorenson said. “There are age restrictions to go into law enforcement, but
ing something together,” she said. “We’re nding that we’re crossing a lot of barriers.”
In today’s modern, disposable culture, many people have lost the ability to repair household goods, a skill that was once nearly universal, said Peter Counter, an engineer who’s studying Repair Cafes and working on a doctorate at the University for the Creative Arts in Farnham, England.
“The idea that you can x your own stu has receded because the skills are not being passed down,” he said. “If you want something xed, it’s almost certainly cheaper to go buy a new one.”
Community repair is thriving, Counter said, because it is volunteers who spend their time, making it nancially viable even if you need to buy spare parts.
The “right to repair” movement wants consumers to be empowered to repair their own products instead of being forced to go to the manufacturer for tools and instructions. A national campaign pushed in 2023 for states to consider bills requiring manufacturers to give access to tools and instructions for both customers and repair shops. A handful of states have passed legislation.
And around the country, some jurisdictions are hosting tool libraries that allow people to borrow expensive tools just like library books.
“It’s wonderful to see people restoring older things”
In New Paltz, Paula Weinstein, 79, brought in a 1930s-era Hammond clock and handed it to Bob Morton.
Morton — an 82-year-old former IBM electrical engineer — said he enjoys using his skills to stay intellectually busy and help people.
“I’ve been blessed to still have a brain,” the grandfather of three said. “It’s a chance to do something.” Weinstein added, “It’s wonderful to see people restoring older things.”
After hours of patient work together, the hands of her clock moved.
“Yes, it’s working!” she shouted. “Oh, my goodness, thank you!”
“I’m glad I stuck with it,” Morton said.
if we can build a pipeline from our school to the community college’s BLET program to our local law enforcement agencies, it’s a win for everybody.” Prior to the criminal justice program discussion, the school board unanimously approved the district’s CTE local plan for the upcoming 2026-27 academic year. The Stanly County Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Aug. 4 at 6:15 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.
MICHAEL WEISSENSTEIN / AP PHOTO
Bob Morton, a former IBM electrical engineer, right, repairs a 1930s-era Hammond clock for Paula Weinstein at a Repair Café in New Paltz, New York, on May 23.
Trump o cials went after dozens of colleges; now rules for all of academia being rewritten
Federal rulemaking o ers a durable strategy after court orders blocked targeted funding cuts
By Collin Binkley
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A year ago, the White House was unleashing a blitz on higher education. At one campus after another, Trump o cials opened investigations and cut federal funding unless schools fell in line with the Republican president’s political agenda.
Now, after a campaign that put dozens of universities under investigation, President Donald Trump’s administration is taking a wider approach, moving to rewrite the federal rules that govern all of higher education. Demands that were being pressed on individual schools are being written into the ne print for thousands of U.S. universities.
“We’re coming over the higher education system and course correcting,” Nicholas Kent, undersecretary for the Education Department, said in an Associated Press interview. Unlike investigations that target individual campuses, he said the new tactic has power “to a ect 6,000 institutions.”
The shift comes after federal judges blocked Trump’s administration from making crippling cuts at Harvard and the University of California, Los Angeles. It also follows a mass exodus in civil rights lawyers who traditionally guide investigations against universities. Still, Trump hasn’t backed down from his campaign to end what he calls “wokeness” run amok in academia.
Through regulation, the administration is going after many of the same targets it hammered with investigations — diversity, equity and inclusion policies, transgender athletes, antisemitism and a variety of practices perceived as anti-white discrimination.
Several U.S. agencies propose new rules
One new rule being proposed by the Education Department would overhaul the system that decides which colleges can receive federal money, known as the accreditation process.
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terms expired May 31: Larry Baucom (District 1), Lynn Clodfelter (District 2), Richard Jones (District 3), Charles Brown (District 4) and Dustin Poplin (District 5).
“The system actually generates an email to all the members as well, reminding them to apply, so folks were made aware that they needed to reapply if they wanted to,” Lucas said. Applications were submitted by Jones, Poplin, Roddey Dowd
Among other changes, the proposal would require accreditors to make sure colleges have “intellectual diversity,” a veiled call for more conservative voices.
Many people in higher education are alarmed by a proposal from the O ce of Management and Budget that would order agencies to ensure federal grants “advance the President’s policy priorities.” Trump o cials would verify that grants aren’t used to promote DEI, “anti-American values” or anything denying “the sex binary in humans,” according to the proposal issued last week. An OMB spokesperson said the rule aims to promote transparency.
Another proposal from the General Services Administration would require federal grant recipients, including universities and their contractors, to certify they don’t have DEI policies deemed unlawful by the administration.
At least 11 new rules have been proposed at the Education Department, including one aimed at “streamlining the process” to cut money for schools that violate the Trump administration’s interpretation of civil rights law.
Making federal rules can take months of debate in humdrum bureaucratic processes. But unlike earlier strategies that tested the limits of White House power, the rulemaking process is a widely accepted route to establish federal policy into law — without needing to go through Congress.
Some in higher education
Jr., Thomas Smith and Camille Shelton Parrish. Commissioners unanimously voted to appoint Dowd in District 1, Jones in District 3, Parrish in District 4 and Poplin in District 5. With no District 2 applications submitted, that seat remains vacant. Lucas said Clodfelter will continue serving in the role until someone else is appointed. In the nal appointment item, Lucas explained that the SCC Board of Trustees needed one county appointment for a four-year term beginning July 1 and expiring June 30, 2030.
welcome the change. Unlike last year’s attacks, the new approach opens the door for a conversation, said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents college and university presidents.
