Stanly News Journal Vol. 146, Issue 6

Stanly NewS Journal

THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL

Icing

Locust Police Department releases 2025 report

100 vehicles pile up in Michigan crash as snowstorm moves across country

More than 100 vehicles smashed into each other or slid o the interstate in Michigan as snow fueled by the Great Lakes blanketed the state. The massive pileup Monday prompted the Michigan State Police to close both directions of Interstate 196 just southwest of Grand Rapids. The State Police say there were numerous injuries but no deaths reported. The crash is just the latest impact of the major winter storm moving across the country. The National Weather Service issued warnings about either extremely cold temperatures or the potential for storms across several states.

Net ix intensi es bid for Warner Bros., makes $72B o er in all cash

Net ix is now o ering to buy Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming business in an all-cash deal. This move aims to win over Warner’s shareholders for a $72 billion merger and counter a bid from Paramount. On Tuesday, Net ix and Warner announced a revised transaction to simplify the structure and speed up a shareholder vote.

The department has a positive assessment of its annual crime review

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

LOCUST — Despite its continued population growth, the city of Locust maintained a low overall level of criminal activity in 2025, according to the Locust Police Department’s annual

crime report released Friday.

The review includes annual statistics, analysis and incident clearance data for the past year.

The department recorded 457 arrest charges in 2025, a decrease of 223 from 2024. In his written analysis, Locust Police Chief Je Shew attributed the decline in arrests to reduced criminal activity rather than less proactive policing.

At the same time, o cers responded to a department-re-

cord 8,070 calls for service and activities, reaching the highest total since the LPD began formally tracking call volume.

“Activities in 2025 continued to show Locust as a very safe city with a low overall level of criminal activity.”

Je Shew, Locust police chief

“Activities in 2025 continued to show Locust as a very safe city with a low overall level of criminal activity,” Shew said. “Because of the lower volume of overall criminal activity that I believe our outstanding o cers play a valuable part in preventing, when criminal incidents do occur, our o cers are able to respond quickly and apprehend many o enders at the time of o ense.”

Albemarle Police provides midyear scal update

The department’s scal year budget is $7.6 million

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

Ryan Manley,

police chief

ALBEMARLE — Halfway through its scal year which began in July, the Albemarle Police Department has provided a midyear update outlining its budget and recent investments in equipment, training and personnel.

Albemarle Police Chief Ryan Manley detailed the department’s spending priorities in a video statement released Jan. 14, highlighting purchases aimed at improving o cer safety,

technology and overall service to the community.

“The Albemarle Police Department’s total budget is $7.6 million,” Manley said. “The city invests heavily in public safety. In fact, the city spends more on police and re than it collects in property taxes. That’s why sales tax and other revenue sources are critical to keeping our operations running smoothly.”

A sizable portion of the department’s recent spending has gone toward technology and eet improvements.

APD has invested $484,000 to equip patrol vehicles with new camera systems, technology intended to

The report noted that growth in the Locust area has resulted in increased activity and calls for service, but data continued to re ect a low level of serious crime. O cers conducted a department record of 33,223 business and

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY JAN. 22

FRIDAY JAN. 23

SATURDAY JAN.24

SUNDAY JAN. 25

Tillery Christian Academy

Tillery Christian Academy in Norwood is proud to announce the students who received honor roll during the second quarter of the 2025-26 school year.

Kindergarten: Amelia Allred, Clyde Brewer, Elijah Shankle, Leeland King, Milah McKethan, Oaklyn Hathcock, and Sydney Ellenberg.

First Grade: Aria Ledford, Carter E rd, Ezra Moua, Iris Overton, Jax Thompson, Joseph Sang, and Penny Parry.

Second Grade: Harmony Brown, Hayden Tarlton, Justice Diveley, Kayleigh Colson, Rachel Chang, Gigi Oliver, Saint Montenegro, JohnKarter Montenegro.

Third Grade: Aiden Tarlton, Atlas Rodriguez, Grace Swaringen, Katie Britt, Lucy Parry, Mia Brown, Owen Peralta, Reed Burleson, Raymond Huang, Richard Huang, Skylar Li.

Fourth Grade: David Archer Cotoni, Grayson Blalock, Katherine Sharpe, Kenzie Williamson, Laurel Reeves, Mason Lowder, Merrick Cox.

Fifth Grade: Austin Hill, Briana Gaddy, Dalton Keely, Ellie Morton, Elly Parry, Ethan Tarlton, Holy Par, Jamie Chang, John Sharpe, Madison Nordan, Mason Hall, Micah Williamson, Sawyer Allen, Zayla Trul, Zoe Torres.

Sixth Grade: Case Smith, Charly Burleson, Cora Parry, Florence Par.

Seventh / Eighth Grade: Amberlyn Bowers, Anna Sharpe, Ava Harwood, Kiah Thomas, Lestat Rodriguez

High School: Addyson Burleson, Blake Threadgill, Cailey Gibson, Coraly Burleson, Harley Dodge, James Johnson, Jaxon Ruppe, Lillie Morton, Lily Bledsoe, Mercy Iang, Tawk Hei.

Practical Beekeeping for New and Current Beekeepers

Jan. 26 – March 9, 2026 Every Monday for 7 weeks

6:30 - 9 p.m. Cost: $35 plus book

Farm Bureau Livestock Arena (next to the Stanly County Agri-Civic Center) 26130 Newt Rd, Albemarle, NC

Sponsored and taught by the Stanly County Beekeeper’s Association

This seven-week class includes basic and advanced training on how to prepare for, acquire, and manage honeybee colonies. A eld day will be held after the nal day of class.

To register or for more information Call Mark Little 704-985-3383

a variety of media and genres. The show awards a rst-, second- and third-place prizes, along with honorable mention ribbons given at the judge’s discretion. Admission to the exhibit is free.

Stanly Arts Guild & Gallery 330 N. 2nd St. Albemarle

with

THE CONVERSATION

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

VISUAL VOICES

Stop pretending that colleges are nonprofit institutions

Star athletes have been exploited by colleges for years, and now they are getting their just dues.

HERE’S A RECENT story from the Chicago Tribune that jumped o the page when I read it. Northwestern University is nishing up the construction of a new $800 million football stadium. This is supposedly a nonpro t “educational” entity. Uh-huh.

Northwestern — an “institution of higher learning” located outside of Chicago — is ush with cash. It has an endowment of nearly $15 billion, and the tax-free donations keep owing in.

Almost all the $800 million — which rivals the cost of professional sports arenas with luxury skyboxes and opulent decor — for the lavish Taj Mahal football stadium on the shores of Lake Michigan was donated to the school with tax-deductible dollars. About half the money came from multibillionaire Pat Ryan. No word yet as to whether the Northwestern stadium will come with hot tubs in the end zones.

Meanwhile, universities are now paying star football players millions of dollars thanks to the new “portal” rules. Many basketball and football athletes are now selling their passing, tackling and dunking skills each year to the highest bidder. They can often make more money playing for the old U than if they played in professional leagues like the NFL or NBA.

