Stanly News Journal Vol. 146, Issue 33

Stanly NewS Journal

Safe!

West Stanly sophomore Makayla Crayton dives into third as part of an 11-1 rout of East Rowan, bringing the Colts to 19-4 on the year.

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Trump reclassi es state-licensed medical marijuana as less-dangerous drug

Washington, D.C.

A cannabis industry group called President Donald Trump’s reclassi cation of state-licensed medical marijuana as a less-dangerous drug “the most signi cant federal advancement in cannabis policy” in decades. The American Trade Association for Cannabis and Hemp said the Trump administration action recognizes “cannabis is medicine.” The order the Republican president’s acting attorney general signed Thursday largely legitimizes medical marijuana programs in the 40 states that have adopted them and allows state-licensed medical marijuana companies for the rst time to deduct business expenses on their federal taxes.

Navy Secretary leaving in latest departure of top defense leader

Washington, D.C.

The Pentagon abruptly announced that Navy Secretary John Phelan is leaving his job. Phelan is the rst head of a military service to depart during President Donald Trump’s second term but is just the latest top defense leader to step down or be ousted. No reason was given for the unexpected departure of the Navy’s top civilian o cial. Undersecretary Hung Cao will take over as acting secretary.

America 250 student art winners recognized by county commissioners

The students were honored for county ag and banner designs

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — Local winners of the America 250 student art contests were honored Monday during a formal presentation at the Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting.

The students were rst announced last month during the Celebration of the Arts event at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center, hosted by the Stanly County Arts Council and promoted by the America 250 NC Stanly County Committee.

On Monday, the o cial recognition included winners

from the fourth grade county ag and essay contest and the America 250 banner design contest.

Caroline Shelton of Norwood Elementary School was recognized as the overall winner of the fourth grade ag and essay competition, while Riley Niven of Locust Elementary School was selected as runner-up.

Within Stanly County, more than 200 fourth grade student entries were submitted, with judges narrowing the eld to 10 nalists; all of those entries will be displayed at the Stanly County History Center beginning May 1.

Shelton’s and Niven’s submissions were also forwarded for consideration at the

See WINNERS, page A5

Albemarle council approves zoning amendments

The changes are tied to Envision Albemarle 2045 passed on 5-2 votes

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — At its meeting Monday night, the Albemarle City Council approved three zoning ordinance text amendments, advancing a series of development updates tied to the city’s long-range growth plan.

The changes are part of an e ort to align future development with Envision Albemarle 2045, the city’s comprehensive land use plan that guides infrastructure, investment and growth decisions over the next two decades.

Planning and Development

Director Alysia Steadman said the amendments represent a shift from vision to execution.

“The plan sets the vision for how Albemarle should grow — our zoning ordinance is the tool that makes the vision real,” Steadman said. “These amendments are about aligning our development standards with the goal that the council has already established. Put simply, this is the work of moving from planning to implementation.”

The rst measure, Ordinance 26-08 (TA 26-01), has updated development standards, including design elements, bu er requirements and pedestrian amenities, while Ordinance 26-09 (TA 26-02)

“These amendments are about aligning our development standards with the goal that the council has already established.”

Alysia Steadman, Albemarle Planning and Development director

His wrestling legacy launched WWE nationwide; his lm role brought him artistic ful llment

The Associated Press

ELLERBE — Andre the Giant, a towering menace in the wrestling ring but a gentle giant on the movie screen, is being honored with a roadside marker in his beloved adopted small town in North Carolina.

O cials unveiled the marker Thursday in Ellerbe, a community of about 1,000 people where the wrestler born Andre Rene Roussimo lived on a ranch just outside town.

Andre was billed at 7-foot- 4 and 520 pounds during his time wrestling for the WWE in the 1970s and 1980s.

A larger than life villain, Roussimo was touted as unbeatable until he faced Hulk Hogan in a match in 1987 at WrestleMania III that launched the once regional wrestling company into a nationwide entertainment force.

Later that year, Roussimo appeared on lm as the giant Fezzik in “The Princess Bride.” Fezzik was the gentle-hearted muscle for the antagonist and needed rhymes to remember his instructions.

CRIME LOG

April 13

• Christian Sincere Galarza, 24, was arrested for disorderly conduct and injury to personal property.

• Brandon Scott Boone, 40, was arrested for communicating threats.

• Kayla Danielle Bowers, 31, was arrested for larceny of a rearm and uttering a forged instrument.

April 14

• Steven Oneal Woody, 36, was arrested for breaking or entering, assault by pointing a gun and simple possession of a controlled substance.

• Kaitlyn Purvis, 30, was arrested for second degree trespass and resisting a public o cer.

April 15

• Gerard Demetrius Richardson, 34, was arrested for driving while impaired, reckless driving and possession of an open container of alcohol.

• Brian Todd Brown, 49, was arrested for possession of a rearm by a felon.

AP PHOTO

Roussimo was born in France. But as he wrestled around the U.S. South, he fell in love with the region, buying his North Carolina ranch and raising cattle on his land about 60 miles east of Charlotte.

He became a critical part of the Ellerbe community. In 1990, he taped TV and radio spots against a possible low-level radioactive land ll nearby. A pair of his size -26 cowboy boots are kept at a museum.

Roussimo died in 1993 at age 46 in France where he was visiting for his father’s funeral. They had a service for him there, but his body was cremated and his ashes spread at his beloved ranch.

The Richmond County marker at N.C. Highway 72 and Old N.C. Highway 220 simply says “Andre The Giant. 1946-1993. Actor and professional wrestler. Was born Andre Roussimo . Known for role in The Princess Bride in 1987. Lived nearby.”

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

April 26

The Uwharrie Players Presents: “Now and Then” 3 p.m.

The play by Sean Grennan is a romantic comedy that explores the consequences of the choices we make in our lives and those who make them with us. Tickets are $15 for children and seniors; $20 for adults. Albemarle Neighborhood Theatre 219 E. North St. Albemarle

Elevate Ballet presents “The Wizard of Oz” 3-5 p.m.

This ballet recital, based on the classic children’s book and movie, is performed by local students. Tickets are $13.60 for ages 4 and up and are available at the door, cash only.

Stanly County Agri-Civic Center

26032 Newt Road #B Albemarle

Now through April 29

• William Damon Duncan, 30, was arrested for driving while impaired and reckless driving.

April 16

• Shakyiah Stephens, 23, was arrested for simple assault.

• Chasity Morgan Young, 36, was arrested for possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance; and maintaining a vehicle, dwelling or place for controlled substances.

• Jarobi Ratli , 35, was arrested for possession of a rearm by a felon; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver methamphetamine; possession with intent to manufacture, sell or deliver a controlled substance; and other charges.

April 17

• William Wesley Whittington, 39, was arrested for driving while impaired, driving on a revoked license and reckless driving, and other charges.

• Bradley Malone Fesperman, 53, was arrested for second degree kidnapping, assault by strangulation and felony breaking or entering, and other charges.

April 18

• Davy Niboewre Meda, 40, was arrested for driving while impaired, misdemeanor child abuse and reckless driving, and other charges.

• Isiah Steele, 30, was arrested for second degree forcible sex o ense.

April 19

• Giovanni Vinansaca, 25, was arrested for driving while impaired and expired registration.

• Clinton Rayvon Smith, 33, was arrested for misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and communicating threats.

• Demauree Crowder, 23, was arrested for possession with intent to sell or deliver marijuana, felony conspiracy and felony possession of marijuana, and other charges.

High School Art Show: North Stanly High School

Tuesday-Friday: noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Stanly Arts Guild hosts this annual exhibition created in collaboration with art instructors from county high schools to showcase local budding artists. Admission is free.

152 W. Main St. Albemarle

April 30

The Stanly County Concert Band presents “Our American Journey in Music” 7-8:30 p.m.

The special concert is one of the events sanctioned by the America 250 NC Stanly County Committee. The band will perform with the Stanly County Chorale and will debut a new composition, “An American Tapestry,” as a nod to the national birthday celebrations. Bruce Tipette, a composer from North Carolina, will serve as guest conductor. Admission is free.

Stanly County Agri-Civic Center 26032 Newt Road # B Albemarle

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Ho end, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

Could Nevada become a red state?

In 2024, around 40% of those moving to Nevada came from the Golden State … most are disproportionately Republican.

NEVADA HAS FEWER registered Democrats today than in 2016. That’s one reason Nevada could be a red state within a decade.

Nevada Republicans currently have a voter registration edge of more than 7,000 out of 2 million registered voters. That may not sound like much, but it’s their largest voter registration lead since 2006. Nevada has around 571,000 registered Republicans and a bit under 564,000 Democrats. This is a dramatic reversal. In the 2016 general election, Democrats had a voter registration advantage of nearly 89,000. Hillary Clinton won the state by around 27,000 votes. In 2020, Democrats had a similarly sized edge. Former President Joe Biden won the state by under 34,000 votes. But the Biden presidency turned into a recruiting boon for Nevada Republicans. By November 2022, Democrats’ voter registration edge had fallen to around 52,000. Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican, defeated the Democratic incumbent, former Gov. Steve Sisolak, by less than 16,000 votes. By November 2024, Democrats’ voter registration edge in Nevada had dropped to under 10,000. President Donald Trump won the state by 46,000 votes, a victory of 3%.

One of the biggest reasons for this is how Trump — aided by Biden’s in ation-producing policies — revamped the Republican coalition. Trump attracted more minority and younger voters, while college-educated voters moved

COLUMN | STEPHEN MOORE

left. Nevada might be the state where that trade is the most advantageous. Thirty percent of Nevadans are Hispanic, and racial minorities comprise a majority of the state’s population. Compared with other states, Nevada has relatively few college graduates.

It’s unclear whether this coalition will hold together or show up in the midterms. College graduates tend to be more consistent voters.

Nevada Republicans received an unwitting assist from leftist donors, too. In 2018, Nevada voters approved an automatic voter registration initiative. Leftist groups donated more than $9 million to promote the measure. The theory was that automatically registering people at the DMV would ensure a steady stream of new Democratic voters.

It didn’t happen. In 2018, there were almost 600,000 registered Democrats, which gave them a 4.8% advantage. Today, there are around 564,000 Democrats and Republicans have a 0.35% edge.

Before 2018, Nevada Democrats signi cantly outperformed Republicans in registering voters. The Sen. Harry Reid machine provided money and organization that Republicans couldn’t match. But DMV registration leveled the playing eld. Plus, most people at the DMV aren’t thinking about voting. Many get registered as nonpartisan by default. This makes it harder for Democrats to identify which voters to turn out.

This shift has moved Nevada from a lean blue state to a pure toss-up. Will the trend continue?

Lawyers sue for higher prices

There is something wrong with our legal system if cutting prices is a crime.

YOU AREN’T GOING to believe the latest lawsuit fad in America: suing companies as monopolistic for cutting prices to consumers. In legal mumbo jumbo, this is called “predatory pricing” — keeping prices lower than charged by competitors. The idea is to keep prices so low that rival rms can’t compete. Quick, throw Walmart, Home Depot and McDonald’s in jail.

