VOLUME 146 ISSUE 69 | WEEKEND EDITION, AUG. 29-30, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 704-982-2121
Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Early bird A boat slowly crosses Lake Tillery early last Friday morning ahead of one of the last weekends of the summer.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Number of Americans applying for jobless aid falls to 203K as layoffs remain low The number of people filing for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining at historic lows as layoffs are rare and most Americans enjoy job security. The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims slipped to 203,000 last week from a revised 207,000 the week before. The four‑week average of claims, which smooths out week-to-week ups and downs, ticked up slightly to 205,500. Claims for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs, and economists watch them because they can provide early clues of where the job market is headed. For the past year, claims have mostly been at a historically low range of about 200,000 to 230,000 a week.
Catastrophic floods kill more than 360 in Nepal, Tibet; over 1,400 missing Rescue teams and military helicopters are searching for hundreds of missing people along the Nepal-China border. That’s where a deadly torrent of water and mud several stories high swept through communities Wednesday following a glacier collapse. Videos of the disaster showed people running before the floodwaters swallowed them up and washed out buildings and bridges. More than 360 people were killed and more than 1,400 are missing, including scores of foreigners and pilgrims.
$2.00
Locust Presbyterian to host first Rooted in Community Day The free event will connect residents with local services and volunteer opportunities
“The church will provide attendees with a tote bag to collect information and materials from the different booths,”
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal LOCUST — Locust Presby‑ terian Church will bring local service groups, ministries and community organizations to‑ gether next month for its first Rooted in Community Day. The free event is sched‑ uled for Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the church’s front lawn at 607 W. Main St. Organizers said Rooted in Community Day is intended to make it easier for residents to connect with resources and volunteer opportunities al‑ ready available in the area. “The event is designed to
Locust Presbyterian Church
COURTESY LOCUST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Locust Presbyterian Church’s first Rooted in Community Day is scheduled for Sept. 12. bring together local organiza‑ tions, service agencies, minis‑ tries, civic groups and commu‑ nity resources in one place so residents can learn more about
the many services and oppor‑ tunities available throughout the area,” the church said in announcing the event. “Locust Presbyterian Church
SCC administrator discusses apprenticeships on Golden LEAF podcast Candice Lowder highlighted career pathways connecting students with employers By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Candice Lowder, Stanly Community College’s associ‑ ate vice president of career connec‑ tions, recently joined workforce de‑ velopment leaders on a Golden LEAF Foundation podcast to discuss how ap‑ prenticeships connect students with ca‑ reers and help employers find skilled workers. Lowder appeared on “Earn While You Learn: Apprenticeships Build North Carolina’s Workforce Pipeline,”
“Stanly Community College is really excited about the work being done locally and across the state to expand apprenticeship,” Candice Lowder, Stanly Community College’s associate vice president of career connections an episode of the “Golden LEAF Crit‑ ical Conversations” podcast hosted by foundation President and CEO Scott Hamilton. See SCC, page A8
hopes the event will introduce neighbors not only to organi‑ zations that can provide as‑ sistance, but also to groups offering ways to volunteer, serve and become more in‑ volved locally.” Nearly two dozen commu‑ nity partners have commit‑ ted to attend, including West Stanly Christian Ministry, Es‑ ther House, Homes of Hope, See LOCUST, page A5
A2
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
SUNDAY
8.30.26 #140
“Join the conversation”
North State Journal (USPS 518620) (ISSN 2471-1365) Trip Hoffend Publisher Jim Sills VP of Local Newspapers Cory Lavalette Senior Editor Jordan Golson Local News Editor Shawn Krest Sports Editor Dan Reeves Features Editor Lauren Rose Design Editor Jesse Deal Reporter PJ Ward-Brown Photographer ADVERTISING Kateland Treece Advertising Representative Published Wednesday and Sunday as part of North State Journal 1548 NC 24-27 BYP W Albemarle NC 28001 TO SUBSCRIBE OR PLACE LEGAL NOTICE:
SENIOR NUTRITION MEALS | WEEK OF AUG. 31 Stanly County residents 60 and older can enjoy nutritionally balanced lunches at five locations Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to noon. First-time participants must register by calling 704-986-3773. Meals must be eaten on-site — no takeout is available. Donations are welcomed but not required. Sites also offer social activities including bingo, Bible study, crafts and music. Locations are the Niven Center in Albemarle, community centers in New London and Norwood, the Old Boy Scout Hut in Oakboro and the Locust Community Building.
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
AUG. 31
SEPT. 1
SEPT. 2
SEPT. 3
SEPT. 4
• Chicken Salad • Sliced tomatoes (3) & Lettuce • Veggie pasta salad • Whole wheat bread • Banana Pudding with bananas and wafers
• Hot Sliced Ham in Pineapple Juice • Tossed salad with tomatoes and cucumbers • Warm peaches • Hashed brown potato casserole • Roll • Ranch dressing
• Pork roast with gravy • Green peas • Whipped potatoes • Cornbread • Citrus fruit mix
• Turkey and cheese on wheat bread • Sliced tomatoes (3) and lettuce • Melon cubes • Potato salad with green pepper • Fig bar • Mayonnaise and mustard
• Spaghetti • Tossed salad with cucumbers and tomatoes • Green beans • Garlic bread • Applesauce • Ranch dressing • Parmesan Cheese
3 Secret Service officials placed on leave pending investigation into misconduct The probe comes as the Secret Service faces scrutiny over multiple recent incidents The Associated Press THREE U.S. SECRET Ser‑ vice officials were placed on administrative leave Tuesday, pending the outcome of an in‑ vestigation by the agency’s pro‑ fessional standards office. The three were operating in non-law-enforcement capacities and were being investigated for potential misconduct, the agen‑ cy’s public information office re‑ ported. However, the cause for the action remained unclear as the Office of Professional Re‑ sponsibility was beginning its review. The Secret Service has been
under scrutiny as President Donald Trump has been the subject of at least three assas‑ sination plots in the past two years. In April, police said an armed man breached security at the Washington Hilton during the White House Correspon‑ dents’ Association dinner, which Trump was attending. The Secret Service has also found itself in the spotlight after other recent incidents. The Justice Department last month subpoenaed New York Times journalists after they re‑ ported on security concerns in‑ volving the new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One. The subpoenas, which were later withdrawn, came after The Times reported that Trump was urged to leave Turkey on the old Air Force One at the urging of the Secret Service.
JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON / AP PHOTO
Members of the U.S. Secret Service police conduct overwatch during the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix last Sunday in Washington, D.C. Then, Trump earlier this month acknowledged that he had actually slipped away from Air Force One as he departed Turkey because the Secret Ser‑ vice and military wanted him
on a “different plane” due to con‑ cerns that he was being targeted for assassination by Iran. Trump only confirmed he slipped away after The Wash‑ ington Post reported that he had taken part in the elaborate ruse in which some of his staff, Se‑ cret Service and journalists flew on the old model Air Force One while he was snuck onto an al‑ ternate military aircraft to get out of Turkey. Last month, the Secret Ser‑ vice also confirmed that one of its agents serving on Vice Pres‑ ident JD Vance’s security detail was being investigated over alle‑ gations tied to a suspected news leak. The Secret Service said the investigation was tied to a July MS NOW report detailing some of its agents’ frustration over last-minute travel requests from Vance and his family.
704-982-2121 STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
Periodicals Postage Paid at Albemarle N.C. and at additional mailing offices POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh NC 27607
We Finance
Colson Concrete
704-550-1449 Arnold Colson
H
CRIME LOG Aug. 17 • Loren J’Nay Lark, 27, was arrested for communicating threats and harassing phone calls. • Katlyn McKenzie Burleson, 30, was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for controlled substances.
Aug. 18
substance; possession of a controlled substance on prison or jail premises; and conspiracy to sell or deliver a controlled substance, and other charges. • Randall Kenneth Clayton, 63, was arrested for breaking and entering to terrorize or injure, communicating threats and violation of a domestic violence protective order, and other charges.
Aug. 19
• Billy Orrin Eison, 40, was arrested for domestic violence and assault on a female.
• Taurus Deshaun Watkins, 30, was arrested for trafficking opium or heroin; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; and felony conspiracy, and other charges.
• Lisa Spearman McCrary, 68, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled
• Aaliyah Brianna McNair, 25, was arrested for trafficking opium or heroin; possession with intent to
• Kari Nichole Brooks, 36, was arrested for domestic violence.
manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; and felony possession of cocaine, and other charges. • Brandon Lee Johnson, 30, was arrested for domestic criminal trespass and resisting a public officer. • Rashiem Tyquan Hand, 51, was arrested for a civil order for arrest for child support.
Aug. 20 • Sheena Marie Efird, 36, was arrested for first-degree trespassing. Aug. 21 • Tammy Glover Denning, 53, was arrested for simple assault and domestic violence. • Lawrence Andrew Logan Howard, 37, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny, second-degree trespassing and misdemeanor
NY-D UN O
A+ Rating
HOME IMPROVEMENT COMPLETE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR REMODELING
704.322.5031 NO JOB IS TOO BIG OR SMALL. WE DO THEM ALL
conspiracy. • Joshua Rafael Morales, 35, was arrested for a civil order for arrest for child support. • Austin Lee Myers, 29, was arrested for felony possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. • Darius Anthony Gatewood, 20, was arrested for statutory rape of a child 15 or younger and communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property.
Aug. 22 • Heath Alexander West, 39, was arrested for habitual misdemeanor assault and simple assault.
Aug. 23 • Laura Ann Woods, 40, was arrested for neglect of a disabled or elder person with injury.
Established in 1987 Fully Insured
EMERGENCY Roof Services/Repairs
771358
Annual Subscription Price: $100.00
Residential Roofing Commercial Roofing • Schools • Churches New Roofs / Re-Roofs / Roof Shingles • Custom Colors
FREE ESTIMATES Military & Senior Discounts Ask about our 5 year guarantee
QUALITY IS #1 Aleck Forte, Owner Forte_ro@yahoo.com
Richfield, NC | 704-463-5322 | Mobile: 704-991-5194
SEARCH. SEE. LOVE WWW.KIMREYLASH.COM
(704) 984-8837 Phyllis Kimrey & Adrian Lash
A3
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS
How universities unwittingly undermine the case for evolution These once elite colleges should prioritize intellectual merit.
MOST HIGHER EDUCATION institutions don’t adhere to the theory of evolution. Sure, they say they believe in it, but look at their actions. In recent weeks, the career of former Cambridge University professor Jason Arday unraveled. He wasn’t a household name, but he was an academic superstar with a fairy-tale origin story. He claimed his autism and other developmental delays kept him from speaking until he was 11. He said he couldn’t read until 18. Yet at 37, he became the youngest black professor in the school’s storied history. Further, he claimed to have once run 30 marathons in 35 days to fundraise for charitable causes. He claimed to have raised more than 5 million pounds sterling over two decades. This is only a sampling of his outlandish claims. Arday’s biography began to unravel after Nathan Cofnas from Ghent University presented ample evidence of plagiarism in Arday’s academic work. Other scholars had previously raised similar concerns, but Cambridge seemed uninterested in finding out if its star professor was a fraud. Sadly, Arday died by suicide after the public learned about the scope of his lies. It’s obvious now that Cambridge as an institution and dozens, if not hundreds, of academics judged Arday on his skin color, not his academic merits. They so desperately wanted more racial diversity that they ignored obvious untruths that any high school dropout would have called out immediately. Only in
academia can one be so celebrated for wearing “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” But this issue goes far beyond a single school in England. For years, American universities have been lowering standards in pursuit of racial diversity. In some cases, they blatantly discriminated against white and Asian applicants. In other cases, they eliminated standardized test scores in admissions. Earlier this month, a math professor at University of California, Berkeley shared how that decision has led to her teaching students who are “five to eight years behind in mathematics.” Now think about the theory of evolution, which is ubiquitous on college campuses. Perhaps the only thing rarer than a conservative professor is one who believes, like I do, that God created the heavens and the earth. Evolution posits that life evolved from simple organisms into increasingly complex animals, like eagles, dolphins and human beings. This process happened by natural selection, not divine direction. Leave aside that believing everything and everyone came from no one and nothing requires a leap of faith larger than a child jumping over the Grand Canyon. “Natural selection is sometimes summed up as ‘survival of the fittest’ because the ‘fittest’ organisms — those most suited to their environment — are the ones that reproduce most successfully, and are most likely to pass on their traits to the next generation,” National Geographic states. The survival of the fittest is a supposedly
unstoppable natural process, uncreated and undirected, that evolutionists claim has occurred for billions of years. Yet universities have consciously rejected it. These once elite colleges should prioritize intellectual merit. But with some exceptions, they have long put other things before academic fitness. The obvious rejoinder is that human beings aren’t mere animals, driven solely by instinct and genetics. We have a moral compass. We are willing to die for principles, not just to protect our offspring. We make conscious decisions to prioritize different values. Those things are all obviously true because we are fundamentally different from animals. That’s intellectually honest for a Christian or other theist to say. How do atheists arrive there? Most want to live under the conclusions of theism while rejecting their intellectual basis. Or as apologist Frank Turek put it, atheists keep “stealing from God” concepts like morality. Look at what’s happening in universities. “Survival of the fittest” is taught in the classroom but rejected throughout the rest of campus. That’s not mere hypocrisy. It’s evidence of a worldview that doesn’t hold up in the real world. Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast. (Creators.com Copyright 2026)
COLUMN | SALENA ZITO
How Pittsburgh became the early alarm bell for the DSA’s rise The larger Democratic Party decides to adopt socialism to their platform, they will face a larger backlash from voters than they saw in 2024.
THE RISE OF the Democratic left in Pittsburgh did not happen overnight. It was built over years through patient organizing, disciplined recruiting and a clear-eyed focus on the races that mattered most: low-turnout primaries where entrenched power was vulnerable. Mik Pappas’ 2017 race for Pennsylvania’s 31st Magisterial District judge offered an early hint that the local Democratic establishment was losing its grip on some of the contests it had once taken for granted. He was underfunded, openly aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America and not expected to mount a serious challenge. This made his win all the more instructive. That pattern became more visible as Sara Innamorato pressed her own challenge to the old guard, with Summer Lee soon following in another race against a familiar political name. By 2018, the pattern was hard to miss: In Allegheny County, disciplined organizing and a willingness to take on entrenched families were beginning to alter the balance of power from the inside. While Pittsburgh learned early, the rest of the Democratic Party is still catching up. The left did not prevail by accident. It targeted winnable contests, built its infrastructure carefully and understood that in deep-blue places, primaries are often where political power is really decided. That is why the movement kept winning even when establishment Democrats assumed old names, old endorsements and old habits would still be enough to hold the line. The result is a Democratic Party in Pittsburgh that no longer resembles the
one that governed here for generations. Ed Gainey’s rise showed that the movement had moved beyond protest politics and into citywide power. Gainey won the Democratic primary for mayor of Pittsburgh in 2021. Matt Dugan’s countywide Democratic primary win in 2023 over sitting District Attorney Stephen Zappala reinforced the point that progressives now know how to build coalitions across the region. Gainey would later lose in yet another Democratic primary in 2025, this time to more moderate Democrat Corey O’Connor. Dugan would lose to Zappala in the general election in 2023 when he ran as a Republican. But the message did not change: The far left is no longer on the fringe here. Rather, it is part of the governing coalition of activists. Sometimes it is the governing impulse itself. That matters because Pittsburgh’s version of this story unfolded before Alexandria Ocasio‑Cortez’s 2018 primary win in New York made national headlines. The post‑Occupy left, and the broader rise of younger activist Democrats more willing to challenge establishment candidates, was already taking shape in Pittsburgh before AOC became the movement’s best-known face. What AOC did, along with Zohran Mamdani in New York, was not to start the movement so much as popularize it. Her 2018 victory gave the left a vivid, easy-to-understand example of a grassroots challenger beating an entrenched incumbent. But the organizing model had already been developing in places like Pittsburgh and across the broader progressive wing of the Democratic Party.
