VOLUME 146 ISSUE 79 | WEEKEND EDITION, OCT. 3-4, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Just a pole away A family of ospreys made its home atop a utility pole at the corner of Highway 24/27 and Stony Mountain Road. However, as the nest on top of an operational power pole is not ideal, utility workers and wildlife experts installed a new pole next to the old one and the nest earlier this week. They also installed spikes on the prior pole to discourage future nesting.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Dual UK-Iranian national arrested over security incident at U.S.-run air base in England British police have arrested a dual U.K.-Iranian national on suspicion of plotting a terror attack following a security incident at a U.S.-run air base on the weekend. The 27-year-old man was arrested in London on Thursday, and police have searched two properties in the U.K. capital. A 26-year-old British national was also interviewed by police but not arrested. Five other men arrested last Sunday have been released on bail. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said the U.K. sees “strong indications” that Iran played a part in the incident. Iran denies involvement.
Supreme Court grants review of mandatory detention policy for arrested immigrants The Supreme Court has agreed to review a Trump administration policy denying bond hearings for detained immigrants. The high court will consider whether immigrants have a right to a hearing to determine if they should remain detained while challenging their possible deportation. Appeals court judges from nine of 11 federal circuits have separately concluded that detaining immigrants without a bond hearing violates federal law. Those decisions conflict with rulings by the 5th and 8th circuits, which held that immigrants accused of illegally entering the U.S. must be detained while their deportation cases are pending.
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Badin murals celebrate town’s musical heritage The art installation honors local performers and music history By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal
COURTESY DALL WILSON
The Badin Post Office is now the home of the “Musical Badin” public art installation.
BADIN — Five large-scale murals now cover the windows and wall of the Badin Post Office, highlighting the town’s musical history and the performers who helped carry it beyond Stanly County. The Badin Historic Museum and U.S. Postal Service recently unveiled “Musical Badin,” a public art installation created by artist, composer and museum board member Dall Wilson. The collaboration also included Better Badin, with
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra to perform at Agri-Civic Center Admission is free for Stanly County students By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra will return to Albemarle on Nov. 1, bringing a full-length concert to the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center. Presented by the Stanly County Arts Council, “An Afternoon with the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra” will begin at 4 p.m., with tickets going on sale Oct. 12. Resident conductor Christopher James Lees will lead
the orchestra through selections by Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Schumann. The program will also include Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” in celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. Founded in 1932, the Charlotte Symphony is the oldest operating symphony orchestra in the Carolinas, with appearances in Albemarle becoming a regular tradition for the past eight years. The group features 65 full‑time professional musicians and performs more than 175 concerts each season, reaching over 160,000 listeners. See SYMPHONY, page A5
“Since 2018, we’ve had the honor of hosting the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in Stanly County.” Renee VanHorn, Stanly County Arts Council executive director
prints produced by Tonya and Ken Gelbach. Located at the site of the former Badin Opera House, the murals use enlarged historic photographs and period images to showcase decades of local music, from brass bands and orchestras to swing, jazz and old-time music. Four vertical murals fill the post office windows, while a fifth horizontal piece extends across an adjoining wall. That mural is anchored by an image of a 1940s Badin Band trombone, representing the many musicians who performed in the town’s bands, orchestras and choirs. Other murals highlight the Badin Opera House and Badin bands, jazz saxophonist Lou Donaldson, Fisher Hendley and His “Aristocratic Pigs,” and Prince Furr and the Nehi Orchestra. The opera house once served as a center for concerts, dances, theater and recitals, including a See MURALS, page A5
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
SUNDAY
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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 Stan Gilliland Photographer ADVERTISING Kateland Treece Advertising Representative Published Wednesday and Sunday as part of North State Journal 1548 NC 24-27 BYP W Albemarle NC 28001 TO SUBSCRIBE OR PLACE LEGAL NOTICE: 704-982-2121 STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM Annual Subscription Price: $100.00 Periodicals Postage Paid at Albemarle N.C. and at additional mailing offices
SENIOR NUTRITION MEALS | WEEK OF OCT. 5 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
OCT. 5
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• Hamburger steak with mushroom gravy • Collard greens • Vinegar • Whipped potatoes • Roll • Margarine • Sliced peaches
• Stew beef with gravy • Peas and carrots • Rice • Whole wheat roll • Margarine • Orange cake with icing
• Chili con carne • Coleslaw • Cornbread • Margarine • Baked apples
• Chicken filet with bun • Lettuce and tomato • Honey-glazed carrots • Baked beans • Pears • Mayonnaise
• BBQ pork with bun • BBQ slaw • Beets • Blueberry cobbler
Michigan parents charged after 3-year-old son brought loaded gun to daycare in his backpack One parent is a Detroit‑area police officer charged with creating a risk of harm The Associated Press CANTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. — The parents of a 3-year-old Detroit-area boy who had a loaded gun in his backpack at a daycare were charged with misdemeanor crimes Thursday as prosecutors also revealed the firearm was passed to other kids before a staff member intervened. The gun was not fired and no one was injured. “It is very unsettling to think about what may have happened in this case,” Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said. One parent was charged with violating Michigan’s gun storage law, while the other parent, a Detroit-area police officer, was charged with
“Children have a magnetic and instant attraction to guns, for some reason.” Kym Worthy, Wayne County prosecutor creating a risk of harm, which is fourth-degree child abuse. They appeared in court and were released on bond. The gun was in a holster Monday when the boy pulled it from a backpack at Children’s World Early Learning Center in Canton Township and shared it with other children, the prosecutor’s office said. It was not the officer’s work weapon. Under state law, firearms must be locked up at home when children are present. Worthy’s office in Michigan’s largest county has handled
nearly two dozen gun access cases since 2024, spokesperson Maria Miller said. “Children have a magnetic and instant attraction to guns, for some reason,” Worthy said
in May while promoting safe storage. “They always know where they are. They always want to pick them up. They always want to play with it. They always want to shoot it.”
operator’s license, and other charges.
arrested for communicating threats.
• Silas Edward Dennis, 18, was arrested for failure to heed a light or siren, failure to yield at a stop sign or flashing red light and fleeing to elude arrest in a motor vehicle, and other charges.
Sept. 24
paraphernalia; and impede traffic sit, stand or lie, and other charges.
COURTESY WXYZ VIA AP
A 3-year-old brought a loaded gun to Children’s World Early Learning Center in Canton, Michigan, on Monday, leading to the arrest of the boy’s parents.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: North State Journal 1201 Edwards Mill Rd. Suite 300 Raleigh NC 27607
CRIME LOG Sept. 21
We Finance
• Bryan Cortez Polk, 35, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver cocaine; felony possession of cocaine; and possession of drug paraphernalia, and other charges. • Christopher Jay Huneycutt, 41, was arrested for felony larceny. Sept. 22
Colson Concrete
704-550-1449 Arnold Colson
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• Marvin Alexzander Watkins, 29, was arrested for assault on a female and misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. • Michael Antoney Grambling, 60, was arrested for driving while impaired, covering or disguising reg plate and no
• Timothy Allen Faulkner, 39, was arrested for indecent liberties with a child. Sept. 23 • Jay Frank Walter, 60, was arrested for interfering with an electronic monitoring device. • Rylan Lane Huneycutt, 24, was arrested for misdemeanor stalking and cyberstalking. • Whitney Raven Fisher, 37, was
• Arthur Eugene Wright, 51, was arrested for simple assault and injury to personal property. Chris Dean Alexander, 26, was arrested for assault on a female, misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and assault on a pregnant woman. Sept. 25 • Nasir Malik Demby, 27, was arrested for driving on a revoked license. Sept. 26 • Angel Salgado Reza, 26, was arrested for felony possession of cocaine; possession of drug
• Evan Michael Gwaltney, 23, was arrested for driving while impaired, injury to real property and driving on a revoked license, and other charges. • Michael Shane Greene, 50, was arrested for driving while impaired, reckless driving and speeding. Sept. 27 • Alexander Gayton Wakefield, 29, was arrested for driving while impaired, felony possession of cocaine and no operator’s license. • Steve Lee, 40, was arrested for driving while impaired.
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
THE CONVERSATION Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor VISUAL VOICES
COLUMN | VICTOR JOECKS
Why Islam threatens liberty
The group said the organization was halfway through its 100-year plan.
LITTLE KIDS aren’t the only ones who act like closing their eyes will keep them safe. Look at how many people want to avoid discussing how Islam threatens liberty. In 1992, Imam Siraj Wahhaj said, “If only Muslims were clever politically, they could take over the United States and replace its constitutional government with a caliphate.” In 2007, Imam Abdul Alim Musa was leading As-Sabiqun, an organization that was working to create an “Islamic State of North America no later than 2050.” A survey of current Muslim countries and a review of history show that outcome would inevitably curtail the freedoms many Americans take for granted. Today, some Muslim leaders believe that future is inevitable. “Islam will rule the world again,” Colorado Islamic scholar Sheikh Karim Abu Zaid said in May at a conference in Texas. Last year, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism & Policy released a report on the Muslim Brotherhood’s efforts to subvert Western democracies from within. The group said the organization was halfway through its 100-year plan. In the short term, these Brotherhood‑aligned movements “exploit democratic procedures while rejecting the principles that underpin them, which enables them to participate in political systems
without adhering to those systems’ underlying values,” the report found. Over the long term, “these activities create institutional precedents that favor concessions to extremist demands through sustained pressure, establishing decision-making patterns that are difficult to reverse.” This may seem far-fetched as you sit in the greatest, most powerful and richest country in the history of the world. But Europe shows the perils of ignoring the threat of Islam. In 1950, Muslims made up 2% of the population in Europe. After waves of migration from countries like Syria and Pakistan, Muslims made up 6% of the population in 2020. Many of those Muslim migrants don’t share values Westerners take for granted. Norway offered migrants classes on Western norms in a bid to prevent rape. The U.K. recently started giving migrants a nine-page guide explaining that women there don’t need a man’s permission to work or travel. Also, “if you have sex with someone who does not want to, this is called rape. Rape is a serious crime,” the guide states. It sounds absurd until you realize what happened. For decades, British officials overlooked rape gangs made up of “predominantly Muslim Pakistani gangs,” the Rape Gang Inquiry Report stated. It said 250,000 victims was a “conservative estimate.” “Perpetrators from Pakistani Muslim and
other Muslim backgrounds operated under an honour- and shame-based clan code that treated non-Muslim girls, especially white working-class girls, as property available for sexual use,” the report stated. This pattern isn’t comfortable to notice because some Muslims are personally nice people and appear happy to live in Western societies. Also, there are religious differences among Muslims. But if the people who want to remake the country use the term “Islam” to describe themselves, it’s a legitimate term to use. Think of it this way. After the New York Knicks won the NBA championship, fans poured into the streets to celebrate. That led to chaos, vandalism and even gunfire. It’s not Knicks-phobia to say Knicks fans rioted after their victory even though not every Knicks fan did. Nor is it Islamophobia to point out the conflicts between Islamic teachings and the Western ideals and Judeo‑Christian values the United States rests upon. Islamophobia is an attempt to silence those who point out those differences. But as the many girls who were raped in the U.K. can attest, ignoring this problem doesn’t solve it. Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
COLUMN | JOSH HAMMER
America has not learned the right lessons from Charlie Kirk’s murder We protect free speech because we believe open debate helps us discover what the truth actually is.
