Stanly News Journal Vol. 146, Issue 9

Stanly NewS Journal

Winter Haven

WHAT’S HAPPENING

Border czar suggests possible drawdown in Minnesota, but only after “cooperation” Minneapolis Border czar Tom Homan said immigration enforcement could reduce the number of officers in Minnesota. He suggested during a news conference Thursday that a drawdown could happen, but only after “cooperation” from state officials. President Donald Trump sent Homan to Minnesota following last weekend’s fatal shooting of protester Alex Pretti. Homan doubled down on the need for local jails to alert Immigration and Customs Enforcement to inmates who are eligible to be deported. He vowed to stay until the “problem’s gone,” but he seemed to acknowledge missteps while warning protesters they could face consequences if they interfere with federal officers.

U.S. life expectancy hit an all-time high in 2024

U.S. life expectancy has hit the highest mark in American history. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday reported that life expectancy rose to 79 years in 2024. It’s the result of the dissipation of the COVID-19 pandemic — and also waning death rates from all of the nation’s top killers, including heart disease, cancer and drug overdoses. Early stats suggest a continued improvement in 2025. Life expectancy is an estimate of the average number of years a baby born in a given year might expect to live, given death rates at that time.

The ceremonial program honors outstanding city residents

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — Albemarle is seeking public input as the city opens nominations for its Walk of Fame ceremonial program.

The honor recognizes current or former city residents who have made a lasting impact on the community through work and service. Nominations for the Albemarle Walk of Fame are open and will be accepted through April 3 at albemarlenc.gov/walkoffame.

On an annual basis, the program will honor individuals who have achieved national,

“The Walk of Fame is an opportunity to celebrate the outstanding individuals who have shaped Albemarle and left a legacy of excellence in various fields.” Albemarle Mayor Ronnie Michael

regional or local recognition and have made substantial civic contributions through their careers, lifetime achievements or volunteer service.

Eligible nominees must be current or former Albemarle residents and may be recognized for accomplishments in fields such as humanitarian work, entertainment, civic leadership, arts, sports, military service, literature or business.

Inductees are commemo -

rated with 24-inch bronze medallions embedded in the sidewalk in front of Albemarle City Hall on Second Street, serving as a permanent public tribute to their achievements and service.

After more than three years of discussion, the Albemarle City Council unanimously voted last year to establish the annual Walk of Fame, approving recommendations from the Walk of Fame Advisory Board.

“The Walk of Fame is an

opportunity to celebrate the outstanding individuals who have shaped Albemarle and left a legacy of excellence in various fields,” Mayor Ronnie Michael said after city council approval. “Our city’s history is filled with examples of people who made an impact on our city, state and country through their life’s work.”

While online nomination forms are available on the city’s website, paper forms may also be picked up and submitted at the customer service area inside Albemarle City Hall. Completed nomination forms and supporting materials can be submitted to the city clerk’s office by mail, in person or by email.

Nominees are reviewed by

Consolidated Health and Human Services Board appointments approved Albemarle requests nominations for new downtown Walk of Fame

The recommendations were unanimously agreed upon

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

ALBEMARLE — Three appointments and two reappointments for the Consolidated Health and Human Services Board were approved during the Stanly County Board of Commissioners meeting on Jan. 20. Commissioners unanimously approved the five moves based on recommendations from the Consolidated Health and Human Services Board’s Jan. 8 meeting.

The recommendations were presented to the board by Dol-

ly Clayton, the county’s health and human services director.

“Our Consolidated Health and Human Services Board is our public health board as well as our social services board that were combined together,” Clayton explained. “The commissioners made that consolidation happen at the end of 2017 for 2018. There are currently 21 positions on our board.”

“The public health board has always had specific positions on its board — professional individuals with different disciplines. When they created this consolidated board, it basically combined it all together.”

Dr. Neal Speight was appointed to fill the physician

“There are currently 21 positions on our board.”

Dolly Clayton, Stanly County health and human services director

Man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Omar charged with assault

In an interview, President Trump said “she probably had herself sprayed”

By Alanna Durkin Richer and Steve Karnowski The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — The Justice Department has charged a man who squirted apple cider vinegar on Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar at an event in Minneapolis, according to court papers made public Thursday.

The man arrested for Tuesday’s attack, Anthony Kazmierczak, faces a charge of forcibly assaulting, opposing, impeding and intimidating Omar, according to a complaint filed in federal court.

Authorities determined that the substance was water and apple cider vinegar, according to an affidavit. After Kazmierczak sprayed Omar with the liquid, he appeared to say, “She’s not resigning. You’re splitting Minnesotans apart,” the affidavit says. Authorities also say that Kazmierczak told a close associate several years ago that “somebody should kill” Omar, court documents say. It was unclear if Kazmierczak had an attorney who could comment on the allegations. A message was left with the federal defender’s office in Minnesota.

The attack came during a perilous political moment in Minneapolis, where two people have been fatally shot by federal agents during the White House’s aggressive immigration crackdown.

Kazmierczak has a criminal history and has made online posts supportive of President Donald Trump, a Republican. Omar, a refugee from Somalia, has long been a fixture of

“Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket.”

Rep. Ilhan Omar

Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric. After she was elected seven years ago, Trump said she should “go back” to her country. He recently described her as “garbage” and said she should be investigated. During a speech in Iowa earlier this week, shortly before Omar was attacked, he said immigrants need to be proud of the United States — “not like Ilhan Omar.”

Omar blamed Trump on Wednesday for threats to her safety.

“Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to

talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” Omar told reporters.

Trump accused Omar of staging the attack, telling ABC News, “She probably had herself sprayed, knowing her.” Kazmierczak was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has been arrested multiple times for driving under the influence and has had numerous traffic citations, Minnesota court records show. There are also indications he has had significant financial problems, including two bankruptcy filings. In social media posts, Kazmierczak criticized former President Joe Biden and referred to Democrats as “angry and liars.” Trump “wants the US is stronger and more prosperous,” he wrote. “Stop other countries from stealing from us.”

In another post, Kazmierczak asked, “When will descendants of slaves pay restitution to Union soldiers’ families for freeing them/dying for them, and not sending them back to Africa?”

Here’s

Feb. 4

Chair Yoga 3-3:30 p.m.

A gentle, adult yoga class geared toward those with coordination issues or difficulties standing for long periods without support. No experience or mat needed for this free

Main Library 133 E. Main St. Albemarle

Feb. 6

NeedleBugs

A social group specifically for those who love needlework. Bring your own supplies.

Stanly County Public Library 207 Pee Dee Ave. Norwood

Now through Feb. 7

Stanly Arts Guild Members’ Show This annual exhibition features the work of Stanly Arts Guild members working in a variety of media and genres. The show awards first-, 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

Feb. 14

The Rowan Big Band 7 p.m.

Presented by The Stanly County Concert Association. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for students.

Stanly County Agri-Civic Center 26032 Newt Road # B Albemarle

THE CONVERSATION

Trip Hoffend, publisher | Frank Hill, senior opinion editor

VISUAL VOICES

We have reached the Emily Litella moment on climate change

Al Gore’s 2006 prediction of a 20-foot sea-level rise in 20 years have fallen short — by 19 feet and 9 inches

IT’S BEEN A COLD winter so far in the Midwest and much of the Northeast and temperatures falling to freezing and below in much of the South. North America’s 2024-25 winter was pretty cold too. It’s gotten to the point that “polar vortex” is a phrase on just about everyone’s lips.

As those of us with doubts about inevitably disastrous global warming were often told — there’s a difference between weather and climate. Weather is anecdote, climate is longstanding trend. And the longstanding trend in climate, we have been told this entire past quarter-century, is toward a hotter climate all over the world, with multiple catastrophic consequences.

We seem to have reached an Emily Litella moment — the moment when, on the now half-century-old “Saturday Night Live” program, the befuddled character realized that she had misheard and misinterpreted some anodyne comment and had been propounding an absurd theory, and dismissed it with a hurried, “Never mind.”

Playing the Litella role this October was Bill Gates, who, as a megaphilanthropist, makes serious efforts to gauge whether the causes to which he has contributed have been worth the money. Although “climate change will have serious consequences,” he said, using the two-word phrase that replaced global warming as it was becoming apparent that Earth wasn’t uniformly warming in line with predictions, “it will not lead to humanity’s demise. People will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future.”

Numbered also among the converts — the use of religious metaphor is not accidental — is Breakthrough Institute research director Ted

Nordhaus. “I used to argue that if the world kept burning fossil fuels at current rates, catastrophe was virtually assured,” he wrote in The Free Press. “I no longer believe this hyperbole.”

He pointed out that the demographic and physical factors on which he based his predictions two decades ago have not come to pass, and that despite measurable warming, people have adapted, and any damage has been well short of catastrophic. As British science writer Matt Ridley notes, claims such as Al Gore’s 2006 prediction of a 20-foot sea-level rise in 20 years have fallen short — by 19 feet and 9 inches.

Meanwhile, the undermining of hyperbolic scenarios has, as Wall Street Journal economics reporter Greg Ip wrote this week, led the likes of Canadian Prime Minister (and former British central banker) Mark Carney and BlackRock CEO Larry Fink to downplay the risks of climate change, as most American voters have done some time ago.

In all this, I see elements of religious conversion. Advocates of drastic action to address global warming climate change tend to be secular in religion but religious in their devotion to their cause. We have sinned, with our SUVs and corporate jets frying the Earth; we must atone by reducing our (or others’) standards of living; we must faithfully perform daily rituals, adjusting our thermostats and sorting our trash for recycling.

But my impression is that those musical offerings are, like the baby boomer generation, getting scarcer, and certainly the demand in the political marketplace for restoration of that golden summer’s weather climate seems to have grown weaker too.

Earlier this month, as a Wall Street Journal

Mr. President, please free Caleb

Caleb and his father were elected as Trump delegates to the Republican National Committee from Maryland.

“HOW CAN THE LIFE of such a man / Be in the palm of some fool’s hand?” — Bob Dylan, “Hurricane”

You’ve probably never heard of Caleb Bailey, but he is a political prisoner who has been locked behind bars for nearly eight years; nine more years remain on his sentence.

Anyone who has publicly supported Donald Trump should cringe when hearing the facts of his case.

