VOLUME 146 ISSUE 20 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
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Fire and water Those who got up early on Tuesday were in for a treat as the (almost) springtime sunrise turned the sky pink and purple for just a few minutes over Lake Tillery.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Americans unite in aggravation over sticker shock at the gas pump A country divided on many fronts is finding common ground at the gas pumps. The cost of the Iran war is hitting Americans squarely in the wallet and aggravating people across the political spectrum. That was the message from Associated Press interviews Monday with people at gas stations and beyond in five states. The national average gas price was $3.48 a gallon on Monday, up from $2.90 a month ago, before the war, according to tracking by AAA.
Anthropic sues Trump administration seeking to undo “supply chain risk” designation Anthropic is suing the Trump administration, asking federal courts to reverse the Pentagon’s decision designating the artificial intelligence company a “supply chain risk” over its refusal to allow unrestricted military use of its technology. The Pentagon designated the San Francisco tech company a supply chain risk after an unusually public dispute over how its AI chatbot Claude could be used in warfare.
School board approves driveway, sewer contracts for Endy Elementary The bidding process for the projects has completed By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Education approved nearly $1.3 million in projects tied to the expansion of Endy Elementary School
tem to construct a driveway lot on school property to assist with moving traffic off N.C. Highway 24/27 during student pickup and drop-off. Out of six bidders, NJR Contractors submitted the lowest responsive bid at $770,250; the board approved the contract with a 4-2 vote. Board members Dustin Lisk, Glenda Gibson, Robin Whittaker and Vicky Watson vot-
Stanly Chamber of Commerce announces 2025 award winners “With deep gratitude and humbleness in my heart, thank you.” Larry Baucom
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during its March 3 meeting. The approvals for a new driveway installation and a sewer system replacement came during a Capital Improvement Planning Committee presentation from Board Member Dustin Lisk. Stanly County Schools Maintenance Director Keith Benton told board members the North Carolina Department of Transportation wants the school sys-
Awards were given to residents and businesses of Stanly County By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Chamber of Commerce celebrated community leadership and its own history during its 2026 Annual Meeting and Awards ceremony on March 5. Held inside Atrium Health Stanly’s Magnolia Room in Albemarle, the event marked
the chamber’s 90th year serving the community while recognizing several local leaders and organizations for their contributions during the 2025 calendar year. Five major awards were presented during the evening: Citizen of the Year, Ambassador of the Year, Business of the Year, Small Business of the Year and Nonprofit Organization of the Year. The keynote speaker for the ceremony was William R. “Bill” Webb Jr., chairman of See AWARD, page A2
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ed in favor, while Carla Poplin and Meghan Almond voted against. Board member Bill Sorenson abstained. Some members raised concerns about the cost and the fact the project was not included in the initial expansion plans. “It seems to me that we’re building things on shifting sand See SCHOOLS, page A4
inside Education Secretary Linda McMahon was in North Carolina this week. For more, turn to page A4.
PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL