VOLUME 146 ISSUE 64 | WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2026 | STANLYNEWSJOURNAL.COM
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Stanly NewS Journal THE STANLY COUNTY EDITION OF NORTH STATE JOURNAL
WHAT’S HAPPENING Former U.S. Marine held in Russia for more than 4 years on disputed charges released A former U.S. Marine from Massachusetts who has been held in Russia for more than four years on disputed charges has been released. Robert Gilman’s advocates announced the news Tuesday, days after warning he was gravely ill. Gilman is a 32-year-old teacher who was detained since 2022. Gilman is on his way to a U.S. military hospital in Texas. That’s according to Global Reach, a group that’s been working to free him and other American detainees abroad. Gilman’s sister credited President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) with bringing about his release. The State Department says Gilman was wrongfully detained and was released on humanitarian grounds.
Contiguous U.S. breaks record for hottest month ever, NOAA says The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the contiguous United States set a record for its hottest month ever in July. Last month averaged 76.89 degrees Fahrenheit across the Lower 48 states, eclipsing the Dust Bowl’s July 1936 by an eighth of a degree. Although it was unusually cool in Alaska, hotter than normal conditions blanketed the Lower 48, with the most excessive heat in the Mountain West, Southwest, Northern Plains and Southeast. The biggest driver of the heat was at night. Nighttime lows, which are crucial for people and agriculture to recover from hot days, smashed the old record for hottest minimums by 0.7 degrees, the NOAA said.
U.S. existing homes fall 1.7% in July as record prices, high rates stifle would-be buyers Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes slowed again in July as record prices and the highest mortgage rates in more than a year prove to be an insurmountable hurdle for many prospective homebuyers. The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that existing home sales fell 1.7% last month from June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million units. July sales, however, were up 0.7% over last year. Home prices continued to rise, hitting unprecedented levels for July. The U.S. median sales price increased 2% from a year earlier, to $434,100.
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MY DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE PHOTOGRAPHY FOR STANLY NEWS JOURNAL
Summer on the lake Boaters enjoy a serene Saturday on Lake Tillery, looking north at Morrow Mountain in the distance.
EMS, Atrium Health Stanly partner for prehospital blood transfusion program County paramedics can now administer lifesaving blood products in the field By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal ALBEMARLE — Through a new partnership between Stanly County EMS and Atrium Health Stanly, county paramedics can now give blood transfusions before patients reach a hospital. The prehospital blood transfusion program is currently underway, according to a joint news release from the agencies released Aug. 3.
Because severe hemorrhaging is among the leading causes of preventable deaths in trauma cases, the program gives paramedics access to blood products for trauma patients experiencing serious blood loss, allowing treatment to begin at an emergency scene or while a patient is being transported. Until now, local patients in hemorrhagic shock — a life-threatening condition resulting from rapid and substantial blood loss — could not receive transfusions until reaching an emergency department. See PROGRAM, page A4
COURTESY STANLY COUNTY EMS
Stanly County EMS and Atrium Health Stanly representatives pose together outside the hospital in Albemarle.
Misenheimer announces inside new village manager hire
Albemarle native Denico Autry is reportedly retiring from the NFL. Turn to B1 for more.
Brice Dalke succeeds longtime administrator Anita Blair By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal MISENHEIMER — Misenheimer has hired Brice Dalke as its new manager, village officials announced last week. Dalke comes to the village with experience in municipal operations, economic development, planning and public engagement. Most recently, he served as program coordinator for the Asheboro Cultural and Recreation Department. In that position, he helped pre-
pare for the opening of the Cone Health Zoo City Sportsplex and coordinate operations at the 85-acre recreation complex. Dalke previously worked as a program assistant in the Workforce and Economic Development Department at the Piedmont Triad Regional Council. He also was a lead for North Carolina fellow assigned to the town of Liberty, where his work included downtown development, land-use planning, zoning projects and community research. “We are thrilled to have Brice join the Village of
“We are thrilled to have Brice join the Village of Misenheimer.” Michael Herron, Misenheimer mayor
See HIRE, page A5
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