In his state of residence, Maryland, violent rapists, armed robbers and kidnappers have received shorter prison sentences. Yet Bailey has never in his life committed a violent act.

Not once.

So why is he in prison serving a term of 16 years and eight months?

Judge for yourself.

In April 2016, Bailey and his father were elected as Trump delegates to the Republican National Committee from Maryland. Maryland is, of course, one of America’s most politically liberal and Trump-hostile states.

On May 5, 2016, just seven days after his name appeared in local media for being chosen as a Trump delegate, Bailey’s home was raided by a squad of 42(!) heavily armed agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They presented a search warrant, then occupied and ransacked his home for more than eight hours.

After conducting their arguably illegal search and seizure that violated Bailey’s Fourth Amendment rights, the agents seized and hauled away in three large U-Haul trucks nearly $200,000 worth of Bailey’s private property — most of which were items not on the search warrant.

editorial was among the few to emblazon, the journal Nature retracted a study that projected climate change could lead to a 62% economic decline by 2100. Among the factors that skewed the results threefold was the 1995-99 data from Uzbekistan.

You can almost hear Litella saying, “Never mind.”

Such shoddiness seems amusing, at least until you consider the “replication crisis” in which scientists have been unable to replicate the results of dozens of peer-reviewed and journal-published experiments, some of them famous like the Stanford prison experiment. And then there was the effort, successful during the COVID-19 crisis, by National Institutes of Health official Dr. Anthony Fauci, to suppress the now generally accepted theory that the virus spread because of a leak from the lab in Wuhan, China, whose gain-of-function research, deliberately strengthening viruses, was subsidized despite a ban by former President Barack Obama in 2014.

The public’s skepticism of science and scientists is not surprising, though it’s surely having some unfortunate effects. People can see that expert recommendations, pushed by teachers unions, to close schools despite children’s negligible COVID-19 risk have resulted in long-lasting learning loss. And they are seeing one prominent preacher after another of environmental doom from climate change suddenly saying, like Litella, “Never mind.”

Michael Barone is a senior political analyst for the Washington Examiner, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and longtime co‑author of “The Almanac of American Politics.” Copyright 2026 Creators.com

Bailey

Among the many outrages of this case is that much of Bailey’s life savings was never returned to him. Valuable coins that he had collected, for example, mysteriously disappeared.

Bailey was charged with illegal possession of several firearms (he was a gun collector), including 37mm safety flare launchers, which used to be sold over the counter by Walmart and sporting goods stores. None of the guns was ever used in the commission of any crime.

The agents also found in their illegal search several old DVDs that they claimed contained child pornography. Bailey informed the agents that the videos had been sent to him unsolicited in the mail. There was zero evidence that he was a distributor, and an electronics expert agreed that the material was dormant.

For these crimes, Bailey was handcuffed and sent to a maximum-security jail in Baltimore, even though agents on the scene had told Bailey and his father that his offenses were so minor that he deserved to be sent to a “low”-security jail. He was denied bail.

Before his trial, the prosecutors told Bailey’s lawyer that they would ask for an outrageous life sentence unless he took a plea bargain. Faced with the harrowing prospect of decades in prison, he took a plea deal.

A typical sentence for illegal gun ownership is two to 10 years. The prosecutors recommended 10 years for each infraction.

Again, none of these guns was ever used in the commission of crime because Bailey never committed any crime. Lawyers who have looked into the case say that since Bailey was a first-time offender, the typical punishment for these offenses would have been probation or less than a year in jail — not 16 years.

He’s already served almost eight years, so even if you believe every allegation, he has more than served punishment for his crimes. Prison officials describe his behavior while behind bars as “exemplary.” He has declared remorse for his actions.

In a letter to President Donald Trump, Tony Covington, a tough-on-crime state’s attorney in Maryland, wrote that in his entire career, he has “never offered an opinion or recommendation on the commutation of someone’s sentence. I do so now because I believe that justice can best be served by granting Mr. Bailey’s (pardon) request.”

The Washington Post and others have accused Trump of abusing his pardon powers to gain freedom for his political supporters.

They have the story upside down. In too many of these hundreds of cases, men and women who have been granted clemency were unjustly incarcerated by Trump-hating prosecutors and judges simply because they supported Trump. They were tossed In prison for the crime of helping Trump win the election.

Bailey has lost nearly eight of the best years of his life to flim-flam charges. The Trump haters who are supposed to serve justice want him to serve another nine years behind bars.

This case shakes your faith in the American jurisprudence system. It exemplifies the depths of depravity of those suffering from Trump Derangement Syndrome.

Please, Mr. President: Free Caleb Bailey.

Stephen Moore is a former Trump senior economic adviser and the cofounder of Unleash Prosperity, which advocates for education freedom for all children. Copyright 2026 Creators.com

Shadow network in Minneapolis defies ICE in effort to protect immigrants

Volunteers track federal convoys and alert communities as deportation raids escalate

By Tim Sullivan The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS — If there’s been a soundtrack to life in Minneapolis in recent weeks, it’s the shrieking whistles and honking horns of thousands of people following immigration agents across the city.

Barbara Jean (Taylor) Drye

April 17, 1936 ~ January 14, 2023

Barbara Jean Taylor Drye, 86, of Oakboro, passed away Saturday, January 14, 2023 at her home.

They are the ever-moving shadow of the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.

Barbara was born April 17, 1936 in North Carolina to the late Robert Lee Taylor and the late Eva Belle Watts Taylor. She was also preceded in death by husband of 61 years, Keith Furr Drye, and brothers, Robert Lee Taylor, Jr. and George Kenneth Taylor.

They are teachers, scientists and stay-at-home parents. They own small businesses and wait tables. Their network is sprawling, often anonymous and with few overall objectives beyond helping immigrants, warning of approaching agents or filming videos to show the world what is happening.

Survivors include children, Debbie (Mike) Williams of Albemarle, Teresa (Tom) Curry of Oakboro, Douglas (Tammy) Drye of Oakboro; grandchildren, Melissa (Don) Parrish of Albemarle, Samantha (Destiny) Smith of Oakboro, Bradley Smith of Oakboro, Jonathan Stover of Peachland, and Jessie Stover of Lylesville; sisterin-law, Beatrice Goodman; many nieces and nephews; and her beloved cats, Bo and Garfield.

And it’s clear they will continue despite the White House striking a more conciliatory tone after the weekend killing of Alex Pretti, including the transfer of Gregory Bovino, the senior Border Patrol official who was the public face of the immigration crackdown.

“I think that everyone slept a little better knowing that Bovino had been kicked out of Minneapolis,” said Andrew Fahlstrom, who helps run Defend the 612, a hub for volunteer networks. “But I don’t think the threat that we’re under will change because they change out the local puppets.”

Barbara was a member of Oakboro Baptist Church for over 60 years. She worked over 30 years at Stanly Knitting Mills. After just two years of retirement, she began managing the Oakboro Senior Center and did that for 18 years until this past week. Barbara was known for her good cooking and always taking care of others. She also loved going on day long shopping trips - she could out walk and out shop people half her age. She kept her mind and body active through gardening, word searches, and various other hobbies.

The surge begins

What started with scattered arrests in December ramped up dramatically in early January, when a top ICE official announced the “largest immigration operation ever.”

Masked, heavily armed agents traveling in convoys of unmarked SUVs became commonplace in some neighborhoods. By this week, more than 3,400 people had been arrested, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. At least 2,000 ICE officers and 1,000 Border Patrol officers were on the ground.

Administration officials insist they are focusing on criminals in the U.S. illegally, but the reality in the streets has been far more aggressive. Agents have stopped people, seemingly randomly, to demand citizenship papers, including off-duty Latino and Black police officers and city workers, area officials say. They smashed through the front door of a Liberian man and detained him without a proper warrant, even though he’d been checking in regularly with immigration officials. They have detained children along with their parents and used tear gas outside a high school in an altercation with protesters after detaining someone.

January 24, 1939 ~ January 15,

of Norwood died Sunday morning, January 15, 2023 at Forrest Oakes. 1939 in Stanly County to the late Walter Virgil and Martha Adkins Farmer. He was a 1957 graduate of Norwood High School and was a United States Army Veteran. He was a member of Cedar Grove United Methodist Church where he had served as church treasurer and choir member. He began his career with the Stanly County Sheriff’s Department moving to the Norwood Police Department and retiring as Chief of Police with the Town of Norwood after many years of service.

Dwight was an avid gardener, bird watcher and Carolina fan.

He is survived by his wife Hilda Whitley Farmer; one son D. Britten Farmer Jr. (Mary) of McLeansville, NC; one daughter Sharon Farmer Lowe (David) of Norwood; one sister Geraldine Dennis of Troy; two grandchildren, Dwight Britten “Dee” Farmer III and Whitley Rose Hui Lowe.

his son Alex, brothers, Tommy and Jimmy, sisters, Nancy, Cornelia Annabell, Glennie Mae, and Betty.

Grove United Methodist Church, Cemetery or Choir Fund c/o Pam Smith 36071 Rocky River Springs Road, Norwood, NC 28128.

and

When John purchased his first Model A Ford at the age of 17, he said that he took the car to the community mechanic when he had a small problem.The mechanic told him that if he was going to keep the car, he needed to learn to work on it. This is when John’s passion for Model A Fords began and how he spent his happiest days with his best friends from around the globe for the rest of his life!

with immigration agents in south Minneapolis. Protesters screamed at agents, threw snowballs and tried to block their vehicles. Agents responded by shoving protesters who got too close, firing pepper balls and finally throwing tear gas grenades and driving away.

October 11, 1944 - January 10, 2023

Doris Elaine Jones Coleman, 78, went home into God’s presence on January 10 after a sudden illness and a valiant week-long fight in ICU. Doris was born on October 11, 1944, in the mountains of Marion, NC while her father was away fighting in the US Navy during World War II. Raymond Jones was so proud to return after the war and meet his little girl! Doris grew up in Durham, NC and graduated from Durham High School. She furthered her studies at Watts Hospital School of Nursing in Durham and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1966.

choice except to patrol — “commuting” it’s often called, half-jokingly — every day.

businesses shut down, cut their hour or kept their doors locked to everyone but regular customers.

Pushback comes quickly

Activist groups rapidly organized across deeply liberal Minneapolis-St. Paul and some suburbs. Small armies of volunteers began making food deliveries to immigrants afraid to leave their homes. They drove people to work and stood watch outside schools.