IT FEELS LIKE JUST YESTERDAY that America lost Charlie Kirk. I remember every detail vividly. Charlie and I were in daily contact that week as he prepared for his next national campus speaking tour. I was part of an intimate Zoom meeting he had organized the night prior to its first stop, at Utah Valley University. Less than 24 hours later, it was the site of his murder. Everything about the assassination was astonishing: the unconscionable security failure from the campus police and Charlie’s detail, the fact he was killed while modeling robust and respectful debate, the utterly depraved nature of the act, and the apparent transgender-related motive of the accused killer. I broke down in tears when I heard the news. One year later, it still feels like a bad dream. Charlie died as a martyr for free speech, a bedrock ideal of the country he loved so much. He was a thought leader, an institution builder and a grassroots-mobilization visionary. The cranks and kooks overrunning the online Right today are a sad testament to the void he left behind: Charlie, the guardian of the floodgates, was the conservative coalition’s indispensable man. I feel Charlie’s glaring absence every day. And one year later, it’s clear that far too many Americans still haven’t learned the right lessons from his martyrdom. The first of these: the essential importance of free speech. When Charlie was killed, he was sitting under a canopy emblazoned with his slogan, “Prove me wrong.” All he ever wanted to do was have a conversation — especially with the liberals who disagreed with him.
Charlie exposed lefty logical fallacies and shattered socialist shibboleths, but he always did so with poise, grace and a winsome smile on his face. A society that cannot abide polite conversations about the pressing issues of the day is a society that cannot endure. That’s especially true when the faction of society most unwilling to abide such a conversation is its would-be future leaders — namely, university students. Americans established our system of free speech because we care about the truth. We protect free speech because we believe open debate helps us discover what the truth actually is. That’s the whole point of Socratic dialogue — named after another wise man who died because he asked tough questions. But if you reject truth, as so many in the woke mob do, you must reject free speech too. One year later, has anything changed? It doesn’t seem so. In the final year of his life, for example, Charlie was outspoken in warning about the dangers of radical Islam. Today, as Abdul El-Sayed runs for Senate in Michigan and New York City commemorates the 25th anniversary of 9/11 with Mayor Zohran Mamdani at its helm, America is being forced to have that conversation. The response has been telling: Lots of hysterical leftist cries of “Islamophobia” and little meaningful exchange of ideas. The militant Left would still rather shut down dissident speech — by any means necessary. The second lesson of Charlie’s loss: the sanctity of human life. His assassination — like the attempts on President Donald Trump’s life and the
cold‑blooded killing of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson — was welcomed with glee by many on the far Left. It was a grisly reminder of the leftist violent streak that goes back as far as the guillotine of revolutionary France. One might have thought that this year, the 250th anniversary of that great American affirmation of the right to life as the first of all “self-evident” truths, would prove an opportune time to step back from the ghoulish brink. If anything, the opposite has happened. The Lindsay Clancy criminal trial in Massachusetts has exposed just how far some Americans have gone in their complete rejection of the value of human life — and their macabre celebration of death itself. For weeks outside the courthouse in Plymouth, Massachusetts, throngs of adoring Clancy fans gathered to cheer her on. They welcomed her defense attorney like a prizefighter entering the ring or a rock star walking out on stage. Except Clancy isn’t Mike Tyson or Paul McCartney — far, far from it. She is a heinous murderer who killed her three children in the coldest blood imaginable. But that wasn’t convincing enough for the jury, which deadlocked. It seems many of our fellow Americans no longer care about the truth or value life. Rather, many are content to live by lies — and to glorify no longer living at all. Charlie Kirk, on the other hand, resisted that depravity. Even in death, he can still teach so much — at least for those willing to listen. Josh Hammer is the senior editor-at-large of Newsweek and host of “The Josh Hammer Show.” (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)
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Stanly County Journal for Wednesday, January 18, 2023
obituaries obituaries
and Myrtle Mae Harris Whitley. Hilda was a 1958 graduate of Norwood High School. She was employed for many years as a LPN at Albemarle Medical Clinic. Hilda was an active member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, where for many years she was the choir director and taught Sunday school. She enjoyed all types of music, especially church hymns and gospel and if Elvis Presley was singing them, well that was great too! She also January 24, 1939 ~butterflies January 15, enjoyed watching 2023 and spending time with her Feb.~ 20, 194014, – 2023 April 17, 1936 January grandchildren. Sept. 29, 2026 Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, In addition her parents, Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Norwood diedto Sunday morning, Hilda Whitley Farmer, 86, of of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, she was preceded in death by January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes. January 14, 2023 at heraway home.Tuesday her Norwood, passed husband, Dwight Britten Dwight was born January 24, Barbara wasSeptember born April 17,29, 1936 afternoon, 2026 1939 Farmer, Sr., County son, Alex Farmer in Stanly to the late in North Carolina late Robert at Trinity Placetointhe Albemarle. and her sister, Naomi Diggs. Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Lee Taylor andservices the late Eva Farmer. was a 1957by graduate Funeral willBelle be held SheHe is survived her son, Watts Taylor. ofBritten Norwood High School and was at 3:00PM, Thursday, October Farmer, Jr.(Mary) of She was also preceded in death a United States Army Veteran. 1, 2026 at Cedar Grove United McLeansville, NC; daughter, by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr He was a member Cedar Grove of Methodist Church. Rev. Mary Sharon Farmerof Lowe(David) Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee United Methodist Church where he Hatley andGeorge Rev. David Lowe will Norwood; one grandson, Dwight Taylor, Jr. and Kenneth had served as church treasurer and officiate and burial will follow Britten”Dee” Farmer, III; one Taylor. choir member. He began his career in the church cemetery. granddaughter, Whitley Rose Survivors include children, The with the Stanly County Sheriff’ s family will receive friends from Lowe. Debbie (Mike) Williams of Department moving to the Norwood 1:30-3:00, prior to the service at Police Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry Memorials may madeas to: Department andbe retiring of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) the church. Cedar Grovewith United Methodist Chief of Police the Town of Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Hilda was born February Church,after 40468 South Norwood many yearsStanly of service. Melissa (Don)inParrish Albemarle, 20, 1940 StanlyofCounty to DwightRoad, was anNorwood, avid gardener, School NC Samantha Smith of bird watcher and Carolina fan. the late(Destiny) Columbus Alexander 28128. Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, He is survived by his wife Hilda Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterFarmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, in-law, Beatrice Goodman; many NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer nieces and nephews; and her beloved Lowe his leisure, enjoyed watching (David)he of Norwood; one cats, Bo and Garfield. westerns andDennis Andy Griffith, sister Geraldine of Troy; two Barbara was a member of listening to 80’s rockBritten music,“Dee” and grandchildren, Dwight Oakboro Baptist Church for over Farmer and Whitley Hui takingIII family trips toRose the beach. 60 years. She worked over 30 years Lowe. Above all Michael loved his at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just He wasThe preceded in death bythose family. time spent with two years of retirement, she began his son Alex, brothers, Tommy he loved meant more toand him managing the Oakboro Senior Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia than anything else, especially his Center and did that for 18 years Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. grandchildren who were his pride until this past week. Barbara was Memorials may be made to Cedar and joy. He Methodist is lovingly Church, survived known for her good cooking and Grove United by his wife, Elizabeth Smith; always taking care of others. She also Cemetery or Choir Fund Ann c/o Pam loved going on day long shopping his children, Matthew Smith of Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs trips - she could out walk and out Concord, KodiNC Smith (Sydney) Road, Norwood, 28128. shop people half her age. She kept of Albemarle, Logan Smith her mind and body active through (Gracien) of Albemarle, and Rylei gardening, word searches, and Smith (Hailey) of New London various other hobbies. NC; and his grandchildren, Sept. 1, 1963 – Sept. 26, 2026 Cadence Smith, Adelyn Smith, and Brodie Smith. Michael Gene Smith age 63, He will also be lovingly entered eternal rest on Saturday, remembered by his brothers, September 26, 2026, at Tucker Donald Smith (Joyce) of Monroe Hospice House in Kannapolis, and Todd Smith (Karen) of NC. Oakboro; sisters, Elaine Coley of Funeral services will be held at Oakboro, Sue Smith of Locust, 1:00 p.m. on Friday at Lakeview Marie Sells and Evon Jordan Baptist Church in Albemarle, (Jerry) of Albemarle; brother-inwith Rev. Trent Drye, Rev. Don law Mike Goodman of Albemarle; Burleyson, and Rev. Tab Whitley as well as many other extended officiating. Entombment will family, coworkers and friends. follow at Stanly Gardens of In addition to his parents, Memory. The family will receive Michael was preceded in death friends Thursday evening from by his sister, Janice Goodman. 5:00 pm until 7:00 p.m. at Stanly Michael lived his life with his Funeral and Cremation Care of priorities centered around what Albemarle. mattered most; he put God Michael was born September first in all he did and had such 1, 1963 in Stanly County to the a deep love for his family. He late Ray Junior Smith and Bessie was compassionate and had a Rae Furr Smith. Michael was heart full of love, tenderness, a quiet, easy-going, and softhumbleness, and kindness. spoken man that could find He epitomized these qualities the good in anyone. He was a through his actions and through graduate of West Stanly High living a life of service. His School and was employed as steadfast faith, devotion to those a Manager of Plant Operations he loved, and appreciation for with Atrium Health Main in life’s simple moments will remain Charlotte, NC for 25 years: a job a lasting part of the legacy that he truly loved and valued. he leaves behind. Though his Michael’s faith was one of the presence will be greatly missed, key factors in his life. He was a his family takes comfort in the devoted member of Lakeview faith that guided his life and the Baptist Church where he assurance that when he opened faithfully and honorably served his eyes, he saw the face of Jesus as a deacon. He was a humble, Christ. hardworking, kindhearted, downMemorials may be made to to-earth man that cherished Lakeview Baptist Church (32496 every moment in life, especially Pennington Rd. Albemarle, NC those spent with his family. In 28001)
Hilda Whitley Barbara Jean Farmer (Taylor) Drye
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
Dwight Farmer
Michael Gene Smith
Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com
IN MEMORY