That same dynamic is showing up elsewhere, including Maine, where a DSA-friendly Senate campaign briefly looked like a serious challenge before it collapsed under scandal and intraparty pressure. The lesson is not that every progressive insurgency wins. It is that this style of politics — anti-establishment, activist-driven and organized around primaries — has become a durable force in Democratic contests far beyond Pittsburgh. The deeper question now is not whether the left can win; it already has. It is whether these new leaders can govern in a way that satisfies the activists who powered them without convincing everyone else that ideology will always outrun competence, compromise and growth. And of course, the elephant in the room is socialism, which has never fit easily within an American republic whose constitutional order is built on pluralism, private property and limited government. Across the democratic world, socialism has repeatedly fallen short of its promises, too often trading liberty and prosperity for central control, the erasure of the middle class and steep economic decline. If the larger Democratic Party decides to adopt socialism to their platform heading into the 2028 presidential contests, either out of fear of that faction of their party or because they now accept it as a norm, they will face a larger backlash from voters than they saw in 2024. Salena Zito is a staff reporter and columnist for the Washington Examiner. (Creators.com Copyright 2026)
A4 A4
Stanly News for Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026 Stanly County Journal Wednesday, January 18, 2023 Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 16, 2026
7
obituaries obituaries obituaries
IN MEMORY
IN MEMORY
JAMES “JIM” RICHARD POPLIN GEORGIE DALE LOWDERJEFFREY DALE TUCKER BONNIE MULLINIX SPRINGER DRAKE WILLIAM FERGUSON
AUG. 2, 1961 – AUG. 22, 2026 AUG. 14, 1933 – AUG. 24, 2026 3, 1997 – AUG. 8, 2026 NOV. 24, 1949 – AUG. 4, 2026 FEB. 23, 1936 – AUG. 6, 2026 MARCH
Jeffreypassed Dale Tucker, 65, of Locust, passed away on 90, of Albemarle, James “Jim” Richard 93, ofWilliam Norwood, passed Georgie Dale Lowder, 76, of Albemarle, Bonnie Mullinix Springer, passed awayPoplin,Drake Ferguson, 29, of Albemarle, passed away Saturday, August 22, 2026, at Atrium Health Cabarrus. away peacefully on Monday, August 24, 2026, at his services will be held on Friday, away Tuesday, August 4, 2026, at home in Albemarle peacefully on August 6, 2026, at Trinity Place. on August 8, 2026. Funeral A Celebration of Life will be held at 4:00 p.m. onwill Friday, surrounded his loving family. surrounded by her family. A celebration of life be heldhome, on Saturday, Augustby22, August 14, 2026, in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel at 28, 2026, at Mineral Springs Church, funeralVisitation service will 2:00 onat 8:30 PM. The family will receive Georgie Dale Lowder was bornAugust November 24,1949, in 2026, at Baptist Stony Hill Unitedwith MethodistAChurch. at be held 4:30at PM andp.m. again Rev. Dr. Kinney Wallace officiating. The family will receive Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at Silver Springs Baptist North Carolina to the late George Wattie Morton and the 1:00, service at 2:00, officiated by Rev. Angela Burris and friends from 2 until 4:30 PM prior to the first service and friends from 2:30 until 3:30 p.m. prior the service. Church, with Pastor Mark Little will to the evening service. late Dona Belle Morton. Pastor JefftoHathcock. fromofficiating. 7 until 8:30Burial PM prior JeffHer wasBrothers born onJerry August 2, 1961, Stanly County to follow County, in the church The family receive She was also preceded in death by: Borninon February 23, 1936, in Stanly Northcemetery.Born March will 3, 1997, in Mecklenburg County, NC, Drake Sue Tucker and the late JackCarolina, Tucker. Bonnie was the daughterfriends 1:00Burse until 1:45 p.m. at the prior the Ferguson (Charles Ernest Morton, Roger (MoTo) Morton, Steve(Beaver) Morton, and of the from late Tom was the sonchurch of Chuck andto Josie He is lovingly survived by his wife, Kayraand Tucker; sons, service. niece, Tiffany Brooke Lowder. “T.B.” Mullinix Lucille Cranford Mullinix. She devoted “Chuck” Ferguson Jr. (Stephanie) of Mint Hill and Jocelyn Tucker Kyle Tucker; mother, Tucker; wasfirst bornatAugust 14, 1933, in Stanly to the The family will receive friends Travis from 12:00 pmand - 1:45 many yearsSue of faithful service to the Jim church, Smeberg “Josie”County Ferguson of Albemarle). He worked in the Tenley, and brother, Eddie~ January latein Thomas Poplin. pm, Monday, August 10, 2026, atgrandchildren, Palestine Community Cokesbury Methodist Church the 60sand andLizzie then construction industry January 24, 1939 ~Sophie, January 15,Jace;United June 23, 1967 10, 2023 March 23, 1935 - January 9, and was known as a conscientious Tucker (Sharon); and many nieces, nephews, extended He is lovingly survived byand his2023 daughter, Dawn Williams 2023 Church. The funeral service will be on Monday at 2:00 pm 32 years at Hawthorne Lane United Methodist Church, hardworking young man who took pride in what he did. April 17, 1936 ~Community January 14, 2023 family October 11, 1944 - January James Arthur Roseboro, 55, ofgrandchildren, members, and friends. (Randy); Thomas, Melissa at Palestine Church in Albemarle officiated by both of Charlotte, then retiring in 2023 after several years Jennifer Drake had a huge heart and a personality that could fill10, 2023 Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, John grew up in(Dakota); the was at preceded in deathof byservice his father, Tucker. (Vinson), Tyler Williams great- caring and always willing to help : Kevin (Bird) McCormick. Burial willHe follow the Palestine as a Jack church secretary ofYork Badin Baptist and Church. a room. HeMillingport was loving, Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 10, 2023 Anson Health community where he drove aTrever schoolhim. was devoted husband, and grandfather grandchildren, Derek Greene, Jalynn York, York,HeDoris Cemetery at Mountain View ChurchJeff Road (inacurve Herfather kindness, dedication, andatservant’s heart touched the someone who needed had a goofy, funny side and of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes. and Rehab. bus and worked at the localthose gas Susie whose greatest joy came from the people he loved. He Kayci York, and Hattie Williams; sister-in-law, between addresses 40966 and 41009), Albemarle. lives of many. loved making aroundwent him laugh. Athletic January 14, 2023 at her home. home into God’sthroughout presence on Dwight was born January 24, Mr. Roseboro was born on station during his High School years. To her family and friends she was Dale. She found Bonnie will be remembered for her gentle spirit, quiet his life, Drake especially enjoyed basketball and softball especially treasured being a grandfather and delighted in Poplin; brother-in-law, Jimmy Morton; nephew, Tony Barbara was born April 17, 1936 January 10 after a sudden illness and 1939 in Stanly County to the late June 23, 1967 to the late Robert graduated from Millingport her greatest joytointhe the people shefinding loved most. HerTenley, Sophie, grace, southern style and Poplin; charm and and played on three different softball teams. Sports gifts for andclassic Jace,and always looking andunwavering niece,He Melony Dingle. in North Carolina late Robert a valiant week-long fight inwere ICU. Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Delena Shipp Roseboro. He High in 1954 and entered into wereHe the light of graduate faith. devoted Christian and faithful warrior, something enjoyed; they were an important for Farmer. another way toabring a smile toAtheir faces and let Inprayer addition to hisshe parents,not Jimsimply was preceded inhe death Leegrandchildren Taylor and theand late great-grandchildren Eva Belle Doris was born on October 11, was 1957 graduated from South Stanly service with the US Airforce Watts inconnect the mountains of Marion, her Taylor. life, and she treasured every them moment spent making lived her life as a testament God’s lovebeloved through her Kathleen of hisinlife and ahis way for1944, him to with the people know justHigh howSchool special they toHigh him. by his wife, Poplin, 2005; sister, of Norwood and waswere School andto was employed by immediatelypart afterward. Upon She was also preceded death NC while her father was away memories with them.in She was the best Monster atArmy theat heart, compassion, humility, and He steadfast encouragement of brother, loved. An outdoorsman Jeff enjoyedTriangle fishing,Brick. Julia Morton; andreturn his Tom David a United States Veteran. enjoyed watching fromhe the service, he Poplin. and his by family husband of 61 years,They Keithcalled Furr her fighting US Navy during gatherings. DAYS. Whether others. Soft-spoken andbasketball, gracious, she found great high joy inschool allJulie else, Drakewas loved beingina the father, and his three hunting, and just traveling about anything that let football him spend time Jim, affectionately knownsweetheart asAbove “Pa’ by his family, He was a member of Cedar Grove and especially the were Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee World War II. Raymond Jones was with family, watching the sunriseoutdoors. paint the sky over Holden worship and music and was an active participant in every boys, Kye, Knox and Ridge, were at the heart of his life. He United Methodist Church where he Carolina TarHeels and Miami. He was also an enthusiastic sports fan who a humble and peaceful whoHe lived a simple life marriedman in 1956. graduated from Taylor, Jr. and George laughter Kenneth around the so proud with to return the two war and hadtable, served as cherished church and of church addition to his parents he isaround Beach, or sharing she aspect life. She loved singing in the church choir, shared love of sports Kye, after and the Nashville Auto Diesel College later in especially enjoyed college footballtreasurer and basketball andIn faithfully centered faith, service, andhis caring for others. Taylor. meet his little girl! Doris grew up in choir member. Heloved began careerPanthers preceded inMethodist death by his brothers 1959 began his career as diesel life’s simple blessings. She had acheered creative spirit participating in United Women, Bible spent together playing, practicing and for NCand State, the his Carolina and the He lovedattending everyone heand met, and in countless return, heahours was deeply Survivors include children, Durham, NC and graduated from with the Stanly County Sheriff’ s and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, mechanic at Mitchell Distributing scrapbooking and crafting, preserving precious memories studies, and spending time in daily devotion and prayer. enjoying anything that involved a ball or a game. Whether Atlanta Braves. loved by those who had the privilege of knowing him. A Debbie (Mike) Williams of Durham High School. She furthered Department moving to the Norwood Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Company, moving his growing for generations to come. Many mornings you would find Bonnie also enjoyed reading, relaxing on her porch, playing they were on the field, on the court or at simply Jeff’s faith was an important part of the way he lived devoted and active member of Silver Springs Baptist her studies Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry Wattsspending Hospital Police Department and retiring as with friends, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold family to Charlotte where they livedbecame a special her power walking through downtown around the YMCA, Bingo and performing with the Singing time together, sports bond between his life. He loved his church family at Mineral Springs Church, Jim faithfully served his church in many of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) School of Nursing in Durham and Chief of Police with the Town of Roseboro. until retirement. greeting the day with determination and Church, a smile. She alsohe was Americans Stanly County. She capacities was also a devoted fantheir of fatherHis andlove son.for With and Ridge still young, Nurse in Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, graduated as aso Registered Baptist an active of member and by theJohn years. hisKnox church Norwood afterwhere many years of service. He is survived his sisters: throughout When purchased his first had a(Don) few simple that those who knew her well Neillove Diamond and Alan Jackson, whose music brought her Drake treasured he the time he had Melissa Parrishfavorites of Albemarle, 1966. enjoyed singing inanthe choir. His for the Lord was family was evident not only in at the positions in with his youngest boys Dwight was avid gardener, Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards Model A Ford the age of 17, he held, but always remember-a Little cake, an ice-cold Pepsi, many happy moments throughout the years. as well. The love he had for all three of his children was Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Debbiereflected not only his involvement at church, but also the quiet and willing served bird watcher andinCarolina fan. of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro saidway that he he took the whenever car to the there was Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Oakboro, Smith of in Oakboro, Coleman in of 1966 and had two and theBradley comfort found life’s familiar routines. She leaves Inand addition her parents, she was preceded in death by unmistakable, and they were a source tremendous pride He is survived his wife Hilda ofto DC, and in his willingness toby serve others lend aWashington helping hand a Marion need. community mechanic when he had Jonathan of Peachland, and whenever daughters Amy and Laura. Doris behindStover a legacy of love, warmth, andWhitley countless treasured beloved Morrison husband,of Henry Myronbrothers: Springer, her son, and joyHis in his life. nature, Farmer; one son D. her Britten Albemarle; a met small mechanic told he could. Jim truly and never aproblem.The stranger. gentle Jessie Stover ofthat Lylesville; sister-live on in Farmer raised Amy and Laura North memories will forever the hearts of her Daniel Thomas As the first-born grandchild in his family, Drakeinheld a Jr. Jeff (Mary) McLeansville, Charlotte, him that if he was going to keep people the Above all, willofbe remembered forThomas hisSpringer. loveD. of Roseboro ofhumility, and genuine interest in others made in-law, Beatrice Goodman; many Augusta, SC.His humor, generous NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of family. She leaves behind a loving family who will cherish her special place from the very beginning. car, he needed to learn to work on family, his faith in the Lord, and the joy he found in doing feel welcome and at ease in his presence. He also had a Doris was an incredible neonatal niecesSurvivors and nephews; and husband her beloved Lowe (David) of Norwood; one Norwood, Van Horne; a special include, James Lowder, including herand daughters, Amanda Springer heart and willingness help others endeared him to it. This is when John’ s passion for tobrought for others. Though his familymemory, and friends will deeply miss special love for walking horses and ponies, which cats, Bo and Garfield. intensive care nurse for most of her sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two and friend of overJeff, 40 years, Michelle and Kelley Model A Fords began and how he daughter, Rebecca “Becky” Biby(Tom) of Albemarle, Hathcock husband, of Albemarle his family and friends, and sudden passing leaves an his grandchildren, presence, they will carry with“Dee” them the countless him much enjoyment over the years. His servant’s his Barbara was a member of career, and this was her passion. Dwight Britten McLendon of the home; special spent his happiest days withvoid his best NC, son, Rodney Lowder (Renee)of Mount Gilead, Springer Adams and husband, David, of Gastonia; her immeasurable in the lives those who knew and loved memories, acts kindness and freely shared. heart extended beyond his church and family into his Theof Oakboro Baptist Church for over Augusta Chronicle did a feature Farmer III andofWhitley Rose Huilove he so nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya friends fromhim. around the globe for the grandchildren, Hillari Thompson, Brittney daughter-in-law, Cindy Springer of Charlotte; her brothers, 60NC, years. She worked over 30 years on her in 1985. was a clinical HisLowe. was a life rooted in faith, devoted to family, andLaquanza Crump; community, he served on the Board of Directors of Little, and specialwhere rest of his life! In addition to his parents, he is survivedShe Cranford(Casey), Justin Biby, Fink(Cody), great Ned Mullinix and wife, Ann, of Hampstead and Barry byAugusta, his three at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just Alyssa nurse manager in Georgia enriched by serving others; a legacy that will continue to the Aquadale Fire Department. He was preceded in death by nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond At age 50,sons, after Kye yearsFerguson, as a Detroit Ryleigh Livingston, Mullinix of Albemarle; her grandchildren, Candice Stone, age 9, at Knox Ferguson, age 18 months, twograndchildren, years of retirement, sheBurris, began Haileigh University Hospital NICU and livehis onson in the hearts of all who knew him.and Marcus Lilly; Theand family would like to express their sincere gratitude Alex, brothers, Tommy and and loved Roseboro, Diesel Mechanic he and Julie Eva Cranford, Adalynn Pinkston, Thea Hackworth, J.T. Jonathan Hathcock, Garrett Hazard, Adam Springer, and Ridge Ferguson, age 8 months; sister, Jaqi Ferguson managing the Oakboro Senior worked there for 20 years. During Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia God daughter, Daphneto Johnson; and the staff of Gentiva Hospice, especially Ginger decided to take the plunge and Center and did that for 18Fink, yearsLaura Thompson, thisNovak time, Doris mentored young Thompson, Chelsea Cranford, Ryan Springer; and herVetrella great-grandchildren, Mason of Mint Hill; grandmother, Rita of Albemarle; Annabell,Mia Glennie Mae, andand Betty. special friends, Johnson and open Model AofRestoration Leonard, as well as thea full members Silver Springs Baptist until this past week. Barbara was Saylor Fink. nurses and assisted in saving the Lawson Fink, Cash Cranford, Curenton, Rylen Hazard, and Lily Springer and many other grandfather, Charley Ferguson of Wilmington; special Memorials may be made to Cedar Ben McLendon. Shop. They thrived at their shop inand Church, for the compassionate care, kindness, known for her good cooking andto: VIA Health of soofmany babies.aunt, She also Memorials may be made Partners, 7845 Church, beloved family members. uncle, Erik Smeberg (Jackielives Fallar) Matthews; Grove United Methodist Cornelius, NC until their retirement support shown to Jim and his family during his declining always taking care of others. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William Little Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28226 Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Bonnie’s life was marked by quiet faithfulness, genuine Mickey Robertson (Randall) of Wilmington; great-aunt, in 1998 when they moved back to health. loved Hartsell going on Funeral day longHome shopping A. Wilkes in Augusta for several Smith 36071 Rocky of Albemarle is serving the River Springs kindness, and a heart devoted to serving both her Lord Roz Moreno of Hammond, IN; Kye’s mother, Jessica Brown Cabarrus County. John once again In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Silver trips - she could out walk and out years prior to her NICU career. Doris Road, Norwood, NC 28128. and those around her. Her legacy of love, set up shop in back yardand garage Lowder family. grace, and ofhis Albemarle; Knox and Ridge’s mother, Kimberly shop people half her age. She kept retired from the mother/baby area at Springs Baptist Church Committee, where heCemetery attracted loyal group of16072by steadfast faith will continue to inspire all who were blessed Dalton.aHe is also survived numerous cousins and other her mind and body active through Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 NC 138 Hwy., Norwood, NC 28128; Gentiva Hospice, friends whorelatives visited almost daily. him dearly. to know her. who loved Also surviving are his gardening, word searches, and years of nursing. 1024 Albemarle Rd., Suite 904, Troy, NC 27371; or the While on the farm in Gold Hill, from In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either brothers and sisters Bridge to Recovery and huge CHARLIE LEE DENNIS various other hobbies. a gentle andhis sweet Aquadale FireNC, Department, 11578 NC-138, Norwood, NCDoris was John also began a lifelong love withand Sisterhood Trinity Place, 24724 S. Business 52, Albemarle, 28001 Softball Brotherhood who loved him dearly. spirit and loved her Lord. She never JULY 24, 1940 – AUG. 5, 2026 Alis Chalmers tractors after he 28128. or to Stony Hill United Methodist Church, 28996 Stony Hill In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be met a stranger, and she always left hisexample Dad’s tractor andmuch began can be Jim’s life was arestored beautiful of how Road, Albemarle, NC 28001. made to the Go Fund Me account for his children you feeling uplifted after talking Charlie Lee Dennis, born on July 24, 1940, in Stanly amassing his collection of tractors accomplished through a humble . heart, a willing spirit,with her. She would often claim that County, North Carolina, went home to be with his Lord and as well.
Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye
Dwight Farmer
Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday August 5, 2026. He was 86 years old. Charlie was the beloved son of the late Wanda Pauline Mills Dennis Davis and Samuel Preston Dennis of Albemarle, North Carolina. He proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps, carrying the values of duty and honor throughout his entire life. A dedicated professional and hard worker, Charlie was a lifelong member of the IBEW Local 379 in Charlotte. Later in life, he brought his work ethic to the Carolina Panthers organization, where he worked until his retirement in 2023 so he could devotedly care for his wife. Charlie was a passionate sports fan. He loved watching the Carolina Panthers play football, following horse racing, and watching drag races and NASCAR. His favorite driver of all time was the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr. Above all, Charlie was a loving husband, father, and a devout follower of Jesus Christ. He attended Multiply Church in Concord, NC. Charlie’s deepest passion was his faith. If you knew Charlie, you knew that he wanted to make sure you knew Jesus Christ as your personal savior and that you knew exactly where your eternal home would be. He is survived by his loving wife, Betty Lee Hartsell Dennis; his daughter, April Dawn Dennis Sapp (Mack); his grandchildren Bree Sloan (Josh); Madison Brown (Trey); and great grandchildren Peyton and Charlotte Sloan and Hollis Brown. He is also survived by his sister, Marlene Dennis Maners (Clyde); and his brother, Jerry Dennis. He also leaves behind a rich legacy through his many nephews, and nieces. The family would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the doctors at Cabarrus Family Medicine and the staff at Tucker Hospice House. Visitation will be held Monday, August 10th from 2:30 pm until 4:15 pm at Multiply Church Suite #15 in Concord, followed by a celebration of Charlie’s life at 4:30 pm. Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Dennis Family.
James Roseboro
John B. Kluttz
Doris Jones Coleman
and a genuine love for others. He did not seek recognition she had “adopted” friends into her John restored many of or praise; instead, he simply found joycars in serving his immediate family, and honestly, she PEGGY ANN COMER his own and hadWILLIAM the crowningPERRY “WILLY” PURVIS JR. Lord, caring for his family, and helping those around him. never made a distinction between achievement of winning APRIL the most5, 1948 SEPT. 18, 1939 – AUG. 8, 2026 AUG. 11, 2026 the–two. Positivity radiated from her Though his quietprestigious presence award will befrom deeply missed, the MARC, The like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, kindness he showed, the faith he lived,that andgarnered the countless Henry for a restoration Peggy Ann Comer, 86, of Albemarle, passed away William Perry Purvis Jr.,and 78,sentimental. of Ellerbe died smart, During her lives he touched will points. remainHe a lasting of“Willy” his legacy. top was alsopart presented Saturday, August 8, 2026, at Woodhaven Court in Tuesday Afternoon, August 11, 2026. lifetime she was an active member His family finds comfort knowing that a Award life lived with the in Ken Brady Service - so of First of Durham, Albemarle. Graveside will be held Baptist at 2:00Church PM Saturday, theso highest award given toServices members faithfully and loved deeply leaves behind memories First BaptistThe Church of Augusta, January 7, 197318, ~ January 8, Peggy was born September 1939, in North Carolina August 15, 2026, at Norview Gardens. family will at the national level. that time can never erase. Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church to the late Horace Page and2023 the late Bertha Harwood Page. receive friends from noon until 1:45 Saturday at Edwards This is what John’s Model A She was also preceded in death by husband Darrell Home CommunityFuneral had to say uponof Norwood.in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. Darrick Vashon Comer; and sister, Dolly Little.Baldwin, age 50, He was born April 5, 1948, in Marlboro County, SC, to learning of his death: especially loved helping at entered eternal rest, Sunday, January was an active ofand OllieShe The family will receive friends from 10:00 am - 10:45He am, the late member William P. Chavis Purvis. He was a retiree church with older adults, youth, and 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Wesley Methodist Church Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at East Albemarle Church ofChapel of Stanly Fixtures. children. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly where he loved serving as greeter on God. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 am officiated He is survived by his daughters, Katrina Deaton of Mt. She was especially talented County, North Carolina, Darrick was Sunday mornings. belonged by Rev. Harry Harward. Burial will follow at the GileadHe andalso Melissa Jenkinsat(Henry) of Ellerbe. Heage is also sewing from a young and the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. Fairview Methodist Memorial Park 1425 Main Street, Albemarle.to the United survived by Men. his former wifemade and caregiver, ShielaChristmas Decker, of gifts for friends, andatthe lateEast Phyllis Blue Baldwin. John is survived by his wife Peggy was a wonderful grandmother, Mt. Gilead. Three grandchildren, Nicholas DeatonCostumes, (Jamie), ornaments, Halloween Darrick enjoyedwife, life, mother, always kept Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years pageant dresses, prom and great-grandmother. Sheenjoyed had a green thumb like her Jayden Purvis (Cailyn) anddoll Allieclothes, Jenkins. Brother, Arthur things lively and making of the home. He is also survived dresses, coats, tote bags,Haire, scarves, mother, andothers was always working in her garden Lee Thompson. Sisters, Anna Griffins, Geraldine smile. found His presence is no bywhen a son John David Kluttz (Kim) outfits Amy Ravenbark. and Laura, and longer our midst, but his she wasn’t at work,inwhere she and hermemory husband owned and Lynda Boyaman, Hattie Liles, andfor Ginger of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Christening gowns eachPurvis; of her will forever live in our hearts. operated Albemarle Pool Supply. Peggy was also anSally avidSimersonHe was preceded Isdell of Denver, CO andin death by his wife, Judyfor grandchildren. He was educated thefamily. StanlyBut her Betsy painter, and found joy in cookinginfor real Tusa (John) brothers Jefferson Thompson and Blease Purvis; and of Lafayette, CO; Doris was preceded in death by County public schools andShe attended three Bonnie Kluttz passion in life was serving the Lord. sang praises to grandchildren, sister Mary Purvis Raffaldt. her father Arthur Raymond Jones, Albemarle Senior High School, Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC the Lord at East Albemarle Church of God and was always her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Albemarle. JohnShe Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) listening to gospel music, especially from 89.3 Joy FM. Jones, and her sister Maryanne He was a great conversationalist of Asheville, NC and Seth William was an outstanding who diligently served the Lord Jones Brantley. and lovedwoman meeting people. Darrick (Amanda) of Germany; and her community, and will be sorely missed by allMcKinnon who Survivors include her two never met a stranger and always five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, were blessed to know her. precious daughters: Amy Cameron showed love and compassion for his Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Survivorsfellowman. include daughter, Kimberly (David) Harward; Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal He also loved his dog, Ronan. John is also preceded in Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Todd (Jill) Comer; Rocky.grandchildren, Daniel (Kate) Comer, death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio He isJacob survived by hisComer, father, Andrew Harward; Shannon Harward, (Holly) Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.;Speight, sisters: Crystal great-grandchildren, Ty and Aly Memphis and and loving group of brothers and seven grandchildren: Cameron LaFondra Beau Comer,(Eric) and Jackson, Tory Comer; sister,(Stoney) Betty Lisk; and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brother Johnny Page; and many beloved nieces andLou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia nephews. brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Donations may be made to Joy FM radio . Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard host of other relatives and friends. A Fowler Kluttz. Hartsell Funeral Home of Albemarle is serving the Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, limb has fallen from our family tree. Comer family. nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved We will not grieve Darrick’s death; ones. we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.
Darrick Baldwin
Celebrate the life of your loved Celebrate the life of your loved ones. ones. Submit obituaries and death Submit obituaries and death notices to notices to be published in SCJ at be published in Stanly News Journal at obits@stanlyjournal.com
obits@stanlynewsjournal.com
A5
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
LOCUST from page A1 United Way of Stanly Coun‑ ty, Stanly Humane Society, West Stanly Rotary Club, Til‑ lery Compassionate Care, Lo‑ cust Historical Society, West Stanly Lions Club and several recovery, health and adult care organizations. Local Scout troops, the Lo‑ cust School PTA and oth‑ er faith-based groups will also participate. Several organizations will provide services during the event. The Pregnancy Resource Center of Stanly County will bring its mobile unit, while Atrium Health Care Faith Al‑ liance will offer blood pressure checks and information about health and wellness resources. OneBlood will also have its Big Red Bus on-site, allowing visi‑ tors to donate blood and learn more about the need for donors. Attendees will be able to speak with representatives from participating groups, gather in‑ formation about programs and learn about ways to serve in the community while also col‑ lecting materials to share with others.
COURTESY LOCUST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
GERALD HERBERT / AP PHOTO
Locust Presbyterian Church’s first Rooted in Community Day is scheduled for Sept. 12.
SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell, left, speaks with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, center, and Secretary of Louisiana Economic Development Susan Bonnett Bourgeois during an event with SpaceX announcing a deal to build a new spaceport in Louisiana on Tuesday in Abbeville, Louisiana.
“The church will provide at‑ tendees with a tote bag to col‑ lect information and materials from the different booths,” the church said. “Visitors will also receive a Rooted in Communi‑ ty Passport encouraging them to visit each participating orga‑ nization. Those who complete their passports will be entered into drawings for raffle baskets provided by the church.”
Sarlie’s BBQ will be on-site with lunch available for purchase. Organizers said the event is meant for residents of all ages, including families, senior adults, caregivers, people seek‑ ing community services, and those interested in volunteer‑ ing or learning more about or‑ ganizations serving Locust and the surrounding Stanly Coun‑ ty area.
It would be SpaceX’s fourth and largest launch facility, with construction beginning in 2027
BANK LOCAL. BUILD LOCAL. THRIVE TOGETHER.
By Stephen Smith and Sudhin Thanawala The Associated Press
Member FDIC Mem
BOGO
BUY ONE, GET ONE 1/2 OFF!* Waterproof (up to 1 meter)
OMEGA AI Rechargeable With the world’s first AI and G3 Gen AI NEURO Processor
Designed to come closer to restoring the normal sense of hearing than any technology before. Up to 51 hours of battery life on a single charge ALL NEW
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry
ABBEVILLE, La. — Elon Musk’s space company plans to spend $100 billion to build a massive new spaceport in Louisiana to launch rockets, state officials and the compa‑ ny announced Tuesday. Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said the deal was a big win for the state and country, lik‑ ening the impact of the new launch site to the 1803 Loui‑ siana Purchase. “Today is nothing short of a transformational moment,” he told lawmakers and others at a special event to celebrate the deal. Musk was not there, but he appeared with Landry in a promotional video that played before the Republican gover‑ nor’s speech. SpaceX Presi‑ dent and Chief Operating Of‑ ficer Gwynne Shotwell also spoke at the event. The spaceport would be located on 125,000 acres of land formerly owned by Exx‑ on along Louisiana’s south‑ ern coast about 200 miles west of New Orleans in Ver‑ milion Parish. The location provides key advantages, state officials said, includ‑ ing access to abundant nat‑ ural gas and the ability to launch to a wide range of trajectories. It would be the company’s fourth and largest launch site, playing a key role in ramp‑ ing up missions of its reus‑ able Starship launch system, according to a news release from Louisiana Economic Development. SpaceX wants to dramatically increase rock‑ et launches as it aims to put more satellites in orbit. The Louisiana site could support thousands of launches each
year, the news release said. State lawmakers had ap‑ proved sizable tax incentives for the project. Anne Rolfes, director of the environmental advocacy group, the Louisiana Buck‑ et Brigade, said she was wor‑ ried the state was moving too fast with a project that would “irrevocably alter” the state’s fragile coastline. Con‑ struction is expected to be‑ gin in 2027, with the first launch targeted for as ear‑ ly as 2029, according to state officials. “It should be thoughtfully done — with public hearings, and a public process that is transparent and gives people time to understand and con‑ sider the project,” Rolfes said in a statement. “The speed of the project and the fanfare and bombast make it all high‑ ly questionable.” Shotwell said SpaceX planned to keep much of the site undeveloped and would help with restoration and protection efforts, including working to reverse land loss from erosion and “careless use.” “We are committed to do‑ ing our part to ensure that this land doesn’t disappear,” she said. The company plans to host town halls and other com‑ munity engagement events in the coming months. State officials said the project would generate 3,000 jobs over a decade. In June, Musk sold SpaceX shares to the public for the first time in the biggest initial public offering ever. Shares jumped as high as $225 a share, briefly making Musk a trillionaire.
SCUSA Transportation
CALL FOR YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY
*some exclusions apply
“Today is nothing short of a transformational moment.”
SCUSA Transportation
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
111 Penny Street, Albemarle, NC Monday-Friday 9am-12pm & 1pm-5pm 704-982-8004 1-800-982-7478 www.albemarlehearing.com
Musk’s space company to build new rocket launching site in Louisiana
General Public Service is available to all Stanly County residents. Providing service to people in need of transportation to Medical Appts, Work Personal Business & other locations. Wheelchair accessible vehicles. Providing available. service to people in need of transportation
General Public Service is available to all Stanly County residents.
12 Month No Interest and Extended Payment Plan
to Medical Appts, Work, Personal Business & other Give us a call Mon-Fri 8am-5pm locations. Wheelchair accessible vehicles available. to schedule transportation.
Linda S. McDaniel Hearing Instrument Specialist, Owner
(704) 986-3790
Give us a call Mon-Fri 8am-5pm to schedule transportation.
(704) 986-3790
B3
Stanly NewsStanly Journal for Wednesday, August 19, 202630, 2026 News Journal for Sunday, August
A6
Logano holds offmicroreactors Briscoe to win Army plans to build at 5 military Cup Series race to atramp Richmond bases as US seeks up nuclear power
active tracks where he had yet to score a top 10. After qualifying second, he passed pole-sitter Ryan Blaney on the first lap to lead the first lap of his career on the 0.75-mile oval. “This place has been a real struggle to me,” said Briscoe, who clinched a spot in the Chase with his sixth top 10 in the past seven races. “To get close and not get it done is so frustrating. We had a great points night, but just frustrating to say the least to have one slip away like that at the end.” Austin Cindric finished third and credited his teammate Logano with providing the advice that helped him score his best result since an April 2025 win at Talladega Superspeedway. “This is a racetrack that I feel like Joey Logano could finish top five in my rental car,” said Cindric. “It’s a place where I study him so much.” Denny Hamlin took fourth, followed by Chase Elliott, who notched his first top five since winning at Texas Motor Speedway three months ago. In an emotional ceremony, Richmond Raceway dedicated the grandstand seats where Hamlin’s parents sat for years watching NASCAR races long before their son became a 64-time winner in the Cup Series. Hamlin’s father, Dennis, died in a house fire last December. The track’s tribute was among the highlights of a homecoming weekend for Hamlin, who grew up about 20 minutes from the track. “It’s really the time I get to see my brother and sister that still live up here,” said Hamlin, who lives in the Charlotte area. “I’ve got lots of high school friends that have their own campsite here. It will be amazing if they don’t get arrested.”