They also created interlocking webs of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of rapid response networks — sophisticated systems involving thousands of volunteers who track immigration agents, communicating with encrypted apps like Signal.

Celebrate the life of your loved ones. Submit obituaries and death notices to be published in SCJ at obits@stanlyjournal.com

To be sure, federal agents are barely a presence in many areas, and most people have never smelled a whiff of tear gas. But the crackdown rippled quickly through immigrant-heavy neighborhoods. Patients are avoiding life-saving medical care, doctors said. Thousands of immigrant children are staying home. Immigrant

Tracking often means little more than quietly reporting the movement of convoys to dispatchers and recording the license plates of possible federal vehicles.

But it’s not always quiet. Protester caravans regularly form behind immigration convoys, creating mobile protests of anger and warning that weave through city streets.

When agents stop to arrest or question someone, the networks signal the location, summoning more people who sound warnings with whistles and honking, film what’s happening and call out legal advice to people being

“I saw people alerting neighbors that ICE was in their neighborhood. And that’s what neighbors should continue to do.”

Darrick Baldwin

Jason Chavez

January 7, 1973 ~ January 8, 2023

detained.

Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, warned Thursday that activists will continue to “be held accountable.”

“Justice is coming,” he told reporters.

Many protesters come expecting trouble

Darrick Vashon Baldwin, age 50, entered eternal rest, Sunday, January 8, 2023, Albemarle, North Carolina. Born January 7, 1973, in Stanly County, North Carolina, Darrick was the son of Eddie James Baldwin Sr. and the late Phyllis Blue Baldwin. Darrick enjoyed life, always kept things lively and enjoyed making others smile. His presence is no longer in our midst, but his memory will forever live in our hearts.

He was educated in the Stanly County public schools and attended Albemarle Senior High School, Albemarle.

Sometimes it all can feel performative, whether it’s Bovino in body armor tossing a smoke grenade, or young activists who rarely take off their helmets and gas masks, even when law enforcement is nowhere to be seen.

He was a great conversationalist and loved meeting people. Darrick never met a stranger and always showed love and compassion for his fellowman. He also loved his dog, Rocky.

But crowds often lead to real confrontations, with protesters screaming at immigration agents. Agents respond only sometimes, but when they do it’s often with punches, pepper spray, tear gas and arrests.

Those confrontations worry some in the activist world.

Take the recent afternoon in south Minneapolis, where dozens of protesters, some in gas masks, clashed

He is survived by his father, Eddie J. Baldwin Sr.; sisters: Crystal (Eric) Jackson, LaFondra (Stoney) Medley, and Morgan Baldwin; brothers: Eddie Baldwin Jr., Anton Baldwin, and Lamont Baldwin; a host of other relatives and friends. A limb has fallen from our family tree. We will not grieve Darrick’s death; we will celebrate his life. We give thanksgiving for the many shared memories.

At age 50, after years as a Detroit Diesel Mechanic he and Julie decided to take the plunge and open a full Model A Restoration Shop. They thrived at their shop in Cornelius, NC until their retirement in 1998 when they moved back to Cabarrus County. John once again set up shop in his back yard garage where he attracted a loyal group of friends who visited almost daily. While on the farm in Gold Hill, John also began a lifelong love with Alis Chalmers tractors after he restored his Dad’s tractor and began amassing his collection of tractors as well.

Demonstrators without masks wretched in the streets as volunteers handed out bottles of water to flush their eyes. By then, even many of the people in the protest weren’t sure what started it, including the city council member who soon arrived. Minneapolis has a long tradition of progressivism, and Jason Chavez is a proud part of that. He bristled when asked about the confrontation.

“I didn’t see anybody ‘confronting,’” said Chavez. “I saw people alerting neighbors that ICE was in their neighborhood. And that’s what neighbors should continue to do.”

Tracking immigration in an immigrant neighborhood

John restored many cars of his own and had the crowning achievement of winning the most prestigious award from MARC, The Henry for a restoration that garnered top points. He was also presented with the Ken Brady Service Awardthe highest award given to members at the national level.

“Sometimes people just want to pick up their kid and walk their dog and go to work. And I get that. I get that desire,” she said while driving through the neighborhood last week. “I just don’t know if that’s the world we live in anymore.”

She runs constant equations in her head: Should she report an immigration vehicle to the network’s dispatcher, or honk her horn as a warning? Would honking unnecessarily scare residents who are already afraid? Are agents leading her around? Are federal vehicles moving to launch a raid, or are they distracting observers while other agents make arrests elsewhere?

Doris married Rev. Dr. Ted Coleman in 1966 and had two daughters Amy and Laura. Doris raised Amy and Laura in North Augusta, SC. Doris was an incredible neonatal intensive care nurse for most of her career, and this was her passion. The Augusta Chronicle did a feature on her in 1985. She was a clinical nurse manager in Augusta, Georgia at University Hospital NICU and worked there for 20 years. During this time, Doris mentored young nurses and assisted in saving the lives of so many babies. She also worked for Pediatrician Dr. William A. Wilkes in Augusta for several years prior to her NICU career. Doris retired from the mother/baby area at Atrium Stanly in 2007 after over 40 years of nursing.

She is careful and avoids confrontation. She also finds hope in the community that has been created, and how offers to volunteer exploded after the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good by an ICE agent. And she understands the anger of the people who face off against agents.

This is what John’s Model A Community had to say upon learning of his death: He was an active member of Wesley Chapel Methodist Church where he loved serving as greeter on Sunday mornings. He also belonged to the United Methodist Men.

To understand this world, talk to a woman known in the rapid response networks only by her nickname, Sunshine. She asked that her real name not be used, fearing retaliation.

A friendly woman who works in health care, she has spent hundreds of hours in her slightly beat-up Subaru patrolling an immigrant St. Paul enclave of taquerias and Asian grocery stores, watching for signs of federal agents. She can spot an idling SUV from the tiniest hint of exhaust, an out-of-state license plate from a block away, and quickly distinguish an undercover St. Paul police car from an unmarked immigration vehicle.

“My strategy, my approach, my risk calculation is different than other peoples’. And at the same time, the vitriol, the frustration, I get it,” she said. “And sometimes it feels good to see someone unleash that.”

Doris was a gentle and sweet spirit and loved her Lord. She never met a stranger, and she always left you feeling uplifted after talking with her. She would often claim that she had “adopted” friends into her immediate family, and honestly, she never made a distinction between the two. Positivity radiated from her like sunlight. She was selfless, funny, smart, and sentimental. During her lifetime she was an active member of First Baptist Church of Durham, First Baptist Church of Augusta, Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Augusta, and Palestine United Methodist Church in Albemarle. She especially loved helping at church with older adults, youth, and children.

John is survived by his wife Julie Ussery Kluttz, for 66 years of the home. He is also survived by a son John David Kluttz (Kim) of Oakboro, NC; two daughters, Sally Simerson of Denver, CO and Betsy Tusa (John) of Lafayette, CO; three grandchildren, Bonnie Kluttz Sammons (Ben) of Richfield, NC John Alexander McKinnon (Sarah) of Asheville, NC and Seth William McKinnon (Amanda) of Germany; five great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Meredith, Grant, Victoria and Ronan. John is also preceded in death by his parents, J.S. Kluttz and Mary Wyatt Clayton Kluttz; a large and loving group of brothers and sisters, Jack Methias Kluttz, Annie Lou Kluttz Honeycutt, Jake Nelson Kluttz, Julius Kluttz, Mary Patricia Phillips and a grandson, Kevin Fowler Kluttz.

On the messaging apps, she’s simply Sunshine. She knows the real names of few other people, even after working with some for weeks on end.

She hates what is happening, and feels deeply for people living in fear. She worries the Trump administration wants to push the nation into civil war, and believes she has no

She was especially talented at sewing from a young age and made gifts for friends, Christmas ornaments, Halloween Costumes, doll clothes, pageant dresses, prom dresses, coats, tote bags, scarves, outfits for Amy and Laura, and Christening gowns for each of her grandchildren.

Not everyone agrees. Nationally, some activist groups avoid protest strategies that could lead to clashes.

“Loud does not equal effective,” a group in a heavily immigrant Maryland county said in a recent social media post, explaining why their volunteers don’t use whistles.

The Montgomery County Immigrant Rights Collective notes that it isn’t suggesting how other groups should operate, and that “local conditions should guide your local tactics.” But it warns its own members that whistling can “escalate already volatile ICE agents who don’t respect our rights” and “increase the likelihood of aggression toward bystanders or the detained person.”

“This is not an action movie,” the post says. “You are not in a one-on-one fight with ICE.”

Doris was preceded in death by her father Arthur Raymond Jones, her mother Mary Ellen Cameron Jones, and her sister Maryanne Jones Brantley. Survivors include her two precious daughters: Amy Cameron Coleman (partner Dr. Edward Neal Chernault) of Albemarle, NC, and Laura Lindahl Coleman Oliverio (husband David) of Cincinnati, Ohio; seven grandchildren: Cameron David Oliverio, Stephanie Jae Dejak, Luca Beatty Oliverio, Coleman John Dejak, Carson Joseph Oliverio, Ryan Nicholas Dejak, and Jadon Richard Oliverio; and numerous in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

German leader hails Europe as ‘alternative to imperialism and autocracy’

Friedrich Merz says the bloc of nations can offer something different

By Geir Moulson The Associated Press

BERLIN — German Chancellor Friedrich Merz hailed the European Union on Thursday as an “alternative to imperialism and autocracy” that can forge deals with like-minded partners in a world of increasing great power rivalry. Merz underlined the continuing value of a NATO in which Europe will intensify its defense efforts, and said it will always seek cooperation with the United States — but not as a “subordinate.” He also joined other European leaders in pushing back against U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that troops from nonU.S. NATO countries avoided the front line during the war in Afghanistan.

Merz spoke to the German parliament about foreign policy a week after Trump withdrew a threat of new tariffs against Germany and seven other European countries to press for U.S. control over Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally and EU member Denmark.