“We’re playing a game that has rules and referees, and that’s good,” said Mitchell, a former Education Department o cial under President Barack Obama, a Democrat. “It gives us an opportunity to talk about where we might agree with the administration. That was impossible to do when these were just straight-on attacks.”
The administration launches fewer new investigations
Meantime, the Education and Justice departments have announced fewer higher-education investigations, issuing news releases on roughly a dozen at U.S. universities so far this year. In the same span last year, they announced more than 70, according to an AP analysis. The exact number of new investigations is unclear — a public database has not been updated since January 2025.
Kent said the Education Department will continue to open investigations as needed, describing it as using a “scalpel to cut out the bad.” But he said colleges have started to come to heel on the administration’s priorities.
“Folks realize that it’s a new day and that we’re paying attention,” Kent said.
“The community college board has a vacancy that the county commissioners are eligible to appoint,” Lucas said. Applications were submitted by Blackburn, Joe Brooks, Donald Adkins, Wendy Holbrook and Nancy Joines. Brooks, whose current term expires at the end of June, was unanimously reappointed.
The Stanly County Board of Commissioners will hold its next regular meeting on July 6 at 6 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.
“It gives us an opportunity to talk about where we might agree with the administration. That was impossible to do when these were just straight-on attacks.”
Ted Mitchell, American Council on Education president
The vast majority of the investigations opened last year are still open. The White House struck deals with Columbia, Brown and a handful of other campuses, but most cases are unresolved with no public update in months.
Catherine Lhamon, who led the Education Department’s O ce for Civil Rights under President Joe Biden, a Democrat, said the barrage of investigations amounted to “performance art” that grabbed attention but had little impact. After pushback from schools, she said, the Trump administration is backing o .
“It stopped putting itself in a position to lose,” said Lhamon, who now leads the Edley Center on Law and Democracy at the University of California, Berkeley.
Still, some ghts have intensi ed. The White House has doubled down on battles with Harvard and UCLA after federal judges blocked the administration from cutting o research funding from the campuses.
The Justice Department has sued Harvard and UCLA four times since February, alleging that both campuses tolerated antisemitism and that Harvard refused to release admissions data sought by the administration. Leaders of both universities say they have worked to ght antisemitism.
Admissions cases become a top priority
A White House o cial said the investigative slowdown is also the result of a mounting focus on college admissions. The administration has been building cases against colleges accused of considering race in admissions decisions even after the Supreme Court struck
down a rmative action. Those investigations can take more time because they require large data collections, said the ocial, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal strategy.
Some of those cases are now coming to bear.
The Justice Department recently concluded that medical schools at Yale and UCLA discriminated against white and Asian American students by allegedly favoring Black and Latino applicants. The universities have defended their admissions processes, saying they were rigorous and based on merit.
Trump o cials are taking a hard-line approach against any use of race in admissions, clashing with colleges that invite students to discuss their race in application essays. In its 2023 decision, the Supreme Court said nothing stops schools from considering how applicants’ race speaks to broader qualities.
“We are making sure,” Kent said, “that we are elevating our best and our brightest and that we’re not putting the thumb on the scale because of somebody’s skin color.”
Higher education has already been changed
Facing last year’s blitz, many campuses quietly made changes to avoid scrutiny. Some closed DEI o ces. The NCAA moved to limit transgender athletes. Universities from UCLA to Columbia tightened campus protest rules after pro-Palestinian demonstrations were the subject of federal investigations. Research has been scaled back as top schools face continued funding cuts.
In the classroom, there’s been a chilling e ect as professors fear that what they say or teach could attract federal attention, said Todd Wolfson, president of the American Association of University Professors.
Still, he’s optimistic the balance of power is shifting in universities’ favor. Students and faculty members on several campuses built pressure to reject a White House invitation last fall to sign on to aspects of Trump’s agenda in exchange for favorable access to research funding, he said. The AAUP has brought several lawsuits against the administration, including one that stopped funding cuts at UCLA.
“The sector is getting its feet under it, and it’s only getting stronger,” Wolfson said. “I can promise you that we will ght them tooth and nail.”
The Stanly County Board of Commissioners
with county appointment decisions on
STEVEN SENNE / AP PHOTO
People take photos near a John Harvard statue on the Harvard campus in January 2024, in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Mildred Virginia Whitley
July 28, 1931 – June 2, 2026
Mildred Virginia Whitley, 94, of Albemarle passed away peacefully Tuesday, June 2, 2026, at Trinity Place in Albemarle.
Mildred was born July 28, 1931, in Oakboro, North Carolina to the late Adam Roosevelt Furr and Thaddeus Whitley Furr. She was preceded in death by her brother, Harold Furr, and her sister Lucille Mauldin.
Mildred worked in retail for many years at Grants and Cato. She was a member rst of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church and then West Albemarle Baptist Church. She loved being a grandmother and attended most Bulldog home games to cheer for her grandsons in football, baseball, and basketball. She was
Stephen Hughes Hill
Sept. 30, 1942 – June 7, 2026
Stephen Hughes Hill passed away peacefully at home on June 7, 2026, at the age of 83.
He was born on September 30, 1942, in Albemarle, NC to Jehu F. Hill and Maggie A. Hill. He is a graduate of North Carolina State University and a member of Theta Tau Engineering Fraternity.
A Celebration of Life will be a Graveside service, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at 2:00, at Fairview Memorial Park, Albemarle, North Carolina, o ciated by Rev. Don Burleyson.
Robert “Bob” Stephen Morrison
May 19, 1937 – June 5, 2026
Robert “Bob” Stephen Morrison, 89, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully on June 5, 2026, at his home surrounded by his loving family. The family will receive friends on Saturday, June 13th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.
Bob was born in Tioga County, New York on May 19, 1937. He graduated high school in Vestal, New York. He was on the wrestling team, and he was an Eagle Scout. He then joined the Navy serving on the U.S.S.
OBITUARIES
also an avid Carolina Tarheel fan. She traveled quite often during retirement and enjoyed many activities with her friends.
Survivors include son, Michael Whitley of Norwood, NC and daughter, Lisa Tucker of P ugerville, Texas. Grandsons include Ryan (Michelle) Whitley of Decatur, GA, Daniel Tucker of Harrisburg, NC, Johnson Tucker of Charlotte, NC, and Wesley (Sara) Burris of Austin, TX. Great grandchildren include Hayden Tucker, Richard Tucker, Scott Burris, Jordan Burris, and greatgreat granddaughter Maizie Lou Tucker.
The family would like to thank the sta of Tillery Compassionate Care and Trinity Place Skilled Nursing for the exceptional assistance and professional care they provided Mildred and the family.
The family would also like to mention Mildred’s dear friends Faye, Roger, and Rodney from Creekridge Apartments who were like family and helped each other in so many ways. A special mention to one of her best friends, Michelle, who treated Mildred with love and grace. In her memory, donations can be made to Tillery Compassionate Care at 960 North First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Steve had an extensive professional career as an Executive Vice President managing industrial manufacturing operations in companies, such as Collins and Aikman, Black and Decker, Hackney and Sons, Hamilton Beach/Procter Silex, and Borg Warner. He also believed in serving his community through United Way and prisoner rehabilitation charities. He was a member of First Baptist Church in Rock Hill, SC and also sang in the church choir. Throughout his life, Steve was an avid sherman, animal lover, and a dedicated family man. Steve is survived by his wife of 61 years, Elizabeth (Betsy) Kidd Hill of Indian Land, SC, and his two daughters, Ruth Hill of Waxhaw, NC, and Elizabeth (Beth) Hill (spouse Chris Sartin) of Lancaster, SC; as well as his granddaughter Megan Clayton. In lieu of owers, contributions may be made to no-kill animal shelters, such as, the Humane Society of Charlotte, NC (humanesocietyofcharlotte.org).
Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Hill family.
Coral Sea. Bob retired from the US Postal Service having been a letter carrier for 30 years. Bob was predeceased by his parents Otho and Myra Morrison and one grandson, Eli Bowman. He is survived by the love of his life, Linda, to whom he was married for 66 years. He is also survived by his brother, Bruce Morrison as well as three children Lisa Bowman, Steve Morrison and Jayne Nunn, six grandchildren, Travis Bowman, Charlotte Waterhouse, Zach Bowman, Caitlin Bertrand, Tessa Johnson and Marlaena Morrison, and nine great-grandchildren. Bob enjoyed traveling, camping, growing Christmas trees, hunting, ballroom dancing and volunteering. He and Linda had the distinct opportunity to travel to all 50 states. In lieu of owers, donations can be made to Stanly Community Christian Ministries, PO Box 58, Albemarle, NC 28002 Bob will be remembered for his faithful service to his country and community, his adventurous spirit that carried him across the country, and the joy he found in sharing life’s journeys with those he loved. His legacy of kindness, dedication, and love will continue to inspire all who knew him.
IN MEMORY
CAROL MELTON
NOV. 10, 1956 – MAY 29, 2026
Carol Tucker Melton, 69 of Norwood, died Friday Evening, May 29, 2026 at Atrium Stanly. Funeral Services will be held at 6:00 PM Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at Norwood Church of God. Rev. David Shankle will o ciate. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 Tuesday, June 2, 2026 at Edwards Funeral Home of Norwood.
Carol was born November 10, 1956 in Stanly County to the late Luther Jackson Tucker and Helen Smith Tucker Biggers. She touched many children’s lives during her 46 year career as a child care provider with her business “Nana’s Daycare” in Norwood. She attended Norwood Church of God. She is survived by her husband of 52 years Edward “Eddie” Melton. One daughter, Mandy Melton, one son Chase Melton (Mindy) all of Norwood. One sister, Linda Hatley (David) of Badin and one brother, Wayne Tucker (Donna) of New London. Five grandchildren, Daiden Allmon (Ana), Van Allmon, Cali, Maddie and Paisley Melton. One great-granddaughter, Eliana Allmon. Memorials may be Edwards Funeral Home PO Box 765, Norwood, NC 28128.