JANA LEIGH HACKMAN GANTT MARCH 10, 1958 – SEPT. 29, 2026 Jana Leigh Hackman Gantt, 68, of Richfield, passed away Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, October 2, 2026, in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Barry Whitley officiating. The family will greet friends following the service. Jana was born March 10, 1958, in Seymour, Indiana, to Edith Annette Terkhorn Hackman and the late Herman Henry Hackman. She earned an associate degree and devoted much of her professional life to nursing, caring for others in a career that spanned many years. During the 1980s and 1990s, Jana worked as a nurse at Stanly Memorial Hospital. She later served patients and their families through Hospice of Stanly County and Home Care of the Carolinas during the 1990s and 2000s. She also worked as a nurse and CNA trainer at Britthaven Nursing Home knowledge and experience with future caregivers Juneand 23,shared 1967 ~ her January 10, 2023 March 23, 1935 - January 9, as a CNA instructor at Stanly Community College. 2023 October 11, 1944 - January In Arthur addition to her nursing designed copper jewelry10, James Roseboro, 55, of and teaching career, Jana was an artist, she 2023 Albemarle, passed away and Tuesday, from scrap metal enjoyed selling hergrew jewelry and regionally. She also had a deep love John up inlocally the Millingport January 10, 2023 at Ansonyou Health community he drove a school for God’s creation, would often find herwhere outside foraging, working in her greenhouse or caring Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, and for Rehab. busdifferent and worked at the local birds. She loved the many types of local birdsgas that visited her house and she took went home into God’s presence on Mr. Roseboro was born on during his High School years. great pride in feeding and caringstation for them! January 10 after a sudden illness and June 23, 1967 to the late Robert He graduated from Millingport Jana will be remembered as a loving person who could always be counted on to help in aintime a valiant week-long fight ICU. and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He 1954 and entered into of need. Whether she was caringHigh for ain patient, calling her mother daily to check-in, helping her 11, Doris was born on October graduated from South Stanly service with the US Airforce a projectby or coming to their aid when sickness struck,1944, Janaincared deeply for those the mountains of Marion, Highdaughters School andwith was employed immediately afterward. Upon in her life. NC while her father was away Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching return from the service, he and his fighting in the US Navy during is survived by her husband, Gary Gantt her mother, Edith Annette Terkhorn footballJana and basketball, especially the highStephen school sweetheart JulieJr.; were World War II. Raymond Jones was Hackman; three Leighmarried Anne Chamberlayne and husband Lucas, Elizabeth “Libby” Carolina TarHeels and daughters, Miami. in 1956. He graduated from so proud to return after the war and andhe husband Justin, and Leeza Marie Scheidt and husband Blake; two brothers, InAnnette additionGreenlee to his parents is Nashville Auto Diesel College later in meet hisElaine; little girl! Doris up in preceded in death his brothers Stewart Lee by Hackman and wife Kristi andbegan Rodney Keith Hackman wife and onegrew sister, 1959 and his career as a diesel and Durham, NC and graduated from and Jill sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Annette Hackman Block and husband Brian. SheDistributing was preceded in death by her father, Herman mechanic at Mitchell Durham High School. She furthered Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Company, moving his growing Henry Hackman. her studies at Watts Hospital Henrietta Ingram, and Harold family to Charlotte where they lived School of Nursing in Durham and Roseboro. until their retirement. graduated as a Registered Nurse in He is survived by his sisters: When John purchased his first 1966. Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards Model A Ford at the age of 17, he Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro said that he took the car to the Coleman in 1966 and had two of Washington DC, and Marion community mechanic when he had daughters Amy and Laura. Doris Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: a small problem.The mechanic told raised Amy and Laura in North Thomas 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 A Fords began and how he career, and this was her passion. McLendon of the home; special spent his happiest days with his best 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 of his life! nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond At age 50, after years as a Detroit at University Hospital NICU and Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and Diesel Mechanic he and Julie worked there for 20 years. During God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and decided to take the plunge and this time, Doris mentored young special friends, Vetrella Johnson and open a full Model A Restoration nurses and assisted in saving the performer spread BenThe McLendon. Shop. They thrived at their shop in lives of so many babies. She also calypso music across Cornelius, NC until their retirement worked for Pediatrician Dr. William in 1998 when they moved back to the world during his A. Wilkes in Augusta for several Cabarrus County. John once again six‑decade career years prior to her NICU career. Doris set up shop in his back yard garage retired from the mother/baby area at where he attracted a loyal group of Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 friends who visited almost daily. By Anselm Gibbs years of nursing. While on the farm in Gold Hill, The Associated Press Doris was a gentle and sweet John also began a lifelong love with spirit and loved her Lord. She never Alis Chalmers tractors after he PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad met a stranger, and she always left — Calypso music lost one of its restored his Dad’s tractor and began you feeling uplifted after talking amassing his collection of tractors most emblematic voices Sunwith her. She would often claim that as well. day with the death of Slinger she had “adopted” friends into her John restored many cars of Francisco, who was known on immediate family, and honestly, she his own and had the crowning stage as the Mighty Sparrow achievement of winning the most never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her and dubbed the “Calypso King prestigious award from MARC, The of the World.” He was 91. Henry for a restoration that garnered like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her Francisco, who got his top points. He was also presented JENNIFER SZYMASZEK / AP PHOTO lifetime she was an active member breakthrough in calypso mu- with the Ken Brady Service Award of Firstdances Baptist Church sic with his 1956 hit song “Jean the Calypso with of Durham, highest star awardSlinger given toFrancisco, members right, First Baptist Church Augusta, January 7, 1973 ~died January 8, and Dinah,” peacefulCaribbean community leader Jean Alexander at aof reception at the national level. Holy Trinity Catholic Church 2023by his family in inThis ly surrounded hisishonor in New York 29, 2005. what John’ s Model A on JulyMost in Augusta, and Palestine United New York, his family said in a Community had to say upon Methodist Church in Albemarle. Darrick Vashon Baldwin, 50, af- learning of his death: statement. His death age came She especially entered eternal rest, Sunday, January suchloved as helping New atYork 1935, wasofjust a venues ter a “brief illness,” the state- July He was anFrancisco active member church with older adults,Garden. youth, and 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Madison Square toddler whenMethodist he migrated with City’s ment said without disclosing Wesley Chapel Church children. Bornany January 7, 1973, in Stanly Throughout his career, Franwhere he lovedtoserving as greeter on his parents Trinidad and Toother details. She was especially talented County,“He North Carolina, Darrick wasin Sunday mornings. bago in 1937. He also belonged cisco’s goal was to advance the was an institution at sewing from a young age and the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. United Methodist Men.is the calypso art form, according to Trinidad and Tobago the entertainment industry, to the made gifts for friends, Christmas andwell the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. John is survived by his wife cultural historian admired for his skill and birthplace of calypso music, Trinidadian ornaments, Halloween Costumes, Darrick enjoyed life, always kept Kluttz,the for 66 years and and author Rudolph Ottley.prom andUssery it’s where name finesse as a singer, songwriter Julie doll clothes, pageant dresses, things lively and enjoyed making the home. also survived “The Mighty Sparrow was ofHe theisMighty Sparrow and mentor; beloved by many,” ofpersona dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, others smile. His presence is no by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) the supreme entertainer, a culwould later emerge to produce Francisco’s family said. outfits for Amy and Laura, and longer in our midst, but his memory NC; two daughters, revolutionary of list of hit songs in the genre: tural The live Mighty Sparrow will ofaOakboro, Christening gowns forand eachone of her will forever in our hearts. Sally Simerson of Denver, COMan,” and the world’s greatest Calypso“Both of Them,” “Congo be remembered as “a defining grandchildren. He was educated in the Stanly (John)“The of Lafayette, told The Associ“Mr.Tusa Walker,” Lizard”CO; and nians,” voice of our culture, a master Betsy DorisOttley was preceded in death by County public schools and attended three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz ated Press. many more. storyteller and a towering figher father Arthur Raymond Jones, Albemarle Senior High School, (Ben) Trinidad andEllen Tobago has “Birdie,” asof Richfield, FranciscoNCwas ure whose music helped carry Sammons her mother Mary Cameron Albemarle. John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) the composer and peralso affectionately known, re- honored calypso from Trinidad and ToJones, and her sister Maryanne He was a great conversationalist of Asheville, NC and Seth William with national awards, to the world,” Trinba- corded hundreds of songs in former Jones Brantley. andbago loved meeting people.the Darrick McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; in 1987include the University a career that spanned six de- andSurvivors gomet Unified Calypsonians’ her two of never a stranger and always Or- five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Westdaughters: Indies conferred an cades. He performed in sev- the ganisation in a statement. precious Amy Cameron showed love and said compassion for his Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal honorary Doctor of Letters on eral John countries around the BornHein coastal fellowman. alsothe loved his dog,town Ronan. is also preceded in Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and world, including famous of Grand Roy, Grenada, in death Rocky. by his parents, J.S.atKluttz and Francisco. Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio He is survived by his father, Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal and loving group of brothers and seven grandchildren: Cameron (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; Louof Kluttz Honeycutt, Nelson Celebrate your loved Jake ones. Submit obituaries Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Antonthe life Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Baldwin, and Lamont andBaldwin; deatha notices to be published in Stanly News Journal Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard host of other relatives and friends. A Fowler Kluttz. at obits@stanlynewsjournal.com Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, limb has fallen from our family tree. nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved We will not grieve Darrick’s death; ones. we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.
James Roseboro
John B. Kluttz
Doris Jones Coleman
Calypso icon Slinger Francisco, dubbed ‘The Mighty Sparrow,’ dead at 91, according to family
Darrick Baldwin
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
SYMPHONY from page A1
MURALS from page A1
“Since 2018, we’ve had the honor of hosting the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra in Stanly County. It is always the highlight of our year,” said Renee VanHorn, executive director of the Stanly County Arts Council. “With our mission being ‘to encourage and promote broad‑based cultural and educational activities in the arts throughout Stanly County,’ we want to make sure that everyone can partake in this opportunity. Our goal is to ensure that ticket prices are not cost-prohibitive. Fortunately, the local business community continues to recognize the importance of this concert and financially supports this concert each year.” General admission tickets cost $15 for adults and $5 for children, students and groups of 10 or more. Reserved seating is available for $25 and must be arranged at the Agri-Civic Center between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays or by emailing stanlycountyartscouncil1974@gmail.com. First Bank is sponsoring free admission for Stanly County students in kindergarten through
1930 screening of “Gold Diggers of Broadway.” Donaldson went from his Badin roots to an internationally known jazz career, while Hendley, a banjoist, singer, bandleader and radio personality, became known for his showmanship and helped influence a young Earl Scruggs. Furr and his sons also helped shape Badin’s musical identity, with the family later forming a popular dance band. Together, the works trace a musical tradition that included classics, marches, musicals, dance music, swing and jazz, heard locally and through radio and recordings. “These walls were built to hold music,” Wilson said in a statement. “Now they do it again — this time in full color, big enough to stop traffic, and just waiting for someone to pull out a horn.” Wilson handled the mural concepts, historical selections, composition and design. His broader work has included music, film, theater, museum exhibits, historic preservation and other cultural projects. The murals’ debut also comes ahead of a celebration honoring Donaldson. On Nov. 9, Badin Coffee will host the inaugural Lou Donaldson Memorial Concert at 7-9 p.m., marking 100 years since the birth of the Badin-born jazz musician. The event is intended to celebrate Donaldson’s career while continuing the same musical tradition now displayed across the post office walls.
COURTESY CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra performs at a previous event. 12th grade when accompanied by a paying adult. Tickets will be distributed at schools during the week of Oct. 19 and can also be downloaded from the arts council’s website. Pfeiffer University and Stanly Community College students can also attend free by presenting a student ID at the door. Tickets will be available at the Agri-Civic Center, First Bank locations in Albemarle, Locust, Richfield, Mount
Pleasant and Troy, and online at stanlycountyartscouncil.org. First Bank locations accept cash or checks, while the Agri-Civic Center also accepts credit cards. Uwharrie Bank and Corning are the concert’s primary sponsors; additional event sponsorship is provided by Dr. John Kilde of Charlotte Eye, Ear, Nose & Throat, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry, and Starnes Bramlett Jeweler, among others.
“These walls were built to hold music.” artist Dall Wilson
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
Pilot stabs fellow pilot on flight to Israel before passengers intervene to stop attack The aircraft lost most of its rudder during the extreme descent but landed safely
By Samy Magdy, Melanie Lidman, Isaac Scharf and Josh Funk The Associated Press TEL AVIV, Israel — A copilot stabbed a captain in an apparent attempt to crash a jetliner as it was flying 174 people to Israel on Wednesday. But passengers burst into the cockpit and wrestled with the attacker even as the plane descended sharply, witnesses and Israel’s government said. The plane made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The shaken passengers from the FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv landed Wednesday evening in Israel on another flight, as onlookers cheered. Israel’s emergency services said they treated three passengers with minor injuries. It was not clear what motivated the attack, which led Israel to scramble warplanes amid concerns about a possible hijacking. In a CNN interview aired on Wednesday evening, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the attacker was an Omani national and was being interrogated in Saudi Arabia, where he was arrested. Aviation experts were surprised the plane did not crash after a descent so extreme that most of the rudder was ripped off the tail. “We’re going to die,” passenger Naama Bershadski recalled thinking as she closed her eyes and prayed. A video shared by Netanyahu’s office showed passenger Yaniv Hayoun, who grappled with the attacker, wearing a bloodied shirt and hugging the prime minister, who told Hayoun: “I look at you and I see a lion. I see a great hero.” President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that he and Netanyahu discussed the incident “at length” by telephone and that it seemed as though the copilot “was perhaps a terrorist or perhaps a whack job. And, he stabbed the pilot.” Responders knew they had seconds to act Hayoun, who Netanyahu identified as a plumber, said he and others pushed their way into the cockpit, where he saw the alleged attacker seemingly trying to destroy the controls. “The door apparently wasn’t locked, and we managed to open it,” Hayoun told journalists at the airport. “What made it difficult for us was the (oth-
er) pilot himself. He had been stabbed and was on the other side of the door.” Hayoun told Netanyahu that as people wrestled with the attacker, he grabbed the controls and pulled them the way he had seen on television shows. Then other crew members took over. FlyDubai said the aircraft was secured by on-duty crew “who diverted and landed the aircraft safely.” Another responder, dentist Shota Musayev, told journalists they realized they had just seconds to take control of the plane before a “critical event.” They also feared another attacker might be on the plane, so “we spread a few more people inside the plane so that if something happened, we would be able to simply take control.” Musayev then attended to the wounded pilot: “He was just praying the whole time and was in contact with me, and I was afraid we would really lose him.” Video footage on social media reviewed by The Associated Press showed two men on the plane’s floor, bloodied and wounded. Netanyahu identified the captain as Smit Machchhar, an Indian citizen, and noted his “extraordinary bravery.” The Indian Embassy in Saudi Arabia said Machchhar was hospitalized in stable condition. “Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker — preventing a catastrophic midair disaster,” Netanyahu said on X. “He saved the lives of 174 people, including Israeli citizens and other nationals.” Israel’s foreign ministry said the people on board were from Israel, India and the United Arab Emirates. The U.S. State Department said four passengers had American citizenship. FlyDubai said its flights to and from Israel would be suspended while an investigation takes place. Netanyahu said that he spoke with the UAE’s president, who agreed that Israel would join the interrogation of the suspect. The incident came at a busy travel time as the Jewish High Holy Days with school and work breaks wrap up. In addition, national elections will be held on Oct. 27 and many Israelis plan to fly back to vote, since Israel doesn’t permit absentee voting from abroad. Netanyahu had warned in recent days of unspecified, heightened security threats. The country is a week away from the anniversary of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which has triggered a series of wars.
TOMER APPELBAUM / AP PHOTO
Israeli passenger Yaniv Hayoun, with blood stains on his shirt, who was aboard a Flydubai aircraft that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, is welcomed at the arrivals gate at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday. Aviation experts marvel that plane didn’t crash In the chaos about two and a half hours after leaving Dubai, the flight descended from 33,000 feet to 17,000 feet (around 10,000 meters to 5,100 meters) in about a minute, before making an erratic circle close to the Jordanian border and landing in Tabuk about an hour later, according to Flightradar24, which identified the aircraft as a Boeing 737 Max 8. According to a statement by Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, the plane landed there at 9:45 a.m., an hour after making a distress call. “Suddenly the aircraft started to fall down, like, a massive turbulence, like a massive G force, for 20 or 30 seconds,” passenger Almog Italie said. Former United Airlines pilot and aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said he was surprised that the plane was able to land safely after most of the rudder was ripped off the tail during the extreme descent. “That was a serious descent and strong aerodynamic forces on that rudder for that to happen. I’m just amazed the aircraft didn’t come apart,” Arroyo said. Another aviation safety expert, Jeff Guzzetti, said that given the rate of descent, it may not have been possible for the plane to level out if it had fallen below 10,000 feet. “It is remarkable they were able to pull out of that dive. What saved them is there was enough altitude left for them to recover,” said Guzzetti, who used to investigate crashes for
“It is remarkable they were able to pull out of that dive. What saved them is there was enough altitude left for them to recover.” Jeff Guzzetti, former NTSB and FAA Investigator the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration in the U.S. Panicked mayday call as flight sought place to land A person who heard the flight’s communications with air traffic control described the plane being turned away by Saudi Arabia and Jordan before eventually landing in Tabuk, while passengers screamed in the background. The person said the pilot’s voice was trembling as he called “mayday” and said a hijacking was taking place and ambulances would be needed. But Saudi Arabia initially denied clearance to land and directed him to Jordan. The plane was told to wait for clearance from the Jordanian military and then turned away. The pilot then returned to Saudi Arabia and said he had to land in Tabuk. The air control operators gave no reason for the refusals. The person who heard the communications spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. Israeli Foreign Minister
Gideon Saar said he spoke with his counterpart in the UAE and they agreed to work together “against extremist elements seeking to harm security and undermine stability in the region.” The General Civil Aviation Authority of the UAE said it was investigating a security incident. An official confirmed that Israel had scrambled warplanes, fearing a hijacking. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the incident was under investigation. Israelis have made emergency landings in Saudi Arabia before Israelis were targeted in a string of hijackings and airplane attacks by Palestinian militants in the 1960s and 1970s. Israel has not experienced a hijacking in decades but maintains some of the strictest airport security in the world, including on Israel-bound flights. The emergency landing in Saudi Arabia was not the first for a plane carrying Israelis home. The kingdom does not have formal diplomatic ties with Israel, but ended its longstanding ban on Israeli flights overflying its territory in 2022. Since then, Saudi Arabia has coordinated emergency landings for Israeli passengers, including in 2023 when a plane experienced an electrical malfunction. The UAE has become a popular vacation destination for Israeli tourists since the countries normalized ties in 2020. FlyDubai is the lower-cost sister carrier of Emirates airlines.
OHAD ZWIGENBERG / AP PHOTO
A FlyDubai plane carrying Israeli passengers who had earlier been aboard another FlyDubai aircraft that made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia approaches Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel, on Wednesday.
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
SpaceX launches 4 astronauts from 3 nations on fast track to International Space Station A Canadian colonel will become a father while stationed in space By Marcia Dunn The Associated Press CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Four astronauts rocketed into orbit Thursday on a space station mission that will stretch until spring, among them a Canadian whose wife will give birth while he’s away. SpaceX launched commander Jessica Watkins and her crew for NASA after a three-week delay to fix the capsule’s leaking fuel system. Thick clouds threatened all morning to halt the countdown, but in the end, the skies cleared enough to allow for a safe liftoff. Although their stay at the International Space Station will last a long six months, the flight there promised to be the quickest yet for Elon Musk’s company: a mere eight-hour transit with an arrival well before bedtime. With the late morning liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Watkins became the first black woman to
lead a crew to orbit. A geologist who worked with NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity a decade ago, Watkins is making her second trip to the space station following a lengthy stay in 2022. “Thanks for an amazing ride,” Watkins radioed after reaching orbit. The others are newcomers to space: NASA’s Luke Delaney, a retired Marine; Canada’s Joshua Kutryk, a colonel in the Royal Canadian Air Force; and Russia’s Sergey Teteryatnikov, a former submariner. They will replace four astronauts who have been living at the orbiting laboratory since February. “We feel like some of the luckiest people in the world,” Kutryk said ahead of the launch. This was the 13th crew launched by SpaceX for NASA, not counting 2020s test flight. All four embrace their Crew‑13 designation that pays homage in their mission patch to Apollo 13. The harrowing 1970 moonshot ended with the astronauts’ safe return. “We really wanted to honor their legacy, honor their resilience and their grit, and bring a little bit of that with us,” Wat-
kins said. She and her crewmates rode to the pad in black Teslas bearing plates that read “Lucky 13.” Kutryk will become the fourth man to become a father while orbiting Earth. Wife Heather is due to give birth to their third child in late November. The Canadian Space Agency promises plenty of support for the entire family when the big day comes. “A lot of life-changing things can happen over six months,” NASA manager Dana Weigel said on the eve of liftoff, noting that the space agency will do its best to keep Kutryk looped in to his family. In 2004, NASA provided a radio link between space station astronaut Mike Fincke and his wife’s delivery room during the birth of their daughter. Five years later, Randy Bresnik, commander of next year’s Artemis III mission, dialed in to his wife’s hospital from orbit. The happy news traveled more slowly for Austrian astronaut Franz Viehbock. His daughter was born a few hours after he launched to the Soviet Union’s Mir space station in 1991. He was not informed until the next day.
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Astronauts, from left, Joshua Kutryk, of Canada, pilot Luke Delaney, commander Jessica Watkins and Cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov, of Russia, leave the Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Thursday.
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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 Courthouse, and at the Elections Office. The following offices are included on the ballot for this election: Partisan Offices: US Senate, US House of Representatives District 8, NC Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1, NC Court of Appeals Judge Seats 1, 2, & 3, NC State Senate District 33, NC State House of 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. Non-Partisan Offices: County Soil & Water Conservation District Supervisor, City of Albemarle Council At-Large and Districts 2 & 4, Town of Badin Council AtLarge and Districts East & West, City of Locust Mayor, City of Locust Council At-Large, Village of Misenheimer Council At-Large, Town of New London Mayor, Town of 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 At-Large, Town of Richfield Mayor, Town of Richfield Board of Commissioners At-Large, Town of Stanfield Mayor, and Town of Stanfield Board of Commissioners At-Large. Referendum: Constitutional amendment to require all voters, not just those presenting to vote in person, to present photo identification before voting. 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. Only qualified residents may vote in this election. 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 person may register to vote at the Board of Elections Office
weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Other registration agencies include DMV (online and in-person), Public Assistance Offices, High Schools, Community Colleges, & 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 reregister. A voter who wishes to change party affiliation 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. Photo Identification: All voters will be asked to show photo identification when voting. Absentee by-mail voters will be asked to include a copy of their photo identification with their ballot. Acceptable photo IDs that may be expired up to one year: NC Driver License*, US Passport, NC DMV State ID, 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 expiration date and have no expiration limit: Military ID, 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 the elections office prior to the canvass, or complete an 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 the voter, voter’s near relative, verifiable legal guardian, or 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 calling the Board of Elections office. Ballots are mailed
September 4, 2026 through October 20, 2026. After this time, voters who are sick or disabled, or a near relative or verifiable legal guardian of the voter, may apply for an 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 in person by the voter, voter’s near relative, verifiable legal 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 by 7:30 p.m. on November 3, 2026. Military and overseas 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 Center in the Joel Huneycutt Community Room located at 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. The board will meet on Monday, November 9, 2026 at 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) 9863647; by US Mail: PO Box 1309, Albemarle NC 28002; by email: elections@stanlycountync.gov; or visit our web site at www.votestanlycountync.gov. William N. Rigsbee, Jr., Chair Stanly County Board of Elections PUBLISH: Sundays, September 20, 27, & October 4, 2026
STANLY SPORTS
COURTESY SOUTH STANLY ATHLETICS
The Gray Stone boys’ soccer team poses for a photo at a Charlotte FC game.
