The United States soccer team embraces after beating Bosnia 2-0 in a World Cup match Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif. The team will face Belgium in the round of 16 on Monday in Seattle.
WHAT’S HAPPENING
US employers still reluctant to add jobs as hiring slows in June
U.S. employers pulled back on hiring last month and added only 57,000 jobs, less than half the previous month’s total and a sign companies still have a cautious economic outlook. The Labor Department said Thursday that the unemployment rate declined to a low 4.2% from 4.3% in May, though the decline mostly occurred because many people out of work gave up looking and were no longer counted as unemployed. The figures suggest companies remain wary of the economy’s health, with inflation at a three-year high and consumer confidence near post-pandemic lows.
Trump Accounts launch, giving newborns $1,000
President Donald Trump launched Trump Accounts on July 4, aiming to boost financial independence for children born during his second term. Parents can open accounts for these children, receiving $1,000 from the government and potentially more from billionaires who’ve pledged to provide money. The funds are managed by private firms and are invested in the stock market. Children can access the money at age 18 for specific purposes like education or home buying. The program has faced criticism for not addressing kids’ immediate needs and potentially widening the wealth gap. Affluent families that can afford to put their own money in the accounts will realize the greatest benefits.
Stanly foundation awards $54K to local nonprofits
Grant funding will support 12 nonprofits
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — A dozen nonprofits serving Stanly County are receiving a round of funding from the Stanly County Community Foundation’s annual grantmaking program.
Announced on June 25, the $54,350 in awards will support local programs focused on education, arts, culture, housing, shelter, human services and youth development.
“We congratulate these organizations for the meaningful impact they make across our community, and we are honored to play a role in supporting their important work,”
Stanly Arts Council reports turnout from Make Music Day
Free performances and workshops drew over 900 attendees
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Arts Council has released the participation numbers from last month’s Make Music Day Stanly County event. Held across Albemarle, Locust and Norwood, the June 21 celebration featured 20 free performances that drew over 900 people throughout
the day.
Organizers also reported more than 150 participants of all ages at the event’s 10 free workshops.
The third annual local event was part of Make Music Day, a worldwide celebration held each year on the summer solstice that began in 1982.
“We are still on a musical high from all the ways Stanly County made music happen,” the Stanly County Arts Council said in a statement.
“Thank you to the performers, workshop leaders, sponsors
event takes more than a village to pull off —
the foundation said in a statement. “Stanly County Community Foundation remains committed to supporting nonprofits that are driving longterm change.”
This year’s largest grants went to Stanly Community Christian Ministry, which received $10,000; Stanly Avengers, $8,000; Homes of Hope, $7,500; Esther House of Stanly, $5,000; and The Uwharrie Players, $5,000.
Other recipients included ApSeed Early Childhood Education, which received $3,400; Legal Aid of North Carolina, $3,000; Stanly County Partnership for Children, $3,000; Aspire Youth & Family, $2,500; Cases For A Cause, $2,500; Least of These Carolinas, $2,400; and Stanly County Arts Council, $2,000.
Cases For A Cause thanked the foundation for supporting its work in the county.
“A huge thank you to the Stanly County Community Foundation for empowering our mission to bridge the gap
SENIOR
Stanly
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce donate $26M to charities ahead of wedding
The donations extend Swift’s pattern of charitable giving ahead of major life events
By Kimberlee Kruesi The Associated Press
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have donated $26 million to charities this week before their Friday wedding at Madison Square Garden.
The donations were spread out across 20 local and national charities, according to Swift’s publicist, with many located in areas where the couple has deep ties. The announcement did not include any mention of Swift and Kelce’s wedding. Nine of the selected organizations are based in New York, ranging from the Food Bank For NYC, City Harvest, to Musical Mentors, a nonprofit that
CRIME LOG
June 22
• Kimberly Ann Edwards, 41, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon.
• Justin Taylor Moss, 37, was arrested for possession of a stolen motor vehicle, communicating threats and second-degree trespass, and other charges.
• Destin Kyjuan Bell, 35, was arrested for second-degree kidnapping, assault on a female and communicating threats, and other charges.
• Shaquille Robert Strong, 34, was arrested for assault by strangulation, assault on a female and communicating threats, and other charges.
June 23
• Adham Hani Al Sheraideh, 24, was arrested for fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, failure to heed a light or siren and reckless driving.
• Laurie Ann Sweet, 43, was arrested
connects music teachers with students in need.
Just how much each charity received was not disclosed.
Other charities reflected where Swift and Kelce have also called home, including the Rhode Island Community Food Bank — where Swift owns an estate in Watch Hill — and the Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri — where Kelce plays tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs.
A handful of national groups also received money: Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, a book giveaway program spearheaded by the music legend; the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Feeding America.
The large donations ahead of Swift and Kelce’s wedding are reminiscent of charitable gifts the couple has given in
for interfering with an electronic monitoring device.
June 24
• Stacy Ann Cosgrove, 47, was arrested for conspiracy to obtain property by false pretense, uttering a forged instrument and obtaining property by false pretense.
• Mario Myron Hailey, 35, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, and other charges.
June 25
• Raphaela Bonita Moore, 57, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
• Kema Deuntra Williams, 32, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.
June 26
• Kevin Anthony Lassing, 42, was arrested for third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor.
the past. Swift, a billionaire, gave millions to food banks ahead of her Eras Tour stops, while Kelce has been recognized by the Chiefs for winning “charity challenges” and operating his own nonprofit. Swift and Kelce has been in a relationship since 2023, enthralling millions around the world. Their relationship have been documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s Eras concert tour as it traveled the globe. In 2025, they announced their engagement with a caption on Instagram but have remained mum on wedding details.
Yet buzz has remained high around New York’s MSG, with multiple trucks and crews going in and out delivering materials ahead of the Friday wedding, which occurred after the paper went to press.
• Garibaldo Lopez, 43, was arrested for driving while impaired.
• Robert J. Gosselin, 47, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, simple possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.
• Charlene Frances Kelch, 36, was arrested for driving while impaired and failure to maintain lane control.
• Dylan Elrod, 35, was arrested for fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, carrying a concealed weapon and simple possession of a controlled substance, and other charges.
June 27
• Brandon Lee Turner, 28, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and communicating threats.
• Sade Anastasia-Astoria Knox, 37, was arrested for fleeing to elude arrest with a motor vehicle, possession of a stolen motor vehicle and reckless driving, and other charges.
Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County:
July 5
Celebrate 250! — The Singing Americans of Stanly County 4 p.m.
Free patriotic sing-along concert by the Singing Americans of Stanly County, celebrating America’s 250th anniversary with songs to inspire. No admission charge.
Badin Baptist Church 28 Falls Road Badin
July 10
Food Truck Friday featuring The Groove Machine 5:30 p.m.
The City of Albemarle’s monthly outdoor concert series returns with The Groove Machine performing free live music alongside a variety of food trucks at City Lake Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring a blanket or lawn chair.
City Lake Park 815 Concord Road Albemarle
July 14
Stanly Arts Guild Summer Art Explosion
The Stanly Arts Guild presents its summer open-theme exhibition, an “anything goes” show inviting artists to display work without a prescribed subject. The show runs through Aug. 8.
Stanly Arts Guild & Gallery 330-C N. Second St. Albemarle
July 18
246th Anniversary of the Battle of Colson’s Mill
The Colson’s Mill Chapter of the NC Society Sons of the American Revolution commemorates the July 21, 1780, Patriot militia victory over Loyalist forces at Colson’s Mill, near the confluence of the Rocky and Pee Dee rivers in what is now Stanly County. The program is part of the America 250 NC Stanly County Committee’s 2026 schedule.
Norwood Community Building
247 W. Turner St. Norwood
THE CONVERSATION
Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor
VISUAL VOICES
What England can teach us about ‘democratic socialism’
Prices soared, nothing worked, unemployment lines lengthened, and the Brits got a lot poorer.
IF YOU WANT to see modern-day socialism in action, look no further than to the other side of the pond at not-so-jolly old England. The story of Britain’s decline is a warning signal to those here in the States who are thrilled by the warm embrace of socialism.
Right now, the Brits are having the same debate about the merits of socialism as we are in our major cities and blue states. In England, the foppish Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the Labour Party is out. But instead of turning to the right, it appears the UK will swerve further to the collective ownership of the left. Andy Burnham — the former socialist mayor of Manchester (Britain’s Zohran Mamdani) — is next in line. God save the queen.
As Greg Ip of The Wall Street Journal reports, “Burnham’s socialism is the real deal. He wants the state to control more of the means of production. ... (H)e advocates public ownership of water, housing, energy and transportation.” Burnham calls it “business-friendly socialism.”
Sure. That will make the trains run on time.
What short memories. After World War
II, the Brits experimented with creeping socialism for more than three decades. The Labour Party handed over to public bureaucrats and unions the means of production: the Bank of England, the coal mines, the airlines, iron, steel and phone service, to name a few. Prices soared, nothing worked, unemployment lines lengthened, and the Brits got a lot poorer.
Britain’s share of world output fell by half, from more than 10% to less than 5%. About the only thing Britain had going for it was four lads from Liverpool called the Beatles, who singlehandedly brought deep pride back and caused a mini-stimulus. But in the 1970s, the downturn worsened.
We interrupt this story with the election of Margaret Thatcher in 1979. She saved the kingdom by slashing taxes and privatizing everything she could get her hands on. It was the precursor to Reaganomics.
That didn’t last long. Now it’s Thatcherism in reverse — just as the left in America wants to reverse the Reagan and Trump legacies of deregulation, lower taxes and sound money.
What seems to be driving this leap toward “democratic socialism” on both sides of the Atlantic is a middle-class fury over inflation.
The socialist revolution
will eat
the Democratic Party
The establishment has surrendered to the DSA’s hostile takeover on every front.
THE NEXT MAYOR of Washington, D.C. is likely to be a Marxist. In Los Angeles, the Mensheviks and Bolsheviks are battling it out for control. New York City has already fallen to a champion of Third Worldism.
And, for the first time in American history, a significant bloc of Congress will openly hate the country they represent. We aren’t talking about anti-Americanism in an abstract or hyperbolic sense. The Zohran Mamdani slate that swept the Democratic Party primaries is explicit in its aim to dismantle the republic.
Members of Democratic Socialists of America want to abolish the police, prisons, borders and “seize the means of production,” as the future congresswoman from the 11th District of New York, Darializa Avila Chevalier, once argued. The co-founder of a group that called for “nothing short of the total collapse” of the “American empire” with the goal to “eradicate America” and “Western civilization,” Avila Chevalier doesn’t deny she’s a communist. And why should she?
There’s a temptation to dismiss and whitewash the rise of the socialists. We shouldn’t. Sure, the DSA is still constrained by the constitutional order, but they aren’t constrained by Democrats.
“The roof is collapsing on the Democratic Party establishment tonight,” Van Jones warned on CNN as he watched the New York primary results come in. “This is a battle between the establishment and this insurgency.”
What battle?