DONNA HATHCOCK
OCT. 19, 1961 – MAY 30, 2026
Donna Preslar Hathcock, 64, of Norwood died Saturday, May 30, 2026.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 4 p.m. Thursday, June 4, 2026 in Edwards Funeral Home Chapel of Norwood. Chaplain Gary Carney will o ciate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
Donna was born Oct. 19, 1961 in Anson County to the late Layton Bleachman Preslar Jr. and Andrea “Ann” Broome Preslar. She was a 1980 graduate of South Stanly High School and a member of Memorial Baptist Church. She was a retired Postmaster with the United States Postal Service.
Donna enjoyed life, spending time at the beach, her “happy place”, shopping was her therapy and riding motorcycles with her friends in the “Ain’t Rite Riders”.
She is survived by her companion, James “Strawberry” Davis. Her daughter, Sommer Hathcock Morgan (Adam) of Norwood. Her son, Richard “Ricky” Hathcock (Jaclyn) of Wadesboro. Three grandchildren, Lucy Morgan, Layton and Bryson Hathcock. One great-granddaughter, Gradie Hathcock. Her sister, Sharon Preslar of Shallotte. Her children by love, Seth and Taylor Davis.
Memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care, 960 North First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.
DIANNA KAYE MOUCKA
JAN. 8, 1950 – JUNE 1, 2026
With profound sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, Dianna Kaye Moucka, 76, of Albemarle, passed away Monday, June 1, 2026, at Stanly Manor in Albemarle. Dianna, but to most known as Kaye, was born Jan. 8, 1950, in Concord, North Carolina to the late Everett Dagenhart and the late Carlene Elizabeth Dagenhart. She lived a life centered on family, love, and devotion to those she cared about most. Her kindness, strength and caring nature left a lasting impression on everyone fortunate enough to know her.
Kaye shared 42 wonderful years of marriage with her husband, Thomas Moucka, until his passing in 2017. Together they built a family that become the pride and joy of her life. She was a devoted mother to Brian Hubbard of Albemarle, the late Eric James Hubbard, Jennifer Pope (Ryan) of Oakboro, and Matthew Moucka of Albemarle.
Of all the roles she held throughout her life, being “Nana” was her favorite. Nothing brought her greater happiness than spending time with her grandchildren: Grayson Pope (Sydney), Braeden Pope, Holden Pope, Branson Miller, Jaxon Moucka, and Ainsley Moucka. She celebrated their accomplishments, cherished every visit, and loved each of them beyond measure. The memories she created with them will remain treasured gifts for years to come.
Kaye is also survived by her brothers, Gary Dagenhart (Janet) of Denver, Colorado, and Ronnie Dagenhart (Julie) of Harrisburg, North Carolina along with many extended family, and her ability to make those around her feel welcome and cared for. Her legacy lives on through the family she loved so deeply and countless lives she touches with her warmth and compassion.
In accordance with her wishes, no funeral or memorial service will be held. Her family would like to extend special thanks to the sta of Stanly Manor, who cared for and loved her as if she were their own. She loved the sta there as if they were her family, which is immeasurable to her family during this time. They would like to invite those who knew and loved her to honor her memory in their own way and keep her spirit alive though acts of kindness, love and family togetherness.
Though she is no longer with us, the love she shared and the memories she created will remain in our hearts forever. Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Moucka family.
LEROY DOUGLAS SMITH JR. JAN. 22, 1947 – JUNE 1, 2026
Leroy Douglas Smith Jr., 79, of New London, passed away peacefully at his home on June 1, 2026.
A graveside service to celebrate his life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday at McRae Cemetery in Mount Gilead. The service will be o ciated by Captain Jesse R. Tate, Chaplain USN (Ret.) The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.
Born Jan. 22, 1947, in Montgomery County, North Carolina, Leroy was the son of the late Leroy Douglas Smith Sr. and Hazel McRae Smith. Leroy dedicated much of his career to the textile industry, working as a xer for Wiscassett Mills Company and Burlington Industries. Following his retirement from textiles, he worked with Stanly Salvage and later operated his own mobile home repair and setup business. Gifted with mechanical ability and an unmatched work ethic, Leroy could x just about anything and was happiest when he had a project to tinker with.
To those who knew him, Leroy was truly larger than life. He was humble, generous, sel ess, funny, and deeply loving. He possessed a big heart and never hesitated to help someone in need. Children in the neighborhood often looked forward to seeing him, as he delighted in giving away toys and bringing smiles to their faces. If Leroy loved you, there was never any doubt about it. He treated everyone with respect and honesty.
A man of strong faith, Leroy often reminded those around him to “Stay Prayed Up.” He enjoyed listening to gospel and bluegrass music, watching western movies, cheering on NASCAR races, and following sports on television. He was an avid coon hunter who treasured time spent with his beloved Bluetick hounds. A devoted Ford enthusiast, Leroy especially loved Ford Broncos and could often be found talking about them, working on them, or admiring one wherever he saw it. He also enjoyed attending auctions and collecting a wide variety of treasures over the years.
In his younger days, Leroy was a drag racer and motorcycle racer who loved speed and competition. His passion for engines never faded, and he became known for building exceptionally powerful Ford big-block motors. Among his favorite songs was “Man of Constant Sorrow,” a tting re ection of his appreciation for traditional music and storytelling.
Family and friends will fondly remember his familiar sayings, “I can’t help it,” and “What do you want me to do about it?” Those simple phrases, delivered with his unique sense of humor, became part of the legacy he leaves behind.
Leroy is survived by his beloved wife of 34 years, Linda Tate Smith of Denton; his children, Dwight Douglas Smith (Susan Eudy) of New London, Larry Joe Smith (Traci Thompson) of New London, and Sarah Rebecca Smith (Aaron Wolfe) of Denton; his sister, Marie Coley of Albemarle; his grandchildren, Jordan Haithcock, Preston Haithcock, Brianna Nicole Smith, and Justin “Justice” Cole Smith; and his dear friend, Billy Huddleston, whose friendship meant so much to him throughout the years.
He is also survived by his brothers-in-law, Bobby Clark, Ricky Russell, Jessie Tate, Charlie Tate Jr., and David N. Tate; his sisters-in-law, Sha Russell Foy, Teresa Russell Tucker, Barbara Diane Nance, and Therese Williams; along with numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends who will cherish his memory.
In addition to his parents, Leroy was preceded in death by his rst wife, Ann Elizabeth Russell Smith, and his grandson, David Douglas Smith. Though his presence will be deeply missed, the memories he created, the laughter he shared, and the lives he touched will remain with those who knew and loved him for years to come. As Leroy would often say, “Stay Prayed Up.”
LINDA DELCOMYN RAXTER
APRIL 11, 1951 – JUNE 2, 2026
Linda Delcomyn Raxter, 75, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, June 11, 2026, at 5 p.m. at Uwharrie Community Church in Albemarle. A receiving of friends will follow the service.
Linda was born on April 11, 1951, in California to the late Edmond and Nellie Delcomyn. She lived a life marked by creativity, dedication, and love for her family.
She is lovingly survived by her children, Vanessa Ames (Chelsea) and Edmond Lucas (Kimberly); her stepdaughter, Melissa Flynn (Timothy); grandchildren, Olive Ames, Theodore Lucas, and Henry Lucas; sisters, Ruth Dixon and Della McDowell (Steve); as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.
Linda was a talented seamstress who enjoyed DIY projects and expressing her creativity through her many crafts. She was especially proud of the opportunity to sew custom handbags for military families; a meaningful way she shared her talents with others. Above all, Linda treasured time spent with her grandchildren, enjoyed watching her favorite daytime soap operas, and rarely went without her beloved Coke Zero nearby.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the sta of Tillery Compassionate Care and the “Circle of Friends” Community Group at Uwharrie Community Church for the exceptional love, care, and support shown to Linda during her declining health.
Linda will be remembered for her creativity, determination, and the love she shared with those around her. Her memory will live on in the hearts of her family and friends who were blessed to know her.
STANLY SPORTS
North Stanly’s She eld to compete at Carolina Border Battle
The
Comet
will play against top regional talent
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
NEW
LONDON
— A North
Stanly baseball standout will represent the Comets and North Carolina this week at one of the top summer scouting events in the Carolinas.
Ryder She eld, a rising sophomore shortstop at North Stanly, is set to compete in the sixth annual Prep Baseball Carolina Border Battle at UNC Charlotte.
The event is designed for top 2027, 2028 and 2029 prospects from North Carolina and South Carolina, beginning Tuesday with a workout day featuring batting practice and defensive work.
Gameplay is scheduled for Wednesday, with players divided into eight teams — four from each state.
She eld is one of 60 in-state players selected for the event. He will play shortstop for NC
6 Stanly players recognized on NCBCA all-state baseball teams
One local player earned Pitcher of the Year honors
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Six Stanly County baseball players were recently named to the 2026 North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association all-state teams, with West Stanly pitcher Cooper Crisco earning one of the state’s top individual honors.
The NCBCA recently announced its player of the year awards and all- state teams for each N.C. High School Athletic Association classi cation.
Crisco, a West Stanly stand-
out, was named the 4A Pitcher of the Year after helping lead the Colts during the 2025 season. He has signed with Catawba College and is also listed with the Uwharrie Wampus Cats.
“I’m blessed and honored
to be named the NCBCA 4A Pitcher of the Year,” Crisco said. “This award is a re ection of the support from my coaches, teammates, family and everyone who has helped me along the way. Thank you to West Stanly baseball for an un-
“This event has evolved into the can’t-miss event of the summer in the Carolinas.”
Prep Baseball
Team 3, which was scheduled to face SC Team 3 at 2:45 p.m. Wednesday.
“Our mission is to run a high-level event in the Carolinas, setting the table to see who are the best prospects in the region with our continued coverage of NC and SC,” Prep Baseball said in a statement. “This event has evolved into the can’tmiss event of the summer in the Carolinas.”
Since 2019, the NC/SC Border Battle has produced 407 college commitments, including 41 from last year’s event. Prep Baseball said the event annually attracts close to 30 college coaches.
She eld, 15, earned a spot on
forgettable journey. I’m excited for what’s next at Catawba.
Forever a Colt!”
Crisco was joined on the 4A all- state team by West Stanly shortstop Drew Hatley, who has signed with Surry Community College and is also part of the Wampus Cats organization. Crisco and Hatley were previously recognized as the Rocky River Conference pitcher and player of the year, respectively. Burns’ Drew Dixon was named the 4A Player of the Year.
North Stanly placed three players on the 3A all- state team, with Hayden Moore, Charlie Shaver and Aiden Hamilton representing the Comets.