The Team Penske driver The $2.2 billion award is getting hot as the will reduce military season winds down dependence on commercial power grids
By Nate Ryan The Associated Press By Jennifer McDermott andRICHMOND, Matthew Daly Va. — Joey LoThe Associated gano deliveredPress a warning to his NASCAR rivals after his vicWASHINGTON, — The tory Saturday at D.C. Richmond U.S. Army announced Wednes‑ Raceway. day“Don’t that it to get addhot,” nucle‑ letplans the boys the ar microreactors at five military driver of Team Penske’s No. 22 bases from New York off to aTex‑ Ford said after fending late as as a reliable source of energy charge by Chase Briscoe to earn independent of the commercial his 39th career win by 0.392 electric seconds.grid. “We’re pretty strong The now. announcement right It’s awesome comes to see as Trump thethe speed in the administration 22 again.” pushes to develop next Afterhard falling as low the as 20th generation of nuclear power, in the points standings at the including loans for season’s billions halfway inmark, the large nuclear reactors meet three-time Cup Series to champiskyrocketing on is surging power toward demand the NAfrom centers and aremain pilot SCARdata Chase. Two races program boost until the to title run advanced featuring re‑ the ROBERT SIMMONS / AP PHOTO actor top 16designs drivers. and projects for military and civilian use. No With two victories in the Joey Logano enters Victory Lane after winning the Cook Out 400 on Saturday in Richmond, nuclear microreactors are sup‑ past four races (after only Virginia. plying power commer‑ one win in to his the previous 56 cial electric grid has in the United starts), Logano jumped to States “Gosh, it was a great car,” he 39 laps remaining. Logano ninth today. in the points standings his last title run, the 36-year-old Fiveestablished companieshimself selectedasbya won three of the final 10 races. said. “We’ve had a great car here needed only 15 laps to retake the and the Army will contender be awarded up “We’ve seen it a lot over the the last five races, and we hav- lead from Christopher Bell, who championship again. to $2.2 billion in total It’s no surprise givenover thatfive it’s years once he gets that confi- en’t been able to capitalize on was trying to stretch his tires to years to own, construct and op‑ the 2026 season. Since 2014, Lo- dence,” crew chief Paul Wolfe the win. We’ve been so close, but the finish on Richmond’s abraerate microreactors, if they sive surface over the last 57 laps. gano the has either won the Cup title said. “He’s very good under pres- it was sweet redemption today.” hit set milestones the sure situations.” Briscoe led a race-high 171 of Logano capitalized on the fior advanced to the along championway theirinperformance. The Logano scored his third Rich- nal strategy call by Wolfe, who 400 laps. He had a best finish shipfor round every even-numArmy expects more than bered year, andthat he typically does mond win but his first in nine pitted his driver just after tak- of 11th in nine previous starts 20 nuclear microreactors ing the lead from Briscoe with at Richmond, one of only three it with a late-season spree.will In years at the track. KARL DEBLAKER / AP PHOTO be built and operated. Army and industry officials U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll speaks at the America 250 celebration at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, N.C., June 10, 2025. say microreactors offer a re‑ silient power source for criti‑ mercial nuclear reactors. The was the first nuclear power re‑ cal infrastructure at military Army is working to align its actor to provide electricity to a installations in case the grid regulatory processes as much commercial power grid in the fails. Reactors can run for years “We are building the energy resilience necessary as possible, Waksman said, so United States for an extended without refueling. to project combat power globally, without relying that companies won’t need ma‑ period, according to the U.S. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll on potentially vulnerable external grids.” jor changes to their designs to Army Corps of Engineers. said the awards will accelerate be later licensed by the NRC. the military’s ability “to deliv‑ Dan Driscoll, Army secretary Along with federal funding, Companies say U.S. nuclear er safe, reliable baseload power the Army expects billions of development will accelerate directly to our installations. We Officials know that deliv‑ dollars in private capital in‑ are building the energy resil‑ er energy sources. Waksman California-based Antares ience necessary to project com‑ said these reactors will shut ering nuclear power to a mil‑ vestment. The military installations reached a crucial milestone un‑ bat power globally, without re‑ down safely in case of a failure itary base will be a challenge, lying on potentially vulnerable — they’re small, and the Army so they picked five companies will remain connected to the der the U.S. pilot program that wouldn’t add them to instal‑ in case one or more fail, Waks‑ grid. The reactors would not could allow it to produce elec‑ external grids,” he said. The grants are part of the Ar‑ lations without being certain man said. The selected com‑ completely power them. Each tricity within a few years. The my’s “Janus Program” launched they are safe. He said the Army panies are: Antares Nuclear reactor will provide between 1 company said the Army’s an‑ last year to deliver next-gener‑ is working on a deal with the at Fort Bragg in North Caroli‑ megawatt and 20 megawatts of nouncement extends its mo‑ ation nuclear energy. Officials Energy Department to remove na; BWX Technologies at Fort power, depending on the com‑ mentum. Tori Shivanandan, president hope to push nuclear develop‑ radioactive waste, and there Campbell in Kentucky; Gen‑ pany’s design. Major bases ment forward so that advanced won’t be any long-term storage eral Atomics Electromagnetic use as much power as a small and chief operating officer of Systems at Fort Hood in Tex‑ city. Antares and Radiant are California-based Radiant, said reactor designs move beyond on these installations. as; Radiant Industries at Fort planning to deliver their reac‑ the Army’s $750 million award experiments and prototypes Benning in Georgia; and West‑ tors in three-packs, Waksman “shows confidence in Radiant’s to provide power for years to Army leads military’s product and ability to manufac‑ inghouse Government Services said. come. This will be the “spear adoption of nuclear energy The Army now uses diesel as ture, deploy and safely operate at Fort Drum in New York. tip,” said Jeff Waksman, prin‑ U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer a primary backup for critical nuclear microreactors for the President Donald Trump cipal deputy assistant secretary of the Army for installations, signed executive orders in May asked the Army to select Fort infrastructure. But in a con‑ American military.” The Janus 2025 to speed up the devel‑ Drum. The New York Demo‑ flict, Waksman said, the Army program “will build a stronger energy and environment. “That is the transition that opment of nuclear power. The crat said Wednesday the crit‑ may not be able to move fossil and more resilient America,” we are trying to effect here,” Army was tasked with ensur‑ ical missions Fort Drum sup‑ fuels easily wherever it needs she said. Rex Geveden, BWXT’s presi‑ he said on a call with report‑ ing that an advanced reactor ports require safe and secure, them. “That makes nuclear energy dent and chief executive officer, ers Wednesday. “These are not would start operating at a do‑ as well as reliable and resilient, just a natural game changer,” said, “As we commence work on meant to be Army-specific de‑ mestic military installation onsite power generation. The reactors will be licensed he said. “It makes sense for the the Janus program, we are de‑ no later than Sept. 30, 2028. signs.” ROBERT SIMMONS / AP PHOTO livering the nation’s most cred‑ Critics of building more nu‑ The Janus program is named by the Army, rather than the Army to take the lead here.” Team Penske driver Joey Logano crosses the finish line to win Saturday’s Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway. A reactor at Fort Belvoir in ible and reliable path to deploy‑ clear reactors say they’re too for the ancient Roman god of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Com‑ mission, which licenses com‑ Virginia, completed in 1957, able nuclear power.” expensive and riskier than oth‑ transitions.
Blazer 9mm Magpul Ever wish you had a 115gr, FMJ Brass Cased
PMAGs
$299/case 10 for $90 Žƌ Ψϭϲͬ Ždž
local store which has The Best Prices on Cases of Ammo? The best selection of factory standard capacity magazines? An AWESOME selection of Modern Sporting Weapons from Leading Manufactures Like, Sig, FN, S&W, etc? Flamethrowers & Gatlin Guns? All at better than on-line prices?
You Do! Del-Ton M4 tŝƚŚ &Ƶůů >ĞŶŐƚŚ ZĂŝů͊
9796 Aberdeen Rd, Aberdeen
KŶ Zƚ Ϯϭϭ ũƵƐƚ ŝŶƐŝĚĞ ,ŽŬĞ ŽƵŶƚLJ͘ tŝƚŚ YƵĂŶƚŝĐŽ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů
Store Hours: dƵĞ Ͳ &ƌŝ͗ ϭϭĂŵ ʹ ϰƉŵ 910.637.0500 www.ProvenOutfitters.com
$499
DĂĚĞ ŝŶ E ͊
Polish Radom AK-47
$649
Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 Compact
$449
tŝƚŚ >ŝŐŚƚ͊
ϯϴ͟ dĂĐƚŝĐĂů ZŝĨůĞ ĂƐĞ͗ ΨϮϬ
A7
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
Trump-backed Graham wins South Carolina GOP nomination to replace late brother in US Senate The president’s endorsement proved decisive as she advances to face Democrat Annie Andrews
“The past few weeks have been an unbelievably challenging time for our family, but you know what? We did it.”
By Meg Kinnard and Jeffrey Collins The Associated Press COLUMBIA, S.C. — U.S. Sen. Darline Graham won the Republican nomination to re‑ place her late brother on South Carolina’s general election bal‑ lot, notching another win for President Donald Trump after he threw his support behind the political novice. Graham defeated U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman in Tuesday’s special Republican prima‑ ry runoff, two weeks after they were the top two finishers in a 10-way primary. Despite being a political un‑ known, Graham bested some of South Carolina’s top politi‑ cal names in the special elec‑ tion spun up after Lindsey Gra‑ ham’s sudden death last month. She was appointed by Gov. Henry McMaster to serve out the remaining months of her late brother’s current term and swiftly won an endorsement from Trump, who encouraged her to enter the race for a full term and campaigned for her in the state last week. Graham got emotional while addressing her supporters Tuesday night, saying she miss‑ es her brother every day. “The past few weeks have been an unbelievably challeng‑ ing time for our family, but you know what? We did it,” she said. With McMaster, her fami‑ ly and U.S. Rep. William Tim‑ mons looking on, Graham went on to thank the president for his support and for the relationship he had with her brother. “Our victory would not have been possible without you and we are truly grateful,” she said. Graham will face Democrat‑ ic nominee Annie Andrews in November. On Monday, MAGA Inc., the super PAC that supports Trump and aligned Republicans — but that has spent little thus far on Trump’s picks in this year’s mid‑ terms — spent nearly $830,000 for voter calls and text message
Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.), Republican Senate nominee
MEG KINNARD / AP PHOTO
Sen. Darline Graham (R-S.C.) heads into the crowd Tuesday in Columbia, South Carolina, after winning a special Republican primary runoff to replace her brother, Sen. Lindsey Graham, in the November general election. blasts in support of Graham. Among the unknowns go‑ ing into Tuesday was wheth‑ er Trump’s backing would be enough to boost the political newcomer with the famous last name, but whose political posi‑ tions were previously unidenti‑ fied, across the finish line to the nomination. After losing a top Senate advocate when Lindsey Gra‑ ham died July 11, Trump an‑ gled to play a role in picking his successor. Trump heralded the selection of Darline Graham to serve as her brother’s interim replace‑ ment as “a fabulous tribute.” He also urged her to run in the spe‑ cial primary, endorsing her be‑ fore she’d made her candidacy official. On Friday in Myrtle Beach, Trump reiterated that senti‑ ment to a crowd of several thou‑ sand, encouraging people to vote for Graham to preserve tax cuts, among other things. “I want it to happen,” he said. “Good luck, Darline.” In forging a relationship with her, Trump could be angling to develop another ally to help steer his agenda through the Senate. Throughout her brief cam‑
paign, Graham did just that. She repeatedly stressed to voters her intent to support Trump’s policy positions and often referenced in particular her co-sponsorship of a voting bill that’s become a key priori‑ ty for the president. Norman thanked his sup‑ porters at his Tuesday night watch party but decried Gra‑ ham taking outside PAC money, and Trump for supporting her. “I never understood why he got in this race,” Norman said. “It is what it is and we accept it.” Casting his ballot for Gra‑ ham at an early voting location near Trump’s rally site, Robert Tropiano said Friday that the president’s backing for the can‑ didate was enough to win his support. “Trump wants her, he’s do‑ ing a great job and I believe we should give him what he wants,” Tropiano said. Norman promoted legislative know-how over Graham’s inexperience Fresh off his unsuccessful primary run for governor, Nor‑ man entered the Senate con‑ test as one of several politicians more familiar to South Caroli‑
na voters. He snapped up en‑ dorsements from the likes of Sens. Rick Scott of Florida and Mike Lee of Utah, as well as former South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint and Turning Point Ac‑ tion, the conservative youth movement founded by the late Charlie Kirk. During the sprint to the run‑ off, Norman — one of the most conservative U.S. House mem‑ bers — frequently touted his experience in Washington and willingness to take unpopular stances. That includes at times challenging Trump, whose policies Norman has routine‑ ly supported in Congress. But Norman campaigned against Trump in the early part of the 2024 presidential primary, sid‑ ing instead with former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley. A wealthy developer before he entered politics, Norman put some of his own fortune toward the campaign, including more than $1 million in the closing week. Graham overcomes debate flub Graham and Norman met for a single runoff debate, and there was one moment from the
UEFA prepares criminal complaint in Swiss courts against FIFA’s Infantino over World Cup sell-off The $4.2 billion deal may have drastically undervalued FIFA’s most valuable commercial assets By Graham Dunbar The Associated Press MONACO — UEFA is pre‑ paring a criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Swiss courts for possible financial mismanage‑ ment over his failed plan to sell future World Cup profits to pri‑ vate investors. UEFA filed documents in a Manhattan court request‑ ing discovery of potential ev‑ idence from the New York in‑ vestment fund, Thrive Capital Management, founded by Josh‑ ua Kushner. UEFA also filed a request in a southern Florida district for authorization of discovery “in a foreign proceeding” against FIFA itself, which has offic‑ es in the Miami suburb of Cor‑ al Gables. Thrive and Kushner were to be the anchor investors intend‑ ing to pay FIFA $4.2 billion for a 20% stake in a subsidiary that would run the soccer body’s commercial events, including the World Cup. “UEFA and its counsel are contemplating a Swiss criminal proceeding against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code,” UEFA’s lawyers state in a 56-page document
hourlong face-off that lived on. Graham stumbled over a question about foreign policy — a signature issue of her late brother — when asked wheth‑ er the U.S. has a national secu‑ rity interest in Taiwan and the South China Sea, a longstand‑ ing contention of both Demo‑ cratic and Republican adminis‑ trations. She struggled to answer be‑ fore admitting “national secu‑ rity is not my thing” and “I’m not that informed on national security.” Graham avoided a direct re‑ sponse and instead mentioned her brother’s wealth of experi‑ ence and her desire to focus on more domestic issues like af‑ fordability. Norman called Tai‑ wan “a definite ally” when posed the same question, applauding Trump for “enabling Taiwan to defend themselves against Chi‑ na.” Afterward, he suggest‑ ed Graham’s answer showed her lack of qualifications for the office. Some of that argument land‑ ed with Rock Hill voter Mike Sellers, who said that he voted Tuesday for Norman in part be‑ cause Graham’s experience level “wasn’t really cutting it for me.” Sellers also said he wasn’t swayed by the notion of sup‑ porting Graham as a tribute to her late brother. “Just because her brother was senator doesn’t give her an easy pass in,” Sellers said. “If she wants to come next time around — maybe challenge (Sen.) Tim Scott — we’ll look at it then.” No Democrat has won a U.S. Senate seat in South Carolina in decades. When Lindsey Gra‑ ham last ran in 2020, he defeat‑ ed his Democratic opponent by a 10-point margin. That contest was the most expensive in state history and among the country’s most ex‑ pensive congressional races ever.
als” related to the plan. Thurs‑ day’s legal move was revealed to its member federations in Mo‑ naco just two hours before the Champions League draw began. “Infantino claimed that the plan would ‘unleash the com‑ mercial potential and opportu‑ nity that FIFA has,’” UEFA law‑ yers told the courts. “In truth, it was a vehicle for Infantino and that small circle to acquire a permanent stake in and oth‑ erwise profit from FIFA’s most valuable assets to the detriment of FIFA, its members, and oth‑ er parties within the football family. “Under the terms Infanti‑ no announced, those investors stood to acquire a permanent fi‑ nancial interest in FIFA’s com‑ mercial arm for $4.2 billion, implying an absurdly low enter‑ prise value of only approximate‑ ly $20 billion, a figure that was neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer.” Thrive declined to com‑ ment. FIFA was approached for comment. Swiss prosecutors’ poor results in FIFA trials
MARTIN MEISSNER / AP PHOTO
FIFA President Gianni Infantino gestures as he meets the media at the FIFA World Cup closing press conference in Doha, Qatar, in December 2022. seen by The Associated Press. The document suggests the $4.2 billion figure could be a “fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit.” FIFA is expected to have about $5 billion in cash reserves
after the World Cup in North America boosted its revenue to a record $15 billion over the 2023‑26 commercial cycle. Infantino dropped the sell‑off plan on Aug. 1 after a furious backlash by global soccer lead‑ ers, including UEFA.