“We are seeing increasingly clearly in the last few weeks that a world of great powers is beginning to form,” Merz said. “A harsh wind is blowing in this world, and we will be feeling it for the foreseeable future.”

from

the Walk of Fame Advisory Board, a committee appointed by the Albemarle City Council. The board submits its recommended inductees to the council, which grants final approval. Along with establishing the

member seat for a four-year term effective Nov. 7, 2025, through Nov. 6, 2029. Speight previously served as a general public member and was recommended to move into the physician role after the seat became vacant.

The physician seat opened following the expiration of Dr. Jenny Hinson’s term on Nov. 6, 2025. Hinson did not seek reappointment, and no other qualified applications were on file for the physician position. After discussion, the board unanimously recommended Speight for the role.

Merz told lawmakers. “We are also a normative alternative to imperialism and autocracy in the world.”

He emphasized the value of unity in the sometimes fractious 27-nation EU, saying the bloc had shown last week that it could act fast. “We agreed that we would not be intimidated again by tariff threats,” he said.

But he said that Europe also needs to “learn the language of power politics” to assert itself in a changing world, for example by taking greater responsibility for its security, striving for greater “technological independence” and boosting its economic growth.

Merz is a strong backer of the EU making more trade deals, including one with South America’s Mercosur bloc and another struck this week with India.

While seeking new alliances, “it is also clear for us and for me that we should not carelessly jeopardize existing alliances,” Merz said, adding that “trans-Atlantic trust is a value in itself even today.”

He said that Europeans want to preserve NATO and make it stronger, and “we will always reach out the hand of cooperation to the United States of America.”

“At the same time, the basis of this guiding principle remains ... as democracies, we are partners and allies and not subordinates,” he added.

But that also opens opportunities for Europe, he said, as democracies with open and growing markets “seek what we have to offer them, namely partnerships on the basis of mutual respect, trust and reliability.”

“We should not underestimate how attractive this European model can be for new partners and new alliances,”

program, the city council retroactively set Jan. 1, 2025, as the start date for the initial three-year terms of advisory board members Louisa Jane, Judy Holcombe, Foster Parker, Courtney Brown and Bob Johnson. According to the program’s

With Speight’s move, Jennifer Lehn was appointed to fill the vacated general public member seat. Lehn will serve the remainder of the four-year term effective Feb. 5, 2026, through Nov. 6, 2027. Sharon Efird was appointed to the pharmacist member seat for a four-year term effective Nov. 7, 2025, through Nov. 6, 2029. The seat was vacant, and the board received two qualified applications. After discussion and a majority vote, Efird was selected over Sean Pickler.

Dr. James Link was reappointed to serve a four-year term as the veterinarian mem-

timeline, nominations are accepted from Jan. 1 through April 30, followed by a nominee review and a subsequent city council presentation. Event preparations and medallion ordering are scheduled during the summer, with the Walk of Fame ceremony planned for October.

ber effective Nov. 7, 2025, through Nov. 6, 2029. Link previously served a partial two-year term after Dr. Amy Jordan resigned her position and was the only qualified applicant for the seat. Seena Koohestani was also reappointed to the board as the consumer of human services member. His four-year term will run from March 4, 2026, through March 3, 2030.

The Stanly County Board of Commissioners will hold its next regular meeting on Monday night at 6 p.m. in the Gene McIntyre Meeting Room at Stanly County Commons.

Merz noted that 59 German troops died in Afghanistan during the country’s nearly 20 -year deployment in Afghanistan, and well over 100 were wounded.

He did not directly reference an interview by Trump last week when the president said he wasn’t sure the other 31 nations in NATO would be there to support the United States if and when requested and that troops from those countries stayed “a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan.

The average refund could rise to more than $4,000 thanks to tax law changes

By Cora Lewis The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Tax filing season is underway, and the IRS expects 164 million people will file returns by April 15.

The average refund last year was $3,167. This year, analysts have projected it could be $1,000 higher, thanks to changes in tax law. More than 165 million individual income tax returns were processed last year, with 94% submitted electronically.

People with straightforward returns should not encounter delays, but because of an exodus of IRS workers since the start of the Trump administration, the national taxpayer advocate has cautioned that the 2026 tax filing season is likely to present challenges for those who run into problems filing.

While last year IRS employees were not permitted to accept a buyout offer from the Trump administration until after the taxpayer filing deadline, many of those customer service workers have now left. The IRS started 2025 with about 102,000 employees and finished with roughly 74,000 after a series of firings and layoffs led by the Department

of Government Efficiency. Here’s what to know.

When refunds will go out

If you file electronically, the IRS says it should take 21 days or less to receive your refund. If you choose direct deposit, it should take even less time. If you file a paper return, the refund could take four weeks or more, and if your return requires amendments or corrections, it could take longer.

The IRS cautions that taxpayers not rely on receiving a refund by a certain date, especially when making major purchases or paying bills.

How to check the status of your refund

Taxpayers can use the online tool Where’s My Refund? to check the status of their refund within 24 hours of e-filing and generally within four weeks of filing a paper return.

The “Where’s My Refund?” tool will also provide projected deposit dates for most early EITC/ ACTC refund filers by Feb. 21, according to the IRS. Information related to this tool is updated once daily, overnight. To access the status of your refund, you’ll need:

• Your Social Security or individual taxpayer ID number (ITIN)

Taxpayers can also consult the IRS2Go app, or their IRS Individual Online Account, to check their refund status.

How tax refunds work

If you paid more through the year than you owe in tax, due to withholding or other reasons, you should get money back. Even if you didn’t pay excess tax, you may still get a refund if you qualify for a refundable credit, like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or Child Tax Credit. To get your refund, you must file a return, and you have three years to claim a tax refund.

Who qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit

To qualify for the EITC, you must have under $11,950 in investment income and earn less than a specific income level from working. If you’re single with no children, your income level must be $19,104 or below. And if you’re

married filing jointly with three or more children, you must make $68,675 or below. To determine if your household qualifies based on your marital status and your number of dependents you can use the online EITC Assistant tool.

Who qualifies for the Child Tax Credit and Additional Child Tax Credit

If you have a child, you are most likely eligible for the Child Tax Credit. The credit is up to $2,200 per qualifying child. To qualify, a child must:

• Have a Social Security number

• Be under age 17 at the end of 2025

• Be your son, daughter, stepchild, eligible foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, half-sister, or a descendant of one of these (for example, a grandchild, niece or nephew)

• Not provide more than half of his or her own support for the tax year

• Have lived with you for more than half the tax year

• Be claimed as a dependent on your tax return

• Not file a joint return for the year (or filed the joint return only to claim a refund of taxes withheld or estimated taxes)

• Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national or a U.S. resident alien

You qualify for the full amount of the Child Tax Credit for each qualifying child if you meet all eligibility factors and your annual income is not more than $200,000 ($400,000 if filing a joint return). You qualify for the Additional Child Tax Credit if ($1,700 per qualifying child) if you meet these factors and have little or no federal income tax liability. You must have earned income of at least $2,500 to be eligible for the ACTC.

When the tax credits will become available

The IRS expects most refunds for the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit and the Additional Child Tax Credit to be available in bank accounts or on debit cards by March 2 for taxpayers who choose direct deposit. Some taxpayers may receive their refund earlier, depending on their financial institution.

What’s different this year

This year, most taxpayers must provide their routing and account numbers to receive refunds directly deposited into their bank accounts. That’s because the IRS began phasing out paper tax refund checks on Sept. 30 in accordance with an executive order.

The discovery offers a rare glimpse into prehistoric tool-making 700,000 years ago

By Adithi Ramakrishnan

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Two artifacts found at a lake shore in Greece are the oldest wooden tools to be uncovered so far and date back 430,000 years.

One is a spindly stick about 2 1/2 feet long that could have been used for digging in the mud. The other is a smaller, more mysterious handheld chunk of willow or poplar wood that may have been used to shape stone tools, according to research published Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Scientists think ancient humans wielded a whole litany of tools made from stone, bone and wood. But it’s particularly difficult to find evidence of wooden tools today because wood rots so quickly. Such tools are only preserved in specific environ-

ments like in ice, caves or underwater.

The newest tools, found in Greece’s Megalopolis basin, were possibly buried quickly by sediment and preserved by a wet environment over time. For years, researchers have found other remnants at the site, including stone tools and elephant bones with cuts on them. While scientists didn’t directly date the wooden tools, the site is about 430,000 years old, which provides insight into the objects’ age.

“I’ve always just been thrilled to be able to touch these objects,” said study author Annemieke Milks with the University of Reading.

Human remains haven’t been found at the site yet, so it’s not yet clear who used the tools. The owners could have been Nean-

derthals, early human ancestors or someone else.

The site in Greece probably has more gems from the past that are waiting to be found, said archaeologist Jarod Hutson with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. But the unassuming appearance of these two new tools makes them harder to interpret.

“It’s difficult to get excited about these because they don’t strike you immediately as wooden tools. And we don’t know what they were used for,” said Hutson, who was not involved with the new study.

Other examples of ancient wooden tools include a set of spears from Germany and 300,000-year-old Chinese digging sticks that may have been used to harvest plants.

The new find offers a rare look into the varied collection of tools used to survive — a glimpse at a “little known aspect of the technology of early humans,” study author Katerina Harvati with the University of Tübingen said in an email.

Average US long-term mortgage rate ticks higher, holding near lowest point in more than 3 years

Fed pauses rate cuts as housing market remains stuck in sales slump

By Alex Veiga The Associated Press

THE AVERAGE long-term

U.S. mortgage rate edged up for the second week in a row, but remains just above its lowest level in more than three years.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.1% from 6.09% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the rate averaged 6.95%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. That average rate inched up to 5.49% from 5.44% last week. A year ago, it was at 6.12%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

The 10-year Treasury yield was at 4.24% at midday Thursday, just below where it was a week ago.

The latest increase in mortgage rates comes a day after the Fed decided to pause cuts to its main interest rate after lowering rates three times in a row to close out 2025 in an attempt to shore up the job market.

The central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, but its de-

“While slightly better rates have supported modest increases in sales and helped temper affordability pressures, the recovery is expected to be slow and uneven until rates move significantly lower and inventory expands further.”

Jiayi Xu, economist at Realtor.com

cisions to raise or lower its short-term rate are watched closely by bond investors and can ultimately affect the yield on 10-year Treasurys that influence mortgage rates.

Mortgage rates have also moved higher in recent weeks as the bond market reacted to geopolitical tensions.

