By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column The Sunday Column's new logo for 2026 OPINION / HUMOR – Looking back, how many times were we encouraged to set a new year’s resolution, either in school, from friends and family, news / TV shows or via social media. I can’t recall, but it seems to be quite often. What a nice thought, isn’t it? That’s really all it is, for most people, a thought. But, after doing research, according to several websites, such as Forbes, Pew Research Center,

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent (Originally published 09/07/2025) When I was a kid, maybe early teens, I had a soccer coach tell me that when I’m 40 I’ll feel all the aches and pains from playing sports one day. 40? I didn’t care. That was a thousand years from now. Whatever, maybe — I believed him, but when I pictured a 40 something year old they looked the same as a 75 year old. “I’ll worry about it then,” I shrugged. Tonight was one of those rare nights I wante

The birth of Jesus

Staff Reports | The Shelby Independent, North Pole Media Office Stocking hung, by the chimney with care. Santa's got a brand new sleigh! Recently, The Shelby Independent was able to obtain some inside information regarding Santa replacing his sleigh. While the reports remained unconfirmed from October, when we received the alleged information, The North Pole did send a press release confirming that Santa did indeed replace the sled that he has used since 1937. In the stateme

OPINION – I’ll go ahead and tell you now, this will be this last new Sunday Column for the year; next week’s will be a rerun, because like everyone else, I need time off for the holidays, too. I don’t have a staff of employees to fall back on. For 98.5% of the work, it's only me. Even if it’s a wire news story, or not, or my amazingly talented freelancer Lauren Becatti, who has contributed a few news article to build her portfolio, has quite simply been a big help and I hope

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column The Sunday Column It might have looked like Crest’s #1 Namajay Thompson landed after leaping over Hunt’s #15 player, but after that win I’m sure he’s still soaring; and so is every player and coach on Crest's and Shelby's teams right now. Sure. That play might have been against regulation / illegal, but it was awesome to watch – whether you were at the game and saw Namajay Superman Thompson leap the Hunt player in a single bound, or wat

The Sunday Column, by Chuck Thompson OPINION / HUMOR – Recently, I learned that in North Carolina it is illegal to play bingo for more than 5 hours in a row… My question is, why would anyone play bingo more than 5 hours in a row and what happened at the 5 hour mark to come up with that rule?  So at 4 hours and 55 minutes, everything is fine, but at five hours Gertrude had a fit of rage and flipped the tables over?  What’s with the 5 hours… Personally, I think it should be ill

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – Ultimately, self-serve gas and check-outs, buffet restaurants and do-it-yourself-assembled furniture cost more in the long term after adding mental anguish and then the cost of therapy. Whether it’s emotional therapy, or marriage counseling, there’s nothing cheap about self-service. One day I was at a gas station standing in line and I looked out the front windows to see a car drive away with the g

By Ron Humphries | Guest Opinion Humphries North Carolina's school calendar law, established in 2004, required public schools to start the academic year no earlier than the Monday closest to August 26. The original aim was to support tourism in the coastal counties. However, as time has passed, it has generated much debate about its adverse effects on education and community needs across the state, particularly in economically challenged rural counties with greater workforce

Why does the oven light never burn out?

The Sunday Column, by Chuck Thompson OPINION / HUMOR — I can tell it’s almost Christmas because that’s when I almost get kidnapped (or man-napped) on a daily basis. Y’all women need to please stop asking Santa Claus for the perfect man… I go through this every year. I ain’t got time to elude and evade little elf-looking kidnappers all the time. I’m not as fast as I used to be. I’m 47 now. Ladies, wheres the age limit??? I gotta be aged out of this thing by now… I’m not even t

By Lauren Becatti | The Shelby Independent Tacos featured on Chipotle's menu OPINION – I heard rumors about a Chipotle coming to Shelby, so I decided to get to the bottom of it. After contacting the Chipotle media relations representative, I have confirmed that the rumor is true. Sometime next year we will be getting a Chipotle! However, the location was not confirmed at this time. Chipotle is a personal favorite of mine (and I certainly prefer it over another notable chain).

Veterans’ Day salute to my pawpaw

The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – I hate daylight savings, and I don’t care which is the real one. Actually, let me rephrase that because I’ll take some hate from the usual suspects for using the word hate, even though it’s referring to an event and they use it all the time, but – I .. no, nevermind, I hate daylight savings time. I don’t feel like looking up which is the original and which isn’t. Just pick one and let’s move on. We obviously don’t really need it… regardless

It's amazing how people embellish their LinkedIn profiles OPINION / HUMOR — I don’t get on LinkedIn much, so when I do it’s just to post an update for my latest book or update my resume, whatever, if that even happens. Usually not. Some people use it as often as Instagram, TikTok, Snap or Facebook, others only have it as a way to keep their professional work portfolio up to date. But the other night, as I logged onto LinkedIn to update my resume, I did something I hardly ever

By Jimmy Boheler | guest opinion Recently, while filming in my hometown of Kings Mountain, I was told it was not a good idea for me to fly my drone in a certain area. As a licensed and responsible drone operator who follows FAA safety guidelines, I could not help but wonder why. The area was safe, open, and completely legal to fly in as long as I was not flying directly over people. That moment made me stop and think about something bigger than just a flight. Why are some of

Read it every week, only in The Shelby Independent

English ain't easy, but I prefer it, mostly because I speak it OPINION / HUMOR – At one point in my life (maybe almost 20 years ago) I...

OPINION / HUMOR

OPINION – On Wednesday afternoon, a little before 3 p.m., Sarah Queen, volunteering her time at the Fairgrounds, helping the Cleveland...