This is no joke. Recent news reports indicate that the so-called Main Street Competition Coalition, helmed by a former small and midsize grocery chain lobbyist, a Biden administration o cial and trial lawyers, is lobbying to outlaw volume discounts under a 1936 law called the Robinson-Patman Act.

The RPA was intended to shield mom-and-pop stores from competition from chain stores o ering bulk discounts. Until recently, history has largely recognized this foolish law as a New Deal mistake. It was left unforgotten until very recently. The Biden Federal Trade Commission under activist Chair Lina Khan dusted it o as a tool to more closely enforce “fairness” over competition, to much fanfare from liberal activists and ambulance- chasing lawyers.

Now, with the Trump FTC having red aggressive commissioners like Khan and dropped Biden-era cases — and with Congress unlikely to pass new attempts to reinvigorate the RPA — its cheerleaders are now pivoting to the courtroom as a new arena in their ght to destroy these pricing discounts.

The “antitrust bar” con rms that the RPA could bring jackpot settlements against big box stores o ering retail chain volume discounts under the guise of “price discrimination” lawsuits.

If the trial lawyers win, customers are forced to pay higher prices.

The RPA’s logic barely passed muster when chain stores were new. In 2026 America, the

biggest nationwide retailers deliver economies of scale that keep prices low for millions and force competitors to work to do the same.

Far from corporate greed or anticompetitive behavior, competitive discounts driven by volume and supply chain e ciencies fuel free markets, helping families save money on groceries, appliances, TVs, cellphones, computers and cars. Walmart alone has saved American’s tens of billion on low-price bulk sales.

Consider the Biden FTC’s abandoned PepsiCo case under Khan.

Pepsi faced bogus charges for making volume deals that let families buy soda 12-packs for a few bucks — not at boutique pricing of a dollar per can. Trump’s FTC rightfully dropped it, but class-action sharks pounced on the same debunked claims to le their own lawsuits, signaling to every company: Fight to cut costs for shoppers and get sued.

But just who is getting hurt from charging low prices? Certainly not the customers, who line up in parking lots sometimes more than an hour before stores open to grab bargains. Yet the shark lawyers just need a few early wins to punish the big box retailers for o ering cut rate prices. If they win, get ready for an avalanche of lawsuits.

Take the case of New York’s Oreos meltdown. Mondelez, the maker of Oreos, Ritz and Wheat Thins, quit direct deliveries to 1,000 New York City indie grocers like Foodtown and Key Food — citing parking and delivery woes — while serving ShopRite and Wegmans. Indies now pay wholesalers extra, jumping $5.99 Oreos to $6.99 and sparking RPA violation cries from the National Supermarket Association.

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani says the state Senate’s proposed Consumer Grocery Pricing Fairness Act would ban favoring chains, ensuring Mondelez retreats entirely or passes

Here are two reasons it might. The rst is Californians. Yes, you read that correctly. In 2024, around 40% of those moving to Nevada came from the Golden State. But those departing Californians are disproportionately Republican. Paradoxically, former Californians may keep Nevada from copying California’s terrible policies. The other is Turning Point Action setting up shop in Nevada. For decades, the right hasn’t had a counter to the turnout machine of Culinary Local 226. If donors buy into the long-term vision, Turning Point’s e orts could turn those low-propensity Republican voters into Republican votes.

The stakes are high. If this trend continues, Republicans could ip Nevada’s two Democrat-held U.S. Senate seats in 2028 and 2030. After the census shakes up the Electoral College, Nevada’s results could determine who wins the presidency in 2032.

Events are unpredictable, and Democrats are pumping money into voter registration. That should help them.

But a decade ago, Nevada looked like it would soon be a permanently blue state. It has swung dramatically to the right, and there are reasons to believe that trend will continue.

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

indie delivery costs to all outlets — including high-volume, low-cost ones. New Yorkers lose cheaper e cient options; everyone’s Oreos will cost more.

A recent study crunches the numbers:

A Robinson-Patman type revival could spike grocery prices 5%-10% while gutting a ordable options, slamming rural families and low-income communities hardest. That’s more than $500 extra annually for the typical family’s grocery bill — money that stays in working-class pockets when markets work freely — precisely while large volume retailers often provide the only real relief in this post-Biden in ation hangover. This madness traces straight back to Khan’s war on companies — from soda bottlers to tech giants and even Uber-Lyft driver pay deals. But without the cudgel of a Khan-led FTC, the battle shifts to this lobbying and lawsuit e ort evidently backed by more expensive retail outlets, which are planning a May 14 launch event to rally more plainti s against “dominant rms.” Republicans and sensible Democrats should unite against this e ort if they want to make America a ordable again. The legal doctrine behind the RPA is obsolete as the black-and-white TV. Decades of sidelining this relic have unlocked markets to reward e ciency, innovation and scale — delivering genuine consumer wins at the checkout line. There is something wrong with our legal system if cutting prices is a crime. Laws that prosecute cost-cutting are only going to make America expensive again.

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

LARRY KEN FRICK

JAN. 2, 1937 – APRIL 21, 2026

Larry Ken Frick, 89, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.

Born January 2, 1937, in Stanly County, Larry was the son of the late George and Mary Frick. A devoted family man, he spent many years working at Alcoa, where he was known for his strong work ethic and dedication; rarely missing a day.

Larry was a proud veteran who served as a Military Police o cer in the U.S. Army. He found happiness in life’s simple pleasures, especially shing and spending time at the beach. A fan of all sports, he had a particular appreciation for the early days of NASCAR. Above all, Larry treasured the time he spent with his family, who meant everything to him.

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

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.

Dwight Farmer

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15, 2023

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

Dave Mason, co-founder of Tra c known for

‘We Just Disagree’ and ‘Feelin’ Alright,’ dead at 79

James Roseboro

June 23, 1967 ~ January 10, 2023

He is survived by his children, Melanie Frick, Marsha Frick Dick, Lawrence Frick, Kenneth Frick, and Raymond Frick; stepchildren, Lesia Mayhew (Bobby) and Leslia Lee; grandchildren, Lauren Frick, Lydia Frick, Joseph Garcia (Stacy), Chase Calloway, Chandler Frick (Danielle), Chelsea Frick, and Chaeden Frick; step-grandchildren, Kolt Whitley (Anna), Tyler Mayhew (Ginny), Darea Mayhew, and Brad Mayhew (Anna); as well as six great-grandchildren and four step greatgrandchildren.

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

John B. Kluttz

The guitarist played on classic albums by the Rolling Stones, Beatles and Jimi Hendrix

March 23, 1935 - January 9, 2023

Doris Jones Coleman

In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Bobbie Ann Lowder Lee Frick, in January 2026, and his brothers, Darrell and Bobby Frick.

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.

The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to all his caregivers for the compassion and support shown to Larry during his nal days.

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 Gar eld.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care, 960 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Larry will be remembered for his steady presence, his love for his family, and the quiet strength that de ned his life.

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 Sheri ’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

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

GARY “GENE” LOWDER

OCT. 2, 1941 – APRIL 21, 2026

By Maria Sherman The Associated Press

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.

In 1969, he launched a solo career that resulted in three albums certi ed gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (1970’s “Alone Together,” which produced his hit “Only You Know and I Know,” 1974’s “Dave Mason” and 1978’s “Mariposa de Oro”) as well as one platinum title: 1977’s “Let It Flow.”

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.

Gary “Gene” Lowder, 84, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at Bethany Woods.

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.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2026, at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.

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.

Mr. Lowder was born on October 2, 1941, in Stanly County to the late Cli ord Lowder and Maggie McLendon Lowder Dennis. He retired from the City of Albemarle after many years of dedicated service and later co-founded L & L Guttering in 1992 alongside his son, Troy.

NEW YORK — Dave Mason — the co-founder of the psychedelic British band Trafc, songwriter behind classic rock hits “Feelin’ Alright” and “Hole in My Shoe,” and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer — died Sunday at his home in Gardnerville, Nevada. He was 79. His death was con rmed by Mason’s publicist, Melissa Dragich. A cause was not immediately revealed. He had canceled his remaining tour dates last summer and announced his retirement months later, citing health issues stemming from an infection for “closing the curtain on 60 remarkable years of rock n’ roll.”

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.

Gene will be remembered as a man of strong character and enduring spirit— known for his wit, determination, and tireless work ethic. Though he could be ornery at times, his warm and friendly nature shone through, and he truly never met a stranger. To his family, he was simply “the greatest,” a steady presence whose love and devotion were felt in countless quiet, meaningful ways.

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.

He found joy in life’s simple pleasures—watching NASCAR, spending time behind the wheel, tending to his yard, and enjoying a bowl of ice cream. Some of his most treasured moments were spent taking his grandchildren on small outings, especially their after-school trips to the convenience store. He had a deep appreciation for classic westerns and was a devoted fan of John Wayne, as well as beloved television programs such as Gunsmoke and The Andy Gri th Show.

He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Rose Talbert Lowder; his children, Beth Lowder Yarbrough (David) of Mt. Gilead and Troy Lowder of Albemarle; his grandchildren, Crystal Nance (Dylan) of Asheboro, Lacey Phillips of Mt. Gilead, Taylor Pletcher (Chase) of Concord, and Clay Yarbrough of Mt. Gilead; and his great-grandchildren, Rain, River, and Reed.

Gene’s life was marked by hard work, deep love for his family, and a legacy of kindness and connection that will be cherished by all who knew him.

JEANETTE CHANCE PICKLER

NOV. 26, 1939 – APRIL 22, 2026

Darrick Baldwin

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

Jeanette Chance Pickler, 86, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully at her home on Wednesday, April 22, 2026.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle.

Jeanette was born on November 26, 1939, in Stanly County to the late Henry and Hazel Chance. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and friend to many. Jeanette had a kind and generous spirit, never meeting a stranger and always welcoming others with warmth. She especially enjoyed caring for her owers, a re ection of her nurturing nature, and was known for her love of cooking and making sure no one ever left her home hungry. She also found great joy in traveling, visiting historical places, and collecting antiques.

She is lovingly survived by her daughter, Lisa P. Crosby and husband Chester of Albemarle; granddaughter, Shellie Ridenhour and husband Willie; greatgrandchildren, Merrick (John) and Kaedin Ridenhour; sister-in-law, Diane Chance; and many cherished nieces and nephews.

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

Mason was born May 10, 1946, in Worcester, England, and founded Tra c in 1967 with singer/multi-instrumentalist Steve Winwood, drummer Jim Capaldi and keyboardist/saxophonist Chris Wood. The psychedelic band became celebrated for its pioneering and inventive spirit, along with Mason’s songwriting and intricate guitar solos. Mason wrote and performed many of Tra c’s biggest singles. And even though “Feelin’ Alright?” was not an immediate hit, it became one thereafter, covered by the likes of Joe Cocker, the Jackson 5, Gladys Knight, Paul Weller and Grand Funk Railroad. Mason’s relationship with the band was tenuous; he left and returned multiple times.

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.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Carroll Junior Pickler in 2024; and her siblings, Nancy Hinson (Lonnie), Louise Lambert (Bud), Kenneth Chance (Evelyn), Kay Aldridge (Richard), and Eddie Chance.

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.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to her special neighbors, Brian, Sherri, Carolyn, Sherry, and Betty, and her care team with Tillery Compassionate Care for the love, care, and support they provided to Jeanette during her declining health.

In lieu of owers, memorials may be made to Tillery Compassionate Care, 960 N. First Street, Albemarle, NC 28001.

Jeanette will be remembered for her gentle spirit, generous heart, and the love she so freely gave. Her memory will live on in the lives of all who knew and loved her.

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.

When John purchased his rst 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!

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long ght in ICU.

In addition, Mason played on a number of all-star sessions, The Rolling Stones’ “Beggars Banquet,” George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass,” Paul McCartney and Wings’ “Venus and Mars” and Jimi Hendrix’s “Electric Ladyland” among them.

Mason was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2004 for his work with Trafc. His old bandmate shared a tribute to him Wednesday.

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.

“His place in that history will always be remembered, and through the music, his presence endures.”

Steve Winwood, Tra c co-founder

Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away ghting 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.

“Dave was part of Trafc during its earliest chapter, and played an important role in shaping the band’s sound and identity during that time,” Winwood wrote on Instagram. “His songwriting, musicianship and distinctive spirit helped create music that has lasted far beyond its era, and continues to mean so much to listeners around the world.

“Those years remain a special part of the band’s story, and Dave’s contribution to them is not forgotten. His place in that history will always be remembered, and through the music, his presence endures. At this sad time, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and all those who loved him and his music.”

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.

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

Survivors include his wife, Winifred Wilson, daughter Danielle, nephew John Leonard, niece Michelle Leonard and his brothers-in-law, Sloan Wilson and Walton Wilson.

This is what John’s Model A

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 sel ess, 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

church with older adults, youth, and

ROB GRABOWSKI / AP PHOTO

Dave Mason performs at City Winery in Chicago on Feb. 21, 2023.

WINNERS from page A1

statewide level and are now featured on the America 250 North Carolina website.

“This exciting challenge created by the America 250 North Carolina team invited fourth grade students from across North Carolina to design county ags that re ect how they see their region of the state,” said Kelly Dombrowski, chair of the Stanly County Arts Council. “The goal was to inspire students to think critically about local history, culture and geography through symbolism, while establishing relationships between local families, school systems and county committees.”

The second initiative recognized Monday centered on the banner design contest.

“With the coordination of Stanly County Schools and the Stanly County Arts Council, as well as the funding of the Stanly County Historical Society, the municipality banner pole contest came to life,” Dombrowski said. “Today, we are excited to honor these student artists.

“This exciting challenge created by the America 250 North Carolina team invited fourth grade students from across North Carolina to design county ags that re ect how they see their region of the state.”

Kelly Dombrowski, Stanly County Arts Council chair

The art chosen has been made into utility pole banners, and a pole set has been gifted to each municipality in Stanly County. Throughout 2026, no matter where you visit, you will see these banners hanging proudly.”

Students recognized for the banner contest spanned elementary through high school. From Oakboro Choice STEM School, honorees included Sienna Ward, a kindergarten student, and Riyaa Prabu, a third grade student. Heritage Clas-

sical Academy was represented by rst grader Mary Misenheimer and fourth grader Campbell Blaylock.

Central Elementary School second grader Alex Coria Regalado and fth grader Miller Hernandez-Aguilar were also recognized. At the middle school level, Callie Huneycutt, a seventh grade student at North Stanly Middle School, and Mia Arambula, an eighth grade student at West Stanly Middle School, were honored.

High school participants included ninth grade students Emma Melton of West Stanly High School, Jaelyn Grantham of Stanly STEM Early College and Jamiyah Mack of Albemarle High School. South Stanly High School students Lyric Rucker and Claire Mauldin, both sophomores, were also recognized, along with Mitchelle Jones, a senior at West Stanly High School.

The next local America 250 event is scheduled for Saturday as the Battle of Colson’s Mill mural will be unveiled during Norwood’s Arbor Day Festival at 11 a.m.

The pioneering lawmaker championed farm aid and support for historically black colleges

By Bill Barrow, Matt Brown and Je Amy The Associated Press

ATLANTA — U.S. Rep. David Scott, a Georgia Democrat and the rst black chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, has died. He was 80. Scott, who was seeking his 13th term in Congress despite challenges from within his party, was once a leading voice for Democrats on issues related to farm aid policy and food aid for consumers, and a prominent black member of the party’s moderate Blue Dog caucus. But he faced criticism and concerns in recent years because of declining health, enduring a primary challenge in 2024 and facing another one at the time of his death.

Democrats on Capitol Hill praised the longtime lawmaker.

“The news of Congressman Scott’s passing is deeply sad,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Je ries (D-N.Y.) told reporters on Wednesday.

“David Scott was a trailblazer who served the district that he represented admirably, rose up from humble beginnings to become the rst African American ever to chair the House Ag Committee,” Jeffries said. “He cared about the people that he represented. He was ercely committed to getting things done for the people of the great state of Georgia, and he’ll be deeply missed.”

News of Scott’s death came during the Congressional Black Caucus’ weekly luncheon on Capitol Hill. The Black Caucus’ chair, Rep. Yvette Clarke, told lawmakers at the outset of the meeting.

Death creates another vacancy

Scott’s death slightly widens Republicans’ narrow House majority going into the thick of this midterm election year The GOP began the current Congress with a 220-215 advantage, but the margin has uctuated. Scott is the fourth House Democrat to die in ofce during this Congress.

Scott had been mostly absent from the campaign trail in 2024 and 2026 and had become a noted example of Democrats’ aging leadership targeted by younger generations of the left. He dodged questions from reporters when he quali ed for another term in March, but he earlier dismissed pressure to retire.

“Thank God I’m in good health, moving and doing the people’s work,” the congressman said in 2024.

His wife and campaign adviser Alfredia Scott was even more direct. “When the congressman decides to leave, he won’t be pushed out,” she said in 2024. “He will bow out.”

State o cials will have to schedule a special election to ll out the rest of Scott’s term,

which could overlap with elections to choose a representative for the next two-year term. Early in-person voting starts Monday for May 19 party primaries for the next full term.

Scott was a pioneering black lawmaker

David Albert Scott was born in rural Aynor, South Carolina, on June 27, 1945, in the era of Jim Crow segregation. He spent part of his childhood in Scranton, Pennsylvania, along with stints New York and Florida. Scott graduated from Florida A&M University, one of the nation’s largest historically black college campuses — and in o ce he was an outspoken advocate for federal support of HBCUs. Scott also earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 1969. He settled in Atlanta, opened his own advertising business and got his start in politics as a sta er on Andrew Young’s 1972 congressional campaign. Young would go on to be Atlanta mayor and United Nations ambassador under President Jimmy Carter, another Georgian. The support of Young and baseball legend Henry “Hank” Aaron, who was the older brother of Scott’s wife, helped launch Scott into Congress in 2002, said Democratic state Sen. Emanuel Jones. He was opposing Scott in the May 19 primary, although he called Scott “a good friend.”

Scott was one of a pioneering generation of black state lawmakers in Georgia, winning election to the state House in 1974 and the state Senate in 1982 before being elected to Congress. Once identifying as a moderate “Blue Dog” — Scott had sponsored a law mandating a moment of silent school prayer in the state Senate — he evolved into a more mainstream liberal.

An advocate for historically black schools

Scott served decades in Congress while living outside his district after maps were redrawn. He maintained support, focusing intently on constituent service, including hosting job and health fairs.

Among his notable achievements on Capitol Hill, Scott secured $80 million for historically black land-grant schools as part of the 2018 Farm Bill. The money was steered to agriculture-related scholarships at 19 campuses. He helped author various housing and mortgage aid measures, and he pushed for better health care and other bene ts for veterans and their families. On foreign policy, Scott was an outspoken advocate for NATO and post-World War II American alliances.

Scott’s fellow Democrats ousted him from his post as ranking minority member on the Agriculture Committee in 2024 amid concerns about his age and health.

Scott is survived by Alfredia Scott, the couple’s two adult daughters and grandchildren.

Record drought and rapid spread prompted Georgia’s

rst burn ban

By Russ Bynum and Je Martin

The Associated Press

NAHUNTA, Ga. — Huge plumes of smoke blanketed swaths of the Southeast on Wednesday as crews battled rapidly growing wild res that destroyed more than 50 homes in Georgia and forced hundreds to ee the drought- and wind-fueled ames.

Some of the biggest blazes were near Georgia’s coast, while others were popping up in northern Florida, a state facing one of its worst re seasons in decades.

It was not yet clear how the wild res started, but the bottom half of Georgia is perilously dry and the conditions prompted the state’s forestry commission to issue a burn ban for the rst time in its history. Southeastern Georgia has seen just 11 inches (28 centimeters) of rain since the beginning of September — almost 15 inches (38 centimeters) below normal, the National Weather Service said.

The res spread so quickly in that area that residents received no warnings or alerts.

“I wish that I had knew something more,” said Brianna Elliott, who left home Tuesday only to nd her route back blocked by the res 90 minutes later. “I would have turned around in that moment and gone home and got my animals before anything.”

She now fears that her home and her dogs are gone.

Georgia’s two biggest wildres together have burned more than 53 square miles, and crews responded Wednesday to 34 smaller res newly burning across the state, the state’s forestry commission said.

Dry timber feeds Georgia res

The fast-moving Brantley County re threatened roughly 1,000 homes Wednesday after destroying dozens a day earlier.

That re grew by roughly six times in just a half day Tuesday, said Joey Cason, the county manager. There were res erupting “in the backyard and people taking o in the front yard,” he said Wednesday.

So far no major injuries have been reported, Cason said.

The rural county is roughly midway between Georgia’s coastal beaches and the Okefenokee Swamp, dotted with livestock and fruit farms as

well as thick stands of planted pines grown for timber.

Crews worked to create re breaks and stop the ames from reaching populated areas. The biggest concern was gusting winds that could easily spread embers.

Authorities said rain is desperately needed. The area with the worst res was in exceptional or extreme drought, the most dire levels, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.

“If you could start praying for that right now, we’d be grateful,” Cason said.

Pine and hardwood forests in the region are helping charge the res, said Seth Hawkins, a spokesperson for the Georgia Forestry Commission, and swampy lowlands with thick layers of leaves and woody debris are “super ammable” when they dry out.

The commission’s 30-day burn ban is for the southern part of the state.

FEMA announced the approval of grants for Georgia and Florida to battle the blazes.

More residents told to evacuate

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state’s counties.

More people were told to evacuate from Brantley Coun-

ty on Wednesday afternoon, on top of the 800 evacuations previously. Another large re that started in nearby Clinch County also prompted evacuations.

Mike Reardon and his wife packed family photos and their dog, Molly Rose, along with new e-bikes before leaving their Brantley County home.

The re was about a mile away, and a shift in the wind would put ames “in our backyard in a matter of minutes,” he said.

The couple just built the home two years ago.