This is pay-to-play athletics. It won’t be long before women on college volleyball teams are pay-to-play. Star athletes have been exploited by colleges for years, and now they are getting their just dues.

Don’t get me wrong. I love college sports. This is a great product, and we are seeing the best teams money can buy.

But when will Congress stop buying into this mythology that colleges are nonpro t organizations? Why should donations from millionaires and billionaires be IRS tax write-o s? It’s farcical.

Finish high school, get married before having a child, get a job and keep it until you nd another.

NEW YORK CITY Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in his inaugural address, said, “We will replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism.”

That sentence captures the essence of socialism: the belief that it is simply unfair that some have more than others. To rectify this, Mamdani proposes taking from those he deems undeserving and giving to those he deems deserving. In other words, life is not only unfair, but it’s government’s job to make it fair — not by guaranteeing equal rights but by promising equal results.

Think tanks on the left, such as the Brookings Institution, and on the right, such as the American Enterprise Institute, pretty much agree on the formula to escape poverty: nish high school, get married before having a child, get a job and keep it until you nd another or until you start a business. I would add, avoid the criminal justice system.

Economist Walter Williams, who grew up poor, said, “You’re not responsible for the cards you’re dealt. But you are responsible for picking them up and playing them to the best of your ability.

That is your duty.” Consider the wisdom of a few nonsocialists:

“I have learned that success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed.”

“At Hampton I not only learned that it was not a disgrace to labor, but learned to love labor, not alone for its nancial value, but for labor’s own sake and for the independence and self-reliance which the ability to do something which the world wants done brings.”

“Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.”

“When a Negro girl learns to cook, to wash dishes, to sew, or write a book, or a Negro boy learns to groom horses, or to grow sweet potatoes, or to produce butter, or to build a house, or to be able to practice medicine, as well or better than someone else, they will be rewarded regardless of race or color. In the long run, the world is going to have the best, and any di erence in race, religion, or previous history will not long keep the world from what it wants.” — Booker T. Washington, born a slave.

It also costs taxpayers a small fortune. Northwestern’s donors will get tax deductions worth almost $200 million.

This makes as much sense as allowing the Chicago Bears to sign the best quarterback and free safety tax-free.

Don’t forget that universities have other absurd tax advantages. They generally are exempt from property taxes — which means the rest of us pay more.

Universities are supposed to be educational institutions, not semipro leagues. To treat them in the tax code as if they were the equivalent of homeless shelters, food banks and the Salvation Army is a fantasy.

Universities are big business. The “amateur student athletes” are de facto professionals. Many rarely if ever attend a class. Some of them are 25 and 26 years old.

The cost to the Treasury of the tax loophole for colleges is enormous. Colleges have a combined endowment today of nearly $1 trillion. Almost none of this money was ever taxed.

These government subsidies to universities are on top of the trillion dollars of student loan subsidies — debts many of which will never be paid back by the former students.

If this giant loophole were plugged, tax rates for families and legitimate businesses could fall by 10% to 15%.

When I attended the University of Illinois, we used to joke that our school motto was: We never let academics stand in the way of a winning football team and basketball team.

Now the universities don’t let money stand in the way of a great team either. And the federal tax code encourages the “best team money can buy” mentality.

Let’s face it. If an institution can spend $800 million on a football stadium, it can a ord to pay its fair share of taxes.

Stephen Moore is a former Trump senior economic adviser and the cofounder of Unleash Prosperity.

“1. Pay yourself rst and save a part of all you earn.

“2. Save at an established institution such as a bank or savings and loan and stay away from loan sharks.

“3. Take no chances with your money.

“4. Never borrow anything that if forced to it, you can’t pay back.

“5. Don’t get big headed with regular people. If you take care of their needs they will make you big.

“6. Don’t have so much pride and wear the same suit for a year or two. It doesn’t matter the kind of suit if there is no money in it.

“7. Find a need and ll it. Successful businesses are found on the needs of other people. Keep good books and hire the best people you can nd.

“8. Never run around with people that you can’t compete with. Stay in your own class.

“9. Once you get money or a reputation for having money people will give you money.

“10. Once you reach a certain bracket it is very di cult not to make more money.” — A.G. Gaston, grandson of a slave, 10th grade education, died at age 103 with an in ation-adjusted net worth of $250,000,000.

“Hard work wins. You get out of life what you put into it. You can’t control outcome, but you are 100% in control of the e ort. When things go wrong, ask yourself, ‘What could I have done to change the outcome?’”

“No matter how hard you work, how good you are, bad things will happen. How you respond will tell your mother and me if we raised a man.” — Randolph Elder, WWII Marine sta sergeant, eighth grade education, died at age 95 with an in ation-adjusted net worth of $1.5 million.

Mamdani’s declaration displays a childlike failure by someone raised in a uence to understand or accept why some have more than others. The vast majority of “the rich” achieved that status through hard work consistently applied over a long period of time. Boring, but true.

Larry Elder is a bestselling author and nationally syndicated radio talk-show host.

She set a photo a re, lit a cigarette — and became a symbol of resistance for

Iran protesters

From

Toronto to Tehran,

an act of de ance against the Islamist theocracy

By Laurie Kellman

The Associated Press

LONDON — With one pu of a cigarette, a woman in Canada became a global symbol of de ance against Iran’s bloody crackdown on dissent — and the world saw the ame.

A video that has gone viral in recent days shows the woman — who described herself as an Iranian refugee — snapping open a lighter and setting the ame to a photo she holds. It ignites, illuminating the visage of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s highest cleric. Then the woman dips a cigarette into the glow, takes a quick drag — and lets what remains of the image fall to the pavement.

Whether staged or a spontaneous act of de ance — and there’s plenty of debate — the video has become one of the dening images of the protests in Iran against the Islamic Republic’s ailing economy, as U.S. President Donald Trump considers military action in the country again.

The gesture has jumped from the virtual world to the real one, with opponents of the regime lighting cigarettes on photos of the ayatollah from Israel to Germany and Switzerland to the United States.

In the 34 seconds of footage, many across platforms like X, Instagram and Reddit saw one person defy a series of the theocracy’s laws and norms in a riveting act of autonomy. She wears no hijab, three years after the “Women, Life, Freedom” protests against the regime’s required headscarves.

She burns an image of Iran’s supreme leader, a crime in the Islamic republic punishable by death. Her curly hair cascades — yet another transgression in the Iranian government’s eyes. She lights a cigarette from the ame — a gesture considered immodest in Iran.

And in those few seconds, circulated and ampli ed a million times over, she steps into history.

A battle for narrative control

In 2026, social media is a central battleground for narrative control over con icts. Protesters in Iran say the unrest is a demonstration against the regime’s strictures and competence. Iran has long cast it as a plot by outsiders like United States and Israel to destabilize the Islamic Republic.

And both sides are rac-

REPORT from page A1 neighborhood patrols during 2025. Tra c enforcement activity also increased, with o cers conducting 4,264 tra c stops — a 16.6% increase from the previous year — and issuing 4,598 citation charges and warnings.

ing to tell the story of it that will endure.