Gray Stone boys’ soccer wins sixth consecutive game with 8 goals The Knights improved to 6-0 in conference play By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal MISENHEIMER — Gray Stone’s boys’ soccer team extended its winning streak to six matches Wednesday, shutting out North Rowan 8-0 in Misenheimer to remain unbeaten in Yadkin Valley Conference play. The Knights (11-3-2, 6-0 YVC) scored four goals in each half and handed the Cavaliers (3-11-1, 2-3 YVC) their third conference loss. Seniors Walker Bullard and Jackson Cotoni, junior Matthew Burleson and sopho-
more William Hernandez each scored twice, accounting for all eight goals. The victory continued a dominant stretch for Gray Stone, which has outscored opponents 40-1 during its winning streak. Wednesday’s result also marked the Knights’ fifth consecutive shutout. Gray Stone has won all six of its conference matches since Sept. 14, climbing to the top of the YVC standings as the league’s only unbeaten team in conference play. That surge follows an uneven opening to the season. Coming off a 16-4-4 campaign and a state championship game appearance, the Knights were 5-3-2 through their first 10
matches before beginning their current run. Gray Stone finished second in the YVC last season behind Union Academy. The reigning conference champion Cardinals are 5-9 overall and 3-1 in league play this season, trailing the Knights in the standings. The Knights will try to keep their conference record perfect Monday when they travel to New London to face North Stanly. Albemarle 5, South Stanly 4 The Albemarle Bulldogs (3‑7-1, 1-3 YVC) recorded their first conference win of the year with a 5-4 home victory over the South Stanly Row-
dy Rebel Bulls (5-8, 1-5 YVC) on Wednesday. It was a flipped script from three weeks earlier when the Bulls defeated the Bulldogs 6-4 in Norwood. Albemarle will now head to Union Academy on Monday, while South Stanly will travel to North Rowan. Union Academy 6, North Stanly 1 Over in New London, the North Stanly Comets (7-7-2, 2-3 YVC) saw their four‑game winning streak snapped Wednesday with a 6-1 loss to the Union Academy Cardinals (5-9, 3-1 YVC). The Comets, who had three consecutive shutout wins pri-
5
Straight shutout wins for Gray Stone Day
or to the loss, have already surpassed their 5-12-2 record from 2025. They will now host conference leader Gray Stone on Monday. West Stanly 1, Anson 0 (FF) In Rocky River Conference play on Tuesday, the West Stanly Colts (6-8-2, 3-2-1 RRC) had a forfeit victory against the Anson Bearcats (0-11, 0-6 RRC). The Colts are seeking their second straight winning record in league competition after placing fourth in the RRC (7-4‑1) last season. West Stanly is set to face Porter Ridge on the road on Monday.
Lowder closes rookie season with strong final start The former North Stanly standout threw six scoreless innings
“It means a lot, especially how the past couple of ones have been going.”
By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Former North Stanly pitcher Rhett Lowder closed out an uneven rookie season with the Cincinnati Reds on a high note, turning in one of his best outings of the year. The 24-year-old right-hander from Albemarle threw six scoreless innings last Saturday as Cincinnati defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-1 at Rogers Centre. Lowder’s outing began shakily, walking the first two Toronto batters before escaping with a strikeout and a double play. After surrendering a one-out double in the third inning, he retired 11 of the final 12 batters he faced. He allowed three hits and two walks while striking out two on 79 pitches, 50 for strikes. The strong finish followed a difficult September — Lowder had gone 0-4 with a 12.33 ERA over his previous four starts, with only one outing lasting longer than four innings. “It means a lot, especially how the past couple of ones have been going,” Lowder said. “Just take a little bit of positivity into
Rhett Lowder
JON BLACKER/THE CANADIAN PRESS VIA AP
Reds starting pitcher Rhett Lowder throws to a Blue Jays batter during a game in Toronto on Sept. 26. the offseason. It’s not just one good one and you’re back, but it feels good.” His first full major league season also included time on the injured list and a brief move to the
bullpen. Lowder missed most of May because of discomfort in his right shoulder, returned in June and then made three relief appearances in July before returning to the rotation.
“Definitely inconsistent,” Low der said of his season. “I know areas I need to improve on and I’m going to improve on them. It’s just good to put a full season together and know the
areas I need to get better — and I will.” He finished the season 7-12 with a 5.74 ERA, 103 strikeouts and 56 walks across 1331/3 innings and 29 appearances, including 26 starts. His seven wins ranked second on the team, while his 12 losses were also second most. “I think people have lost sight of the fact that he didn’t pitch last year,” Reds manager Terry Francona said of his pitcher. “He has not commanded the ball like he can or will. When he does, he’s going to be just fine.” A former Wake Forest standout and the seventh overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Lowder debuted Aug. 30, 2024, and posted a 1.17 ERA in six starts. Oblique and forearm injuries kept him out for all of 2025. Lowder earned a rotation spot in spring training and opened the season 3-1 with a 3.18 ERA through six starts before injuries and inconsistency altered his year.
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
MLB considers Grand Teton National Park for baseball game site Environmental groups have raised concerns about construction on protected land By Ronald Blum The Associated Press MAJOR LEAGUE Baseball has reached out to the federal government about the possibility of one day staging a game in western Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park, an idea quickly met with resistance from environmental groups and others. MLB and the players’ association have played a handful of regular-season games away from the 30 big league ballparks in recent years, including in the Iowa corn fields made famous by the movie “Field of Dreams.” An MLB official familiar with the discussions confirmed Monday that the league approached the Trump administration about possibly hosting a game in a national park. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the league hadn’t authorized comment on the matter and said it was among several ideas MLB has explored. A White House official said MLB asked the administration whether hosting a game at a national park would be possible but emphasized it was not a
AMBER BAESLER / AP PHOTO
The Teton mountains reflect on Oxbow Bend in Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. presidential directive and was not driven by the administration. The National Park Service has not granted any permits, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because there was no authorization to speak on the record. MLB’s special event games have included games at Dyers-
ville, Iowa, in 2021, 2022 and 2026, with another scheduled next August between Boston and Kansas City. In addition, regular-season games were played at Rickwood Field in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2024 and at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, in 2025, and games have
been held since 2017 in conjunction with the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. MLB also has played international games in London; Mexico City and Monterrey, Mexico; Seoul, South Korea; Sydney; and Tokyo; plus some in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“It’s abhorrent.” State Sen. Mike Gierau (D-Wyo.)
Grand Teton includes a commercial airport — the busiest in Wyoming — and a vast expanse of Jackson Hole bottomlands with spectacular views of the Teton Range. There is no shortage of flat terrain where a temporary ballpark could be built. The possibility of building a baseball field on national park land quickly raised a host of questions. “It’s abhorrent,” Mike Gierau, a Democratic state senator and baseball lover who represents Jackson and nearby Grand Teton, wrote in a text message. “Baseball is the American game. The national parks are America’s greatest idea. But a national park is to be protected for its undeveloped and scenic values.” Environmental groups also came out against the idea, first reported by The Washington Post. “Americans want to see protections for our national parks and public lands strengthened. Bulldozing these lands for a baseball stadium does the opposite, destroying the magnificent landscapes that millions of people come to experience,” Chris Kassar, the Sierra Club’s Wyoming director, said in a statement. A message left with Grand Teton officials seeking more information wasn’t immediately returned.
Game delays for lightning may be annoying, but they save lives — sports meteorologist explains risk Delays have plagued the early college football season By Chris Vagasky The Conversation WHEN NEARBY lightning forces officials to delay a big college football game, the backlash from fans can be fierce, especially if the sky over the stadium is still mostly blue. Sports fans took to social media to complain loudly when nearby lightning forced several game delays on Sept. 19, including Florida State at Alabama, UNC at Clemson, BYU at Colorado State, and Charlotte at Appalachian State. The Alabama delays earned particular anger because there was no rain at Bryant-Denny Stadium at the time. I’m a meteorologist who studies lightning and lightning safety around sporting events, so I am familiar with the risks and why those lightning rules exist. My colleague and I documented 262 football-related lightning deaths and injuries in the United States between 1970 and 2023. That included 12 people who were injured by lightning that struck near Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, after a Green Bay-Tampa Bay NFL game in 2014, and about 40 high school players and coaches who were injured when lightning struck in the middle of a group of players running sprints during football practice in Grapeland, Texas, in 2004. Lightning strikes can also be lethal. In 2024, one player was killed and eight others injured when lightning struck during a televised soccer match in Peru. In 1998, multiple players were injured when lightning struck during a soccer match in South Africa. To understand why the NCAA has become a stickler for delaying games when lightning is nearby, let’s take a look at the science behind the safety protocols keeping fans and players safe when thunderstorms are nearby.
JACOB KUPFERMAN / AP PHOTO
The Clemson-UNC game had a significant delay earlier this month. If lightning struck the bleachers during a game, electricity could travel through the metal seats, injuring or killing dozens of fans. A strike to the turf could send ground current across the field, injuring or killing the players, coaches and game officials. The likelihood of experiencing a lightning delay might be even higher soon. A new NCAA proposal, if approved by the Division I Cabinet, would move the start of the college football season a week earlier starting in 2027. That would mean more games played during the peak of the late summer and early fall lightning season, increasing the lightning risk further.
Real threat on, off field
How NCAA lightning safety policies work
Large stadiums are of particularly high concern when it comes to lightning because of their open-air stands and large crowd sizes.