“It’s more than our house. It’s

land that my dad bought years ago,” Liz Reardon said, ghting back tears. “It’s the most beautiful place in the world to me.”

Florida sees its worst wild re season in decades

In Florida, re ghters battled more than 130 wild res that burned 39 square miles (101 square kilometers), mostly in the state’s northern half.

“Florida has got one of the worst re seasons in maybe the last 30 or 40 years, or it’s turning out to be that way,” state Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson said. “We’ve

been in drought for 18 months now all across the state.”

Smoke blows into Atlanta and Jacksonville

The National Weather Service said a dangerous combination of low humidity and breezy winds would keep the re danger elevated Wednesday.

Smoke drifted to Atlanta, Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida. The air quality in parts of south Georgia declined to the unhealthy category, meaning all people there might feel health e ects.

Smoky conditions were expected to linger throughout the Atlanta area, according to the Atlanta-Fulton County Emergency Management Agency. The worst res were more than 200 miles (322 kilometers) southeast of the city.

Smoke from Georgia res also spread into South Carolina, according to its forestry commission.

The high re risk was expected to continue each afternoon through Friday due to the very dry conditions, the weather service said.

SNAP bene ts don’t pay for rotisserie chicken; bipartisan bill might change that

Senators are challenging a decades-old rule excluding prepared foods from SNAP

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A bipartisan group of U.S. senators wants government food assistance programs to foot the bill for rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

The senators this week introduced what they’re calling the Hot Rotisserie Chicken Act, which would make the supermarket staple an eligible purchase under the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps.

“America’s best (and delicious) a ordability play is Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken,” said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who joined Republican Sen. Jim

Justice of West Virginia and others in sponsoring the bill.

“It’s one of my family’s favorites, and I’m proud to join this bill with Sen. Justice for all to try. SNAP funds would be well

spent to feed our nation’s families who need it.”

The SNAP program provides a monthly stipend for low-income families to buy groceries, but it doesn’t pay for hot

prepared foods. The exclusion, which dates back decades, was meant to promote home cooking. But critics say it’s outdated and penalizes families that are already struggling to make ends meet, excluding convenient and nutritious options.

Lawmakers at the state and federal level have long debated which foods should be eligible for SNAP bene ts. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has pressed states to exclude junk food such as soda and candy. Twenty-two states, mostly led by Republicans, have requested or been granted permission to ban certain foods.

SNAP is a major piece of the U.S. social safety net used by nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8, Americans to help buy groceries. On average, the monthly bene t per household is about $350, and the average bene t per person is about $190. Besides Fetterman and Justice, the senators introducing

“We have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn’t take an hour and a half to cook.”

Sen. Jim Justice, (R-W.Va.)

the bill are Republican Shelley Moore Capito of West

and Democrat

of Colorado. Republican Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas has pushed for similar legislation in the House.

“We have to give people the option to put a healthy, protein-dense choice on the table that actually tastes good and doesn’t take an hour and a half to cook,” Justice said in a statement.

More kids than ever attending state-funded preschool, with California’s surge leading

Access to quality preschool remains starkly uneven nationwide

By Moriah Balingit

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The number of 4-year-olds attending state-funded preschools reached record highs last school year, driven by states embracing universal access and an unprecedented $14.4 billion in spending.

State-funded preschool enrollment in the U.S. rose to 1.8 million kids, reaching 37% of 4-year-olds and about 10% of 3-year-olds, according to an annual report published Wednesday by the National Institute of Early Education Research. In total, states added 44,000 students to their preschool enrollment. But the report’s authors noted that the gains were smaller than the year prior and said preschool access remains wildly uneven from state to state. Some states even lost ground.

“If providing high-quality preschool education to all 3and 4-year-olds were a race,” the authors wrote, “some states are nearing the nish line, others have stumbled and fallen behind, and a few have yet to leave the starting line.”

Free preschool has expanded in California

More than half the nation’s public preschool enrollment gain — some 25,000 students — came in California, which this year made every 4-year-old eligible for its “ transitional kindergarten ” program, or “TK.” The rapid rollout has had its tradeo s. The national institute outlines 10 quality benchmarks for preschools, related to teacher training, class size and curriculum. California met just two of them last school year. And private preschool owners say the rush of 4-year-olds joining public schools threatens to cripple their businesses.

“Universal TK ... is a real win, but it’s also just the start of the work and not the end of it,” said Jessica Sawko of Children Now, which advocates on early childhood issues in California. She noted that the state will hit two more quality benchmarks in next year’s report, by lowering its student-teacher ratio to 10-to-1 and by requiring lead teachers to have early education training.

The report illustrates some of the di cult tradeo s states face when they scale up programs quickly or have limited funding. Hawaii is one of six states that meet all the institute’s benchmarks. Its state preschool program also only serves 10% of 4-year-olds.

Evidence is mounting that

way

the impact of high-quality preschool can follow children into adulthood, making them better prepared for kindergarten, more likely to graduate high school and more likely to nd work. And it is increasingly seen as essential for success in kindergarten and beyond. Educators now also expect youngsters to start their rst year of school already equipped to navigate kindergarten.

“We have a lot of kids who still do not ful ll their potential,” said Steven Barnett, founder and director of the early education institute. “We have evidence — very strong evidence — that preschool programs substantially improved the foundation for later success.”

Some states also recognize that free prekindergarten can make a di erence for the wider economy, allowing parents to return to work at a time when private child care is becoming less a ordable.

Preschool means con dent kindergartners

Heather Sufuentes witnessed the impact of preschool when she was principal of Parkview Elementary in Chico, California, as it began its transitional kindergarten program. She said students who attended the program, which has a play-based curriculum and runs the length of a workday, arrived with more con dence and often volunteered to be class leaders.

“They’re well prepared to transition into that big elementary school setting,” said Sufuentes, now director of elemen-

tary education for Chico Uni ed School District. Chico has more than doubled the number of TK seats it o ers since 2022.

Marisol Márquez, a secretary who works for the state, sends her daughter to transitional kindergarten at 1st Street Elementary in Los Angeles. She had been sending her for free to a learning center underwritten by COVID-19 relief funding. But she would have had to start paying tuition this year, and she’s not sure how she and her husband, a UPS driver, would have made it work. She was elated to hear 1st Street Elementary was o ering free transitional kindergarten.

Educators there quickly discovered her daughter was bright and began sending her to kindergarten for math and reading lessons.

“If it hadn’t been for this program, we would have never found that out,” Márquez said.

In some states, preschool is expensive; in others, it’s free

Despite the raised expectations for 5-year-olds, no state mandates that children attend preschool, and only some cities and states make it accessible to every 4-year-old. Preschool offerings di er vastly. A family living in Wyoming, which has no state-funded preschool, could move to Colorado, where every parent can send their 4-year-old to part-time preschool without paying a dime in tuition. In the District of Columbia, even a uent families have access to two full years of prekindergarten,

while neighboring Virginia has a far less robust program. The uneven access across states can exacerbate disparities. Wealthier families can often a ord private preschool tuition, regardless of what their state o ers. In 2024, private child care centers, which often use preschool curriculum, averaged annual tuition of more than $12,000 for 4-year-olds, according to Child Care Aware of America.

For families that can’t a ord preschool tuition, the options can be limited. State-funded preschool programs often have waitlists.

If a family’s earnings are low enough, they can qualify for programs like Head Start, which provides early education for the neediest Americans. But the number of children in Head Start is falling, in part due to sta shortages. Lower-income families may also qualify for state or federal child care subsidies that can help with private preschool, but those have growing waitlists, too.

Trump says states should pay

Federal support for expanding early education funding is sparse and shrinking. Recently, President Donald Trump said the federal government couldn’t a ord to support child care while it was waging a war with Iran.

“We’re ghting wars. We can’t take care of day care,” Trump said. States, he added, “should pay for it. ... They’ll have to raise their taxes.”

Transitional kindergarten teacher Miss Flores leads students to lunch during class at First Street Elementary School in Los Angeles on Wednesday.

The map of states that o er the highest-quality public preschool programs would surprise some partisans. Republican-led states have pioneered universal prekindergarten, with Oklahoma introducing it in the late 1990s. Alabama and West Virginia also have preschool-for-all programs that receive top marks. Wealthier, Democratic-led states have lagged behind, even as many blue-leaning cities have moved ahead with their own initiatives. New York state lost enrollment last school year, even as New York City, which already has universal prekindergarten, is charging ahead with a plan to make all child care free for younger children.

And Georgia, another state with Republican leadership, is the rst to have a universal preschool program that meets all quality benchmarks set by the National Institute of Early Education Research.

Rebecca Ellis’s son John Patrick, 5, attends the private Capitol Hill Child Enrichment Center in Atlanta free of charge, thanks to the state’s preschool-for-all program. She said it saved her family a huge amount of money, and she is impressed by how much her son has grown socially and emotionally.

“They focus so much on just helping kids learn how to calm down, to make friends, to regulate their feelings, to solve problems,” Ellis said. John Patrick and her older son, who attended the same preschool, have even given their parents advice. When they become agitated, the children urge them to take deep breaths.

Former Chapel Hill cop arrested for planning to kill black people in mass shooting at NOLA festival

He was arrested in Florida with a handgun and ammunition

By Jack Brook, Jim Mustian and Kathy McCormack

The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Authorities say a former North Carolina law enforcement ocer planned to kill black people in a mass shooting at a major New Orleans festival but was arrested at a Florida hotel with a handgun and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.

Authorities in several states did not name the event, but the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, commonly known as Jazz Fest, runs from Thursday through May 3. The gathering attracted about 460,000 people last year, organizers said.

Christopher Gillum of Chapel Hill was wanted for “terroristic threats,” the Okaloosa County Sheri ’s O ce in Florida posted online Thursday. Federal authorities told the sheri ’s o ce that Gillum was in the Florida Panhandle “heading to do a mass shooting at a large festival in Louisiana.” The sheri ’s ofce did not name the federal agency, and the FBI o ce in New Orleans did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Okaloosa Sheri ’s Ofce said Gillum was arrested without incident Wednesday night at a hotel in Destin and posted a photo of him being led away in handcu s. Deputies recovered a handgun and about 200 rounds of ammunition from the hotel room, the statement said.

Gillum was arrested as a fugitive from justice and will be extradited to Louisiana to face charges there, the sheri ’s ofce said. It was not immediately known if he had a lawyer. The Associated Press left a message at phone numbers listed for him.

Gillum’s family reported him missing on Tuesday and he had a history of self-harm, according to Lt. Clint Lyons of the Alamance County Sheri ’s O ce. Gillum’s family told law enforcement he had a gun and “expressed recent threats to harm ‘black people,’” according to a bulle -

from page A1

requires community meetings for rezoning applications and expands public noti cation areas.

Ordinance 26-10 (TA 26 - 03) focuses on cluster development, addressing building separation, garage placement and open space requirements to improve neighborhood layout and engagement.

tin from police in Burlington. Lyons said Gillum crossed state lines before his agency could prepare the paperwork to involuntarily commit him to psychiatric treatment. Lyons said that there were no criminal grounds to detain Gillum despite his comments about black people “because there was no victim.”