Iranian state media announces wave after wave of arrests by authorities, targeting those it calls “terrorists” and also apparently looking for Starlink satellite internet dishes, the only way to get videos and images out to the internet. There was evidence last Thursday that the regime’s bloody crackdown had somewhat smothered the dissent after activists said it had killed at least 2,615 people. That gure dwarfs the death toll from any other round of protest or unrest in Iran in decades and recalls the mayhem of the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Social media has bloomed with photos of people lighting cigarettes from photos of Iran’s leader. “Smoke ’em if you got ’em. #Iran,” posted Republican U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy of Montana.

In the age of AI, misinformation and disinformation, there’s abundant reason to question emotionally and politically charged images. So when “the cigarette girl” appeared online this month, plenty of users did just that.

It wasn’t immediately clear, for example, whether she was lighting up inside Iran or somewhere with free-speech protections as a sign of solidarity. Some spotted a background that seemed to be in Canada. She con rmed that in interviews. But did her collar line up

Reported tra c crashes rose by 20 incidents, from 258 in 2024 to 278 in 2025. Reported assault o enses remained low at 20 cases in 2025, matching the total from each of the previous two years. Property crime and fraud o enses declined by 17.5%, with 240 reported incidents compared to 291 in 2024.

correctly? Was the ame realistic? Would a real woman let her hair get so close to the re?

Many wondered: Is the “cigarette girl” an example of “psyops?” That, too, is unclear. That’s a feature of warfare and statecraft as old as human con ict, in which an image or sound is deliberately disseminated by someone with a stake in the outcome. From the allies’ fake radio broadcasts during World War II to the Cold War’s nuclear missile parades, history is rich with examples.

The U.S. Army doesn’t even hide it. The 4th Psychological Operations Group out of Fort Bragg in North Carolina last year released a recruitment video called, “Ghost in the Machine 2 that’s peppered with references to “PSYWAR.” And the Gaza war featured a ferocious battle of optics: Hamas forced Israeli hostages to publicly smile and pose before being released, and Israel broadcast their jubilant reunions with family and friends.

Whatever the answer, the symbolism of the Iranian woman’s act was powerful enough to rocket around the world on social media — and inspire people at real-life protests to copy it. The woman behind the imagery

The woman did not respond to multiple e orts by The Asso-

LPD posted a 75.7% positive clearance rate for property crime and fraud cases, meaning roughly three-quarters of those o enses resulted in an arrest, an arrest warrant or another positive clearance outcome.

ciated Press to con rm her identity. But she has spoken to other outlets, and AP con rmed the authenticity of those interviews.

On X, she calls herself a “radical feminist” and uses the screen name Morticia Addams — after the exuberantly creepy matriarch of “The Addams Family” — sheerly out of her interest in “spooky things,” the woman said in an interview with the nonpro t outlet The Objective. She doesn’t allow her real name to be published for safety reasons after what she describes as a harrowing journey from being a dissident in Iran — where she says she was arrested and abused — to safety in Turkey. There, she told The Objective, she obtained a student visa for Canada. Now in her mid-20s, she said she has refugee status in and lives in Toronto.

It was there, on Jan. 7, that she lmed what’s become known as “the cigarette girl” video a day before the Iranian regime imposed a near-total internet blackout.

“I just wanted to tell my friends that my heart, my soul was with them,” she said in an interview on CNN-News18, a network a liate in India.

In the interviews, the woman said she was arrested for the rst time at 17 during the “bloody November” protests of 2019, demonstrations that erupted after Trump pulled

the U.S. out of the nuclear deal that Iran had struck with world powers that imposed crushing sanctions.

“I was strongly opposed to the Islamic regime,” she told The Objective. Security forces “arrested me with tasers and batons. I spent a night in a detention center without my family knowing where I was or what had happened to me.” Her family eventually secured her release by o ering a pay slip for bail. “I was under surveillance from that moment on.” In 2022 during the protests after the death of Mahsa Amini in custody, she said she participated in a YouTube program opposing the mandatory hijab and began receiving calls from blocked numbers threatening her. In 2024, after Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash, she shared her story about it — and was arrested in her home in Isfahan.

The woman said she was questioned and “subjected to severe humiliation and physical abuse.” Then without explanation, she was released on a high bail. She ed to Turkey and began her journey to Canada and, eventually, global notoriety.

“All my family members are still in Iran, and I haven’t heard from them in a few days,” she said in the interview, published Tuesday. “I’m truly worried that the Islamic regime might attack them.”

“They continued to participate in numerous community service endeavors, and continued to strengthen relationships with our city’s businesses and residents with a community policing approach that is always

Shew credited o cers for expanding their professional training through a range of disciplines, including multiple in-house training sessions coordinated by LPD personnel.

our department’s highest priority,” Shew said. “I am honored to work with each one of our ocers and count it as the greatest blessing to have such a tremendous group here. They did a phenomenal job in 2025!”

The Locust Police Department’s full 2025 crime report is available at locustnc.com.

Protesters shout at federal law enforcement outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building on Saturday in Minneapolis.

DOJ vows to press charges after activists disrupt church where Minnesota ICE o cial is pastor

amid a surge in federal immigration enforcement activities.

By Jack Brook The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS

— The U.S. Department of Justice said Sunday it is investigating a group of protesters in Minnesota who disrupted services at a church where a local o cial with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement apparently serves as a pastor.

A livestreamed video posted on the Facebook page of Black Lives Matter Minnesota, one of the protest’s organizers, shows a group of people interrupting services at the Cities Church in St. Paul by chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good.” The 37-year-old mother of three was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis earlier this month

The protesters allege that one of the church’s pastors — David Easterwood — also leads the local ICE eld o ce overseeing the operations that have involved violent tactics and illegal arrests.

U.S. Department of Justice Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said her agency is investigating federal civil rights violations “by these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers.”

“A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!” she said on social media.

Attorney General Pam Bondi also weighed in on social media, saying that any violations of federal law would be prosecuted.

Nekima Levy Armstrong, who participated in the protest and

leads the local grassroots civil rights organization Racial Justice Network, dismissed the potential DOJ investigation as a sham and a distraction from federal agents’ actions in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

“When you think about the federal government unleashing barbaric ICE agents upon our community and all the harm that they have caused, to have someone serving as a pastor who oversees these ICE agents, is almost unfathomable to me,” said Armstrong, who added she is an ordained reverend. “If people are more concerned about someone coming to a church on a Sunday and disrupting business as usual than they are about the atrocities that we are experiencing in our community, then they need to check their theology and the need to check their hearts.”

The website of St. Paul-based Cities Church lists David Easterwood as a pastor, and his personal information appears

BUDGET from page A1

better document incidents and enhance safety for both o cers and the public. The department also purchased three new patrol vehicles and up tted them at a total cost of $200,000.

Inside those vehicles, ocers now have access to 18 new Panasonic Toughbook computers — purchased for $69,000 — to support real-time information access, mobile reporting and communication while o cers are in the eld. Maintaining the department’s eet costs approximately $100,000 annually for fuel and another $50,000 for service.