The establishment has surrendered to the DSA’s hostile takeover on every front. Establishment Democrats like Nancy Pelosi had the chance to sideline Squad members when they first appeared, yet the former Speaker eventually coddled them, perched
them in important committees and appeared on magazine covers celebrating their ascendency.
If Democrats were unwilling to sideline illiberal bigots like Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) back then, what makes anyone think they’ll stand up to the socialists now?
Major Democrats virtually tripped over themselves to endorse Nazi SS tattoo man Graham Platner in Maine, who is a Mamdanite in all ways save the flannel shirt.
“One of the things that makes the Democratic Party great is it’s a big tent party,” Cory Booker said of socialists who explicitly demand the overturn of Article I of the Constitution. “We need to stay that way.” Democratic voters, says Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, “choose candidates, not party leaders. And party leaders need to listen to what voters are telling us, and right now they are demanding our party be bolder.”
One supposes that if a person already supports abolishing the Electoral College and packing the Supreme Court, supporting the eradication of all checks and balances isn’t much of a jump.
No one Democrat is stopping the DSA.
It’s not implausible that many more Democrats in urban areas will lose their seats to the well-funded socialist candidates. That includes Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. At the very least, Jeffries and others will be compelled to move even farther left to pacify the DSA and save their seats. Considering the spinelessness of the “establishment,” we can expect Democrats to embrace a widening array of Marxist policy ideas.
Some analysts point out that the primary voters for the Mamdani slate were largely high-earning, young, non-native New York
The idea of free food, housing, child care and health care is alluring.
But prices have risen not because of a failure of capitalism. It was mostly caused by massive money printing, widespread shutdowns of private industry, retail businesses and schools, and stay-at-home orders during COVID-19. Government became the provider, and the leap forward in state expenditures was never entirely extinguished.
In both the U.S. and in England, the “affordability crisis” is mostly in governmentowned, government-operated or heavily regulated businesses. In the U.S., that’s health care, education and college tuition. In Britain, it’s those industries plus energy, housing and child care.
There is an infestation of socialism in Britain that has sucked the dynamic and wealth-producing spirit out of the UK. We need a socialism vaccine in America.
Stephen Moore is a former Trump senior economic adviser and the cofounder of Unleash Prosperity, which advocates for education freedom for all children.
(Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
voters, not the working class, immigrants or rank-and-file voters. Marxists are most often over-credentialed bourgeois with savior complexes.
On the other hand, all energy on the Left is with the anti-American faction.
According to Gallup, 66% of Democrats hold a positive view of socialism. The younger you are, the more you lean toward collectivist ideas. An Axios-Generation Lab poll found 67% of college students hold a positive or neutral association with “socialism,” compared to only 40% with “capitalism.”
What do we expect after decades of cultural and academic attacks on free enterprise, liberty and American history?
The outlook of immigrants is not much better. According to one poll, Mamdani won 62% of foreign-born voters in his mayoral race. Another poll found that Mamdani won 81% of the vote of people who were in New York City for fewer than 10 years. Mamdani won something like 90% of Muslim votes.
We can extrapolate from that race that socialists are importing Third World ideas that appeal to unassimilated newcomers. One of the most popular being Jew hatred. There has always been radicalism on the American Left.
But Democrats didn’t invite Black Panthers or Weather Underground into their party in the 1970s. In the 2020s, though, Democrats invited communists into their tent.
Now the communists are taking over.
David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner. Harsanyi is a nationally syndicated columnist and author of five books — the most recent, “How To Kill a Republic,” available now. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE
COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI
to Fred T. Foard in Catawba County where he taught and coached football, basketball and track for six years. While at Foard he earned his master’s degree in school administration and his principal’s degree from Appalachian College.
George Henry Reynolds
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023
July 11, 1933 – June 29, 2026
Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.
George Henry Reynolds, 92, passed away peacefully, his wife by his side, on June 29, 2026.
Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor.
She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.
Mr. Reynolds was born in Lincoln County, NC on July 11, 1933, to his parents, Chesley Lee and Bertha Jane Dellinger Reynolds. He was the 16th child in his family. He and his loving wife, Doris Brown Reynolds, of 71 years were the parents of two children, Tami Reynolds Jones (husband Chuck, deceased) and Steven Dale Reynolds (deceased). They have three grandchildren and six great grandchildren whom they dearly love.
Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Garfield. Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.
Mr. Reynolds attended Gardner Webb Jr. college in 1953-54 where he played football for the Golden Isle Bowl Championship. After spending two years in the army, he enrolled in Clevenger Business School. He then went to Lenoir Rhyne College where he earned a B.A. degree in business and social studies and a teaching degree. His first teaching position was at Lexington Jr. High in 195960 where he coached football and basketball. He then moved
IN MEMORY
Dwight Farmer
January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023
His first principalship was at Rivers High School in Charleston, SC from 1966-68. He left there and became principal at South Stanly High School in Norwood, NC for twenty-four years. While at South Stanly he earned his 6th year educational specialist degree from Appalachian. He retired from South Stanly in 1992.
Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.
He truly loved his family and is survived by his love-at-firstsight wife of 71 years, Doris Brown Reynolds, daughter Tami R. Jones, grandchildren Sydney Andrews of Durham, Hailey Jones and Charlie Jones of Greensboro and six great grandchildren.
He was predeceased by his parents and 15 brothers and sisters.
Victor Willis, who co-founded the Village People and co-wrote ‘Y.M.C.A.,’ dies at 74
A copyright ruling granted Willis ownership of half the group’s biggest hits
James Roseboro
June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023
By Mark Kennedy The Associated Press
James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.
He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Greensboro and a former member of First Lutheran Church in Albemarle for fifty years.
Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran. He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.
Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.
Funeral Services will be held at 3:00PM Saturday, July 11, 2026 at First Lutheran Church, Albemarle. Pastor James Laurence will officiate and interment will follow in the church columbarium. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service in the church parlor.
He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.
Edwards Funeral Home is serving the family.
Memorials may be sent to Christ Lutheran Church in Greensboro or First Lutheran Church in Albemarle.
Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.
NEW YORK — Victor Willis, who co-founded the Village People, co-wrote the disco group’s classic hits “Y.M.C.A.,” ″Macho Man” and “In the Navy,” and delighted crowds while dressed as the band’s helmeted and mustachioed police officer, has died. He was 74.
In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.
“We are profoundly sad to announce the death of Victor Willis, lead singer of Village People,” the group posted on its official Facebook page. The cause was identified as “a short but aggressive illness.”
community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.
Halloween party in Los Angeles on Oct. 31, 1979.
Doris Jones Coleman
“Life is fine. I went through whatever I went through, but everything is going great now.”
October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023
Victor Willis, Village People
dent Donald Trump wrote on social media Wednesday. “My condolences to his wonderful family and group, Victor Willis will be sorely missed.”
Willis was a musician-actor who, among other things, had appeared on Broadway in “The Wiz” when he decided to cash in on the disco craze in 1977 by joining a group made up of beefy, macho-looking guys dressed as a biker, a construction worker, a cop, a cowboy and a Native American chief.
When John purchased his first Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!
Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.
First Lutheran,230 South Second St.,Albemarle, NC 28001 or Christ Lutheran, 3600 Lawndale Dr.,Greensboro, NC 27408
He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.
CECIL JAMES FURR
JULY 16, 1943 – JUNE 30, 2026
Mr. Cecil James Furr, 82, of the Millingport community, left his earthly life for his Heavenly home on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
Born July 16, 1943, in Stanly County, he was the ninth child of Paul S. and Fannie Moyle Furr. Cecil was predeceased by his siblings, Bernice Thompson, Louise Holt, Kenneth Furr, Doyle Furr, Dorothy Hopkins, Peggy Holt, JayVan Furr, and Donnie Furr, some of whom affectionately called him “Tac”.
He was educated at Millingport School and was a heavy equipment operator working all over North Carolina and surrounding states as well as owning his own towing business for many years. A man who never forgot his roots, he enjoyed revisiting the “Pole Bridge” and Five-Points area where he grew up. He was proud of the four generations of “Cecil’s” which include his son, grandson, and great-grandson.
Cecil was a master “wheeler-dealer” and jokester who loved old tractors and vintage cars, especially his red 1957 Chevy. He also enjoyed old westerns, gospel music, and was known to have his family dog, Annie, on his lap most of the time. Mr. Furr was married to the late Diane Mauldin Furr who predeceased him in death in 1966. In 1973, he met Ivanette Howell, whom he married on October 1, 1978. They shared fifty-two years where they exhibited a life filled with love, hard work, understanding, and family.
The family will receive friends from 2:00 pm - 2:45 pm, Monday, July 6, 2026 at First Baptist Church - Gold Hill. The funeral service will be on Monday at 3:00 pm at First Baptist Church - Gold Hill, officiated by Rev. Toney Parsons. Burial will follow at the Herrin’s Grove Primitive Baptist Cemetery at 29482 Herrins Grove Church Road, Mount Pleasant.
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
He is survived by his wife, Ivanette H. Furr of the home; his son, Cecil James Furr II (Elizabeth) of Portland, TN; and his daughter, April Michele Mills (Tony) of Albemarle. Stepsons, Steve Howell and Jesse Howell, both of Albemarle, and Stepdaughter, Renette Howell (Rick) of Wheeling, WV. He is further survived by his grandchildren Emily Furr (Taylor Roberts) of Durham, Cecil James (Courtney) Furr III, of Midland, Jonathan (Jami) Mills, of Norwood, Andrew Mills of Dallas, TX, Amanda and Marcie Howell of Concord, Anthony Carillo of Daytona Beach, FL., Lauren (Chris) Troutman of Rockwell, and Ethan (Kelly) Burleson of Albemarle. Sixteen greatgrandchildren; two great-great-grandchildren; also a host of nieces and nephews and their families, whom he loved immensely.
He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.
With producer Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo, Morali’s business partner, Willis founded the six-member Village People. The idea came to them while partying at an after-hours gay nightclub in the West Village of Manhattan. The group’s self-titled debut album was released in 1977.
In 1978, the group released two albums, “Macho Man” and “Cruisin’” — which featured the international hit “Y.M.C.A.,” a song that peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard chart. A year later, Village People released the album “Go West,” which included “In the Navy,” a song that peaked at No. 3 hit on the chart. “Macho Man” peaked at No. 25
Darrick Baldwin
January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023
Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.
in 1978. In 2020, Congress described “Y.M.C.A.” — with its infectious chorus of “It’s fun to stay at the Y.M.C.A.” and an accompanying dance spelling out the letters — as “an American phenomenon” and added the song to the National Recording Registry. In 2021, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Willis also starred in the 1980 movie “Can’t Stop the Music,” a widely ridiculed comedy starring the Village People and Steve Guttenberg and directed by Nancy Walker. Critic Rex Reed called it “one of the silliest movies ever made.”
At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily.
While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.
Village People music is the backbone of pool parties, high school dances, weddings, proms, bar mitzvahs, games and whenever an uplifting mood is needed. The songs also played at gay marches and the White House.
“We will think of Victor every time ‘Y.M.C.A.’ is played, like today, and all throughout this July Fourth Birthday week,” Presi-
John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.
This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men.
Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC.