“But we felt that there was de nitely something there that needed to be shared, so that’s what we did,” Lyons said.

Gillum was located and stopped by law enforcement in Okaloosa County on Wednesday, according to Lyons and the Burlington police bulletin. However, Gillum “did not present any grounds for involuntary commitment or criminal charges” and was allowed to continue on his way, the bulletin stated. Gillum told ocers that he was “en route to New Orleans,” the report added.

Okaloosa deputies were initially asked to make a “welfare check” on Gillum on Wednesday morning and were “not

passed by 5-2 votes.

aware” of any threats he had made, sheri spokesperson Michele Nicholson said. Later that day, after the sheri ’s o ce learned Gillum was being investigated, deputies surveilled him until a signed warrant arrived from Louisiana, she added.

Gillum had been hired as a detention o cer by the sheri ’s o ce in Orange County, North Carolina, in October 2023 but left in July 2024, department spokesperson Alicia L. Stemper said.

“We hired him again as a deputy on Jan. 13, 2025,” she said in an email. “He resigned his position on Sept. 21, 2025, and we terminated him accordingly.”

Gillum also served as a sworn police o cer for Chapel Hill from 2004 until his resignation in 2019, town communications manager Alex Carrasquillo said.

“He returned as a nonsworn employee in 2024 before leaving for another job by the end of that year,” Carrasquillo said in an email.

Louisiana State Police spokesperson Trooper Danny Berrincha said the agency is still investigating the episode with the FBI.

“At this time, there are no known direct threats to any festivals in Louisiana,” he added.

In a statement, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival said it works closely with law enforcement and applauded their e orts, saying, “We look forward to another safe and joyful Jazz Fest.”

overall direction of the changes.

Christ the King Christian Academy is registering students for the school year through

“These updates are intended to improve predictability, strengthen neighborhood design and ensure that new development contributes positively to the long-term character of our community,” Steadman said. All three amendments

Mayor Pro Tem Martha Sue Hall joined Councilmembers Dexter Townsend, David Hunt, Bill Aldridge and Martha Hughes in support; Councilmembers Chris Bramlett and Benton Dry voted against the measures.

Bramlett said he opposed the amendments in part due to their complexity.

Hot dogs, fixings, drink, and cookie available

“I know it’s going to pass, but I have to get on record that I don’t like that kind of language,” he said. “It’s got to be easier to say, and I just don’t like it, and that’s why I’m voting against it.”

“Although I may not understand all the language in these amendments, I feel pretty con dent that developers and people who are looking to develop land in cities all across the country are going to be very familiar with this,” Aldridge said. “I think for way too long, we have been too loosey goosey with these requirements. So although I may not understand everything here, I think we’re denitely taking a step in the right direction.”

For more information, call

Aldridge said he shared some concerns about the wording but supported the

Located at 210 N. Ferry Rd, New London. Follow the signs.

The City Council will hold its next regular meeting on May 4 at 6:30 p.m. in the City Hall Council Chambers.

Christ the King Christian Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at this school. It does not discriminate based on race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school -administered programs.

Christ the King Christian Academy is registering students for the school year through

Christ the King Christian Academy is registering students for the school year through

Christ the King Christian Academy is registering students for the school year through

Christ the King Christian Academy is registering students for the school year through

Hot dogs, fixings, drink, and cookie available

Hot dogs, fixings, drink, and cookie available

Hot dogs, fixings, drink, and cookie available

Located at 210 N. Ferry Rd, New London. Follow the signs.

Located at 210 N. Ferry Rd, New London. Follow the signs.

Hot dogs, fixings, drink, and cookie available

For more information, call

Located at 210 N. Ferry Rd, New London. Follow the signs. For more information, call

Located at 210 N. Ferry Road, New London. Follow the signs. For more information call,

STANLY SPORTS

Stanly’s Lowder earns team-best third win for Reds

The rookie right-hander has a 3-1 record in ve starts

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — Former North Stanly standout Rhett Lowder is continuing to make an impact for the Cincinnati Reds in his extended rookie season.

On Monday, the 24-year - old Albemarle native earned his team-best third win as the Reds defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 6-1. The right-hander improved to 3-1 in five starts and has logged a team-high 29 innings to go with a 3.10 ERA, 18 strikeouts and a 1.14 WHIP.

Lowder is tied with Parker Messick of the Cleveland Guardians for the rookie lead in wins this season and paces all first-year pitchers in innings pitched. He has provided steady command early in the year, limiting baserunners and giving Cincinnati consistent length in the rotation.

That composure was tested in Monday’s outing, when Lowder allowed the first four batters he faced to reach base in the opening inning. He walked in a run and needed 34 pitches to escape the frame.

From there, he settled in.

Lowder allowed one run over six innings, scattering ve hits and two walks in his fth start of the season and 11th of his major league career. His 93 pitches marked a career high.

After the game, Reds manager Terry Francona said he was struck by how Lowder responded after the rocky start.

“(Pitching coach Derek Johnson) and I were looking at

each other trying to figure out how we’re going to finish that game,” Francona said. “And boy, he reeled it in and gave us six. That was really impressive. He just started throwing the ball where he wanted to.”

Lowder said his focus shifted to stabilizing the outing and preserving a taxed bullpen that has been heavily used early this season.

“Our bullpen’s been pitching great, and there’s a bunch of guys down there that have been abused lately, so I really just had no choice,” Lowder said.

The former Wake Forest standout and seventh overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft debuted late in the 2024 season, going 2-2 with a 1.17 ERA in six starts. He missed all

Pfei er baseball rolls past Southern Virginia in 10-0 shutout

The Falcons are tied for rst in the USA South standings

By Jesse Deal

Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — The Pfei er baseball team is wrapping up the nal weekend of the regular season in the thick of the USA South Athletic Conference title race.

The Falcons (20-16, 13-5 USA South) remained tied for rst place in the league after a 10-0 home victory over Southern Virginia

on Tuesday in Misenheimer. As of Wednesday, Pfei er was level atop the standings with Greensboro, while Methodist remained within striking distance.

Pfei er’s push comes after a turnaround season that has seen the Falcons rebound from a 14-26 overall record and 9-12 conference mark a year ago.

The team surged into contention with a nine-game winning streak in the middle of the season, though it has cooled slightly with a 2-3 record over its past ve games. Still, the Falcons are on pace for their rst winning season in

20

ve years and are seeking their rst conference championship in seven seasons in the USA South.

In Tuesday’s shutout, Pfei er leaned on senior shortstop Austin Wood and senior pitcher Joe Javier, who each drove in

of 2025 due to a right forearm strain and left oblique strain.

Through his first 11 major league starts, Lowder owns a 5-3 record with a 2.11 ERA, establishing himself as a key piece of Cincinnati’s rotation. He is scheduled to make his next start Sunday afternoon at home against the Detroit Tigers.

two runs in a key win over the Knights (11-25, 8-10). The Falcons broke the game open with a four-run third inning, added four more in the sixth and tacked on single runs in the seventh and ninth.

Pfei er nished with eight hits, drew seven walks and was hit by four pitches while taking advantage of three Southern Virginia errors.

Wood went 2 for 5 with a double and two RBIs, while Javier also had two hits and drove in a run. Freshman catcher Ben Mecimore delivered a two-run single, and junior center elder Josh Jones added an RBI.

Javier (1-0) earned the win on the mound, allowing one hit over ve scoreless innings with two walks and two strikeouts.

O ensively, Pfei er features six players batting .300

“That

was really impressive.”

or better. Sophomore out elder Christian Bellantoni leads the team with 32 runs, while Wood paces the Falcons with 53 hits and a .396 batting average.

Sophomore James Eason (5 -2) has a team-best ve wins on the mound along with 39 strikeouts, while freshman right-hander Cameron Cooper — a former North Stanly standout — has posted a team-low 1.24 ERA.

Pfei er is closing the regular season with a three-game road series against Mary Baldwin. The Falcons opened the series with a doubleheader Friday and will wrap up the regular season Saturday, with all three games playing a deciding role in league positioning.

The USA South Tournament is scheduled for April 30 through May 3, with the host site to be determined by thenal conference standings.

Pfei er’s Joe Javier rounds the bases during a baseball game this season.

LIV Golf leader says show will go on amid reports of Saudi funding uncertainty

The tour’s CEO sent out a memo to address concerns

By Doug Ferguson

The Associated Press

LIV GOLF CEO Scott O’Neil sought to quell speculation about the league’s nancial future with a memo to his sta that said the 2026 season will continue as planned without interruption and “at full throttle.”

The memo followed a long day of reports suggesting Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund was on the verge of cutting itsnancial backing of the upstart league.

The newsletter Money in Sport reported in February that LIV Golf already had spent $5.3 billion and was projected to surpass $6 billion by the end of the year.

“I want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle,” O’Neil said. “While the media land-

scape is often lled with speculation, our reality is de ned by the work we do on the grass. We are heading into the heart of our 2026 schedule with the full energy of an organization that is bigger, louder, and more in uential than ever before.”

Left unclear was how long the funding would last for LIV Golf, which launched in June 2022 by paying roughly $1 billion in signing bonuses to some of the PGA Tour’s biggest names, such as Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm.

Prize money for individuals and the 13 teams was raised to $30 million this year.

Koepka since has left LIV and was allowed to rejoin the PGA Tour this year with stipulations.

Patrick Reed also left LIV and is playing a European tour schedule this year. He is virtually certain to be eligible to return to the PGA Tour in 2027 through the European tour points race.

Questions about LIV’s future funding were raised as the Pub -

“I

want to be crystal clear: Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and at full throttle.”

Scott O’Neil, LIV Golf CEO

lic Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia revealed a new ve-year investment strategy.

“The 2026-30 strategy marks a natural evolution as PIF moves from a period of rapid growth and acceleration to a new phase of sustained value creation, with a strengthened focus on maximizing impact, raising the e ciency of investments, and applying the highest standards of governance, transparency and institutional excellence,” the PIF said in a release.

The plan was developed before the U.S.-Israel war against Iran. Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the PIF governor who loves golf and

United States enters World Cup with worries in goal, on defense

The host country hopes for its rst knockout win since 2002

By Ronald Blum The Associated Press

THE UNITED STATES heads into the World Cup hoping for its rst knockout-stage victory since 2002.

While the Americans enter with their weakest goalkeepers in four decades and only a few central defenders playing in a top league, they bene t from being seeded as a co-host in the expanded tournament, which could keep them from playing an elite opponent until the round of 16.

“It would be everything to win, and especially to do it in your home, in front of your friends, your families, the people that have supported you throughout your whole career that are closest to you,” mid elder Weston McKennie said.

The U.S. hopes to advance far in the tournament and show it is making progress in a sport that trails the NFL, MLB and NBA in popularity at home. The

Americans are 1-7 in knockout World Cup matches, the only win over Mexico in 2002. Since reaching the seminals of the rst World Cup in 1930, the furthest the U.S. has advanced was the 2002 quarter nals. While it has lost eight straight matches to European opponents since 2022, getting outscored 22-6, the Americans have a high level of con dence.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino, hired in September 2024 after the U.S. was eliminated in the Copa America group stage, told players they can win the title. “Why not us?” he said during a March training camp. “We

The United States’ Weston McKennie clears the ball during a 2024 match.

need to really believe that we can be there. We need to dream.”

