VOLUME 145 ISSUE 91 | WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
SUBSCRIBE TODAY: 704-982-2121
Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
WHAT’S HAPPENING House votes overwhelmingly to force release of Epstein files, sending bill to Senate Washington, D.C. The House voted overwhelmingly to pass a bill to force the Justice Department to publicly release its files on the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. It’s a remarkable display of approval for an effort that had struggled for months to overcome opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican leadership. Trump now says he will sign the bill if it passes the Senate. Tuesday’s vote showed the pressure mounting on lawmakers and the Trump administration to meet long-held demands that the Justice Department release its case files on Epstein. He was a well-connected financier who killed himself in a Manhattan jail while awaiting trial in 2019 on charges he sexually abused and trafficked underage girls.
Federal judges block Texas from using new U.S. House map in 2026 midterms A panel of three federal judges has blocked Texas from using a new congressional map that Republicans drew in hopes of picking up five U.S. House seats. The 2-1 ruling Tuesday was a blow to President Donald Trump’s efforts to have states draw more favorable maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections so the GOP can preserve its slim U.S. House majority. In Texas, civil rights groups and black and Hispanic voters have argued the new map is an illegal racial gerrymander. The judges were receptive enough to those claims to block the map’s use pending further court review. Texas’ expected appeal would be directly to the U.S. Supreme Court.
UN approves Trump administration’s plan for future of Gaza United Nations The Trump administration’s blueprint to secure and govern Gaza has won strong approval at the United Nations. It’s a crucial step that provides international support for U.S. efforts to move the devastated territory toward peace following two years of war. The U.S. proposal that passed the United Nations’ most powerful body on Monday authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security in Gaza and approves a transitional authority to be overseen by President Donald Trump.
MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Holiday lights, hometown nights Main Street was aglow in downtown Albemarle last Thursday night thanks to cars, streetlights and the city’s Christmas decorations.
Stanly County receives clean audit report for 2024-25 An accounting firm issued the county an unmodified report By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Stanly County has been given a clean audit report indicating the county’s financial health for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, from Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams and Company. At the Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting on Monday night, the board re-
“If you have a takeaway from this presentation, you had an unmodified and clean report, and financially you’re in good shape.” Alan Thompson on the financial statements as a whole,” Thompson said. “If you have a takeaway from this presentation, you had an
“I’d like to sincerely thank my finance staff for their hard work and dedication.”
The city was honored by the Government Finance Officers Association By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Albemarle’s finance department has been recognized for the quality of its reporting for the eighth consecutive year. At the Albemarle City Council’s meeting Monday night, the department was awarded with the Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. The honor was given for Albemarle’s annual compre-
hensive report for the fiscal year that ended on June 30, 2024. “It is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting,” said Jacob Weavil, Albemarle finance director. “Receiving the award demonstrates a constructive spirit of full disclosure that clearly communicates the city’s financial story. Since we have received the award eight years in a row, it might be easy to assume this as routine or guaranteed, but that is far from the truth.” Weavil has served as the city’s full-time finance director since 2021 following a See AWARD, page A5
Now Serving Stanly and Montgomery Counties LOCATIONS
• Albemarle • Biscoe • Locust • North Oakboro/ Red Cross Road • South Oakboro/ Rocky River Road
See AUDIT, page A5
inside Albemarle receives financial reporting award
Jacob Weavil, Albemarle finance director
$2.00
ceived the county’s financial statements and an unmodified audit report from Alan Thompson, a representative of the full-service accounting firm based in Whiteville. The audit includes the financial statements of governmental activities, business-type activities, the discretely-presented component unit, each major fund and the aggregate remaining fund information of the county for fiscal year 2024-25. “The main thing you hire us as an independent audit firm to do is issue an opinion
unmodified and clean report, and financially you’re in good shape.” Thompson added that there were no uncorrected misstatements or disagreements with management in the audit. He went on to highlight key metrics, such as a general fund balance of $62.37 million — up from $40.06 million four years ago — along with an unavailable fund balance of $9.95 million, a general fund expenditure of $95.35 million, a fund balance available at 54.97% and a property tax collection percentage of 98.45%. The county’s total debt is $43.7 million, with governmental debt at 73% and business-type activities at 27%. Two minor findings were noted in the audit report and
24 Hour Access Digital Video Surveillance Online Billing Great Customer Service
www.burlesonsquarestorage.com • 704-985-2274
North Stanly won a wild game with East Surry. The back-and-forth 49-45 win sent the Comets into the third round of the state playoffs. See page B1 for more.
JESSE DEAL / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL