VOLUME 146 ISSUE 46 | WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
WHAT’S HAPPENING Social Security’s retirement trust fund faces funding shortfall 1 year earlier Washington, D.C. Social Security’s retirement trust fund is projected to face a funding shortfall in 2032, a year earlier than previously expected. That’s according to an annual report released Tuesday. Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits in 2033, unchanged from last year’s estimate. Rising health care costs and government spending contributed to the projected depletion dates. The programs will continue issuing benefits after those dates, but at reduced amounts. The trustees emphasize the urgency of changes, but political challenges remain. AARP’s CEO is urging Congress to act, highlighting the importance of the benefits for retirees.
OpenAI files confidential SEC paperwork for IPO, opening door to Wall Street debut OpenAI has filed preliminary paperwork to potentially become a publicly traded company. The company announced Monday it has submitted confidential documents to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. OpenAI says it hasn’t decided on timing yet, as there are advantages to staying private. The move follows Anthropic’s June announcement of its own IPO plans. Both companies are following SpaceX, which is also pursuing an IPO. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman mentioned last fall that an IPO was the “most likely path” due to the company’s size and capital needs.
Flesh-eating cattle parasite spreads beyond Texas as new screwworm cases found Three more cases of the New World screwworm have been confirmed, including one outside Texas, demonstrating the difficulty of stopping a pest that could potentially devastate the nation’s cattle industry. The USDA announced Monday the new cases were found in a dog from New Mexico and hundreds of miles away in a goat and calf in Texas. The screwworm is actually a fly, which produces a larva that eats live flesh instead of dead material. Before it was eradicated in the 1960s, the fly was an annual warm-weather scourge of cattle ranchers.
PJ WARD-BROWN / STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Gone fishin’ Boaters look for a nibble beneath the N.C. Highway 49 Bridge over Tuckertown Reservoir on Saturday.
Stanly commissioners approve county appointments Membership decisions were presented for three boards By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Commissioners filled several board seats this week while delaying action on one pending appointment. On Monday night, commissioners were presented with appointments for the Region F Aging Advisory Commit-
“The community college board has a vacancy that the county commissioners are eligible to appoint.” Andy Lucas, county manager that she be appointed as a delegate for a two-year term effective July 1 through June 30, 2028. Sullivan was asked about the vetting process and
Stanly board approves criminal justice CTE course “We have high hopes, and hopefully we can extend this to other places.” Mandy Melton, CTE director
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tee Board, Economic Development Commission Board and Stanly Community College Board of Trustees. The first item was presented by Pamela Sullivan, senior services director, who said the county is seeking to fill several positions on the RFAAC, including two delegate positions for two-year terms and one alternate position for a one-year term. The lone volunteer application — submitted by Kimberly Blackburn — had been vetted by the Centralina Area Agency on Aging with a request
Albemarle police will teach the new course By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — A criminal justice course is coming soon to Stanly County Schools through a new partnership with the Albemarle Police Department. On June 2, the Stanly County Board of Education voted 7-0 to approve the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) course, which will be based at Albemarle High School but open to high school students from across the county. CTE Director Mandy
Melton said the idea for the course came after Albemarle Police Chief Ryan Manley spoke to the district about creating a new opportunity for students interested in law enforcement. “We were approached by Chief Manley about adding a criminal justice course at Albemarle High School, which we felt would be a great complement to our firefighter program, medical assisting and other courses around public safety,” Melton said. District leaders also met with Lt. David Salyers, who presented the curriculum proposed for the course. The program will begin as an See BOE, page A4
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whether she could personally contact Blackburn before commissioners voted on the appointment, since Sullivan said she had not spoken with Blackburn herself. “It doesn’t have to happen at this meeting,” Sullivan said of the commissioners’ decision. “I think if you have some reservations on it, we can ask her to attend a meeting and bring her in if you would like.” Commissioners opted to table the appointment until next month. County Manager Andy Lucas next presented the EDC appointment item, asking commissioners to consider five members, one from each district, for two-year terms expiring May 31, 2028. Five EDC board member See BOARD, page A5
inside “Michael” has brought in almost a billion dollars in theaters, but you can stream it at home starting this weekend. Read more in The Stream on B5.
GLEN WILSON / LIONSGATE VIA AP