The Americans open against Paraguay on June 12 before facing Australia and Turkey in Group D.

Long line of top goalkeepers has ended

Goalkeeper used to be an American strength, with Tony Meola, Kasey Keller, Brad Friedel, Tim Howard and Brad Guzan all highly regarded.

Matt Turner, the U.S. starter in 2022, has been displaced as No. 1 by Matt Freese. The Americans are likely to head to

was behind LIV Golf, told the London-based Financial Times, “Of course the war would add more pressure to reposition some priorities.”

LIV players at Chapultepec Golf Club for LIV Golf Mexico that starts Thursday did not have answers as speculation ran rampant throughout the day.

One player said Al-Rumayyan met with players the rst week of March in Hong Kong and said funding for LIV was set through 2032. The player also said O’Neil arrived in Mexico City and was to meet with the players.

LIV Golf promoted the Mexico event on social media with the message, “Slow news day?

We are ON.”

LIV has played ve events this year, in Saudi Arabia, Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore and South Africa. It celebrated an inspirational victory at its biggest event in Australia when Anthony Kim won after the American had been away for 12 years while battling drug and alcohol addiction.

the World Cup without a Europe-based keeper for the rst time since 1990.

“We had this goalkeeping thing gured out for a long time, didn’t we? Going all the way back,” Howard said. ”It just seems like we’ve had a little bit of a rut.”

Pulisic scoring drought a concern

Christian Pulisic, the top American player, hasn’t scored an international goal in eight games since November 2024. He also headed into mid-April scoreless in 14 games with AC Milan since Dec. 28.

“He’s going to score because he has the quality,” Pochettino said.

At 27 in his prime, Pulisic is expected to carry the U.S. in the tournament as he did in 2022, when his goal in the group-stage nale against Iran advanced the Americans to the knockout stage.

“There’s pressure, I feel it. Yes, it’s there but it’s nothing that I can’t handle,” he said.

Options thin in central defense

Chris Richards is a rare American central defender playing in a top league, at 26 having an outstanding season at Crystal Palace. He missed the 2022 tournament because of a hamstring injury.

DeChambeau won the last two events in playo s, and this week tries to become the rst LIV player to win three in a row. DeChambeau, a two-time U.S. Open champion, missed the cut in the Masters last week.

LIV’s focus has been on a global reach, with its rst U.S. tournament not scheduled until May 7-10 at Trump National in northern Virginia.

“The life of a startup movement is often de ned by these moments of pressure,” O’Neil said. “We signed up for this because we believe in disrupting the status quo. We have faced headwinds since the jump, and we’ve answered every time with resilience and grace. Now, we answer by doing what we do best: putting on the most compelling show in sports.”

He ended his note to the sta by saying, “We are pioneers, and while the road isn’t always smooth, the destination is worth every mile. Let’s go out and show the world why LIV Golf is the future of the game.”

LIV is in the second year of a Fox Sports television deal, with network putting it on various platforms like FS1. The opening round of the Mexico event has three hours on the Fox Sports app. The previous two years, its U.S. broadcast partner was the CW.

Tim Ream, the U.S. captain for much of World Cup lead-up under Pochettino, is 38 and left Fulham for Major League Soccer’s Charlotte after the 2023-24 season.

Auston Trusty, 27, has been a starter for Scotland’s Celtic since late October and Mark McKenzie, also 27, is a regular for Toulouse. Pochettino has at times since last fall used a three central defender back line.

Injury worries

Right back Sergiño Dest, a starter in 2022, hopes to heal in time from a hamstring injury sustained playing for PSV Eindhoven on March 7. Central defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, another 2022 veteran, will miss the tournament because of an Achilles injury and John Tolkin, No. 3 on the left back depth chart behind Antonee Robinson and Max Arfsten, is uncertain because of a knee injury. Son of Super Bowl winner Defender Alex Freeman, is a son of Antonio Freeman, a former All-Pro wide receiver who won the 1997 Super Bowl with the Green Bay Packers.

“Growing up I always got asked if football was the path, but when I was younger I always had a secret love for soccer,” Alex said.

Crowd scientist helping Boston Marathon manage growing eld

of 30,000-plus runners

Changes in start times and positioning of aid stations could help alleviate crowding

By Jimmy Golen

The Associated Press

BOSTON — Running the Boston Marathon is tough enough without having to jostle your way from Hopkinton to Copley Square.

So race organizers this year turned to an expert in crowd science to help them manage the eld of more than 32,000 as it travels the 26.2 miles through eight Massachusetts cities and towns — some of it on narrow streets laid out during Colonial times.

“There are certain things that we can’t change — that we don’t want to change — because they make the Boston Marathon,” said Marcel Altenburg, a senior lecturer of crowd science at Manchester Metropolitan University in Britain. “Like, I’m a scientist, but I can’t be too science-y about the race. It should stay what it is because that’s what I love. That’s what the runners love.”

Organizers of the world’s oldest and most prestigious annual marathon would prefer a more pleasant experience for their runners, even as the eld has ballooned from 15 in 1897 to as many as 38,000.

As the race grew, it tested the limits of the narrow New England roads and the host cities and towns, which are eager to reopen their streets for regular commutes and commerce as quickly as possible.

“It would be kind of great someday to be able to grow the race a little bit more,” race director Dave McGillivray said. “The problem with this race is that it’s about two things: time and space. We don’t have either. … So, we’re trying to be innovative.”

That’s where Altenburg comes in.

A former German army captain who runs ultra marathons himself, Altenburg has worked with all of the major races, other large sporting events, and airports and exhibitions that tend to attract large crowds on ways to keep things safe and owing smoothly.

For the Boston Marathon, which draws hundreds of thousands of spectators in addition to the runners, his models allow him to run simulations that help him see how the race might play out under di erent conditions.

“We have simulated the Boston Marathon more than 100 times to run it once for real. That is the one that counts,” Altenburg said. “They gave me, pretty much, all creative freedom to simulate more waves, simulate more runners and — within the existing time window — they allowed me to change pretty much anything for the betterment of the running experience.

“And then we checked every aid station, every mile, the nish, every important point, (asking): Is the result better for the runner? Is that something that we should explore further?”

The most noticeable di erence on Monday will be that the runners are starting in six waves — groups organized by qualifying time — instead of four. The waves, which were rst used in Boston in 2011, help spread things out so that runners don’t have to walk after the start, when Main Street in Hopkinton squeezes to just 39 feet wide.

Other, less obvious changes involve the unloading of the buses at the start, the placement of the water and aid stations, and the nish line chutes,

where runners get their medals, perhaps a mylar blanket or a banana, and any medical treatment they might need.

“For an event that’s as old as ours, 130 years, it allowed us to be a startup all over again,” said Lauren Proshan, the chief of race operations and production for the Boston Athletic Association.

“The change isn’t meant to be earth-shattering. It’s to be a smooth experience from start to nish,” she said. “It’s one of those things that you work really, really hard behind the scenes and hope that no one notices — a behind-the-curtain change that makes you feel as if you’re just oating and having a great day.”

Shorter porta potty lines would also be nice.

The BAA will look at the feedback over the next three years before deciding about expansion or other changes.

“Fingers crossed, hope for the best, but we’ll get feedback from the participants,” McGillivray said. “And they’ll let us know whether or not it worked or not.”

But keeping the course open longer isn’t an option. And the route isn’t going to change. So there’s only so much that crowd science can help with at one of the toughest tests in sports.

“I can talk. I’m a scientist. I just press a button and it’s going to be,” Altenburg said. “But the runners still have to do it.”

Gray Stone Day, soccer

Samantha Christlieb and Averly Swaringen are both freshmen for the Gray Stone Day girls’ soccer team. The Knights posted a 9-0 shutout of North Stanly last week, and both freshmen turned in hat tricks.

Christlieb (5), who also plays volleyball for Gray Stone Day, had three goals and an assist. Swaringen (20), who has played varsity basketball and tennis for the Knights, also had an assist to go with her three goals. Both girls are among the team leaders in goals and assists on the season.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@ stanlynewsjournal.com

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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. Je rey David Honeycutt 20080 Tucker Road Oakboro, NC 28129 Executor

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NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION

25CVSDAVID D. FOREST and spouse, AMANDA W. FOREST, Plainti s, 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 Entity Such As A Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Limited ) Partnership And The Like) Who Or Which May Be Under A Disability At Law (Including Incompetency, Minority Or Corporate/Company Suspension), As Well As All Persons En Ventre Sa Mere And All Persons, Firms or Corporations Who Or Which May Have Any Contingent, Leasehold Or Future Ownership or Lien Encumbrance Interest, Defendant.

TO: ALL DEFENDANTS HEREINABOVE

NAMED OR REFERENCED (EXCEPTING TED W. DAVIS, GUARDIAN AD LITEM): NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows:

To have the Court declare the owners of the land described in deeds recorded in Book 1660, page 230, 233, 418 and 422; and Book 1661, page 544 and Book 1667, page 51, Stanly County Registry, to be the real property of David D. Forest and spouse, Amanda W. Forest, the Plainti s herein, on the basis of their ownership of said realty in accordance with the doctrine of “Adverse Possession” under “Color of Title” in order to “Quiet Title” thereto. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than July 7, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This the 25th day of March, 2026. David A. Beaver Attorney for Plainti s Post O ce Box 1338 Albemarle, North Carolina 28002 Telephone: (704) 982-4915 State Bar No. 007603 Publish April 4/5; April 11/12; and April18/19; and April 25/26 2026.

NOTICE

ESTATE AUCTION

Saturday, May 2nd at 9 a.m.

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC 28097

SELLING THE ESTATE OF JOHN & SUE BOST (dec)

Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Built Office Furniture, Janitorial Supplies, Lots of Paper, Ink Cartridges/ Toners, Desks, Office Chairs/Tables, Filing Items. Lots of Quality Items. For Details & Pictures, go to website:

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25SP000176-830

CECIL J. FURR AND WIFE, IVANETTE H. FURR Petitioners, vs Alexander Kearns Ramos, Respondent.

NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

To: Alexander Kearns Ramos, respondent in the above-noted special proceeding. Take notice that a petition for partition by judicial sale has been led in the aboveentitled special proceeding. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: To appoint a Commissioner to sell by judicial sale

and corporations having claims against said decedent or her estate to present the same duly itemized and veri ed to the undersigned on or before the 27th day of July 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms and corporations indebted to the decedent or to her estate are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Administratrix or her attorney. This the 21st day of April 2026. RHONDA FAULKNER PERKINS Administratrix ESTATE OF SYLVIA MAULDIN FAULKNER

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC 28097

201 S. Central Ave. Locust, NC 28097

Large Auction With Tractors, Hit & Miss Engines, Antique Farm Items, Mechanic’s Tools, Upholstery Shop, and 2 Houses of Personal Property and Coins. Too many items to list. SEE WEBSITE.

