Stanly News Journal Vol. 146, Issue 27

Stanly NewS Journal

The sun is risen

WHAT’S HAPPENING

White House ballroom gets final approval days after judge’s ruling halting construction

Washington, D.C.

President Donald Trump’s new White House ballroom has gotten final approval from a key commission. It comes after a federal judge ordered a halt to construction unless Congress approves the project. A spokesperson for the National Capital Planning Commission says the agency is moving ahead with Thursday’s vote because the judge’s ruling affects construction activities, not planning. The ballroom is estimated to cost $400 million and has faced opposition and legal challenges. The president aims to complete the ballroom project before his term ends in 2029. The ballroom will include security upgrades and is funded by donations and public dollars for security enhancements.

Average U.S. long-term mortgage rate climbs to 6.46%, highest level in nearly 7 months

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed for the fifth straight week, reaching its highest level in nearly seven months, another setback for home shoppers in the midst of the spring homebuying season. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday that the benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.46% from 6.38% last week. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.64%. The last time the average rate was higher was Sept. 4, when it was at 6.5%.

Stanly school board backs $42M school budget request

The budget was unanimously approved by the board

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — Stan-

ly County Schools leaders say a proposed $42 million budget request aims to balance day-to-day operations with long-term investments in facilities.

At the Stanly County Board of Education meeting Wednesday night, SCS Superintendent Jarrod Dennis presented the district’s 2026-27 “District Investment Blueprint,” a plan that outlines funding across local funds, capital outlay and technology.

The proposal includes roughly $20.28 million in local

funds, $20.35 million in capital outlay and $1.38 million in technology investments.

Dennis said the blueprint is designed to align spending with human capital, structural

integrity, comprehensive safety and student experience.

“We know we’re asking for a lot, and we know there’s a lot of needs,” Dennis said. “We’re pragmatic about what we’re

New London has enthusiastically rallied behind the fundraiser

By Melinda Burris Stanly News Journal

NEW LONDON — Elizabeth Grantham’s son, Samuel, was born in 2015 with a serious illness but is currently a relatively healthy child. He loves running, playing Minecraft and spending time outdoors.

“He has a big heart, and he loves Jesus,” his mom said, explaining that when the MakeA-Wish Foundation granted his

going to get and where we’re going to ask, but I think you have to educate everyone to say these are the areas that we

A mural honoring Battle of Colson’s Mill highlights the weekend celebration

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

NORWOOD — The town of Norwood will host its annual Arbor Day Festival on April 24-25, featuring numerous events, live entertainment and the unveiling of a new mural commemorating a key Revolutionary War battle.

The celebration will begin Friday evening with a gospel music kickoff on the main stage, followed by a full slate of activities throughout the day Saturday, including a car show, performances and a fireworks finale.

The focal point of this year’s festival will be the dedication of the Battle of Colson’s Mill mural, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at 122 N. Main St.

The mural honors a Patriot victory on July 21, 1780, when militia forces led by William Lee Davidson defeated Loyalist troops near the junction of the Rocky and Pee Dee rivers in present-day Norwood.

“This battle is Stanly Coun-

LOG

March 23

• Shelly Ulanda Russell, 51, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury, felony hit and run causing serious injury or death, reckless driving to endanger and failure to report an accident.

• Earl Lamont Scriven, 66, was arrested for obtaining property by false pretense and misdemeanor larceny.

• Alfonsa Junior Bryant, 41, was arrested for larceny after breaking and entering, breaking and entering and communicating threats.

• Daniel Shane Clark, 29, was arrested for maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for controlled substances; possession with

ty’s significant contribution to the Revolutionary War,” Bain Jones, chair of the America 250 NC Stanly County Committee and president of the Stanly County Historical Society, wrote in a letter to the Stanly County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It is of the same importance as the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and Ramsour’s Mill. This battle severely diminished the active Loyalist support and greatly contributed to the loss of 3,000 as a key moment in the Southern Campaign.”

The mural project is part of the county’s broader America 250 initiative, which is organizing local events and historical recognitions during the nation’s 250th anniversary this year.

intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule I controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; and possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana.

• Cassie Marie Trent, 26, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver marijuana; and simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance.

• Ed Jmar Harris, 40, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; and

Saturday’s schedule will begin at 7 a.m. with the 30th annual Arbor Day Car Show at VFW Post 6183 on College Street. Additional activities include fishing at Darrell Almond Park, a tree dedication ceremony at Town Hall and a series of performances on the main stage. Local dance and cheer groups, including Tammy’s Tumblers, Mini Maulers and Cheer Explosion, will perform in the late morning, followed by additional ceremonies and presentations tied to the mural dedication. Live music will continue throughout the afternoon and evening, featuring acts such as A Bunch of Misfits, Coleridge and Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot. The festival will conclude with a fireworks display at 9 p.m. Festivalgoers can also expect a variety of attractions, including food trucks, artisan vendors, a brewery, helicopter rides, inflatables and other family-friendly activities.

Norwood’s 2026 Arbor Day Festival is sponsored by Uwharrie Bank, Michelin, Truss, and Olympic Construction, among others.

possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Miguel Angel Diego, 26, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a Schedule II controlled substance; possession of drug paraphernalia; and possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce.

March 24

• Mark Simonyan, 50, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

• Vernon Patrick Anderson, 73, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and assault on a female.

• Brittany Dawn Anderson, 39, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence.

Here’s a quick look at what’s coming up in and around Stanly County:

April 5

Easter Sunrise Service at Courthouse Square

7 a.m.

A community Easter sunrise service at the historic downtown courthouse square. Attendees are encouraged to bring a chair; breakfast will be served following the service. stayhappening.com/ albemarle

Courthouse Square Park Downtown Albemarle

Stanly Arts Guild Youth Art Show (final week)

The final week of the Stanly Arts Guild’s annual Youth Art Exhibition and Competition, featuring work by artists ages 9-17 in two age categories. The show runs March 24 through April 11, with prizes awarded for first, second, and third place. stanlycountyartscouncil. org/calendar

Stanly Arts Guild & Gallery 152 W. Main St. Albemarle

April 9

Community Kids and STEM Festival 4 p.m.

A family-friendly evening festival at Stanly Community College featuring hands-on STEM activities, community resources, local vendors, and family activities for all ages. stayhappening.com/ albemarle

Stanly Community College 141 College Dr. Albemarle

April 10

City of Albemarle Food Truck Friday (seasonal opening) 5:30 p.m.

The seasonal return of Albemarle’s monthly outdoor Food Truck Friday series, featuring free live music and a variety of food vendors. The series runs April through October. stayhappening. com/albemarle

City Lake Park 815 Concord Road Albemarle

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

What is ‘good’ about Good Friday

He bore the punishment that you and I deserve.

CHRISTIANS describe the day an innocent man was violently executed as “Good.” Unless you know the whole story, it doesn’t make much sense.

This is Holy Week on the Christian calendar. It began with Palm Sunday, which commemorates the Triumphal Entry. As Jesus rode a young donkey into Jerusalem, the people shouted, “Hosanna!” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

The symbolism may not be obvious now, but it was then. Hundreds of years before, Zechariah had prophesied that Israel’s king would come “riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

This was just one of the many prophecies about the Messiah that Jesus fulfilled. He was born to a virgin in Bethlehem, yet was called out of Egypt. He was from the line of David. He healed the blind, deaf and lame.

The people had every reason to believe that the Messiah had arrived to deliver them. And they knew just what they needed deliverance from — the Roman Empire.

Let’s kill cancer

Most parents would give up nearly every material resource they have to prevent the death of their child.

THERE ARE FEW things in life more terrifying than a cancer diagnosis, as any victim of this horrible disease will tell you.

So let’s kill cancer before it kills us.

This crusade could be similar in size and scope to our national commitments to developing a polio vaccine in the 1950s and the COVID-19 vaccine in 2020-21, both of which saved millions of lives.

We know this is not an impossible dream. Over the past four decades, we’ve made stunning progress in cutting death rates of many forms of cancer in half. But there is still a long way to go, especially in eliminating death from pancreatic cancer, lung cancer and childhood cancers. More than 600,000 Americans die from cancer each year; worldwide, that number is closer to 25 million.

There is an old saying that the first wealth is good health. When one is faced with a dreadful disease or shortened lifespan, the value of material assets or consumption rapidly becomes second in order of magnitude. Most parents would give up nearly every material resource they have to prevent the death of their child.

The benefits of reducing pain and suffering, and of preventing the heartache of losing a loved one to cancer, are almost incalculable.

In a new study for Unleash Prosperity, Tomas Philipson and other economists

King Herod believed this new king threatened his power and tried to kill Jesus after his birth. John 6 says the people wanted to make Jesus king by force. Even the Apostle Peter attempted to fight the guards who arrested Jesus. They were waiting for a Messiah to usher in a new earthly kingdom.

But Israel’s greatest problem wasn’t Roman rule but sin. The same is true for us today because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” as Romans 3:23 says. Sin separates us from God and the “wages of sin is death” as Romans 6:23 states. That means even the best person can’t earn his or her way into a right relationship with God. Uh-oh.

God, however, had a plan that was foreshadowed in the Passover meal. Right before God rescued Israel from Egypt, he commanded each Israelite household to slaughter a lamb without defect. Each family then put blood from the lamb on the doorframe of their house. The Lord would see the blood and pass over that home while punishing the Egyptians.

When John the Baptist called Jesus “the

at the University of Chicago calculated the enormous monetary value in the U.S. from eliminating or drastically reducing mortality from cancer.

With new developments in cancer treatments such as gene therapies and prevention strategies — multicancer blood tests, improved diets and physical activity, reducing obesity, allowing for more coordinated development of new drugs and vaccines, and particularly deregulating the approval process — the goal of a near-cancer-free nation can potentially be achieved in the foreseeable future.

