VOLUME 146 ISSUE 52 | WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
WHAT’S HAPPENING Supreme Court will consider whether the Second Amendment covers AR-15 firearms A Supreme Court that has expanded gun rights will consider whether bans on semiautomatic rifles often called assault weapons violate the Second Amendment. The justices said Tuesday they will take up an appeal asking the court to strike down bans on the AR-15 and similar semiautomatic firearms in the Chicago area and Connecticut. Similar bans are in place in about a dozen states, covering major cities like New York, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. A national assault weapons ban expired in 2004.
Supreme Court upholds state laws banning transgender girls and women from school athletic teams The Supreme Court is upholding state laws barring transgender girls and women from playing on school athletic teams, in another setback for transgender people. The court’s conservative majority has repeatedly ruled against transgender Americans in the past year. It rules Tuesday that state bans in Idaho and West Virginia don’t violate the Constitution or the federal law known as Title IX, which prohibits sex discrimination in education. More than two dozen other Republicanled states have adopted bans on female transgender athletes. Left unresolved by the outcome are lawsuits challenging state laws and regulations in Connecticut, California and elsewhere that permit transgender athletes to compete consistent with their gender identity.
Virginia to allow recreational marijuana to be sold in retail stores next year Recreational marijuana sales are set to begin next year in Virginia. Five years ago, Virginia became the South’s first state to legalize possession of the drug but until now had failed to set up a retail market. That will change under budget legislation that reached final passage Monday. Under the new law, up to 350 cannabis shops can open across the state and will be able to sell to adults over 21 beginning July 1, 2027. The change marks the latest expansion of access to the drug through state-level policy making. Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level.
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Strawberry moon A time-lapse, bracketed photo shows the full moon glowing over Lake Tillery on Monday night. The first full moon of summer is often nicknamed the Strawberry Moon.
Albemarle City Council passes 2026-27 budget The budget increased during the review process By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Albemarle City Council unanimously approved the city’s 2026-27 budget Monday night, adopting a spending plan that keeps the property tax rate unchanged while increasing the general fund from the current year. Presented by City Manager Darren Rhodes, the budget
covers the fiscal year beginning July 1. Albemarle’s property tax rate will remain at 61 cents per $100 valuation. The approved general fund totals $26.5 million, up 6.4% from the city’s 2025-26 general fund budget of $24.9 million. The figure also represents an increase of about $1.5 million from the original proposed general fund budget of roughly $25 million. Rhodes told council members during the budget process that the proposal was built to address the city’s current needs while also preparing for future
“At the last meeting, council heard all of the changes that we were considering.” Mayor Ronnie Michael obligations. In a process that featured several weeks of review, the budget was first presented to council May 4, followed by work sessions on May 12 and May 14. A public hearing was
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SCS names new principal, inside student safety director
See the latest films — including ‘Obsession’, landing this week — TV shows and games to hit your screens this week in The Stream on page B5.
“I believe the best outcomes are achieved when educators, students, families and the community work together.” Ashley Walker, principal of North Stanly Middle School
School district announces two leadership hires By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Stanly County Schools has filled two district leadership roles, naming Ashley Walker as principal of North Stanly Middle School and Zachary Caldwell as director of student safety and security. The district announced the hires in separate news releases in late June. Walker, who has spent the past three years as assistant principal at North Stanly Middle, is entering her 14th year in education and fourth year in school administration. “My leadership style is collaborative and centered on
high expectations that drive student success,” said Walker, who was named runner-up for Stanly County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year for the 2025-26 school year. “I believe the best outcomes are achieved when educators, students, families and the community work together.” Before joining North Stanly’s Comet community, Walker taught health and physical education and coached volleyball at Mallard Creek, Kings Mountain and West Cabarrus high schools. She earned a bachelor’s degree in health and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Gardner-Webb University. Walker said her time at North Stanly Middle has given her a foundation as she moves See SCS, page A5
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held June 1 before the council moved forward with final adoption Monday. Mayor Ronnie Michael noted that council members had already reviewed and acted on several budget changes before the final vote. “At the last meeting, council heard all of the changes that we were considering,” Michael said. “We made a motion and approved those changes to be included in the budget.” Those revisions included changes across multiple city funds. In addition to the general fund increase, the city’s new proposed water and sewer fund stands at $16.8 million, while the electric fund is set at $33.4 million. The solid waste collections fund totals $3.1 million, the landfill fund
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