209 Fostoria Place Albemarle, NC 28001 10% BP

NCAF5479/6163 704-507-1449 10%

NORTH CAROLINA IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION 25CVSARTHUR T. WALTERS and spouse, SUZETTE R. WALTERS, Plainti s, 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 Entity Such As A Corporation, Limited Liability Company, Limited ) Partnership And The Like) Who Or Which May Be Under A Disability At Law (Including Incompetency, Minority Or Corporate/Company Suspension), As Well As All Persons En Ventre Sa Mere And All Persons, Firms or Corporations Who Or Which May Have Any Contingent, Leasehold Or Future Ownership or Lien Encumbrance Interest, Defendant. TO: ALL DEFENDANTS HEREINABOVE NAMED OR REFERENCED (EXCEPTING TED W. DAVIS, GUARDIAN AD LITEM): NOTICE OF SERVICE OF PROCESS BY PUBLICATION

Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Built Office Furniture, Janitorial Supplies, Lots of Paper, Ink Cartridges/ Toners, Desks, Office Chairs/Tables, Filing Items. Lots of Quality Items. For Details & Pictures, go to website:

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Public Hearing Notice

The City of Locust will hold a public hearing on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 7:00pm in the Joel Huneycutt Community Room, to hear citizens comments for or against the conditional zoning request submitted by Riley’s Retreat for parcel pin# 557504824900, located on S Beverly Drive, Locust NC.

NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000189-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Administrator CTA of the estate of Bobby Ray Mesimer deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Bobby Ray Mesimer to present them to the undersigned on or before July 26, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 26th day of April 2026. Michael David Mesimer PO Box 1305 Norwood, NC 28128

NOTICE OF LEGISLATIVE HEARING

STANLY COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS STANLY COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA Notice is hereby given that the Stanly County Board of Commissioners will, on Monday, May 11, 2026, at 6:00 PM, hold a legislative hearing at the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room located at 1000 North First Street, Albemarle, NC to consider the following request: Item 1- ZA 26-01 Brittany McGuire requests a rezoning of her property from General Business to R-20 (Residential), located at 4849 Plank Road, Norwood, NC 28128 (Tax #32152). Persons interested in speaking for or against this item will be heard.

NCAF5479/6163 704-507-1449 10% BP

NCAF5479/6163 704-507-1449 10% BP

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Notice is hereby given that the Town of New London Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing Tuesday, May 5th at 7:00 pm at the New London Community Center, 114 West Gold St, New London, to consider a text amendment establishing conditional zoning for mining operations. All interested parties are hereby noti ed to attend if they have any comments. Susan Almond Town Manager

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

TAKE NOTICE that a pleading seeking relief against you has been led in the above entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is as follows: To have the Court declare the owners of the land described in deeds recorded in Book 1649, page 1148, Stanly County Registry, to be the real property of Arthur T. Walters and spouse, Suzette R. Walters, the Plainti s herein, on the basis of their ownership of said realty in accordance with the doctrine of “Adverse Possession” under “Color of Title” in order to “Quiet Title” thereto. You are required to make defense to such pleading not later than July 7, 2026 and upon your failure to do so the party seeking service against you will apply to the Court for the relief sought. This the 25th day of March, 2026. David A. Beaver Attorney for Plainti s Post O ce Box 1338 Albemarle, North Carolina 28002 Telephone: (704) 982-4915 State Bar No. 007603 Publish April 4/5; April 11/12; and April18/19; and April 25/26, 2026.

NOTICE

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION COUNTY OF STANLY. BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO:25E000141-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF JAYANTA KUMAR HALDAR Deceased. Having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of Jayanta Kumar Haldar, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of the said Jayanta Kumar Haldar to present them to the undersigned or his 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: John Amirtharaj 801 Lafayette Drive Albemarle, NC 28001 Attorney for Estate: Connie E. Mosher 239 N. First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 704-983-0086

Dates of publication: April 5,

Water to surge into drought-depleted Lake Powell but at costs elsewhere

Rural power customers face higher rates as

Lake Powell shrinks

By Mead Gruver and Dorany Pineda The Associated Press

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Canyons in eastern Utah will churn this spring with huge volumes of water — as much as 50,000 toilets ushing constantly at the same time — in a desperate attempt to maintain electricity generation for thousands of homes across much of the Western U.S.

The Green and Colorado river ows might seem like a bounty of moisture in a parched desert of sandstone arches and prickly cacti, but in fact it’s just the opposite. After the driest winter on record, o cials this spring want to raise the level of badly depleted Lake Powell on the Colorado River to keep its hydropower humming. To do so, they plan to eventually let out as much as a third of the water in Flaming Gorge Reservoir upstream on the Green River in Wyoming and Utah, which would exceed a record 2022 surge that kept electricity owing.

Lake Powell, held back by Glen Canyon Dam, supplies inexpensive and carbon-free electricity to more than 350,000 homes. But it comes at a growing cost elsewhere in a contested river basin relied upon heavily by ranchers, industries and some 40 million residential water customers.

At Flaming Gorge in southwestern Wyoming, Buckboard Marina owners Tony and Jen Valdez are eyeing water levels expected to decline by 10 feet by late summer because of the releases. It will mean an ever-longer drive to

the water’s edge to launch boats. “Of course we’re concerned,” Jen Valdez said. “And it will probably get to a point where we’ll need to be more concerned.”

A balancing act to keep up power production

If everything goes to plan — and with no relief from the weather — Flaming Gorge will fall by as much as 27 feet a year from now, leaving Buckboard Marina even more high and dry.

Though it’s likely only a temporary solution amid longterm drought, there will be effects downstream, too, as U.S. Bureau of Reclamation water managers plan to keep more water than usual from owing out of Lake Powell on the Arizona-Utah line.

Downstream, Lake Mead near Las Vegas is on track to resemble lows four years ago that revealed formerly submerged boats and human remains.

The drastic measures are necessary to keep the Powell waterline high enough to run the power-generation turbines without air getting into the system and causing damage, federal o cials say.

Hydropower is a renewable resource — when there’s water

From cities and tribes to rural electric cooperatives and public utility districts, some 155 customers receive hydropower electricity from Glen Canyon Dam and other federal generators. None relies 100% on hydropower.

Many are in disadvantaged communities and all are notfor-pro t entities that pay for, among other things, the costs to operate and maintain the dam and the federal government’s in-

impacts on what they charge communities,” James said.

“If Glen Canyon hydropower is reduced to zero or a low amount, it will have di erent impacts on what they charge communities.”

Leslie James, Colorado River Energy Distributors Association executive director

vestments in it.

The federal Western Area Power Administration has contractual obligations to provide a certain amount of electricity to its customers. A loss of hydropower would require WAPA to seek power elsewhere that likely would be more expensive and not renewable, said Leslie James, executive director of the nonpro t Colorado River Energy Distributors Association.

“If Glen Canyon hydropower is reduced to zero or a low amount, it will have di erent

It’s a situation James said she hasn’t seen in her 48 years helping electricity customers in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Replacing federal hydropower with market purchases has forced rate increases for the past ve years at Heber Light & Power southeast of Salt Lake City, with the latest increase hitting 13%, said Emily Brandt, the utility’s energy resource manager.

Keeping Lake Powell up could bring environmental costs

Increasingly frequent drought, evaporation and water demand — especially to irrigate alfalfa for the cattle industry — have shrunk the level of Lake Powell to 3,526 feet above sea level — just 23% of full capacity.

To keep generating power, the reservoir can’t fall below 3,490 feet, which is the level of the water intakes for Glen

Canyon Dam’s electricity generators. That has never happened since the 710-foot dam was completed in 1963 and Lake Powell was gradually lled to full capacity in 1980.

In 2022, the Bureau of Reclamation released an unprecedented 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge to raise Lake Powell. The latest Flaming Gorge releases to maintain Lake Powell’s power generation could eventually total double that amount.

Meanwhile, the plan to hold back 1.5 million acre-feet in Lake Powell will result in the Hoover Dam producing 40% less electricity at an even lower Lake Mead downstream.

Another downside: Warm water from Lake Powell’s surface could encourage the spread of smallmouth bass, an invasive sh that competes with a threatened native species, the humpback chub, in the Colorado River downstream from Glen Canyon Dam. Groups including the Grand Canyon Trust urge water managers to mix in deeper, cooler water to keep the Grand Canyon inhospitable to smallmouth bass.

A decades-long trend of worsening drought

The strongest releases from Flaming Gorge in the days and weeks ahead will be calibrated to help native sh in the Green River, a Colorado River tributary.

Eventually Flaming Gorge will dip from 83% full to an estimated 59% full. The 2022 releases from Flaming Gorge were followed by a wet winter, which alleviated water worries across the region for a time.

“We kind of got saved by Mother Nature,” said Valdez, the Buckboard Marina owner. A wet year or two won’t be enough to reverse a quarter-century-long “megadrought.” But Valdez is optimistic that wet weather will return like before.

“Hopefully we can expand into doing some other things,” Valdez said. “Because it’s going to come back eventually.”

NOTICE

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 NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 26E000183-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having duly quali ed as Administrator of the Estate of Chai Lee, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, rms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or his estate, to present the same to the undersigned Administrator, duly itemized and veri ed on or before the 26th day of July, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Administrator. This the 16th day of April, 2026. Nancy Lee Administrator of the Estate of Chai Lee 32751 Valley Drive Albemarle, NC 28001 PUBLISH: April 26, May 3, 10, 17, 2026. James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 26E000167-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having duly quali ed as Executrix of the Estate of Flora Helms Coley, deceased, late of Stany County, North Carolina, are hereby notifying all persons, rms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or her estate, to present the same to the undersigned Executrix, duly itemized and veri ed on or before the 19th day of July, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executrix. This the 14th day of April, 2026. Melody C. Huneycutt Executrix of the Estate of Flora Helms Coley 32210 Chapel Road Albemarle, NC 28001 PUBLISH: April 19, 26, May 3, 10, 2026

James A. Phillips, Jr.

Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

25E000483-830 NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY The undersigned, having quali ed as Executor of the Estate of William Claude Cook AKA William C. Cook, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, does hereby notify all persons, rms and corporations having claims against said estate to present them to the undersigned on or before July 26, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, rms or corporations indebted to said estate will please make immediate payment to the undersigned.