Beginning in 2030, cutting cancer deaths by 80% would save some 20 million to 30 million people over a 35-year period. That’s more American lives saved than American soldiers who died in every war over our 250 years as a nation combined.

The economic benefits would be felt through monetized improvements in longevity, increased labor productivity and additional fiscal revenue.

Killing cancer entirely generates $186 trillion in total economic benefits over the 35-year period.

Lowering the death rate by 80% in 20 years adds a value to the U.S. economy of $130 trillion. If cancer elimination is viewed as an investment with research and development costs up to $800 billion, this amounts to an

Lamb of God,” he was referencing this. Jesus, who was fully God and fully man, lived a perfect life. He was crucified on Good Friday taking the penalty — death — that you and I deserve for our sins.

Good Friday was agony for Jesus. It wasn’t just physical pain. He was forsaken by God the Father. He bore the punishment that you and I deserve.

But he didn’t stay dead. Easter is a celebration of God raising Jesus from the dead. This confirmed what Jesus said in John 11, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies.”

What good news and the offer still stands. Eternal life is a free gift to anyone who acknowledges that Jesus is Lord and believes “God raised him from the dead,” as Romans 10:9 says. And that’s the full story of Good Friday. Happy Easter.

Victor Joecks is a columnist for the Las Vegas Review-Journal and host of the “Sharpening Arrows” podcast. (Copyright 2026 Creators.com)

enormous internal rate of return: a minimum of more than 500%. There are very few investments that attain that rate of return.

The private sector is likely to lead this crusade with private investment dollars, but our government needs to greatly deregulate the process that often takes a decade for a treatment or diagnostic to reach the market.

The medical, drug and biotech industries that have the capacity and brainpower to achieve these goals will likely only capture a fraction of the societal benefits in terms of revenues and earnings. Previous research has found that medical innovators only capture around 5%-10% of the value of the increased health they generate to patients and society. The other 90% benefits the survivors, their families and the overall health of the U.S. economy.

The gift to humanity of ending the scourge of cancer would be one of the most valuable and equitable policy agendas imaginable, providing everyone across the nation and around the world not just with better health but much higher living standards.

Stephen Moore is a former Trump senior economic adviser and the cofounder of Unleash Prosperity, which advocates for education freedom for all children.

(Copyright 2026 Creators.com)

IN MEMORY

CRYSTAL CARLA PISTONE

APRIL 25, 1959 — MARCH 31, 2026

Crystal Carla Pistone passed away on March 31, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of love, resilience, and fierce devotion to those she held close.

She is survived by her father, Tiger Tom Pistone; her siblings Pete Pistone, Rosemary Pistone, Santo Pistone, and Lena Pistone; and numerous loving nieces and nephews. She held a special bond with her Goddaughter niece Roselee and her niece Rosie. She was preceded in death by her mother, Crystal Pauline Pistone; her siblings Tommy Jr., Jimmy, and Rozie; nephews Tommy III, Santo Jr. , John Thomas, and Chase, and her beloved son, Johnny.

Chang Ung, North Korean ex-IOC member who brokered Olympic joint marches with South, dead

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

Dwight Farmer

Crystal grew up in the NASCAR pits, surrounded by the roar of engines and the rhythm of race days as her father chased the checkered flag. That upbringing helped shape her bold spirit, her resilience, and her lifelong ability to stand strong in the face of anything life placed before her.

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.

Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

Dwight Britten Farmer Sr., 83, of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes.

James Roseboro

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

Crystal’s life was defined by the depth of her heart. After the heartbreaking loss of her son Johnny in 1989, who bravely lived with cerebral palsy, she transformed her grief into compassion. She devoted herself to caring for others—spending more than 30 years as a dedicated caretaker to her parents, offering them unwavering love, dignity, and support. She also extended that same compassion to animals, rescuing countless “fur babies” through her work with Freddo’s Rescue and giving them a second chance at life.

James Arthur Roseboro, 55, of Albemarle, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023 at Anson Health and Rehab.

The former basketball player negotiated talks between rival Koreas

John B. Kluttz

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

By Hyung-Jin Kim The Associated Press

Doris Jones Coleman

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

Crystal lived life on her own terms, never afraid to embrace love, adventure, and the many chapters that made her story uniquely her own. She spent time on both coasts, loving deeply and passionately, and was fiercely protective of those she cared for.

Music held a special place in her soul, and “Wind Beneath My Wings” was especially meaningful to her—a song she chose to honor her son. It reflected the quiet strength, sacrifice, and love that defined her life. Today, there is comfort in knowing that Crystal and Johnny are reunited, their bond unbroken.

Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Garfield.

Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.

Dwight was born January 24, 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran. He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

Mr. Roseboro was born on June 23, 1967 to the late Robert and Delena Shipp Roseboro. He graduated from South Stanly High School and was employed by Triangle Brick. He enjoyed watching football and basketball, especially the Carolina TarHeels and Miami.

Crystal will be remembered for her generosity, her fire, and the unwavering love she gave so freely. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but her spirit will live on in every life she touched. In lieu of flowers please donate to United Cerebral Palsy. Or to your local animal shelter.

In addition to his parents he is preceded in death by his brothers and sisters: Barbara Lee Roseboro, Dorothy Brown, Verna Roseboro, Henrietta Ingram, and Harold Roseboro.

Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.

He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.

Charlie Kirk’s mentor, cheerleading pioneer Jeff Webb dead at 76 after ‘tragic accident’

The Varsity Spirit founder turned cheerleading into an international competitive sport

The Associated Press

JEFF WEBB, the founder of Varsity Spirit who helped transform cheerleading into an International Olympic Committee-recognized sport and mentored late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, has died. He was 76.

A family spokesperson said Webb died last Thursday in Memphis, Tennessee, following a “tragic accident.” The family has declined to comment on specifics.

Webb founded the Universal Cheerleaders Association (UCA) in 1974 with the mission of changing the narrative around cheerleading, boosting its visibility and turning it into a globally recognized sport. His efforts included new uniform concepts, educational camps, training programs and the creation of the first national cheerleading competition.

He was preceded in death by his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty. Memorials may be made to Cedar Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.

“Our father was, at his core, a man of inexhaustible energy, and he poured that energy into everything he did.”

Webb’s children

These efforts evolved into Varsity Spirit.

“He helped pioneer the use of advanced gymnastics and stunts in cheer routines, launched the first national cheerleading championships, and brought the sport to national audiences through televised broadcasts on ESPN,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “He also played a central role in developing the first safety guidelines and helped establish key governing bodies, including the U.S. All Star Federation and USA Cheer.”

Webb is survived by his wife, Gina, and his children, Jeffery and Caroline.

“Our father was, at his core, a man of inexhaustible energy,

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

He is survived by his sisters: Helen (James) Roseboro Edwards of Albemarle, Mary Roseboro of Washington DC, and Marion Morrison of Albemarle; brothers: Thomas D. Roseboro of Charlotte, Robert Roseboro (Patricia) of Norwood, and Van Horne; a special friend of over 40 years, Michelle McLendon of the home; special nieces: Nybrea Montague, Knya Little, and Laquanza Crump; special nephews: Robert Jr., Desmond Roseboro, and Marcus Lilly; and God daughter, Daphne Johnson; and special friends, Vetrella Johnson and Ben McLendon.

and he poured that energy into everything he did, from revolutionizing cheerleading to his never-ending — and constantly growing — list of activities,” Webb’s children wrote in a statement. “He brought that same spirit of dedication and encouragement to being a father and grandfather. To most people, he is a legendary entrepreneur — to us, he was our soccer coach and on-demand comedian, our mentor and father-daughter dance partner, our solace and our source of strength.”

He was also a conservative activist who was described as a mentor to Kirk, who was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10.

Darrick Baldwin

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

Kirk’s company, Turning Point USA, posted a video in memory of Webb on social media.

“In memory of Jeff Webb,” the post reads. “A visionary who helped shape generations of young leaders and believed deeply in the power of community and country. A dear friend to Turning Point USA and Charlie. He will be greatly missed.”

Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.

He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.

He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.

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

He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

SEOUL, South Korea —

Chang Ung, a former North Korean member of the International Olympic Committee who once led sports exchanges with rival South Korea, including joint marches of their athletes at the Olympics, has died, the IOC announced Wednesday. He was 87.

John grew up in the Millingport community where he drove a school bus and worked at the local gas station during his High School years. He graduated from Millingport High in 1954 and entered into service with the US Airforce immediately afterward. Upon return from the service, he and his high school sweetheart Julie were married in 1956. He graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College later in 1959 and began his career as a diesel mechanic at Mitchell Distributing Company, moving his growing family to Charlotte where they lived until their retirement.

The IOC said on its website that it had learned with “extreme sadness” of Chang’s death on Sunday. It said the Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IOC statement didn’t describe the cause of Chang’s death. North Korea’s state media has not reported on his death.

When John purchased his first Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!

Born in 1938, Chang was originally a basketball player who captained the North Korean national team. After retiring from the sport, he became an athletics administrator, serving as a vice sports minister, a vice chairman of North Korea’s national Olympic Committee and a vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily. While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.

In 1996, Chang was elected to the IOC. As North Korea’s only-ever IOC member, he represented his country on international sports fields and headed numerous — if often rocky — talks with South Korea to promote sports exchange and cooperation programs between the rivals.

John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.

The most notable results of this diplomacy came at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, when athletes of the two Koreas marched together under a “unification flag” depicting their peninsula during the opening and closing ceremonies, the first joint parade since their division in 1945.

This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men.

Athletes of the Koreas walked together at following Olympic Games and major international sports events, including the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics in South Korea. After watching a joint march in Pyeongchang’s opening ceremony, Chang told reporters that he was deeply moved.

South Korea, which led to the two countries sending their first unified male and female teams to the 1991 world table tennis championships in Chiba, Japan. In Pyeongchang, the two Koreas fielded their first combined Olympic team for women’s ice hockey.

