VOLUME 146 ISSUE 55 | WEEKEND EDITION, JULY 11-12, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Summer storms Lightning bolts fly over Lake Tillery on July 6 as evening storms make their way across Stanly County.
WHAT’S HAPPENING Video aired in court shows Charlie Kirk killing suspect told roommate ‘he wishes he hadn’t done it’ Provo, Utah A video played in a Utah court reveals that the defendant in Charlie Kirk’s killing told his roommate “he wishes he hadn’t done it” the day after Kirk was shot in the neck while speaking to a crowd at Utah Valley University. Lance Twiggs, who was also defendant Tyler Robinson’s romantic partner, described the interaction with Robinson during a recorded interview with a prosecutor that was played in court Thursday. Robinson is charged with aggravated murder and has not entered a plea. He turned himself in a day after the Sept. 10 shooting of Kirk.
US soccer star Christian Pulisic fractured his leg in loss to Belgium U.S. star Christian Pulisic fractured his right leg during the Americans’ World Cup loss to Belgium and will be sidelined for several weeks. Pulisic has a bone bruise and a microfracture of his tibia and fibula, according to the U.S. Soccer Federation. The diagnosis was made after an X-ray and MRI on Tuesday. He is expected to be able to resume training before AC Milan’s opener at Torino on Aug. 23. Pulisic hit a leg of Belgium captain Youri Tielemans while attempting a shot in the 52nd minute of Monday’s 4-1 roundof-16 loss at Seattle.
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County commissioners fill aging advisory, EDC seats Stanly board unanimously approves two appointments By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — The Stanly County Board of Commissioners filled two board seats this week with unanimous votes, approving appointments to the Region F Aging Advisory Committee and the Economic Development Commission. Both items, taken up Monday night, had been continued from the commissioners’ June 8 meeting. The first appointment was presented by Senior Services
Director Pamela Sullivan, who said the county was seeking applicants for several Region F Aging Advisory Committee positions, including two delegate seats with twoyear terms and one alternate seat with a one-year term. Sullivan asked commissioners to appoint Kimberly Blackburn as a delegate for a two-year term effective July 1 through June 30, 2028. Blackburn’s volunteer application had been reviewed by the Centralina Area Agency on Aging before it was brought to commissioners in June. At that meeting, commissioners asked Sullivan about the vetting process and whether she had personally spoken
“I had the opportunity to sit down with Kimberly Blackburn to discuss her interest in serving as a delegate.” Senior Services Director Pamela Sullivan
with Blackburn before the board voted. Sullivan said at the time that she had not yet spoken with Blackburn herself, and commissioners chose to table the appointment until their next regular meeting. “I had the opportunity to sit down with Kimberly Black- See BOARD, page A5
Uwharrie Players to present ‘Footloose’ musical The production is set to open July 24 By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Music, rebellion and small-town change will take center stage this month as The Uwharrie Players present their production of “Footloose” at the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center. Shows are scheduled for July 24-26 and July 31-Aug. 2, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. “Some things are better reversed, like rules against dancing,” the community theater group advertised. Tickets for the musical are available at theuwharrieplay-
ers.org/footloose. General admission is $20 for adults, while tickets for seniors 60 and older and juniors 17 and younger are $15. The Uwharrie Players will also offer a buy-one, get-one ticket promotion for the Saturday, July 25, performance, with the deal available at the door and online using the discount code DANCE at checkout. All free tickets can be equal or lesser value among the tickets purchased together, and the offer cannot be combined with a season membership pass. Ahead of the production, promotion for “Footloose” has developed outside the theater. At the beginning of July, The See MUSICAL, page A8
burn to discuss her interest in serving as a delegate,” Sullivan said Monday. “She has a genuine interest in serving Stanly County and fully understands and agrees to the responsibilities required of this board.” After Blackburn’s appointment, one delegate position and one alternate position on the Region F Aging Advisory Committee remain open, and the county is accepting applications. County Manager Andy Lucas then presented the Economic Development Commission request, asking commissioners to reappoint Lynn Clodfelter to the District 2 seat for a two-year term expiring May 31, 2028. This followed a round of EDC selections made in June, when commissioners voted to appoint Roddey Dowd Jr. in District 1, Richard Jones in District 3, Camille Shelton Parrish in District 4 and Dustin Poplin in District 5.
“Some things are better reversed, like rules against dancing.” Uwharrie Players