Moore, a third baseman, and Hamilton, a shortstop, are rising seniors for North Stanly. Shaver, a pitcher, was named the Yadkin Valley Conference Player of the Year and has signed with Old Dominion.
the Yadkin Valley Conference’s 2026 All- Conference Team as a freshman this spring. Now he will get a chance to showcase his skills against other top players from across the region.
“Congratulations to Ryder She eld on being named to Team North Carolina for the Border Battle,” the North Stanly Booster Club said. “Ryder will represent the Comets and the state of North Carolina against South Carolina’s top talent. Way to go, Ryder!”
She eld has already drawn attention from Prep Baseball’s scouting department this year. During a Feb. 15 evaluation, he recorded a maximum exit velocity of 91.3 mph and a 3.67-second 30 -yard dash.
Prep Baseball also evaluated She eld on April 16 during North Stanly’s 10 - 6 home win over Community School of Davidson in New London. The scouting report noted his added strength since competing in last summer’s Junior Future Games while describing him as an “advanced runner” who was “stable with good rhythm” at the plate.
Last summer, She eld competed in the 12th annual Prep Baseball Junior Future Games in Emerson, Georgia, an invitation- only national scouting event where players were observed by MLB and college scouts.
“I’m blessed and honored to be named the NCBCA 4A Pitcher of the Year.” Cooper Crisco
All three North Stanly honorees were also named to the All-YVC team this past season.
Polk County’s Gunnar Alm was named the 3A Player of the Year, while Ayden- Grifton’s Slater Persinger was named the 3A Pitcher of the Year.
South Stanly catcher Carter Callicutt rounded out the local selections, earning a spot on the 2A all- state team. Callicutt, who was also an All-YVC selection, has joined Catawba Valley Community College and the Uwharrie Wampus Cats. Hayesville’s Jackson Sellers was named the 2A Player of the Year, while Voyager Academy’s Cameron Copley was named the 2A Pitcher of the Year.
North Stanly’s Ryder She eld is set to play in the 2026 Prep Baseball Carolina Border Battle.
NFL Broncos linebacker Cooper arrested on domestic violence charges
Englewood, Colo.
Denver Broncos linebacker Jonathon Cooper has been arrested on domestic violence charges. Jail records show he faces two counts of domestic violence and one count of criminal mischief. The Broncos said last Friday they are aware of the situation and are gathering more information. Cooper, a seventh-round draft pick from Ohio State in 2021, is entering his sixth season with the team. He has started every game since 2023 and has 311⁄2 career sacks.
UFC
Lawsuit seeks to stop UFC ght on White House South Lawn for Trump’s birthday
New York
A federal lawsuit seeks to halt the upcoming UFC ght card on the White House South Lawn as part of the celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary. The ling contends the event violates National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands. It also says Congress didn’t consent to the construction of the event space and no environmental review was conducted.
NHL
Meehan, one of rst Sabres, in uential GM, dead at 79 Bu alo, N.Y.
Gerry Meehan, one of the Bu alo Sabres’ rst players who went on to an in uential role as the team’s general manager, died at 79. The Sabres announced that he died last Friday. The cause and location of death were not immediately available. Meehan was from Toronto but essentially adopted Bu alo as his hometown as a player and executive. As GM, he was responsible for acquiring eventual Hall of Famers Dominik Hasek, Pat LaFontaine, Alexander Mogilny and Dale Hawerchuk spanning the late 1980s and early 1990s.
WORLD CUP
Tentative deal in place, stadium workers near LA say, averting strike ahead of World Cup Los Angeles Stadium workers near Los Angeles say they have reached a tentative contract deal, averting a strike ahead of the U.S. men’s soccer team’s opening World Cup match. The union representing 2,000 bartenders, servers, cooks and dishwashers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, voted last week to authorize a strike after contract talks had stalled with the stadium’s food service provider, Legends Global. Workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 11 were seeking pay increases, protections from subcontracting and security on the job amid ramped-up immigration enforcement. Eight matches are scheduled for SoFi Stadium starting Friday.
NBA Can’t a ord sky-high tickets to see Knicks in person? Trump says, ‘watch it on television’
Aboard Air Force One
President Donald Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden and doesn’t have much sympathy for ordinary Americans who couldn’t a ord the sky-high ticket prices, which reached $8,000. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One, Trump suggested that fans priced out of attending the game in person have an alternative. “They can watch it on television,” he said, adding, “It’s sorta semi-free to watch it on television. That’s the way life goes.”
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at noon
Hamlin goes back to front again to win Cup race at Michigan
The comeback victory ties him with Kyle Busch on the career win list
The Associated Press
BROOKLYN, Mich. — Denny Hamlin went from the rear to rst again Sunday, winning at Michigan International Speedway to earn his second consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victory.
Just like last week’s win at Nashville Superspeedway, when the Joe Gibbs Racing car started on the pole position but was penalized for jumping the start, Hamlin quali ed rst at Michigan but dropped to the back at the green ag because of a penalty for unapproved adjustments to his No. 11 Toyota.
Hamlin patiently worked his way to the front over 400 miles. He took the lead for good on a three -wide pass during a restart with 38 laps remaining, sweeping into rst around Spire Racing teammates Daniel Suarez and Carson Hocevar, a home - state favorite.
It’s the 63rd career victory for Hamlin, tying the late Kyle Busch for ninth on the Cup Series’ all-time win list.
