Issuu

VOLUME 146 ISSUE 77 | WEEKEND EDITION, SEPTEMBER 26-27, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM

SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 704-982-2121

Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

ALEX BRANDON / AP PHOTO

Stealth diplomacy A U.S. Air Force B-2 bomber flanked by four fighter jets flies over the White House as President Donald Trump, first lady Melania

Trump, China’s President Xi Jinping and his wife, Peng Liyuan, watch a military review in the Rose Garden of the White House on Thursday in Washington, D.C.

WHAT’S HAPPENING Xi says 2 giant pandas from China will arrive in the coming days at Atlanta’s zoo Atlanta Chinese President Xi Jinping says two giant pandas from China will arrive at Zoo Atlanta in the coming days. Their arrival will bolster a loan program that at one time lapsed as part of tensions between Beijing and Washington. China and the zoo had said in April that Ping Ping, a male, and Fu Shuang, a female, would go to the United States. But Xi’s announcement at the White House on Thursday before talks with President Donald Trump marked the first public confirmation of the timing. The National Zoo in Washington, D.C., in the fall of 2024 accepted Bao Li and Qing Bao after Atlanta lost its four pandas.

Mortgage rates climb again, pushing average rate on a 30-year home loan above 7% The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week above 7% for the first time since January 2025, the latest affordability setback for prospective homebuyers following a five-week run of rate increases. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the weekly average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate home loan rose to 7.03% from 6.95% last week. One year ago, the average rate was 6.30%. Expectations of higher inflation have pushed up the long-term bond yields that influence mortgage rates.

$2.00

Albemarle council to consider relocating intercity bus stop NCDOT will discuss the First Street stop and possible alternatives Oct. 19 By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Albemarle officials will soon weigh the issue of whether the city’s intercity bus stop should remain at its current First Street location or move elsewhere. City Manager Darren Rhodes updated the Albemarle City Council on the issue Monday night, asking members for direction after city staff met with the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division on Sept. 9. The stop is located at 154 S.

COURTESY CITY OF ALBEMARLE

The Albemarle City Council discussed the city’s bus stop during a meeting on Monday night. First St., in front of the former Vac and Dash building that is now occupied by Brasseur Electric Train Repair. Management at Brasseur has asked of-

ficials to consider relocating it. NCDOT funds 13 intercity bus routes across the state that connect urban and rural communities to a larger national

Pfeiffer program director reflects on 9/11 stair climb The event drew more than 100 participants By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — More than 100 participants and over 40 volunteers took part in Pfeiffer University’s 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Stair Climb earlier this month, a turnout organizers said reflected strong community support for the event. Held Sept. 11 in partnership with local first responders, the event marked the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks and gave participants a chance to honor those affected by the tragedy. Scott Fisher, Pfeiffer physi-

cian assistant program director and event organizer, said the turnout showed the community support behind the memorial. “This memorial stair climb provided an opportunity for our community to come together in remembrance, reflection and gratitude,” he said. As a retired U.S. Army major, Fisher’s background in healthcare and military service helped shape his role in organizing the memorial climb and coordinating with members of the community. “This event would not have been possible without the support of local first responders, government leaders, members See 9/11, page A2

“This memorial stair climb provided an opportunity for our community to come together in remembrance, reflection and gratitude.” Scott Fisher, Pfeiffer physician assistant program director

network. Albemarle is served by the Cardinal Flyer route, operated by Sunway Charters, which connects Raleigh and Asheville through communities including Charlotte, Albemarle, Southern Pines and Sanford. Rhodes said NCDOT has asked the city to determine whether the current location is satisfactory or recommend another site. “No action is being requested by staff tonight, but I just wanted to get some direction from this council,” Rhodes said. He added that NCDOT representatives could appear before the council as early as its Oct. 19 meeting to explain the history of the stop and the criteria used when See COUNCIL, page A5

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

SUNDAY

9.27.26 #148

“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 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: 704-982-2121 STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM

SENIOR NUTRITION MEALS | WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 28 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

SEPT. 28

SEPT. 29

SEPT. 30

OCT. 1

• Hamburger steak with gravy • Turnip greens • Orange slices • Rice • Whole wheat roll • 2 Chocolate chip cookies

• Taco salad with taco-seasoned ground beef and pinto beans • Shredded lettuce and cheese • Diced tomatoes • Spanish rice • Tortilla chips • Apple • Mild salsa

• Tossed salad with cucumbers and tomatoes • Green beans • Garlic bread • Applesauce • Ranch dressing • Parmesan cheese

• Lasagna • Tossed salad with green pepper, cucumber, carrot and tomato • Garlic bread • Fruited Jell-o with mandarin oranges • Salad dressing

• Oven-fried chicken breast • Peas and carrots • Whipped potatoes • Biscuit • Margarine • Pineapple

9/11 from page A1 of the American Legion and countless community partners,” he added. Participants gathered at the Pfeiffer Center for Health Sciences at 245 E. Main St., with registration beginning at 7 a.m. A remembrance ceremony followed at 8:46 a.m., the time the first plane struck the World Trade Center’s North Tower on Sept. 11, 2001. The ceremony included the Pledge of Allegiance led by Susan Greer Fisher, a retired U.S. Army major; the national anthem performed by the Stanly County Chorale; and a memorial bell ringing by Albemarle Assistant Fire Chief Brad Jenkins. Before the climb, Steve Burris, a retired U.S. Air Force chief master sergeant and commander of American Legion Post 520, shared his memories of Sept. 11 and his motivation for participating. The official climb started at 9:03 a.m., marking the time the second plane struck the South Tower.

Event participants pledge allegiance to the flag at Pfeiffer University’s 9/11 Patriot Day Memorial Stair Climb event on Sept. 11.

COURTESY PFEIFFER UNIVERSITY

Participants were challenged to complete 37 laps of the building’s four-story stairwell, symbolizing first responders who climbed the World Trade Center towers that morning. Individuals could complete the laps alone, while teams of two

to five people could divide them among members. First responders, healthcare professionals, students, alumni, faculty, staff and community supporters participated, while military personnel from the 235th Combat Airfield Opera-

tions Squadron in New London and the 145th Airlift Wing in Charlotte also took part. A group of Pfeiffer student athletes were among those joining the memorial, turning the stairwell into a shared tribute to service and sacrifice.

Sept. 15

Sept. 17

• Ali Myshawn Moody, 30, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Joseph Frederick Nicastro, 58, was arrested for assault inflicting serious injury, assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, and other charges.

• Lori Shaver Russell, 58, was arrested for intimidating witness and misuse of 911 system.

• Erik D’Shane Whitaker, 28, was arrested for misdemeanor larceny.

Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Albemarle N.C. and at additional mailing offices

CRIME LOG

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh NC 27607

• Erwin Elmer Chavis, 35, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver cocaine; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana; and felony possession of cocaine, and other charges.

r #¬Å Å

• Tate William Plyler, 27, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, assault with a deadly weapon minor present and assault on a female, and other charges. Sept. 16

&ROVRQ &RQFUHWH

Arnold Colson

1< '

A+ Rating

+20( ,03529(0(17

• Clifford Eugene Shrader, 58, was arrested for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of methamphetamine. • Marcel Manuel Henderson, 21, was arrested for felony conspiracy, felony larceny and misdemeanor conspiracy, and other charges.

• Shannon Marie Rummel, 58, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; possession of drug paraphernalia; and maintaining a vehicle or dwelling for controlled substances. • Sharon Diane Martinez, 70, was arrested for felony conspiracy and shoplifting by concealment of goods. Sept. 18 • Edin Franco, 46, was arrested for driving while impaired. • Jacob David Shaw, 27, was arrested for failure to report a new address as a sex offender. • Jacob Neal Lyons, 20, was arrested for felony conspiracy and felony larceny.

• Phillip Ross Tysinger, 43, was arrested for felony conspiracy and felony larceny. • Shelly Dawn Christian, 33, was arrested for felony possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. • Trista Fawn Donaldson, 40, was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and larceny of a motor vehicle. • William Cody Ore, 31, was arrested for felony conspiracy, felony larceny and obtaining property by false pretenses. Sept. 19 • Alisha Jhermay Watts, 43, was arrested for driving while impaired; carrying a concealed weapon; and possessing an open container of alcohol after consuming, subsequent offense, and other charges.

• Jason Timoty Shutts, 39, was arrested for driving while impaired and reckless driving. • Nicholas Chase Kiser, 21, was arrested for covering or disguising reg plate, driving on a revoked license and expired registration. • Tanner Max Kersey, 24, was arrested for driving while impaired, exceeding posted speed and failure to comply with license restrictions, and other charges. • Yahniece Beth Yisrael Johnson, 23, was arrested for indecent exposure and prostitution. Sept. 20 • Diego Mendoza, 28, was arrested for simple assault, second-degree trespass and intoxicated and disruptive, and other charges.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements to be published in Stanly News Journal.

COMPLETE INTERIOR & EXTERIOR REMODELING

community@stanlynewsjournal.com

NO JOB IS TOO BIG OR SMALL. WE DO THEM ALL

Weekly deadline is Monday at noon

SEARCH. SEE. LOVE WWW.KIMREYLASH.COM

(704) 984-8837 Phyllis Kimrey & Adrian Lash

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES

COLUMN | LARRY ELDER

The ‘modern-day lynching’ hoax — and the elephant in the room

They ignore the epidemic of black children born without a father married to and living with their mother.

NEARLY 60 Democratic members of Congress signed a letter to sound an alarm: Black Americans are being found hanging, including some from trees, in a wave of possible “modern-day lynchings.” Their letter to the Justice Department and FBI stated, “The series of deaths raise significant suspicion of foul play given the role of lynching in our nation’s history.” Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) called it a “national crisis.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who signed the letter, tweeted about “widespread modern-day lynchings” and “racial terror.” Every suspicious death deserves investigation. But history is not evidence. What are the facts? Demartravion “Trey” Reed, 21, was found hanging at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. The medical examiner found no foul play and ruled the death suicide. His family confirmed that his girlfriend said Reed sent suicidal texts the previous night. In Raleigh, a 32-year-old black man was found hanging downtown. Video showed him acting alone with a cord. His mother said he suffered mental health problems. Juliana Nzita, 16, was found on church property in Charlotte. Investigators found no defensive wounds, assault, foul play or outside involvement. Justice Kai James, 21, was found hanging at a Job Corps center in Albany, Georgia. Authorities called it suicide. Kyle Bassinga, 21, was found hanging in Cobb County; video showed him entering the woods alone. Authorities called it suicide. To’Nea Nicole Miller, 27, was found hanging

in Miami’s Gwen Cherry Park. Authorities called it suicide. Jerard “Jay” Jackson, 28, was found near a trail in Rothbury, Michigan. Authorities called it suicide. Tasia Fortune, 29, was found hanging behind an abandoned house in Jackson, Mississippi. Her death was ruled homicide. Police arrested Jarques Ratliff, a 51-year-old black man who knew her. His motive is unknown. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, more white Americans than black Americans die by suicide by hanging, and whites do so at a higher per-capita rate. In 2020, 10,573 white Americans and 916 black Americans died by suicide by hanging, strangulation or suffocation. The age-adjusted rates were 4.6 per 100,000 for whites and 2.0 for blacks. This blacks-being-lynched hysteria recalls the supposed epidemic of racism-driven black church burnings in the 1990s. The mainstream media pushed the narrative of organized white terrorists torching black churches across America. Then-President Bill Clinton created a national task force. The investigation found no national racist conspiracy. From 1995 through September 1998, authorities investigated 670 arsons, bombings or attempted bombings involving houses of worship. Two hundred twenty-five involved predominantly black churches. Most did not. Of the 106 suspects arrested for arson at black churches, 68 were white, 37 were black, and one was Hispanic. Some fires were indeed racist crimes, but the sweeping media narrative was false. America

had again been stampeded into believing white racism had suddenly and everywhere reared its head. Meanwhile, these so-called leaders ignore the elephant in the room. They ignore the epidemic of black children born without a father married to and living with their mother, despite overwhelming evidence that two-parent families improve economic, behavioral and educational outcomes. They ignore the crisis of K-12 schools in urban America, where most black fourth graders are not proficient in reading or math. Democratic politicians and teacher unions control and defend public urban schools. They ignore black-on-black crime. In 2023, more than half of the nation’s homicide victims were black, and of those victims, nearly 90% of the identified offenders were black. They ignore the effect of illegal immigration on black joblessness and wages. A U.S. Commission on Civil Rights investigation found that illegal immigration has tended to increase the supply of low-skilled labor and depress both wages and employment rates for low-skilled American workers — a disproportionate number of whom are black men. Research presented to the commission estimated that the immigration influx from 1980 through 2000 reduced the employment rate of low-skilled black men by 8 percentage points. Other research estimated that immigration cost the average American man without a high school diploma approximately $1,800 annually in reduced wages. Black truth-tellers who identify these problems are smeared as “Uncle Toms” and “sellouts.” The Ku Klux Klan could not have designed a more destructive arrangement. If black leadership malpractice were a crime, many politicians would be staring at life without the possibility of parole. Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com).

COLUMN | DAVID HARSANYI

The right kind of immigrants

The crime rate among Indian Americans is virtually imperceptible.

THE OTHER DAY, Bo French, a Republican candidate for the Texas Railroad Commission, a powerful regulatory body that oversees the oil and gas industry, posted a picture of a group of about 10 undergraduates who looked to be Indian American cheering the Texas Longhorns’ 20-point fourth-quarter comeback against top-ranked Ohio State. “I heard UT graduation this year looked like this,” he wrote. “I didn’t believe it. The problem is now obviously far worse than anyone imagined.” French followed up to say that he “weeps for the families in Texas who can’t get into UT because they prioritize foreigners over Texans.” Many on the New Right flocked to social media to defend French. They shouldn’t have. First off, the University of Texas at Austin’s undergrad student body is made up of more than 80% Texas residents, significantly higher than the average for most state schools nationally. Roughly 10% of students are from outside the state. Foreign students make up about 4% of the latest freshman class, which is about the national average. Of course, there’s no way French could determine whether the cheering students were Texans or foreigners based on how they looked. What he meant by “Texan” was “white.” Everything else is a distraction. But it’s true that the Indian-origin population of the University of Texas is “overrepresented.” Texas has automatic admission for the top 5% of a high school’s graduating class, and Indian Americans often excel at academics. We can have a meritocratic country that rewards the brightest and hardest-working, or we can have a country where bean-counters reward people according to skin color. It seems increasingly

clear that a growing contingent on the New Right, like the identitarians of the left, craves its own affirmative action. Yes, it’s every nation’s prerogative to set immigration policy limits, whether it’s how many people or from where. Concerns over importing too many immigrants from the same place at the same time are completely legitimate, especially since we’ve not only stopped expecting newcomers to assimilate and embrace the constitutional order but stopped expecting it of our own children. But an argument for selective immigration is a lot different from deriding a bunch of students over immutable differences such as the color of their skin or their ethnicity. With all the hysteria, you might be surprised to learn that Americans of Indian descent make up about 1.5% of the entire U.S. population and about 1.8% of the Texas population. The notion that Indians are overrunning the nation is preposterous. The idea that they are not assimilating isn’t true. Of Indian immigrants ages 5 and older, 79% are already proficient in English. Anyone who’s ever watched a spelling bee understands that Indian American children probably have a pretty good aptitude for language. About 77% of Indian Americans ages 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree. About 45% have advanced degrees. Educational attainment doesn’t always translate into material success. But Indian Americans thrive in capitalism. High numbers become doctors and engineers. The CEOs of Google, Microsoft, IBM and FedEx are Indian Americans right now. The median annual income among Indian-headed households was $151,200 in 2023, the highest of any ethnic

group in the country. The crime rate among Indian Americans is virtually imperceptible. Sounds like the kind of immigrants we want. If newcomers, for instance, congregate in welfare enclaves and import Third World ideas, that’s a problem. But all that success was attained without government help. About 6% of Americans of Indian descent live below the poverty line. To put that in perspective, depending on how you measure it, immigrants from places such as Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Jordan and Syria have welfare dependency rates from 40% to 70%. If we’re going to continue to have some level of immigration, and it seems highly likely that we will — a near-record-high 73% of voters in a rolling Gallup poll agreed with the statement that immigration was a “good thing” — we should be prioritizing and celebrating those who are best suited to acclimate to American culture and rejecting those who are not. But these nimrods running around referring to themselves as “heritage” Americans because their ancestors came to this country early on engage in a kind of stolen valor. The U.S. isn’t an aristocracy. Anyone who got here and was naturalized or born here is an American. They are judged by their actions. All people have cultural, ideological and theocratic baggage. They have their own principles, habits, rituals, outlooks, temperaments, hierarchies of morality and societal arrangements that form their worldview. Immigration only works if newcomers shed that culture and embrace our civic identity. I’m not sure there are more obvious ways to do that than wearing a cowboy hat and erupting in rapture with 100,000 of your neighbors to cheer a team nicknamed the Longhorns, who play one of the country’s quintessential games. David Harsanyi is a senior writer at the Washington Examiner. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)

Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

obituaries obituaries

worked there almost five years, and into his early 80s. Always active in the church he attended, over the years Mr. Hinson served as Sunday School Superintendent, teacher, Trustee, and on the Men’s Council. At Big Lick Baptist Church in Oakboro, he was on the Cemetery Committee, the Building and Grounds Maintenance Committee, and was a Deacon. He accompanied the men of the church to Gulfport, Miss. for a mission trip to rebuild homes after Hurricane Katrina. As a member 24, of the Good Timers, he January 1939 ~ January 15, helped organize trips 2023 and drove the van. April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023 April 7, 1942 – Sept. 17, 2026 In younger years Mr. Sr., Hinson Dwight Britten Farmer 83, activedied in the Scouting Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, ofwas Norwood Sunday morning, Charliepassed Alberta “CA” Hinson program. He served firstOakes. as a of Oakboro, away Saturday, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Jr. passed away Weblo leader, thenJanuary as Assistant January 14, 2023 at peacefully her home. on Dwight was born 24, Thursday, September Scoutmaster, and finally Barbara was born April17, 17, 2026, 1936 at 1939 in Stanly County to theas late his home in Oakboro, NC.Robert Scoutmaster ofMartha Troop 210, in North Carolina to the late Walter Virgil and Adkins Mr. Hinson April 7, Oakboro. He, along other Lee Taylor and thewas lateborn Eva Belle Farmer. He was a 1957with graduate 1942, to the late Charlie Alberta Leaders, Scouts, and Watts Taylor. ofScout Norwood High School and was Hinson, Sr. and Alma Louise parents, was Army instrumental She was also preceded in death a United States Veteran.in of Oakboro, NC. raising money, getting donations by Crayton husband Hinson of 61 years, Keith Furr He was a member of Cedar Grove He and wasbrothers, the grandson ofLee the late from businesses, and building the Drye, Robert United Methodist Church where he Daniel and Mary Belle Scout Hut in Oakboro, now used Taylor, Jr. Pierce and George Kenneth had served as church treasurer and Clark Hinson of Oakboro, and also as a Community Building Taylor. choir member. He began his career the late Jacob and Dallie Eudy and Senior Center. He was the Survivors include children, with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Crayton of Locust, NC. recipient of the Order of the Debbie (Mike) Williams of Department moving to the Norwood He is survived by his wife Arrow Award, the highest honor Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry Police Department and retiring as and sweetheart 63 years, in Scouting. of Oakboro, Douglasof(Tammy) of Police with the Town of Patricia Gayle grandchildren, Love Hinson of the ChiefMr. Hinson was extremely Drye of Oakboro; Norwood after many years of service. home; a son, Charles F. Hinson gifted in maintenance and repair Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Dwight was an avid gardener, of Sarasota, FL; and daughter work and enjoyed the challenge Samantha (Destiny) Smith of bird watcher and Carolina fan. Jennifer H. Cook andof husband of taking broken things and Oakboro, Bradley Smith Oakboro, He is survived by his wife Hilda Rev. Lee Cook of Reidsville, NC. making them work again. CA was Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Whitley Farmer; one son Britten He Stover also leaves two sisters, known as the man whoD. could Jessie of Lylesville; sister-Eunice Farmer Jr. (Mary)His of McLeansville, Cullingford and Kathy Kidd and “fix anything.” joy was to use in-law, Beatrice Goodman; many one daughterand Sharon Farmer husband, Dennis, as well as niece NC; his knowledge abilities nieces and nephews; and her beloved Lowe (David) of Norwood; oneto Stacy Dotson and husband Jeff; help his church, family, friends, cats, Bo and Garfield. sister Geraldine Troy; two and nephew Derek Cullingford neighbors andDennis severalofwidows Barbara was a member of grandchildren, Dwight Brittenthe “Dee” and wife, Kelli. Additionally, he in his community, fulfilling Oakboro Baptist Church for over Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui leaves his “adopted” Florida scripture to love others and care 60 years. She worked over 30 years Lowe. family, Scott and Ohilda for the widows. at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just He was preceded in death Bombardier and their children, He was a very kind and by gentle two years of retirement, she began his sonwho Alex,always brothers, Tommy whom he loved dearly and man had a smileand and managing the Oakboro Senior Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia claimed as his grandchildren. loved God and his fellow man. Center and did that for 18 years Glennie Mae, Betty. CA was a graduate of Oakboro Annabell, As a Bible Scholar, heand especially until this past week. Barbara was Memorials may beprophecy, made to Cedar High School, class of 1960, and enjoyed studying and known for her good cooking and Grove United Methodist Church, attended Central Piedmont his trip to Israel was one of the always taking care of others. She also or of Choir Fund c/o Pam Community College, completing Cemetery highlights his life. loved on day long shopping Smith 36071 Rockythe River Springs thegoing two-year Electronics After retiring second trips - she couldprogram. out walk and out Road, NC 28128. Technician time,Norwood, he and his wife traveled shop people her age. She kept He firsthalf retired from the extensively, driving across the herCharlotte-Mecklenburg mind and body active through School United States five times, and gardening, searches, and System word in 2002, having worked touring all the states at least once various hobbies. over other 31 years as an Electronics or more. He loved to drive and Technician in the Electronics always did all the driving himself. Maintenance Department. Later they traveled internationally During his tenure there he was and visited many other countries the recipient of many honors and also. awards. A funeral service was held He second retired in August Sunday, September 20th, at Big 2004 from Carebridge Assisted Lick Baptist Church, with Rev. Jeff Living Center in Mt. Pleasant, Springer and Rev. Tab Whitley NC, where he was Maintenance officiating. Director. He enjoyed talking with He will be greatly missed by all and helping the residents, making who knew him. In lieu of flowers, their home a beautiful and safe memorials may be made in his place to live. He made many memory to Samaritan’s Purse, friends there, as he loved the Shoebox Ministry, P.O. Box 3000, residents and they loved him. Boone, NC 28607, or St. Jude He third retired in 2022 from Children’s Research Hospital. Barringer Trace Apartments in Stanly Funeral and Cremation Mt. Pleasant and The Reserve Care of Albemarle is serving the Apartments in Albemarle, NC, as Hinson family. Director of Maintenance, having

BarbaraAlberta Jean Charlie (Taylor) Drye “CA” Hinson Jr.

Dwight Farmer

Celebrate the lifethe of your Celebrate life ofloved ones. Submit obituaries and death your loved ones. Submit notices to be published in SCJ at obituaries and death notices obits@stanlyjournal.com to be published in Stanly News Journal at obits@ stanlynewsjournal.com