The U.S. housing market has been in a sales slump dating back to 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. The combination of higher mortgage rates, years of skyrocketing home prices and a chronic shortage of homes nationally following more than a decade of below-average home construction have left many aspiring homeowners priced out of the market. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes remained stuck last year at 30-year lows.

Still, the pullback in mortgage rates that began late last summer helped give sales of existing U.S. homes a boost toward the end of last year. In December, sales jumped 5.1% from the previous month.

The recent uptick in rates led to fewer home shoppers applying for a home loan.

Mortgage applications overall fell 8.5% last week from a

week earlier, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Applications for mortgage refinancing loans fell 16%, but still accounted for 56.2% of all home loan applications. Applications for loans to buy a home slipped 0.4%.

Economists generally expect mortgage rates to ease further this year, though most recent forecasts show the average rate on a 30-year mortgage remaining above 6%, about twice what it was six years ago.

Still, rates would have to drop considerably for homeowners, who bought or refinanced when mortgage rates hit rock bottom earlier this decade, to take on a new loan at a far higher rate.

Nearly 69% of U.S. homes with an outstanding mortgage have a fixed-rate of 5% or lower, and slightly more than half have a rate at or below 4%, according to Realtor.com.

“While slightly better rates have supported modest increases in sales and helped temper affordability pressures, the recovery is expected to be slow and uneven until rates move significantly lower and inventory expands further,” said Jiayi Xu, economist at Realtor.com.

STANLY SPORTS

averaged 10.2 points and 4.2

Pfeiffer women notch 73-56

home win over Apprentice School

The Falcons are 3-3 since Jan. 8

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — The Pfeiffer women’s basketball team bounced back from consecutive conference losses with a 73-56 nonconference home victory over Apprentice School on Wednesday night at Merner Gym. The Falcons (10-7, 7-3 USA South) steadied themselves after a brief skid, improving to 3-3 over their past six games as they

continue to push toward their first winning season since the 2017-18 campaign.

Pfeiffer remains on pace to surpass last season’s 11-13 overall finish and 8-8 fifth-place showing in conference play, while a league championship would mark the program’s first since 2007.

Sophomore guard Ava Hairston paced the Falcons with a game-high 24 points, providing a steady offensive spark throughout the night. Junior guard Miya Horton added 12 points, three rebounds and three assists, while graduate forward Nyree Bell contributed

8

Years since Pfeiffer’s women’s basketball last had a winning season

10 points and a team-best seven rebounds in the win. Apprentice School (9-5, 3-0 NSAC) was led by Cornasia Lamberson, who posted a double-double with 19 points and 16 rebounds.

Pfeiffer controlled the game early, jumping out to a 2510 lead in the opening quarter before extending the margin to 50-28 at halftime. The Builders made a push in the third quarter, trimming the deficit to 11 points, but the Falcons responded down the stretch and outscored Apprentice School 16 -10 in the final period.

The Falcons rank third among the USA South’s 10 teams in scoring defense, allowing 60.2 points per game. Offensively, Pfeiffer averages 65.6 points per contest, ranking sixth in the league, with a bal-

anced attack led by Hairston (13.3 points per game), Horton (12) and junior guard Lettie Michael (10.2).

On the glass, junior guard Lola Cabaniss-Ali and Bell each average more than five rebounds per game.

Pfeiffer currently sits third in the USA South standings behind Southern Virginia (11-0) and second-place Brevard (9 -2), both of whom recently handed the Falcons conference losses. Pfeiffer held first place prior to a 67-65 road loss to Southern Virginia on Jan. 17 and an 87-41 home setback against Brevard on Jan. 20.

Pfeiffer returns to league play Tuesday with a road matchup at Brevard before traveling to Staunton, Virginia, to face Mary Baldwin on Saturday. The regular-season schedule will conclude with a home rematch against Southern Virginia on Feb. 21.

Harlem Wizards set to play teachers in charity game

The Wizards will face Stanly County educators in the annual event

By Jesse Deal Stanly News Journal

MISENHEIMER — In what has become an annual community fundraiser, the Harlem Wizards will square off with the Stanly Dragons in Misenheimer on Thursday night.

The entertainment-based basketball matchup in Pfeiffer University’s Merner Gym features the entertainment-based Wizards against the Dragons, a squad made up of teachers and staff from Stanly County Schools.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and the game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

“Cold weather means it’s time for basketball and that means the Harlem Wizards are coming. Now it is time to get your tickets,” the Albemarle Rotary Club said in a statement. “Don’t miss this display of amazing basketball skills and tricks.”

The game is sponsored by the Albemarle Rotary Club, with proceeds benefiting local schools, scholarships and Rotary projects that support the Stanly County community. Advanced tickets are available online only through the Harlem Wizards’ official website. Student tickets are $12, while general admission tickets are $14.

A $45 Courtside Plus ticket option is also available and includes reserved seating, a pregame meet-and-greet with Wizards players and souvenir

COURTESY HARLEM WIZARDS

The Harlem Wizards will face the Stanly Dragons in Misenheimer on Feb. 5.

items such as a Courtside Plus pass and a color team photo, which will be picked up at the game. Coached by SCS Superintendent Jarrod Dennis, the 2026 Stanly Dragons roster includes Wren Griffin (West Stanly High); Sharon Stephens, Myisha Clark, Saphira Simmons, Erika Coone and Shaquarius Lilly (East Albemarle); Daniel Ubaldo (Albemarle Middle); Shannon Fowler (Central Office); Emily Emery (Richfield);

Adriana D’Amato and Lindsay

Merritt (Stanfield); Chris Jonassen (West Stanly Middle); Olivia Earnhardt and Malachi Johnson (Millingport); Michael Brandon Davis (Locust); Michele Timberlake (Norwood); Jennifer Misenheimer and Angie Slade (Central); Kelly Dombrowski (STEM Early College); Kristin Owens White and Sara Wolfe (South Stanly Middle); Melanie Lema and Joshua Drye (North Stanly High); Brandon Sides (Endy); and Mac-

“The night is funny, theatrical, exciting and spectacular.”

Harlem Wizards

kenzie Plant (Oakboro STEM). “Basketball aficionados are treated to great skills, teamwork, slick dribbling, alley-oops and crazy slams,” the Wizards’ organization said in a promo -

tional release. “The non-hoop fans attending will find out that this is much more than just a basketball game. The night is funny, theatrical, exciting and spectacular.”

Founded in 1962, the Harlem Wizards tour nationally and internationally as a show basketball team specializing in charity games. The team has played more than 15,000 games and raised more than $25 million for schools and nonprofit organizations.

Clemson’s Swinney alleges tampering by Ole Miss’ Golding, calls for reforms

The coach has provided the NCAA with evidence of illegal tactics

By Brett Martell The Associated Press

CLEMSON COACH Dabo

Swinney is accusing Mississippi coach Pete Golding of tampering with transfer player Luke Ferrelli and said Friday he has forwarded evidence to the NCAA.

“If you tamper with my players, I’m going to turn you in. It’s just that simple,” Swinney said during a news conference. “I’m not out to get anybody fired, but there has to be accountability and consequences for this type of behavior and total disregard for the rules.

“If this happened in the NFL, which is an actual league with rules, they would be fined, they would take draft picks, they hit the cap, whatever,” Swinney continued. “This is such a terrible example for young coaches in this profession. ... To me, this situation is like having an affair on your honeymoon.”

Ferrelli, a former linebacker at California, entered the transfer portal Jan. 2 and committed to Clemson four days later. Ferrelli subsequently enrolled, began classes, and began attending meetings and workouts, Swinney said.

Ferrelli reentered the portal Jan. 22 and committed to Ole Miss.

“You can’t sign with the Browns and practice a week, and then the Dolphins call you and say we’re going to give you a little more money and you say, ‘See ya, boys,’ and go play for the Dolphins. That’s not the real world,” Swinney said.

Ole Miss athletic officials

did not respond to Swinney’s allegations.

NCAA vice president of enforcement Jon Duncan said in a statement that the association “will investigate any credible allegations of tampering and expect full cooperation from all involved as required by NCAA rules.”

Swinney alleged that Golding maintained contact with Ferrelli after the linebacker had enrolled at Clemson, even texting, “I know you’re signed, but what is your buyout?”

When Swinney found out about it, he said he initially told Clemson general manager Jordan Sorrells that he wanted to give Golding “some grace”

because the Rebels’ coach was newly promoted after Lane Kiffin left for LSU over Thanksgiving weekend.

Swinney asked Sorrells to tell Ole Miss officials “that we know what’s going on, and if he doesn’t cease communication, I’m going to turn him in. I really thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn’t.”

Swinney said Ferrelli’s agent confirmed that Golding had continued reaching out to the player, so Clemson officials asked for copies of the text messages.

“The agent communicated that if we were to add a second year at $1 million to the already agreed-upon deal with Luke,

then they would gladly give us whatever we need to turn Ole Miss in,” Swinney said. “Jordan, appropriately, said, ‘No, we’re not doing that.’”

Clemson athletic director Graham Neff said the university’s main reason for making the allegations public was to spur changes to the college football calendar and related rules — or lack thereof — that have contributed to upheaval across the sport.

“The NCAA was surprised a school was willing to come forward as directly and transparently as we were,” Neff said. “We need to look real hard at how we got here but (also) how to get out of it.”

“We’re going to have some screwed-up 30-year-olds ... that have no degrees, that have spent their money, that can’t play football anymore and aren’t connected to anything,”

Dabo Swinney, Clemson coach

Neff added that Clemson was exploring its legal options.

“This is not about a linebacker at Clemson,” Swinney added. “I don’t want anyone on our team that doesn’t want to be here.

“It’s about the next kid and about the message being sent if this blatant tampering is allowed to happen without any consequences.”

Swinney also called the January transfer portal window “stupid,” saying it causes “flat- out extortion in some cases” because players and schools are making major decisions during “such a short period of time, right in the middle of when people are trying to play bowl games, playoff games, et cetera.”

If the system is not reformed, Swinney warned, there will be unintended consequences for players who transfer among multiple schools while chasing short-term financial payouts — particularly if they don’t make it to the NFL.

“We’re going to have some screwed-up 30-year-olds ... that have no degrees, that have spent their money, that can’t play football anymore and aren’t connected to anything,” Swinney said.