While musicians like Neil Young, John Fogerty, Phil Collins, Panic! At The Disco and the estates of Leonard Cohen, Tom Petty and Prince sent cease-and-desist letters to stop Trump from using their music, Willis said he didn’t feel he was endorsing Trump when the song played. Willis was born in Texas and grew up in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco. When he moved to New York, he went to a YMCA on West 63rd Street in Manhattan, which inspired the hit song.
The ownership of Village People’s songs came into doubt decades after the hits, and in 2015, a federal jury ruled that Willis was entitled to 50% copyright ownership in the United States of 13 of the group’s songs, including “Y.M.C.A.”
Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.
After a series of arrests on drug-related charges that resulted in a rehab stint, Willis told The Associated Press in 2012 that his life had turned around. “Life is fine. I went through whatever I went through, but everything is going great now,” he said.
In May, Willis and the Village People — he was the only original member — sang “Happy Birthday” and “Y.M.C.A.” for Secretary of State Marco Rubio during an event in India.
Sergei Ivanov, Russia’s ex-defense minister once seen as Putin’s likely successor, has died at 73
The Associated Press
He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.
MOSCOW — Sergei Ivanov, a former Russian defense minister once seen as a possible successor to President Vladimir Putin, has died. He was 73.
He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.
The Kremlin said Ivanov died on Friday without providing the cause of death or giving other details. Putin sent his condolences to Ivanov’s family.
He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.
Putin and Ivanov knew each other since the 1970s when they both worked as young KGB officers in their hometown of Leningrad, as St. Petersburg was called during the Soviet times.
When Putin was first elected in 2000, Ivanov served as secre-
John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.
tary of Russia’s Security Council. In 2001, Putin made Ivanov his defense minister, the job he held until 2007, overseeing the second war in Chechnya that crushed the region’s separatist bid. When Putin decided to step down due to term limits and shift into the prime minister’s seat in 2008, Ivanov was widely viewed as his most likely successor. However, Putin picked another longtime associate, Dmitry Medvedev, to serve as his placeholder until reclaiming the presidency in 2012. Some observers argued that Putin ditched Ivanov’s candidacy because he saw Ivanov as over-
Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.
She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, outfits for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.
ly ambitious and feared that he could try to hold onto the presidential seat.
Ivanov remained at Putin’s side as deputy prime minister from 2007-2011, and then served as the Kremlin chief of staff from 2011-2016.
In 2016, Ivanov was named a presidential envoy for environment protection and transport, a job that carried no political weight and was widely seen as an honorary retirement. He stepped down earlier this year.
Along with other Russian top officials, Ivanov has been targeted by the U.S. and the EU sanctions in response to Moscow’s military action in Ukraine.
Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.
GEORGE BRICH / AP PHOTO
Victor Willis, a member of the disco group The Village People, appears during a
and participants who helped make the third annual Make Music Day a success. This event takes more than a village to pull off — it takes a county.”
This year’s local celebration included a wide range of music, from organ concerts and gospel to classic rock, country, musical theater, student bands and a Sousapalooza performance celebrating the marches of John Philip Sousa.
At Market Station in Albemarle, the schedule included a patriotic sing-along, Jayda C, Bunch of Misfits and Misscommunication. Courthouse Square Park hosted performances from Michael’s Band, Third Take, Jake Love and John Love, and The Great Octopus Band.
Locust City Hall also served as a performance site, with Elizabeth Karnes, Rick Scaffe and other musicians appearing throughout the afternoon and evening. The Locust location also featured bucket drumming, instrument activities, kazoo making and piano mat activities for families.
Workshops and activities in Albemarle included guitar pick
COURTESY RENEE VANHORN
making, harmonica and ukulele workshops, and a Music 101 workshop from AP Duffield of Clefnote Music Group.
Music on Main instructor
Kurt Varney led a bucket drumming workshop in Albemarle, where participants learned to create rhythms using plastic pails; Jonathon Wyatt led a similar activity in Locust.
Sung Lee, a Matthews resident who attended the event with his family, said the celebration made for a memorable outing.
“What a wonderful event — we had a really fun time there,” Lee wrote in a testimonial. “My
Music on Main
instructor
Kurt Varney leads a bucket drumming class during Make Music Day Stanly County at Market Station in Albemarle.
wife happened to stumble upon the event while searching for a Father’s Day activity. It turned out to be just the right thing. We enjoyed all of the activities, but what impressed me the most was everyone’s warm welcome.”
Make Music Day Stanly County was organized through a partnership involving the Stanly County Arts Council, Music on Main, Clefnote Music Group, Albemarle Music Store, Stanly County Concert Band, Stanly County Chorale, Albemarle Downtown Development, Albemarle Parks and Recreation and Locust Parks and Recreation.
The climbers featured in a Netflix documentary proposed at 1,454 feet with a peace banner
By Jennifer Peltz
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — A skyscraper-scaling daredevil told police that he and his girlfriend climbed the Empire State Building’s antenna and unfurled a banner about love and peace because he wanted to “do something special” for their engagement, prosecutors said Thursday at the couple’s arraignment on felony reckless endangerment, burglary and other charges.
The couple, who go by Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, said little as they left court, though Beerkus responded to a journalist’s question about the stunt by saying: “We believe in love.”
Authorities said the two — who were the subject of the 2024 Netflix documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story” about their “rooftopping” exploits and budding romance — created not only a spectacle but a danger by ascending the famed skyscraper’s broadcast antenna Wednesday.
After reaching the top, 1,454 feet above midtown Manhattan, the climbers displayed a black banner reading: “When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace,” news helicopter video showed.
Then they collected the banner and descended to a slightly lower ledge, where an apparently successful marriage proposal unfolded. Nikolau posted images of the escapade on her social media accounts, including a photo that modeled an engagement-style ring above a bird’s-eye view of Manhattan.
Police waited about a halfhour for the antenna to be powered down before Emergency Services Unit officers started ascending and eventually intercepted the climbers on their way down, according to the complaint, which noted the danger to officers who climbed about 1,250 feet above the ground. The court document identified the two by their formal names, Angelina
“What a way to propose — something you can only dream of. So you’ve got to, you know, give him some credit for that.”
Jason Krinsky, Defense Attorney
Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov.
“Skywalkers: A Love Story” follows Beerkus, now 32, and Nikolau, 33, as they make often unauthorized ascents of tall structures, sometimes posing as construction workers to sneak in.
The court complaint said police found a broken lock on a security door on the Empire State Building’s restricted-access 104th floor, which provides access to the antenna. The highest public floor is the 102nd, where there’s an observation deck. Going higher requires a key card, according to the court complaint.
The Empire State Building’s management has called the climb “unauthorized” but hasn’t answered questions about what interactions, if any, the daredevils had with security workers. Visitors to the skyscraper are screened and told not to bring large packages, sports equipment, costumes or masks, among other items.
Beerkus and Nikolau were released without bail, in accordance with New York laws that restrict when monetary bail can be set. Their attorney, Jason Krinsky, said outside court that once prosecutors provide evidence, he and his clients would assess it and determine next steps.
“What a way to propose — something you can only dream of,” Krinsky said. “So you’ve got to, you know, give him some credit for that.”
Other daredevils have climbed the antenna and other parts of the Empire State Building. Those ascents have largely been unauthorized, but actor and musician Jared Leto was allowed to climb up to the base of the antenna from the 86th floor in 2023 to promote a tour.
RICHARD DREW / AP PHOTO
Two people stand on the tip of the antenna of the Empire State Building while holding a banner on Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
JENNIFER PELTZ / AP PHOTO
Angelina Nikolau and Ivan Kuznetsov, who go by Angela Nikolau and Ivan Beerkus, depart New York criminal courthouse building on Thursday, July 2, 2026.
Regional pride shapes how Americans prepare and eat their hot dogs
By Katie Workman
The Associated Press
FEW FOODS feel more
American than the hot dog, a mainstay at ballparks, street carts and Fourth of July barbecues.
But to simply call hot dogs
“American” is to miss a whole lot of nuance, and potentially offend local connoisseurs across the country. How to prepare and eat a hot dog is a matter of regional pride.
Which is the best? The answer is probably the one you grew up with.
Here are just some of the forms a hot dog can take across the U.S.:
NYC and Chicago are hot dog towns
Throughout New York City, you can still find carts selling boiled hot dogs (Sabrett’s and Nathan’s are two of the big names.) These boiled hot dogs are affectionately known as “dirty water dogs,” though the dirty water is actually a spiced brine that keeps the wieners hot in stainless steel tanks.
A classic NYC dog is usually served with sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and Onion Sauce, which features sliced onions in a spiced, tomato-based sauce.
“There’s something about a simple, extra snappy, extra salty dog nestled in a fluffy bun that brings me a ton of joy,” says Isabel Tzeng, a ceramicist in New York City and a fan of the classic New York dog.
She makes an annual pilgrimage to the original Nathan’s Famous hot dog location on the Coney Island boardwalk. Nathan’s holds its well-known annual hot dog eating championship there each July 4.
Over in Chicago, software engineer and city native Zach Cmiel likes his dogs with the full Chicago-style toppings: “mustard, neon relish, onion, tomato, pickle, sport pepper (a type of pickled pepper) and celery salt.”
Chicago-style hot dogs are grilled over an open flame. The steamed buns almost always have poppy seeds. No ketchup is allowed.
Cmiel cites Gene and Jude’s, Guthrie’s Tavern and The Wiener’s Circle as his lifelong go-to places. At The Wiener’s Circle, the dogs are grilled until blackened and split. While you’re ordering, you can expect to be yelled at by the staff, and you are allowed to respond in kind.
Unique hot-dog cultures in Cincinnati, Detroit and other cities
Cincinnati is another hot dog capital. You’ll find theirs topped with chili (finely textured, all meat, no beans), mustard and onions, and then a mountain of shredded cheese. The perfect Cincinnati dog is topped so heavily with cheese you can’t see what else is beneath it.
Detroit-style Coney dogs feature a beanless beef chili or meat sauce, and again mustard and onions. Not too far away, in Flint, Michigan, there’s a Coney dog with a dry crumbly meat sauce, as opposed to the soupier meat sauce served up in Detroit. The Coney-style chili was
brought to Michigan by Greek and Macedonian immigrants in the early 20th century, and has developed a fierce following there.
KC barbecue and Southwestern spices add kick
In Kansas, you might find yourself in a hot dog argument (and who are we kidding? You might find yourself in a hot dog argument in any of the 50 states). One camp says their Reuben-style franks should be the official Kansas-style hot dogs, while others lean into the state’s barbecue heritage and think the perfect dog is topped with burned ends, Kansas City-
style barbecue sauce and something crunchy like frizzled onions.
The Sonoran hot dog, popular in Arizona, got its origins in Mexico and features a bacon-wrapped wiener, hot pinto beans, grilled and raw onions, diced tomatoes, mustard, jalapeno salsa, and mayo or crema. It is served on a soft, sweet, canoe-like Mexican roll called a bolillo.
Elsewhere, West Virginians love their “slaw dogs,” especially when ordered “all the way” with a meaty, beanless chili, coleslaw and chopped onions.
“Any type of chili is a bonus and I’ll take slaw if that’s available,” says Boo Phillips of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, though
he acknowledges that “half of it will end up on my lap.” He makes a point of eating hot dogs whenever he travels, but is a big fan of Bill’s Hot Dog Stand closer to home, in Washington, North Carolina, established in 1928. And he’s very anti-ketchup.
Different eateries have their own takes on the hot dog Pittsfield, Massachusetts, has a mini but quite specific hot dog culture. At Hot Dog Ranch (94 years and counting), veteran cook Jordan Adams says the bestselling all-beef “everything” dog is served with a secret-recipe Coney sauce (that beanless meat chili) that’s mixed up every few days by one hand-picked employee before the shop opens. It’s also got yellow mustard and chopped onions. The franks are about 4 inches long.
Upstate New York boasts a robust hot dog culture. At Nick Tahou’s Hots, a Rochester hot dog mecca since 1918, the Garbage Plate is a mountain of food including baked beans, home fries, hot dogs, mustard and a heavily spiced thick meat ragu. It is most classically consumed with buttered bread and macaroni and cheese. And I’m guessing maybe an antacid after.
In Tonawanda, a suburb of Buffalo, Ted’s Hot Dogs kind of mashes the dogs against the grill grates until they are squished, charred and crusty. Not as juicy as other methods, but a treat for those who like grilled food unmistakably grilled. They’re served with a house-made hot sauce. Baltimore has frizzled hot dogs, which are split and fried in oil. Washington, D.C., has large, crunchy, spicy half-smokes.
The $1.50 Costco dog unites them all
There is one beloved mainstay across the country.
“My favorite hot dog EVER is the humble Costco hot dog,” says Tzeng, who says she has eaten them at Costcos around the world. “This is the hot dog of the people, the great equalizer.” Costco’s hot dog and drink special costs $1.50, and has since the 1980s.
However you dress yours, the hot dog remains one of the great democratic foods — cheap, fast, infinitely adaptable, and capable of inspiring the kind of loyalty usually reserved for sports teams and family recipes. Argue about toppings all you want. That’s kind of the point.
Local volunteer wins Scouting America’s Silver Beaver Award
It’s the most prestigious Scouting honor an adult volunteer can receive
By Melinda Burris Stanly News Journal
ALBEMARLE — Bob
Remsburg earned the Silver Beaver Award, the highest honor Scouting America gives an adult volunteer, at the Central North Carolina Council’s Awards and Eagle Banquet in late March. The award recognized his decades-long volunteer career with the organization.
The council presents the honor each year to one recipient chosen from a seven-county district that includes Stanly. The other counties in the Central North Carolina Council are Anson, Cabarrus, Montgomery, Rowan, Richmond and Union.
“Remsburg has been a constant with 202 ever since I got involved with my son years ago,” Matt Sheffield, Troop 202 scoutmaster, said. “Bob’s always been that welcoming spirit there at 202 with the boys and parents, and especially the leaders,” he said. “As I became the scoutmaster, Bob has been nothing but supportive in giving me guidance and helping me along the way; he is a walking book of scout knowledge,” Sheffield said.
Chartered by Locust Presbyterian Church, Troop 202 travels across the region for monthly backpacking trips. The group has also ventured to many national parks out West. Remsburg went to Yosemite with the troop twice, once in 2010 with his older son, Alex, and again in 2018 with his younger son, Stephen.
“That was a great trip,” Remsburg recalled. “I am glad the scouts insisted on going out to see the Pacific Ocean,” he said.
Remsburg earned his Eagle Scout rank in 1977 with Troop 722, chartered by Highland Presbyterian in Winston-Salem. Both of his sons carried on the family tradition, earning Eagle Scout rank with Troop 202.
Remsburg said receiving the award on Scout Sunday, af-
“As I became the scoutmaster, Bob has been nothing but supportive in giving me guidance and helping me along the way; he is a walking book of scout knowledge.”
Matt Sheffield, Troop 202 scoutmaster
ter worship, made the occasion particularly special. At the same service, 115 Eagle Scouts from the Central North Carolina Council were also honored. Six of them were from Troop 202, which tied the troop for the most Eagle Scouts recognized from a single troop in the council.
“This is a testament to the hard work of our scouts and the commitment of our leaders and families,” Sheffield said.
He added that Remsburg, with 30 years of service to scouting, has earned acknowledgment as one of those leaders. “This recognition is truly well-deserved,” Sheffield said.
In the coming weeks, the Stanly News Journal will highlight members of Troop 202, their scouting experiences and their final Eagle Scout projects, detailing how each is designed to fulfill a need and give back to the community.
Eagle Scout project brings a library to Millingport Elementary
The North Stanly senior built a free library and painted playground games at his former elementary school
By Melinda Burris Stanly News Journal
LOCUST — Diesel Barbee wanted a local impact when he chose his Eagle Scout project. He settled on something to benefit his alma mater, Millingport Elementary School.
“It’s the town I’ve lived in, and I went to school here,” Barbee said. “It was a way to give back to my community.” He built a free library that stands outside the school’s main entrance and worked with a Stanly County artist to lead other Troop 202 scouts in painting sidewalk games on the playground.
Natasha Krueger, principal at Millingport Elementary, praised the addition. “Our Little Free Library has had a positive impact on both our students and the broader school community by providing accessible books that foster a love of reading and learning beyond the school building and instructional day,” she said.
Now a senior at North Stanly High School, Barbee is citing his Eagle Scout rank on college and scholarship applications. He plans to pursue auto mechanics or auto body work as a career.
His Eagle Scout rank has already paid off in the short term: It helped him land a part-time job at Ingles in Albemarle. “They saw I was a Boy Scout and thought that was admirable,” Barbee said. His fondest memories center on hiking and camping with Troop 202. His favorite trip was two weeks at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimar-
ron, New Mexico. “Setting up camp when we were out there and looking at the great views was an incredible experience,” Barbee said.
There have been plenty of challenges, especially when Barbee first started in scouting. He gave his father, Richard, high praise for helping him. “Some years back, we were hiking up Morrow Mountain, and I was really struggling,” he said. “I wanted to quit, but my dad saw me through that day and kept encouraging me. He is my ultimate mentor.”
In 2022, he traveled with Troop 202 to the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion national parks. The troop also camped closer to home at sites including Crowders Mountain and Hanging Rock state parks in North Carolina and Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia.
Barbee has encouraging words for other scouts pursuing their Eagle Scout rank. “Just keep going. Don’t stop now,” he said. “There are a lot of rewards for being an Eagle Scout, and it will help you learn other life skills.”
The hot dog: We need to be frank about how German sausages became an American icon
The sausage became central to American culture — from ballparks to diplomatic dinners
By Michael Weissenstein The Associated Press
Nineteenth-century Indiana passed some of the country’s toughest “blue laws” to protect Sunday’s rest and worship from alcohol and ... hot dogs?
But Indiana’s push was noteworthy for another reason: It produced the country’s earliest known use in print of the culinary term that now sits at the center of American culture.
“Even the innocent wienerworst man will be barred from dispensing hot dog on the street corners,” the Evansville Courier & Press read on Sept. 14, 1884. Germans’ weisswurst, bockwurst and blutwurst were becoming as American as baseball.
“Hot dogs become embedded in American culture,” says Bruce Kraig, author of “Hot Dog: A Global History.” “It becomes completely associated with ballparks by the 1890s.”
in international relations or “hot dog diplomacy,” as the U.S. National Archives calls it.
With World War II approaching, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth became the first reigning British royals to visit America. The Roosevelts — to the horror of FDR’s mother — served them hot dogs, the president’s library says. The king asked for more, The New York Times reported.
Nikita Khrushchev, the first Soviet premier to visit the U.S., quipped that while the USSR sometimes bested America in the space race, “you have beaten us in sausage-making.”
Fans worldwide have their favorites. Gloria Ousset, 74, of Argentina, visited her son in the New York suburbs in early June and stopped at a local institution — Walter’s Hot Dogs. Walter’s offerings, “an exclusive blend of beef, pork and veal,” remind her of how Argentine dogs once had that crunch she loves.
“Now,” she says, “they’re very bland.”
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The famous Fourth of July hot dog eating contest in New York tied them to the nation’s birthday.
The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council) says there are 19 regional varieties, from the French-fry topped Cleveland “Polish boy” to the bacon-wrapped Sonoran dog and the renowned Chicago dog, with its seven traditional toppings and poppy seed bun.
Despite regional differences, dogs played an important role
And dogs can be more than a quick meal. In 2024, artists Jen Catron and Paul Outlaw installed a 65-foot hot dog sculpture in Times Square. Daily at noon, and without subtlety, the sausage grew and spewed confetti.
In 2023, comedy writer and podcaster Jamie Loftus debuted her popular book about her nationwide tour of hot dog joints, “Raw Dog: The Naked Truth about Hot Dogs.” Loftus sees the hot dog — the good and the bad — as “an appropriate symbol for the U.S. It is a source of joy and nostalgia for so many people.”
COURTESY ROSS GOSSE
From left, scoutmaster Matt Sheffield, Ethan Tarlton, Brett Gosse, Bob Remsburg and Elijah Sheffield, all of Troop 202 in Locust, gather at the Central North Carolina Council Awards and Eagle Banquet in Albemarle.
COURTESY ROSS GOSSE
Bob Remsburg holds his Central North Carolina Council Silver Beaver Award.
COURTESY ROSS GOSSE
Diesel Barbee stands beside the free library he built at Millingport Elementary School for his Eagle Scout project.
Fire shelters are a key defense for firefighters. But they don’t guarantee survival
These lightweight shelters require training and must be deployed within 30 seconds
By Jack Dura The Associated Press
FIVE
FIREFIGHTERS
battling a fast-moving wildfire in Colorado were forced to deploy their fire shelters when they couldn’t escape the flames. Three of them were overcome and died, while two were injured and hospitalized.
Fire shelters are mandatory equipment for crews who work across rugged terrain where things can change at a moment’s notice, especially when extremely dry and windy weather drives the flames, as happened last Saturday.
Fire shelters have saved hundreds of lives over the years, but officials caution that the equipment doesn’t guarantee protection in every scenario. Instead, the focus is on having well-defined escape and safety zones.
“Ideally they’re trying to escape and avoid that entrapment,” said Shawn Steber with the U.S. Forest Service’s National Technology and Development Program in Montana.
“But if it comes down to it and it’s their last kind of thing they can bring out for their protection, then yes, in that sense it is kind of that last line of defense.”
Fire shelters are made of multiple layers
Crafted from aluminum foil, silica fabric and fiberglass, fire shelters are designed to protect users from the intense heat of flames and to trap breathable air inside as a fire passes. Inhaling hot gases from a fire can damage the airway and lungs.
The ability of a fire shelter to withstand heat depends on how long its materials are exposed to heat and other factors, Steber said.
The one-time-use shelters have been improved occasionally. A recent change made the shelters stand up better when deployed, said John Mon-
trastelle, a sales manager with Anchor Industries, a maker of fire shelters.
“Whenever there’s an incident, a loss of life, there’s more discussion and more talk about a better shelter, a better fire shelter, something that will protect the firefighter in higher temperatures,” he said.
Other modifications include a one-piece floor, improved hold-down handles and reduced bulk, Steber said.
Fire shelters weigh around 6 pounds and are folded up inside several protective layers in a firefighter’s pack. Moisture, sand, debris and rough use can damage them.
Using a shelter takes training
Wildland firefighters have been required to carry fire shelters for decades. Training typically occurs once a year, often during a hike or while practicing digging a fire line. It’s also part of training for cadets hired by local firefighting agencies.
Firefighters are trained to set up their shelters within 30 seconds or less and as early as possible when needed, Steber said.
“We try to teach people ‘within 30 seconds or less,’ but also at the same time, ‘deploy as early as possible,’” Steber said.
The nature of the fire determines how long a shelter user stays inside, whether the fire flashes over them or stays put, Montrastelle said. They can also be used in the event of a freak storm that might drop hail or snow.
When considering escape, guidance shared by national experts reminds firefighters that they can hold their breath for only about 15 seconds while running through flames or superheated air and need to get on the ground before the flames arrive.
A fire shelter is deployed by removing it from the bag or casing protecting it, shaking it to expand it outward, climbing inside and holding it down with your arms, knees and feet to keep out flames and hot air.
“No matter how bad it gets inside, it is usually much
“We try to teach people ‘within 30 seconds or less,’ but also at the same time, ‘deploy as early as possible.’”
Shawn Steber, U.S. Forest Service’s National Technology and Development Program
worse outside,” the guidance states. “If you panic and leave the shelter, one breath of hot, toxic gases could damage your lungs. Suffocation may follow.”
Shelter use is rare
From 2021 to 2025, four shelter deployments occurred, including two last year and none in 2022 or 2023, according to statistics available from the National Wildfire Coordinating Group. In 2020, 30 deployments occurred, almost all in California.
The recent lower numbers are likely due to a variety of factors, including the nature of fire seasons, including the number of large fires requiring the use of fire shelters, Steber said.
In 2013, 19 firefighters died in the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona. Firefighters were deploying their shelters when flames overtook them in a steep canyon. It was nearly a decade earlier that 14 firefighters perished in the South Canyon Fire in Colorado.
Other firefighters have survived in shelters. During the 2015 Twisp Fire in Washington, two crew members used shelters, but three others died in a truck.
A full investigation lasting months will unfold into the circumstances around the three firefighters’ deaths last weekend.
Montrastelle said he hopes studies of the tragedy will result in teachable information for what fire crews should look for when fighting a fire.
“It’s a combination of events that led to somebody deploying, because they’re split-second decisions that are being made,” he said.
GRANTS from page A1 in Stanly County. Your investment fuels change, hope and opportunity.” Homes of Hope also highlighted the role the grant will play in supporting its goals.
“We are grateful to the Stanly County Community Foundation for investing in our mission and helping us continue providing hope, shelter and support to our community.” Established in 1999, the Stanly County Community Foundation was created by local leaders to encourage charitable giving through a general endowment and annual competitive grant program.
“Stanly
County Community Foundation
remains committed
to
supporting nonprofits that are driving longterm change.”
Stanly County Community Foundation
Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $840,000 to dozens of nonprofits, including more than $275,000 over the last five years through its volunteer
board of advisors to support projects in the area. The board is chaired by Merlin Amirtharaj, with Brooke Senter serving as immediate past chair and Adrienne Senter, Razan Brown, Connie Edwards Mosher, Art Rogers, Marshall Rogers, Margaret Rudisill, Jim Sawyer and Eddie Wall also serving on the board.
The Stanly County Community Foundation is a regional affiliate of Foundation For The Carolinas, a Charlotte-based community foundation that manages charitable funds and directs grants to community causes in a 13-county region across North Carolina and South Carolina.
Firefighters practicing deployment of fire shelters used for training during an exercise in Paynes Creek, Calif., on May 5, 2026.
STANLY SPORTS
North Stanly Coach Pitch All-Stars win state championship
The team advances to the DYB World Series
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
NEW LONDON — The North Stanly Coach Pitch AllStars have locked up a spot in the 2026 Diamond Youth Baseball World Series after completing a state championship run in Southport.
On Tuesday, North Stanly won the 2026 North Carolina DYB AA D2 State Tournament, defeating West Brunswick 12-11
in the title game to earn a berth on the national stage.
The state tournament, which began on June 27, featured a dozen 8-and-under coach pitch teams from across North Carolina. With the title, North Stanly will represent the state at the DYB World Series from July 2227 in Laurel, Mississippi.
The championship game featured several momentum swings before North Stanly ended it in walk-off fashion in the bottom of the sixth inning.
After falling behind early, North Stanly battled back and eventually moved in front in the
fifth inning when Grant Mauldin delivered a double that gave the All-Stars the lead. Beau Harrington followed with an RBI single, adding another key run in the late innings.
West Brunswick answered in the top of the sixth, tying the game at 11 and putting the championship back in doubt.
North Stanly responded in the bottom half of the inning, setting the stage for Jeb Bray, who drove in the winning run with an RBI single to seal the 12-11 victory.
The win completed North Stanly’s run through the state
tournament and gave the team a chance to compete against some of the top coach pitch teams in the country later this month.
“There are not enough words to express our excitement over this week’s incredible run,” parents of the North Stanly Coach Pitch All-Stars said in a team statement.
“We are beyond grateful for the overwhelming support our community has shown throughout our journey, especially during an unforgettable week in Southport. Thank you to everyone who has cheered us on, donated, prayed for us and be-
“There are not enough words to express our excitement over this week’s incredible run.” North Stanly Coach Pitch All-Stars parents
lieved in these boys. We couldn’t have done it without you — the next stop is the Diamond Youth Baseball World Series.”
Coached by Will Harrington, Jim Senter, Trey Ward and Tyler Brown, the team is continuing to seek community sponsors to help cover travel and tournament expenses for the trip to Mississippi. Businesses and individuals interested in supporting the team can contact Harrington at williamharrington1984@gmail.com.
Conference named 1,531 student-athletes in total
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
MISENHEIMER — Pfeiffer
University continued its academic showing within the USA South Athletic Conference this year, placing 189 student-athletes on the league’s 2025-26 Academic All-Conference Team.
The Falcons’ total was the third highest among the conference’s 14 institutions, trailing only Brevard with 219 selections and Southern Virginia with 208.
Across the USA South, 1,531 student-athletes earned academic all-conference recognition for the 2025-26 season.
To qualify, a student-athlete must earn at least a 3.30 grade point average in both semesters of the academic year. The honor is open to any student-athlete at a USA South member school, including participants in sports that are not sponsored by the conference.
Pfeiffer also had 55 honorees earn the league’s “with distinction” recognition, which is given to student-athletes who post-
ed a GPA of 3.90 or higher; the distinction group accounted for nearly a third of the Falcons’ all-academic selections. The latest class adds to Pfeiffer’s recent academic success since joining the USA South. Since 2018, the Falcons have had 1,270 selections to the conference’s All-Academic
Team.
Baseball led Pfeiffer’s teams with 30 honorees, while men’s soccer followed with 23. Men’s lacrosse added 17, softball had 16, women’s volleyball placed 15 and women’s soccer finished with 14.
The Falcons also received double-digit totals from men’s
cross country and track and field, which combined for 13 honorees, and men’s basketball, which had 11.
Pfeiffer’s honorees with distinction were Isaac Barefoot, Shelby Belk, Nyree Bell, Jake Blevins, Ellen Butner, Lola Cabaniss-Ali, Niccolo Cantini, Tommaso Cantini, Reese Ca-
the number of Pfeiffer Falcons with distinction honors
ranna, Chase Ciccone, Cameron Cooper, Charly Cooper, Ella Couper, Landon Denoo, Jahari Dozier, Micah Felts, Collin Finley, Addison Furr, Gabriela Gama, Aubrie Gatz, Ava Hairston, Robert Hanlon, Jacob Harrison, Morgan Heilig, Rylee Honeycutt, Hunter Hopkins and Kelsey Hussey. Also earning distinction were Haley Ingenito, Joshua Johnson, Anna Jordan, Hugo Kezen, John Krupa, Benjamin Landaverde, Joshua Little, Ben Mecimore, Alexander Michael, Sawyer Moretz, Mason Mosteller, Maya Mougin, Meagan Mowrey, Jacob Osborne, Kirstyn Page, Hayden Polakowski, Laurin Rauer, Samuel Safrit, Isabella Siler, Gracie Spangler, Khamani Spencer, Larson Stem, Drake Stewart, Landry Stewart, Hailey Swaim, Jayden Wellman, Austyn Grace Wolfe and Molly Wright.
Stokes, Holt, Smith headline early list of lottery candidates for 2027 NBA draft
Duke, UNC also have players to watch
By Aaron Beard
The Associated Press
High-end freshman talent teemed through the last two NBA draft classes.
The 2027 class lacks that same lofty status.
Paul Biancardi, ESPN’s national recruiting director for high school basketball, said it was long clear the past two classes would “be special.” So much so that the NBA recently changed its draft rules due to widespread tanking by teams angling for those top prospects.
“Unfairly they’re going to be compared to the last two classes,” Biancardi said of 2027. “That’s never going to be helpful for them because whether it was a bulk of talent or just tremendous talent at the top the last two drafts were the best we’ve seen in decades.
“So now we look ahead and this class ended up being very good.”
One-and-done freshmen claimed 11 of 14 lottery spots (78.6%) in both 2025 and 2026, while NIL rules make it enticing and lucrative for prospects to stay longer in college.
With that in mind, here’s a look at next summer’s top lottery candidates:
Tyran Stokes, Kansas
The 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward is a McDonald’s
All-American topping recruiting rankings.
Caleb Holt, Arizona
The guard signed with the Wildcats in April. He shared MVP honors of the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Jordan Smith Jr., Arkansas
The McDonald’s All-American was named the Naismith national high school player of the year in March.
Bruce Branch III, BYU Branch was the No. 2 recruit in the 2027 recruiting class before reclassifying to this year.
Alijah Arenas, USC
The 6-6, 199-pound guard and son of former NBA star Gil-
Sportsbooks say World Cup betting has surged past expectations
“It blows the Super Bowl away. One game, one day. This thing here is way bigger than that.”
DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello
US hype is driving much of the action
By Mark Anderson
The Associated Press
LAS VEGAS — Sportsbook operators anticipated this year’s World Cup would set betting records because the major elements were aligned.
The world’s most popular sporting event is being played in North America, so U.S. audiences can see the games live while the sun is out or in the early evening. The U.S. also has a team that may be its most talented in history.
And then the U.S. went out and won its first two matches to capture its group.
“I think it has exceeded our expectations,” said Mark Bickerdike, Caesars Sportsbook’s head of soccer trading, of the money being bet.
DraftKings Sportsbook director Johnny Avello said the wagering on the 48-team World Cup, now in the knockout stage, is putting itself in the same company as the always popular NCAA Tournament in college basketball.
