VOLUME 146 ISSUE 60 | WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
WHAT’S HAPPENING Republicans decry new Democratic Socialists platform as Dem primaries split party A new platform from the progressive Democratic Socialists of America is sparking Republican attacks. The DSA’s Workers Deserve More program proposes sweeping changes, like abolishing the Senate and allowing all permanent U.S. residents to vote. Republicans including House Speaker Mike Johnson are framing these ideas as communist threats. The DSA platform has created an opening for Republicans to attack Democrats broadly. Meanwhile, DSA-backed candidates have gained traction in recent Democratic primaries, challenging moderates, even as some try to distance themselves from the “socialism” label.
Biden interviews with ghostwriter reveal him discussing sensitive information Newly released audio tapes appear to show Joe Biden sharing classified information with a biographer and sometimes claiming memory lapses during interviews that occurred before his election to the presidency in 2020. About three hours of audio and 117 pages of transcripts were released by the conservative Oversight Project, an arm of the Heritage Foundation. The audio and transcript feature frequent redactions. The conversations were released after Biden lost a prolonged legal fight to keep his talks with memoir ghostwriter Mark Lewis Zwonitzer private. In the sessions, Biden discusses a range of matters, shares notes from his vice presidency and appears to confirm to Zwonitzer that he retained some classified material.
Americans’ confidence in U.S. economy falls as Iran conflict sends gas prices higher Americans’ confidence in the economy fell this month as gas prices resumed their climb after the U.S. and Iran stepped up their fighting. The Conference Board said Tuesday that its consumer confidence index fell to 90.8 in July from 92.2 in June. Consumers’ view of current business and labor market conditions fell by 3.6 points to 114.9, the third straight monthly decline. Consumer attitudes had improved modestly in June as gas prices came down.
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MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Smoky mountains?
The Uwharrie Mountains looked the part of another nearby mountain range Monday evening as wildfire smoke from the Northern Plains and Canada blew into the area and reduced air quality into the moderate range.
Stanly County Schools to offer free meals to all students Free breakfast and lunch will be available daily By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Stanly County Schools announced last week that all enrolled students will receive free meals each school day during the 2026-27 school year through the federal Community Eligibility Provision. Beginning on the first day of classes, every student in the
district will be eligible for one breakfast and one lunch at no cost, regardless of household income. Families will not be required to submit free or reduced-price meal applications to participate. “At Stanly County Schools, we believe that nutritious meals help students learn, grow and succeed,” the district said in a July 23 statement. “By ensuring every student has access to healthy meals, we are helping remove barriers so students can fo-
cus on what matters most — learning.” The Community Eligibility Provision, commonly known as CEP, allows qualifying schools and school districts to offer free meals to all enrolled students without collecting individual household applications. Because SCS qualifies for the program, standard breakfast and lunch charges will be eliminated for families during the upcoming school year. District officials said stu-
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• Albemarle-East/ Anderson Rd. • North Oakboro/ Red Cross Rd. • South Oakboro/ Rocky River Rd. • Mt. Pleasant • Biscoe • Locust
Stanly County Schools dent participation will remain important to the program’s long-term success. See MEALS, page A4
Albemarle honors Lewis inside after 44 years of service
The Super Mario Galaxy movie lands on Peacock on Friday. See what else is new on your devices this week in The Stream on page B5.
“It’s not often I get the honor of celebrating someone with as many years of service as Linda has.” Ronnie Michael, Albemarle mayor
The longtime city employee retired July 1 By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Longtime Albemarle employee Linda Lewis was recognized for 44 years of service during a presentation at the Albemarle City Council meeting July 20. Lewis retired July 1 from the city’s Finance Department, ending a career that began in 1982 and included several roles involving finance, utilities and purchasing. Mayor Ronnie Michael presented Lewis with a certificate of appreciation on behalf
of the city, saying that opportunities to recognize an employee with that tenure are uncommon. “It’s not often I get the honor of celebrating someone with as many years of service as Linda has,” Michael said. “Linda’s been a part of this organization for as long as I can remember.” Michael noted that he and Lewis began working for the city around the same time. Over the years, he watched her develop while taking on a range of responsibilities. Lewis was hired as a finance collection clerk in 1982. Later that year, she moved to See LEWIS, page A5
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“At Stanly County Schools, we believe that nutritious meals help students learn, grow and succeed.”
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