In college sports, lightning safety policies have been in place for nearly 30 years. First published in 1997 and regularly updated in the NCAA Sports
1997
Year the NCAA passed its current severe weather delay policy
Medicine Handbook, these policies give clear guidance on when to suspend and resume play. The eight-mile radius: Because lightning can strike 8 or more miles away from the parent thunderstorm — sometimes resulting in a bolt from the blue — safety policies require game delays when lightning is detected within that distance. Players clear the field, and fans are encouraged to go to a safe place, such as the stadium concourse. Remaining in the stands exposes them to lightning danger. The 30-minute clock:
Electric charge in the clouds can linger after a storm has passed, so waiting 30 minutes after the last lightning flash is detected lets the threat subside. Each new lightning flash in the eight-mile radius resets the timer. A 2018 study reviewed 136 college football and NFL games that were delayed by lightning between 2010 and 2015. Half of the delays occurred when games were already underway, and the majority of the delays were over in less than 90 minutes. Delays frustrating but necessary Because lightning can happen before or after a thunderstorm is overhead, rain is a poor indicator of lightning danger. Most lightning injuries and fatalities occur before the rain starts or after it ends, when people think they’re safe. Today, some teams use dedicated event meteorologists
with accurate radar and lightning data to monitor conditions surrounding the stadium. Their expertise can minimize the amount of time that games are delayed. While it can be frustrating to wait out a lightning delay, keep in mind that a game can always resume, but lightning injuries can last forever. So if you’ve grumbled about a game delay and thought football-related lightning incidents in the United States were rare, “Not so fast, my friend,” as longtime ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso might say. Corso’s own rental car, unoccupied at the time, was memorably struck by lightning outside Lane Stadium in Blacksburg, Virginia, before the 2000 Georgia Tech-Virginia Tech game. The game ended up being canceled because of the storm. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
After three straight 100-loss seasons, White Sox headed back to postseason Chicago clinched its 12th playoff berth in history By Dave Skretta The Associated Press KANSAS CITY, Mo. — After becoming the first team in major league history to follow consecutive 100-loss seasons with a playoff berth, nobody would have begrudged the White Sox for spilling over the dugout railing and celebrating wildly on the field in Kauffman Stadium. Instead, they matter-of-factly formed a handshake line, as if their 9-1 win over the Royals was any ol’ midsummer matinee. They were saving the party for the clubhouse. After the White Sox clinched no worse than one of three AL wild-card spots with the rout in Kansas City, and in the plastic-draped visiting locker room, the bottles of Moët were stacking up quickly. Miguel Vargas was drenched, Munetaka Murakami was beaming and a team expected to finish last in the AL Central was relishing a most improbable postseason appearance. “This means a lot for us,” Vargas said. “We’ve been chasing this moment for a long time. It’s special for us. It’s special for the whole organization. This is a special group of guys, and this is the most fun we can have.” That might be a bit of hyperbole. The White Sox have already had another celebration, after sweeping two games in Houston to knock out the Astros and advance to the second round of the playoffs. The White Sox led all 18 innings of the two road wins over the Astros, dominating in their
“W’s are all that matters. ... You see this? This is all that matters. Whatever I can do to help the team, that’s all I care about.” Colson Montgomery first postseason series win since winning the 2005 World Series—also over the Astros. Chicago will face AL Central champion Cleveland next. The White Sox fell just short of catching the Guardians in the final weekend of the season. Maybe that’s why the White Sox showed some restraint in celebrating their postseason berth right in front of the Royals. “They know what this is about,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “This comes with the expectation that this was going to happen, which is really cool. They’re definitely letting loose right now, we’ll have a fun plane ride, but then back to business tomorrow.” It wasn’t just that the White Sox were two years removed from losing 121 games, setting a post-1900 record, or that no team had made the playoffs after consecutive 100-loss seasons — let alone three in a row. But even midway through April, they were making good — err, bad? — on most folks’ expectations, starting 6-13 and looking every bit the part of a perennial loser. But then their youngsters starting slugging, and the White Sox started piling up wins. Murakami, who signed a two-year, $34 million deal in
December — after the White Sox paid a $6.575 million posting fee to the Yakult Swallows — has 33 homers and drove in his 74th run last Thursday. Vargas has been receiving some MVP hype after hitting 33 homers of his own and driving in 92. And Colson Montgomery, who last Thursday tied Mark Reynolds’ season record of 223 strikeouts, has masked all those whiffs by hitting 31 homers and driving in 87 runs. “W’s are all that matters,” Montgomery said, Champagne and beer dripping from his goggles in the middle of the pandemonium. “You see this? This is all that matters. Whatever I can do to help the team, that’s all I care about.” Chicago’s trade of left-handed ace Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox in December 2024 also has paid long-term dividends. Three players whom the White Sox landed in the deal — Kyle Teel, Chase Meidroth and Braden Montgomery — were in the lineup last Thursday, and all played a big role in helping the White Sox clinch the 12th postseason appearance. Teel homered, reached base five times and scored three runs. Meidroth had a couple of hits, extending his on-base streak to 15 games. And batting last in the order, Montgomery had a hit and scored during a three-run second inning that broke open the game. It was 6-0 after two innings and 8-0 after four. And pretty soon, plastic tarps were going up in the visitors clubhouse, an almost unfathomable party just 90 minutes away. “This is what the White Sox is. We come together,” Murakami said, “and this is not the end. We’re going to start from here.”
Bulls rookie Wilson says he’s going to try to lead, not blend in The UNC product is confident as the Bulls look to him to turn the team’s fortunes By Matt Carlson The Associated Press CHICAGO — A second prominent Caleb could make a splash this season on the sports scene in Chicago. Rookie Bulls forward Caleb Wilson is facing lofty expectations as the young centerpiece of the rebuilding NBA team, something now-injured quarterback Caleb Williams has been accomplishing with the NFL’s Bears. And like Williams, whose prolific passing and nimble footwork led the Bears to an unexpected 11-6 record and division title last season, the 20-year-old Wilson seems to have arrived with a bit of a confident edge.
PAUL BEATY / AP PHOTO
Chicago Bulls forward Caleb Wilson poses for a photo during the team’s media day this week. “Well, in my opinion, there’s no leadership while blending in, so I’m definitely not going to try to blend in,” Wilson, the No. 4 overall pick in the NBA Draft,
said at the Bulls’ media day. “I am going to go in there and try to lead by example. “I feel like as a rookie, people respect actions more than re-
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Ashlyn Jarrett Gray Stone Day, volleyball Ashlyn Jarrett is a senior on the Gray Stone Day volleyball team. The Knights are 10-6, and Jarrett leads the team in kills. She’s also second on the team in digs and receptions, and third in service aces. Jarrett’s volleyball career will not be ending this fall. Last week, she committed to playing college volleyball for nearby Pfeiffer, committing to the Falcons at a signing ceremony at her school.
PHOTOS COURTESY GRAY STONE ATHLETICS / FACEBOOK
spect voice or words. So I’ll let my actions lead.” The Bulls are trying to climb from a 31-51 record in 2025-26 when they missed the playoffs for the fourth straight season. Chicago allowed 121.5 points per game, ranking 28th overall in the NBA. The 6-foot-10 Wilson was considered possibly the most athletic player in the draft. Known for his finishing ability, the forward averaged 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds in 24 games with UNC last season before it was cut short by left hand and right thumb injuries. Wilson is good to go and has been impressing new first‑year executive vice president of basketball operations Bryson Graham and new coach Tiago Splitter with his work ethic and willingness to learn as the team gets its formal training underway. “The expectations are probably pretty high because Caleb is pretty outspoken,” Graham said. “But internally we know that it’s a season of growth and development. We have to be OK with giving him grace throughout this year because he’s going to have some ups and downs.
“It’s exciting because Caleb has all the potential in the world, and we just, kind of like, have to water that seed correctly. You know, in that time, it will sprout into something really beautiful.” Wilson has been working on strength and conditioning to navigate NBA play. He and Splitter have yet to talk about a specific role, with both saying that will evolve. Wilson says he thinks Splitter, a 41-year‑old from Brazil who played seven seasons in the NBA, will “allow him to go out there and play” and be direct if he needs to make changes. Wilson said he’s fluid about what he wants to accomplish as a rookie. “I’m more of a process guy than an outcome guy,” he said. “That’s how I’ve been … just as of late because, you know, you can’t control the outcome of things if you don’t focus on the process.” Point guard Josh Giddey also has been impressed by Wilson. “It’s obviously a different kind of level when you play against real NBA talent in the regular season,” Giddey said. “But one thing he doesn’t lack is confidence.”
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
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NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY’ IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 26SP000130-830 MARK T. LOWDER, Public Administrator for the Estate of CLAUDE JUNIOR HUNEYCUTT, Deceased, Petitioner, vs. KENT TRULL, Guardian Ad Litem for UNKNOWN HEIRS, Respondents. NOTICE OF SALE Under and by virtue of an Order of the
Clerk of Superior Court of Stanly County, North Carolina, entered on the 2nd day of September, 2026, made in the above captioned Estate, the undersigned, was by said Order appointed Commissioner to sell the land described in the Petition, and will on the 14th day of October, 2026, at 12:00 Noon at the Stanly County Courthouse, Albemarle, North Carolina, offer for sale to the highest bidder for cash, that certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in Stanly County, North Carolina and being more particularly described as follows: BEGINNING at a stake on the North side of Liberty Street in the Western portion of the town of Albemarle, N.C. and bounded as follows: BEGINNING at a stake on the North side of Liberty Street and runs W. 100 feet to a stake; thence N. 200 feet to a stake; thence E. 100 feet to a stake; thence S. 200 feet to the beginning and being Lots Nos. 13 and 14 of the A. A. Mills Property as sold
on December 6, 1924. Said lots shown as Lot No. 9 on Map or Plat Book of Mrs. F. C. Anderson property, which map or plat is recorded in Plat Book No. 1, page 96 in the office of the Register of Deeds for Stanly County, North Carolina, reference to which records is hereby made for a more complete description of said lots. For reference see deed from Haywood Norris and wife Violet H. Norris to James Hatley, dated July 13, 1978 and recorded in Deed Book 308, page 537, Stanly County Registry. For further reference see Deed Book 286, page 177, Stanly County Registry. James Tillman Hatley died testate, a resident of Stanly County. North Carolina, on November 10, 1984, and by Article Six of his Last Will and Testament which has been probated in the Office of the Clerk of Superior Court of Stanly County, he devised all real property remaining in his estate to Beulah Mae Hatley Furr, Betty Sue Hatley Earnhardt, Violet Ann Hatley Norris (Fowler)
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
NOTICE TO CREDITORS
The undersigned have qualified as Co-Executors of the Estate of JERRY MARSHALL BRATTAIN, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina (Stanly County File Number 26E000434-830). This is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said decedent or his estate to present the same duly itemized and verified to the undersigned Co-Executors or their Attorney on or before the 4th day of January 2027, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the decedent or to his estate are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Co-Executors or their attorney.
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
This the 4th day of October 2026. LORI ANN BRATTAIN Co-Executor 215 Brattain Rd Locust, NC 28097 CHRIS MARSHALL BRATTAIN Co-Executor 215 Brattain Rd Locust, NC 28097 CHARLES P. BROWN BROWN & SENTER, P.L.L.C. PO Box 400 Albemarle, North Carolina 28002-0400 Telephone: 704 982-2141 Facsimile: 704 982-0902 PUBLISH: October 4, 11, 18, and 25, 2026
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 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 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. 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 NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT DIVISION STANLY COUNTY. 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
NOTICE TO CREDITORS 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
and Claude Junior Huneycutt, the grantors herein. Letters of Testamentary on the estate of James Tillman Hatley were issued to Beulah Mae Hatley Furr by the Clerk of the Superior Court of Stanly County on November 14, 1984. As Executrix Beulah Mae Hatley Furr caused Notice to Creditors to be published in the Stanly News and Press on January 4, 11, 18 and 25, 1985. Consequently, under the provisions of North Carolina General Statutes 28A-1712(a) (2) as contained in Volume 2A of the 1983 Cumulative Supplement to the General Statutes of North Carolina, Beulah Mae Hatley Furr as Executrix joins with the grantors in the execution of this deed. The Address of the property is: 1604 Liberty Avenue, Albemarle, North Carolina The above-described real property will be sold subject to any and all liens or encumbrances, superior mortgages, deeds of trust liens, including, without limitation, easements, conditions, restrictions and
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY 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
NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 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
matters of record, and any unpaid county and city ad valorem taxes, including those for the year 2026, and city assessments, if any. Subject to any encroachments. An earnest money deposit equal to five percent (5%) of the bid price, or $750.00, whichever is greater, will be required from the highest bidder at the time of sale as evidence of good faith. This sale will be held open for ten (10) days for upset bids. This the 18th day of June, 2026. MARK T. LOWDER Commissioner M.T. Lowder & Associates Attorneys at Law P.O. Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone: 704-982-8558 Fax: 704-986-4808 PUBLISH: October 4 and 11, 2026
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Potential sanctions against Man City could range from fines to expulsion from the Premier League The verdict could trigger intervention by an independent regulator and legal action from rival clubs
ish authorities also should look at the matter. “If accounts have been falsified and auditors have been misled, then it is potentially a criminal matter,” Lord Cruddas, a Conservative peer, told the BBC. “The auditors will call in the police, directors are personally liable for any fraud of a UK company even if it is foreign-owned.” According to the Fraud Act of 2006, individuals can face up to 10 years in prison if they are found to have dishonestly made a false representation with the intention of making a gain or avoiding a loss. There have been no reports of any criminal investigation in the case.