IN MEMORY

RALPH COFFEY DEC. 25, 1944 – SEPT. 21, 2026 Ralph Coffey, 81, passed away on September 21, 2026, in Oakboro, NC. Born on December 25, 1944, Ralph was a kind, loving, and dedicated family man known for his deep commitment to his loved ones. Ralph is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carolyn Coffey; his son, George Coffey; daughter-in-law, Jodi Coffey; and granddaughter, Carolyn Coffey. His life was a testament to the love and care he bestowed on his family and all who knew him. Ralph enjoyed motorcycle riding and skeet shooting, activities that brought him much joy and adventure throughout his life. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to him. June know 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023 March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023 October 11, 1944 - January 10, James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of 2023 Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, WILMA CLONTZ JohnBARBEE grew up in the Millingport January 10, 2023 at Anson Health OCT. community he drove a school 16, 1939where — SEP. 21, 2026 Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, and Rehab. bus and worked at the local gas went home into God’s presence on Mr. Roseboro was born on station during his High School years. Wilma Barbee Clontz, 86, formerly of Midland, peacefully entered her heavenly January 10 after ahome sudden illness and June 23, 1967 to the late Robert He graduated from Millingport on Monday, September 21, 2026, at Tucker Hospice House, Kannapolis, N.C. a valiant week-long fight in ICU. and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He High in 1954 and entered into The family will receive friends on Friday, September 25, 2026, fromDoris 10 am – born 10:45on October 11, was graduated from South Stanly service with the US Airforce am at Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord. A funeral service will immediately follow in theof Marion, 1944, in the mountains High School and was employed by immediately afterward. Upon NC will while her father was away chapel, Pastor Rodney of Harmony Church. follow at West Triangle Brick.officiated He enjoyedby watching returnTaylor from the service, he and his Burial fighting in the US Navy during Concord Cemetery, located Union Cemetery Rd. SW, Concord. football and basketball, especially the at 331 high school sweetheart Julie were II. Raymond Jones was Clontz was born on October 1939,He in graduated Midland, NC. was aWar daughter of CarolinaWilma TarHeels and Miami. married16, in 1956. fromSheWorld so proud to return after the war and In addition to his parents he is the late Roy William Barbee, Sr.Nashville and Eva Auto Idell Diesel Furr Barbee. College later in meet his girl! Doris grew up in precededIninaddition death by his brothers to her parents, she was preceded death her husband of little 38 years, 1959 and began hisincareer asby a diesel Durham, NC and graduated from and sisters: Roseboro, mechanic at Mitchell HoyleBarbara “Buck”Lee Delane Clontz. She was preceded in Distributing death also by: sisters, Edna Barbee, Durham High School. She furthered Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Company, moving his growing Irene Campbell, Betty Stewart; & brothers, R.W. Barbee, Jr., Frank Barbee her studies at Watts Hospital Henrietta Ingram, and Harold to Charlotte where they livedCathie Wilma Barbee is survived by family her son, Ronnie Clontz & wife, of Denver, NC;intwo School of Nursing Durham and Roseboro. until their retirement. grandchildren, Tanya Taylor & husband, Clif of Concord, NC; Keely graduated Winsteadas & ahusband, Registered Nurse in He is survived by his sisters: When John purchased Cayden his first Taylor, Maylin Taylor, of Charlotte, NC.; Three great-grandchildren, 1966. HelenAndrew (James) Roseboro Edwards Model A Ford at the age of 17, he EverettMary Winstead Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted of Albemarle, Roseboro said that he took the car to the Coleman She also behind a sister-in-law, Deloris Barbee of Charlotte, NC in 1966 and had two of Washington DC,leaves and Marion community mechanic when he had daughters Amy and Laura. Doris thanksbrothers: to the caregivers at Tucker Hospice House for their loving care. MorrisonSpecial of Albemarle; a small problem.The mechanic told raised Amy and Laura in North Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Clontz family. Thomas Hartsell D. Roseboro of Charlotte, him that if he was going to keep the Augusta, SC. Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of car, he needed to learn to work on Doris was an incredible neonatal Norwood, and Van Horne; a special it. This is when John’s passion for intensive care nurse for most of her friend of over 40 years, Michelle Model ALISK Fords began and how he CATHY PATTERSON career, and this was her passion. McLendon of the home; special spent his happiest days with his best OCT. 17, 1955 — SEPT. 22, 2026 nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya friends from around the globe for the The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical Little, and Laquanza Crump; special rest his life! NC, passed away peacefully Cathy Sue Lisk Patterson, 70, of of Midland, in her home on Georgia nurse manager in Augusta, nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond At age 50, after years as a Detroit Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. at University Hospital NICU and Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and Diesel Mechanic he and Julie CathyDaphne Sue was born Oct. in Charlotte, North Carolina, toworked the late J.R. and During there forLisk 20 years. God daughter, Johnson; and 17, 1955, decided to take the plunge and this time, Doris mentored young late Lillie Jane Ford Lisk. specialthe friends, Vetrella Johnson and open a full Model A Restoration nurses and assisted in saving the She was also preceded in death by her brother, Edward J. Lisk. Ben McLendon. Shop. They thrived at their shop in lives of so many babies. She also Survivors include her husband of nearly years, Earl Patterson of Midland, Cornelius, NC50 until theirHerman retirement worked for Pediatrician Dr. William NC; son, Edward Thomas Patterson and wife Stevie; sister, Linda Lisk; as well as niece, in 1998 when they moved back to A. Wilkes in Augusta for Dana Bergeron and husband Andre; andCounty. numerous nephews and family friends. several Cabarrus Johnnieces, once again years prior to her NICU career. Doris set up shop in his back yard garage Cathy Sue and her husband Herman enjoyed antique furniture and going to estate retired from the mother/baby area at where he attracted a loyal group of sales. She loved the holidays and especially enjoyed cooking and providing meals Atrium Stanly infor 2007 after over 40 friends who almost those at Thanksgiving and Christmas. Shevisited always said daily. that it was better tonursing. have too years of While on the farm in Gold Hill, much, than not enough. Cathy Sue worked at the former Charlotte Memorial Doris wasHospital a gentle and sweet also beganshe a lifelong lovehusband with (Atrium Carolina) for 40 years. John That’s where met her Herman 1976, spirit andin loved herand Lord. She never Alis Chalmers tractors after he married shortly after. Cathy Sue will be dearly missed by all those who knew her and andshe always left met a stranger, restored his Dad’s tractor and began you feeling uplifted after talking loved her. amassing his collection of tractors with her. She would often claim that The family will receive friendsasfrom 12:00 pm 12:45 pm, Friday, September 25, 2026 well. she had at Dulin’s Grove Advent Christian John Church. The many funeral service will follow at“adopted” 1:00 pm,friends into her restored cars of immediate family, and honestly, she officiated by Rev. Matt Rice. Burial will take place the Sunset Memory Gardens, 8901 his own and had the at crowning never made a distinction between Lawyers Rd., Mint Hill. achievement of winning the most the two. Positivity radiated from her prestigious award from MARC, Memorials may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care ofThe Cabarrus County, 5003 Henry for a restoration that garnered like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081. top points. He wasthe alsoPatterson presented family.smart, and sentimental. During her Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving lifetime she was an active member with the Ken Brady Service Award of First Baptist Church of Durham, the highest award given to members First Baptist Church of Augusta, January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, at the national level. Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church 2023 This is what John’s Model A in Augusta, and Palestine United Community hadCURRIE to say upon SR. DEAN Methodist Church in Albemarle. Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, DAVID learning of his death: She especially loved helping at entered eternal rest, Sunday, January JUNE 28, 1963 – SEPT. 20, 2026 He was an active member of church with older adults, youth, and 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Wesley Chapel Methodist Church children. Born January 1973, in StanlySr., 63, of where David7,Dean Currie Waxhaw, North Carolina, passed away on Sunday, he loved serving as greeter on She was especially County, North Carolina, Darrick was September 20, 2026, following a long and courageous battle with Parkinson’s disease.talented Sunday mornings. He also belonged at sewing from a young age and the son ofBorn Eddieon James Baldwin Sr. June 28, 1963, in Charlotte, North Carolina, David was the son of the late to the United Methodist Men. made gifts for friends, Christmas and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. John is survived by his wife James Edward Currie Sr. and Mary Lee Carter. Halloween Costumes, Darrick enjoyed life, always kept Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years utilityornaments, David enjoyed a long and dedicated career in the electrical industry, doll clothes,working pageant dresses, prom things lively and enjoyed making of the home. He is also survived Pike He took great pride in his work,dresses, but he coats, also knew tote bags, scarves, otherswith smile. HisElectric presenceand is noDuke Energy. by a son Johnwas David Kluttzas (Kim) tomidst, makebut thehis workday David known the “cut-up” at work, always outfits for Amy and Laura, and longerhow in our memoryenjoyable. Oakboro, NC;to two daughters, readylive with a joke or a laugh andoffinding a way make even the busiest days a gowns little more Christening for each of her will forever in our hearts. Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and He was also could count on, always willing to lend a helping hand grandchildren. He fun. was educated in thesomeone Stanly others Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; Doris was preceded whenever it was needed. humor, kindness, willingness to help others in death by County public schools and attendedHis sense threeof grandchildren, Bonnieand Kluttz her father Arthur Raymond Jones, made him a joy School, to work alongside and a friend to many. Albemarle Senior High Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Albemarle. In addition to his parents, David preceded in death by his brother, Edward Currie. Johnwas Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) Jones, her sister He was a greatleft conversationalist Those to cherish his memory include his wife, Sandra Blairand Teague; hisMaryanne of Asheville, NC and Seth William(Sandi) Jones Brantley. and loved meeting DarrickJr. (Ashley), sons, Davidpeople. Dean Currie Christopher Currie, Stephen Thomas Currie McKinnon (Amanda)Joseph of Germany; Survivors include her two never met a stranger and always five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, (Erin), and Justin Dean Currie (Amber); his grandchildren; brothers, Rodney Currie, precious daughters: Amy Cameron showed love and compassion for his Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Wesley Currie (Elizabeth), and Keith Currie (Amanda); sister, Kathy Currie; sister-in-law, Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal fellowman. He also loved his dog, Ronan. John is alsofriends, preceded in loved ones Janet Currie; and many other family members, and whoseoflives were NC, and Chernault) Albemarle, Rocky. death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and touched by David. Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio He is survived by his father, Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large throughout David will remembered his strength and perseverance his illness (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.;be sisters: Crystal forand loving group of brothers and for the lasting(Stoney) memories he leaves with those who knew and loved him. His presence seven grandchildren: Cameron (Eric) and Jackson, LaFondra sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie will beMorgan deeplyBaldwin; missed, but his memory will remain in the hearts of his family and friends. David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Medley, and Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John are no services time. Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia brothers:There Eddie Baldwin Jr., Antonat this Kluttz, Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Baldwin,Memorials, and Lamont in Baldwin; David’sa memory, can and be made to theKevin American Parkinson Disease Phillips a grandson, Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard host ofAssociation, other relativesPO andBox friends. A 61420, Staten Island, NY 10306, Fowler Kluttz. Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, limb has Davis fallen from our family tree. Chapel-Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Monroe is serving the Currie nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved We will not grieve Darrick’s death; family. ones. we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

James Roseboro

Darrick Baldwin

John B. Kluttz

Doris Jones Coleman

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

COUNCIL from page A1 evaluating potential locations. Councilmember Bill Aldridge questioned whether the city needs the stop at all, jokingly asking whether the council’s recommended location could be outside the city. “I don’t think there’s a benefit to having a bus stop in Albemarle,” Aldridge said. Mayor Ronnie Michael said nonprofit organizations have told him the service is important for residents who lack other transportation options. Councilmember Dexter Townsend agreed the city should look for an alternate location rather than eliminate the stop. “Just because each of us has a vehicle that we can go from point A to point B, it doesn’t mean that

“I don’t think there’s a benefit to having a bus stop in Albemarle.” Councilmember Bill Aldridge every citizen in the city of Albemarle — or people visiting the city — have those same means,” Townsend said. The stop previously served Greyhound buses before Sunway Charters assumed service. Asked about his perspective, Albemarle Police Chief Ryan Manley told council members that nothing has changed since his December presentation that showed the bus stop was not creating widespread public safe-

ty or quality-of-life problems downtown. Officers had monitored the area through video review and in-person observation following concerns about loitering, panhandling, littering and homelessness near the stop. Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall suggested hearing directly from NCDOT on Oct. 19 before deciding on a preferred location. Aldridge also encouraged downtown businesses to participate in the discussion, saying their experiences should help guide the council’s decision. That will take place at the Oct. 19 Albemarle City Council meeting. The council will hold its next regular meeting on Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

Venezuela’s acting leader, at UN for first address, promises elections at ‘right moment’ Delcy Rodríguez pledged cooperation as Venezuela rebuilds from devastating earthquakes and political upheaval By Nayara Batschke The Associated Press

BANK LOCAL. BUILD LOCAL. THRIVE TOGETHER. Member FDIC Mem

$1)1

BUY ONE, GET ONE 1/2 OFF!* Waterproof (up to 1 meter)

1/')# #+ 4GEJCTIGCDNG 9KVJ VJG YQTNFoU ƂTUV #+ CPF ) )GP #+ 0'741 2TQEGUUQT

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 0'9

9*+.' 5722.+'5 .#56

%#.. (14 ;174 #221+06/'06 61&#;

111 Penny Street, Albemarle, NC Monday-Friday 9am-12pm & 1pm-5pm 704-982-8004 1-800-982-7478 www.albemarlehearing.com

12 Month No Interest and Extended Payment Plan

*some exclusions apply

VENEZUELA’S ACTING president, delivering her first address to the U.N. General Assembly since coming to power, promised elections Wednesday and said the nation’s people will determine the “right moment.” “I wish to state this very clearly before this General Assembly: Elections will be held in Venezuela,” Delcy Rodríguez said, adding that her government has started a “political dialogue with opposition sectors” to secure a “process based on equal conditions for all.” Rodríguez said the Venezuelan people will determine the best time to get elections moving and assured the United Nations that, when the time comes, the country’s institutions “will be prepared to guarantee an inclusive and transparent process.” Rodríguez took over in Venezuela after a surprise U.S. military raid in January that captured then-leader Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face drug trafficking charges. This is the first trip to the United States by a Venezuelan head of state since 2018, when Maduro traveled to New York to participate in the U.N. General Assembly himself. He is currently being held only a few miles from the organization’s headquarters as he awaits trial. Rodríguez says Venezuela coming back Rodríguez’s participation in the international forum also marks a milestone in Venezuela’s reintegration into global diplomacy. Addressing global leaders, she said that “the last time that two presidents of Venezuela and the United States met was in 2009.” She added that her country is coming back strong after “setbacks” suffered this year and thanked President Donald Trump for being willing to resume relations after the U.S. military spirited her predecessor out of the country. The other setback to which she referred: On June 24, two powerful earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck north-central Venezuela and killed more than 6,500 people, leaving an untold number of missing and causing widespread devastation. “I come to talk about a Venezuela whose national life has been affected by a crisis of political coexistence that disrupted the life of the nation and our interaction with the world,” Rodriguez said. “Interests alien to the common

good of Venezuelans were imposed.” Rodriguez faced a delicate balance in her speech, which needed to be addressed to both her people and the U.S. government that holds her predecessor. She thanked Trump for his willingness to resume the course of diplomatic relations and cooperation with Venezuela. “We are working earnestly to resolve existing differences through dialogue, but above all to pave the way for cooperation in the energy sector, the promotion of security, the joint fight against transnational crime, and economic cooperation for the benefit of both peoples and our continent,” she said. “Today, Venezuela is being reborn.” Since rising to power, Rodríguez has forged a close working relationship with Trump. U.S. influence in Venezuela has grown following the lifting of sanctions against Rodríguez in April, one of several recent moves by Washington to recognize her as a legitimate authority ever since the U.S. military captured her predecessor. Addressing some words to her people, Rodríguez said that she could not promise an “easy path,” noting that “the country’s recovery will take time.” “Rebuilding the national soul will be our priority,” she said. “We will walk united as a single nation that, after the pain, chose hope.” Trump, Rodríguez met on sideline of UN Before her speech at the U.N. Wednesday night, Trump and Rodríguez, who had been Maduro’s vice president, met at a pull-aside meeting late Tuesday during a reception the U.S. president hosted at a New York hotel. It was the first time the two had met in person since the operation that captured the nation’s former leader and effectively put Rodríguez in charge. “We discussed strengthening the bilateral relationship between our countries and advancing a cooperation agenda in strategic areas such as energy, mining, security, and other matters of mutual interest,” Rodríguez said on X after the encounter. The meeting came after the two countries announced an agreement last month to give the United States a stake in Venezuela’s vast oil reserves. She described the deal as a step toward economic recovery that will modernize the country’s oil industry. Rodríguez vowed to shoulder the “historic responsibility” of leading Venezuela “from a period of uncertainty and conflict toward a stage of full democracy, recognized by its own people and by the world.” “Venezuela wants to breathe freely and exercise its rights as a sovereign nation without any kind of interference,” she said.

Linda S. McDaniel Hearing Instrument Specialist, Owner

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com

FRANK FRANKLIN II / AP PHOTO

Delcy Rodríguez, acting president of Venezuela, addresses the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters Wednesday.

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

Skyrocketing diesel prices rattle Republicans as midterms approach High diesel prices are beginning to spike costs for groceries and consumer goods

By Nicholas Riccardi and Cathy Bussewitz The Associated Press DIESEL FUEL, which powers the global economy and the American heartland, is hitting record prices as the war in the Middle East intensifies, leaving Republican candidates reeling and contemplating extreme steps that economists warn could only increase pain for consumers. Republicans in key states like Iowa and Michigan called for ending exports of diesel refined in the United States to help boost domestic supply. President Donald Trump indicated he backs that step, though his energy secretary on Wednesday said a “blanket ban” won’t happen. The U.S. has used 4.1 million barrels of diesel per day this year, and it has exported 1.5 million per day so far, according to S&P Global Energy. The pain is obvious to anyone who drives a diesel-fueled vehicle or relies on a diesel generator to produce power. A gallon of diesel cost $6.52 Wednesday, up 73% from $3.77 right before the beginning of the war with Iran, according to AAA. But the problem will likely spread to every consumer, fueling Democratic efforts to retake control of Congress by harnessing anger over runaway costs and an unpopular overseas conflict. “The price of diesel touches everything in our economy that needs to move,” said Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist for RSM. “That includes the thing we buy the most of, groceries.” Diesel prices become latest campaign issue Although regular gas prices usually get more attention, diesel has swiftly become a hot issue on the campaign trail. Adam Hamilton, a Democratic Senate candidate who has mounted a surprisingly strong challenge to Republican Sen. Roger Marshall in Kansas, told supporters in a Topeka coffee shop this week that farmers are afraid that it’s get-

Export ban could ultimately end American oil industry, cause global recession, analysts warn

NICK INGRAM / AP PHOTO

Farmer Jason Kurtz harvests corn Sept. 8 near Forest City, Missouri. ting harder to make ends meet. “A war has sent up the price of diesel,” Hamilton said. “These guys said, ‘We don’t know if we’re going to keep the farm.’” Elaine Luria, a Democrat running for a southeastern Virginia House seat, cited the high price of diesel at a Virginia Beach roundtable Wednesday. “Iran is no further from acquiring a nuclear weapon. And Iran’s proxy groups, such as the Houthis in Yemen, are now expanding the footprint,” she said in an interview, adding that the conflict is becoming “an expanding economic crisis.” Luria is a former congresswoman trying to reclaim her seat from Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans. Republicans like Rep. Ashley Hinson, who is running for Senate in Iowa, have called for an immediate end to the war and a ban on selling diesel overseas, hoping the extra fuel would then lower prices for Americans. “Iowans are being squeezed and shouldn’t have to foot the bill at the pump or the checkout line for the war in Iran,” Hinson said. “We need to use every option at our disposal to provide some relief from high prices.” The idea has split Republicans. Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota said he’s open to it. Sen. Chuck Grassley, who is also from Iowa, has become the proposal’s strongest champion, rejecting criti-

cism from his colleagues from fuel-producing states. “IF U CAN EMBARGO CHIPS U CAN EMBARGO DIESEL,” Grassley posted on social media, referring to export controls on computer technology. Trump on Tuesday told reporters that “I’ve called for that too,” although Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the administration was still exploring how it might lower diesel prices. Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed that point Wednesday, telling a climate conference in New York that “nobody wants a full blanket ban of zero exports of diesel, that’s not what’s being discussed.” Why diesel prices are so high compared to gasoline Diesel prices have skyrocketed due to a collision of events. The Middle East produces a disproportionate share of the oil used to refine diesel, leading its price to rise faster than gasoline since the conflict began in February. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz during the war took about 20% of the world’s oil off the market, which raised the prices of diesel, gasoline and jet fuel. Some of that supply has come back, but it’s nowhere near prewar levels, said Debnil Chowdhury, who leads the Americas

“The price of diesel touches everything in our economy that needs to move. That includes the thing we buy the most of, groceries.” Joseph Brusuelas, RSM chief economist and Europe fuels and refining team at S&P Global Energy. Then there were significant attacks by Ukraine on refineries in Russia, taking 800,000 to 1 million barrels per day of diesel off the market, according to S&P. “These attacks have been pretty prominent,” Chowdhury said. “If there is a way to a peace deal or a peace agreement announcing that there will be no more attacks on Russian refineries, on Middle Eastern refineries ... that would obviously make the largest impact on the underlying price.” “The last few months eroded everyone’s cushion, but the last few weeks? Diesel went from under $6/gallon to over $6.53. Again, that was just in the last two weeks. You tell me what business, small or even large, budgeted for that,” William Stern, chief executive officer

Pentagon investigates after China obtains parts from F-35 stealth fighter jet The F-35 components were diverted to Hong Kong while being shipped from Australia By Ben Finley and Konstantin Toropin The Associated Press WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Pentagon is investigating how parts of the nation’s most advanced fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong, with a news outlet reporting Wednesday that China has obtained the F-35 equipment. The F-35 Joint Program Office said in a statement that it and the Defense Department are aware of “a shipment issue” with F-35 components. “We are actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence,” the office said. Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles acknowledged that the jet components ended up in Hong Kong when responding to questions from reporters Tuesday. But he denied that the missing parts were “sensitive equipment.” Australia is one of several nations whose militaries operate the stealth fighter jet. “Yeah, so we are obviously

of Cardiff, a San Diego-based small business lender that’s seen requests for loans spike due to the price increase, wrote in an email. An export ban could make an impact — in the wrong direction. The American Petroleum Institute warned that diesel prices would actually rise for most Americans if an export ban is enacted, a caution shared by several economists. “That will result in Americans taking a one-two punch for food and fuel prices that just don’t stop,” Brusuelas said.

AIJAZ RAHI / AP PHOTO

A U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft F-35 performs aerobatic maneuvers during the Aero India 2023 at Yelahanka air base in Bengaluru, India, in February 2023. working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this,” Marles said. He added: “My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred.” Lockheed did not immediate-

ly respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday, when Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit with President Donald Trump. China’s Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the incident, and the Hong Kong government said it would not comment on specific cases. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that China has the F-35 parts — a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door — after the ship-

ment was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong while on the way from Australia to the United States for either repair or disposal months ago. It was not clear how the shipment was diverted. Politico earlier reported that it prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could have access to key components of the highly classified technology. Beijing has kept tight control over Hong Kong since the ter-

If U.S. refineries, which take crude oil and turn it into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, stopped exporting diesel, they would wind up with a surplus of the material. They would need places to store it. Once those storage tanks filled up, analysts warn, refiners would have to stop making diesel. But they can’t just switch off diesel production without effectively cutting the supply of those other fuels and raising their prices. “There really is no easy way to repair the kind of damage it would be to the global diesel supply chain,” Chowdhury said. “It really will have this effect across the entire global economy.” He added that “the chances of a global recession would increase massively as well.” Phil Verleger, a longtime energy economist who advised the federal government during the 1970s oil shock, said he thought a diesel export ban could bring prices down but still have an extreme cost. “In a couple decades,” he warned, “the U.S. fossil fuel industry is dead.” That’s because the U.S. has been a reliable supplier of diesel to other countries that would likely look elsewhere if it cuts off supply. Verleger and other economists cited former President Richard Nixon’s ban on the export of soybeans in 1973, which led to the rest of the world shifting to Brazil as a more reliable supplier. Now, the South American country is growing faster than the U.S. But Verleger, who comes from an Iowa farming family, says he understands the visceral pain that a diesel spike causes, even though he also knows the dangers of trying to regulate it away. “It’s terrible economics, the long-term consequences will be horrible,” Verleger said. “If I were an elected politician, I’d do it.”

ritory was returned from British rule in 1997. Hong Kong cannot maintain its own military or conduct its own diplomacy. The first F-35 Lightning strike fighter rolled off an assembly line in Texas about 20 years ago and was hailed as a technological leap. Since then, more than 1,200 of the stealth jets have been made and 19 countries have placed orders for the planes, according to the Congressional Research Service. China already may have had at least some intelligence, albeit several years old, on the planes already. The Defense Science Board, which advises the Pentagon, released a report in 2013 alleging that Chinese cyberattacks accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programs, including the joint strike fighter. The F-35 is “widely recognized as America’s best and most advanced fighter jet,” according to Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington-based think tank. Bowman told the AP in November that American military systems are constantly being updated and improved, counteracting any possible secrets stolen years ago. Described as a fifth-generation fighter, the F-35’s technologies include stealth coatings as well as advanced radar and sensors, according to the Congressional Research Service. Bowman said the plane has advanced sensors to better detect enemies as well as networking capabilities to communicate with allied planes and ground forces during combat.

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

US diplomats told to say ‘super intelligence’ — not ‘artificial intelligence’ U.S. representatives have already begun using the new term at United Nations meetings By Matthew Lee The Associated Press NEW YORK — The State Department is ordering diplomats in its international organizations bureau to use the term “super intelligence” instead of “artificial intelligence” in all communications following President Donald Trump’s attempt to rebrand the technology in his address to the U.N. General Assembly this week. “Following the president’s remarks at the GA today, please change all references of ‘A rtificial Intelligence’ to ‘Super Intelligence’ in our documents and positions. We will be using ‘SI’ in all remarks, positions and press elements moving forward,” said an email sent Tuesday to employees by Michael Drager, deputy assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of International Organization Affairs. That bureau is in charge of U.S. diplomatic missions to all

U.N. and multilateral agencies around the world. The email, titled “Change in Nomenclature AI to SI,” was obtained by The Associated Press on Wednesday. It was not immediately clear if other State Department bureaus had or would follow suit. On Tuesday, Trump told the U.N. General Assembly that he would “officially” change the name of AI, saying the existing name makes the technology seem “fake” and that U.S. government documents would from that point forward use “super intelligence.” “The use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake, it makes it sound fake and it is not fake. It’s actually amazing,” Trump said. The president said at the U.N. that “from the point forward” U.S. government documents “will be changed to use the much more accurate term super as opposed to artificial. So it’s super intelligence.” Drager’s email was sent shortly after Trump’s speech, but it wasn’t clear on Wednesday whether similar orders had been sent at other agencies. Such an order would likely mean adjusting the name of

Your livelihood has been built through hard work and integrity. Trust your insurance to a company built on these same values.

the “AI Force” that Trump announced this weekend to the “SI Force.” On Wednesday, U.S. representatives used the SI term at a U.N. Security Council meeting about AI, where tech executives urged the United Nations’ most powerful body to rein in the developing technology. AI’s rapid ascent has spurred dire warnings from AI company CEOs, lawmakers and others about the technology outpacing humans’ ability to control it and calls for global guardrails. Trump has rejected efforts to slow the AI development race through greater government oversight, saying he does not want to hinder industry and that the U.S. needs to ensure an edge over China. Trump claimed on social media Monday that the U.S. is leading over China on AI and that he was “not going to stifle Growth, of something that will be bigger than the Industrial Revolution, or the Internet, itself.” AI is expected to be a key topic when Trump welcomes Chinese leader Xi Jinping to Washington for a visit starting Wednesday.

THE BEST LOCAL INSURANCE AGENCY CITY • 000-000-0000 www.bestinsuranceagency.com

704-982-0155/704-982-3200 sheltoninsurancecenter.com sheltonrealestatecenter.com

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

YUKI IWAMURA / AP PHOTO

Dario Amodei, CEO of Anthropic, speaks remotely during a Security Council meeting on artificial intelligence at the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026.

Stanly News Journal 704-982-2121

NOTICE OF GENERAL ELECTION FOR FEDERAL, STATE, COUNTY, AND MUNICIPAL OFFICES STANLY COUNTY, NC A General Election will be held in Stanly County on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The polls will be open for voting on that day from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Polling places are accessible. Curbside voting is available for voters who are not able to enter the polling place due to age or physical disability. A complete list of polling places may be found in the Notice of Polling Places and Buffer Zones posted on our website, at the Stanly County &RXUWKRXVH DQG DW WKH (OHFWLRQV 2IƂFH 7KH IROORZLQJ RIƂFHV DUH LQFOXGHG RQ WKH EDOORW IRU WKLV election: 3DUWLVDQ 2IƂFHV 86 6HQDWH 86 +RXVH RI Representatives District 8, NC Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1, NC Court of Appeals Judge Seats 1, 2, 1& 6WDWH 6HQDWH 'LVWULFW 1& 6WDWH +RXVH RI Representatives District 67, NC Superior Court Judge District 28 Seats 1, 2, & 3, District Attorney District 28, County Board of Commissioners At-Large and Districts 1, 2, 3, & 4, County Board of Education At-Large and District 1, County Clerk of Superior Court, and County Sheriff. 1RQ 3DUWLVDQ 2IƂFHV &RXQW\ 6RLO :DWHU Conservation District Supervisor, City of Albemarle Council At-Large and Districts 2 & 4, Town of Badin Council At/DUJH DQG 'LVWULFWV (DVW :HVW &LW\ RI /RFXVW 0D\RU &LW\ RI /RFXVW &RXQFLO $W /DUJH 9LOODJH RI 0LVHQKHLPHU &RXQFLO $W /DUJH 7RZQ RI 1HZ /RQGRQ 0D\RU 7RZQ RI New London Board of Commissioners At-Large, Town of Norwood Council At-Large, Town of Oakboro Board of Commissioners At-Large, Town of Red Cross Council $W /DUJH 7RZQ RI 5LFKƂHOG 0D\RU 7RZQ RI 5LFKƂHOG %RDUG RI &RPPLVVLRQHUV $W /DUJH 7RZQ RI 6WDQƂHOG 0D\RU DQG 7RZQ RI 6WDQƂHOG %RDUG RI &RPPLVVLRQHUV $W /DUJH Referendum: Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo LGHQWLƂFDWLRQ EHIRUH YRWLQJ Constitutional amendment to keep the State income tax rate from being raised higher than three and one-half percent (3.5%). Constitutional amendment requiring limits on property tax increases by local governments. 2QO\ TXDOLƂHG UHVLGHQWV PD\ YRWH LQ WKLV HOHFWLRQ Residents who will be 18 years of age by November 3, 2026 are allowed to register at the age of 17. Residents who are not registered to vote must register by Friday, October 9, 2026 to be eligible to vote on Election Day. A SHUVRQ PD\ UHJLVWHU WR YRWH DW WKH %RDUG RI (OHFWLRQV 2IƂFH

weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Other registration DJHQFLHV LQFOXGH '09 RQOLQH DQG LQ SHUVRQ 3XEOLF $VVLVWDQFH 2IƂFHV +LJK 6FKRROV &RPPXQLW\ &ROOHJHV & Libraries. Applications may be downloaded at www. ncsbe.gov. Applications are accepted in-person, by mail, by fax, and by email of a scanned document. Originals of faxed or emailed applications for new registrations must be received by October 14, 2026. Voters who previously registered do not need to reUHJLVWHU $ YRWHU ZKR ZLVKHV WR FKDQJH SDUW\ DIƂOLDWLRQ must make that change with the Board of Elections by October 9, 2026. Registration updates are made and submitted as described above for new registrants. Address changes should be made by the same deadline, but may be made at the time a voter presents to vote. 3KRWR ,GHQWLƂFDWLRQ $OO YRWHUV ZLOO EH DVNHG WR VKRZ SKRWR LGHQWLƂFDWLRQ ZKHQ YRWLQJ $EVHQWHH E\ PDLO YRWHUV ZLOO EH DVNHG WR LQFOXGH D FRS\ RI WKHLU SKRWR LGHQWLƂFDWLRQ with their ballot. Acceptable photo IDs that may be expired up to one \HDU 1& 'ULYHU /LFHQVH 86 3DVVSRUW 1& '09 6WDWH ,' NC Voter Photo ID, approved College/university student ID cards, approved Government employee ID cards (including charter schools), and out of state driver license/ID if the voter registered within 90 days of the election. *Temporary exception: A Class C driver license that expired on or after July 1, 2025 is acceptable. Acceptable photo IDs that do not require a printed H[SLUDWLRQ GDWH DQG KDYH QR H[SLUDWLRQ OLPLW 0LOLWDU\ ,' Veterans ID, Tribal enrollment card for a state or federally recognized tribe, and a public assistance ID. Voters who cannot provide an acceptable photo ID may cast a provisional ballot and later provide an ID to WKH HOHFWLRQV RIƂFH SULRU WR WKH FDQYDVV RU FRPSOHWH DQ exception form with the provisional ballot. Exceptions include a reasonable impediment to obtaining photo ID, or for absentee-by-mail voters providing a copy of the ID, a religious objection to being photographed, or as a victim of a declared natural disaster within 100 days before election day. Absentee ballots are available by-mail upon request of WKH YRWHU YRWHUpV QHDU UHODWLYH YHULƂDEOH OHJDO JXDUGLDQ RU a person of the voter’s choice if the voter needs assistance due to a disability. Requests can be made online at votebymail.ncsbe.gov or on the State Absentee Request form. Request forms are available on the website or by FDOOLQJ WKH %RDUG RI (OHFWLRQV RIƂFH %DOORWV DUH PDLOHG