UEFA warned against destroying potential evidence UEFA first threatened to take legal action on Aug. 3 when it warned FIFA against destroying or hiding any “relevant materi‑
It was unclear if UEFA would send a potential criminal com‑ plaint to the Swiss federal pros‑ ecution office in Bern or to local prosecutors in FIFA’s home city Zurich. The Swiss attorney general’s office has a poor record in recent years prosecuting cases of al‑ leged corruption linked to FIFA and soccer officials. Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, former UEFA Presi‑ dent Michel Platini and the in‑ fluential Qatari president of Champions League title hold‑ er Paris Saint-Germain, Nass‑ er al-Khelaïfi, all were acquitted twice at trials in Switzerland.
A8
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
Kremlin says CIA director held talks in Moscow with Russian intelligence counterparts
Drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a car accident while texting. Virginia Tech Transportation Institute
Ukraine was informed and asked to suspend strikes on Moscow during the visit
The Associated Press THE KREMLIN SAID Wednesday that CIA Direc‑ tor John Ratcliffe held talks in Moscow with his intelligence counterparts, a rare and secre‑ tive visit at a time when rela‑ tions with Washington remain strained over Russia’s war in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmi‑ try Peskov said Ratcliffe did not meet with Russian Presi‑ dent Vladimir Putin, who was informed of the contacts that were “on the intelligence agen‑ cies’ level.” “Of course, President Putin is immediately informed of ev‑ erything,” Peskov added, refus‑ ing to say what was discussed. Russian state news agencies reported that a U.S. military plane landed in Moscow’s Vnu‑ kovo airport on Tuesday and departed later that day. U.S. President Donald Trump played down the signif‑ icance of Ratcliffe’s trip, saying it was “sort of semi-routine.” “I hate to disappoint people,” he said on conservative broad‑ caster Glenn Beck’s radio show Wednesday. A senior Ukrainian official told The Associated Press that Washington informed Kyiv a delegation would be travel‑ ing to the Russian capital and asked it to suspend strikes until it left. The official said the re‑ quest did not apply to all Rus‑ sian territory, but specifically to Moscow, St. Petersburg and some northern regions. Strikes on other parts of Russia con‑ tinued, the official said, speak‑ ing on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to talk publicly. CBS News first reported on the visit. Kremlin says U.S.‑Russia relations are in “profound crisis’ Peskov said that “contacts between intelligence agen‑ cies are, in and of themselves, a positive phenomenon, a pos‑ itive process,” but he stressed that Russia-U.S. relations re‑ main in a “profound crisis.” He added that it was “too early to say” what impact Rat‑ cliffe’s visit would have on the ties between the two countries. Andrei Soldatov, an expert on Russia’s security services, told AP that visits like the one by Ratcliffe do not “happen ev‑ ery year.” Official channels of commu‑ nication between Moscow and Washington have been kept
SCC from page A1 Other panelists were Chris Harrington, director of Ap‑ prenticeshipNC, and Denise Young, director of apprentice‑ ships at Southeastern Commu‑ nity College. Together, the four speakers spoke on how registered ap‑ prenticeships combine class‑ room instruction with paid, hands-on experience, and how partnerships among schools, colleges and employers can strengthen rural workforce pipelines. “Stanly Community Col‑ lege is really excited about the work being done locally and across the state to expand ap‑ prenticeship,” Lowder said. Lowder highlighted new engineering and informa‑ tion technology pathways developed through SCC’s long-standing partnership with Stanly County Schools. While previous efforts have included dual-enrollment op‑ portunities, advisory board service, internships and con‑ nections to jobs, apprentice‑
YOUR AGENCY NAME OR LOGO GOES HERE CITY • 000.000.0000 youragencywebaddress.com
704-982-0155/704-982-3200 sheltoninsurancecenter.com sheltonrealestatecenter.com ®
NATHAN HOWARD / POOL PHOTO VIA AP
President Donald Trump, left, and CIA Director John Ratcliffe speak as they depart following a cabinet meeting at Camp David near Thurmont, Maryland, on July 31. portant ally in the Middle East.
alive since the 1980s and exist so both sides can talk if Ameri‑ can or Russian lives are in dan‑ ger or for other reasons, Solda‑ tov said. In 2021, Nikolai Patrushev, the secretary of Putin’s Secu‑ rity Council, met CIA Direc‑ tor William Burns in Moscow months before Russian forc‑ es invaded Ukraine. Burns lat‑ er met Sergei Naryshkin, the head of Russia’s foreign intelli‑ gence agency, in Turkey in No‑ vember 2022 to warn Russia not to deploy a nuclear weapon in Ukraine. Details of Tuesday’s discus‑ sions have not been revealed but such meetings normally take place only when there is a matter of pressing national se‑ curity and when it is in “Amer‑ ican national interests,” Solda‑ tov said. Russia-U.S. relations sank to Cold War lows after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but appeared to warm after Trump returned to of‑ fice. He had promised to end the war swiftly, holding multi‑ ple phone calls with Putin and even hosting him in Alaska a year ago. In his radio appearance Wednesday, Trump repeated that he wants to see the Rus‑ sia-Ukraine war end. Efforts to negotiate a peace deal have largely stalled, with U.S. attention turning to its war with Iran and both Mos‑ cow and Kyiv stepping up their long-range attacks on each other. Putin has reject‑ ed Ukrainian President Volo‑ dymyr Zelenskyy’s push for an immediate ceasefire, arguing that Russia wants a compre‑ hensive settlement, not a tem‑ porary truce. Russia has proposed to me‑ diate in the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran, Moscow’s im‑
After Putin sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022, Tehran provided Russia with Shahed drones and later li‑ censed their production in Rus‑ sia. In January 2025, Moscow and Tehran signed a “compre‑ hensive strategic partnership” treaty. But even as it has built ties with Iran, Russia also has remained friendly with Israel, and analysts have described its relations with Iran as complex and challenging. In March, AP reported that Russia provided Iran with in‑ formation that could help Teh‑ ran strike American warships, aircraft and other assets in the region, according to two of‑ ficials familiar with U.S. in‑ telligence on the matter. The officials, who were not au‑ thorized to comment public‑ ly on the sensitive matter and spoke on the condition of an‑ onymity, cautioned that the U.S. intelligence has not un‑ covered that Russia is direct‑ ing Iran on what to do with the information. Asked at the time wheth‑ er Russia would go beyond po‑ litical support and offer mili‑ tary assistance to Iran, Peskov said there has been no such re‑ quest from Tehran. Pressed on whether Moscow provided any military or intelligence assis‑ tance to Tehran since the Iran war’s start, he refrained from comment. Soldatov said it’s possible Tuesday’s meeting involved pro‑ tecting U.S. personnel, bases or facilities in the Middle East that have been targeted by Iran. Ratcliffe could have traveled to Moscow to try to influence this relationship, he added.
ships were identified as a gap. In order to fix that need, the college and school system ex‑ amined occupations expect‑ ed to see high demand and growth in the region before establishing the pathways at two local high schools. The engineering pathway leads into SCC programs in biomedical equipment engi‑ neering, computer engineer‑ ing, electronics engineering and mechatronics, while the IT pathway connects with the college’s network management and cybersecurity programs. Lowder said the engineer‑ ing pathway enrolled 14 stu‑ dents in its first year, one short of its 15-student capac‑ ity. Meanwhile, a pathway at South Stanly High School enrolled about 10 students against the same capacity. Building the pathways re‑ quired outreach to employers, including IT companies out‑ side Stanly County because much of their work is remote. Lowder called apprentice‑ ship the “gold standard for work-based learning” while
noting employers can also participate through classroom visits, site tours and other ca‑ reer-exploration activities. One employer has regis‑ tered a network specialist ap‑ prenticeship, and a student completed the related pre‑ apprenticeship. Lowder said the college hopes the stu‑ dent can transition into a full apprenticeship. “We’re pretty early in the work, but we’re really excit‑ ed about the momentum that we have, and we look forward to seeing that grow over time,” she said of SCC’s apprentice‑ ship progress. Golden LEAF, short for Long-Term Economic Ad‑ vancement Foundation, is an independent nonprofit es‑ tablished in 1999 with pro‑ ceeds from North Caroli‑ na’s settlement with cigarette manufacturers. The foundation supports rural, economically distressed and formerly tobacco-depen‑ dent communities through grants for workforce training, job creation and other needs.
Russia, Iran have partnership treaty
WE OFFER:
• Fine Diamond Jewelry - Solitaires, Bridal Sets, Earrings, • Pendants & Bracelets • Repairs • Colored Gemstones • Pearls • Watch Batteries • Certified Appraisals
DR. CHRISTOPHER L. BRAMLETT OWNER
127 W. Main Street, Albemarle, NC
704-982-1013
www.starnesbramlett.com
Hours: Tuesday-Friday 10am-4pm • Saturday 10am-2pm
Stanly County’s Oldest Retail Business
Urgent
Pre-Orders Now Open! Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Series Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Ultr
Special Offer Buy 5 Phones, Get 1 FREE!
a
00 12GB RAM / 512GB Storage – $1,5 00 $1,2 – age Stor 12GB RAM / 256GB
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8
00 12GB RAM / 512GB Storage – $1,2 00 $1,0 – 12GB RAM / 256GB Storage
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip8
00 12GB RAM / 512GB Storage – $1,0 0 $80 – age Stor GB 256 / RAM 12GB
Apple iPhone 18 Pro Max To place your order or request more information, contact us at .com pre-ordersphone@consultant
HIRING Stanly County Reporter Stanly County Advertising Representative jobs@stanlynewsjournal.com
STANLY SPORTS
COURTESY NFHS NETWORK
West Stanly’s Melaina Yow (2) led the Colts with a game-high 15 kills during their win Tuesday at Mount Pleasant.
West Stanly volleyball opens conference play with victory The Colts topped Mount Pleasant in straight sets By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal RED CROSS — West Stanly’s volleyball team kicked off Rocky River Conference play Tuesday night with a 3-0 road win over Mount Pleasant, taking its first step toward an eighth consecutive league championship. The Colts (5-3, 1-0 RRC) controlled the first two sets, 25‑12 and 25-14, before holding off the winless Tigers (0-6, 0-1 RRC) for a 25-22 victory in the third. Sophomore Melaina Yow led West Stanly’s attack with a
team-high 15 kills, while senior Layla Little recorded 11 kills and three aces. Sophomore Caroline Barbee distributed 26 assists, and senior Georgia Moffitt paced the defense with 12 digs. The victory allowed West Stanly to rebound from a 3-0 home loss to Carson (8-3) on Aug. 20. With three losses (North Stanly, Hickory Ridge and Carson) through eight matches, the Colts are already one defeat shy of matching their total from 2025. Last season, West Stanly finished 23-4, swept its 12 conference matches and advanced to the fourth round of the state playoffs. West Stanly will return home
Tuesday to host Southwestern Randolph (4-3). North Stanly 3, Southwestern Randolph 1 Reigning Yadkin Valley Conference champion North Stanly (7-2) took down Southwestern Randolph Cougars (4-4) for a 3-1 home win in New London on Wednesday. It was the Comets’ final game before beginning YVC play with a trip to Monroe to face the Union Academy Cardinals (2‑8) on Tuesday. Gray Stone 3, CATA 0 In Misenheimer, the unde-
feated Gray Stone Knights (6-0) hosted the CATA Cougars (1-6, 0-1 RRC) on Wednesday, coming away with a 3-0 victory. Already nearly halfway to their win total of 13 from last season, the Knights travel to Huntersville on Monday to challenge the Christ the King Crusaders (9-2), who are approaching double-digit wins. South Stanly 3, North Moore 1 Aiming for their first winning season since 2021, the South Stanly Rowdy Rebel Bulls (5-2) defeated the North Moore Mustangs (1-4) on Wednesday in Norwood to pick
0
Conference losses by West Stanly’s volleyball team last season up their fifth win of the 2026 campaign. The Bulls will stay local to open up YVC play at Albemarle on Monday. Albemarle 3, South Davidson 0 The Albemarle Bulldogs (2‑1) entered Wednesday’s home game against South Davidson Wildcats (1-5) following a 3-1 road loss at Forest Hills and 3-0 road win at Queen’s Grant. With a 3-0 victory over the Wildcats, the Bulldogs will now try to get their third consecutive win as they host South Stanly on Monday.
Pfeiffer volleyball seeks first winning season since 2021 The Falcons enter 2026 with 10 upperclassmen
9
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal MISENHEIMER — The Pfeiffer volleyball team will open its 2026 campaign Friday as fourth-year coach Heather Schoch leads a roster seeking the program’s first winning season in five years. The Falcons will face Saint Mary’s of Indiana and Emory on Sept. 4 in Atlanta. USA South Athletic Conference play begins Sept. 15 at Methodist in Fayetteville, and the league tournament is scheduled for Nov. 10-14. Last fall, Pfeiffer nearly reached the .500 mark, finishing 15-16 overall and sixth in the conference with a 9-9 record. The Falcons won four of their final six league matches before losing 3-1 to Salem in the tournament’s opening round in Winston-Salem. That finish represented considerable improvement from 2024, when Pfeiffer went 5-25 overall and 2-16 in conference play. The Falcons have recorded
USA South wins by Pfeiffer’s volleyball team last season
COURTESY PFEIFFER ATHLETICS
Pfeiffer’s 2026 volleyball roster poses for a team photo. one winning season in the past 15 years while going through six head coaches. Pfeiffer’s roster includes 10 upperclassmen, as seniors Gabi Gama, Meagan Mowrey, Jada Thomas and Karmen Rion are joined by juniors Molly Wright, Kelsey Hussey, Marina Mueller, Isabelle Conradie, Grace Nelson and Anasty Faavesi.
Schoch’s team has considerable turnover among last season’s statistical leaders, with Gama as the only returner among the five leading hitters. Madison Tate led Pfeiffer with 233 kills, followed by Haedyn McGrath with 232, Gama with 216, Abby Lewis with 173 and Faith Miller with 128. Those departures leave
Pfeiffer replacing its top two attackers, leading defender and four most productive blockers, putting added responsibility on the returning upperclassmen. The Falcons retain continuity at setter. Rion recorded a team‑high 541 assists, while Hussey had 301, Lannah Huneycutt had 75, Gabby Edwards had 66 and Gama had 25.
Four of Pfeiffer’s five service-ace leaders return. Gama led the team with 43, followed by Rion with 42, Edwards with 25, Wright with 18 and Hussey with 14. Edwards paced the defense with 425 digs, followed by Gama with 396, Rion with 239, Wright with 186 and Lewis with 115. Gama, Rion and Wright have returned to lead the back row. At the net, Faavesi is the lone returner among the five leading blockers. Tate recorded 102 blocks, McGrath had 63, Miller had 52, Lewis had 21 and Faavesi had 18. Greensboro won last season’s regular-season championship with an undefeated 18-0 league record, while Southern Virginia claimed the conference tournament title.
B2
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
SEC desperate to end 3-year championship drought; will Alabama, Georgia, LSU or Texas come through? The league has plenty of star power heading into the season By Mark Long The Associated Press BLAME ALABAMA and Georgia. Point fingers at Auburn, Florida, LSU, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Texas too. The Southeastern Conference, once the most dominant league in the land, lost its stranglehold on college football over the last three years. The organization that boasts a combined 19 national championships since 1990 hasn’t even made the title game since Georgia won it all in back-to-back years to close out the 2021-22 seasons. It’s a drought the league desperately would like to end this season. But the path back to the top could be harder with the addition of a ninth conference game. Sure, it provides teams with an extra chance to prove they belong in the 12-team College Football Playoff. It’s also another potential loss on postseason resumes. “It creates, without question, the most demanding sets of football schedules in all of college football,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said last month. “No one has created the kind of weekly competition that exists in the Southeastern Conference. It’s competition that our fans will experience every week because we believe we’re the best conference in college football.” The last three CFPs would say
JOHN RAOUX / AP PHOTO
Texas quarterback Arch Manning looks for a receiver during the Citrus Bowl. otherwise, especially when recalling no-shows by Alabama last year (against Indiana) and Tennessee (against Ohio State) the year before. The Big Ten has won three straight national titles. The SEC is a combined 5-8 in the last three playoffs, with two of those victories coming against other league opponents. SEC coaches were initially divided on a nine-game league slate but eventually agreed under the guise that the CFP would ex-
pand to 16 or 24 teams. It stayed at 12, and now league coaches are stuck with more daunting schedules and the same access to the lucrative postseason tournament. “Like anything in this world, if you want to be really good at something, you got to take risk,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “There’s calculated risks involved in life that you have to take. … Is the juice worth the squeeze or not?” The league will have a better idea in four months.
Ultimately, though, SEC success will be decided in the CFP. After all, the league went 54-8 against nonconference opponents in the regular season last year — including winning records against the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Big 12 and the Big Ten — but ended up again watching the title game from afar. Simply put, the SEC has been good but not great in recent years. Is the league lagging behind? Not even close.