By Steve Douglas The Associated Press MANCHESTER CITY faces an uncertain future after the decorated English soccer club was found guilty of systematically breaking the Premier League’s financial rules for nearly a decade. The verdict, delivered by an independent disciplinary commission, leaves open an array of sanctions including a fine, points deduction or even expulsion from the Premier League. City could also face possible compensation claims from rival teams, while its ownership — the Abu Dhabi-controlled City Football Group — is coming under increasing scrutiny. The club has rejected the verdict in a case that dates to 2018 and mainly covers its financial dealings from 2009-18, and promises a relentless campaign to clear its name. Here’s a look at what’s next in one of the biggest scandals in English soccer history: City promises “relentless” challenge to verdict City can appeal the verdict and has insisted it will. “The Club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions,” City said in a statement. “The Club will therefore be relentless, and where necessary proactive, in any and all appropriate regulatory and legal forums.” To make its appeal, City would need to send an email to the chair of the independent commission’s three-person panel, who would then appoint a new appeal board — also consisting of three people, one of whom “shall have held judicial office,” according to the Premier League handbook. The board will then schedule a hearing that should finish within 12 weeks after the appeal is filed and not exceed five consecutive days.
City sponsor Etihad Airways considers legal action
JON SUPER / AP PHOTO
Flares and tape are let off as Manchester City’s players celebrate on stage as fans watch the winners parade after the team win the English Premier League title in Manchester, England, on May 23, 2022. Sanctions will be decided later City’s punishment will be addressed in a separate, confidential hearing with the independent commission. The Premier League statement didn’t mention whether sanctions can be imposed before the decision of the appeal is reached, only that it was the league’s intention that the process is concluded “as soon as possible.” According to the Premier League, the independent commission could issue a reprimand, fine, suspension, points deduction or, in the worst case, expel the club from the competition. Clubs have been expelled from lower leagues in England but never from the Premier League. A club that is expelled from the Premier League could apply for membership in the English Football League, which runs the three divisions below the Premier League: the Championship, League One and League Two. The EFL’s regulations say it “could be asked to accommodate any former Premier League Club(s) in League Two.” The biggest points deduction handed to a Premier League
team was 10 to Everton in 2023, for overspending in one three‑year financial period. That deduction was later reduced to six after an appeal. City’s breaches are much more widespread and included a refusal to cooperate, unlike Everton. Independent regulator could get involved Separately, the Independent Football Regulator — a body established by the British government last year to set governance standards in English soccer — could intervene in the City case. The new regulator is independent of soccer authorities and has the power to remove club owners if they are found unsuitable. “The independent commission’s decision raises serious issues,” IFR chairman David Kogan said on Wednesday. “The IFR has powers to assess the suitability of owners, directors and executives and we will use these powers where appropriate, in the interests of protecting the sustainability, honesty and integrity of English football where there is clear evidence of wrongdoing by individuals,” he said.
Kogan said the IFR was awaiting further developments in the ongoing proceedings between City and the Premier League. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would be “really concerned” to lose City’s current ownership. “They’ve been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester,” Burnham, who was formerly the mayor of Manchester, said to the BBC. “Obviously, the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is.” Asked if he would be willing to listen to the United Arab Emirates government about the matter, Burnham said: “I am not getting directly involved in the process. I’ve not spoken to anybody directly about that. I have to keep my distance from it. It would be wrong for me to do anything else. It’s an independent legal process that has to play its course through.” Some call for criminal charges The Man City case is a disciplinary proceeding, not a criminal investigation. However, some have suggested that Brit-
Etihad Airways, City’s main sponsor, was considering legal action against the Premier League for the way the investigation findings were communicated, Sky News reported late Wednesday. Sky News quoted an Etihad statement saying “we stand with the club,” adding that the Abu Dhabi-based airline said it would “seek the relevant legal counsel on the options and recourse available to protect its interests . . . at no time did the Premier League reach out to or engage with Etihad in the process associated with the commission’s opinion.” Rival teams could make claims for compensation No club has publicly announced its intention to make a compensation claim based on the impact of City’s rule-breaking. However, the BBC has reported that a number of clubs had started seeking advice over whether they would have a case for financial compensation, before the verdict had been announced. A precedent was set this year when Everton was ordered to pay more than $47 million in compensation to Burnley, which successfully argued to a disciplinary commission that it would have survived relegation — at Everton’s expense — in the 2021-22 campaign had its rival been given its six-point penalty for the financial breaches that season.
21-year-old Fortnite pro gives out computers to young gamers, plans for more through new fund “Clix” is addressing the expensive equipment barrier that keeps aspiring gamers out By James Pollard The Associated Press NEW YORK — After dropping out in eighth grade to pursue esports, Cody Conrod wants to help others enter the increasingly expensive world of professional gaming. The 21-year-old competitive Fortnite player, better known as Clix to his more than 8 million Twitch followers, already provides hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gaming equipment through an annual holiday giveaway. Through his new holding company, launched Thursday, he is formalizing those efforts into the Dr3amin Access Fund. Fortnite, one of the world’s most popular video games, features last-one-standing showdowns where players hunt down each other’s customizable avatars across an ever-shrinking map. Content creators have found loyal audiences by live streaming their exploits on platforms such as Twitch, the livestreaming platform owned by Amazon, and clipping the most eye-catching segments into viral short-form videos. But the equipment needed to compete at higher levels is pricey — and getting pricier. The
LM OTERO / AP PHOTO
Competitive gamer and Twitch streamer Cody “Clix” Conrod conducts a live stream from his apartment in downtown Dallas, Texas, on Tuesday. massive data center buildout has pushed up the costs of computers, graphics processors and memory chips. Conrod recommends a setup that can handle at least 120 frames per second for a GPU-intensive game such as Fortnite. And even sub-$500, entry-level PCs are becoming scarcer, according to Joost van Dreunen, a longtime games industry researcher and adjunct assistant professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. “Anybody who is starting up early in their career, anybody who is building their first PC, is having an increasingly difficult time finding hardware and components for it,” he said. Conrod understands the squeeze. His parents couldn’t af-
ford a “crazy gaming computer” when he started playing when he was five. As Fortnite took the gaming world by storm, with publisher Epic Games offering $100 million tournament prizes, Conrod said he had to make do with a “worst of the worst” computer running 30 frames per second. After months spent begging his parents to help buy a roughly $1,600 computer, Conrod said, his dad wrote up a contract: the teenager would have three months to pay him back by working for his plumbing company throughout the summer. Conrod ultimately needed just two weeks’ worth of Fortnite earnings to honor the deal. “If I never had that PC, if I
never had access to that computer, this career — this setup that you see — would not be a thing,” Conrod said, speaking from his Dallas, Texas, bedroom where he streams to thousands of viewers for hours at a time. By age 14, it was time for another conversation. He’d made nearly $200,000 through the Fortnite World Cup and felt he couldn’t balance classes with his career. Waking up for middle school at 6 a.m. to then compete in tournaments at 6 p.m. left him exhausted. “You can’t be tired when you’re playing,” he explained. Reaction times, he said, have to be “crisp.” After some hesitation, his parents agreed to let him go all-in on competitive gaming. Esports is still a place where it’s “very hard to make a living,” according to van Dreunen. The real money is clustered at the top, he said, and there’s no “healthy” talent ecosystem. There’s also the stigma — many people still don’t view competitive gaming as a legitimate career, both he and Conrod emphasized. Conrod hopes that by lifting the financial burden of buying a computer, he can get more parents to let their children test the professional limits of their hobby. “They also have to get good grades if they’re in school,” he added, noting that he made the “still delusional but a little less delusional” move to drop out only when he’d won “a good amount of money.”
Full Box Inc., his new holding company, is inspired by MrBeast’s sprawling media empire, which houses the YouTube megastar’s food brands, production company and philanthropy. Full Box Inc. encompasses Clix’s clothing brand, clipping agency and game studio, among other endeavors. He’s still figuring out the funding model for the Dr3amin Access Fund. Some proceeds from his clothing brand will support the initiative. Other brands will have the opportunity to donate during his end‑of‑year giveaway, Clixmas. And he’ll give some, too; last year he said he personally contributed about $100,000 as Clixmas gave away five custom PCs daily throughout the month of December. Conrod got some proof of concept this past weekend. His team took fourth place — and $120,000 — among 50 duos at the Fortnite Global Championship in Belgium. Among his competitors was a gamer known online as Joshreyli. They’d met two years ago during the first Clixmas when Conrod challenged his audience to eliminate him during a one-on-one match in exchange for a computer. Josh won, got the PC and has since earned six figures as a pro, according to Conrod. “It’s like a full-circle moment of what helps me want to do more stuff like this,” Conrod said. “Those stories fire me up.”
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
famous birthdays this week
this week in history West, East Germany unite; space race begins, Hamas attacks Israel
Alicia Silverstone turns 50, John Mellencamp is 75, Paul Hogan celebrates 87
The Associated Press OCT. 4
The Associated Press THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week. OCT. 4 Baseball Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa is 82. Actor Susan Sarandon is 80. Actor Armand Assante is 77. Actor Christoph Waltz is 70. Singer Jon Secada is 65. Actor Liev Schreiber is 59. Actor Abraham Benrubi is 57. Actor Alicia Silverstone is 50.
ALESSANDRA TARANTINO / INVISION VIA AP
Actor Susan Sarandon turns 80 on Sunday.
1777: Gen. George Washington’s troops launched an assault on the British at Germantown, Pennsylvania, resulting in heavy American casualties and the retreat of Washington’s Continental Army. 1957: The Space Age began as the Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial satellite, into orbit. 1970: Rock singer Janis Joplin was found dead in her Hollywood hotel room at age 27.
OCT. 5
OCT. 5
College Football Hall of Fame coach Barry Switzer is 89. Rock musician Steve Miller is 83. Rock singer Brian Johnson (AC/DC) is 79. Actor Karen Allen is 75. Singer-songwriter Bob Geldof is 75. Astrophysicist-author Neil deGrasse Tyson is 68.
1958: Racially desegregated Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee, was nearly leveled by an early-morning bombing. 1989: A jury in Charlotte convicted evangelist Jim Bakker of using his television show to defraud followers. 2011: Steve Jobs, the Apple founder and former chief executive who helped transform everyday technology through products including the iPhone, iPad and Mac, died in Palo Alto, California, at age 56.
OCT. 6 Actor Britt Ekland is 84. Irish politician Gerry Adams is 78. Pro Football Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy is 71. Bowler Walter Ray Williams Jr. is 67. Actor Elisabeth Shue is 63. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R‑La.) is 61.