In a 2004 interview with South Korea’s Chosun Ilbo newspaper, Chang said that organizing the 2000 joint march was “really a tough” job. He also said he strongly supported Pyeongchang’s earlier, failed bid to host the Winter Olympics.

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.

Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC.

South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young expressed condolences over Chang’s death. In a Facebook post Wednesday, Chung, a staunch advocate of rapprochement with North Korea, recalled his 2007 meeting with Chang on taekwondo exchange programs and said he honors Chang’s “noble dedication to (Korean) unity and peace.”

Sports ties between North and South Korea have suffered as political relations frayed. There have been no sports or other exchange programs between the countries for years. North Korea has shunned talks with South Korea and the U.S. since its leader Kim Jong Un’s broader nuclear diplomacy with U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019. Kim also branded South Korea as a permanent enemy and rejected the idea of future unification.

Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.

The IOC said Chang’s contributions helped advance sports participation, cultural exchanges and the role of sport in society.

“His efforts to promote cooperation on the Korean Peninsula demonstrated the power of sport to build bridges and inspire hope,” IOC President Kirsty Coventry said.

The IOC said Chang served on several commissions, including Sport for All and the International Olympic Truce Foundation.

Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.

Chang played a key role in earlier reconciliation talks with

John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC

North Korea’s official news agency, KCNA, last mentioned Chang in 2023, when he was awarded the Olympic Order, an award given to those who have made extraordinary contributions to the Olympics, during an IOC session in Mumbai, India. Chang, then an honorary IOC member, joined the ceremony by video.

She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, outfits for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

Then-North Korea’s IOC representative Chang Ung arrives after a flight from Pyongyang at Beijing Capital International Airport on Jan. 16, 2018.

need to invest our money within the school system.”

A major portion of the local fund request focuses on personnel and staffing.

That includes $3.19 million for teacher supplements supporting 652 positions, along with funding for substitutes, employee differentials and staff development. The plan also includes allocations for additional instructional positions, administrative support and operational staff such as maintenance workers, bus drivers and data managers.

Capital outlay funding centers heavily on facility needs.

The district has proposed $3.61 million for HVAC repairs and replacements, $2 million for building envelope work such as window replacements, and additional funding for parking lot repairs, roofing and interior upgrades. Safety-related capital projects include security vestibules, intercom up -

“We know we’re asking for a lot, and we know there’s a lot of needs.”

Superintendent Jarrod Dennis

grades and camera systems.

The proposal also outlines a multilayered approach to campus safety, including $1.18 million in local funding for school resource officers in partnership with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office and the city of Albemarle, along with investments in communication systems and physical security infrastructure.

Technology spending focuses on sustaining a one-to-one device environment for students and staff. The plan includes $920,000 for student device replacements, along with funding for staff computers, classroom technology and $300,000 for software and licensing services.

Additional investments target student experience initiatives, including athletics facility improvements, classroom supplies, fine arts programs and school nutrition equipment. The plan also proposes $1 million in districtwide ADA improvements and funding for accessibility upgrades at individual campuses.

“The 2026-27 budget request is not merely a list of operational expenses,” Dennis said. “It’s a design portfolio built to protect our physical infrastructure assets, retain exceptional educators in a competitive market which we are in, and secure a safe world class day learning environment.”

Following his presentation, the school board unanimously approved the budget request in a 7-0 vote.

The Stanly County Board of Education’s next regular meeting is scheduled for May 5 at 6:15 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.

Bondi, loyalist of Trump who oversaw Justice Department upheaval, out as attorney general

Failed prosecutions of Trump foes and Epstein scandal controversies sealed her exit

By Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker, Michael Balsamo and Michelle L. Price The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump said Thursday that Pam Bondi is out as his attorney general, ending the contentious tenure of a loyalist who upended the Justice Department’s culture of independence from the White House, oversaw large-scale firings of career employees and moved aggressively to investigate the Republican president’s perceived enemies.

Trump named Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as the acting attorney general, though three people familiar with the matter have said he has privately discussed Lee Zeldin, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, as a permanent pick.

Bondi, a former Florida attorney general, came into office last year pledging that she would not play politics with the Justice Department, but she quickly started investigations of Trump foes, sparking an outcry that the law enforcement agency was being wielded as a tool of revenge to advance the president’s political and personal agenda.

She ushered in a period of intense turmoil at the department that included the firings of career prosecutors deemed insufficiently loyal to Trump and the resignations of hundreds of other employees. Her departure continues a trend of Justice Department upheaval that has defined Trump’s presidency as multiple attorneys general across his two terms have either been pushed out or resigned after proving unwilling or unable to meet his demands for the position.

Bondi rejected accusations that she politicized the Justice Department and said her mission was to restore the institution’s credibility after over-

reach by President Joe Biden’s Democratic administration with two federal criminal cases against Trump. Bondi’s defenders have said she worked to refocus the department to better tackle illegal immigration and violent crime and brought much-needed change to an agency they believe unfairly targeted conservatives. Embracing, supporting and protecting the president ///// Bondi’s public embrace of the president, however, marked a sharp departure from her predecessors, who generally took pains to maintain an arm’s-length distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions. Bondi postured herself as Trump’s chief supporter and protector, praising and defending him in congressional hearings and placing a banner with his face on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters. Under Bondi’s leadership, the department opened investigations into a string of Trump foes, including Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, New York Attorney General Letitia James, former FBI Director James Comey and former CIA Director John Brennan. The high-profile prosecutions of Comey and James were short-lived as they were quickly thrown out by a judge who ruled that the prosecutor who brought the cases was illegally appointed.

Trump repeatedly publicly praised and defended Bondi but also showed flashes of impatience with his attorney general’s efforts to meet his demands to prosecute his rivals. In one extraordinary social media post last year, Trump called on Bondi to move quickly to prosecute his foes, including James and Comey, telling her: “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility.”

Bondi oversaw the exodus of thousands of career employees — both through firings and voluntary departures — including lawyers who prosecuted violent attacks on police at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021; environmental, civil rights and ethics enforcers; counterterrorism prosecutors; and others.

An appeals court upheld the conviction but ruled her sentencing punished protected speech

By Colleen Slevin and Matthew Brown

The Associated Press

DENVER — A Colorado appeals court ruled Thursday that a former county clerk convicted in a scheme that sought to prove fraud in the 2020 presidential election should be resentenced because a judge wrongly punished her for statements protected as free speech.

Tina Peters is serving a nine-year prison term after being convicted of state crimes for sneaking in an outside computer expert to make a copy of her county’s election computer system during a software update in 2021. A photo and video of confidential voting system passwords were later posted on social media and a conservative website.

Calls for Peters’ release have become a cause celebre in the election conspiracy movement.

President Donald Trump has sought unsuccessfully to pardon Peters and pressured Colorado to set her free.

Judges on the Colorado Court of Appeals upheld her conviction in a 74-page ruling that rejected the notion that Trump has authority to pardon her state crimes. But they said a lower court judge should not have considered Peters’ continued promotion of election fraud conspiracies when he sentenced her in 2024.

One of Tina Peters’ lawyers, John Case, said the court’s ruling affirmed the importance of free speech.

“Tina Peters was punished for words that she used to criticize our insecure and illegal voting system,” Case said. “The decision affirms that people are free to speak what they believe in Colorado as well as the rest of the United States of America.”

Case said he would likely ask at resentencing for Peters to receive the approximately 540 days she’s served already. That would allow her to be freed.

Democratic Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who has been considering granting clemency to Peters, praised the court’s decision for rejecting Trump’s pardon but upholding her free speech rights.

“This case has been very challenging and a true test of our resolve as a state to have a fair judicial system, not just for people we agree with but a fair system for Coloradans that we vehemently disagree with,” Polis said in statement.

Peters was the former clerk in Mesa County, in the far western part of Colorado, and convicted by jurors in the Republican stronghold that has supported Trump. She was unapologetic when she was sentenced by Judge Matthew Barrett and insisted that she tried to unearth what she believed was fraud for the greater good. He ripped into her, calling her a “charlatan” who had used her

position to “peddle snake oil.”

The appeals court found that Barrett violated her rights to free speech by punishing Peters for persistently alleging fraud in the 2020 election. They noted that because Peters is no longer serving as an election clerk, she can no longer engage in the conduct that led to her conviction.

“The trial court obviously erred by imposing sentence at least partially based on Peters’

protected speech,” Judge Ted Tow wrote in Thursday’s ruling.

The court sent Peters’ case back to a lower court for a judge to issue a new sentence.

Trump has threatened to take “harsh measures” against Colorado unless the state releases Peters. In February, Trump said Colorado was “suffering a big price” for refusing to release her.

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat who is running for governor, has accused the Trump administration of waging a revenge campaign by choking off funds and ending federal programs over the state’s refusal to free Peters.

Weiser said in response to the ruling that the original sentence had been “fair and appropriate.”

“Whatever happens with her sentence, Tina Peters will always be a convicted felon who violated her duty as Mesa County clerk, put other lives at risk, and threatened our democracy. Nothing will remove that stain,”

Weiser said in a statement.

The Justice Department inserted itself into Peters’ bid to be released while her state appeal was considered. The federal Bureau of Prisons also tried to get Peters moved to a federal prison. After both efforts failed, Trump in December announced a pardon for Peters.

However, the appeals court judges said they could find no prior example of a president

pardoning someone for a state crime. And they rejected her attorneys’ claims that Peters actions had been carried out while “defending a federal interest.”

“We have found no instance where the presidential pardon power has been stretched in such a way as to invade an individual state’s sovereignty,” they said, adding that the President’s pardon has “no impact” on the state’s case against Peters.

The Associated Press left messages with the White House for comment. She was convicted of three counts of attempting to influence a public servant and one count each of conspiracy to commit criminal impersonation, first-degree official misconduct, violation of duty and failure to comply with the requirements of the secretary of state.

Peters’ lawyers didn’t deny that she used the security badge of a local man she pretended to hire to allow the an associate of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to make a copy of the Dominion Voting Systems election computer server during an annual software update in 2021.

But they said she only wanted to preserve election data and find out whether any outside actor had accessed the system while ballots were being counted. They said she didn’t want the information made public.

North Carolina’s electoral future may hinge on rural black voters who feel ignored by Democrats

A rural turnout gap is key to the hotly contested Senate race

By Bill Barrow and Maya Sweedler

The Associated Press

NASHVILLE — Ricky Brinkley has lived in rural North Carolina nearly all of his 65 years, and he likes it “out in the county,” past the street lights and bustle of the small towns that carpet the landscape.

But the former truck driver can feel left out when elections roll around in this battleground state.

“People don’t come out like they should and ask you how you feel about things,” Brinkley said while he manned the counter at his daughter’s beauty supply store down the street from the Nashville courthouse.

“You want somebody to vote, but you don’t want to do nothing to get the vote. No, it don’t work that way.”

Brinkley is among the rural Black residents who Democrats have often failed to mobilize as they try to dent Republican advantages here. It’s an urgent demographic puzzle for the party, which is normally strong with Black voters but tends to fall short in rural areas.

Success could help former Gov. Roy Cooper win a hotly contested U.S. Senate race this year and tilt the balance of power in Washington. It could also reshape presidential elections, providing Democrats with a wider path to the White House.

“People want to look at the word ‘rural’ in North Carolina and equate it to the word ‘white,’” said state party chair Anderson Clayton, a 28-year-old who won her job three years ago promising to expand the party beyond cities. “In my vision of a Democratic Party, when you talk about reaching out to rural voters, you are talking about rural Black voters.”

The Rev. James Gailliard, a former state lawmaker who leads a large Black congregation in Rocky Mount, put it even more bluntly.

“You don’t win this state in Durham,” Gailliard said. “You win it in the east.”

It’s about more than Cooper’s Senate bid

North Carolina is known for the university-heavy Research Triangle that includes Durham, Raleigh and Chapel Hill, along with Charlotte’s banking hub. But it also includes large swaths of small towns and rural areas where Democrats have lost ground in recent decades.

That’s not just because of white voters realigning with Republicans. It’s also because Black voters who lean Democratic don’t vote as often as their urban counterparts. Those rural Black voters are concen-

trated east of the triangle, extending along winding state highways through small towns, flatlands and farmland toward the Atlantic coastline.

Cooper, 68, won two terms as governor and four terms as state attorney general. However, Republicans control the state courts and the legislature, and they’ve redrawn the congressional map to expand their advantage in the U.S. House. Donald Trump carried the state for Republicans all three times he ran for the White House.

A native of rural Nash County, Cooper already in recent months held roundtable sessions with Black farmers, business owners and civic leaders in eastern North Carolina, along with students from North Carolina A&T University, a historically Black school that draws students from across the state. His campaign promises a statewide organizing effort before November.

Gailliard wants a more intentional effort

But Gailliard wants more.

The founding pastor at Word Tabernacle Church, Gailliard was among the Black state lawmakers who lost seats after Republican-led redistricting. He said regaining ground will require neighborhood-level organizing and investment from national Democrats, something he struggled to get from Kamala Harris’ 2024 presidential campaign.

“I couldn’t get any traction,” Gailliard recalled. “I begged them to bring her to Rocky Mount. I said, ‘Listen, Rocky Mount is the gateway to the East. If we crack Rocky Mount, we’ve cracked the East.’ Could not convince them to come.

Two weeks later, guess who’s in Rocky Mount? Donald Trump.”

The Harris campaign sent former President Bill Clinton to the area instead.

Gailliard said Cooper needs people like him to get elected.

“Roy is a great friend, and I’m gonna run my butt off to help him in every way, but I’m not banking on his coattails,” Gailliard said. “I’m going to do the opposite. I’m going to grow coattails for him.”

The state party tries to fill gaps

Clayton, the state party chair, said the national party and its donors haven’t prioritized North Carolina early enough in recent cycles.

She said she’s relied mostly on local money to finance 25 full-time staffers, more than three times what the state party had heading into the 2022 midterms.

Bertie County Democrat-

ic chairwoman Camille Taylor, whose hometown of Powellsville has fewer than 200 residents, said she’s felt the shift.

She speaks regularly with a field organizer in nearby Greenville, the city closest to the northeastern counties with large proportions of Black residents. But she said it’s especially difficult to persuade rural voters to care about voting beyond the presidency, even though she tells them “these are the races and the people that you’re going to interact with more.”

Democrats have recruited candidates in all 170 legislative districts — two are Democratic-aligned independents — and every U.S. House district. State Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls, a noted civil rights attorney and Black woman, is running statewide for reelection.

Gailliard said he’s identified a few hundred nonprofits, neighborhood associations and other groups that can do issue-oriented work in his district as the

election approaches. He wants to match each of them to specific precincts, routing money for them to reach voters and persuade them to vote.

He wants volunteers to get training from Democratic and left-leaning organizations rather than have the outsiders themselves knocking on rural Black voters’ doors.

“We can’t have 21-year-old recent college graduates from Utah knocking doors at $22 an hour in the hood,” Gailliard said. “That just does not work. They’re not a trusted messenger.”

Marginal voting changes add up

About 2 in 10 North Carolina voters in the 2024 and 2020 presidential elections were Black, according to AP VoteCast, as well as in the 2022 Senate election.

Roughly 4 in 10 Black voters in North Carolina’s last presidential election said they live in small towns or rural communities, similar to the share who said they live in the suburbs. Only about one-quarter reported living in urban areas.

Small shifts in persuasion matter, particularly when races are close. In 2008, Barack Obama became the last Democratic presidential candidate to win North Carolina, by a margin of just 14,000 votes out of 4.3 million votes cast.

Voter turnout between the 2020 and 2024 elections declined more in North Carolina counties that have larger Black populations.

Counties where Black voters make up about 30% to 40% of the electorate saw the biggest drop, with turnout falling by more than 3 percentage points. Counties with smaller Black populations saw more modest declines of about 1 percentage point. Overall, turnout remains higher in counties with fewer Black voters.

An old Cooper schoolmate just wants to be asked

Gailliard said Democrats cannot underestimate how much it means for someone to simply get asked for their vote.

“Black and rural voters are not transactional,” he said. “They are relational.”

Back in Nashville at the beauty supply store, Brinkley agreed.

“You get to be a big wheel, and you can forget where you came from,” Brinkley said. “I ain’t gonna say Roy forgot. He’s a hometown guy, so to speak, but I don’t expect to see him out here walking.”

Brinkley made it clear that if he votes, it would be for Cooper and other Democrats — but only if he votes.

“I could. I could. I may vote,” he said. “There’s just so much going on.”

Commerce Street in the small rural community of Powellsville in majorityblack Bertie County, seen on March 12, leads to the town’s one downtown stoplight. Towns like this in eastern North Carolina add up at election time, and rural black voters are especially critical to election outcomes in the state.

While drivers pay more, gas retailers’ profits actually decline

By Hannah Fingerhut

The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa — The near-daily changes in U.S. gas prices are dizzying for drivers, who are left feeling frustrated and cash-strapped by the highest fuel costs since 2022.

With the Iran war pushing up prices worldwide, the U.S. average for a gallon of gas topped $4 on Tuesday, according to AAA. The uncertainty at the pump is trickling down from a massive, volatile oil and gas market that’s making it hard for gas stations to keep up.

Oil prices soared when U.S. markets opened Thursday following President Donald Trump’s speech Wednesday promising to hit Iran “extremely hard” in the coming weeks. He asked Americans for patience.

U.S. drivers have spent the past month gaming out when to fill up or hunting for deals as gas prices can change from one day to the next, or from one nearby station to another.

Lonnie McQuirter, director of operations at 36 Lyn Refuel Station in south Minneapolis, said wholesale fuel prices are going up, sometimes multiple times a day, and are the main reason he’s had to charge more for gas than a month ago.

About a mile off Interstate 35, the neighborhood convenience store posted $3.399 a gallon for regular gas on Thursday, which is about 20 cents lower than the metro average, according to AAA.

“We price based on what we’re able to buy fuel at, and how well we can operate,” McQuirter said. He declined to speculate about his competitors, saying, “They’ve got different economics.”

McQuirter said his margins have gotten much tighter. He’s also facing higher credit card fees and rising costs to maintain pumps. Still, in times like these, with consum-

FUNDRAISER from page A1

wish, Sam knew he wanted to say thank you by finding a way to pay it forward.

The Grantham family decided to help Sam host a multiple-week lemonade fundraiser, and the endeavor has been a hit! For Sam, “The Make-A-Wish journey was so much more than a trip; it was the beginning of what looks like a lifelong passion to give back.”

The Granthams are grateful for the support they have received from their neighbors.

“One lady drove three hours to get here, which was just amazing,” Elizabeth said.

“Our amazing community has rallied behind us, helping to raise $7,000 for the nonprofit in just two years.”

Sam has received a letter of recognition from the White House and been nominated for the Trailblazer Award. He has also been invited to join the official Wish-Maker Circle.

Elizabeth credits Sam’s Make-A-Wish journey with sparking hope within Sam that she hadn’t seen in him before.

“It took him from being the ‘sick kid’ to being the superhero” who helps other children battling serious illnesses, she said.

The stand, which offers lemonade, a selection of other cold beverages, hot dogs, chips and desserts, has raised $4,608.38 so far this year.

Sam also participated in a fun run, with all his pledges going to support the Make-A-Wish cause. The stand’s menu features homemade lemonade, strawberry lemonade, sweet tea and bottled water for $1 per cup. Lemonade is also sold by the gallon for $20. Other

“Whatever the price of oil and gasoline are, they are a price taker, not maker.”

Patrick De Haan, GasBuddy head of petroleum analysis

ers “screaming for help,” McQuirter said small operators like him act on emotion more than greed.

“We’re in our stores every day looking our customers in the eye,” he said. “It really takes a toll when people are having to cut back on certain things in order to afford to live.”

What factors into gas prices?

A lot of it is outside the gas retailer’s control. Roughly half the price at the pump pays for the cost of crude oil, the main ingredient in gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. About 20% goes to refiners who turn crude into gas.

Those costs have risen as crude oil prices jumped in response to the war and shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Gas retailers are adjusting the price at the pump to account for the higher price they just paid for their next shipment of gasoline.

Taxes — federal, state and local — account for nearly 20% of the price, while about 10% is left for retailers, who still have to pay for transportation, labor and other expenses.

Retailers’ markup has averaged about 38 cents a gallon over the past five years, according to the convenience store trade group NACS, citing data from research firm OPIS. After expenses, stations may keep roughly 15 cents per gallon, said Jeff Lenard, a vice president at NACS.

“Some make more, some make less,” Lenard said.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, compared it to a homeowner’s role in setting their sale price.

“If I was selling a house today, I’d be beholden to whatever the housing market is,” De Haan said. “That’s the same for gas station owners. Whatever the price of oil and gasoline are, they are a price taker, not maker.”

Why might prices differ from one gas station to the next?

Although the national average just passed $4 per gallon, the price that drivers pay varies widely by state, city and station.

Taxes alone can create large gaps. California’s gas taxes and fees totaled about 71 cents per gallon last year, compared with roughly 9 cents in Alaska.

Distance from refineries, the type of retailer, how much volume the location goes through and whether there are other fuel options nearby also play a role.

Who benefits from rising prices?

While U.S. retailers sell hundreds of millions of gallons of gas a day nationwide, they typically won’t see large gains when prices rise.

“The margins shrink when prices go up because it’s harder for them to pass along the increases as quickly as they themselves get them,” De Haan of GasBuddy said.

When oil prices start to fall, retailers may recover some of those losses, particularly if there’s uncertainty about future supply costs. Prices can rocket up but tend to drift down like a falling feather, said Garrett Golding, assistant vice president for energy programs at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.

Higher gas prices can also hurt sales inside the gas stations, if customers who are being squeezed at the pump spend less on other things.

“So it’s not always the case that higher prices mean the service station owners are actually doing better,” Golding said.

tasty concessions include hot dogs for $3, chips for $1, cookies for $1, cookie sandwiches for $3, slices of bundt cake for $3, and “wish cookies” from the Albemarle Sweet Shop for $3.50.

Visitors can also purchase bracelets made by the kids for $1 each. Other lemon and Make-A-Wish Foundation-inspired merchandise is also available for purchase. The Grantham lemonade fundraiser will continue from April 3-5 and April 17-19 (Fridays 4-7 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Sundays noon to 7 p.m.) at 337 South Main St. in New London. Elizabeth said Sam’s experience has made her son “wise beyond his years” and inspired

in him “a compassion for other kids like himself.” His goal, she said, is to continue running the beverage stand to raise the money necessary “to grant as many wishes as possible.” He is already planning for his future — he aspires to become the CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation one day. Taking up the slogan, “Wishes are made with lemonade,” Sam’s family has worked hard to support his mission.

Those who want to contribute to Sam’s Make-A-Wish Foundation fund can do so by scanning the QR code at the following link: wish.org/goto/ Wishesaremadewithlemonade, which will take them directly to the Make-A-Wish donation page.

STANLY SPORTS

The Rowdy Rebel Bulls improved to 12-0

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

NEW LONDON — Through a dozen games this season, the South Stanly softball team has maintained its undefeated record as it eyes a run at the Yadkin Valley Conference title.

The Rowdy Rebel Bulls (12-0, 3-0 YVC) rolled to an 18-2 victory over the North Stanly Comets (3-8, 1-3 YVC) on Tuesday in New London, marking the team’s second-highest scoring output of the season.

Sophomore pitcher Lyric Rucker notched her 100th career strikeout for the Bulls during the win. The early-season success marks a significant turnaround for South Stanly, while North Stanly has moved in the opposite direction compared to 2025.

South Stanly has nearly matched its win total from last season, when it finished 13-14 overall with a 4-6 YVC record and a fourth-place finish. Meanwhile, North Stanly has already surpassed its loss total from a year ago, when the Comets went 18-7 overall and 7-3 in conference play to finish second in the league.

The two teams met again Thursday in Norwood for a quick rematch.

In the YVC standings, South Stanly sits just behind reigning conference champion Union Academy, which holds a 5-0 record; North Stanly is currently third in the league at 1-3.

Looking ahead, the Bulls are set to host Crest (10-2, 5-1 Big South) on Monday, while the Comets will travel to face Providence Grove (8-6, 3-2 Central Carolina) on Tuesday.

West Stanly 4, Parkwood 0

Now with eight wins in a row, the West Stanly Colts (13-1, 9-0

RRC) defeated the Parkwood Wolfpack (9-5, 6-2 RRC) in a 4-0 home victory on Tuesday.

Coming off a 21-5 record and an 11-1 mark to finish second in the Rocky River Conference last season, the Colts now sit atop the league standings with a 9-0 record against conference opponents. West Stanly is scheduled to challenge East Bladen (5-6, 3-2 Carolina) on Monday.

Gray Stone 7, Wheatmore 6

The Gray Stone Knights (3-7, 0-4 YVC) snapped a sixgame losing streak on Monday with a 7-6 win over the Wheatmore Warriors (7-6, 3-3 Cen-

tral Carolina) in Misenheimer. Still seeking their first conference win of the season, the Knights finished 5-12 overall last year with a fifth-place 2-8 YVC record. Gray Stone has a break before hosting North Stanly on April 14 and then visiting the Comets for a road rematch three days later.

Union Academy 1, Albemarle 0

On Tuesday, the Albemarle Bulldogs (0-4, 0-1 YVC) lost 1-0 to the Union Academy Cardinals (11-2, 4-0 YVC) in Monroe, making it the third consecutive shutout loss for the Bulldogs dating back to March 24. Albemarle finished 1-12 last season and has yet to secure a conference win since 2021. Looking ahead, the Bulldogs have an extended rest before traveling to Norwood on April 14 for a doubleheader against South Stanly.

The Falcons celebrated their senior trio with a dominant victory

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — Pfeiffer’s men’s tennis team continued its strong start to USA South Athletic Conference play Wednesday afternoon, rolling past Brevard at the Knapp Tennis Center in its first home league match of the season.

With the 7-0 home victory over the Tornados (6-7, 1-1 USA South), the Falcons (13-2, 2-0 USA South) — who have now won five straight matches — remained unbeaten in conference play as they celebrated Senior Day for Laurin Rauer, Bogdan Stan and Javier Robles Solis.

Prior to the match, Pfeiffer coach Justin Fainter honored the trio with individualized video messages recognizing their impact on the program.

“I’m just so blessed and happy that you came here,” Fainter said to Rauer. “I know it’s been an adventure every day here, and I hope you’ve enjoyed every minute of it. I’m so thankful for your leadership and everything that you do for us.”

Fainter praised Stan’s development over his career.

“When you came to visit four years ago, we saw much potential in you and how good of a tennis player you were,” he said. “I’m so happy that you’ve achieved

that potential and that you took in so many of the guys under your wing.”

He also highlighted the immediate impact of Solis.

“I know it’s been just a year here, but you came in so positive and such a good shining light for our team,” Fainter said. “You brought such good perspective

for our freshmen, and we’re just so lucky that you’re on the team.” Once play began, Pfeiffer controlled the match from the outset by sweeping all three doubles flights to secure the opening point. Junior Jayden Wellman and freshman Valter Albuquerque

Close sounds warning on coaching’s new grind as UCLA’s postseason run rolls on

NIL and transfer rules changes have made the job all-consuming

By Doug Feinberg The Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. —

Cori Close isn’t sure how much longer she will be coaching. The responsibilities of coaches have changed a lot in her 33 years in the game, especially in the last few years.

“I’ve never been as tired as I’ve been in the last two years, and it’s made me think how much longer I can do this,” said Close, of No. 1 seed UCLA.

“And I’m just being transparent with you about that. There are so many things that are harder, and we keep losing incredible people on the men’s and the women’s side.”

Between the transfer portal, name, image and likeness, and revenue sharing, coaching has changed. It’s not just about recruiting players from high school, but also now about keeping a team together each season and figuring out how much money each player will make through revenue sharing.

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley said she welcomes change and likes the challenge of figuring out ways to still be successful — something she’s excelled at with three national championships in the last nine years.

“When that leaves me, then I know it’s time for me to move on,” the 55-year-old Staley said.

Staley said she’s seen the sport become more transactional the last few years.

“We can try to keep core principles of who we are as coaches and the sanctity of the team,” she said. “For me, I coach from my days being on the Olympic team. That is how I coach. Meaning I try to coach where the team is the team success. Then we know that individuals make up the success of a team. You deal with each player and

have them try to get them in a position where they understand their worth.”

Staley has seen the change the last few years with the additions of NIL.

“NIL has really changed everything. Like it really has changed. I mean, how you have to move day to day. You got to make sure psychologically our kids are in a good place. Mentally, they’re in a good place, and their parents,” Staley said. “So you’re actually having to do a lot of work and if you’re not used to that part of it, you know, it will run you out of the business.”

Staley relishes the two hours each day that her team practices because nothing else enters the space at that time and she can just focus on coaching.

“The 22 hours beyond that, you have to go and exhaust

From Tipperary to high-stakes SEC

An Irish rugby player with no football experience commits to South Carolina

By Ken Maguire

The Associated Press

LONDON — Neff Giwa sometimes asks himself: “Is this really happening to me?”

Incredibly, yes. The 20-year-old Irishman who has never played American football committed on Sunday to play at South Carolina as an offensive lineman.

Giwa, who is also Nigerian, has come a long way — from Tipperary — in a short amount of time. Just a few months after showing an interest in the sport, he was touring U.S. college campuses, meeting coaches and collecting offers.

It’s a lot to handle, even for someone who is 6 feet, 71/2 inches tall, weighs 295 pounds and has 37-inch-long arms and great foot speed.

“I knew that there’d be a journey there, but I could never have anticipated this,” Giwa, in an interview with The Associated Press, said of the whirlwind around his recruitment.

Giwa, whose full first name is Oluwanifemi, selected the Gamecocks over offers from Miami, UNC, SMU, Tennessee and Texas.

“Freakish numbers”

Giwa — pronounced with a hard G — heard about Brandon Collier through a friend familiar with the American’s track record of finding, training and placing international kids at U.S. college football programs. Collier, an American who played defensive line at UMass, runs

PPI Recruits out of Germany.

Collier had Giwa visit him for a workout and immediately envisioned him protecting quarterbacks.

“If you can create a tackle in a laboratory, this is what you want him to look like,” Collier told the AP.

It wasn’t just his size, though. Collier clocked Giwa at 4.88 seconds in the 40-yard dash and measured his broad jump at 9 feet, 10 inches — “pretty freakish numbers,” Collier noted.

“Then he has the toughness,” he added. “You can have all these measurements, but if you’re not tough mentally and physically then you probably won’t make it.”

Collier was bringing his latest group of recruits on campus tours earlier this month and decided to add Giwa — mostly just to introduce him to the process.

“I didn’t have expectations,” Giwa told the AP before Sunday’s announcement. “It was just to see what was out there, basically, and what to work towards.”

“Things kind of picked up.”

Here come the offers

Not long after touching down in the U.S., Collier detoured to Toronto to check out another touted prospect. Giwa joined him.

“I had them do some pass sets and some one-on-ones with some kids, he looked phenomenal,” Collier said of Giwa.

So he instructed Giwa to immediately create an X account so colleges could learn more about him. Collier then posted a couple of videos “and it went viral from there.”

“Miami, they messaged me literally 60 seconds after I posted it,” Collier said. “The

“I’ve never been as tired as I’ve been in the last two years, and it’s made me think how much longer I can do this.”

Cori Close, UCLA coach

yourself and make sure everyone is good from day to day, from week to week and definitely in the postseason,” Staley said.

The transfer portal was moved this year to open the day after the national championship game, as opposed to during the NCAA Tournament.

“If there’s one thing I would ask of our governing bodies and the NCAA and our administrations, it is please develop infra-

structure and boundaries that create an opportunity to have sustained excellence and sustainable pace,” said Close, who is in her 15th season at UCLA.

“Otherwise, we are going to continue to lose some of our best coaches, and I do not think our game can afford to do that.”

Some longtime coaches have stepped down over the past few seasons for a variety of reasons, including for health issues. Others have mulled retirement. Louisville coach Jeff Walz didn’t sound close to retirement when the 54-year-old in his 19th season with the Cardinals was told of Close’s comments.

“I mean, of course, it’s a lot of work, but we chose to do it and we get compensated for it,” Walz said. “I don’t think anybody is going to feel too sorry for us that you might be tired. I’m tired, too, but who is not?”

Wolverines coach Kim Barnes Arico said coaching fatigue is less about age and more about adaptation.

“A few years ago when all this started to come into play, I knew as a coach and I talked to our players and I talked to our staff, times are changing,” Barnes Arico said. “We need to evolve. We need to grow. We need to step up to the challenges, because if we can’t, the game, the landscape, all of it is going to pass us by.”

“I’m friends with Cori,” Walz said. “My favorite line, I would tell her, if you don’t like your job, find a new job. I mean, I’m listening this morning at 4:20 as the workers outside my window at the hotel in the street are working. I mean, you choose your profession. If you don’t like it, find a new profession.”

head coach (Mario Cristobal) wrote me a message — ‘get him to Miami.’”

Like actually one minute?

“Literally 60 seconds, man,” Collier said. “The power of networking and social media. People know what I do.”

Giwa didn’t talk to Belichick

UNC would have been an intriguing choice not only to play for iconic coach Bill Belichick but also because the Tar Heels play their 2026 opener against TCU at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

“I haven’t spoken to him personally,” Giwa said of Belichick.

Playing in his country someday would be great: “I was born in Ireland, and I was raised in

“If you can create a tackle in a laboratory, this is what you want him to look like.”

Brandon

Collier, PPI Recruits

Ireland. It definitely would be cool and a bit of an honor to do that.”

Giwa is a small-town kid

Giwa grew up in Cashel, a town in County Tipperary with a population under 5,000 people.

His mother is a nurse and his father is a physiotherapist. Giwa, who has three older siblings, said

they were the first Nigerian family to move into town and that local residents “definitely made us feel welcome.”

What does he tell everyone about college football and the facilities he’s visited?

“I tell them it’s a different world over there,” he said.

Rugby, soccer, hurling and Gaelic football are the local sports.

Giwa credits Collier with creating life-changing opportunities. He’s not sure what he’d be doing otherwise.

“I’d just be a regular guy,” he said with a laugh, “doing what 90% of the world is doing, just trying to make a living. That’s why I’m so grateful because I’m able to do something that I really love now.”

March Madness meets the iPad era

How coaches’ challenges are changing the game

By Maura Carey The Associated Press

FLORIDA’S Boogie Fland was driving to the basket with 1:10 remaining and a three-point lead over Iowa when Hawkeyes forward Cooper Koch stepped into the lane, swatted at the ball and it sailed out of bounds. Officials ruled it Florida’s ball.

Iowa coach Ben McCollum quickly consulted video coordinator Jace Smith, who checked his iPad and nodded yes — go for it.

“I had a very clear view,” Smith said. “Once I saw it, I felt pretty confident, so it was an instant yes. That was a big moment.”

McCollum challenged the call and won; Fland had touched it last. Iowa took possession and outscored Florida 5-1 in the final minute to oust the defending champion and 1-seeded Gators with a 73-72 win and advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.

That the tournament’s biggest thriller so far was set up in part by a coach’s challenge is something that wouldn’t have been possible in years past. This season is the first where coaches are allowed to challenge certain calls by officiating crews. The rule change was approved in June, and eight months later, it’s still an adjustment for even the most experienced staffs.

When used correctly, a challenge can flip a game in seconds. But the Gators already knew that.

Florida’s chances of winning a mid-January game at Vanderbilt were slipping when video coordinator Nolan Crist spotted an on-court tangle. He checked the iPad, sideline discussions

“When a play happens, and every coach turns around and looks at Nolan (Crist, team video coordinator), he understands it’s his time to shine.”

Golden, Florida coach

Todd

commenced and what followed changed the game. Coach Todd Golden’s challenge revealed a hook-and-hold, which led to a seven-point swing and boosted Florida’s win probability by roughly 30%. The Gators went on to beat Vanderbilt by four.

Like Iowa, Florida turned to its video coordinator when challenges were introduced. Crist, like all the others, has seconds to make a recommendation.

NCAA men’s teams get one challenge per game and must have a timeout to use it. If the call is overturned, the timeout is retained and the team gets one other challenge. If the call stands, the timeout is lost and no further challenges are allowed. Challenges aren’t used in the women’s game, but coaches can appeal calls. There is no limit on the number of appeals, but a failed one can cost a team a timeout if available. An unsuccessful appeal without an available timeout results in a technical foul and two free throws and possession for the opponent.

For Florida, when a potentially challenge-worthy play unfolds on the court, all eyes turn to Crist.

“When a play happens, and every coach turns around and looks at Nolan, he understands it’s his time to shine and figure out what we need to do,” Golden said.

A similar process is fol-

lowed at NC State, where assistant general manager Patrick Stacy runs the system for the men’s team. Stacy keeps a tablet running next to him — sometimes on the floor next to his bench seat, other times leaning against the scorer’s table — while tracking play calls and lineups during the game.

“On any close play, I don’t wait for the call, I just instantly look down and watch the replay and then start clicking rewind,” Stacy said. “If I hear the call went our direction, I’ll obviously put the iPad down and stop reviewing it. If it didn’t, then my clock of that 10 to 15 seconds has started, and we’ve got to make a decision on if it’s the best option or to challenge or not.”

“It’s not just a one-person decision. Usually, you’ll hear from the bench what they think. … Then coach will look at it and we kind of come to a consensus,” Stacy said.

A complex dynamic with officials

The introduction of challenges has changed dynamics beyond the bench. Video replays are now inaccessible to officials until the final two minutes of the game, meaning the bench has unseen angles at its disposal.

“It’s very easy for us to get the call right when we’re able to stare at the iPad right after, and these guys don’t have the luxury to do that,” Golden said. “It makes it a little bit of a ‘gotcha’ game, and I think it’s a little unfair for the refs that way.”

Several conferences told The Associated Press they do not track challenges. But in 243 men’s basketball games at home arenas in the Southeastern Conference this season, there were 128 total challenges; 85 were reversed and 43 calls stood, a 2-to-1 ratio.

“It’s a little more accurate in how it’s officiated,” Stacy said. “If you can switch to one or two calls a game to get them right, relative to ones that would be wrong in prior years, it rings truer to what the outcome should be.”

South Stanly, softball

Coco Tyson is a sophomore on the South Stanly softball team. She also plays volleyball for the Rowdy Rebel Bulls.

South swept three games last week to move to 12-0 on the season, 3-0 in the Yadkin Valley 2A/3A. Tyson came up big in all three. In a 9-8 win over Concord, she went 2 for 3 with two home runs, two runs, three RBIs and two walks. In a 3-2 win over A.L. Brown, she went 1 for 3 and drove in a run. In an 18-2 win over North Stanly, she went 3-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs.