The department has also al-

to match that of the David Eas-

terwood identi ed in court lings as the acting director of the ICE St. Paul eld o ce. Easterwood appeared alongside DHS Secretary Kristi Noem at a Minneapolis press conference last October.

Cities Church did not respond to a phone call or emailed request for comment Sunday evening, and Easterwood’s personal contact information could not immediately be located.

Easterwood did not lead the part of the service that was livestreamed, and it was unclear if he was present at the church Sunday.

In a Jan. 5 court ling, Easterwood defended ICE’s tactics in Minnesota such as swapping license plates and spraying protesters with chemical irritants. He wrote that federal agents were experiencing increased threats and aggression, and crowd control devices like ash-bang gre-

located $33,000 for training, ranging from leadership development to advanced tactical instruction, with the goal of improving preparedness and professionalism.

An additional $40,000 has been spent on durable uniforms and gear designed to help o cers perform their duties while maintaining a professional appearance. Protective equipment, including ballistic vests and related safety gear, accounted for another $25,000.

“Most importantly, we’re investing in our people with $5.9 million in salaries and bene ts, because our people make our mission pos-

nades were important to protect against violent attacks. He testi ed that he was unaware of agents “knowingly targeting or retaliating against peaceful protesters or legal observers with less lethal munitions and/or crowd control devices.”

“Agitators aren’t just targeting our o cers. Now they’re targeting churches, too,” the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency stated. “They’re going from hotel to hotel, church to church, hunting for federal law enforcement who are risking their lives to protect Americans.” Black Lives Matter Minnesota co-founder Monique Cullars-Doty said that the DOJ’s prosecution was misguided. “If you got a head — a leader in a church — that is leading and orchestrating ICE raids, my God, what has the world come to?” Cullars-Doty said. “We can’t sit back idly and watch people go and be led astray.”

sible,” Manley said. “Every dollar spent supports the city’s commitment to the strategic plan goal of safety and security. Thank you for trusting us to protect and serve our community.”

APD, headquartered at 155 W. South St. in downtown Albemarle, has been an accredited law enforcement agency since 1995. Community policing remains a priority for the department, which assigns four school resource o cers to city schools to focus on safety, mentoring, DARE instruction and student engagement. Residents can sign up for local emergency alerts through the city’s website at albemarlenc.gov.

OBITUARIES

Debra Cagle Dunevant

Nov. 9, 1953 – Dec. 21, 2025

Debra Cagle Dunevant, 72, passed away on Monday, December 21, 2025 at the Palms Nursing Center in Florence, South Carolina after several years of declining health.

Debra was born in Albemarle, NC on November 9, 1953 to Thomas Alexander Cagle and Betty McIlwaine Cagle. She graduated from West Stanly High School in 1972. She obtained additional education through the community college system. Debra spent the greater part of her life working forWalmart, Inc., often moving to new locations to serve in positions within the company. Her nal position was serving as an AP Team Lead in the company. Debra was an exemplary employee working for over 35 years forWalmart.

Debra is survived by her husband, Paul Virgil Dunevant and her mother, Betty McIlwaine Cagle. She is survived by a number of cousins as well. Debra was preceded in death by her father, Thomas Alexander Cagle. Debra was an only child beloved by her parents. She had a close relationship with both of her parents and lived near them most of her life. She enjoyed shopping with her mother and was known for her love for fashion and jewelry. She often accompanied her mother to the wholesale markets and trade shows for retail sales. Debra would speak of those times with her mother as precious moments. She had proud memories of her father, his military service, who was in active duty during some of her childhood years. She admired her father, and his military healthcare experience.

During Debra’s last promotion with Walmart, she was asked to move to Hartsville, South Carolina. Her parents accompanied her and her husband to Hartsville. It was here that they enjoyed their last years together. Debra was able to care for her father during his declining years of health with Parkinsons Disease as well as her mother’s aging years until her own health took precedence. Debra always had an improvement project and she could depend on her husband, Paul, as the handy man. She would often share a picture of the design work she desired and he could get the job done. Debra was proud of Paul’s craftmanship and loved his willingness to go the extra mile to love and care for her. Debra was a pet lover and had a dog or two always in her home. Over time, she was the owner of three French Bulldogs, a favorite breed of hers. During her years of declining health, these pets brought her great comfort and joy. A memorial service will be held at Stanly Funeral Home at a later date.

Todd Lewis Fincher

Apr. 25, 1966 – Jan. 17, 2026

Todd Lewis Fincher, 59, of Albemarle, peacefully passed away on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at Stanly Manor Nursing Facility.

A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2026, in the Stanly Funeral Home Chapel, with Tommy Fincher o ciating.

Burial will follow in Stanly Gardens of Memory. The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. prior to the service.

Todd was born on April 25, 1966, in Stanly County to the late Donald “Don” Lewis Fincher and Nancy Almond Fincher, who survives him. He is lovingly survived by his sons, Dustin Fincher (Lisa) of Albemarle and Matt Fincher of Albemarle; his cherished grandchildren, Jillian, Kyler, and Jolee; and his girlfriend, Kelly Howard.

In addition to his father, Todd was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Grady and Ruby Almond, and his paternal grandparents, Bill and E e Fincher. Todd had a deep love for the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, shing, and spending time outside. He was passionate about hot rods and riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle. Above all, Todd was a devoted and loving father who treasured time with his family.

The family would like to express their sincere gratitude to the sta of Woodhaven Courts, Stanly Manor, and Atrium Hospice for the compassionate care and support shown to Todd during his declining illness.

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Albemarle is honored to serve the Fincher family.

Jerry Duane Gray

May 17, 1943 – Jan. 18, 2026

Jerry Duane Gray, 82, of Albemarle, passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at Bethany Woods Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, at Albemarle Wesleyan Church, with Pastor James Valk o ciating.

The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m., prior to the service.

Born on May 17, 1943, in Michigan, Jerry was the son of the late Robert and Margaret Gray. Jerry is lovingly survived by his daughter, Audra Eury (Mark) of New London; grandchildren, Brittany Eury (Luke) and Shane Eury (Heather); greatgrandchildren, Hunter Tredway, Karley Harkey (Clay), Brendan Edwards, McKenzie Tredway, Connor Tredway, Paisley Tredway, and Brandon Eury; and

Linda Gay Duke Francis

Jan. 27, 1939 –Dec. 24, 2025

Linda Gay Duke Francis lived at the intersection of vision and action.

She quietly passed away the morning of Christmas Eve 2025. Born January 27, 1939, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Linda was the daughter of the late James Claude Duke and Thelma Duke Forrest, and sister to Jimmy Duke of Albemarle. She was a faithful attendee of First Presbyterian Church of Albemarle, where she shared her love of music through singing hymns and participating in the church choir.

Trained in Home Economics at East Carolina University— an education that, in her era, encompassed design, management, logistics, and systems thinking—Linda built a career that shaped homes, businesses, and communities across North Carolina.

Her professional life began in public service, working more than a decade in social services at the state level in Atlanta Georgia, auditing county programs across multiple jurisdictions to ensure compliance and protect critical funding.

By the late 1960s and 1970s, Linda transitioned into sales, marketing, and business systems in Atlanta, Ga, later in New York, NY. In male-dominated industries, she consistently outperformed peers, earned repeated sales awards, and was known for her ability to understand complex systems, and proved herself equally adept at persuasion and precision.

Returning to Albemarle in early 1970s, Linda became a driving force behind downtown revitalization and civic beauti cation. Working with the City of Albemarle, the Mayor’s

great-great-grandchild, Ember.

He is also survived by his devoted canine companion, Zoe, who brought him great comfort and companionship. In addition to his parents, Jerry was preceded in death by his brother, Darrell Gray; his sister, Cheryl Lemmond; and his longtime companion, Hilda Jenkins. Jerry was a devoted father and grandfather who was deeply involved in his grandchildren’s lives.

He was very proud of his service in the Air Force. Known for his quick wit and infectious sense of humor, he was a true jokester who never met a stranger and could strike up a conversation with anyone. A jack of all trades, Jerry had a passion for woodworking and took pride in his ability to x or build just about anything. He loved the outdoors, especially shing, and cherished his trips to the beach. Always optimistic, he saw the good in everyone and faced life with happiness and a stubborn independence that de ned his character.

In lieu of owers, memorial contributions may be made to the Stanly County Humane Society, 2049 Badin Road, Albemarle, NC 28001.

The family extends their sincere gratitude to Jerry’s friends at Uwharrie Trails Senior Apartments for the love, friendship, and support they shared with him over the years. Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care is honorably serving the Gray family.

O ce, and the Stanly County Chamber of Commerce, she led public-private initiatives from Co-Chairing the Federal Bicentennial Celebration in Albemarle - and painting rehydrants like revolutionary soldiers- to the Beauti cation committee to improve storefronts, public spaces, and the visual character of the city. Using graphic renderings—well ahead of their time—she helped stakeholders see what was possible, often delivering award-winning results with minimal budgets by leveraging donated labor and materials. She also played an integral part in the facilitation of the new Courthouse Town Square Park.

Linda remained deeply engaged in community leadership through the 80s. She co-chaired Stanly County’s Mayfest, raised all funds for the county-wide celebration, and received the Chamber’s Outstanding Achievement Award 1983. She served as President and Vice-President of the Community Concerts Association, was active in the PTA, led a Girl Scout troop, restored a 100-year-old home largely with her own labor, and raised her daughter as a single parent while selling ads for the local radio station WZKY. In 1986, Linda founded Haute Couture Services, a multidisciplinary design and consulting business o ering custom clothing, interior design, wardrobe consulting, event planning, and catering. Her work blended aesthetics with logistics, producing cohesive environments—homes, events, and wardrobes—that re ected both beauty and function. She also founded and ran earlier ventures in business forms brokerage and temporary sta ng, handling nancing, operations, sales, and bookkeeping herself.

Also during this time, Linda took on complex civic challenges that required long-term planning and persistence. One of her most consequential e orts was her role in securing the remodel and modernization of Albemarle’s existing post o ce facility. She proposed reorienting the building by making the rear entrance the primary public entrance, addressing safety concerns associated with the original front access and improving space for public use. Advancing the project required sustained work with local o cials and correspondence

Ray Columbus Kimsey

July 18, 1933 – Jan. 15, 2026

Ray Columbus Kimsey, 92, of Midland, peacefully passed away on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Monday, January 19, 2026, at Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust, with Pastor Ron Lo in o ciating. Burial will follow in Oakboro Cemetery. The family will receive friends from

July 31, 1970 – Jan. 14, 2026

Kenneth (Kenny) Ray Trull, 55, of Albemarle, NC passed away surrounded by family on January 14, 2026. Kenny was born on July 31, 1970 in Concord to Laura Ussery. In later years, he went to

with state and federal o cials, including U.S. Senator Richard Burr. She founded the Albemarle Cemetery Foundation, Inc. and, for more than a decade, personally led the restoration and preservation of the Albemarle Cemetery. In addition to raising tens of thousands of dollars, she was directly involved in physical cleanup of the grounds, repair and resetting of gravestones, planting over 50 trees, construction of a perimeter fence, and acquisition of additional land. She also conducted and directed extensive research to identify, document, and map burial plots and the individuals interred there, including chronological listing by birth date, death date, and a military service listing. An e ort which led the Stanly County Historic Preservation Commission to grant Linda the Individual Award for Preservation 1996. She was also granted Governor’s Award 1987, for outstanding Volunteer Service, as well as Woman of the Year award 1998, by the Albemarle Women’s Club.

Linda was an active member of the Daughters of the Revolution and discovered that she was a descendant of one of Stanly county’s rst settlers. She is Survived by her Daughter Keely Francis Owens, and her Husband Stephen Craig Owens of Kitty Hawk, 2 Grandchildren Stryker Duke Owens of Florida and Sadie Lucille Owens of Kitty Hawk; and cousins Charles Shoe and Tommy Shoe, both of Concord.

“…She has given of herself, her talent, abilities, energy, time and even physical labor in tackling projects most people would never even think of” - Linda Moose, SNAP December 31st 1998. Her legacy is one of competence, creativity, and determined authority —the kind that leaves places better than she found them.

A Service of Remembrance will be held on February 28th at 2:00 at the CB Crook Pavilion at the YMCA in Albemarle, where the family will welcome stories from family and friends to celebrate her life well lived and all her contributions to this world. In lieu of owers, memorials can be sent to Stanly Funeral Home. Linda’s family would like to donate a bench in her honor of her lifelong community service to be dedicate in the Albemarle cemetery. These memorial gifts will be used toward the purpose of the bench.

11:00 a.m. until 12:45 p.m. prior to the service.

Mr. Kimsey was born on July 18, 1933, in Clinton, South Carolina to the late William Kimsey and Mallieann Kimsey. He is survived by his children: Doug Kimsey of Midland, Teresa Bowen of Lancaster, South Carolina, and Chris Kimsey (Barbara) of Midland; along with many grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Irene Kimsey (2014); his son, Rodney Kimsey; his daughter, Paula Kimsey; and his siblings.

Ray was a caring and devoted father who always put his family rst. He deeply loved his grandchildren, was dedicated to his profession, and took great pride in his military service. Known for his sel essness, he consistently put the needs of his family before his own.

Stanly Funeral and Cremation Care of Locust is serving the Kimsey family.

work as a machinery operator within the shipping and receiving industry. When not working he loved rebuilding engines and racecars at Concord Speedway. Kenny is predeceased by his wife of 20 years Tammy Smith. He is survived by his mother Laura Ussery of Kannapolis, NC, daughter Kristi (Justin) Myrick of Candor, NC son, Brian (Brittany) Rowland of Midland, NC, sister, Alisha Trull of Kannapolis, NC, grandchildren, Kalli Myrick, Wesley Myrick, Karmen Barbee, Madison Rowland and Marissa Rowland, and one greatgrandchild, Daxton Kiser. He is also survived by his brother from another mother, Steve (Sherry) Wingle of Kannapolis, NC.