This is the 26th day of April 2026. Crystal C. Page Administrator of the Estate of William Claude Cook AKA William C. Cook PO Box 1273 Norwood, NC 28128 N. BLANE STANALAND Teague Rotenstreich Stanaland Fox & Holt, P.L.L.C. 101 South Elm Street, Suite 350 Greensboro, NC 27401 Telephone: (336) 272-4810 Fax: (336) 272-2448 Publication dates: 4/26/26, 5/3/26, 5/10/26, 5/17/26

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000196-830

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Executrix of the estate of Londa Kay Aldridge deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Londa Kay Aldridge to present them to the undersigned on or before July 26, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 26th day of April 2026. Cathy Ann Aldridge Lanier 814 Blake Road Albemarle, NC 28001 Executrix

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000033-830

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Administrator of the estate of Jeanette Victoria Banister deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Jeanette Victoria Banister to present them to the undersigned on or before July 26, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 26th day of April 2026. David Eric Kenimer 6515 Santa Claus Road Monroe, NC 28110 Administrator

PUBLIC NOTICE Publication Dates: Saturday, April 25, 2026, and Saturday, May 2, 2026 City of Albemarle Public Housing Department to Open Waiting List ALBEMARLE, NC – The City of Albemarle’s Public Housing Department will open its waiting list for Public Housing accepting applications for one (1) bedrooms only. Individuals who previously applied are encouraged to reapply. Applications will ONLY be accepted with proper documentation such as Birth Certi cate, ID and Social Security Cards for all of those that are applying. Applications can be found online at www. albemarlenc.gov/publichousing or inperson at the housing o ce located at 300 S. Bell Avenue, Albemarle, NC 28001. The Public Housing one (1) bedroom waitlist will open on May 4, 2026, and will remain open until 5p.m. on May 22, 2026. All applications are due at that time. Please contact the City of Albemarle Public Housing Department at 704-9849580 or by email at publichousing@ albemarlenc.gov for additional information or questions.

“The City of Albemarle Department of Public Housing is an Equal Housing Opportunity provider. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or national origin.”

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA

STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000175-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Administratrix of the estate of Debra Staton Furr deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Debra Staton Furr to present them to the undersigned on or before July 26, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 26th day of April 2026. Amanda Je ries 204 S. Love Chapel Road Stan eld, NC 28163 Administratrix

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000173-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having quali ed as Executrix of the estate of Barbara A. Pennington

NOTICE

famous birthdays this week

Sheena Easton is 67, Jay Leno turns 76, Jerry Seinfeld turns 72, Engelbert Humperdinck celebrates 90

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

APRIL 26

Actor-comedian Carol Burnett is 93. Composer-producer Giorgio Moroder is 86. Olympic swimming gold medalist Donna de Varona is 79. Actor Giancarlo Esposito is 68. Actor Joan Chen is 65. Actor Jet Li is 63. First lady Melania Trump is 56.

APRIL 27

Singer Kate Pierson (The B-52’s) is 78. Republican Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia is 75. Basketball Hall of Famer George Gervin is 74. Singer Sheena Easton is 67.

APRIL 28

Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III is 96. Actor-singer Ann-Margret is 85. Chef Alice Waters is 82. TV host-comedian Jay Leno is 76. Actor Mary McDonnell is 74. Musician Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) is 73. Golfer John Daly is 60.

APRIL 29

Musician Willie Nelson is 93. Baseball Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio is 92. Conductor Zubin Mehta is 90. Singer Tommy James is 80. Golf Hall of Famer Johnny Miller is 79. Comedian Jerry Seinfeld is 72. Actor Daniel Day-Lewis is 69. Actor Michelle Pfei er is 68. Actor Uma Thurman is 56.

APRIL 30

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres is 77. Filmmaker Jane Campion is 72. Filmmaker Lars von Trier is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas is 65. Actor Johnny Galecki is 51. Actor Kirsten Dunst is 44

MAY 1

Singer Judy Collins is 87. Singer Rita Coolidge is 81. Filmmaker John Woo is 80. Actor Dann Florek is 76. Musician Ray Parker Jr. is 72. Hall of Fame jockey Steve Cauthen is 66. Singer-actor Tim McGraw is 59. Filmmaker Wes Anderson is 57.

MAY 2

Singer Engelbert Humper-

First lady Melania Trump turns 56 on Sunday.

Carol Burnett turns 93 on Sunday.

Wednesday.

dinck is 90. Actor David Suchet (SOO’-shay) is 80. Singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin is 78. Rock singer Lou Gramm (Foreigner) is 76. Actor Christine Baranski is 74. Basketball Hall of Famer Jamaal Wilkes is 73. Fashion designer Donatella Versace is 71.

New discovery solves Shakespeare’s London house location mystery

He died there in 1616 at the age of 52

By Jill Lawless The Associated Press

LONDON — Fans of William Shakespeare know that the great playwright came from Stratford-upon-Avon, the riverside English town where tourists still throng to see his childhood home.

But he made his name in London — though few traces of him remain in the British capital.

A newly discovered 17th-century map sheds new light on the Bard’s London life, pinpointing for the rst time the exact location of the only home Shakespeare bought in the city, and where he may have worked on his nal plays.

Shakespeare scholar Lucy Munro, who found the document, said that it supplies “extra bits of the jigsaw puzzle” of Shakespeare’s life. And as with so many discoveries, it was partly due to luck.

“I came across it in the London Archives when I was looking for other things,” Munro said.

New evidence of the building’s location

Historians have long known that Shakespeare bought property in 1613 near the Blackfriars Theatre, but the exact location was a mystery. A plaque

“I came across it in the London Archives when I was looking for other things.”

Lucy Munro, Shakespeare scholar

on a 19th-century building records only that the playwright had lodgings “near this site.”

A plan of the Blackfriars precinct found by Munro and disclosed Thursday by King’s College London shows in detail Shakespeare’s house, a substantial L-shaped dwelling carved from a former medieval monastery, including its gatehouse.

The 13th-century Dominican friary had been redeveloped for more secular uses after the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII in the mid-16th century.

Munro, professor of Shakespeare and early modern literature at King’s College London, said it was a desirable area moving slightly down-market –due to people like Shakespeare, who was a uent but associated with the slightly déclassé world of the stage.

“After the dissolution of the monasteries, a lot of the nobility, quite high-ranking courtiers, court o cials are living in the Blackfriars,” Munro said. By the time Shakespeare bought his property, “there are

still a lot of important people living there, people who make protests against the playhouses at various points, because they see the playhouses as a bit of a public nuisance.” Shakespeare used the profits of his plays to build a ne family house, now demolished, in Stratford, about 100 miles northwest of London.

It’s not certain whether Shakespeare lived in his London property or just rented it out. But Munro said that the size of the house and its location a ve-minute walk from the Blackfriars Theatre suggest he may have spent more time in London toward the end of his life than is widely assumed. Destroyed in the Great Fire Shakespeare left the property to his daughter Susanna, and it remained in the family for another half-century. Munro also found two archival documents detailing its sale by the playwright’s granddaughter Elizabeth Hall Nash Barnard in 1665. A year later, the building burned to the ground in the Great Fire of London, which destroyed much of the medieval city.

Only a few remnants of Shakespeare’s London remain in the area, now part of the city’s nancial district, including a fragment of wall from the medieval friary. Nearby, the name Playhouse Yard is a reminder that a theater once stood here.

Mamdani still earning rap music royalties, tax lings show

The democratic socialist’s rap names were “Young Cardamom” and “Mr. Cardamom”

By Jake O enhartz The Associated Press

NEW YORK — New York

City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is still making money from his short-lived career as a multilingual rapper, tax lings show.

But the 34-year-old Democrat’s meteoric rise as a celebrity politician has brought only a modest increase in hip-hop pro ts: he took home $1,643 in music royalties last year, up only slightly from $1,267 in 2024, according to the lings. Mamdani, who rapped under the monikers “Young Cardamom” and “Mr. Cardamom,” joked last Thursday that New Yorkers should “go to Spotify” if they want to help his bottom line. “A lot of people say they’re listening,” he added. “They’re not listening.”

Mamdani began rapping in high school, releasing socially conscious songs in his 20s on subjects ranging from Indian atbread to colonialism. He has described himself as a “C-list rapper” following in the footsteps of his childhood heroes, including the

“Go to Spotify. A lot of people say they’re listening; they’re not listening.” Mayor Zohran Mamdani

indie-rap group Das Racist. The tax lings, shared with reporters Thursday, showed the bulk of Mamdani’s 2025 earnings came from his $131,296 salary as a state Assembly member. His wife netted an additional $10,010 for graphic design work. In total, they reported a joint income of roughly $145,000. As mayor, Mamdani is set to earn a salary of $258,750 this year. He’s not New York City’s rst mayor to take home entertainment royalties. According to his redacted 2012 tax return, then-Mayor Michael Bloomberg received somewhere between $2,000 and $10,000 in residuals from prior appearances as himself on TV’s “Law & Order” franchise, the 2008 TV special “A Muppets Christmas: Letters to Santa” and the 2011 movie “The Adjustment Bureau,” which starred Matt Damon.

this week in history

Colonists land at Cape Henry, mutiny on HMS Bounty, Vietnam War ends

APRIL 26

1607: English colonists went ashore at present-day Cape Henry, Virginia, beginning an expedition to establish the rst permanent English settlement in the Western Hemisphere.

1865: John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln, was surrounded by federal troops near Port Royal, Virginia, and killed.

1986: In the worst nuclear disaster in history, an explosion and re at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine sent radioactive fallout into the atmosphere, killing dozens immediately and thousands over time.

APRIL 27

1521: Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan was killed in the Battle of Mactan in the Philippines during an e ort to expand Spanish in uence in the region.

1813: U.S. forces defeated the British at the Battle of York in Upper Canada (now Ontario); Brig. Gen. Zebulon Pike and dozens of American soldiers were killed when retreating British troops detonated Fort York’s ammunition magazine.

1865: The steamer Sultana, carrying freed Union prisoners of war, exploded on the Mississippi River near Memphis, killing as many as 1,800 in the deadliest maritime disaster in U.S. history.

APRIL 28

1789: Mutineers led by Fletcher Christian seized control of the HMS Bounty, setting Capt. William Bligh and 18 others adrift; they later reached Timor after a 3,600 -mile journey.

1945: Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his mistress, Clara Petacci, were executed by partisans as they tried to ee the country.

1967: Heavyweight cham-

pion Muhammad Ali was stripped of his WBA title after refusing induction into the U.S. Army.

APRIL 29

1862: A Union naval force led by Flag O cer David Farragut captured New Orleans, dealing a major blow to the Confederacy.

1916: The Easter Rising in Dublin ended as Irish nationalists surrendered to British forces.

1992: A jury in Simi Valley, California, acquitted four Los Angeles police ocers in the beating of Rodney King, sparking six days of riots that left more than 60 people dead.

APRIL 30

1789: George Washington took the oath of o ce at Federal Hall in New York as the rst president of the United States.

1803: The United States completed the Louisiana Purchase, acquiring 828,000 square miles from France for 60 million francs (about $15 million), roughly doubling the nation’s size.

1975: The Fall of Saigon marked the end of the Viet-

nam War as the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to Communist forces.

MAY 1

1960: The U-2 incident occurred when the Soviet Union shot down an American U-2 reconnaissance plane and captured its pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

1963: Jim Whittaker, joined by Sherpa mountaineer Nawang Gombu, became the rst American to summit Mount Everest.

2011: President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden.

MAY 2

1863: During the American Civil War, Confederate Gen. Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was accidentally wounded by his own men at Battle of Chancellorsville; he died eight days later.

1927: In Buck v. Bell, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld, 8-1, a Virginia law allowing the forced sterilization of people to promote the “health of the patient and the welfare of society.”

1994: Nelson Mandela claimed victory for the African National Congress.