But the transfer portal and the ability to compensate players through revenue sharing as well as name, image and likeness deals have clearly minimized advantages the league enjoyed for decades. “I think it’s great for the sport,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “I think having everybody competitive, more guys can be invited to the party and get to the party, mainly through the portal in a lot of ways. … It’s not a oneteam dominant program. It’s really everybody.” The SEC has plenty of star power, which provides hope of ending the Big Ten’s reign. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Texas quarterback Arch Manning and South Carolina stars LaNorris Sellers and Dylan Stewart are just a few of the guys who could make a difference. Alabama receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams, Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy, Texas receivers Cam Coleman and Ryan Wingo, Georgia defensive backs KJ Bolden and Ellis Robinson IV, and Auburn linebacker Xavier Atkins also are ones to watch. This is the first season since 2015 that no SEC team received a first-place vote in the AP Top 25 preseason poll. It’s an indication of how much parity there is in the league. Nonetheless, Georgia (plus280) and Texas (plus-300) are the betting favorites to win the SEC. Alabama (plus-850) and LSU (plus-850) are next, followed by Texas A&M, Oklahoma and Ole Miss at plus-1000.
States pour taxpayer dollars into college sports as athlete pay, soaring costs squeeze budgets UNC, NC State are now getting a share of gambling revenue By David A. Lieb The Associated Press WIN OR LOSE, the UNC Tar Heels already will be in elite company when they kick off the college football season against Texas Christian University in a game played in Dublin. They will be among a small but growing number of athletic programs receiving taxpayer funding from their home states. With universities competing to pay athletes millions of dollars, some states now are propping up their strained sports budgets in ways not previously seen. The state dollars aren’t going directly to star athletes. But by funding facilities and administrative costs normally borne by the schools, states are freeing universities to use their own dollars for other purposes. The athletics program at UNC Chapel Hill, for the first time, is receiving $3 million earmarked from state sports betting taxes. Wisconsin lawmakers approved $15 million for athletic costs at the University of Wisconsin. And Connecticut and Louisiana also are using tax dollars to support college athletics. Even more states have considered it. Sports business analysts see an emerging trend. “Once one state provides that kind of assistance, schools in competing states can argue that they are being placed at a competitive disadvantage, which could create additional pressure on legislatures to respond,” said Daniel McIntosh, faculty director of the sports business program at Arizona State University. NCAA rules long barred college athletes from getting paid by schools and boosters. But under pressure from lawsuits and states, the NCAA cleared the way in 2021 for athletes to receive money from private entities for the use of their name, image or likeness (NIL). Then a legal settlement last year allowed higher education institutions to directly pay athletes a total of about $20.5 million annually — on top of any scholar-
JASON JACKSON FOR NORTH STATE JOURNAL
UNC cheerleaders lead the team onto the field for a home game last season.
“Having a bad football team would not be beneficial to our state. So we decided as a state we’d help out.” Wisconsin state Rep. Alex Dallman ships and other NIL deals they receive. That cap rose to $21.3 million for this school year and is set to rise again the following year. Many mid-level programs cannot afford that much. But almost all NCAA Division I athletic programs are trying to generate more money to pay athletes in a bid to remain competitive with their peers. At the same time, schools have been incurring greater costs for facilities, coaches’ salaries and travel amid conference re-
alignments that discarded old geographic-based rivalries. Over the past four years, athletic operating expenses at public Division I institutions shot up by nearly a third — notably outpacing revenue and running up deficits, according to an Associated Press analysis using the Knight-Newhouse College Athletics Database. Federal legislation could drive athletic costs even higher The Protect College Sports Act, pending in the U.S. Senate, has been promoted as a way to put guardrails on college sports spending. But it could potentially allow even greater spending by schools. The latest version would allow institutions to pay up to an additional $27.5 million annually to retain players on their rosters, pushing the overall athlete payment cap close to $50 million. The higher ceiling
could reduce the demand for third-party NIL deals. States routing money to schools in creative ways When North Carolina launched online sports wagering in 2024, it earmarked part of the tax revenue for athletic departments at 13 public universities. But the two largest institutions — UNC and NC State — were excluded. That changed in July under a new state budget that raises the sports betting tax. Those two schools now are projected to receive $3 million each this year and $5.8 million next year. In the meantime, Louisiana also hiked its sports wagering tax and earmarked about $2.2 million to each of its 11 public universities in conferences with Division I football programs. Seeking to drum up athletic revenue, Connecticut lawmakers authorized the University of
Connecticut to issue vouchers for state tax credits equal to half the amount of donations, sponsorships and licensing endorsements. The program generated $1.7 million in its first four months, according to a university report. New Jersey’s new budget allots $5 million for “events attraction and marketing” at Rutgers’ flagship campus. Lawmaker: Bad football team bad for state The Wisconsin budget provides $14.6 million for athletic facility debt payments at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and $200,000 each for the Milwaukee and Green Bay campuses. “Having a bad football team, having uncompetitive college sports in general, would not be beneficial to our state, both culturally or economically,” state Rep. Alex Dallman said. “So we decided as a state we’d help out.”
B3
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
Demetrius “RJ” Brooks
MARTA LAVANDIER / AP PHOTO
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal speaks following a team practice.
Hurricanes, who have never won ACC title, picked as league’s headliner in ‘26 The league is in a transition year as the schedule starts to expand By Aaron Beard The Associated Press MARIO CRISTOBAL got Miami back inside the top 10 by Year 3 and within a victory of a national championship in his fourth. Yet the Hurricanes are still chasing a first Atlantic Coast Conference championship after more than two decades in the league. His team is picked to accomplish that goal this year, which would put it right back in the mix for the College Football Playoff, too. “We’ve had steady progress over the last four years,” Cristobal said. “It’s been due to the commitment and the level of just care of these players and their coaches.” The seventh-ranked Hurricanes are the headliner, with Duke transfer quarterback Darian Mensah as the preseason player of the year and Miami claiming a third of the spots on the preseason all-conference team. That list includes Mark Fletcher Jr. (1,192 yards, 12 TDs) as last year’s top league rusher and versatile big-play receiving threat Malachi Toney. Miami joined the league ahead of the 2004 season but has reached the ACC championship game just once (2017). No. 19 SMU is the top challenger, with the Mustangs launching a Heisman Trophy push for veteran starting quarterback Kevin Jennings — who led them to the ACC title game and a CFP bid in 2024. No. 24 Louisville is next up after adding Ohio State transfer Lincoln Kienholz at quarterback to an offense featuring running back
Isaac Brown, the ACC rookie of the year in 2024 who played nine games last year due to injury. The league is transitioning to a nine-game football schedule to align with fellow power conferences. But the odd number of teams means there will be variables, with 12 teams playing nine games and five — Boston College, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech and UNC — staying at eight. This will be a bridge year toward having 16 of 17 teams regularly playing nine games by 2027. The schedule concludes with the ACC title game Dec. 5 in Charlotte. Clemson, Florida State try to return to elite status Clemson and Florida State have gone from ranking among the nation’s elite to also-ran status. It’s unclear whether either can change that trajectory. Dabo Swinney’s Tigers won two national titles and eight ACC crowns between 2015-24 but slid to 7-6 last year for their worst record since 2010. Clemson was unranked in the preseason AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011. “This year, ain’t none of y’all going to pick us,” Swinney told reporters in July. Clemson is picked to finish fourth in the ACC, while FSU is picked 11th. ACC finalists Duke, Virginia picked in league’s middle third Duke beat Virginia in last year’s title game for its first outright ACC championship since 1962. Those finalists are picked in the ACC’s middle third. Mensah’s transfer was the biggest hit for the Blue Devils, who also lost their top three re-
ceivers while having uncertainty as to who will fill leading defensive roles. “I think people just went back to labeling us as the same old Duke just because of the people that walked out this door,” 1,100-yard rusher Nate Sheppard said. “But you have dudes walk out the door every year.” The Cavaliers are coming off a breakthrough 11-win season under Tony Elliott after managing just 11 wins in his first three seasons combined. The Cavs are picked to finish sixth, the Blue Devils 10th.
COURTESY RJ BROOKS / INSTAGRAM
North Stanly, football RJ Brooks is a sophomore running back for North Stanly. The Comets won their opening game 24-21 over Community School of Davidson. Brooks ran for 219 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Brooks carried the ball 24 times for an average of 9.1 yards per rush. He had a long run of 49 yards. As a freshman last year, he had two 100-yard games, finishing with 797 yards and six scores.
Notre Dame gets high‑profile tests in ACC scheduling deal Notre Dame again has six games against ACC teams through its scheduling partnership with the league, with the football independent being a member of all other league sports. One stands out: a home game against Miami. The Hurricanes visit Nov. 7 in a rematch of last year’s opener; Miami won that game to ultimately claim a CFP bid instead of Notre Dame. Georgia Tech, Clemson make 1st cross‑country ACC trips
Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements:
Clemson and Georgia Tech are making their first cross-country trips since the league expanded to add California, Stanford and SMU for a coast-to-coast footprint for the 2024 season. The Tigers are playing at California on Sept. 25, while the Yellow Jackets visit Stanford a day later. Miami, NC State, Pittsburgh, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest are the other teams to touch all four U.S. continental time zones for a league game this year.
community@ stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at noon
B.B. OIL, INC. Serving Stanly County for 63 Years
A/C CHECKUPS Hours: M-F 7a-4:30p
Year Round Comfort for Your Home Heating & Air Conditioning DIESEL HOME HEATING KEROSENE TIRES BATTERIES AUTO ACCESSORIES INSPECTION
704-463-7543
128 Hwy. 49 North Richfield, NC bboilinc.com
219 W. Main Street Albemarle, NC 28001
980.581.8183 www.larrymcguirerealty.com
B4
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
NOTICES
CLASSIFIEDS
Since 1965
“WE SELL TO SELL AGAIN” 250 West Main Street Albemarle, NC • 704-982-3610
RONKEITH & KEITH BURRIS RON, & SETH BURRIS www.stanlymotors.net www.stanlymotors.net
LATON’S E R S V E I E C R E T
2023 FRONTIER SV CREW CAB 2025NISSAN JEEP COMPASS TRAILHAWK 4X4 WHITE V6 12K ��������� $34,995 AWD WHITE 27KLIKE OFF NEW RD PACKAGE
.....................................................25,995 2023 DODGE CHARGER SXT 2024 TOP HONDA RIDGELINE BLACK PACKAGE WHITEBLACK EDITION AWD 52K�������������������� 1 OWNER DIAMOND 2,600 MILES SHARP $29,995
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned, having qualified as the Administrator of the Estate of Donald W. Randall, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned Executrix at 10439 Willow Oak Rd, Norwood, NC 28128 on or before the 12th day of November, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to this estate will please make immediate payment. This the 29th day ofJuly, 2026. Thelma B. Randall Executrix of the Estate of Donald W. Randall 10439 Willow Oak Rd Norwood, NC 28128 David A. Beaver Attorney for the Executrix 160 N. First Street (P.O. Box 1338) Albemarle, NC 28001 (28002) 704-982-4915 Dates of Publication: August 8, 15, 22 & 29
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 26E000328-830 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Peggy Lee Carter Eudy Napier, 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 her attorney on or before November 9, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 31st day of July, 2026. WALLACE LAYNE EXECUTOR FOR THE ESTATE OF PEGGY LEE CARTER EUDY NAPIER MARK T. LOWDER 206 E. NORTH STREET PO BOX 1284 ALBEMARLE, NC 28002 RESIDENT PROCESS AGENT FOR THE ESTATE OF PEGGY LEE CARTER EUDY NAPIER MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 206 E. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Publish: August 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2026
WHITE .........................................35,995
2023 EQUINOX LT 19K ALL WHEEL 2024CHEV HONDA RIDGELINE SPORT SONIC DRIVE PRETTY ����� $25,995 GRAY4CLY PEARL 37K GRAY AWD 1JUST OWNER
NOTICE OF DISCHARGE OF UNTREATED WASTEWATER
2022 FORD F150 CREW CAB 4X4 5�0 V8 FX4 .....................................................33,995 2024 FORD BRONCO DESERT PACKAGE WHITE SHARPSPORT ��������������� $35,995
2023 NISSAN FRONTIER SV CREW CAB
2021 GLADIATOR OVERLAND 4X4 37K 4X4 JEEP V6 WHITE 18K NICE ............35,995 12023 OWNER MED RED MET SHARP ����� $36,995 TOYOTA TACOMA SR ......DOUBLE
CABHONDA 4X4 SR5 WHITEEXL V6 NC OWNER 2021 ODYSSEY 43K1LEATHER .....................................................31,995 SUNROOF NEW TIRES CLEAN ��������� $33,995 2021 JEEP GLADIATOR OVERLAND
2021 FORD BRONCO SPORT BADLANDS 4X4 37K 1 OWNER MED RED MET 4X4 WHITE NC ONE OWNER “8K”���� $31,995
....................................... “NOW” 32,995 2021 TACOMA WHITE 2022TOYOTA TOYOTA RAV4 SR5 XLE V6 PREMIUM DOUBLE CABPEARL 56K BLACK WHEELS ��� $31,995 BLIZZARD LEATHER 64K .....................................................28,995 2021 TOYOTA RAV4 XLE 49K WHITE 2022 TAN HONDA ODYSSEY EXL V6 $27,995 LOCAL INTERIOR NICE ������������ LEATHER PRETTY BLUE NC 1 OWNER 2021 JEEP CHEROKEE LATITUDE LUX V6 ONLY............................................24,995 NEW 15K LX SHARP ������� $25,995 2022GRAY KIA COLOR SORENTO GLACIAL WHITE PEARL 3RD SR SEAT 64K16K 2021 NISSAN ALTIMA WHITE ...............................................TOO 4CLY LOW MILES NICE ����������������� LATE! $24,995 2021SUBARU FORD BRONCO 2021 IMPREZA SPORT SPORT CACTUS GRAY 24K ONE OWNER “THE WAGON 4CLY ALL WHEEL DRIVE NEWEST” ....................................24,995 1 0WNER 23K ���������������������������� $23,995 2021 HONDA CRV EXL 67K MED GRAY 2020 HONDASUNROOF CRV EXL DIAMOND WHITE LEATHER VERY CLEAN LIGHT BEIGE INTERIOR “21K” �������� $29,995 .....................................................25,995 2020SUBARU FORD RANGER CREWDIAMOND CAB 2019 FORESTERXLT LIMITED 4X4 FX4 PKG MED RED 22K WHITE 59KOFF 59K RD LEATHER �������������� $25,995 .....................................................29,995 2019 CHEV BLAZER PREMIER V6 ALL WHEEL 2020 CHEVY SILVERADO CREW CAB DRIVE 62K LEATHER SILVER LEATHER ���������� $24,995 Z71 4X4 6.2 ENG 4X4 .....TOO 2019 FORD FUSION SE 4CLY 65K RUBY RED LATE! 2020 FORD XLTONLY CREW CAB$18,995 4X4 MET NICE ANDF150 SHARP ���������� “RED” 5.0 V8 ENGINE “PRICED” 2019 MAZDA 3 PREMIUM LEATHER .....................................................22,995 SUNROOF DIAMOND WHITE 43K 2019 TOYOTA RAV4 XLE ALL WHEEL JUST ��������������������������������������� $19,995 DRIVE SUPER WHITE 67K NICE 2019 TOYOTA CAMRY SE 4CLY POWER SEAT .....................................................24,995 PRETTY BLUE SPORT WHEELS �������WHITE $19,995 2018 LEXUS RX 350L EMINENT V6 MOONROOF LEATHER NICE 2019 HONDA CIVICNAV LX WHITE .....................................................24,995 LOCAL 1 OWNER TRADE NEW TIRES 2018��������������������������������������� CHEV COLORADO LT CREW$12,995 CAB JUST Z71 4X4 LEATHER 80K ........TOO LATE! 2018 FORD EXPLORER XLT V6 LEATHER 2019 CHEV BLAZER PREMIER V6 ALL SILVER MILES �������� TOO LATE ! WHEEL“LOW DRIVE 62K21K” SILVER LEATHER 2018 HONDA CRV EXL LEATHER SUNROOF .....................................................24,995 2018 TACOMA CAB 50K ALLTOYOTA WHEEL DRIVE TANDOUBLE �������� TOO LATE! V6 BLUE PEARL NEWTOURING TIRES DIAMOND 2018 HONDA CRV AWD ...............................................TOO WHITE 84K LOCAL ONE OWNER ������ LATE! $22,995 2018 KIA SOUL 4CLY MED GRAY 92K 2018 TOYOTA COROLLA LE WHITE LOCAL TRADE “BEST BUY” “26K” GREAT GAS MILEAGE ���������� $18,995 .....................................................10,995 2017TOYOTA TOYOTA HIGHLANDER 2017 TACOMA DOUBLE LIMITED CAB BLIZZARD AWD V6 98K $34,995 LIMITED 4X4 PEARL WHITE 70K ��������������� .....................................................24,995 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER XLE LEATHER 2017 HONDA RIDGELINE RTL-T WHITE SILVER 3RD SEAT 79K LOOK ���������� $26,995 DIAMOND 27K LOCAL 1 OWNER 2016 FORD F150 CREW CAB XLT V6 BLACK .....................................................25,995 ALL POWER WHEELS $21,995 2017 CHEVCHROME COLORADO Z71������� EXTENDED CABFORD 4X4 V6 WHITE 2016 F150 CREW60K.............23,995 CAB XLT V6 RUBY 2017 TOYOTA SIENNA VAN XLE $19,995 RED 112K 2 WHEEL DRIVE������������� LEATHER SUNROOF DIAMOND WHITE 2016 HONDA CRV TOURING ...............................................TOO LATE! WHITE DIAMONDCAMRY 77K 2016 TOYOTA XLE 4CLY TAN LEATHER SUNROOF ��������������������� LEATHER DIAMOND WHITE 116K$19,995 .....................................................15,995 2016 HONDA ACCORD EX MED GRAY 4CLY 2014 FORD F150 CREW CAB $18,995 V6 71K 1 OWNER HARDXLT TO FIND ��������� SILVER 94K “CHECK HER OUT” 2016 HONDA CRV SE AWD SILVER 107K ...............................................TOO LATE! NICE AND CLEAN JUST ����������������� $16,995 2012 HONDA ACCORD EX 4CLY BLACK 2016 FORD MUSTANG V6 SILVER 86K CLEAN HARD TO FIND JUST ..... 11,995 LOW SPORTY BUY CXL IT�������� 2006MILES BUICK LUCERNE V6 TOO LATE! LEATHER NEW TIRES “86K” 4X4 SILVER 2015 JEEP UNLIMITED RUBICON BURGUNDY ...........................TOO 69K LOADED NC 1 OWNER ������������ LATE! $26,995
Fully Insured
Free Estimates
704-438-0068
STANLY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS STANLY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Notice is hereby given that the Stanly County Board of Commissioners will, on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at 6:00 PM, hold a legislative hearing at the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room located at 1000 North First Street, Albemarle, NC to consider the following request: Item #1 -CR 26-02 - Jonah Morgan requests a conditional rezoning of a 6 acre portion of an approximately 17 acre tract located on Kendalls Church Road, New London (Tax Record # 144536; Owners Millspaugh Living Trust). The request is to conditionally rezone the property from County R-A (Residential Agricultural) to County M-1, Conditional District (Light Manufacturing), in order to allow for a facility manufacturing metal parts and machinery. Item #2 - ZA 26-02 Gerald and Brenda Honeycutt request a rezoning of an approximately .65 acre parcel on NC 24/27/73 Hwy (Tax# 5821). The request is for the parcel to be rezoned from County H-B to County R-20 in order to utilize the land for livestock and agricultural purposes. Persons interested in speaking for or against this item will be heard.