A private graveside will be held at a later date. In lieu of owers, please consider a donation to Breast Cancer Awareness at https:// www.komen.org/how-to-help/ donate/

STANLY SPORTS

Rich eld racer wins KTM Junior Supercross debut

Noah Forte locked up his spot for the championship round

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

RICHFIELD — A young, up-and-coming motocross racer from Stanly County recently made a statement on one of the sport’s biggest stages, leaving his rst Supercross appearance with a rst-place trophy in hand.

On Jan. 10, 8-year-old Richeld resident Noah Forte won the KTM Junior Supercross race at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, during the opening round of the 2026 Monster Energy AMA Supercross Championship.

Forte was one of a select group of youth riders selected nationwide to compete at the Anaheim stop for the KTM Junior Supercross program, which allows riders ages 7-10 to race during the main Supercross show as an introduction to the sport at its highest professional level.

Among a eld of 14 racers, Forte captured the victory in the KTM Junior main event with a three-lap overall time of 5:27.030. His best lap came on the third circuit at 1:52.599, the second-fastest lap recorded by any rider in the race.

Forte set the tone from the moment the gate dropped, securing the holeshot to the rst turn and leading wire to wire, never relinquishing the top spot.

For Forte and his family, the

Falcons surge

Pfei er is 4-2 in conference play

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — With four consecutive USA South Athletic Conference victories, the Pfei er men’s basketball team has quickly reversed course after a seven-game losing streak that stretched back to November.

The Falcons (8-8, 4-2 USA South) have surged back to the .500 mark overall and currently sit fourth in the conference standings behind Southern Virginia, N.C. Wesleyan and Methodist following a strong January run.

Pfei er capped its recent hot stretch Saturday afternoon with an 88-78 road win at rival Greensboro, giving the Falcons four league victories after opening USA South play with an 0-2 start.

The Falcons began January with narrow road losses at N.C. Wesleyan and Methodist before rebounding with a decisive home win over Southern Virginia. Pfei er followed that with an overtime home victory against Mary Baldwin and a nine-point

vard,

win was the ful llment of a long-held goal.

“I remember him being 3 years old and saying he was going to go there and win,” said Brittany Forte, Noah’s mother. “Leading up to this race in particular, he said he was going to win, but saying it and following through are two completely different things. All day, he was so calm and had a one-track mind. He had one thing in mind — getting the holeshot and winning — and that’s exactly what he did, down to a T.”

Inspired by his father Aleck’s motocross background, Forte rst climbed onto a dirt bike at age 4 and began racing competitively a year later. Since then, his rapid progression has See SUPERCROSS, page B3

with

fourth straight USA South win

bounds and 10 blocks, recording the second triple-double of his collegiate career.

Pfei er seized control early in the second half by opening on an 11-0 run sparked by Sucarichi’s perimeter scoring and Smith’s

ons. Pfei er nished 18-8 overall and 12-2 in league play last season.

O ensively, the Falcons rank third among the USA South’s 10 teams at 79.5 points per game. Smith has been central to that production, ranking third in the conference in scoring at 16.3 points per game and rst in rebounding (9.1), blocks (three) and eld-goal percentage (.636). Defensively, Pfei er allows 81.4 points per contest, placing the Falcons sixth in the league in that category.

Pfei er returned home Tuesday to host Methodist and will travel to Raleigh on Saturday to face William Peace before hosting nonconference opponent Christopher Newport on Sunday afternoon.

Indianapolis 500 champion Will Power, of Australia, poses with the trophy after winning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2018.

Power determined to make Penske regret writing him o

Andretti

By Jenna Fryer

The Associated Press

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

— Will Power casually walked through the near-empty fan zone at Daytona International Speedway in a simple, white resuit void of any Penske or Verizon Wireless logos. One of the winningest drivers in IndyCar history was practically unnoticeable at an unfamiliar track where few should have recognized the Australian.

And yet suddenly a crowd grew out of nowhere.

“Will Power! When you put your foot on the gas in an IRL car, there’s no stopping you,” one man gushed as he clamored for a sel e.

Others handed him diecasts of his iconic No. 12 Team Penske car for his signature. They heaped praise and admiration and o ered Power a warm welcome at his rst Rolex 24 at Daytona sports car race. He will drive for 75 Express, a team owned by fellow Australian Kenny Habul, in the GTD Pro class next week.

It was the con dence boost Power didn’t know he needed.

“It feels good just to be recognized,” he told one fan.

Power had driven for Roger Penske since 2009 and set the series record for poles (71), built a career that has him ranked fourth on the alltime wins list with 71 victories — one of them the Indianapolis 500 — and won two IndyCar titles.

But that math couldn’t compete with the clock, and Power, who turns 45 on the same day the IndyCar season opens March 1 in St. Petersburg, simply doesn’t have much time left on his racing career. It led Team Penske to choose 24-year-old David Malukas as his replacement, a transition more than a year in the making, but a lack of transparency forced Power to twist in uncertainty for

almost the entire 2025 IndyCar season.

With Power still at the top of his game, Penske late last season was apparently prepared to o er Power a peace o ering of a one-year contract extension. But the damage to Power’s ego, pride and mental state already had been done; he told his boss of nearly two decades that he wasn’t interested.

Power instead signed a contract with Andretti Global, now owned by TWG Motorsports and Dan Towriss, a group eager to add his veteran leadership in its bid to return the organization to the top of IndyCar. Spurning a return to Penske did not sit well with the boss, who held Power to a contract that ran through Dec. 31 and essentially parked him from starting with Andretti until the rst of this year.

Malukas, meanwhile, was in Penske merchandise and getting a jump on his new job the entire time Power was sidelined, unable to do anything with his new team.

Power, a career Penske loyalist who meets every de nition of “Penske Material,” has been crushed by the way his parting played out and the animosity he felt from his former organization through the nal four months of last year.

The rami cations may come back to bite Team Penske, which is coming o one of its worst seasons in years: Power rang in 2026 by going for a run at midnight on New Year’s Eve decked in Andretti gear. He was in the shop two days later to meet his new team, sit in the seat of his new car and start working on a campaign he’s determined will make Penske regret writing him o .

“There’s nothing more I want to do this year than beat Penske every single weekend,” Power said. “And I understand why I wasn’t allowed to start at Andretti until now because we’re only two weeks into the year, and we are already working very, very hard on everything we need to get to get to work on.”

From sideline sprints to surprise interviews, ESPN’s Rutledge enjoys a hectic football season

Already busy, the veteran added a “Monday Night Football” role this season

By Joe Reedy The Associated Press

LAURA RUTLEDGE’S schedule during football season has always been hectic.

The ESPN reporter has hosted “NFL Live,” the network’s year-round weekday news show, since 2020, along with “SEC Nation” on college football Saturdays.

Rutledge took on another assignment this season when she became a full-time sideline reporter on “Monday Night Football.”

With her seemingly e ortless transition from host to reporter — sometimes in a matter of minutes — and her uency in both college football and the NFL, the always enthusiastic Rutledge has become the face of football on ESPN.

Rutledge’s typical schedule was hosting “NFL Live” on Mondays from the game site and then doing sideline reports for the game. Then it was back to ESPN’s studios in Bristol, Connecticut, where she anchored “NFL Live” from Tuesday through Thursday before traveling on Friday and hosting “SEC Nation” on Saturday.

Rutledge joined ESPN in 2014 and has been on “SEC Nation” since it started. She also has had other roles in ESPN’s college football coverage.

“Whether she’s reporting on-air or feeding key information to the truck … Laura’s natural reporting instincts and storytelling ability are spot- on,” said Mark Gross, ESPN’s senior vice president of production. “She brings an energy and passion that are contagious, and she genuinely lifts everyone around her.”

ESPN approached Rutledge during the spring about doing

SUPERCROSS from page B1

taken him well beyond local competition.

As a factory KTM Junior Athlete, Forte got to experience racing on the same professionally built Supercross track used by the world’s top riders, surrounded by the full atmosphere of a major stadium event. He has already spent signi cant time on the Arenacross circuit, which features tight, technical indoor tracks that often serve as a developmental pathway to Supercross-style racing.

With the season under-

a full “Monday Night Football” schedule. She understood she would be adding more responsibility and not trading one job for another.

“I think when it comes down to what the schedule ended up being, it was more than even I expected. I had sort of prepared myself for what I knew was going to be crazy, but it was wild,” Rutledge said last week as she prepared for Sunday’s divisional-round game between the Houston Texans and New England Patriots. “It was sort of like this revolving-door cycle throughout each week, but what an honor to be on these things. I mean, it’s beyond even my wildest dreams. I think for me that was what I’ve constantly reminded myself of when things get a little hairy with the schedule.”

Rutledge has also showed during college football and NFL coverage that she can quickly adjust on the y.

During the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day, ESPN’s cameras caught Rutledge running from one sideline — where she was reporting for “SEC Nation” on SEC Network — across the

eld to anchor halftime coverage on ESPN.

The 45-second dash even got a full highlight narration from Chris Berman, who whooped with delight as he watched Rutledge weaving her way through the Mississippi band.

“I’ll never get over it,” Rutledge said. “It’s one of the coolest things that’s ever happened to me in my life. He’s been an incredible mentor to me, so it’s something I’ll treasure forever.”

Rutledge can also give rsthand perspective on trying to get a postgame interview immediately after a game when time is at a premium because of the 11 p.m. local news.

That happened after the Los Angeles Chargers’ 22-19 overtime victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 8, when Rutledge buttonholed Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert immediately after the game and seemingly caught him o guard.

Rutledge got the interview — even if Herbert was reticent at rst — after the Eagles appeared to be driving for the winning score and Rutledge was on the other side of the eld.

“We had even less time than we normally would, and I was still trying my best to let Justin Herbert shake the hands that he wanted to and see the people that he wanted to,” Rutledge said. “From my perspective too, you never want the player to be caught unawares. So we’re trying to be sensitive to so much. And then yet when a team has said, ‘You’re going to get this player,’ that’s what we have to do.

“I don’t fault anybody in that scenario. We were both trying to do our jobs, and he stood there and did the interview.

“I try to never say anything publicly about these things. but I’m not going to have people trashing these guys. They deserve better than that.”

way, Forte’s focus now shifts to his next major stop: Daytona Supercross, scheduled for Feb. 28 at Daytona International Speedway. The event represents his next high-prole opportunity before the season’s junior nale.

KTM Junior Supercross, now in its 27th year, is contested at 10 select rounds during the 2026 season, with each race operating as a standalone event rather than a points-based series.

Winners from each of those rounds earn an invitation to the 11th and nal event — the KTM Junior Supercross

Championship Round — held May 9 in Salt Lake City, Utah, during the Supercross season nale. All 10 race winners will compete head-to-head in that championship event.

As the winner of the season-opening round, Forte will enter the nale riding the No. 1 plate.

“That alone gives him major con dence,” Brittany Forte said. “He says that he’s going to holeshot and win again. I denitely believe he can do anything he says he can do at this point. At this point, he says there’s nothing he hasn’t been able to do so far, so bring it.”

SOUTH STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL

5-11, 0-3 in Yadkin Valley 2A/3A

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 65-39 vs. North Stanly

• Won 77-30 vs. South Davidson

• Lost 39-29 at Union Academy

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 22 at West Stanly

• Jan. 23 vs. Gray Stone Day

• Jan. 27 vs. Albemarle

SOUTH STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

4-9, 0-4 in Yadkin Valley 2A/3A

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 59-39 vs. North Stanly

• Won 62-21 vs. South Davidson

• Lost 62-51 at Union Academy

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 22 at West Stanly

• Jan. 23 vs. Gray Stone Day

• Jan. 27 vs. Albemarle

WEST STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL

6-9, 1-4 in Rocky River 4A/5A

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 71-57 at North Stanly

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 20 at Mount Pleasant

• Jan. 22 vs. South Stanly

• Jan. 23 at Central Academy

• Jan. 27 vs. Parkwood

WEST STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

7-8, 3-2 in Rocky River 4A/5A

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 57-56 at North Stanly

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 20 at Mount Pleasant

• Jan. 22 vs. South Stanly

• Jan. 23 at Central Academy

• Jan. 27 vs. Parkwood

NORTH STANLY BOYS’ BASKETBALL

16-1, 4-0 in Yadkin Valley

Last week’s scores:

• Won 65-39 at South Stanly

• Won 71-57 vs. West Stanly

• Won 55-54 vs. North Rowan

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 20 at Anson

• Jan. 23 at Albemarle

• Jan. 27 at Union Academy

NORTH STANLY GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

12-3, 4-0 in Yadkin Valley

Last week’s scores:

• Won 59-39 at South Stanly

• Won 57-56 vs. West Stanly

• Won 57-45 vs. North Rowan

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 20 at Anson

• Jan. 23 at Albemarle

• Jan. 27 at Union Academy

ALBEMARLE BOYS’ BASKETBALL

5-10, 2-1 in Yadkin Valley

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 65-40 vs. Uwharrie Charter

• Lost 77-51 at North Rowan

• Won 71-27 vs. Gray Stone Day

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 21 at Christ the King

• Jan. 23 vs. North Stanly

• Jan. 27 at South Stanly

ALBEMARLE GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

8-8, 2-2 in Yadkin Valley

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 50-45 at North Rowan

• Won 67-37 vs. Gray Stone Day

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 21 at Christ the King

• Jan. 23 vs. North Stanly

• Jan. 27 at South Stanly

GRAY STONE DAY BOYS’ BASKETBALL

1-15, 0-3 in Yadkin Valley

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 63-38 vs. Union Academy

• Lost 71-27 at Albemarle

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 20 at Math & Science Academy

• Jan. 22 at Sun Valley

• Jan. 23 at South Stanly

• Jan. 27 at North Rowan

GRAY STONE DAY

GIRLS’ BASKETBAL

2-10, 0-3 in Yadkin Valley

Last week’s scores:

• Lost 52-23 vs. Union Academy

• Lost 67-37 at Albemarle

This week’s schedule:

• Jan. 22 at Sun Valley

• Jan. 23 at South Stanly

• Jan. 27 at North Rowan

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Dates 01/14/2026, 01/21/2026, 01/28/2026, and 02/04/2026)

IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE DISTRICT COURT – JUVENILE DIVISION FILE NORTH CAROLINA – STANLY COUNTY

NOTICE

To the UNKNOWN FATHER of a FEMALE CHILD, L.A.C. born on April 19, 2025 to mother Queena Lashalle Shanta Clayton in Stanly County. Ms. Clayton is an African American female approximately 37 years old. Take notice that a Petition to TERMINATE PARENTAL RIGHTS of you has been led in the above-entitled action. The nature of the relief being sought is to terminate the parental rights of the father to the minor child L.A.C. You are required to answer the petition within 30 days after the date of the rst publication of this notice,

NOTICE

We are eager to welcome individuals who are dedicated to our mission and committed to enhancing our community. Interested candidates are invited to browse our open full and part time positions via the website below to nd out how to apply for one of our job openings at SCC. NOTICE

This

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 24E0000435-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NOTICE

NOTICE NORTH

AMY HARRIS / INVISION / AP PHOTO

The thrash metal band announced a

‘The

Smashing Machine,’ Louis Tomlinson,

‘The Beauty,’

Lucinda Williams drops “World’s Gone Wrong”

The Associated Press

DWAYNE JOHNSON transforming into MMA pioneer Mark Kerr for “The Smashing Machine” and Louis Tomlinson releasing his third solo album are some of the new television, lms, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming o erings worth your time this week: Ryan Murphy’s new series “The Beauty” tackles beauty standards with some horror mixed in, Jeremy Allen White plays The Boss in “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” and Megadeth going out with a bang with their nal, self-titled album.

MOVIES TO STREAM

Johnson transformed into MMA pioneer Kerr for “The Smashing Machine,” a surprisingly gentle drama about winning, addiction and self-worth, which is set to debut on HBO Max on Friday. In his review, Associated Press Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that the potency of Johnson’s performance is “let down by a movie that fails to really grapple with the violent world around Mark, resorting instead for a blander appreciation of these MMA combatants. What does resonate, though, is the portrait of a human colossus who learns to accept defeat.” Filmmaker Benny Safdie won a directing prize for his e orts at the Venice Film Festival, though the awards season spotlight has shifted to his brother, Josh, who made “Marty Supreme.”

HBO Max also has Judd Apatow’s “Mel Brooks: The 99-YearOld Man!” arriving Thursday. The two-part documentary includes interviews with Brooks as well as the likes of Ben Stiller, Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler and Conan O’Brien. The Bruce Springsteen biopic “Springsteen: Deliver Me

From Nowhere” is also making its streaming debut on Hulu and Disney+ on Friday. Written and directed by Scott Cooper,

Bruce Springsteen biopic

RICHARD SHOTWELL / INVISION / AP PHOTO

Lauren Hashian, left, and Dwayne Johnson arrive at the 83rd Golden Globes on Jan. 11 at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California. The couple stars in “The Smashing Machine,” which comes to HBO Max this week.

the lm stars White as The Boss during the making of the soulful “Nebraska” album. In his review for the AP, Mark Kennedy called it “an endearing, humbling portrait of an icon,” adding that it is almost a mirror of the album itself, “unexpected, complicated and very American gothic.”

A few other lm festival gems are coming to more niche streamers too. The documentary “Mr. Nobody Against Putin,” a 2025 Sundance selection about a Russian teacher who secretly documents his classroom’s transformation into a military recruitment center during the invasion of Ukraine, is streaming on KINO Film on Thursday. And Mubi has Paolo Sorrentino’s “La Grazia” starting on Friday. Star Toni Servillo won the best actor prize at Venice for his turn as a ctional Italian president.

MUSIC TO STREAM

You’d be right to call it a symphony for dissolution. Last summer, American thrash

metal giants Megadeth announced they were going out with a bang. They’ll soon embark on a farewell tour, but before that, they will release their nal album, the self-titled “Megadeth.” Pressure’s on, and they’re answering the call with their characteristically complex guitar work.

Perhaps best known as a candid and cool force in the gargantuan boy band One Direction, the Englishman Tomlinson will release his third solo album Friday, the existential “How Did I Get Here?” His work usually pulls from his most direct inuences, Britpop chie y among them on 2020’s “Walls” and 2022’s “Faith in the Future.”

The “How Did I Get Here?” singles “Lemonade” and “Palaces” seem to suggest those in uences are still present but subtle now in favor of sunny, pop-rock choruses.

The great Lucinda Williams has returned with a new one titled “World’s Gone Wrong.” It is, of course, uniquely Williams — at the intersection of rock, Americana, country and folk —

and stacked with inspirational collaborations from Norah Jones, Brittney Spencer and more. Those, partnered with a powerful rendition of Bob Marley’s “So Much Trouble In The World” with Mavis Staples, makes for a must-listen.

SERIES TO STREAM

FX’s new series cocreated by Murphy tackles beauty standards with some horror mixed in. “The Beauty” features an all-star cast including Evan Peters, Ashton Kutcher, Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Pope, Anthony Ramos and Isabella Rossellini. Bella Hadid also guest stars. Kutcher plays a tech billionaire who has created a drug that can lead to so-called physical perfection but not without dangerous consequences. “The Beauty” is based on a comic book of the same name and is now streaming on Hulu and Disney+ internationally.

“Drops of God” also returns to Apple TV for its second season. It’s about two estranged siblings (played by Fleur Ge rier

“Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” is an endearing, humbling portrait of an icon.”

Mark Kennedy, AP Film Writer

and Tomohisa Yamashita) competing to inherit their late father’s estate that comes with a massive wine collection. In Season 2, they must search for the source of an unlabeled bottle of wine believed to be the best in the world.

On the heels of the “Heated Rivalry” phenomenon, Net ix has its own love story to heat up the ice that premieres Thursday. Where “Heated Rivalry” is based on a steamy romance book series, “Finding Her Edge” is adapted from a YA novel. It’s about a gure skater training for the world championships, who nds herself in a love triangle with her current and former skating partners.

Scott Foley and Erinn Hayes star in a new faith-based family drama called “It’s Not Like That,” coming to Prime Video on Sunday. Foley plays Malcolm, a pastor and father of three whose wife recently died, and Hayes is Lori, a divorced mother of teenagers. Their families were always close, but Malcolm and Lori nd themselves relying on each other more and more as they navigate being single parents.

VIDEO GAMES TO PLAY

Flynt Buckler, the hero of Escape from Ever After, lives in a storybook world. But that fantasy goes sour when a greedy corporation invades those books, turning them into cyberpunk dystopias and Lovecraftian nightmares. Can Flynt swashbuckle his way to the top, or will he settle for a crummy o ce cubicle? Developer Sleepy Castle Studio says it was inspired by Nintendo’s classic Paper Mario games, and the cartoonish 2D settings show o that in uence. Turn the page Friday, Jan. 23, on Switch, Xbox X/S, PlayStation 5 or PC.