For the season, Tyson ranks 10th in all of NCHSAA in slugging, third in Class 2A in batting average, fourth in runs and RBIs and leads 2A in slugging. She also is on pace to win the Yadkin Valley triple crown, leading the league in all three categories.

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NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk 26E000119-830

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Patricia Jean Russell, 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 June 29th, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 24th day of March, 2026. MARK T. LOWDER ADMINISTRATOR FOR THE ESTATE OF PATRICIA JEAN RUSSELL MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 Albemarle, NC 28002 Telephone (704) 982-8558

Publish: March 29, and April 5, 12, and 19, 2026

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION COUNTY OF STANLY. BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO:25E000056-830

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF EUGENE CARRINGTON WALL Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of Eugene Carrington Wall, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of the said Eugene Carrington Wall to present them to the undersigned or her attorney on or before the 6th day of July, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 5th day of April, 2026.

Executor: Rebecca Wall PO Box 1038 Norwood, NC 28128

Attorney for Estate: Connie E. Mosher 239 N. First Street Albemarle, NC 28001

704-983-0086

Dates of publication: April 5, April 12, April 19, April 26

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION COUNTY OF STANLY. BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO:25E000607-830

IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF HATTIE DOCKERY Deceased.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Hattie Dockery, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of the said Hattie Dockery to present them to the undersigned or her attorney on or before the 6th day of July, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 5th day of April, 2026. Administrator: Syvia Murphy PO Box 782 Norwood, NC 28128 Attorney for Estate: Connie E. Mosher 239 N. First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 704-983-0086

Dates of publication: April 5, April 12, April 19, April 26

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned has qualified as Administrator of the Estate of GENEVA GAY CANADAY GREENE, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina (Stanly County File Number (26E000144830). This is to notify all persons, firms or corporations having claims against said decedent or her estate to present the same duly itemized and verified to the undersigned Administrator or his Attorney on or before the 29th day of June, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the said decedent or to her estate are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Administrator or his attorney. This the 24th day of March, 2026. Jimmy Darrell Greene Administrator Estate of Geneva Gay Canaday Greene 32378 Bethlehem Church Road Norwood, North Carolina 28128 CHARLES P. BROWN Brown & Senter, P.L.L.C. Post Office Box 400 Albemarle, North Carolina 28002 Telephone: 704 982-2141 Fascimile: 704 982-0902 PUBLISH: March 29, April 5, 12, 19, 2026

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000631-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Patricia Berry Wilson deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Patricia Berry Wilson to present them to the undersigned on or before July 6, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 5th day of April 2026. Karen Biddy 112 Family Faith Drive Locust, NC 28097 Executor

NOTICE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

4/5; April 11/12; and April18/19; and April 25/26, 2026.

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE 25CVSDAVID D. FOREST and spouse, AMANDA W. FOREST, Plaintiffs, vs. TED W. DAVIS, Guardian, Ad Litem for All Persons, Firms and Corporations, As Well As For All Lien Creditors, Including But Not Limited To Any Defendants Herein Referenced (Male, Female or Fictitious

Record-low Colorado mountain snow

won’t

bode well for water in drought-stricken US West

The snowpack peaked a month early with just half the typical moisture

By Mead Gruver and Brittany Peterson The Associated Press

WALDEN, Colo. — Hydrologist Maureen Gutsch trudged through the mud and slush to confirm a grim picture: Colorado just had its worst snowpack since statewide recordkeeping began in 1941.

Even more troubling, mountain snow accumulations peaked a month early and contained just half the average moisture.

As a warm winter with poor skiing conditions gave way to early springtime record heat, snow is vanishing from all but the highest elevations in the West. This week’s record measurements are a clear sign that water shortages could worsen the ongoing significant drought, barring an unexpected deluge.

Gutsch struggled to match the mood of the sunny, 56-degree weather as she stood in a section of the Rocky Mountains that’s considered the headwaters of the Colorado River.

“We love being out here. We love being in the snow, taking these measurements. This year, it’s kind of hard to enjoy it because it’s slightly depressing with the conditions that we’ve seen,” said Gutsch, who is with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.

Cities in the region are imposing water-use restrictions, and ranchers are wondering how they will feed and water their cattle. Meanwhile, the threat of devastating wildfires looms.

High (country) and dry

Ranchers in Colorado’s scenic mountain valleys near the Continental Divide are, in a sense, among the first in the region affected by drought, being nearest to the melting mountain snowpack.

They hardly need Gutsch to tell them how parched conditions are. They remember past droughts — bad ones in 2002, 1981, 1977 — and wonder how it bodes for their operations.

“I’ve never seen it so warm so early and no snow all winter long,” said Philip Anderson, a retired teacher who also has ranched most of his life in Colorado’s North Park valley.

The heaviest snows in the high Rockies fall in late winter and early spring. Anderson’s place is at about 8,100 feet in elevation where a foot or more of snow often lingers on his pastures until springtime, helping to green up grass and refill stock ponds.

But without snow on the ground lately, his cows are grazing his grass before it can

grow high and several ponds are dry. The ditch that would usually move water from the nearby Illinois River to his property is also dry — tapped already by neighbors with more senior water rights.

“A lot of the people which are closer to the mountains have to let the water go by and let those folks with the senior water rights have it,” Anderson said. Anderson last had to haul water in his truck from a nearby wildlife refuge in 2002. That same year, he had to sell off his herd.

North Park — about 100 miles from the South Park valley that inspired the cartoon TV show — is a headwaters of the eastward-flowing Platte River system. Thirty-five miles west of Anderson’s place, across the Continental Divide, is the Stanko Ranch on the Yampa River.

Jo Stanko dreads low flows because they allow her cattle to wade across the river. Then they need to be rounded up and brought back home.

This year, Stanko has been watering her parched meadow earlier than ever in 50 years of ranching. She plans to cut hay before June and may buy hay soon to feed her 70 cows after that.

“Hay’s always a good investment, you know, because it might be really expensive,” she said.

Go with the flow? Not when low

An old saying in the West is that whiskey’s for drinking and water’s for fighting over. It especially applies when water becomes scarce amid a decades-long drought driven in part by human-caused climate change.

Meanwhile, the river’s Upper Basin states of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming remain at an impasse in negotiations with the Lower Basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada to create new rules for managing the water during shortages.

Like the water itself, time is running short — the current rules expire in September.

A recent federal plan would conserve river water “completely on Arizona’s back,” Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs told a U.S. Chamber of Commerce meeting in March.

Upper Basin states say their cities, farmers and ranchers already use far less water than they are entitled to under the existing agreements. That’s because they honor senior water rights — some of which date to the 1880s — before newer rights during droughts, Becky Mitchell, the Colorado River negotiator for Colorado, recently told other Upper Basin representatives.

“When there is less, we use

Having qualified as Executor of the estate of James Lee Honeycutt deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said James Lee Honeycutt to present them to the undersigned on or before July 6, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 5th day of April 2026. Jeffrey David Honeycutt 20080 Tucker Road Oakboro, NC 28129 Executor

PUBLIC NOTICE

less. This is not voluntary and no one gets paid as a result,” Mitchell said.

After missing multiple deadlines set by federal officials in recent months to reach agreement, the two sides are hiring lawyers in case the dispute goes to court.

Cities cut back

After the driest and warmest winter on record, Salt Lake City announced a 10% daily cut in water use.

Reductions will be voluntary for residents, but the biggest nonresidential water users will have to consume no more than 200,000 gallons per day.

On the other side of the Rockies, Denver Water is limiting lawn-watering and making other cuts in hopes of a 20% savings.

Precipitation west of the Continental Divide that’s sent through tunnels to the eastern side provides about half of the city’s water.

“We’re 7 to 8 feet of snow short of where we need to be,” Nathan Elder, water supply manager for Denver Water, said in a statement. “It would take a tremendous amount of snow to recover at this point, so it’s time to turn our attention to preserving what we have.”

Vast areas of California, Oregon and Nevada also are much drier than normal.

March 24, 2026 The Stanly County Airport Authority has changed the scheduled meeting date for the Tuesday, April 7, 2026 meeting to Tuesday, April 14, 2026. The time will remain the same, 5:00pm. Questions or comments should be directed to the attention of: Randy Shank Stanly County Airport Authority 43222 Lowder Aviation Parkway New London, NC 28127 704-982-9013 NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000115-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Having qualified as Administrator of the estate of Martin Anthony

In California, where Sierra Nevada snowpack provides one-third of the state’s water, a reading in the mountains near Lake Tahoe stood at just 18% of average for the second-lowest April 1 mark on record.

Wildfire risk looms large

On the same day Denver approved the water restrictions, the city set a new high temperature record for March: 87 degrees.

The previous record of 85 degrees was set just a week earlier. Hot, dry weather is a recipe for wildfires. While other parts of the U.S., including the South and Southwest, face higher fire risk this spring, forecasters expect the threat in the Rockies to rise as above-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation persist into summer.

This week, the region is getting a reprieve and snow is back in the forecast by the end of the week in North Park. But Anderson said he needs a lot more — half an inch of rain every other day for several days — to get out of the drought.

Until then, he suggested that North Park water users work together to ensure everybody has enough.

“It’s pretty serious,” Anderson said. “If we just talk and communicate together and cooperate, we might be able to make it through this. But we’ll see.”

famous birthdays this week

Billy Dee Williams is 89, Patricia Arquette turns 58, Tom Lehrer celebrates 98, Dennis Quaid hits 72

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

APRIL 5

Actor Michael Moriarty is 85. Actor Max Gail is 83. Singer Agnetha Fältskog (ABBA) is 76. Rock musician Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) is 60. Country musician Pat Green is 54. Musician-producer Pharrell Williams is 53.