NOTICE OF PRIMARY FOR FEDERAL, STATE, AND COUNTY OFFICES STANLY COUNTY, NC

Primaries for the parties listed below will be held in Stanly County on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. The polls will be open for voting on that day from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Polling places are accessible. Curbside voting is available for voters who are not physically able to enter the polling place. A complete list of polling places may be found in the Notice of Polling Places and Buffer Zones posted on our website, at the Stanly County Courthouse, and at the Elections office.

Voters affiliated with a party must vote in that party’s primary. Unaffiliated voters may vote in the party primary of their choice by making such a request after stating their name and address upon entering the polling place.

The following offices are included on the ballots for this primary:

Democrat: US Senate, US House of Representatives District 08, NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 3, NC House of Representatives District 067, and County Board of Commissioners At-Large

Republican: US Senate, NC Court of Appeals Judge Seat 1, and County Board of Commissioners Districts 1, 2, & 4

Only qualified residents may vote in this primary. Residents who will be 18 years of age by November 3, 2026 are allowed to register and vote in the Primary at the age of 17. Residents who are not registered to vote must register by Friday, February 6, 2026 to be eligible to vote on Primary day. A person may register to vote at the Board of Elections Office from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., M-F. Other registration agencies include DMV (online and inperson), Public Assistance Offices, High Schools, Community Colleges, and Libraries. Applications may be downloaded at www.ncsbe.gov/registering/how-register Applications are accepted in-person, by mail, by fax, and by email of a scanned document. Originals of faxed or emailed applications for new registrations must be received by February 11, 2026.

Voters who previously registered do not need to reregister. A voter who wishes to change party affiliation must make that change with the Board of Elections by February 6, 2026. Registration updates are made and submitted as described above for new registrants. Address changes should be made by the same deadline, but may be made at the time a voter presents to vote.

Identification: All voters will be asked to show

when voting. Absentee by-mail voters will be asked to include a copy of their photo identification with their ballot.

Acceptable photo IDs that may be expired up to one year: NC Driver License, US Passport, NC DMV State ID, NC Voter Photo ID, approved College/university student ID cards, approved Government employee ID cards (including charter schools), and out of state driver license/ID if the voter registered within 90 days of the election.

Acceptable photo IDs that do not require a printed expiration date and have no expiration limit: Military ID, Veterans ID, Tribal enrollment card for a state or federally recognized tribe, and a public assistance ID.

Voters who cannot provide an acceptable photo ID may cast a provisional ballot and later provide an ID to the elections office prior to the canvass, or complete an exception form with the provisional ballot. Exceptions include a reasonable impediment to obtaining photo ID, or for absentee-by-mail voters providing a copy of the ID, a religious objection to being photographed, or as a victim of a declared natural disaster within 100 days before election day.

Absentee ballots are available by-mail upon request of the voter, voter’s near relative, verifiable legal guardian, or a person of the voter’s choice if the voter needs assistance due to a disability. Requests can be made online at votebymail.ncsbe.gov or on the State Absentee Request form. Request forms are available on the website or by calling the Board of Elections office. Ballots are mailed January 12, 2026 through February 17, 2026. After this time, voters who are sick or disabled or a near relative or verifiable legal guardian of the voter may apply for an absentee ballot in person between February 18, 2026 and March 2, 2026. Requests must be returned by-mail or in-person. They will not be accepted by email or fax.

Ballots must be returned by mail, courier, or delivered in person by the voter, voter’s near relative, verifiable legal guardian, or by a person of the voter’s choice if the voter needs assistance returning their ballot due to a disability. Civilian ballots must be returned to the Board of Elections by 7:30 p.m. on March 3, 2026. Military and overseas citizen ballots must be received by the Elections office by 7:30 p.m. on March 3, 2026 or be transmitted by 12:01 a.m. (voter time) on March 3, 2026 and received by 5:00 p.m. on March 12, 2026. Early voting will be held at the Board of Elections in the DSS Auditorium located at the Stanly Commons, 1000 N First Street Albemarle, NC 28001 from Thursday, February 12, 2026 to Saturday, February 28, 2026. Early voting hours, Monday through Friday, begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, February 28th, voting hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

As permitted by law, persons wishing to register and vote after the registration deadline may appear in person at an early voting site, complete the voter registration application form, and provide proof of residence by presenting valid documents showing current name and address.

The board will meet on Friday, March 6, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. to approve provisional ballots cured and civilian absentee ballots, and Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. to conduct the sample hand-eye count. The canvass will begin Friday, March 13, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Candidates having the right to demand a Second Primary shall do so no later than 12:00 noon on Thursday, March 12, 2026.

If needed, a Second Primary will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026. The rules stated above concerning registration apply to the second primary, as well. Unaffiliated voters must participate in the same party primary as chosen in the first Primary. Voters who did not vote in the first Primary may vote in the Second Primary. Early voting will be available at the Elections office April 23, 2026 - May 9, 2026, Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturday, May 9, 2026, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Absentee bymail ballots will be available beginning March 23, 2026.

Persons with questions about registration, location of polling places, absentee ballots, or other election matters may contact the Stanly County Board of Elections at 1000 N First Street, Suite 16, Albemarle NC 28001; at (704) 986-3647; by U.S. Mail: PO Box 1309, Albemarle NC 28002; by email: elections@stanlycountync.gov; or visit our web site at www.votestanlycountync.gov

William N. Rigsbee, Jr., Chair Stanly County Board of Elections

In the rehearsal tent: Here’s what makes Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony special

More than 1,200 volunteers are preparing to kick off the games for the world

By Colleen Barry The Associated Press

MILAN — Inside a cavern-

ous tent near Milan’s San Siro stadium, classically trained dancers from La Scala’s academy mimicked Nordic walkers and figure skaters during a rehearsal Saturday for the opening number of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics opening ceremony, which will take place on Feb. 6.

The young dancers are among some 1,200 volunteers who have been rehearsing since November in the tent large enough to mark the actual stage while Italian Serie A soccer wrapped up its final soccer matches before turning the iconic stadium into an Olympic venue.

“The preparation of the Olympic ceremony is a very complicated journey but also an exhilarating journey because you get to meet all these volunteers, dance classes, normal people,’’ opening ceremony creative director Marco Balich said.

Volunteers include Balich’s butcher, the head of his office and an 88-year-old widow.

“And all of them join in to create something for the nation, for the joy of being part of a huge event like the Olympics,’’ said Balich, the producer of a record 16 Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies including the 2006 Turin opening ceremony.

Over the next two weeks, rehearsals will amp up to some nine hours a day — all in pursuit of Olympic emotion for what is billed as the most viewed moment of the Games. Some 60,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony live in San Siro, including a U.S. delegation led by Vice President JD Vance, while millions around the world will watch on official

“The preparation of the Olympic ceremony is a very complicated journey but also an exhilarating.”

Marco Balich, opening ceremony creative director

broadcasters.

The theme of this year’s opening ceremony is “Harmony,’’ an especially potent message as the world order is shaken and populations from Ukraine to Gaza to Iran are exposed to violence.

The concept of an Olympic Truce, originating in ancient Greece and revived by Olympic officials in the 1990s, is even more urgent this year, Balich said. The truce aims to promote peace and dialogue through sport by ceasing hostilities for a week before the Olympics and a week after the Paralympics, which close March 15. Getting belligerents to cooperate is another matter.

“In this moment, where forces and bullies are predominant, I think it’s very important for all of us to embrace the values that the Olympics represents, which is to compete respectfully and peacefully between all the countries and nations, summarized in the title ‘Harmony,’ ’’ Balich said.

Balich’s ceremony will highlight Italian excellence and creativity, including a nod to Milan’s role as a fashion capital, and eye-openers he won’t reveal to preserve the surprise.

Some moments of the opening ceremony have been announced: U.S. pop star Mariah Carey, crossover tenor Andrea Bocelli, mezzo-soprano Cecilia Bartoli, Italian singer Laura Pausini and concert pianist Lang Lang will perform.

Others are prescribed by Olympic protocol. They include the unveiling of the Olympic rings, the parade of athletes and, in the final moment,

the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.

This year there will be two cauldrons, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s geometric studies: one in Milan, at the Arco della Pace some 2½ miles from San Siro, and the other in Cortina, some five hours and 250 miles away.

Director of ceremonies Maria Laura Iascone promised some “Olympic magic’ to transfer the flame over the final legs, given the extraordinary distances involved.

As the dual cauldron lighting illustrates, the 2026 Games are the most spread out in Olympic history. So that athletes even in far-flung venues near the Swiss and Austrian borders can participate, the Parade of Athletes will be beamed in from three other venues, including Cortina.

“This event will bring a lot of this magic and images,” Iascone said. “We keep a balance between the protocol moments that will be, let’s say, serious, very precise, and also moments where emotion will be brought through the participation of key roles and people.”

The rehearsal tent holds not only the mock stage but also a huge wardrobe room with 1,400 costumes, some in bright, broadcast-friendly Technicolor tones, and a corner for seamstresses and tailors to make final adjustments.

A sign on the door tells the performers who enter: “Your Happy Moment Starts Now! Welcome!”

Volunteer Fostis Siadimas didn’t need to be told. This is his second opening ceremony as a volunteer performer, after participating in the 2004 Summer Olympics in his native Athens as a 20-year-old. An amateur dancer now living in Milan, he eagerly answered the casting call.

‘’The last few moments before entering the stadium, it’s an experience, one of the best of my life, ever,’’ Siadimas said.

North Stanly, wrestling

Josiah McCowan is a junior on the North Stanly wrestling team. He also has competed in jiu jitsu. McCowan hit a career milestone last week, recording his 100th career win on the mat. As if that wasn’t enough to make it a big week, he also won a conference title, finishing first overall at the 2A/3A Yadkin Valley Conference Tournament.

Share with your community! Send us your births, deaths, marriages, graduations and other announcements: community@stanlynewsjournal.com Weekly deadline is Monday at Noon

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NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000018-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as EXECUTRIX of the estate of REECE VANCE DEESE, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, This is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said REECE VANCE DEESE to present them to the undersigned on or before, May 3, 2026, or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This 1st day of February 2026. Teresa D. Piner 600 Beautyberry Lane Wendell, North Carolina 27591 Executrix

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The undersigned, having qualified as the Executrix of the Estate of Terry L. Harward, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms, and corporations having claims against the Estate to present such claims to the undersigned Administratrix on or before the 20th day of April, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the estate will please make immediate payment. This the 7th day of January, 2026. Danielle Biles Executrix of the Estate of Terry L. Harward 20889 Huneycutt Mill Road Albemarle, NC 28001 David A. Beaver Attorney for the Executrix 160 N. First Street (P.O. Box 1338) Albemarle, NC 28001 (28002) 704-982-4915 Dates of publication: January 18 & 25 and February 1 & 8, 2026

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The undersigned has qualified as Executor of the Estate of ALVIN MILLER CHAPMAN, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina (Stanly County File Number 26E000012-830). This is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against said decedent or his estate to present the same duly itemized and verified to the undersigned Executor or his Attorney on or before the 20th day of April 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons, firms and corporations indebted to the decedent or to his estate are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executor or his attorney. This the 13th day of January 2026. RUEL HALL CHAPMAN, II Executor ESTATE OF ALVIN MILLER CHAPMAN PO Box 25611 Charlotte, NC 28229 CHARLES P. BROWN BROWN & SENTER, P.L.L.C. PO Box 400 Albemarle, North Carolina 280020400 Telephone: 704 982-2141 Facsimile: 704 982-0902

PUBLISH: January 18, 25, February 1, 8, 2026

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NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk

25E000664-830 Having qualified as Executor of the Estate of JILL S. TURNER, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate of said deceased to exhibit them to the undersigned on or before May 1, 2026, or this Notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 31st day of January, 2026.

MARK T. LOWDER EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF JILL S. TURNER MARK T. LOWDER ATTORNEY AT LAW PO Box 1284 206 E. North St. Albemarle, NC 28001 Telephone (704) 982-8558 Please run Notice: January 31, February 7, 14 and 21, 2026

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY In the General Court of Justice Superior Court Clerk Before the Clerk

25E000420-830

Having qualified as Public Administrator of the Estate of RONALD TERRY STILL, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons, firms and corporations having claims against the Estate of

to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executrix. This the 20th day of January, 2026. Susan Flowe Executrix of the Estate of Julia Mae Huneycutt Evans 1481 Mt. Vernon Road Wadesboro,

Melania Trump’s documentary premieres at Kennedy Center ahead of global release

The film offers a rare glimpse into the first lady’s private world

By Darlene Superville

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Melania Trump is capping her first year back as first lady with the global release of a documentary she produced about the 20 days leading up to husband Donald Trump’s return to the White House.

“Melania” premiered Thursday at the Kennedy Center, before the film opens in theaters worldwide Friday. They hosted a similar viewing at the White House last Saturday.

The first lady has said she got the idea for the documentary after her husband won the 2024 election and that it will give viewers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at her life.

“My new film, ‘Melania,’ provides a window into an important period for America, the 47th presidential inauguration,” she said Wednesday before ringing the bell to open the New York Stock Exchange. “For the first time in history, people will witness the 20 days leading up to the inauguration, through the eyes of an incoming first lady.”

A private person, Melania Trump still remains a bit of a mystery to the public in her husband’s second term.

She said the film will show what it takes to step into the high-profile role as she juggles being a businessperson, a wife and a mother, as well as the coordinator of her family’s move back to the Executive Mansion.

“Everyone wants to know. So here it is,” she says in the trailer for the nearly two-hour film.

“Here we go again”

In another scene from the trailer, it is Inauguration Day and Melania Trump is inside the Capitol, waiting to be escorted into the Rotunda for the ceremony. She turns her head, looks directly into the camera that had been documenting her every move and says, “Here we go again.”

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She wrote in her self-titled memoir published in 2024 about how much she values her privacy. She is not as frequently seen or heard from as often as some of her recent predecessors, which may be influencing the public’s perceptions of her. But she also likes to do things her way.

The U.S. public is divided on their views of the first lady, but a significant number — about 4 in 10 adults — had no opinion or had not heard of her, according to a CNN poll from January 2025. About 3 in 10 adults saw her favorably, while roughly the same share had an unfavorable opinion.

Her standing among Republicans was higher, with about 7 in 10 saying in the poll that they viewed her favorably, but around one-quarter did not have an opinion.

Experts said the film could help improve perceptions of her.

“I think it’s an attempt, in a way, to really augment or tailor or really refine her image for the American public,” said Katherine Sibley, who teaches history at Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. “She’s a mystery to the American people.”

First lady cites impactful first year of second Trump term

Melania Trump, 55, said she’s honored to execute the traditional duties of first lady, such as holding state dinners, hosting the annual Easter Egg Roll and decorating for Christmas. But she also has suggested she wants to leave her mark in other ways, too.

“I want to impact Americans’ lives,” she said this week during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends.”

She spent chunks of time away from Washington last year working on the documentary and was deeply involved in every aspect of its development, according to Marc Beckman, her longtime senior adviser.

The well-being and safety of children remains one of her top priorities, and she has used her influence to lobby Congress to pass the “Take It Down Act,”

The undersigned, having duly qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Craig William Huneycutt, Jr. a/k/a Craig William Huneycutt, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or his estate, to present the same to the undersigned Administrator, duly itemized and verified on or before the 18th day of April, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Administrator. This the 8th day of January, 2026.

Joy T. Huneycutt Administrator of the Estate of Craig William Huneycutt, Jr.

a/k/a Craig William Huneycutt 535 Marlbrook Drive Albemarle, NC 28001

PUBLISH: January 18, 25, February 1, 8, 2026

James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162 NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK

26E000017-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having duly qualified as Executrix of the Estate of JD Perry, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or his estate, to present the same to the undersigned Executrix, duly itemized and verified on or before the 1st day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executrix. This the 28th day of January, 2026. Susan F. Furr Executrix of the Estate of JD Perry 44851 Gold Branch Road Richfield, NC 28137

PUBLISH: February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2026

James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney and for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162

making it a federal crime to publish intimate images online without consent. The president signed the bill into law and had her sign it, too.

Her advocacy for foster children was enshrined in an executive order creating a “Fostering the Future” program. It’s part of the “Be Best” child-focused initiative she launched in the first term.

She also wrote to Russian President Vladimir Putin last year for help reuniting children who had been separated from their families because of his war against Ukraine. She had her husband hand-deliver the letter when the leaders met in Alaska, and she later announced that eight children had been reunited with their families.

The first lady accompanied the president on visits to disaster zones, where she helped console victims. She has taken a prominent role in the Republican administration’s efforts on artificial intelligence and education, and launched a global version of the foster child program.

She told guests at a White House Christmas reception that she is working on a new legisla-

tive effort for 2026, but has not yet shared details.

“Melania” more than year in the making

It was unclear how much money Melania Trump stands to earn or what her plans are for any film proceeds. Experts said it was unusual for a first lady to pursue a project of this kind from the White House — but not unusual for the Trumps.

“As far as I know, she’s the first first lady to be paid a lot of money to have a documentary made about her, and it is unprecedented in terms of the Trumps because they are always breaking precedent,” said Katherine Jellison, professor emerita of history at Ohio University.

Presidents and first ladies generally refrain from pursuing outside business ventures while in office to avoid potential conflicts of interest or raising ethical concerns.

Both Trumps participate in numerous business ventures, selling everything from watches, fragrances and Bibles for him to jewelry, Christmas ornaments and digital collectibles for her.

The movie also marks another link between the Trumps and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, who has worked to improve a once-tense relationship with the president. The documentary, which was produced by AmazonMGM Studios and is said to have cost $40 million, will stream exclusively on the Amazon Prime Video streaming service after its theatrical run.

Amazon has declined to comment on the financial arrangements.

The film was released in approximately 1,600 screens worldwide on Friday, including about 1,500 in the United States. The premiere was simulcast in 21 theaters nationwide for invited guests on Thursday to help build excitement for the launch.

The movie is the first project by director Brett Ratner since he was accused of sexual misconduct in the early days of the #MeToo reckoning. Ratner’s lawyer has denied the allegations.

He shares producer credits with the first lady, Beckman and Fernando Sulichin of New Element Media. Filming began in December 2024.

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NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000544-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Shirley Hinson Efird, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Shirley Hinson Efird to present them to the undersigned on or before April 19, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment. This the 18th day of January 2026. Kathy Hinson Smith PO Box 553 Locust, NC 28097 Executor

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 25E000579-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Co-Administrator’s of the estate of Mary Elizabeth Moses, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Mary Elizabeth Moses to present them to the undersigned on or before April 26, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 25th day of January 2026. Bernard Kendall 233 Cypress Marsh Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461 Co-Administrator Marcus Isaac 536 Arey Avenue Albemarle, NC 28001 Co-Administrator

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA

STANLY COUNTY IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK FILE NO. 26E000024-830

NOTICE TO CREDITORS Having qualified as Executor of the estate of Geraldine Crisco Causby, deceased, of Stanly County, North Carolina, this is to notify all persons having claims against the Estate of said Geraldine Crisco Causby to present them to the undersigned on or before April 26, 2026 or the same will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to said Estate please make immediate payment.

This the 25th day of January 2026.

Jane M. Myers 1407 Northridge Drive Albemarle, NC 28001 Executor

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK

26E000016-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having duly qualified as Executrix of the Estate of Vann L. Perry, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or her estate, to present the same to the undersigned Executrix, duly itemized and verified on or before the 1st day of May, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executrix. This the 28th day of January, 2026.

Susan F. Furr Executrix of the Estate of Vann L. Perry 44851 Gold Branch Road Richfield, NC 28137

PUBLISH: February 1, 8, 15, 22, 2026. James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK

26E000005-830

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The undersigned, having duly qualified as Executor of the estate of Peggy Harkey Branch, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or her estate, to present the same to the undersigned Executor, duly itemized and verified on or before the 18th day of April, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Executor. This the 13th day of January, 2026.