“It could be the biggest event of the year when it’s all said and done,” Avello said. “March Madness takes place over the course of three weeks, and it rakes quite a bit of money. This is getting there.
“It blows the Super Bowl away. One game, one day. This thing here is way bigger than that.”
Christian Cipollini, BetMGM Sportsbook’s trading manager, said the enormous interest in the U.S. team has only grown. The Americans opened the single-elimination phase of the tournament on Wednesday night against Bosnia-Herzegovina in Santa Clara, California.
“I expect that to be BetMGM’s most bet-on soccer game of all time,” Cipollini said. “In this World Cup, all three of our most bet-on games have been the three USA games. This game is leading up to be a perfect storm where the USA looks very good. There’s a lot of hype around the team.”
The three sportsbooks listed Kylian Mbappé-led France as the favorite to win it all, with Lionel Messi and defending champion Argentina not far behind as knockout play began. They are on opposite sides of the bracket, so if they face each other, it would be in the final, a rematch of four years ago.
At BetMGM, 15.3% of tickets have been on France, the most of any country, and it has received 20.4% of the money. That is slightly below Spain, which has taken in 20.5% of the handle, much if not most of it before the tournament.
Americans like a good underdog story, and wagers are coming in on some teams with exceptionally long odds.
“Bettors like to take a shot for a small amount of money and put it on those teams,” Avello said. “Of course, that risk is high for us because it doesn’t take much. A $5 bet on Congo, it’s $5,000 (in a payout). You take quite a few of those and the liability gets up pretty high on them.”
“Unfairly they’re going to be compared to the last two classes.”
Recruiting expert Paul Biancardi on the 2027 class
third-biggest wingspan measured at the combine (better than 7-5).
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
The 7-2, 260-pound center was a frontcourt anchor for a 36-win Final Four team as a junior.
Cameron Williams, Duke
bert Arenas has recovered from a truck accident and knee injury.
Braylon Mullins, UConn
The 6-6 freshman guard hit one of the biggest shots in March Madness lore with his last-second 3-pointer to beat Duke in the Elite Eight.
Thomas Haugh, Florida
The 6-9, 215-pound versatile forward and third-team All-American was already a lottery candidate before returning for his senior season.
Luigi Suigo, Villanova
The 7-3, 289-pound teenager who played in Serbia had the
The 7-0, 210-pound forward headlines the nation’s No. 2-ranked recruiting class.
Coach Jon Scheyer has praised his versatility to defend all five positions to go with athleticism, ballhandling and shooting range.
Amari Allen, Alabama
The 6-8, 205-pound forward withdrew from the draft to return for his sophomore season.
Patrick Ngongba II, Duke
The 6-11, 250-pound center upped his production (10.1 points, 5.8 rebounds) as a sophomore with rim-protecting length (1.1 blocks). He showed the first glimpses of improved
Special Olympics Airlift
range (8 of 31 from 3) to go with his passing touch (2.0 assists).
Jason Crowe Jr., Missouri
The 6-foot-3, 170-pound combo guard shared McDonald’s All-American Game MVP honors.
Matt Able, North Carolina
The 6-6 freshman guard averaged 8.8 points at NC State while showing with quality range (two games with five 3s). He performed well at the combine before withdrawing to play under former NBA championship-winner Michael Malone at UNC.
Others to watch (in alphabetical order):
Juke Harris: The 6-7 guard is set for a starring role at Tennessee after averaging 21.4 points as a Wake Forest sophomore.
Sayon Keita: The lean 7-footer from Mali committed to UNC after playing in Spain. He has length, athleticism and still-developing upside as a rim protector and lob threat.
Dame Sarr: Duke’s 6-8 wing from Italy offers high-end defensive potential and length. He averaged 6.4 points as a freshman but showed growth from outside (34.9% on 3s after Feb. 4).
Tyler Tanner: Vanderbilt’s 6-0, 173-pound guard withdrew from the draft to return as a junior.
JT Toppin: Texas Tech’s 6-9, 230-pound junior forward was a first-team AP All-American despite suffering a season-ending knee injury (torn ACL).
Tounde Yessoufou: The 6-5 wing averaged 17.8 points as a freshman at Baylor, then withdrew from the draft to join St. John’s as 247Sports’ No. 4 transfer.
flies in athletes from across the country for
national competition
The Arizona Cardinals team plane is one of several donated jets getting athletes to the national games
By John Marshall The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — Tires squeak on the runway every three to four minutes, announcing arrivals from Phoenix, Omaha, Orlando, other points across the country.
The procession of Cessnas, Beechcraft, Hawkers, even a jumbo-sized Boeing 777, pulls up to two Minneapolis-St. Paul airports, whirring to a halt as anticipation inside the cabins builds. Doors open to heroes’ welcomes of cheers and highfives, bringing big smiles to the faces of the passengers.
This is the Special Olympics Airlift, a parade of planes like no other.
“Traveling together makes us feel connected, supported and able to compete,” Team Arizona cheerleading athlete Brianna Sanchez said. “This experience is about more than competition. It’s about growth, leadership and showing what we can achieve.”
The Special Olympics have been a bastion of empowerment since Eunice Kennedy Shriver laid the groundwork for the first Games in 1968, allowing people with intellectual disabilities to be recognized for the gifts they have, find themselves being included instead of excluded.
The Special Olympics Airlift has been the driving — flying? — force for getting athletes to and from the Special Olympics for nearly 40 years.
Made up entirely of volunteer pilots, aircraft and crew, the Special Olympics Airlift has transported more than 10,000 athletes to the Special Olympics USA Games.
The airlift to this year’s Games, which wrap up Friday in Minneapolis, featured 130 flights from 25 cities carrying more than 800 athletes and covering nearly 300,000 round-trip nautical miles. Textron Aviation organizes the airlift and had
200 volunteers on the ground last Friday to handle everything from baggage to refueling to manning the tugs to move the aircraft around.
“It’s a massive effort, as you can imagine,” Textron President and CEO Ron Draper said. “But it’s very rewarding to do something for other people and, in this case, you see the immediate feedback and appreciation from those athletes and those teams. That’s why we do it.”
The airlift is coordinated with the FAA, which redirects air traffic in the central U.S. most of the day and has a team on site. The aircraft, manned by Textron’s customers, receive special “Dove” call signs and receive priority handling within the US National Airspace System.
Half of St. Paul Downtown Airport shut down to accommodate the airlift, with volunteers and Special Olympics officials on the ground providing rousing welcomes for each group of athletes.
“For many, it’s the first time they get to ride on an airplane,” said Prent Corporation’s Chris Clawson, pilot of Dove 1, the first to land in Minneapolis-St. Paul. “Transportation is not something they need to stress about — they can actually enjoy it.”
Members of the Arizona and New Mexico delegations — roughly 170 people — got a special treat, flying on the Arizona Cardinals’ team plane out of Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. They not only sat in the same seats NFL players use, it was a first-class experience that included gift bags and meal service — build-your-own burger, Southwest chicken burrito or Mediterranean salad, a fresh
Members of teams from Arizona and New Mexico sit in their seats after boarding their flight to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.
chocolate chip cookie for dessert. The flight, operated by Cardinals team affiliate Gridiron Air, landed at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport to cheers and a chant of “USA!” from the athletes inside. The plane was doused with a double water cannon salute before pulling into the gate, where a boisterous crowd of several dozen people greeted the exiting athletes.
“I don’t really watch movies on planes very often, but that was something we could do up there and they actually served food,” Team Arizona powerlifting athlete Zakarias Hollingshead said. “That’s not something I’ve ever gotten before.”
The Cardinals’ Boeing 777200ER team plane was the first widebody aircraft to participate in the airlift’s 40 years.
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill has been involved with Special Olympics for several years, even personally flying athletes to various competitions. When Textron approached him about donating use of the team’s plane, Bidwill jumped at the opportunity.
“We’re proud to put these athletes on the same airplane that Trey McBride is on, that Budda Baker is riding on, that all of our players and greats over the last several years have ridden on, so they can ride in style to Minneapolis to compete in the games,” Bidwill said. “We hope it was a great ride. We’re happy to support it.”
The Special Olympics USA Games are a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of the athletes.
So is the ride there.
JOHN MARSHALL / AP PHOTO
GREGORY PAYAN / AP PHOTO
Duke recruit Cameron Williams (1) shoots during the Hoophall Classic.
MLB’s draft overhaul would limit choices for teen players — and be a boon for colleges
High schoolers may not be eligible to be drafted if a new proposal passes
By David Brandt The Associated Press
PHOENIX — James Clark is a young man with enticing options on his baseball horizon.
The promising 18-year-old shortstop was taking infield practice during the MLB draft combine at Chase Field, fluidly handling ground balls before firing to first base. It’s one of many reasons the California native has a chance to be selected in the first round of next month’s draft.
But if he decides he’s not ready to start his professional baseball career, he’s committed to play college ball at Duke, which has a successful baseball program and an elite academic reputation.
“It’s going to be a difficult decision,” Clark said. “But it’s a good one to have.”
If MLB gets its way, it’s a decision that future baseball prospects won’t get to make.
Owners recently proposed banning high school players from signing with major league teams, raising the age for international amateurs and slashing the money spent on signing bonuses in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.
If the league gets its way, starting in 2028, a prospect for the amateur draft would have to be at least 20 years old by the Sept. 1 of his signing year and two years removed from the graduating year of his high school class — a restriction that also would eliminate players who completed their first year of junior college.
There are dozens of current MLB stars who signed as teenagers, including Pete Crow-Armstrong, Mike Trout and Bobby Witt Jr. Even more recently, Pirates phenom Konnor Griffin made his MLB debut at 19 years old.
Shortstop Roch Cholowsky was a highly-rated recruit coming out of a high school in Arizona in 2023 but instead played at UCLA for three seasons. Now he could be the No. 1 selection
Stanly County’s Special Olympics
“It’s going to be a difficult decision. But it’s a good one to have.”
shortstop James Clark on choosing between the minor leagues and Duke
in next month’s MLB draft after a standout career with the Bruins.
Still, he had plenty of friends who went straight to the pros out of high school.
“It’s different for everybody — whatever is best for you,” Cholowsky said. “A guy like myself needed to go to college. I got to play three years of unbelievable baseball at UCLA, learn a lot and really grow up.”
College baseball has grown rapidly in recent years for many reasons, including that NCAA programs can now offer 34 scholarships instead of the old cap of 11.7. There’s also some NIL money available at the top programs, though it’s usually not like the high-dollar deals for their football or basketball counterparts.
In the 2025 MLB draft, 56 college players were selected in the top 90 picks.
Thanks to a variety of factors — especially money and technology — the MLB and NCAA versions of baseball have never been more similar.
Athletics slugger Nick Kurtz
was last year’s AL Rookie of the Year after playing in college at Wake Forest, needing just 210 plate appearances in the minors before dominating MLB pitching.
Pittsburgh Pirates righthander Paul Skenes was a star pitcher at LSU before being drafted in 2023 and needed just 34 innings in the minors before making it to the big leagues. He was obviously ready — winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2024 and the Cy Young award in 2025.