STAN GILLILAND / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Musician John Mellencamp turns 75 on Wednesday.
OCT. 6 1927: The era of talking pictures arrived with the opening of “The Jazz Singer” starring Al Jolson, a feature film containing both silent and sound-synchronized sequences. 1973: War erupted in the Middle East as Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack on Israeli forces in the Sinai Peninsula and the Golan
OCT. 7 Author Thomas Keneally is 91. Singer John Mellencamp is 75. Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) is 73. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 71. TV personality Simon Cowell is 67. Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead) is 58. Singer Taylor Hicks is 50.
AP FILE PHOTO
Rock singer Janis Joplin performs at the Newport Folk Festival in July 1968, in Costa Mesa, Cal. Joplin died on Oct. 4, 1970. Heights during the Yom Kippur holiday, starting a nearly three-week conflict that would become known as the Yom Kippur War. 1981: Egyptian President Anwar Sadat was shot to death by members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad. OCT. 7 1765: The Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up Colonial grievances against England. 1985: Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro in the Mediterranean Sea. The hijackers shot and killed a Jewish American tourist in a wheelchair and pushed him overboard. 2023: Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 1,200 people and taking more than 250 hostages. OCT. 8 1871: The Great Chicago Fire began; more than 300 people died and more than
17,000 structures were destroyed during the three-day blaze. 1862: Union forces beat back a Confederate offensive at the Battle of Perryville, Kentucky’s largest and bloodiest Civil War engagement, resulting in thousands of casualties and helping ensure the state remained under Union control. 2016: Hurricane Matthew made landfall on the South Carolina coast, triggering severe flooding and several deaths in the Carolinas, days after devastating parts of the Caribbean and killing more than 500 people in Haiti alone. OCT. 9 1967: Marxist revolutionary and guerrilla leader Che Guevara, 39, was executed by the Bolivian army a day after his capture. 1985: Strawberry Fields, a memorial to former Beatle John Lennon in New York’s Central Park, was dedicated. 2012: Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was sentenced in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, to 30 to 60 years in prison following his conviction on 45 counts related to the sexual abuse of boys. OCT. 10 1845: The U.S. Naval Academy was established in Annapolis, Maryland, with an inaugural class of 50 students. 1935: George Gershwin’s opera “Porgy and Bess,” featuring an all-black cast, opened on Broadway and began a run of 124 performances. 1966: The Beach Boys’ single “Good Vibrations,” written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, was released by Capitol Records.
OCT. 8 Actor Paul Hogan is 87. Comedian Chevy Chase is 83. Author R.L. Stine is 83. Actor Sigourney Weaver is 77. Musician Robert “Kool” Bell (Kool & the Gang) is 76. Comedian Darrell Hammond is 71. OCT. 9 Musician Nona Hendryx is 82. Musician Jackson Browne is 78. Actor Robert Wuhl is 75. TV personality Sharon Osbourne is 74. Actor Tony Shalhoub is 73. Actor Scott Bakula is 72. Actor-TV host John O’Hurley is 72. Film director Guillermo del Toro is 62. Singer PJ Harvey is 57.
EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION VIA AP
Astrophysicist and author Neil deGrasse Tyson turns 68 on Monday. OCT. 10 Actor Peter Coyote is 85. Entertainer Ben Vereen is 80. Actor Charles Dance is 80. Author Nora Roberts is 76. Rock singer David Lee Roth is 72. Football Hall of Famer Brett Favre is 57. Actor/TV host Mario Lopez is 53. NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. is 52.
AP PHOTO
An unidentified crew member of the Italian cruise liner Achille Lauro embraces one of nine passengers in Port Said, Egypt, after four Palestinian gunmen who hijacked the ship Oct. 7, 1985, surrendered. The passengers had been stranded in Egypt since the hijacking.
U2 goes back to school for 50th anniversary show Thirty-two students joined the band for the hit “One” By Peter Morrison and Brian Melley The Associated Press LONDON — Irish band U2 returned to school last Friday to put on a surprise class in rock ’n’ roll where they formed a half century ago. The band ripped through a seven-song set including an encore of “With or Without You” for hundreds of students in the schoolyard of Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin and a crowd of others who got word of the gig or — like a construction crew several floors up a nearby building — were lucky to be within earshot and have a bird’s eye view. “We escaped the lab — how’s the experiment going for you?” Bono said as he pointed to the science classrooms. The band got its start at the school 50 years ago when a 14-year-old Larry Mullen posted a note on a message board reading: “Drummer seeks musicians to form band.” Originally known as Feedback, the group consisted of singer Paul Hewson, now Bono, guitarist David Evans, known as The Edge, and Adam Clayton on bass. The rest, as they say, is histo-
ry, though it would be a couple of years before they settled on the name U2 and not until 1980 that their first album, “Boy,” dropped. The 30-minute gig was not quite as secret as it may have seemed. A camera crew was rolling; international news media were gathered. It was part of a promotional push for their new album, “Carnaval De Luz,” which features a duet between Bono and Dolly Parton, who died of cancer last month. They later performed from a balcony to a crowd of fans on popular Grafton Street in central Dublin. Students, some sticking their heads out of classroom windows, screamed and cheered. They captured the moment on their phones and sang along to the familiar tunes. As he counted down the signature start of “Vertigo,” with “uno, dos, tres, catorce” (one, two, three, 14), he quipped: “If you’re taking Spanish lessons, don’t take them from me.” In a tribute to teachers, he became philosophical about his time at the school, saying it was where the band began the “humblest and hardest lesson” of learning how much they needed to be taught. “Part of that started here and the sense was that maybe all we needed was around us, just under our feet — if we could see it
PETER MORRISON / AP PHOTO
U2 perform an impromptu concert from a balcony in central Dublin last Friday. in our mates, our wider community that was going to help us get through the next 50 years,” he said. “So, we want to thank them — and the wider community around this rock ’n’ roll high school.”
We want to thank them — and the wider community around this rock ’n’ roll high school.” Bono
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
Austrian yodelers take voices underground, turning parking garage into Alps “The energy is rising; it’s rising and rising.”
By Philipp Jenne The Associated Press
Anna Maria Gutschi, yodeling teacher
GRAZ, Austria — No mountains to practice on? No problem. Yodeling fans in Austria have moved their practice sessions to an underground parking garage, since it produces echoes like those they can get in the landscapes of the Alps. “It’s not too dissimilar to the high mountains,” said yodeling teacher Anna Maria Gutschi as she led a group of 30 through an empty parking garage earlier this week. “You have wide hallways; you have walls that reflect a lot.” Gutschi works for the Styrian Volksliedwerk, a cultural organization promoting traditional folk music in the southeastern Austrian city of Graz — which is not in the high mountains, but sits in a flat basin surrounded by hills and low mountain ranges at the edge of the Alps. The group has been holding a series of courses on yodeling in unusual places to keep the tradition alive in modern times. Whether it is an underground car park, a canal or a gas station — as long as the
acoustics work, up to 30 people are allowed to join each time for a unique experience. “It’s a form of communication from mountain to mountain — just like that, without the need for a phone,” Gutschi said, describing the art of yodeling as she let her voice wander up and down the scales. “And it’s not as boring as writing an SMS. Sounds much better, too.” “The energy is rising, it’s rising and rising,” Gutschi said as she explained the unique melodic tradition to her students. “Ever higher and then it wants out on top and there it goes.” For over an hour, the yodelers walked through the city’s largest underground parking garage, practicing their yodeling skills until they had reached the deepest part of the garage — and the best conditions for a great sound. While some participants were already experienced yodelers, newcomers to the craft also were welcome to join this subterranean class.
Jamey Sohn, from South Korea, who is studying sustainable development in Graz, decided to take the class to immerse herself in Austrian culture. “When I actually came here, it was a lot more — well, I wouldn’t say easy per se, but it’s a lot more approachable than I first expected,” Sohn said. Yodeling emerged centuries ago as a way of communicating in the Alps over long distances — not just between people, but also between man and animal. Cattle would recognize their owner from his voice and return to the stable from far away. Over time this primeval form of singing has evolved into its own musical genre first made popular internationally by the U.S. musical film “The Sound of Music.” For Thomas Button, a teacher who is originally from New York state, yodeling is “like a form of meditation. Singing meditation.” “It’s hard to describe how much power you get from yodeling together, the energy from within,” said local yodeling fan Rudolf Schmidhofer. “The togetherness, the polyphonic kind of yodeling where you must listen to each other.” “I’m still a student when it comes to this, but I like it very much,” he added.
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People yodel during a public event in an underground garage in Graz, Austria, on Sept. 23.
James, Stuart could become 5th multiple Booker Prize winners for UK’s best fiction This year’s winner will be announced Nov. 9 By Pan Pylas The Associated Press LONDON — Marlon James and Douglas Stuart have a chance to become only the fifth author to win the Booker Prize twice after both were named Tuesday on the shortlist for arguably the U.K.’s most prestigious fiction accolade. Judges of the award whittled down the 13 semifinalists announced in July to six last Tuesday and said the shortlisted books are “moving, pacey, funny, violent, intriguing, horrifying and hopeful.” They were selected from an original 163 submissions. The Booker Prize celebrates the best works of long-form fiction by writers of any nationality, written in English and published in the U.K. and/ or Ireland between October 2025 and September 2026. The winner stands to win $67,000 and a trophy named Iris, so‑called after the 1978 winner Iris Murdoch. “Most of these books were beginning to feel like old friends after at least two read-
ings,” said historian Mary Beard, head of the judging panel. “And it was painful to have to let some of them go, with their now bent spines and dog-eared pages, their brilliant capacity to make us think, argue and sometimes disagree.” The list includes James’ “The Disappearers,” about a group of gay men in his native Jamaica in what was a hostile environment in the 1980s; Stuart’s “John of John,” a story of father-son secrets on a remote Scottish island. James won the Booker in 2015 for “A Brief History of Seven Killings” and Stuart won in 2020 for “Shuggie Bain.” If either were to win, they would be the fifth author to have been awarded the Booker Prize twice, joining J.M. Coetzee, Peter Carey, Hilary Mantel and Margaret Atwood. Also on the shortlist is Pulitzer Prize laureate Elizabeth Strout, whose heartfelt small-town tale “The Things We Never Say” once again celebrates the lives of those in her native New England. Strout’s “Oh William!” was a finalist in 2022. She won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2009 for “Olive Kitteridge.” The others on the list are
British authors Rebecca Perry for medieval-to-modern tale “May We Feed the King”; 81-year-old M. John Harrison, who would become the oldest winner of the award if his postapocalyptic tale “The End of Everything” wins; and the quirky campus novel “Black Bag” from Luke Kennard. It’s only the second time in the past decade that men have outnumbered women on the shortlist. Beard said the judging panel, which included Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker and American novelist Patricia Lockwood, concluded their deliberations “neatly propped up against one another, almost glowing.” “These novels range from the hilarious to the discomfiting, from the frighteningly strange to the alarmingly domestic, from the powerfully shocking to the intriguingly understated,” she said. Founded in 1969, the Booker Prize has a reputation for transforming writers’ careers and is open to novels from any country published in the U.K. and Ireland. Last year’s winner was “Flesh” by Hungarian British writer David Szalay.
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The film “The Sound of Music” made the practice popular internationally
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Stanly News Journal for Sunday, October 4, 2026
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