September 4, 2026 through October 20, 2026. After this time, voters who are sick or disabled, or a near relative RU YHULƂDEOH OHJDO JXDUGLDQ RI WKH YRWHU PD\ DSSO\ IRU DQ absentee ballot in person between October 21, 2026 and November 2, 2026. Requests must be returned by mail or in-person. They will not be accepted by email or fax. Ballots must be returned by mail, courier, or delivered LQ SHUVRQ E\ WKH YRWHU YRWHUpV QHDU UHODWLYH YHULƂDEOH OHJDO guardian, or by a person of the voter’s choice if the voter needs assistance returning their ballot due to a disability. Civilian ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections E\ S P RQ 1RYHPEHU 0LOLWDU\ DQG RYHUVHDV citizen ballots must be received by the close of polls or transmitted by 12:01 a.m. (voter time) on November 3, 2026 and received by 5:00 p.m. November 12, 2026. Early voting will be held at the Board of Elections in the DSS Auditorium located at the Stanly Commons, 1000 N First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 and the Locust Town &HQWHU LQ WKH -RHO +XQH\FXWW &RPPXQLW\ 5RRP ORFDWHG DW 186 Ray Kennedy Drive Locust, NC 28097 on weekdays, Thursday, October 15, 2026 to Friday, October 30, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and on Saturday, October 31, 2026 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. As permitted by law, persons wishing to register and vote after the registration deadline may appear in person at an early voting site, complete the voter registration application form, and provide proof of residence by presenting valid documents showing current name and address. 7KH ERDUG ZLOO PHHW RQ 0RQGD\ 1RYHPEHU DW 10:00 a.m. to conduct the sample hand-eye count, and Tuesday November 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. to approve provisional ballots cured and civilian absentee ballots. The canvass will begin Friday, November 13, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Persons with questions about registration, location of polling places, absentee ballots, or other election matters may contact the Stanly County Board of Elections at 1000 N First Street, Suite 4, Albemarle NC 28001; at (704) 986 E\ 86 0DLO 32 %R[ $OEHPDUOH 1& E\ email: elections@stanlycountync.gov; or visit our web site at www.votestanlycountync.gov. :LOOLDP 1 5LJVEHH -U &KDLU Stanly County Board of Elections 38%/,6+ 6XQGD\V 6HSWHPEHU 2FWREHU 2026

STANLY SPORTS

COURTESY PFEIFFER ATHLETICS

The Pfeiffer women’s soccer team prepares for game action with a huddle.

Pfeiffer women’s soccer opens conference play with win The Falcons began USA South play with a 2-1 road victory By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal MISENHEIMER — The Pfeiffer women’s soccer team opened USA South Conference play on a winning note last weekend, earning a 2-1 road victory over William Peace in Cary. It was the squad’s first win since a 5-0 season opener at Averett on Sept. 1. On Sunday, the Falcons

(2-2-2, 1-0 USA South) wasted little time taking control, as senior forward Khamani Spencer scored just 5:04 into the match — her second goal of the season — to give her team an early 1-0 advantage over the Pacers (4-3-2, 0-1 USA South). Pfeiffer continued to create chances throughout the first half, outshooting William Peace 10-1 before the break while keeping the Pacers from generating much offensive pressure. The Falcons added to their lead in the 61st minute when sophomore midfielder Corinne

USA South wins Pfeiffer had last season

Browning entered as a substitute and scored just 16 seconds later. Browning’s goal pushed the advantage to 2-0 and ultimately stood as the game-winner. Responding in the 73rd

minute, William Peace got on the board when Hannah Torri found the net to cut the deficit to 2-1, but the Falcons held the Pacers scoreless the rest of the way. Pfeiffer’s Jerusalen Gonzalez made both of her saves in the second half to preserve the win. The freshman goalkeeper now has 12 saves through six matches this season. The Falcons finished with a 19-5 advantage in total shots and held a 10-3 edge in shots on goal, controlling the corner-kick count 9-1. Seven Pfeiffer players have

scored this season, led by Spencer and sophomore midfielder Lily Bido with two goals apiece. The conference-opening win gives the Falcons an early boost after a difficult 2025 campaign during which the team finished 2-12-1 overall and went 1-7-1 in USA South play, placing ninth in the league standings. Fourth-year coach Acasio Roche III is looking to guide the program forward after the Falcons were held to three or fewer victories in each of the past five seasons. Pfeiffer was picked to finish eighth in the USA South preseason poll, while defending league champ Brevard was selected first, followed by Southern Virginia and Greensboro. The Falcons were set to play their conference home opener Saturday at 3 p.m. against N.C. Wesleyan at Lefko-Mills Field in Misenheimer.

Rotary West Stanly golf tournament to raise funds for scholarship The annual event returns Oct. 2 at Red Bridge Golf Club By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal LOCUST — Local golfers will have a chance to compete for prizes while supporting students when the Rotary Club of West Stanly holds its upcoming scholarship golf tournament. Set for Friday, Oct. 2 at Red Bridge Golf Club in Locust, the 2026 Rotary West Stanly Scholarship Golf Tournament will feature a captain’s choice format, with registration beginning at 10 a.m., lunch at 11 a.m. and a shotgun start scheduled for noon. “We are incredibly grateful for the support this tournament receives each year from our golfers, sponsors and community,” the club said in a statement. “Every team that plays and every business or individual who sponsors the tourna-

ment helps us invest directly in the future of local students.” Teams will compete for prizes awarded to the top three finishers. Members of the winning team will each receive $150, while the second- and third-place teams will receive rounds of golf at local partner courses. Registration costs $125 per golfer or $450 for a four-player team, giving groups a $50 discount. Players can also purchase two mulligans for $20. Along with the competition on the course, the tournament will include raffle baskets and cash prizes. Raffle tickets are $5 each or five for $20, and participants do not have to be present to win. Cash raffle prizes include $125 for first place, $50 for second and $25 for third. The event’s auction is scheduled to close at 4 p.m. The annual tournament serves as one of West Stanly Rotary’s primary fundraisers for its scholarship program.

COURTESY RED BRIDGE GOLF CLUB

Locust’s Red Bridge Golf Club is the home of the 2026 Rotary West Stanly Scholarship Golf Tournament. The club awarded $8,000 in scholarships to area students last year and hopes to match or surpass that amount through this year’s event. Tournament organizers are still accepting golfers and sponsors. Sponsorship packages begin at $125 and include recognition at the course, while some levels also include entry for a team.

Those who do not plan to play can contribute through sponsorships, donations or raffle ticket purchases. Teams, sponsors and donors can register for the event online at birdease. com/golfforstanlystudents. Red Bridge Golf Club will host the tournament, with Sarlie’s BBQ served before golfers head to their starting holes for the noon shotgun start.

“We are incredibly grateful for the support this tournament receives each year from our golfers, sponsors and community.” West Stanly Rotary Club

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

Avs’ 41-year-old defenseman Burns trimmed beard, not ambition The former Hurricane enters 23rd season By Pat Graham The Associated Press ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The famed bushy beard of Brent Burns was neatly groomed. His hair, too. When he smiled, front teeth gleamed in the gap where he once had none. It’s a fresh look as the 41-year-old Colorado Avalanche defenseman embarks on his 23rd NHL season. But he’s still the colorful character they refer to as “Burnsy,” the one who’s still up for the grind as he chases his first Stanley Cup title. The one who took a young player under his wing this summer and invited him into his house. The one who doesn’t focus on the possibility of breaking the league’s all-time ironman streak, which, health willing, could happen in February. “I’m trying to figure out what stick I’m going to use tomorrow, what I’m going to eat tonight,” said Burns, who has played in 1,007 straight regular-season games and sits 57 away from tying the mark of Phil Kessel. “I don’t really

think about all the other stuff.” Retirement didn’t even really cross his mind after the Avalanche were swept by Vegas in the Western Conference final. He signed another one-year deal in late June and was right back to training. His superpower, according to teammate Brock Nelson, is his ability to stay young at heart. “I don’t think he strikes anybody as a 41-year-old. He still seems like an 18-, 19-year-old kid,” the 34-year-old Nelson said. “Just having fun, always laughing and having a good time.” Chasing Kessel’s ironman streak Kessel’s consecutive games streak stands at 1,064 and took place from Nov. 3, 2009, to April 13, 2023. Should Burns remain in the lineup, he could tie the mark Feb. 13 at Tampa Bay and break it two days later in front of the home crowd against Columbus. “I’m not going to be the guy that breaks that streak,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “I’ve got way too much respect for him, for what he’s done in his career, and for what he’s do-

ERIN HOOLEY / AP PHOTO

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brent Burns smiles at his teammates at the end of game in March. ing for us on a daily basis. He’s proven to me that he deserves to be in our lineup. I’m hoping that he can stay healthy and get it. I wish him the best of luck, and I just hope his health holds up.” Bednar added that Burns returned this season in “phenomenal condition.” “It’s not just the beard that’s making him look younger — or lack of a beard — I think he’s in great condition.” But there’s another factor that goes into keeping the streak going: good fortune. That’s why he doesn’t fret about it. “There’s just too much that can happen,” said Burns, whose streak began on Nov. 21, 2013, while with San Jose. “If you

start thinking about that, (expletive) will happen. I’m not really lying, I don’t really think about it. “Just trying to stay afloat most of the time — and figure out what’s for dinner.”

“Just trying to stay afloat most of the time — and figure out what’s for dinner.”

A long season

Brent Burns

He embraces the grind of a long season, which he still relishes. “I must,” he said, referring to his longevity. As for his groomed beard, he said, “it’s a little different, for sure.” But he found an advantage: The trim makes him more aerodynamic on the ice to keep up with the youngsters. “You’ve got to enjoy the fun

things, the (expletive) things, the mundane things,” Burns said. “You’ve got to enjoy being at the rink. It’s not easy. It’s not all great. Some hard days, hard work. But I think when you’re with a group that loves to work and we just naturally have fun doing it, it definitely helps, too. “I think that’s an important part, just to enjoy that process.”

Wide receiver Coker thriving in Carolina while former first-round pick Legette struggles The Holy Cross product has developed into an NFL starter By Steve Reed The Associated Press CHARLOTTE — Wide receiver Jalen Coker, an undrafted rookie in 2024, is thriving with the Carolina Panthers. The same can’t be said for the team’s first-round draft pick that year, Xavier Legette. Legette finds himself firmly behind Coker on the depth chart — and the gap only seems to be widening. Coker, who took over Carolina’s No. 2 wide receiver spot opposite Tetairoa McMillan late last season, turned in an eye-catching performance to open the season with eight catches for a career-high 138 yards and two touchdowns last weekend against the Bears. That came after he hauled in nine passes for 134 yards and a touchdown in last year’s wild-card playoff game against the Rams. “The NFL has no respect for rounds,” Panthers coach Dave Canales said of the NFL Draft. Canales points to the 2014 Seattle Seahawks, a team he worked for as an assistant coach. The Seahawks reached the Super Bowl with mostly undrafted wide receivers on their roster. “They were tough guys who cared, and were intentional about their work. They made plays when the plays came to them,” Canales said. “And it’s as simple as that. ... For all of these guys on our team, when the quarterback gives you an opportunity, make the play. He will come back to you again.” Bryce Young has learned he can trust Coker to catch the ball, and he keeps going back to him. Over the last 12 games, Young has thrown 62 balls to Coker and he’s caught 81% of them. Coker first turned heads in Carolina in a 2024 game against Denver, when he made a difficult leaping catch along the sideline just weeks after being promoted from the practice squad. “At that time, he still didn’t have a full grasp for what our

SCOTT KINSER / AP PHOTO

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker makes a catch to score a touchdown against the Bears. system was,” Canales said. “All he knew was he had a one-on-one opportunity, go get the ball. Jalen has got that type of gamesmanship. If you talk to him, he’s the nicest kid in the world. When he gets between the lines, it’s a different animal.” Part of that mentality comes from his desire to prove to the league that he belongs. Coker wasn’t highly recruited out of high school — he had average speed — and wound up at Holy Cross. He put up big numbers his first two seasons and had some opportunities to transfer and play for bigger schools. But he kept a promise to his mother and stayed in Worcester, Massachusetts. “I just remember my mom told me, ‘If you commit here,

“I still have a ton of work to do. By no means have I arrived or anything like that.” Jalen Coker you’re committing to go here for all four years — no transferring, none of that stuff,’” Coker said. “So I said, ‘OK, I made a commitment. I’m sticking to it.’” Coker missed the first third of the 2025 season with a quad injury, and slowly saw more playing time as the season went on. He finished the regular season with 33 catches for 394 yards and three touchdowns. That, along with the big per-

formance in the playoff game, persuaded the Panthers to give him a three-year, $35 million contract extension this offseason — a deal that could end up being a huge bargain for the Panthers if he continues to produce like he has the last two games. The rest of the league seems to be taking notice of No. 18. Falcons cornerback Jessie Bates III said before Atlanta’s game Sunday against the Panthers that the Falcons can’t focus all of their attention on McMillan, last season’s Offensive Rookie of the Year. Coker can beat them too. “I think he’s just someone that Bryce has created some chemistry with and someone that he really trusts,” Bates said. “He can give him a chance, 50-50

balls. He can really trust that dude to go make some plays for him. So I just think that he’s a really good receiver. It’ll be another draft that doesn’t explain what type of player he is.” Coker said success came quickly for him last season, but added that he approached this offseason needing to improve on “everything.” “I just want to continue to elevate what I did last year and just make it just a little bit better,” Coker said. “Work on run after the catch. I have a few passes in the playoff game in particular that I want back. There were plays I could have been better, just cleaner.” Coker added: “I still have a ton of work to do. By no means have I arrived or anything like that.”

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

NC State’s Doeren faces test of rallying Wolfpack after shocking loss to Vanderbilt

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Andre Dockery

The last-second loss was a blow to the locker room By Aaron Beard The Associated Press NC STATE coach Dave Doeren has led his Wolfpack through tough moments before. Doing so this week — after suffering one of the most stunning and improbable losses in recent memory in college football — will be a tougher challenge. The Wolfpack led last Saturday before quarterback CJ Bailey lost a fumble in the end zone while trying to burn the clock and take an intentional safety, turning a road win against a Southeastern Conference opponent into a 35-31 loss at Vanderbilt that has dominated national headlines and replay clips. That’s left the 14th-year coach with more wins than any coach in program history facing the challenge of rallying a team from a devastating loss in time for this Saturday night’s visit from Appalachian State. “It’s a terrible way to end a football game that you controlled,” Doeren said Monday afternoon. “So there was a lot of pain in that locker room after the game, a lot of anger. I know the fans feel the same way.” The moment will haunt Doeren and the Wolfpack (1-2) regardless of what happens from here. According to ESPN, college football teams were 1,046-1 over the last 20 seasons when having the ball and the lead with 10 seconds to go in a game. NC State led 31-28 and faced a fourth-and-3 play from its own 5-yard line with 6 seconds left. Bailey could have taken a knee or scrambled out of the back of the end zone to all but seal the win while giving up a safety. Instead, the third-year starter started running toward the oncoming desperation pass rush, then took a hit that knocked the ball loose for Van-

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

NC State head coach Dave Doeren looks onto the field during the second half of the Wolfpack’s game at Vanderbilt last Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.