APRIL 6

Actor Billy Dee Williams is 89. Film director Barry Levinson is 84. Actor John Ratzenberger is 79. Baseball Hall of Famer Bert Blyleven is 75. Actor Marilu Henner is 74. Actor Michael Rooker is 71. Actor Paul Rudd is 57.

APRIL 7

Country musician Bobby Bare is 91. Former California Gov. Jerry Brown is 88. Film director Francis Ford Coppola is 87. Musician John Oates is 78. Singer-songwriter Janis Ian is 75. Actor Jackie Chan is 72. Football Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett is 72. Actor Russell Crowe is 62.

APRIL 8

Journalist Seymour Hersh is 89. Songwriter-producer Leon Huff is 84. Rock musician Steve Howe (Yes) is 79. Author Barbara Kingsolver is 71. Guitarist Izzy Stradlin (Guns N’ Roses) is 64. Singer Julian Lennon is 63. Actor Robin Wright is 60. Actor Patricia Arquette is 58.

APRIL 9

Satirist-musician Tom Lehrer is 98. Actor Michael Learned is 87. Drummer Steve Gadd is 81. Actor Dennis Quaid is 72. Fashion designer Marc Jacobs is 63. Model-actor Paulina Porizkova is 61. Actor Cynthia Nixon is 60.

APRIL 10

Labor leader-activist Dolores Huerta is 96. Football Hall of Famer Mel Blount is 78. Author Anne Lamott is 72. Singer-producer Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds is 67. Musician Brian

Actor Robin Wright turns 60 on Wednesday.

Setzer is 67. Singer Kenny Lattimore is 56. Rapper-producer Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest) is 56.

APRIL 11

Actor Joel Grey is 94. Actor Louise Lasser is 87. Actor Peter Riegert is 79. Actor Bill Irwin is 76. Former MLB catcher Jason Varitek is 54. Actor Jennifer Esposito is 53.

Puth shows off bag of musical tricks on ‘Whatever’s Clever!’

Actor Jeff Goldblum provides a spoken-word prelude on “Until It Happens To You”

By Elise Ryan The Associated Press

THERE HAVE been some changes in Charlie Puth’s life recently. He got married. He’s a dad. And in the musical shoutout heard ’round the world, Taylor Swift declared that he “should be a bigger artist.”

On “Changes,” the lead single from his fourth album, “Whatever’s Clever!,” he ponders those shifts: “There’s been some changes in our life, oh / I can feel the distance,” he sings. “Space and time, has made everything different.”

An eight-member choir backs him up in the song’s latter half, joining Puth’s keys and a steady drum. These layers, while plenty, aren’t heavy. Puth keeps the track buoyant.

That light, playful energy is felt across much of the album releasing Friday (“Beat Yourself Up,” “Washed Up”). Puth and his co-producer BloodPop pull from a Mary Poppins bag of musical tricks — a choir! an orchestra! Kenny G! — to create complex tracks with influ-

duction and interlude by Jeff Goldblum.

“Sometimes the wind blows in different new directions.”

Charlie Puth

ences that range from yacht rock to jazz and R&B, diverting from Puth’s previous pop. Consider the wonky “Until It Happens To You,” which combines the orchestra and choir for a song about embracing the best of times while anticipating the worst, with a bubbly spoken intro -

Musically, the outcome is fun, largely because Puth, with his perfect pitch and Berklee College of Music training, has only leaned further into his “Professor Puth” persona, giving listeners the tools to break down those layers themselves through explanatory TikToks and talk show appearances. But Puth and BloodPop play it safe lyrically throughout the album, often relying on generic platitudes. (“You know everybody cries,” Puth sings on “Cry.” “Cry, cry, cry.”) And yet, painting in broad strokes has worked before for Puth, and there are moments — when he pushes a simple idea a bit further — where it does here, too: “Love in Exile,” featuring and written with Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins, is catchy and quotable. “Sideways,” featuring verses and harmonies by Coco Jones, recalls Puth’s early collaborative hits like Wiz Khalifa’s “See You Again” and “We Don’t Talk Anymore” with Selena Gomez, with their affecting but not overly complicated lyrics.

If the album is seen as a sort of scrapbook assembled ahead of his next chapter, then flipping back to the first page reveals Puth knows growth comes with those dreams being rewritten: “Sometimes the wind blows in different new directions,” he sings on “Changes.” Where that takes him, we’ll have to see. For now, Puth is embracing his influences and flexing what he’s learned. And that makes for a good time.

Charlie Puth performs ‘I Still Believe’ during MusiCares Person of the Year honoring Mariah Carey on Jan. 30 in Los Angeles.

Oscars leaving Hollywood home for downtown Los Angeles

The Academy Awards will now take place at the

By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — The Oscars are leaving Hollywood.

In 2029, the year the telecast moves from ABC to YouTube, the ceremony itself will move from its longtime home at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood to downtown Los Angeles and the Peacock Theater, nine miles away. The Academy announced last Thursday that it has reached a 10-year agreement with AEG, which operates the L.A. Live complex where the Peacock Theater sits.

It’s a surprising move given that the Dolby was developed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences itself, expressly as a home for the Oscars. The ceremony has been held there since 2002 (with the exception of the COVID-driven downsized show at Union Station in 2021) and has provided an especially steady home for the Oscars, which have never stayed in a single venue for such a long stretch. The awards bounced between various L.A. hotels in its early years before moving up to theaters in the mid-1940s.

The downtown Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, a fine arts facility that is home to the LA Opera, became heavily identified with the Oscars

when it hosted the ceremony from 1968 to 1986. The ceremony then alternated between the Chandler and the Shrine Auditorium, next to the University of Southern California, until the long-term move to Hollywood.

The Dolby will continue to host the show as it airs in its final years on ABC, concluding with the 100th Academy Awards in 2028. The Peacock Theater is next

to the Crypto.com

Arena, home to the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings. The theater has hosted the Emmy Awards nearly every year since 2008 and, in recent years, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

The Academy says in its announcement that, under its agreement, AEG will make major upgrades to the theater and its tech setup and will “collaborate closely with the Academy to incorporate be-

spoke design elements needed to accommodate the Oscars ceremony.”

The Peacock Theater, previously known as the Nokia Theatre and Microsoft Theater, opened in 2007, as the then-Staples Center site expanded to become the L.A. Live entertainment complex. It hosted concerts from the Eagles and the Chicks to celebrate its opening. The theater’s capacity of

“For the 101st Oscars and beyond, the Academy looks forward to closely collaborating with AEG to make L.A. LIVE the perfect backdrop for our global celebration of cinema.”

Bill Kramer and Lynette Howell Taylor, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

about 7,000 is about twice that of the Dolby. And its plaza is bigger and more open-air than the Dolby’s Ovation Hollywood complex, which has more of an enclosed shopping mall feeling. Like Hollywood, L.A. Live also has multiple hotels, essential to the logistics of the Oscars. And there is a cinema at the site, though its Regal theaters multiplex lacks the historic patina of the TCL (formerly Grauman’s) Chinese Theatre next to the Dolby on Hollywood Boulevard.

“For the 101st Oscars and beyond, the Academy looks forward to closely collaborating with AEG to make L.A. LIVE the perfect backdrop for our global celebration of cinema,” the Academy’s CEO Bill Kramer and its president, Lynette Howell Taylor, said in a joint statement.

this week in history

Kurt Cobain dies by suicide, Lee surrenders at Appomattox, Johnson signs Civil Rights Act

The Associated Press

APRIL 5

1614: Pocahontas, daughter of Powhatan chief Wahunsenacawh (Powhatan), married English settler John Rolfe in the Virginia Colony.

1764: The British Parliament passed the American Revenue Act of 1764, known as the Sugar Act, enforcing duties on sugar and molasses imported into the American colonies.

1887: In Tuscumbia, Alabama, teacher Anne Sullivan helped her deaf-blind pupil Helen Keller understand the word “water,” marking a major breakthrough in Keller’s education.

1994: Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain died by suicide at his home in Seattle at age 27.

APRIL 6

1830: Joseph Smith and followers met in Fayette, New York, to organize the Church of Christ, later known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

1896: The first modern Olympic Games officially opened in Athens, Greece.

1917: The United States entered World War I as the House joined the Senate in approving a declaration of war against Germany, which was signed by President Woodrow Wilson.

APRIL 7

1862: Union forces led by Gens. Ulysses S. Grant and Don Carlos Buell defeated Confederate troops at the Battle of Shiloh in Tennessee.

1922: Interior Secretary Albert B. Fall secretly leased U.S. Navy oil reserves to private companies in the scandal later known as Teapot Dome.

1994: A day after the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi were killed in a missile attack, Rwanda’s moderate prime minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana and her husband were murdered, triggering the genocide that followed.

APRIL 8

1820: A farmer on the Greek island of Milos discovered the ancient statue now known as the Venus de Milo.

1864: The U.S. Senate approved the 13th Amendment abolishing slavery. (The House passed it in 1865.)

1992: Tennis great Arthur Ashe announced he had AIDS, saying he contracted HIV from a 1983 blood transfusion.

APRIL 9

1865: Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to Union Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia, effectively ending the Civil War. Remaining Confederate forces elsewhere surrendered by early June.

1939: After being barred from Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution, singer Marian Anderson performed before a large crowd at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

1940: Germany invaded Denmark and Norway during World War II.

APRIL 10

1866: Henry Bergh founded the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in New York.

1912: The British liner RMS Titanic departed Southampton, England, on its ill-fated maiden voyage to New York.

1919: Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata was assassinated by forces loyal to President Venustiano Carranza.

APRIL 11

1814: Napoleon Bonaparte abdicated as emperor of France and was exiled to the island of Elba. (He would briefly return to power in 1815 before his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo.)

1951: President Harry S. Truman dismissed Gen. Douglas MacArthur from command of U.S. forces in the Korean War after the general publicly challenged administration policy.

1968: President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1968, including the Fair Housing Act and Indian Civil Rights Act, one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.