NOTICE TO CREDITORS NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 25E000381-830 Having qualified as Co-Administrators CTA of the Estate of James Kenneth Smith, 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 November 9th, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 31st day of July, 2026. JUDITH SMITH HUNEYCUTT TINA SMITH ALMOND CO-ADMINISTRATORS CTA FOR THE ESTATE OF JAMES KENNETH SMITH MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Publish: August 9, 16, 23, and 30, 2026
2013 HONDA ACCORD EXL V6 LEATHER PEARL WHITED 125K LOCAL TRADE ��������������������������� $12 ,995
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
2010 FORD F150 LARIAT CREW CAB DIAMOND WHITE 5�4 ENG “THE KIND” ������������������������������ $17,995
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 26E000363-830 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Arthur Harold Payne, 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 November 16th, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 10th day of August, 2026. MARK T. LOWDER EXECUTOR FOR THE ESTATE OF ARTHUR HAROLD PAYNE MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Publish: August 16, 23, 30 and September 6, 2026
HIRING North State Journal is hiring Stanly County Reporter
jobs@ stanlynewsjournal.com 704-982-2121
The City of Albemarle experienced a sanitary sewer overflow at the following location due to heavy rain. On August 21st , 2026, an overflow at 31601 NC HWY 740 occurred due to heavy rains, which released approximately 3900 gallons of untreated wastewater to Mt. Creek starting at 6:00pm and ending at 8:00pm. City crews were able to evacuate wastewater from an upstream manhole to stop and lessen the impact of the overflow. Crews then used city equipment to clean up the spill area. This notice is required by the North Carolina General Statutes Article 21 Chapter 143.215.C. For more information, contact The City of Albemarle Public Utilities Department at (704) 984-9605.
NOTICE OF LEGISLATIVE HEARING
2014 BUICK LACROSSE V6 CXL LEATHER SEATS CHAMPAGNE COLOR “66K”�������������������������������������� $16,995
Stanly County Advertising Representative
871300
SAND AWDCIVIC 45K BIG BENDLEATHER EDITION 2022 HONDA TOURING .....................................................26,995 SUNROOF DIAMOND WHITE LOOK ��� $25,995
Email ads@ stanlynewsjournal.com to submit classified ads
PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Town of Oakboro Historic Preservation Commission will hold a public hearing on September 1, 2026 at 6:30 PM at Oakboro Town Hall located at 109 N Main Street, Oakboro, NC 28129. The purpose of this public hearing is to hear comments for, or against the type of installation of a fence on a vacant lot located behind 109 E Fourth Street at PIN# 650301395678; TAX# 26312. This property is located in Historic Overlay District. Further information is available at Oakboro Town Hall. Any person wishing to speak should plan to attend the Public Hearing. Leslie Hatley Murray Town Clerk
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 26E000360-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having duly qualified as Administrator CTA of the Estate of Mickey Loyd Cauble, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or his estate, to present the same to the undersigned Administrator CTA, duly itemized and verified on or before the 23rd day of November, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Administrator CTA. This the 14th day of August, 2026. John Michael Cauble Administrator CTA of the Estate of Mickey Loyd Cauble 3351 Keady Mill Loop Kannapolis, NC 28081 PUBLISH: August 23, 30, September 6, 13, 2026 James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA, STANLY COUNTY. NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Division File No. 26-E-000382-830 Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of RAYMOND EDWARD WILLIAMS, SR., Deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the decedent, or his estate, to exhibit them to the undersigned, or her attorney, on or before the 23rd day of November, 2026, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate should make immediate payment to the Executrix. This the 19th day of August, 2026. Gale Stein Williams, Executrix Estate of Raymond Edward Williams, Sr. c/o Jeremy D. Griffin, Attorney PO Box 422 Locust, NC 28097 JEREMY D. GRIFFIN MORTON AND GRIFFIN LAW FIRM, PLLC Post Office Box 422 – 161 Ray Kennedy Drive Locust, North Carolina 28097 Telephone: 704-888-2311 STANLY NEWS JOURNAL Publish: August 23, 30, September 6 and 13, 2026
Notice to Creditors NORTH CAROLINA – STANLY COUNTY 26E000379-830 The undersigned, having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Gilbert Walton Picklesimer, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the estate of said decedent to present them to the undersigned on or before November 23, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned. Crystal Ann Snyder, Executor Estate of Gilbert Walton Picklesimer c/o Katherine C. Rabtoy, Esq. ROBBINS LAW FIRM, PLLC 19453 West Catawba Avenue, Suite E Cornelius, NC 28031
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000395-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Jimmie Price Morgan deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Jimmie Price Morgan to present them to the undersigned on or before November 30, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 30th day of August 2026. Donna Kay Lewellen 117 Lake Shore Drive Norwood, NC 28128 Executrix
B5
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
Time limits, midnight cutoff: Meta’s new rules for kids go further, but critics say not enough The settlement mandates stronger age verification and independent audits of Meta’s practices
“We are disappointed that the settlement does not turn off by default recommendation algorithms that connect kids to predators and send young people down dangerous rabbit holes.”
By Barbara Ortutay and Wyatte Grantham-Philips The Associated Press OAKLAND, Calif. — Kids under 18 will soon see a host of changes to their Instagram and Facebook experiences thanks to a historic $18 billion settlement Meta Platforms reached Wednesday with 48 U.S. states. Besides the money, which will be paid out over a decade, Meta has agreed to strengthen its age estimates to keep kids under 13 off its platforms and teens in age-appropriate accounts, enact a hard limit of two hours a day for users under 18, block kids from the apps from midnight to 6 a.m., and hide “like” counts, among other changes. While acknowledging the changes go further than Meta has ever gone when it comes to child safety, critics and children’s advocates cautioned it will not solve its myriad problems overnight. Arturo Béjar, a former Meta engineering director, said the settlement is a “significant milestone,” but parents should not see Instagram as suddenly safe for children. “The agreement has a big problem in that it allows Meta to define harm,” Béjar said in an interview Wednesday. “It’s one thing to say, ‘Yeah, you only get like two hours of alcohol or two hours of cigarettes a day,’ but it’s still as bad for you because of what’s getting delivered.” Béjar, the first witness to testify during the federal trial cut short by the settlement, would like to see Meta address the effect of content recommendations to teens, which he says can prove addictive. While teens might put their phone down when they hit the two-hour limit, they can be distressed about it because the way the platform is designed leaves them craving more.
Josh Golin, Fairplay executive director
TONY AVELAR / AP PHOTO
A car passes Facebook’s new Meta logo on a sign at the company’s California headquarters in 2021. Meta said people over 18 also can adopt versions of the new controls individually, such as daily time-limit reminders, but there will not be an option for them to opt into the overall settings for what teens experience on the platform. Stronger age checks To protect kids, first Meta has to know who they are. While the company has already been using artificial intelligence to determine if kids are lying about their age — either to sign up if they are under 13, which is not allowed, or to use adult accounts when they are 13 to 17 — it did not always work. Under the proposed settlement, Meta agreed to strengthen its technology to check kids’ ages, using its own as well as third-party tools, with regular outside audits on how well it is working. The agreement also includes specific goals around false positive rates — that is, minors who are identified as over 18. And if a user is identified as under 13 and kicked off the platforms, Meta will check
the ages of their friends, too. “The age assurance section is reasonably good because it has measurement, has independent testing, has goals,” Béjar said. “Because I think Meta should be measured on effectiveness, not effort.” Meta requires users to be at least 13 years old to create an account, in line with federal child privacy law. In his testimony last week, Béjar said Meta took a “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach on kids under 13 on its platforms. “Meta has one of the most sophisticated infrastructures in the world to detect fake accounts,” he said. But despite that, he added, there were “no goals, no metrics” to detect and check kids’ ages who were suspected to be under 13. Some safety features will be on by default Critics have faulted Meta over many of its safety features that users have to manually turn on, or opt into themselves. Of the host of safeguards listed in the settlement, many are
on as a default. This includes the two-hour time limit, which can only be turned off with a parent’s permission, as well as the night mode that blocks use between midnight and 6 a.m. Still, under the agreement, other features, such as turning off video autoplay or showing posts in chronological order rather than having algorithms decide what to show kids scrolling through their feeds, will be opt-in. Josh Golin, executive director of online safety nonprofit Fairplay, said the deal appeared to be too focused on offering tools to parents rather than restricting harmful features altogether. “We are disappointed that the settlement does not turn off by default recommendation algorithms that connect kids to predators and send young people down dangerous rabbit holes,” Golin said. Questions around default settings came up at the trial earlier this week when a lawyer for the states suing Meta pressed Adam Mosseri, the head of Instagram, on the low adoption rate among teens for the “take a break” feature, which prompts users to step away if they have been scrolling a while. Very few teens used the feature when Instagram first introduced it, but since launching separate teen accounts in 2024, Meta has made it the default setting for teenage users. Still, if a teen didn’t want to take a break, they could simply swipe away the notification. It may take time to see the results Some researchers have found
that many past protections Meta has rolled out are ineffective or don’t work as advertised. “It is a little premature, unfortunately, to tell if exactly all the changes we want to see are going to happen,” said Yaël Eisenstat, director of policy and impact for the Cybersafety Research Center, which recently audited dozens of safety tools offered by both Meta and other social media companies and said most fell short. Still, Eisenstat said, Wednesday’s settlement is monumental in showing that alternative approaches are possible. For years, Meta “decided to go against the advice of some of their own internal employees and continue to ignore the fact that these design features were unsafe in search of profit,” said Eisenstat, who also previously worked at Meta, then Facebook, before leaving the company in 2019. The measures outlined Wednesday at the very least show that there are technically feasible options that can make the platform safer, she said — something whistleblowers and others have already “been saying very loudly.” Like others, Eisenstat stressed that there was a lot of work left to be done — and that it will require a combination of technical solutions, market forces and government regulation. “There’s no singular silver bullet for fixing all of this,” she said. “I’m just glad that at least we are catching up a little bit now.” The settlement, which also includes the District of Columbia and U.S. territories, must still be approved by a judge.
Chinese humanoid robot sets new 100-meter sprint record The achievement raises bigger questions: can robots move safely, avoid obstacles and recover from mistakes
“As speed increases, balance, control, impacts, actuator performance, and mechanical robustness all become much more challenging.”
The Associated Press
Dennis Hong, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, UCLA
BEIJING — A Chinese humanoid robot set a new 100-meter sprint record of 8.86 seconds in Beijing on Tuesday, beating its robot competitors — and the fastest recorded human time. The race was part of China’s World Humanoid Robot Games, an Olympic-style competition now in its second year in Beijing. The event is also a showcase for China’s rapid advances in robotics amid an intensifying technology rivalry with the U.S. The previous robot record of 9.39 seconds had been set just three days earlier, on Saturday. For comparison, the men’s 100-meter world record is 9.58
seconds, set by Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt in 2009. Experts are amazed to see such progress in the humanoid robot industry. “This is a significant milestone — not simply because the robot ran faster than a human, but because of what it takes to make a bipedal robot run at this speed,” said Dennis Hong, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles. “As speed increases, balance, control, impacts, actuator performance, and mechanical robustness all become much
more challenging,” said Hong. The record-breaking robot fell after hitting the finish line, a padded barrier, with sparks flying from its waist. Hong pointed out that the fall leads to more meaningful and difficult questions: whether robots can move and stop safely, recognize unexpected obstacles, recover from mistakes and continue working, the capabilities that ultimately make them more useful. The Games feature over 1,300 competitions involving more than 2,000 robots in 51 events like running, long jump and ta-
ble tennis, as well as ballroom dancing. Unlike the traditional Olympics, the robots also compete in teams in real-world scenarios, including household tasks, hotel services and emergency response. “‘Housekeeper’ and ‘caregiv-
er’ robots are still in the pilot and validation phase,” China’s official newspaper People’s Daily said on Monday, “(but) challenges are precisely where the focus of development lies … China’s robotics industry is evolving toward higher quality and innovation.”
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE
NOTICE
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000375-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Randy Edwin Isenhour deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Randy Edwin Isenhour to present them to the undersigned on or before November 17, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 16th day of August 2026. Joyce R. Isenhour 41798 Gurley Road New London, NC 28127 Executrix
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000397-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Janet Ordille Hill deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Janet Ordille Hill to present them to the undersigned on or before November 30, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 30th day of August 2026. Cynthia Jane Hill PO Box 54 Norwood, NC 28128 Executor
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000248-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Pearl Elizabeth Morgan Nash deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Pearl Elizabeth Morgan Nash to present them to the undersigned on or before November 10, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 9th day of August 2026. Chris Randolph Freeman 21300 Hinson Farm Lane Locust, NC 28097 Executor
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000333-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Ruby Caudle Fraley deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Ruby Caudle Fraley to present them to the undersigned on or before November 30, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 30th day of August 2026. Debra Fraley Smith 24543 Rogers Road Richfield, NC 28137 Executrix
NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000346-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Administratrix of the Estate of Julia Lee Clark Threadgill deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Julia Lee Clark Threadgill to present them to the undersigned on or before November 30, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 30th day of August 2026. Karen Crump 417 Lincoln Street Albemarle, NC 28001 Administratrix
ACHMAD IBRAHIM / AP PHOTO
A humanoid robot competes in the breakdance during the World Humanoid Robot Games in Beijing on Tuesday.
NOTICES
B6
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
5 books to read this fall, from James to Biden
famous birthdays this week Sen. Thom Tillis is 66, Beyoncé turns 45, William Devane hits 87
Emma Cline’s “Switzy” is out Sept. 8
The Associated Press
By Hillel Italie The Associated Press
THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. AUG. 30 Investor and philanthropist Warren Buffett is 96. Actor Elizabeth Ashley is 87. Actor John Kani is 84. Cartoonist Robert Crumb is 83. Olympic gold medal skier Jean-Claude Killy is 83. Comedian Lewis Black is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Robert Parish is 73. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) is 66. Actor Cameron Diaz is 54.
NATI HARNIK / AP PHOTO
Warren Buffett turns 96 on Sunday.
SEPT. 1 Attorney and law professor Alan Dershowitz is 88. Comedian-actor Lily Tomlin is 87. Singer Barry Gibb is 80. Talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is 76. Singer Gloria Estefan is 69. TV host-author Padma Lakshmi is 56. Actor Ricardo Antonio Chavira is 55. SEPT. 2 Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw is 78. Basketball Hall of Famer Nate Archibald is 78. Actor Mark Harmon is 75. Tennis Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors is 74. SEPT. 3 Singer-musician Al Jardine (The Beach Boys) is 84. Film-
NEW YORK — Book lovers this fall can look forward to a wealth of fiction, biographies, memoirs, poetry collections and topical nonfiction. Here are five upcoming works you’ll likely be hearing about.
Kai Bird “Music Against the Night,” Yiyun Li
“The Disappearers,” Marlon James
AUG. 31 World Golf Hall of Famer Isao Aoki is 84. Violinist Itzhak Perlman is 81. Singer Van Morrison is 81. Rock musician Rudolf Schenker (The Scorpions) is 78. Actor Richard Gere is 77. Actor Stephen McKinley Henderson is 77. Attorney and author Marcia Clark is 73.
“Trump answered our cold calls on his personal cell on several occasions.”
KEVIN WOLF / AP PHOTO
Singer Gloria Estefan turns 69 on Tuesday. maker Jean-Pierre Jeunet is 73. Rock guitarist Steve Jones (The Sex Pistols) is 71. Actor Steve Schirripa (“The Sopranos”) is 68. Author Malcolm Gladwell is 63. Actor Charlie Sheen is 61. SEPT. 4 Golf Hall of Famer Raymond Floyd is 84. Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson is 77. Actor Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs is 73. Actor Khandi Alexander is 69. Actor-comedian Damon Wayans Sr. is 66. Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Piazza is 58. Singer-actor Beyoncé is 45. SEPT. 5 Actor Lucille Soong (TV: “Fresh Off the Boat”) is 91. Actor William Devane is 87. Actor George Lazenby is 87. Film director Werner Herzog is 84. Singer Al Stewart is 81. “Cathy” cartoonist Cathy Guisewite is 76. Actor Michael Keaton is 75.
Marlon James’ fantasy series “Dark Star” was a showcase for his extraordinary and boundless imagination. In “The Disappearers,” he returns to his native Jamaica and to the murderous reality of his Booker Prize-winning “A Brief History of Seven Killings.” The new novel, longlisted for the Booker, is framed around the horrifying beating in 1988 of eight gay men who had been rehearsing for a play. James weaves together humor, popular culture, compassion and some very hard experience. (Sept. 1) “American Scoundrel,” Kai Bird and Susan Goldmark Kai Bird is best known as the co-author with Martin J. Sherwin of “American Prometheus,” the biography of nuclear scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer that became the basis for Christopher Nolan’s Oscar winner “Oppenheimer.” In “American Scoundrel,” he and Susan Goldmark (his wife) trace the influence of the late political operator Roy Cohn, from his early years as the top aide to Sen. Joseph McCarthy to his mentorship of a young Donald Trump. “American Scoundrel” draws upon government documents, archi-
SCRIBNER VIA AP
“American Scoundrel: Roy Cohn’s Dark Journey from Joe McCarthy to Donald Trump” by Kai Bird with Susan Goldmark comes out Sept. 1. val material and dozens of interviews, including, to the authors’ surprise, Trump, who “answered our cold calls on his personal cell on several occasions,” Bird writes in the acknowledgments section. (Sept. 1) “Switzy,” Emma Cline Emma Cline has well established her mastery of inhabiting the alienated mind, of dramatizing youthful transience, aspiration and deception, most famously in her celebrated debut, “The Girls.” In “Switzy,” longlisted for the Booker Prize, Cline gives us a retired businessman with failing mental capacity en route to an assisted dying facility in Zurich. Cline breaks up the story into brief, affectless passages as a once-“Valuable Person” reckons with his memories and concludes “He had always stayed on the surface. His whole life.” (Sept. 8)
China investigates comedian after he altered revolutionary song lyric onstage Artists have to navigate an environment where “red lines” are unclear By Fu Ting The Associated Press ONE OF China’s best‑known comedians is under investigation, and several of his shows have been canceled after he changed the lyrics of a revolutionary song during a performance. Guo Degang, the country’s most prominent performer of traditional xiangsheng, a form of Chinese comedic dialogue, is under investigation by local au-
thorities in the city of Wuhan in central China, local media reported. Guo’s show last Friday in the northwestern city of Xi’an was canceled due to “venue issues,” a statement on ticketing platform Damai released by his promotion company showed. The company offered refunds for tickets as well as travel and hotel expenses. The exhibition center hosting the performance in Xi’an, which also cited “venue issues” last Wednesday, said the show had been “postponed,” without giving a new date. Local media reports said several of Guo’s shows scheduled
“It is quiet in the Forbidden City.” Guo Degang
in August across cities were canceled. The investigation highlights China’s stricter controls and censorship of the entertainment and arts industries. Guo was reported to Wuhan’s culture and tourism authorities after he changed a lyric from “it is quiet along Weishan Lake” to “it is quiet in the Forbid-
den City” while performing at a show in the city last month, according to local media reports and videos shown on social media platforms. The Forbidden City, once home to China’s emperors for hundreds of years, is now a museum that attracts more than 10 million visitors each year. Neither Guo nor his show promoter immediately responded to the AP’s emails seeking comment on Saturday. Guo’s performance had been approved in advance by local authorities in Wuhan, but the lyric change had not, which may have violated regulations governing
“Music Against the Night” is Yiyun Li’s sixth novel and first book since last year’s Pulitzer Prize-winning “Things in Nature Merely Grow,” her unsparing memoir about the suicides of her two sons. Li this time appears to have written a very different narrative — about a late 18th-century piano prodigy whose fame barely outlasted his lifetime and the orphaned wanderer-musician who makes the ill-fated decision to marry him. The novel is a story of music, but also a meditation on “the night,” death — parents, friends, children, everybody. (Oct. 13) “Promise Me, America,” former President Joe Biden Memoirs are often presidents’ best chance to define their legacy, although readers and critics may have different priorities, whether Richard Nixon and Watergate or Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky. Joe Biden will understandably want to focus on his defeat of Donald Trump in 2020, the passage of landmark legislation on green energy and the appointment of the first black woman to the Supreme Court, Ketanji Brown Jackson, among other achievements. But the public will likely be seeking answers to more unwanted questions. (Nov. 17)
commercial performances, according to The Paper, a Shanghai-based news outlet. The lyrics are from “Playing My Beloved Pipa,” a song from “Railway Guerrilla,” a well‑known 1950s film about Communist-led guerrillas fighting Japanese forces during World War II. Pipa is a traditional Chinese stringed instrument, similar to a lute. It is a popular song among the public. It was once played at CCTV Spring Festival gala in 1998 and was also selected in 2019 by the Chinese Communist Party’s Publicity Department as one of 100 songs recommended to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Guo is widely considered the one who brought xiangsheng closer to the younger generation in China. The traditional art form was more regional and more popular among the older audience. A woman pushes a cart past a Deyunshe theater, part of the comedy group founded by Guo Degang, in Beijing on Saturday.
ACHMAD IBRAHIM / AP PHOTO
B7 B7
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 16, 2026 Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
this week in history this week in history “King of Rock ’n’ Roll” dies at 42, Sports Illustrated Princess Diana killed in debuts, Miles Davis car crash, Nazis releases “Kind of invade Blue” Poland, Kerouac’s “On the Road” published The Associated Press
AUG. 16 The Associated Press
We Offer Family Style Living, All Private Rooms, Weekly We Offer Family Style Living, Laundry & Housekeeping, All Private Rooms, Weekly 3 Nutritious Meals Served Laundry & Housekeeping, Daily, and Recreational 3 Nutritious Meals Served Activities For All. Daily, and Recreational CALL (704) For 982-4217 Activities All. TO SCHEDULE A TOUR CALL (704) 982-4217 EXPLORE OUR COMMUNITY AT TO SCHEDULE A ONLINE TOUR THRIVEMORENC.ORG/TAYLOR-HOUSE
EXPLORE OUR COMMUNITY ONLINE AT
THRIVEMORENC.ORG/TAYLOR-HOUSE 319 PALMER STREET ALBEMARLE, NC 28001
319 PALMER STREET ALBEMARLE, NC 28001
MENTION THIS AD FOR $ MENTION THIS AD FOR $
NOW OPEN SATURDAYS AT NOWEXTRA OPEN NO SATURDAYS AT CHARGE!! NO EXTRA CHARGE!!
10 OFF 10 OFF YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL www.plumbingpride.com 704-982-5027 704-982-5027 www.plumbingpride.com
Electric Electric
Sp eci Sapvai al Fin e a c la anveaw ialbFle o ncin g s i ne ilabylsetenanncall ws ing m o s n yst ! em all s!
Call Us for All of Your Heating, Cooling & Electrical Needs! Call Us for All of Your Heating, Cooling & Electrical Needs!
704-982-4276 704-982-4276
1928 US -52, Albemarle NC 28001 Generator Surrounding areas Since 1966 1928County US -52, & Albemarle NC 28001 Installation! Generator Serving Stanly Installation! Serving Stanly County & Surrounding areas Since 1966
Police remove the car in which Diana, Princess of Wales, was fatally injured in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.
*Lifetime Outdoor Unit Replacement* *Lifetime Outdoor Unit Replacement*
JOHN WHITE VIA WIKIPEDIA
On Aug. 18, 1590, Roanoke Colony Gov. John White returned to present-day North Carolina after nearly three years away and found the settlement abandoned, leaving behind the enduring mystery of the “Lost Colony.” JACQUES BRINON / AP PHOTO
[[Yä kknÊ
È··¸ä äȹºä äȹµä ȸµ½ä ä¾kk 855-910-AMMO
1189079 1189079
1777:30 American forces won AUG. the Battle of Bennington in what was On considered a turning 1916: his fourth attempt, point of theexplorer Revolutionary War. British Sir Ernest 1948: Baseball legend Babe Shackleton rescued all 22 reRuth diedcrew in New York strandat age maining members 53. ed for more than four months 1954: TheIsland first inissue of on Elephant AntarcSports Illustrated was released. tica after the sinking of their 1977: Presley died at ship, theElvis Endurance. his 1941: Graceland estate in War MemDuring World II, phis, Tennessee, at the age of 42. German forces approaching MATT ROURKE / AP PHOTO 2018: Singer Aretha FrankLeningrad cut off the remaining known rail line as outthe of the city. of On Aug. 16, 2018, the “Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, lin, “Queen J. WALTER GREEN / AP PHOTO 1945: Gen. DougSoul,” died inU.S. Detroit at the age whose hits included “Respect” and “Think,” died in Detroit at Bobby oflas 76.MacArthur arrived in Ja- age 76. Fischer, right, and Boris Spassky play their final game pan to set up Allied occupation against each other in Reykjavik, Iceland, on Aug. 31, 1972. headquarters. AUG. 17 Johnson declared the official AUG. 19 SEPT. 4 Civil War. 1985: A U.S.-French expedi- end AUG. 31 The George Orwell of the 1945: tion located the wreckage the 1692: Four men andofone novel “Animal Farm,” an alle1781: Titanic were on the floor of the beAt- AUG. 1881: The offirst U.S.comten- woman 21 Los Angeles was hanged after gorical satire Soviet lantic Ocean roughly 400 miles nis championships (for men ing convicted of witchcraft at founded by Spanish settlers unmunism, was first published the leadership of launched Gov. Feoff thein coast Newfoundland. began Newport, Rhode Nat Turner the of Province of Mas- der1831: inonly) London byinMartin Secker & Salem de Neve. Island. violent slave rebellion in Virsachusetts Bay; the story of alipe Warburg. 1886: Chiricahua Apache SEPT. 2 men, John Proctor, ginia, 1886:Trumpeter An earthquake with one resulting in the deaths of of the 1959: Miles Daleader surrendered anreleased estimated magnitude up inspired Arthur Miller’s play at least Geronimo 55 white people; scores vis “Kind of Blue,”ofreto black U.S. troops present-day 1666: The Great Fire of of to 7.3asdevastated Charleston, people in were killed in Crucible.” garded one of the most influ- “The Arizona after more two which would retribution Southjazz Carolina, at least London after the than rebellion, 1812: began, The USS Constituential albumskilling of all time. decades of fighting. destroy morethethan 13,000 60 people. Turner was later executed. defeated British frig- and 1998: President Bill Clinton tion 1888: The George sehomes andGuerriere hundredsoff of strucPrincessviaof ate 1858: firstEastman of seven deHMS Nova gave1997: grand Diana, jury testimony cured took a patent forbetween a hand-roll tures, during including Paul’s Ca- bates Wales, was killed after the car Scotia place Ilthe St. War of 1812, closed-circuit television from camera senatorial and registered the thedral, over ensuing three she White was riding crashed in earning contenders the the nickname “Old linois the Houseinconcerning trademarkLincoln Kodak.and Stephen days. Paris; her partner Dodi Fayed Ironsides.” Abraham his relationship with Monica 1789: Thirty-one The United and driver Henri Paul (who was 1854: U.S.States sol- Douglas. Lewinsky. Treasury was SEPT. found to have been intoxicated diers 1911:5 Leonardo da Vinci’s were Department killed after one established. at the time of the accident) also “Mona Lisa” was stolen from of the soldiers fatally shot AUG. 18 The first Continen1864: During the ConquerCivil War, the1774: died. Louvre Museum in Paris. Brule Lakota Chief tal Congress in Union Gen. William T. Shertwo years lat1590: John White, the gov- ing Bear, sparking the First (It was recoveredassembled Philadelphia. man’sWar. forces occupied Atlanta. er SEPT.of1 the Roanoke Island Sioux in Italy.) ernor 1957: Jack Kerouac’s novel colony (in present-day North “On SEPT. 3 1715: Following a reign of 72 AUG.the 22Road” was published. Carolina), returned to Roanoke AUG. 20 1972: Palestinian militants years, King three Louis years XIV ofabroad France after nearly the Haitian Israeli RevoluOlym1783: Charles Representatives of attacked diedtofour before his 77th 1791: The 1858: Darwin’s theonly finddays the settlement depic delegation at the Munich the United States and Britbirthday; he was succeeded by serted; the fate of the “Lost Col- ory of evolution was first pub- tion began as enslaved peoGames, killing two androse taking ain signed the“Journal Treaty ofofParis, his remains 5-year-old great-grandson, lished of Saint-Domingue up in the the ple ony” a mystery. nine others hostage; five which officially ended the RevLouis XV. 1914: President Woodrow Proceedings of the Linnean against French colonizers.of the all nine hostages and olutionary War and recognized militants, 1939: Nazi Germany invad- Society.” 1851: The schooner AmerWilson issued his Proclamaa German sovereignty. ed Poland, an event regarded as U.S. outracedpolice more officer than a were doz1862: The New York Tri- ica tion of Neutrality, aimed at 1861: During the Civil War, killed in the following 24 hours. the start of World War II. keeping the United States out bune published an open let- en British vessels off the En1975: President Gerald R. 1972: American Bobby Confederate forces invaded ter by editor Horace Greeley glish coast to win a trophy that of World War I. Fischer won the international the border state of Kentucky, Ford survived an assassination 1920: The 19th Amendment calling on President Abraham came to be known as the Amerchess crown in Reykjavik, Ice- which had declared its neutral- attempt by Lynette “Squeaky” to the Constitution, guarantee- Lincoln to take more aggres- ica’s Cup. Fromme, a disciple of Charles land, as Boris Spassky of the ity in the conflict. 1910: Japan annexed Korea, ing American women’s right to sive measures to free enslaved 1894: The United States Manson, in Sacramento, CaliSoviet Union resigned before vote, was ratified as Tennessee people and end the South’s which remained under Japathe resumption of their 21st and celebrated the first federal La- fornia. (Fromme was released nese control until the end of became the 36th state to ap- rebellion. from prison on parole in 2009.) bor Day holiday. final game. 1866: President Andrew World War II. prove it.
NCammunition.com
B8
Stanly News Journal for Sunday, August 30, 2026
SNOWFLAKES
SUDOKU
Solution to last issue’s puzzle
rustic charm elegance
Where meets timeless
Solution to this issue’s puzzles CONTACT US TODAY
704-486-7501 info@ sophiaswedding.com — 722 S. Oak Ridge Rd Oakboro, NC 28129