From the MLB perspective, it’s become advantageous to let prospects develop in college instead of drafting them as teenagers, paying large signing bonuses, and then trying to project their growth. Currently, each MLB team runs five levels of domestic minor leagues, which can get expensive.
Streamlining that process is enticing. The minors are already shrinking — MLB cut 40 minor league affiliates back in 2020. MLB has said it will not seek to reduce the 120 minor league teams in the top four levels when it negotiates new professional development licenses in 2030 to replace expiring 10year deals.
“These guys trust (college) programs,” Arizona State coach Willie Bloomquist said earlier this spring. “They say, ‘We’ll just watch them in college in three years at a Power 4 program, see how they develop and then we’ll go get them.’”
Angela Kirk is a 41-year-old athlete on Stanly County’s Special Olympics team. Angela traveled to Raleigh for last month’s Special Olympics of North Carolina’s annual Summer Games, competing in several track & field events. She returned to Stanly with three medals, taking silvers in the softball throw and the 50-meter walk. She also won bronze in the 25-meter dash.
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ROSS D. FRANKLIN / AP PHOTO
James Clark, a shortstop from St. John Bosco High School, gathers his gear in the dugout at the MLB baseball combine.
ROSS D. FRANKLIN / AP PHOTO
Archer Horn, a shortstop from St. Ignatius High School, throws to first base at the MLB combine in Phoenix.
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the proposed new fees, before taking action. TA 26-03 – Text Amendment Request for a Text Amendment to City Ordinance, pursuant to North Carolina General Statute 160D-601, to amend various development standards regarding subdivision regulations in Sections 91.03, 91.21, and 91.22. The public hearings will be held before the Albemarle City Council on: Monday, July 20, 2026 | 6:30 p.m. City Hall – Council Chambers | 144 North Second Street, Albemarle, NC 28001 All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard. Individuals wishing to speak for or against either item will be allowed to present comments in accordance with applicable City procedures and North Carolina open meetings laws. The City Council agenda, including these public hearing items, will be available on the City’s website prior to the meeting. The proposed Planning and Community Development Fee Schedule and the proposed text amendment are available for public inspection at the Planning and Community Development Department, City Hall, 144 North Second Street, Albemarle, NC, during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.).
For additional information, please contact the Planning and Community Development Department at (704) 9849424.
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION – SMALL CLAIMS FILE NO. 26CV000603-830 TEOSVALDO LUIS SANO, Plaintiff, v. 360 TERPRISE LLC (SOSID: 2943551) and YOLON MENIFIELD, Defendants. TO: 360 Terprise LLC and Yolon Menifield, Defendants named above. TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is a money judgment for Breach of Contract arising from unpaid Amazon Relay freight loads delivered between February 20, 2026, and March 2, 2026. The Plaintiff seeks recovery of an unpaid principal amount of $720.06, along with statutory or contractual interest, operational fuel costs, court fees, and $2,500.00 in moral damages due to alleged fraudulent practices, totaling $3,851.71 plus continuing interest and court costs. You are required to make a defense to such pleading not later than forty (40) days from the date of the first publication of this notice July 5, 2026, by August 14, 2026, inclusive. Upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the court for the relief sought in the complaint. 06.30.2026 Teosvaldo Luis Sano Plaintiff, Pro Se 911 Yadkin Av, Spencer, NC 28159 Telephone: +1 (305) 801-8586 Email: teo75561@gmail.com
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142 Poplar Street Locust, NC 28097 Executor
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000313-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of John Worthington, JR. deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said John Worthington, JR. to present them to the undersigned on or before October 7, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 5th day of July 2026 Rebecca Ann Furr 257 Fryling Avenue Concord, NC 28025 Executrix
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NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 26E000254-830 Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of Malcolm Monroe Lowder, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned or his attorney on or before September 21st, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery.
All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 11th day of June, 2026. MARK T. LOWDER DEAN A. LOWDER CO-EXECUTORS FOR THE ESTATE OF MALCOLM MONROE LOWDER MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO
A grim job outlook meets a scrappy workforce as administrative assistants harness AI
As the profession shrinks, some administrative assistants are using AI to gain an edge
By Claire Savage The Associated Press
WITH THEIR numbers already in decline, secretaries and administrative assistants face another growing threat: artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Claude that can accomplish aspects of their workload with a tap.
Employment projection data offers a grim outlook for the women-dominated profession that may be particularly vulnerable to AI-induced job displacement compared to the broader workforce. But some admins are embracing the technology — and even using it as a tool to get ahead.
Deanna Danger, 43, has worked in an administrative role since 2003. She says adapting and staying ahead of the curve is a key part of her constantly-changing role, and AI is no exception.
“All you do is have to evolve,” she says.
Danger started using AI professionally in 2022, learning through experimentation and collaboration with fellow admins. Today, she no longer takes notes during meetings — she’s set up Copilot and ChatGPT to do it for her. That has freed her to “actually participate in the meetings, and not just worry about making sure I typed everything out that was said,” says Danger, executive assistant to the chief information officer at Vanderbilt University. “Honestly, what used to take me hours I’m now done with in under five minutes.”
How — and to what extent — AI might reshape her profession remains to be seen, but jobs for administrative assistants and secretaries have been dwindling for decades. The unemployment rate for the office and administrative support workers — a broader category that includes administrative assistants — ticked up to 4% compared to 3.6% in June last year, according to Labor Department data released Thursday, although that level remains lower than the overall unemployment rate.
In 2004, about 3.5 million people worked in the role — nearly 97% of them women, according to Current Population Survey
data. Twenty years later, that number slid to 2.1 million — despite overall workforce growth during the same period.
And except for medical secretaries and administrative assistants — a category projected to grow 4% by 2034 thanks to growth of the healthcare industry — economists at the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predict a continued decline in the profession.
“The overall story in office and admin occupations from the projection standpoint for the last several cycles has been one of productivity-enhancing technologies, limiting demand for employment,” said Emily Rolen, lead economist for the division of employment projections at the BLS. Technological advances — word processing, speechto-text transcription, scheduling tools and apps — each transformed the duties of administrative professionals and contributed to overall decline.
Clerical and administrative workers may be more exposed to AI-induced job displacement than other professionals because they “lack adaptive capacity due to limited savings, advanced age, scarce local opportunities, and/or narrow skill sets,” according to a Brookings Institution report published in January. About 86% of these 6 million workers are women.
Indeed, more secretaries and administrative assistants
“Honestly, what used to take me hours I’m now done with in under five minutes.”
Deanna Danger, Executive Assistant to the Chief Information Officer, Vanderbilt University
are 55 and older compared to the workforce at large (34% vs. 23%), median pay is lower than that of all U.S. workers ($47,460 vs. $49,500), and a high school diploma is sufficient for many entry-level roles.
But what labor data doesn’t capture — as noted by the Brookings report — is an individual’s ability to navigate a changing environment, including administrative assistants like Danger, who say they “are way more capable than people think.”
Danger hosts a biweekly virtual coffee chat for peers through the American Society of Administrative Professionals, a professional group that says it serves about 132,000 members. Participants in a May session shared their AI use cases: creating flyers, scouting out restaurants for executive events, coming up with captions for employer social media accounts, drafting standard operating
procedure language, and more.
But despite the overall atmosphere of enthusiasm, some participants raised concerns, including data security and the lack of AI regulation. Others emphasized that AI cannot, and will not, replace the emotional intelligence and relationship building skills that are hallmarks of a successful admin.
Fiona Young, founder of Carve, a business focused on training executive assistants on AI, says she has seen “a massive shift in demand” for her services since 2023. Young, a former executive assistant herself, says she has delivered AI training to administrative professionals globally, including at Google, Amazon, Uber, Salesforce and LinkedIn. In her experience, employers want staff to be able to leverage AI — “not just loosely understanding it, but genuinely using it as an integral part of how people are working every day,” she says.
Oana Manolache takes an even stronger stance. The founder and CEO of Sequel.io, a platform that enables companies to host webinars on their own websites, wrote in a LinkedIn post last year: “I will fire anyone who doesn’t use AI.”
But even Manolache says AI could not replace her executive assistant, Stephanie Martinez. Manolache says Martinez uses AI to “free herself” from tasks like note-taking and meet-
ing prep to focus on the “human work” of building team connectivity, making judgment calls, understanding executives’ relationships with stakeholders and communicating accordingly.
Maybe AI could supplant the “traditional” assistant, but “it doesn’t replace what an executive assistant does now as the role has evolved,” Manolache says.
Martinez works remotely from El Salvador through Viva Talent, which — in another example of the shifting landscape for the role — trains and matches assistants from Latin and South America to primarily U.S.-based tech companies.
“The people who truly want to succeed in this role have a massive opportunity,” Manolache says. “This person has access to information across the entire organization.”
For instance, when the company aimed to drive more customer reviews on a software review platform, Martinez, who manages most invoices and billing, approached the problem innovatively. She leveraged AI to sift through all customer communications, pinpoint good candidates for reviews, and draft outreach emails. Without AI, “it would have taken her so long to do this,” Manolache says, adding that it also freed up Martinez to “think creatively.”
That freedom to strategically implement AI is just as important as education and training, since many assistants are interested in adopting AI but lack the bandwidth to incorporate it, says Melissa Peoples, an Austin, Texas-based executive assistant coach and former C-suite executive assistant.
Gender dynamics compound that challenge in an industry dominated by women who are often paired with male leaders, Peoples says.
“You see those that are early adopters, and are crushing it, and are partnered with really empowering executives, and can do all of these things,” she says.
“And then you see the other side of this, where literally assistants are being told, ‘You’re not smart enough to be in the room. Just bring me my coffee.’”
With effective AI training, Peoples says admins can “find their voice” and “have higher impact so they are protected against what is going to happen as agentic AI becomes more commonplace and more easily accessible.”
PATRICK SISON / AP PHOTO
Anthropic’s Claude chatbot is one of the most popular in workplaces.
MICHAEL KNIEF / AP CONTENT SERVICES FOR ANTHROPIC
Executives with Anthropic present on stage at the Code with Claude developer conference in May. Anthropic’s Claude chatbot is one of the most popular in workplaces.
famous birthdays this week
14th Dalai Lama is 91, George W. Bush turns 80, Mavis Staples is 87, Arlo Guthrie turns 79
The Associated Press
THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week:
JULY 5
Julie Nixon Eisenhower is 78. Rock star Huey Lewis is 76. NFL Hall of Fame receiver James Lofton is 70. Cartoonist Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes) is 68. Actor Edie Falco is 63.
JULY 6
The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, is 91. Singer Gene Chandler (“Duke of Earl”) is 89. Actor Burt Ward (TV: “Batman”) is 81. Former President George W. Bush is 80. Actor-director Sylvester Stallone is 80.
JULY 7
Musician-conductor Doc Severinsen is 99. Former Beatle Ringo Starr is 86. World Golf Hall of Famer Tony Jacklin is 82. Actor Joe Spano is 80. Singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard is 63. Actor-comedian Jim Gaffigan is 60.