Troy Bowers Branch Executor of the Estate of Peggy Harkey Branch 427 Eastwood Drive Salisbury, NC 28146

PUBLISH: January 18, 25, February 1, 8, 2026. James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162

NOTICE

NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 25E000362-830

NOTICE TO CREDITORS The undersigned, having duly qualified as Administrator of the Estate of Craig William Huneycutt, Jr. a/k/a Craig William Huneycutt, deceased, late of Stanly County, North Carolina, is hereby notifying all persons, firms, or corporations having claims against said decedent, or his estate, to present the same to the undersigned Administrator, duly itemized and verified on or before the 18th day of April, 2026, or this notice will be pleaded in bar of their recovery. All persons indebted to the said decedent are hereby requested to pay the said indebtedness to the undersigned Administrator. This the 8th day of January, 2026. Joy T. Huneycutt Administrator of the Estate of Craig William Huneycutt, Jr. a/k/a Craig William Huneycutt 535 Marlbrook Drive Albemarle, NC 28001 PUBLISH: January 18, 25, February 1, 8, 2026 James A. Phillips, Jr. Attorney for the Estate P.O. Box 1162 117 W. North Street Albemarle, NC 28002-1162 NOTICE NORTH CAROLINA, IN THE GENERAL COURT OF JUSTICE STANLY COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT DIVISION BEFORE THE CLERK 26E000017-830 NOTICE TO CREDITORS

The

famous birthdays this week

Graham Nash is 84, Morgan Fairchild turns 76, Tom Brokaw hits 86

The Associated Press

THESE CELEBRITIES have birthdays this week.

FEB. 1

Actor Garrett Morris is 89. Political commentator Fred Barnes is 83. Princess Stephanie of Monaco is 61. Comedian-actor Pauly Shore is 58.

Actor Michael C. Hall is 55. Rapper Big Boi (Outkast) is 51. Singer-songwriter Jason Isbell is 47.

FEB. 2

Rock singer-guitarist Graham Nash is 84. Television executive Barry Diller is 84. TV chef Ina Garten is 78. Actor Brent Spiner is 77. Football Hall of Famer Dave Casper is 74. Model Christie Brinkley is 72.

FEB. 3

Football Hall of Famer Fran Tarkenton is 86. Actor Blythe Danner is 83. Football Hall of Famer Bob Griese is 81. Singer-guitarist Dave Davies (The Kinks) is 79. Actor Morgan Fairchild is 76. Actor Nathan Lane is 70.

FEB. 4

Former Argentine President Isabel Peron is 95. Rock singer Alice Cooper is 78. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell is 73. Football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor is 67. Country singer Clint Black is 64. Boxing Hall of Famer Oscar De La Hoya is 53.

FEB. 5

Tony-winning playwright John Guare is 88. Football Hall of Famer Roger Staubach is 84. Film director Michael Mann is 83. Racing Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip is 79. Actor Barbara Hershey is 78. Actor-comedian Tim Meadows is 65.

FEB. 6

Actor Mike Farrell is 87. Former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is 86. Singer Fabian is 83. Filmmaker Jim Sheridan is 77. Tennis Hall of Famer Manuel Orantes is 77. Actor Kathy Najimy is 69. Actor-director Robert Townsend is 69. Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) is 64.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Actor and Raleigh native Michael C. Hall turns 55 on Sunday.

CHRIS PIZZELLO / AP PHOTO

Barbara Hershey poses at the premiere of the film “Strange Darling” at the Directors Guild of America in 2024 in Los Angeles. The actor turns 78 on Thursday.

EVAN AGOSTINI / INVISION / AP PHOTO Garrett Morris attends “SNL50: The Anniversary Special” at Rockefeller Plaza in 2025 in New York. The original cast member turns 89 on Sunday.

FEB. 7

Author Gay Talese is 94. Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) is 74. Actor James Spader is 66. Country singer Garth Brooks is 64. Actor-comedian Eddie Izzard is 64. Actor-comedian Chris Rock is 61. Actor Ashton Kutcher is 48.

Stars, public say final goodbye to fashion icon Valentino at Rome funeral

The Italian designer died Jan. 19 at age 93

By Giada Zampano

The Associated Press

ROME — Global fashion ce-

lebrities joined the public last Friday morning to say goodbye to iconic designer Valentino at his funeral service in Rome at the central Basilica di Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri.

After a two-day public viewing last Wednesday and Thursday at the Valentino foundation’s headquarters in the Italian capital, the funeral marked the final tribute to the internationally acclaimed designer.

Top fashion names, including designers Tom Ford and Donatella Versace, along with longtime Vogue magazine powerhouse Anna Wintour, attended the funeral service, as did Hollywood stars like Anne Hathaway.

Fans and admirers gathered outside the church, some dressed in red or carrying red

Brooklyn Beckham accuses David, Victoria of putting branding before family

By Andrew Dalton The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — A Beck-

ham family falling-out has spilled further into public view in a series of social media posts from Brooklyn Beckham alleging that his parents David and Victoria Beckham have tried to sabotage his marriage and have always prioritized public branding over their family relationships.

“For my entire life, my parents have controlled narratives in the press about our family. The performative social media posts, family events and inauthentic relationships have been a fixture of the life I was born into,” Brooklyn Beckham wrote in several pages of text posted via Instagram stories.

At 26, he’s the eldest of the four children of the retired English soccer superstar and former Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer and has worked as a model and photographer, even aspiring to be a chef. He married American actor Nicola Peltz, daughter of activist investor Nelson Peltz, in 2022.

“Recently, I have seen with my own eyes the lengths that they’ll go through to place countless lies in the media, mostly at the expense of innocent people, to preserve their own facade. But I believe the

“I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.” Brooklyn Beckham

truth always comes out,” the posts said.

The posts make public a barely veiled feud that had been brewing in anonymously sourced stories in tabloids for months. Younger brother Cruz Beckham said on Instagram in December that Brooklyn had blocked family members on social media.

“I do not want to reconcile with my family.” Brooklyn Beckham wrote. “I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”

Unlike his three younger siblings, Brooklyn Beckham did not appear in his mother’s recent Netflix docuseries, “Victoria Beckham,” and did not show up at the October premiere as he and Peltz had for the London premiere in 2023 of the ones centered on his father, called just “Beckham.”

Many of the grievances described in the Instagram stories stem from the Peltz-Beckham wedding in Florida. He accused his mother of bailing at the last minute on designing Peltz’s wedding dress and said she “hijacked” the first dance he was supposed to have with his wife to music performed by Marc Anthony.

“She danced very inappropriately on me in front of everyone,” Brooklyn Beckham wrote. “I’ve never felt more uncomfortable or humiliated in my entire life.”

Without giving specifics, he also wrote that before the wedding his parents “repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name.”

David and Victoria Beckham did not have an immediate public response to the posts, and messages to representatives from The Associated Press were not immediately answered.

In an appearance last Tuesday on CNBC, David Beckham, who is at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, did not directly address his son’s statements but said that children make mistakes on social media and should be allowed to.

“That’s what I try to teach my kids. But you know, you have to sometimes let them make those mistakes as well,” he said.

Married since 1999, David and Victoria Beckham have three other children: Romeo, 23; Cruz, 20; and 14-year-old Harper.

“I want to thank Valentino for teaching me beauty.”

accessories in a last homage to the designer’s signature shade of color.

Valentino Garavani, who died aged 93 at his Rome residence last Monday, was adored by generations of royals, first ladies and celebrities such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Jordan’s Queen Rania and Julia Roberts who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best.

Hundreds of people had already paid their respects to the “last emperor” of Italian fashion during the public viewing. Valentino always maintained his atelier in Rome, while he mostly unveiled his collections in Paris. His sumptuous gowns have graced countless Academy Awards, notably in 2001 when Roberts wore a vintage black and white column to accept her

actress statue. Cate

also wore a one-shouldered Valentino in butter-yellow

when she won the

for best supporting actress in 2005. “I want to thank Valentino for

teaching me beauty,” said longtime personal and professional partner Giancarlo Giammetti in his remembrance speech, his voice breaking with emotion. “It was a beauty that fol-

lowed us throughout our lives. We met when we were kids, we dreamed of the same things, and we achieved many of them. Our journey will always continue,” he added.

this week in history

Black students sit in at Greensboro Woolworths, Patty Hearst kidnapped, The Beatles hit U.S.

FEB. 1

1865: Abolitionist John S. Rock became the first black lawyer admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court.

1960: Four black college students began a sit-in at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro after being refused service.

2002: Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl was killed by Islamist militants in Pakistan nine days after he was kidnapped.

FEB. 2

1536: Present-day Buenos Aires, Argentina, was founded by Spanish explorer Pedro de Mendoza.

1653: New Amsterdam — now New York City — was incorporated as a city.

1848: The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, officially ending the Mexican American War.

1992: Dissident playwright Václav Havel became the first president of the independent Czech Republic after the split of Czechoslovakia.

FEB. 3

1913: The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, authorizing a federal income tax, was ratified.

1917: The United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany. That same day, the American cargo ship SS Housatonic was sunk by a German U-boat off Britain after the crew was allowed into lifeboats.

1959: In what became known as “the day the music died,” rock ’n’ roll stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson died in a small plane crash near Clear Lake, Iowa.

FEB. 4

1789: Electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first president of the United States.

1945: President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

and Soviet leader Josef Stalin began a wartime conference at Yalta.

1974: Newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst, 19, was kidnapped in California by the Symbionese Liberation Army. She later took part in a bank robbery with the group and was convicted. (Her sentence was commuted, and she was later pardoned.)

FEB. 5

1917: Congress passed the Immigration Act of 1917 over President Woodrow Wilson’s veto, sharply restricting Asian immigration and requiring literacy tests for immigrants.

1918: During World War I, more than 200 people were killed when the Cunard liner SS Tuscania, carrying American troops to Europe, was torpedoed by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland.

1971: Apollo 14 astronauts Alan Shepard and Edgar Mitchell stepped onto the moon in the first of two lunar excursions.

FEB. 6

1778: During the American Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of the Treaty of Alliance in Paris.

“Death is very often referred to as a good career move.”

Buddy

Holly

1862: During the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.

1921: “The Kid,” Charlie Chaplin’s first feature-length film, was released across the United States.

1952: Britain’s King George VI died at age 56. He was succeeded by his eldest daughter, 25-year-old Queen Elizabeth II.

FEB. 7

1964: The Beatles were met by thousands of screaming fans at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport as they arrived to begin their first American tour.

1904: The Great Baltimore Fire began; one of the worst city fires in American history, it destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in central Baltimore.

1943: The U.S. government announced that wartime rationing of shoes made of leather would soon take effect, limiting the number of pairs a person could buy each year.