“You never sleep as a coach after a tough loss, particularly a loss like that when you feel like you were the better team.” NC State coach Dave Doeren derbilt to recover as a winning touchdown. Doeren said it was a scenario the team practices regularly, and that Bailey was “trying to get too much time off the clock.” “When a play isn’t executed properly, there’s two things that are true,” Doeren said. “The player didn’t do what he was coached or trained to do, and the coach didn’t do a good enough job training the player to do what he wanted him to do. And both of those things are true. “Like I said after the game: CJ takes ownership, I take ownership, (offensive coordinator) Kurt Roper takes ownership, we take ownership.”

Doeren said he and Bailey have spent time “just talking through” the whole sequence since last Saturday. “Letting him vent and talk, letting me do the same,” Doeren said. “He and I love each other and have a lot of respect for each other.” Doeren said he was “just so mad and in shock at what went down” immediately after the game, particularly with the Wolfpack playing well enough to win right up until that moment. “You never sleep as a coach after a tough loss, particularly a loss like that when you feel like you were the better team,” Doeren said. Asked about any other comparable experience he could draw from, Doeren referenced a 2016 loss at Clemson. That game saw the Wolfpack miss a short field goal to win at the end of regulation before losing in overtime. Doeren has brought it all up with this year’s team. “That devastated our locker room for a long period of time,” Doeren said. “I’m not going to let that happen.”

ANDRE DOCKERY / INSTAGRAM

South Stanly, football Andre Dockery is a sophomore running back and linebacker for the South Stanly football team. He also plays basketball for the Rowdy Rebel Bulls. South Stanly posted its first win of the season last week, over Bonnie Cone Leadership Academy, and Dockery came up big on both sides of the ball. At running back, he gained 142 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns by ground. He also caught two passes for 47 yards and scored another touchdown by air. On defense, he recovered a fumble and returned it 62 yards for a fourth touchdown, this one via scoop and score. He also had a sack and a tackle for loss.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@ stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at noon

GEORGE WALKER IV / AP PHOTO

Vanderbilt defensive end Miles Capers (29) celebrates the team’s win over NC State.

B.B. OIL, INC. Serving Stanly County for 6 Years

A/C CHECKUPS Hours: M-F 7a-4:30p

Year Round Comfort for Your Home Heating & Air Conditioning x DIESEL x HOME HEATING x KEROSENE x TIRES x BATTERIES x AUTO ACCESSORIES x INSPECTION

704-463-7543

128 Hwy. 49 North y Richfield, NC bboilinc.com

219 W. Main Street Albemarle, NC 28001

ZZZ ODUU\PFJXLUHUHDOW\ FRP

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

CLASSIFIEDS NOTICES

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

2023 NISSAN FRONTIER SV CREW CAB 2025 NISSAN SENTRA SV......... 30K RATED 4X4 WHITE V6 12K LIKE NEW $34,995

40MPG HIGHWAY ROSEWOOD MET

2023 DODGE CHARGER SXT JUST........................................... 19,995 BLACK TOP PACKAGE WHITE 2025MILES JEEP SHARP COMPASS TRAILHAWK 2,600 .................... $29,995

AWD WHITE 27K OFF RD PACKAGE 2023 CHEV EQUINOX LT 19K ALL WHEEL .....................................................25,995 DRIVE 4CLY PRETTY GRAY JUST ..... $25,995 2024 HONDA RIDGELINE BLACK 2022 FORDAWD F150 52K CREW CAB 4X4 DIAMOND 5.0 V8 FX4 EDITION 1 OWNER PACKAGE WHITE SHARP ............... $35,995 WHITE .........................................35,995 2022 CIVIC TOURINGSPORT LEATHER 2024HONDA HONDA RIDGELINE SONIC SUNROOF DIAMOND WHITE1 LOOK ... $25,995 GRAY PEARL 37K AWD OWNER .....................................................33,995 2021 JEEP GLADIATOR OVERLAND 4X4 37K 12024 OWNER MEDBRONCO RED METSPORT SHARP DESERT ..... $36,995 FORD SAND AWDODYSSEY 45K BIG BEND EDITION 2021 HONDA EXL 43K LEATHER .....................................................26,995 SUNROOF NEW TIRES CLEAN ......... $33,995 2023FORD NISSAN FRONTIER CREW CAB 2021 BRONCO SPORT SV BADLANDS 4X4WHITE V6 WHITE 18K NICE ............35,995 4X4 NC ONE OWNER “8K”.... $31,995 2023 TOYOTA TACOMA SR ......DOUBLE 2021 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5 V6 WHITE CAB 4X4 SR5 WHITE V6 1 OWNER DOUBLE CAB 56K BLACK WHEELS ... $31,995 ...............................................TOO LATE! 2021 RAV4 XLE 49KOVERLAND WHITE 2021TOYOTA JEEP GLADIATOR LOCAL TAN INTERIOR NICE ............ $27,995 4X4 37K 1 OWNER MED RED MET 2021 JEEP CHEROKEE LATITUDE LUX V6 ....................................... “NOW” 32,995 NEW COLOR 15K XLE SHARP ....... $25,995 2022GRAY TOYOTA RAV4 PREMIUM 2021 NISSANPEARL ALTIMALEATHER SR WHITE64K 16K BLIZZARD 4CLY LOW MILES NICE ................. $24,995 .....................................................28,995 2022SUBARU HONDAIMPREZA ODYSSEY EXL V6 2021 SPORT LEATHER PRETTY BLUEDRIVE NC 1 OWNER WAGON 4CLY ALL WHEEL 1ONLY............................................24,995 0WNER 23K ............................ $23,995 2022HONDA HONDA HRV AWD MED GRAY 2020 CRV EXLEX DIAMOND WHITE 45K “GOOD ON GAS”“21K” .................22,995 LIGHT BEIGE INTERIOR ........ $29,995 2021SUBARU FORD BRONCO CACTUS 2019 FORESTERSPORT LIMITED DIAMOND GRAY59K 24K59K ONE OWNER.............. “THE $25,995 WHITE LEATHER NEWEST” ....................................24,995 2019 CHEV BLAZER PREMIER V6 ALL WHEEL 2021 62K HONDA CRV EXL 67K MED GRAY DRIVE SILVER LEATHER .......... $24,995 LEATHER SUNROOF VERY CLEAN 2019 FORD FUSION SE 4CLY 65K RUBY RED .....................................................25,995 MET NICE AND SHARP ONLY .......... $18,995 2020 FORD RANGER XLT CREW CAB 2019 3 PREMIUM LEATHER 4X4MAZDA FX4 OFF RD PKG MED RED 22K SUNROOF DIAMOND WHITE 43K .....................................................29,995 JUST 2020....................................... FORD F150 XLT CREW CAB$19,995 4X4 2019 TOYOTA CAMRY SE 4CLY POWER SEAT “RED” 5.0 V8 ENGINE “PRICED” PRETTY BLUE SPORT WHEELS ....... $19,995 .....................................................22,995 2019HONDA TOYOTA RAV4 XLE ALL WHEEL 2019 CIVIC LX WHITE LOCAL OWNERWHITE TRADE 67K NEWNICE TIRES DRIVE1 SUPER JUST ....................................... $12,995 .....................................................24,995 2019FORD CHEV BLAZER XLT PREMIER V6 ALL 2018 EXPLORER V6 LEATHER WHEEL“LOW DRIVE 62K21K” SILVER LEATHER SILVER MILES ........ TOO LATE ! .....................................................24,995 2018 HONDA CRV EXL LEATHER SUNROOF 2018 SOULDRIVE 4CLYTAN MED GRAY 92K 50K ALLKIA WHEEL ........ TOO LATE! LOCAL TRADE “BEST BUY” ......10,995 2018 HONDA CRV AWD TOURING DIAMOND 2017 HONDA RIDGELINE RTL-T WHITE 84K LOCAL ONE OWNER ......WHITE $22,995 DIAMOND 27K LOCAL 1 OWNER 2018 TOYOTA COROLLA LE WHITE ...............................................TOO LATE! “26K” GREAT GAS MILEAGE .......... $18,995 2017 CHEV COLORADO Z71 EXTENDED 2017 DOUBLE CAB LATE! CABTOYOTA 4X4 V6TACOMA WHITE 60K.......TOO LIMITED 4X4 WHITE 70K ............... $34,995 2016 TOYOTA CAMRY XLE 4CLY TAN 2017 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER XLE116K LEATHER LEATHER DIAMOND WHITE SILVER 3RD SEAT 79K LOOK .......... $26,995 .....................................................15,995 2016 F150 CREW XLTCAB V6 BLACK 2014FORD FORD F150 XLTCAB CREW V6 ALL POWER CHROME ....... $21,995 SILVER 94K “CHECKWHEELS HER OUT” ...............................................TOO LATE! 2016 FORD F150 CREW CAB XLT V6 RUBY 2014 HONDA PILOT TOURING $19,995 RED 112K 2 WHEEL DRIVE............. BLIZZARD WHITE 101K 3RD 2016 HONDA PEARLE CRV TOURING SEAT............................................14,995 WHITE DIAMOND 77K 2014 HONDA CRV..................... LX BASQUE RED LEATHER SUNROOF $19,995 PEARL 105K 4CLY 2016 HONDA ACCORDCLEAN EX MED.........12,995 GRAY 4CLY 2012 HONDAHARD ACCORD EX ......... 4CLY BLACK 71K 1 OWNER TO FIND $18,995 CLEAN HARD TO FIND JUST ..... 11,995 2016 HONDA CRV SE AWD SILVER 107K 2012 HONDA CIVIC LX 4DR GRAY 109K NICE AND CLEAN JUST ................. $16,995 GREAT GAS MILEAGE WON’T LAST 2016 FORD MUSTANG V6 SILVER 86K .....................................................10,995 LOW MILES SPORTY BUY X-CAB IT........V6 TOO LATE! 2003 DODGE DAKOTA 2015 JEEP UNLIMITED RUBICON 4X4LATE! SILVER CHARCOAL GRAY LOCAL.....TOO 69K LOADED NC 1 OWNER ............ $26,995 2014 BUICK LACROSSE V6 CXL LEATHER SEATS CHAMPAGNE COLOR “66K”...................................... $16,995

NOTICE 2013 HONDA ACCORD EXL V6 LEATHER PEARL WHITED 125K NORTH CAROLINA LOCAL TRADE ........................... $12 ,995 STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE 2010 FORD F150 LARIAT SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION CREW CAB DIAMOND BEFORE THE CLERK WHITE 5.4 ENG “THENO. KIND” .............................. $17,995 FILE 26E000412-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Linda Hoyle Henson deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Linda Hoyle Henson to present them to the undersigned on or before December 15, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 13th day of September 2026. Jeffrey A. Henson 1122 Timber Drive Greenville, NC 27858 Executor

Public Notice

Let’s Work Together Full-Time • Director, Emergency Medical Sciences Program • Director, Enterprise Applications • Director, Health & Public Services Workforce Development • Instructor, Engineering Technology (10 - Month) • Instructor/Coordinator, Emergency Medical Science Program • Specialist, Computer Support

•••

Part-Time • Adjunct Instructor, BLET • Adjunct Instructor, Cosmetology “Substitute” • Adjunct Instructor, Employability Skills & Employment Readiness • Adjunct Instructor, EMS (EMT Continuing Ed) • Adjunct Instructor, EMS - Paramedic • Adjunct Instructor, English as a Second Language – ACI (nights)

Become part of • Adjunct Instructors, Nurse Aide I and II something great... • Adjunct Instructor, Fire/Rescue Program (Weekend position)

We are eager to welcome individuals who are dedicated • Housekeeping (3pm-8pm) to our mission and committed • Staff, Food Service to enhancing our community. • Tutoring Specialist, Academic Support Center Interested candidates are invited UPDATED to browse our open full and part • the website time positions• •via areto onapply our for belowJob to descriptions find out how website. Please complete an online one of our application job openings at at SCC. • Facilitator, ACI

www.stanly.edu/college-information/ employment-opportunities.

HIRING North State Journal is hiring Stanly County Reporter Stanly County Advertising Representative jobs@stanlynewsjournal.com

704-982-2121

Stanfield Board of Commissioners meeting for the month of October will be held Thursday Oct 8 instead of Thursday October 1, due to renovations to the Town Hall.

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA, STANLY COUNTY. IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION 26CV001358-830 ELEUTERIA BENITEZ CARRILLO, Plaintiff, vs JOSE EFRAIN DEL CID BENITEZ, Defendant NOTICE OF SERVICE BY PUBLICATION To: Jose Efrain Del Cid Benitez, Defendant Take notice that a pleading seeking relief against you has been filed in the aboveentitled civil action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: That the plaintiff, Eleuteria Benitez Carrillo be granted an absolute divorce from you, the defendant, Jose Efrain Del Cid Benitez. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than the 6th day of November, 2026, said date being 40 days from the first publication of this notice, and upon your failure to do so, the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This is the 18th day of September, 2026. James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Plaintiff P.O. Box 1162, Albemarle, NC 28002 704.983.2709 Publish September 27, 2026 October 4, 2026 October 11, 2026

Public Notice The City of Locust will hold a public hearing on October 8, 2026, at 7:00 pm in the Joel Huneycutt Community Room to hear citizens comments for or against the conditional rezoning request submitted by, Travis Alley, parcel pin# 557504737260, 714 E Main St, Locust NC

Sheryl Burleson Administrator of the Estate of Bruce Cletus Burleson 25647 April Lane Albemarle, NC 28001 PUBLISH: September 13, 20, 27, October 4, 2026 James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The Midland Town Council will hold a meeting on October 13, 2026, at 6:00 PM at the Midland Town Hall, located at 4293 HWY 24/27 – Suite B, Midland, NC 28107 on the following item: Petition TA-2026-04 is a request by the Town of Midland Planning Department to amend various Sections of Chapter 5.3 Amendment Process to update the neighborhood meeting requirements for General Rezonings by proposing MDO updates that removes the neighborhood meeting recommendation and outlines new parameters for when a neighborhood meeting would be required. This change will offer greater public participation and awareness from adjoining residents when a general rezoning change is proposed near their property. The public is invited to attend the meeting. Substantial changes may occur to the request based on comments from the meeting. For further information regarding the cases listed above, please contact the Town of Midland Planning Department at (704) 888-2232.

NOTICE OF LEGISLATIVE HEARING

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

STANLY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS STANLY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Notice is hereby given that the Stanly County Board of Commissioners will, on Monday, October 5, 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- ZA 26-03 - A text amendment request to the Stanly County Telecommunications Tower, Antennae and Facilities Overlay District to increase the setback requirements from proposed monopole telecommunication towers to adjoining property lines, increase setbacks from residential dwellings, impose a setback between telecommunication towers and require a signed affidavit exception from all adjoining property owners if a tower company indicates a lesser setback is necessary for coverage. Persons interested in speaking for or against this item will be heard.

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 25E000167-830 Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of Joe C. Pickler, 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 December 13th, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 27th day of August, 2026. CAROLYN T. PICKLER MARY P. PICKLER CO-EXECUTORS FOR THE ESTATE OF JOE C. PICKLER MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Publish: September 13, 20, 27, and October 4, 2026

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Commissioners of the Town of New London will hold a public hearing to consider the voluntary annexation request by Rogers Group, Inc. for property they own on Steakhouse Road, tax records 7071, 7021 and 16694 be annexed into the town limits of New London. The hearing will be held at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in the New London Community Center located at 114 West Gold St., New London, NC 28127. All interested parties are hereby notified to attend if they have questions or comments. Susan Almond Town Manager

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Notice is hereby given that the Town of New London Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00 pm at the New London Community Center, 114 West Gold St, New London, to consider the following rezoning request from Rogers Group, Inc. to accommodate a mine on an approximately 542-acre property located west of US Hwy 52 North in New London and unincorporated Stanly County, North Carolina: A request for conditional zoning for tax records 31829, 34659 and 16694 already zoned M-2, heavy manufacturing A request to rezone tax records 31858, 7071 and 7021 from R-A (Rural Agriculture) to M-2, heavy manufacturing with conditional zoning. All interested parties are hereby notified to attend if they have any questions or comments. Susan Almond Town Manager

NOTICE

Email ads@ stanlynewsjournal.com [V Z\ITP[ JSHZZPÄLK HKZ

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 26E000337-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having duly qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Bruce Cletus Burleson, 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, duly itemized and verified on or before the 13th day of December, 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. This the 4th day of September, 2026.

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 26E000422-830 Having qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of James R. Nance, 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 December 20th, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 16th day of September, 2026. JAMES E. NANCE CAROLYN N. BAUGH CO-EXECUTORS FOR THE ESTATE OF JAMES R. NANCE MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Publish: September 20, 27 and October 4, and 11, 2026

Public Notice The City of Locust will hold a public hearing on October 8, 2026, at 7:00 pm in the Joel Huneycutt Community Room to hear citizens comments for or against the conditional rezoning request submitted by, Rita Huneycutt, parcel pin# 557603423058, 820 N Central Ave, Locust NC

NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the Town of New London Board of Commissioners intend to authorize the lease of real property located at 104 W. Depot Street, New London, NC to New London Volunteer Fire Department, a nonprofit corporation located at 310 S. Main Street, New London, NC for the purpose of constructing a storage facility to support the department’s emergency services mission. The annual lease payment is $100 per year with initial term of 10 years beginning October 2026, with options to renew as provided in the lease agreement that will be reviewed at the Board of Commissioners Meeting on Tuesday, October 6th at 7pm at New London Community Center, 114 W. Gold Street. Susan Almond Town Manager

PUBLIC NOTICE STANLY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY NOTICE OF RESCHEDULED REGULAR MEETING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Stanly County Airport Authority has officially rescheduled its regularly scheduled monthly meeting for October 2026. The meeting originally set for Tuesday, October 6, 2026, has been moved to the following date and time: Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Time: 5:00 PM Location: Stanly County Airport Conference Room The purpose of this meeting is to conduct regular business. The meeting is open to the public. By Order of the Stanly County Airport Authority Posted this 14th day of September, 2026. Questions or comments should be directed to the attention of: Randy Shank Stanly County Airport Authority 43222 Lowder Aviation Parkway New London, NC 28127 704-982-9013

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000410-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Shirley Hathcock, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Shirley Hathcock to present them to the undersigned on or before December 29, 2026, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 27th day of September, 2026. Stephanie Mullins 28731 Rowland Road Mount Pleasant, NC 28124 Executrix Information John W Webster 146 North 4th Street Albemarle, NC 28001 Attorney Information

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

How Langley’s ‘Choosin’ Texas’ became longest-running No. 1 hit of all time The song’s cross-genre appeal launched the singer from obscurity to unprecedented streaming success

Ella Langley performs during the 61st annual Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas in May.

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press NEW YORK — Ella Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas,” a simmering, midtempo, country-and-thensome heartbreak song released last October, is indisputably 2026’s biggest hit. “Choosin’ Texas” is also the longest-running No. 1 hit in the U.S., having spent 23 weeks at the top spot on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, it was announced Tuesday. That means the track has surpassed various records set by Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” and most impressively, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.” Her holiday classic held the previous record, with 22 weeks at No. 1. The song’s laid-back sound, cross-genre appeal and heartache narrative are a few reasons why. But its dominance still comes as a surprise. Here’s how huge “Choosin’ Texas” has become Luminate, the industry data and analytics company, found that “Choosin’ Texas” brought in 911 million on-demand streams in the U.S. and 1.26 billion globally as of mid-August. Considering that Langley started 2023, around the time she made her Grand Ole Opry debut, with under 1 million monthly listeners on Spotify — and now boasts of more than 32 million — her rise has been meteoric. Historically, country listenership has centered on radio play. That has changed somewhat as the genre grows in popularity, solidifying around what Luminate’s Jaime Marconette describes as a “younger, streaming-forward listener.” He said it is a “multiyear narrative accelerated” by hits like “Choosin’ Texas.” Claire Heinichen, a senior editor at Spotify, said the song’s growth has been both explosive and consistent. “Choosin’ Texas” “started big,” she said,

the chorus, “A cowboy always finds a way to leave.” The lyrics are also clever, standing out in contemporary country, said Hughes. (Compare it to Luke Bryan’s “Fish Hunt Golf Drink.”) And it’s detailed: Langley’s paramour loves George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning,” a pantheon Texas track; she’s drinking Tennessee whiskey as a result. “There is the phenomenon of what some critics have called ‘the sad banger’ within the world of pop music,” said Sloan. In country, it’s even more common to take something sad and transform it into something funny or deadpan. “And that’s what she’s really good at, at this song.” ‘Choosin’ Texas’ says plenty about music in 2026

moving from the platform’s leading country playlist, “Hot Country,” to its larger, generic offerings because it works across audiences. “It made its way into ‘Today’s Top Hits,’ which is our biggest global flagship playlist, but it’s also showing up in ‘Mood’ and ‘Moments’ playlists because it fits so well in ‘driving’ or ‘chill’ or ‘cookout,’” Heinichen said. “It really can work everywhere.” It’s not just country music fans who are connecting with “Choosin’ Texas.” “The song’s success on a playlist like ‘Today’s Top Hits’ is an indication that this is working for audiences who are not seeking out one specific genre,” Heinichen said. “It’s definitely growing in every direction.” Specific sound of “Choosin’ Texas” speaks to staying power Go straight to Langley’s voice for another explanation for the song’s success. It’s “like syrup,” said Nate Sloan, a musicologist, assistant professor at the University of Southern California and co-host of the podcast “Switched On Pop.” She sings in long phrases that lull the listener into the song’s rhythm, from its opening guitar line to its coda. “It’s almost like a trance,” Sloan said. It also pulls from other genres; a cross-pollination found in much modern country. Langley’s “Choosin’ Texas” fea-

tures shimmery disco grooves, not unlike Kacey Musgraves. “It’s a little more rock or even kind of soul-inflected,” Sloan said. “Part of the reason songs like ‘Choosin’ Texas’ are able to resonate with such a wide audience is because, musically, they’re bringing in a lot of diverse influences.” Charles L. Hughes, a Rhodes College professor and author of “Country Soul,” said the song sounds like many different eras of country music and, simultaneously, contemporary. To his ears, “Choosin’ Texas” pulls from a late 1970s, early ’80s era of country musicians who pulled R&B and pop into their sound — think Ronnie Milsap, Barbara Mandrell and Charlie Rich — but it isn’t stuck in that period. Those sounds are filtered through a post-Musgraves, post-Miranda Lambert songwriting style, with Langley’s idiosyncratic charms. (Lambert and Langley are two of the song’s four cowriters.) “The best country music has one foot in the past and one foot into the present, if not the future,” Hughes said. “And that’s what she’s doing.” Even for its light, bright musicality, “Choosin’ Texas” is an unusual hit because it doesn’t possess the features that historically make up a No. 1 smash. It’s super specific — with its detailed descriptions of characters and geography in the lyrics — which is “antithetical to what you usually expect from a big, hit pop

song that’s supposed to appeal to everyone,” said Sloan. It’s also “chill,” Sloan said. “It’s not bombastic or anthemic.” “It has no big moments,” said Hughes. But it has both a subtle dance pulse and steel guitar, so “it sounds country, but it doesn’t automatically turn off people who are allergic to certain kinds of country sounds.” There’s a sparkle that transgresses genre lines, but it does so while sounding mellow — the kind of track that inspires repeat listens. Lyrics of “Choosin’ Texas” have few things going for them “Choosin’ Texas” continues a great tradition of “songs that country women do about what men do in bars,” said Hughes. It’s straightforward: She’s losing her lover to someone else. She’s not going to fight for him — it’s a song of resignation that ends with her drinking alone as he chooses Texas (another woman) over her (and Tennessee). It’s a universal heartbreak theme with potential for cross-generational resonance: It works for both the insecurity of a first breakup and a long-term relationship ending over another woman, or a move. “It’s got these great turns of phrase that give you a little bit of ironic distance as a narrator and as a listener,” said Sloan. “It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see,” Langley acquiesces in

The fact that regular chart-toppers like Taylor Swift, Morgan Wallen and Bad Bunny haven’t released new albums this year could’ve cleared a path for the dominance of “Choosin’ Texas,” but Sloan sees its rise as indicative of something else. “We’re in this environment where you can measure a song’s success in a numerical way,” he said. “But then in terms of its actual cultural impact, that might be more fragmented than you think.” Essentially: “Choosin’ Texas” is on top. But how many people know Langley’s name, the way they knew Houston’s and Carey’s when those hits were released? “It doesn’t feel like a centerpiece of a monoculture, but it is absolutely a key part of like radio culture, streaming playlists, TikTok,” Hughes added. “But it’s hitting these various audiences in a way that combines to create something huge.” But what does it forecast for Langley? She’s no one-hit wonder: Her award-winning 2024 collaboration with Riley Green, “You Look Like You Love Me,” is evidence of that. “It’s always hard to prognosticate with artists when they have an unexpected smash,” said Sloan. “Her ability to write songs with a lot of integrity that both reach back into country tradition and incorporate sounds of the 21st century? That’s a pretty good formula to have a successful and long career in the music world.”

Actress Panettiere’s death highlights risk of overdose death after stopping, resuming drug use Opioid tolerance drops during sobriety, making previously safe doses potentially lethal upon relapse By Laura Ungar The Associated Press A CORONER’S report notes actor Hayden Panettiere had been in rehab just weeks before her death from an accidental drug overdose. Although details of her care are unknown, people with drug addictions face a high risk of fatal overdose immediately after a period of sobriety. Experts say they may not realize their tolerance has dropped in that time, meaning a previously tolerated dose could overwhelm the body. Panettiere, 36, was found unresponsive in an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina, on Aug. 16. The Greenville County Coroner’s Office said several drugs were found in her system, including fentanyl and its chemical byproduct, the anti-anxiety medication alprazolam, a muscle relaxer and a drug used to treat major depression and other serious mental health disorders. The case report says a senior deputy was told she had been in rehab for two or three weeks in Malibu, California. Last year, about 70,000 Americans died of drug overdoses, down about 14% from the previous year, according to pre-

MARK SCHIEFELBEIN / AP PHOTO, FILE

A container of Narcan, a brand name version of the opioid overdose-reversal drug naloxone, sits on a table at the Health and Human Services Humphrey Building in Washington, D.C., in September 2023. liminary government data released in May. How opioid addiction can be treated For people struggling with addictions, there are various types of care, including therapy and counseling, medication and support groups. With addictions to fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone and other opioids, treatment may include medications and behavioral therapy. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says medications are the standard of care for opioid use disorder. Treatment options include metha-

done, buprenorphine and naltrexone, which research shows can reduce the risk of resumed drug use and a fatal overdose. Behavioral therapy for opioid use disorder is most effective when combined with medication, the institute says. Using drugs after stopping them can be deadly Using opioids again after withdrawal can be especially dangerous. According to the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus, most opioid overdose deaths occur in people who have just undergone detoxification.

Because withdrawal reduces the person’s tolerance, those who have just gone through withdrawal can overdose on a much smaller dose than they previously took. This risk has long been known. A 2003 study in the British Medical Journal said “treatment reduces mortality but can sometimes increase mortality transiently,” including among people with prior opioid addiction after their release from prison. Experts at Pennsylvania State University’s Social Science Research Institute said the risk of overdose death is higher immediately after opioid use disorder treatment, including after detox and stopping medication for the disorder. They cited research showing that the month after completing treatment is associated with a much higher risk — five times higher for ending treatment without medications and two times higher after ending medication treatment. That’s compared to periods more than a month after ending treatment. What friends, family can do to reduce risk of overdose death The first thing to know is that someone who recently stopped using drugs is at higher risk for an overdose if they relapse. Be ready to respond if that happens.

“Treatment reduces mortality but can sometimes increase mortality transiently.” A 2003 study in the British Medical Journal Death following opioid overdose can be prevented if the person gets prompt basic life support and the medication naloxone, an antidote that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose if administered in time. The New York State Department of Health recommends taking these steps if someone witnesses an overdose: • Call 911 and say, “I think someone may have overdosed.” • If the person isn’t breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth breathing by pinching the nose and blowing into the mouth • Administer naloxone if available. • Place the person on their side once they have resumed breathing • Stay with the person until the ambulance arrives

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

famous birthdays this week

this week in history Cosby convicted, coronavirus death toll hits 1 million, Mao Zedong proclaims PRC

Angie Dickinson hits 95, Julie Andrews turns 91, Wilkesboro native Zach Galifianakis celebrates 57

The Associated Press

SEPT. 27

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

1940: Germany, Italy and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, formally allying the World War II Axis powers. 1964: The government publicly released the report of the Warren Commission, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy. 2021: R&B singer R. Kelly was convicted in a sex trafficking trial in New York after numerous allegations of misconduct with young women and children.

SEPT. 27 Singer-guitarist Randy Bachman of Bachman-Turner Overdrive is 83. Actor A Martinez is 78. Actor Liz Torres is 79. Singer-actor-director Shaun Cassidy is 68. Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron is 63. Singer-guitarist Stephan Jenkins of Third Eye Blind is 62. Actor Patrick Muldoon is 58. Actor Gwyneth Paltrow is 54. Rapper Lil’ Wayne is 44. Singer Avril Lavigne is 42.

PAUL A. HEBERT / INVISION / AP

Singer Johnny Mathis turns 91 on Wednesday.

SEPT. 28

SEPT. 28 Actor Vernee Watson (“Bob Hearts Abishola,” “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”) is 77. Actor-comedian Janeane Garofalo is 62. Actor Mira Sorvino is 59. TV personality and singer Moon Zappa is 59. Actor Naomi Watts is 58. Rapper Young Jeezy is 49. TV personality Bam Margera (“Jackass”) is 47. Actor Hilary Duff is 39.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Angie Dickinson turns 95 on Wednesday.

SEPT. 29 Actor Ian McShane is 84. TV personality Bryant Gumbel is 78. Singer-guitarist Mark Farner of Grand Funk Railroad is 78. Comedian Andrew “Dice” Clay is 69. Actor Jill Whelan is 60. Singer Devante Swing of Jodeci is 57. Actor Zachary Levi is 46. Actor Chrissy Metz is 46. Singer Halsey is 32.

SEPT. 29 1789: Congress officially established a regular army under the U.S. Constitution. 1938: British, French, German and Italian leaders concluded the Munich Agreement, which was aimed at appeasing Adolf Hitler by allowing Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland.

SEPT. 30 Actor Angie Dickinson is 95. Singer Johnny Mathis is 91. Actor Barry Williams is 72. Actor Fran Drescher is 69. Actor Eric Stoltz is 65. Actor Monica Bellucci is 62. Actor Marion Cotillard is 51. Actor Kieran Culkin is 43. Rapper T-Pain is 42. OCT. 1 Actor-singer Julie Andrews is 91. Film director Jean-Jacques Annaud is 83. Baseball Hall of Famer Rod Carew is 81. Actor Randy Quaid is 76. Actor Esai Morales is 64. Retired MLB All-Star Mark McGwire is 63. Actor Zach Galifianakis is 57. OCT. 2 Singer-songwriter Don McLean (“American Pie”) is 81. Fashion designer Donna Karan

1781: American forces in the Revolutionary War, backed by a French fleet, began their successful siege of Yorktown, Virginia. 1928: Scottish medical researcher Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, the first broadly effective antibiotic. 2020: The worldwide death toll from the coronavirus pandemic reached 1 million, according to a count by Johns Hopkins University.

1954: Willie Mays of the New York Giants made a running, over-the-shoulder catch of a ball hit by Vic Wirtz of the Cleveland Indians in Game 1 of the World Series; “The Catch” would become one of the most famous plays in baseball history. SEPT. 30 1791: Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute” premiered in Vienna. 1947: The World Series was broadcast on television for the first time, as the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-3 in Game 1; the Yankees would go on to win the Series four games to three. 1955: Actor James Dean was killed at age 24 in a two-car collision near Cholame, California. OCT. 1 1949: Mao Zedong, leader of the communist People’s Liberation Army, proclaimed the People’s Republic of China during a ceremony in Beijing. 1971: Walt Disney World opened near Orlando, Florida. 1975: Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in the “Thrilla in Manila,” the last of their three boxing bouts for the heavyweight championship. OCT. 2 1919: President Woodrow Wilson had a serious stroke at the White House that left him paralyzed on his left side. 1967: Thurgood Marshall joined the U.S. Supreme Court as its first African American justice; he would serve on the bench for 24 years until his retirement in 1991. 1970: One of two chartered

Actor James Dean, shown in a publicity still for “Rebel Without a Cause,” died Sept. 30, 1955, at age 24 after his Porsche crashed near Cholame, California.

twin-engine planes flying the Wichita State University football team to Utah crashed into a mountain near Silver Plume, Colorado, killing 31 of the 40 people on board. OCT. 3 1873: Modoc leader Kintpuash was hanged at Fort Klamath, Oregon, after being convicted of his role in the deaths of U.S. negotiators during the Modoc War, a conflict in which his people resisted relocation. Kintpuash was the only Native American leader charged and convicted of a war crime by the U.S. 1990: West Germany and East Germany ended 45 years of postwar division, declaring the creation of a reunified country. 1993: Eighteen U.S. service members and hundreds of Somalis were killed in the Battle of Mogadishu — the deadliest battle for U.S. troops since the Vietnam War. The battle inspired the film “Black Hawk Down.”

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION VIA AP

Comedian Marc Maron turns 63 on Sunday. is 78. Actor Avery Brooks is 78. Photographer Annie Leibovitz is 77. Singer-actor Sting is 75. Actor Lorraine Bracco is 72. Singer-songwriter Gillian Welch is 59. Actor-talk show host Kelly Ripa is 56. OCT. 3 Composer Steve Reich is 90. Rock ‘n’ roll star Chubby Checker is 85. Musician Lindsey Buckingham (Fleetwood Mac) is 77. Blues musician Keb’ Mo’ is 75. Baseball Hall of Famer Dave Winfield is 75. Rock drummer Tommy Lee is 64. Singer-TV personality Gwen Stefani is 57.

AP PHOTO

New York Giants’ Willie Mays catches a ball hit by Cleveland Indians’ Vic Wertz during Game 1 of the 1954 World Series at the Polo Grounds in New York on Sept. 29, 1954.

Reiner avoids death penalty over parents’ killings, still faces life in prison Nick Reiner appears during his arraignment on murder charges for the deaths of his parents Feb. 23 in Los Angeles.

The 33-year-old son of filmmaker Rob Reiner was charged in December By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Hollywood filmmaker Rob Reiner’s son will not face the death penalty on charges he fatally stabbed his parents after lying in wait at their home in Los Angeles last year, prosecutors said last Tuesday. If convicted, the maximum sentence 33-year-old Nick Reiner could get is life without the possibility of parole, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said at a news conference. Before reaching its decision, Hochman said his office did a thorough review, including speaking to Rob and Michele Singer Reiner’s families and evaluating mitigating factors in Nick Reiner’s favor. Nick Reiner, who briefly appeared at a court hearing, has twice pleaded not guilty. The death penalty had been on the table because of the lying-in-wait allegation, the fact that multiple people were killed, and the use of a knife, which is considered a danger-

WARNER BROS. / WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

CHRIS TORRES / POOL PHOTO VIA AP

ous weapon. However, it’s been two decades since California’s last execution, and Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a moratorium on the practice in 2019. Nick Reiner’s public defender highlights his mental illness Reiner’s attorney, Deputy Public Defender Kimberly

Greene, said prosecutors made the right decision. “Nick has a serious mental illness and a long history of struggling with self-medication. His circumstances are a tragic example of how difficult it can be for people experiencing significant mental health challenges to access and navigate the treatment and support they need,” Greene said in a statement. “Nothing can

undo the profound loss experienced by the Reiner family and those who loved them. Our hearts remain with the family.” Nick Reiner was charged with first-degree murder on Dec. 16, two days after the stunning killings. Reiner’s former defense attorney, Alan Jackson, adamantly insisted that “pursuant to the laws of California, Nick Reiner is not guilty of murder.”

A grand jury indicted Reiner in July. The judge in the case was deciding whether to make public the transcripts of those secret grand jury proceedings, a move that would likely reveal many key details about the killings. Nick Reiner wants access to trust fund Reiner has asked a different judge to force the release of money from a trust his parents set up for him when he was a child, so that he can rehire Jackson, a high-profile defense attorney whose clients have included Kevin Spacey and Karen Read. The trustees overseeing the funds argue Reiner shouldn’t get them, but his lawyers argue that he is still innocent under the law and that the money would legally be his regardless of his parents’ deaths. Reiner is awaiting a ruling on the money. Hours earlier, Rob Reiner was honored at Emmys Rob Reiner received an emotional tribute at the Emmy Awards on Monday night. He won a posthumous Emmy for best guest actor in a comedy series for his role on “The Bear,” and was honored by his friend and “Bear” co-star Jamie Lee Curtis. “He was generous, kind and funny as hell, and a friend to all,” Curtis said. “And we all miss Rob and Michele and all those we lost this year.”

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

After ‘Educated,’ Westover revisits family split in new memoir ‘Brothers and Sisters’ The book will arrive April 13, 2027

We Offer Family Style Living, All Private Rooms, Weekly Laundry & Housekeeping, 3 Nutritious Meals Served Daily, and Recreational Activities For All.

By Hillel Italie The Associated Press

CALL (704) 982-4217 TO SCHEDULE A TOUR EXPLORE OUR COMMUNITY ONLINE AT THRIVEMORENC.ORG/TAYLOR-HOUSE

319 PALMER STREET ALBEMARLE, NC 28001 EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP PHOTO

Author Tara Westover attends the TIME100 Gala in New York in 2022.

“Ultimately, it is a story of what it means to grow up — to outlive the story that made you.” Random House they had previously confirmed. According to Random House, the new book considers questions such as “Who gets to say what happened?” and “How do you believe yourself when your parents say you’re lying?” “’Brothers and Sisters’ is a story of how memories are held in a family. How someone

can know you are telling the truth but still say you are lying,” the publisher’s announcement reads in part. “Ultimately, it is a story of what it means to grow up — to outlive the story that made you.” Westover, who turns 40 later this month, was admitted to Brigham Young University as a scholarship student and later received a doctorate in intellectual history from Trinity College in Cambridge, England. In 2021, then-President Joe Biden awarded her a National Humanities Medal for serving “as a powerful example of how the humanities can set people — and a Nation — free.”

Burna Boy to headline halftime at NFL’s first regular-season game in Paris

MENTION THIS AD FOR

NOW OPEN SATURDAYS AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!!

10 OFF

YOUR NEXT SERVICE CALL

704-982-5027 www.plumbingpride.com

Electric

Sp ec ava ial F i ne ilable nanc ws in yst on a g em ll s!

Call Us for All of Your Heating, Cooling & Electrical Needs!

704-982-4276

1928 US -52, Albemarle NC 28001 Generator Installation! Serving Stanly County & Surrounding areas Since 1966

*Lifetime Outdoor Unit Replacement*

The Steelers face the Saints on Oct. 25 By Jonathan Landrum Jr. The Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Burna Boy is returning to Stade de France for another historic moment, headlining halftime at the NFL’s first regular-season game in Paris. The Grammy-winning Nigerian star will perform Oct. 25 when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the New Orleans Saints at Stade de France, the league announced Thursday. The performance marks a return to the stadium for Burna Boy, who last year became the first African artist to headline Stade de France. “Paris gave me one of the biggest nights of my career, and to walk back into Stade de France for a moment like this means everything,” Burna Boy told The Associated Press in a statement. “The NFL is bringing something to France that has never happened here before, and I get to stand in the middle of it representing African music and

“Paris gave me one of the biggest nights of my career.” Burna Boy I intend to give the people a show they will not forget.” The Paris game is part of the NFL’s largest international season to date, with games being played across several countries and four continents. The league is staging a record seven halftime shows as it increasingly pairs its overseas games with major music acts. Burna Boy joins a lineup that includes Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio for the NFL’s Rio de Janeiro game on Sept. 27, Ayra Starr in London on Oct. 11, Cage the Elephant in Munich on Nov. 15 and Mexican rock trio The Warning in Mexico City on Nov. 22. “The first NFL game in France deserves a halftime moment that matches the occasion, and there is no artist better suited to it than Burna Boy,” said Tim Tubito, the

NFL’s senior director of global game presentation, music and entertainment. Tubito said Burna Boy’s history in the stadium and the popularity of African music in Paris made him a natural choice for the inaugural game. Burna Boy, whose music draws from Afrobeats, hiphop, reggae, R&B and other influences, won a Grammy for his 2020 album “Twice as Tall.” His catalog includes “African Giant,” “Love, Damini” and his most recent album, “No Sign of Weakness.” He has also become one of African music’s most prominent touring acts, performing in arenas and stadiums around the world while helping open doors for a generation of African artists. The league has played more than 60 regular-season games outside the United States, with previous stops including London, Munich, Frankfurt, Madrid, Dublin, São Paulo, Mexico City and Toronto. France, Australia and Rio de Janeiro are among the new markets on the 2026 schedule.

Burna Boy performs during the first weekend of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2025.

HIRING North State Journal is hiring Stanly County Reporter Stanly County Advertising Representative jobs@stanlynewsjournal.com

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

1189079

NEW YORK — Nearly 10 years after the publication of the million-selling “Educated,” Tara Westover is returning with a second memoir in which she reflects on the fallout from her celebrated and controversial debut. Random House announced last Thursday that “Brothers and Sisters” will come out on April 13. It’s her follow-up to “Educated,” which was released in 2018 and became one of the most talked-about memoirs of its time. Westover’s account of growing up as the youngest of seven siblings in a Mormon survivalist family in Idaho, the physical abuse allegedly suffered at the hands of an older brother and her eventual break from her family spent more than two years on The New York Times’ nonfiction bestseller list. Winning wide acclaim, it was chosen by the National Book Critics Circle as a finalist in two awards categories and praised by Bill Gates and former President Barack Obama, both of whom placed it on their lists of favorite books of 2018. In “Brothers and Sisters,” Westover writes about her parents’ disputing her memories and her sibling’s denying events in “Educated” that

704-982-2121

Stanly News Journal for Sunday, September 27, 2026

SNOWFLAKES

SUDOKU

Solution to last issue’s puzzle

rustic charm elegance

Where meets timeless

Solution to this week’s puzzles CONTACT US TODAY

704-486-7501 info@ sophiaswedding.com — 722 S. Oak Ridge Rd Oakboro, NC 28129