JULY 8
Actor Jeffrey Tambor is 82. Drummer Jaimoe Johanson (The Allman Brothers Band) is 82. Actor Kim Darby is 79. Children’s musician Raffi is 78. Celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck is 77. Actor Anjelica Huston is 75. Pro Football Hall of Famer Jack Lambert is 74. Actor Kevin Bacon is 68.
JULY 9
Artist David Hockney is 89.
Author Dean Koontz is 81. Actor Chris Cooper is 75. Musician and TV personality John Tesh is 74. Singer Debbie Sledge (Sister Sledge) is 72. Actor Tom Hanks is 70. Musician/ producer Jack White is 51. Actor-director Fred Savage is 50.
JULY 10
Singer Mavis Staples is 87. Actor Robert Pine is 85. International Tennis Hall of Famer Virginia Wade is 81. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 79. Baseball Hall of Famer Andre Dawson is 72. Rock singer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys) is 72. Banjo player Bela Fleck is 68.
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO
Actor Anjelica Huston turns 75 on Wednesday.
KEVIN WOLF / AP PHOTO
Sylvester Stallone turns 80 on Monday.
/ AP PHOTO
Beatles drummer Ringo Starr turns 86 on Tuesday.
JULY 11
Actor Susan Seaforth Hayes is 83. Actor Bruce McGill is 76. Actor Stephen Lang is 74. Actor Mindy Sterling is 73. Actor Sela Ward is 70. Singer Peter Murphy (Bauhaus) is 69. Singer Suzanne Vega is 67. Rock guitarist Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) is 67.
Ann Patchett’s next accolade: Peace prize rooted in the Dayton Accords legacy
Winners, to be announced in September, each receive $10,000
By Hillel Italie The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Ann Patchett’s latest honor has an international scope.
The Dayton Literary Peace Prize Foundation announced that Patchett is this year’s recipient of the Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award for “a writer whose body of work reflects the Prize’s mission of fostering peace, social justice, and global understanding.”
The award is named for the late diplomat who served under President Bill Clinton among others and is credited with helping to broker the 1995 Dayton Peace Accords that ended the war in Bosnia. Previous
winners include former President Jimmy Carter, Elie Wiesel and Margaret Atwood. Patchett, 62, is known for such novels as “Bel Canto,” “The Dutch House” and “State of Wonder.” She also owns the Nashville-based bookstore Parnassus and advocates often for fellow writers, her efforts leading PEN America to present her its PEN/Audible Literary Service Award at a gala last month in Manhattan. In a statement issued through the Dayton foundation, Patchett advised setting realistic goals for how to make meaningful contributions.
“If you wait to find a way to bring peace to the world there’s a good chance that nothing will be accomplished,” she said. “Instead, I recommend bringing about peace in any small way that is available to you. Live as peacefully and as generously as possible. Invite others to stand with you or, better yet, go and stand with them.”
The foundation also announced that Amanda Knox’s memoir “Free: My Search for Meaning” is among the 12 finalists for Dayton Literary Peace Prize awards for fiction and nonfiction from 2025 that demonstrate “the power of the written word to foster peace.” Knox’s book recounts her life after being imprisoned in Italy on murder charges and eventually being exonerated.
Nonfiction contenders besides “Free” include Danielle Leavitt’s Ukraine chronicle “By the Second Spring,” Jack Fairweather’s “The Prosecutor: One Man’s Battle to Bring Nazis to Justice” and Eve L. Ewing’s “Original Sins: The (Mis)education of Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism.” Gish Jen’s “Bad Bad Girl,” Karen Russell’s “The Antidote” and Sam Wachman’s “The Sunflower Boys” are among the fiction finalists.
Film academy invites 529 new members, including Jenna Ortega, Safdie brothers, Jacob Elordi
Conan O’Brien will host the 99th Academy Awards
By Jake Coyle The Associated Press
NEW YORK — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week invited 529 members to the Oscar voting body, a new class that brings the group’s membership to nearly double what it was a decade ago.
Among those who received invites are “One Battle After Another” nominee Teyana Taylor, Josh O’Connor, Jenna Ortega, Jacob Elordi and Simu Liu. If all new members accept their invitations, the film academy will number 11,319, with 10,338 voting members. In 2016, the academy numbered closer to 6,000 members.
But to diversify its ranks,
the Oscars organization has swelled in recent years. In 2015, the academy was 75% male and 92% white. That year, all 20 acting nominees were white, prompting the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag. Following the induction of this year’s new members, the academy will be 64% male and 75% white. One byproduct of the membership expansion has been an increase in international voters. Overseas members now account for 22% of the group. The makeup of the new class is 42% women, 56% from underrepresented communities and 53% from countries outside the U.S.
“Membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority,” the academy said in its announcement.
After several new classes that numbered closer to 1,000, the academy has in recent years grown at a more modest pace. Last year, 534 voters were added. As it has grown in size, the academy has also added new categories to its annual awards ceremony. Earlier this year, the first award for casting was handed out. In 2028, the first Oscar for achievement in stunt design will be given.
Other new members include Anthony Ramos, Bill Skarsgård, Mia Goth, Jon Bernthal, Jemaine Clement, Sopé Dìrísù and Stephen Fry. Among the invited filmmakers are Josh and Benny Safdie, “Weapons” director Zach Cregger and “Sirât” filmmaker Oliver Laxe.
The 99th Academy Awards will be held March 14, 2027, with Conan O’Brien returning as host for the third consecutive year.
Harvey Weinstein’s California rape conviction upheld, but court says he must be resentenced
The producer’s crimes helped spark the #MeToo movement
By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES — An appeals court on Friday upheld Harvey Weinstein’s 2022 rape and sexual assault conviction in California but ordered that he be resentenced.
A three-judge panel of California’s 2nd District Court of Appeal unanimously issued the decision, saying the trial judge did not violate the former movie magnate’s constitutional rights.
“We reject his attempts to disturb the jury’s guilty verdicts,” the judges wrote in their opinion.
Weinstein spokesperson Juda Engelmayer said in an email, “We are disappointed by today’s decision and respectfully disagree with the Court of Appeal’s conclusions regarding the fairness of Mr. Weinstein’s trial. At the same time, the court correctly recognized that his sentence cannot stand.”
The decision came a day after prosecutors in New York said Weinstein would not face a
fourth trial there, dropping the #MeToo-era case after the accuser said she could not bear to testify again.
The California panel said resentencing was necessary because the judge who sentenced Weinstein considered New York convictions that were later thrown out as an aggravating factor. California’s attorney general agreed.
Weinstein, 74, still stands convicted of another sexual felony in New York, and he remains behind bars awaiting a September sentencing there. Prosecutors there are seeking a 20-year prison term.
In California, Weinstein was convicted in December 2022 of one count of rape and two counts of sexual assault against an Italian model and actor known during the trial as Jane Doe 1. He would serve his new sentence there only after his New York term is complete.
After the trial, Jane Doe 1 came forward under her name, Evgeniya Chernyshova, when she sued Weinstein in civil court.
Chernyshova testified that Weinstein arrived uninvited at her hotel room during the 2013 LA Italia Film Festival and assaulted her.
Thursday, June 25,
Weinstein’s defense argued that he deserved a new trial because Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Lisa B. Lench wrongly prevented his trial lawyers from asking about Facebook messages between Chernyshova and festival head Pascal Vicedomini that would have shown they had a sexual
relationship. The defense said the questioning would have demonstrated that she perjured herself when she said she and Vicedomini were just friends and colleagues.
“The lower court all but gutted Mr. Weinstein’s defense,” attorney Jennifer Bonjean told
“This is not the end of the appellate process.”
Juda Engelmayer, Weinstein spokesperson
the appeals judges during oral arguments April 23.
But the appeals court said in its ruling that Weinstein was able to make the arguments he wanted during the trial based on other evidence, including another set of Facebook messages that Lench allowed.
“Thus, there was no denial of Weinstein’s constitutional right to present a defense,” the panel wrote in its opinion.
The three judges also found that Weinstein’s lawyers failed to adhere to California’s rape shield law, which prohibits evidence of an accuser’s sexual history, when they tried to introduce the messages.
The Los Angeles jury acquitted Weinstein of the sexual battery of a massage therapist and failed to reach verdicts on counts involving two other women.
“This is not the end of the appellate process,” Engelmayer said in his email.
CHRIS PIZZELLO
STEVEN HIRSCH / NEW YORK POST VIA AP
Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Supreme Court
2026, in New York.
this week in history
British capture Fort Ticonderoga, 14th Amendment ratified
The Associated Press
JULY 5
1687: Isaac Newton first published his Principia Mathematica, a three-volume work setting out his mathematical principles of natural philosophy.
1811: Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.
1852: Frederick Douglass delivered his speech “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York.
1996: Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell by scientists at the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh, was born.
JULY 6
1777: During the American Revolution, British forces captured Fort Ticonderoga.
1885: French scientist Louis Pasteur tested an anti-rabies vaccine on 9-year-old Joseph Meister, who had been bitten by an infected dog; the boy did not develop rabies.
1933: The first All-Star baseball game was played at Chicago’s Comiskey Park; the American League defeated the National League 4-2 behind winning pitcher Lefty Gomez of the New York Yankees.
JULY 7
1898: President William McKinley signed the Newlands Resolution, approving the annexation of the Republic of Hawaii.
1930: Construction began on Boulder Dam (known today as Hoover Dam).
1981: President Ronald Reagan announced he was nominating Arizona Judge Sandra Day O’Connor to become the first female justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.
JULY 8
1776: Col. John Nixon gave
The Wall Street Journal published its first edition on July 8, 1889.
the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, outside the State House (now Independence Hall) in Philadelphia.
1853: An expedition led by U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry arrived in Edo Bay, Japan, on a mission to seek diplomatic and trade relations with the Japanese. 1889: The first issue of The Wall Street Journal was published.
JULY 9
1868: The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, granting citizenship and “equal protection under the laws” to anyone “born or naturalized in the United States,” including formerly enslaved people.
1850: President Zachary Taylor died of a gastrointestinal illness after consuming a large number of cherries and iced milk on a hot day five days earlier; Vice President Millard Fillmore was sworn in as president the following day.
1896: William Jennings Bryan delivered his famous Wyoming” speech at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
JULY 10
1509: Theologian John Calvin, a key figure of the Protestant Reformation, was born in Noyon, Picardy, France.
1890: Wyoming was admitted as the 44th U.S. state.
1925: Jury selection began in Dayton, Tennessee, in the trial of John T. Scopes, charged with violating the law by teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution. (Scopes was convicted and fined, but the verdict was overturned on a technicality.)
1940: During World War II, the Battle of Britain began as the German Luftwaffe launched attacks on southern England. (The Royal Air Force was ultimately victorious.)
JULY 11
1804: Vice President Aaron Burr mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton during a pistol duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. (Hamilton died the next day.)
1859: Big Ben, the great bell inside the famous London clock tower, chimed for the first time.
1960: Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” was published.
DOW JONES & COMPANY VIA WIKIPEDIA
JOHN CHADWICK / AP PHOTO
Dolly, the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell, was born on July 5, 1996.