“Great job, guys,” Hamlin radioed his crew. “Great car. Unbelievable. We love you, KB.”
Erik Jones (another Michigan native) nished second, followed by Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson and Hocevar.
Crash causes red
The race was stopped with 51 laps remaining to repair a damaged SAFER barrier after a hard crash involving Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott.
During a restart on the 148th lap, the drivers were running side by side for second. Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet bobbled and skidded up the track into Bell’s No. 20 Toyota, which shot into
the outside wall at the 2-mile oval where speeds top 200 mph.
The impact with Bell’s Camry severely deformed the SAFER barrier, which is comprised of steel and foam to absorb energy in wrecks. A red ag was displayed for 20 minutes to x the damaged section of the barrier.
Both drivers climbed from their cars and walked to an ambulance for a trip to the track’s
in eld care center. Elliott patted Bell on the shoulder and apologized for the wreck before they entered the ambulance.
“I’m ne; it was totally my fault,” Elliott said. “I feel really bad for Bell, just taking him out. I was trying to run on the bottom and make use of our fresh tires and at least get to second and hopefully stay side by side with him. I got in there and got free and thought I was
“Great job, guys. Great car. Unbelievable.
We love you, KB.”
Denny Hamlin, on radio with his crew after winning
going to spin and was committing to spin out, and as soon as I started to commit to spinning, it just hooked up and hooked a right. Unfortunately, it sent Christopher into the wall super hard, and then me shortly there behind.
“Just racing really hard. I felt like that was kind of a turning point in the race. We needed to make something happen. I stepped over the line again and paid for it. … I just told him I’m sorry. Obviously, it was not on purpose.”
Rough rookie season
A nightmarish debut season in the Cup Series continued for Connor Zilisch, who crashed twice in the rst eight laps and nished last in the 37- car eld. The Trackhouse Racing driver has nished outside the top 30 the past three races and is still seeking the rst top 10 of his rookie campaign.
“I was really loose, but it’s just unfortunate,” Zilisch said. “Another short race for us. We’ll go try and get them at Pocono next week.”
Up next
The Cup Series will make its lone trip this season to Pocono Raceway on Sunday. Chase Briscoe won last year to earn his rst victory with Joe Gibbs Racing.
PAUL SANCYA / AP PHOTO
Denny Hamlin drives during his NASCAR Cup Series win Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.
PAUL SANCYA / AP PHOTO
Denny Hamlin celebrates winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
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NOTICES
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000191-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as the Executor of the Estate of DONNA DAVIS FREEMAN, of Chester eld, South Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of DONNA DAVIS FREEMAN to present them to the undersigned on or before August 27, 2026, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate, please make immediate payment. This is the 27th day of May, 2026. Emsley D. Freeman 994 Carey Freeman Road, Cheraw, SC 29520 Executor of the Estate of Donna Davis Freeman Sweeny, Wingate & Barrow, PA ATTN: David Thomas, esq. 1515 Lady Street, Columbia, SC 29201
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that the Town of Oakboro will hold a Public Hearing at Oakboro Town Hall located at 109A N Main Street, Oakboro, NC 28129 on Monday, June 15, 2026 at 7:00pm. The purpose of this hearing is to hear comments for, or against, the 2026-2027 proposed budget. Further information is available at Oakboro Town Hall. Any person wishing to speak should plan to attend the Public Hearing. Leslie Hatley-Murray Town Clerk
NOTICE
In the general court of justice Superior Court division before the clerk File Number 26E000249-830 Having quali ed as executor of the estate of Verda M Cavender, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said the decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before the 12th day of September 2026, or the same will be pleaded with the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 10th day of June 2026. Send claims to A.P. Cavender Executor of the estate of Verda M. Cavender 1217 Hope Ct Oakboro, North Carolina 28129
NOTICE
Partners Health Management Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Budget Ordinance Legal Ad LEGAL AD
In accordance with North Carolina General Statute 159-12, the Fiscal Year 2026-2027 Partners Health Management Budget has been submitted to Partners Board of Directors and will be displayed to provide su cient opportunity for public review at Partners Corporate O ce, 901 S. New Hope Road, Gastonia North Carolina during normal business hours, or on our website at www.partnersbhm.org. An opportunity for the public to comment on the FY 2026-2027 Partners Health Management Budget Document will be made available during the monthly Area Board of Directors (“Board”) meeting on June 18, 2026, commencing at 6:00 p.m. This period of public comment will be followed by a vote by the Board on nal adoption of the FY 2026-2027 Partners Health Management Budget. Please refer to the public website www.partnersbhm. org for instructions to join the meeting.
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NORTH CAROLINA
STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000238-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of Houston Cameron deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Houston Cameron to present them to the undersigned on or before September 5, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 3rd day of June 2026. Michael Barrow 6066 Jepson Court Charlotte, NC 28214 Executor
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA
STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000172-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS
Having quali ed as Executor of the estate of James Austin Henson deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said James Austin Henson to present them to the undersigned on or before August 22, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 20th day of May 2026. Je rey A. Henson 1122 Timber Drive Greenville, NC 27858 Executor
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000091-830
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
the stream
‘Michael,’ Bonnaroo, new Olivia Rodrigo, Keith Urban albums
Keith Urban goes yacht rock with “Flow State”
The Associated Press
THE STREAMING service debut of “Michael” and new albums from Olivia Rodrigo and Keith Urban 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: the new season of “Sweet Magnolias,” a new YA series “Every Year After” and the survival game “Solarpunk.”
