VOLUME 145 ISSUE 75 | WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2025 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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“Our flag was still there” The flags of the United States and North Carolina fly in front of Locust City Hall earlier this month.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Trump tells UN in speech it’s “not even coming close to living up” to potential President Donald Trump has returned to the United Nations to boast of his second-term foreign policy achievements and lash out at the world body as a feckless institution. He also warned Europe it would be ruined if it doesn’t turn away from a “double-tailed monster” of ill-conceived migration and green energy policies. World leaders listened closely to his Tuesday remarks at the U.N. General Assembly as Trump has already moved quickly to diminish U.S. support for the world body in his first eight months in office. After his speech, Trump met with Secretary-General António Guterres and told the top U.N. official that the U.S. is behind the global body “100%” amid fears among members that he’s edging toward a full retreat.
Secret Service dismantles telecom threat around UN capable of crippling cell service in NYC The U.S. Secret Service has dismantled a massive hidden telecom network in New York. Investigators say the system could have crippled cell towers and jammed 911 calls. The cache included over 300 SIM servers with more than 100,000 SIM cards. It was located within 35 miles of the United Nations. The network could have blacked out cellular service, especially during the United Nations General Assembly. Officials have not uncovered a direct plot against the assembly. Forensic analysis is ongoing, and authorities suspect nation-state actors.
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Stanly school board reviews grant application with county commissioners The funding would pay for two major capital projects By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Education and Stanly County Board of Commissioners met in Albemarle for a special-called joint session Monday night to discuss a grant application that could fund major facility improvement projects. The meeting focused on Stanly County Schools’ plan to pursue a Needs-Based Public School Capital Fund grant from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction that would provide up to $52 million for construction funding. In order for the application process to move forward, the grant requires a 5% local match approved by the county commissioners.
COURTESY STANLY COUNTY SCHOOLS
The Stanly County Board of Education and Board of Commissioners held a joint meeting on Monday night in Albemarle. The school board voted at its Sept. 11 work session to apply for the grant, with the overall goal of building a new elementary school to replace Oakboro
Choice STEM School and adding capacity at West Stanly Middle School. On Monday, the board presented an $84.35 million
Albemarle introduces new assistant city manager Zach Ollis began his new role Sept. 15 By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Assistant City Manager Zach Ollis is officially on the job after beginning his duties last week with the city of Albemarle. At the Albemarle City Council meeting on Sept. 15, City Manager Darren Rhodes introduced Ollis, who was hired in August following a competitive search that drew more than 100 applicants. “Zach has been a town manager at three separate municipalities, and he’s been successful at every point in his career,” Rhodes said. “He’s
a proven leader, and he’s really the perfect fit here for the city of Albemarle to work with our fantastic team. We’re really looking forward to working with Zach. He’s a servant leader and he’s a perfect member of the team.” Ollis brings over a decade of local government experience in North Carolina, overseeing services that have included public safety, planning and development. “He’s really the most qualified individual that we’ve ever hired for the assistant city manager position that I can tell,” Rhodes added. “That speaks not only to Zach’s ability and talent, but it also speaks to the city and its leadership. It See OLLIS, page A5
“I think that I can be here for a very long time.” Zach Ollis, new assistant city manager
proposal, which includes the $52 million grant request, a $2.6 million county match See MEETING, page A4