MOVIES TO STREAM
The Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” is still moonwalking its way to $900 million in theaters, but it’s available to watch at home — for $24.99 — on major platforms like Apple TV, Prime Video and YouTube. Antoine Fuqua’s movie, starring Jaafar Jackson, was sanctioned by Jackson’s estate and its producers include the estate’s executors. In his review for The Associated Press, lm writer Jake Coyle wrote that the movie “slides a sequin glove over the pop star’s tarnished legacy, shrouding Michael Jackson’s complications with a conventional biopic that, if you cover your ears, sounds great.”
Kate Hudson’s Oscar -nominated performance in “Song Sung Blue” will be on Netix starting Saturday. She plays Claire Sardina, one half of a Neil Diamond tribute act from Milwaukee, opposite Hugh Jackman in a lm that Mark Kennedy, in his AP review, called “big-hearted but misguided.”
Now that Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni ended their legal feud over the acrimonious production of “It Ends With Us,” perhaps it’s time to give the romantic drama a rewatch? It is now streaming. In his review, Kennedy called it “uneven” in its attempt to “balance the realities of domestic violence inside a rom- com and a female - empowerment movie.”
And you can’t go wrong with Abbas Kiarostami’s “Where is the Friend’s House,” which will be available Friday on Kanopy.
Greta Gerwig, in an interview with The Criterion Channel, said it is “a perfect lm.”
MUSIC TO STREAM
First, she was “SOUR.” Then, she had “GUTS.” Now she’s abandoned four-letter words for the mouthful “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love.” Such are the musical and emotional complications of Rodrigo, a popstar for those who love depth of feeling and ’80s guitar pop. Her third album is prepped to be her best one yet, from the
butter ies-in-the-stomach, The Cure-referencing “Drop Dead” to, well, “The Cure,” with its early contender for “best bridge of the year.” Run, don’t walk. Welcome to music festival season! For those who love artists across genres and generations but aren’t big on getting o the couch, Disney+ and Hulu o er a solution. They’ll stream a few of the biggest U.S. fests this year, kicking things o with
“‘Michael’ slides a sequin glove over the pop star’s tarnished legacy, shrouding Michael Jackson’s complications with a conventional biopic that, if you cover your ears, sounds great.”
Jake Coyle, AP Film Writer
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival on Thursday through Friday. Log on, settle in and enjoy The Strokes, Noah Kahan, Skrillex, RÜFÜS DU SOL and more. Urban hath returned — and now, the four-time Grammy Award-winning country music superstar is into yacht rock. “Flow State,” out Friday, is comprised of 10 covers — including a reimagination of Bread’s “The Guitar Man” with John Mayer and Walter Egan’s “Magnet and Steel” with Little Big Town. The sole original is “We Go Back,” with Michael McDonald, and it stands up to the rest of the collection. Get into that soft West Coast sound.
Also back in the fold: Rapper Rick Ross, who releases “Set in Stone” on Friday. Little has been revealed about the 19 -track release, but if it is anything like the single “Minks in Miami” — a collaboration with French Montana and Max B that features a hook interpolating Rare Earth’s 1971 hit “I Just Want to Celebrate” — listeners are in for a treat.
SERIES TO STREAM
With “The Summer I Turned Pretty” and now “O Campus,” Prime Video remains committed to the YA/romance space. Its newest o ering is “Every Year After,” an eight- episode series based on a novel by Carley Fortune. It follows Percy (Sadie Soverall) and Sam (played by Matt Cornett), whose childhood friendship turned romantic before complications pulled them apart. A family tragedy reunites them and stirs up old feelings. All episodes are streaming now. “Sweet Magnolias” returns for its fth season Thursday on Net ix. JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Heather Headley and Brooke Elliott play lifelong friends living in a small town in South Carolina. Together, they navigate relationships, parenting and their careers.
VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY
With so many steampunk and cyberpunk games out there, perhaps it’s time to move on to “Solarpunk.” The goal in this survival game from German indie studio Cyberwave is to design a new culture using renewable energy sources like sunlight, wind and water. Your home is on an island oating in the sky, and you’ll want to build an airship to travel to other islands. It’s all kind of chill compared to the dystopias you typically expect in this genre, and you can team up with friends as you try to create a pollution-free paradise. Take ight on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S, Switch 2 or PC.
While you’re waiting for the next NBA Finals game, why not hit the court with “NBA The Run,” a 3 - on-3 street basketball throwdown? It’s the debut release from Play By Play Studios, and the developers are trying to recreate the vibe of arcade classics like “NBA Jam.” That means head-spinning footwork, gravity- defying dunks and balls that may burst into ame. There are 32 pros on the roster, including Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Jalen
of the New York Knicks, and the courts bounce from New York to Beijing. Tipo on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.
Brunson
LIONSGATE VIA AP
Jaafar Jackson stars as Michael Jackson in “Michael.”
SARAH SHATZ / FOCUS FEATURES VIA AP
“Song Sung Blue” starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman hits Net ix on Saturday.
NICOLE RIVELLI / SONY PICTURES VIA AP
The romantic drama “It Ends With Us” with Just Baldoni and Blake Lively is streaming now.
