By Rod Powell | Guest Opinion OPINION — A young couple trying to buy their first home in Cleveland County already has plenty working against them. Home prices are high. Interest rates are high. Insurance isn't cheap, and saving enough for a down payment can take years. Then they finally find a modest house they can afford and discover they're competing against a large investment company with cash ready to go. That's happening in North Carolina. Around Charlotte, corporate inv

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION — A few days ago, someone sent me a meme or poster / drawing – whatever you want to call it, and it was a complete fabrication that “newspaper” stood for some crap like “north, east, west, south past and present event report” and it doesn’t. That’s completely false, fake, made up and spread around the internet and we wonder why with all this information at our fingertips that people are somehow less informed than ever… it’s becaus

By Ron Humphries | Contributing Columnist for The Sunday Column OPINION — Growing up in an era defined by black-and-white TV news broadcasts, I vividly recall the authoritative voice of Walter Cronkite, whose signature sign-off, "And that's the way it is," epitomized his commitment to pure journalism. The role of the Press was pivotal in shaping democracy, and the Founding Fathers understood this, viewing a free press as essential for an informed citizenry and a healthy gover

By Rod Powell | Special Guest Opinion OPINION — A while back somebody asked me why I spend so much time at farmers markets, food pantries, community events, and little gatherings around Cleveland County. The answer was pretty simple. That’s where I find out what’s really going on. I taught history and civics for thirty years, and one thing I learned a long time ago is that you can learn a lot more by listening than by talking. Some of the best lessons I ever got didn’t c

By Ron Humphries | Special Contributor to The Shelby Independent OPINION — In today's political landscape, local leaders often present themselves as knights in shining armor, swooping in to save their communities from crises. Their altruistic acts, like community outreach programs or fundraising initiatives, may seem genuine. Still, we must ask: what truly distinguishes authentic altruism from strategic self-promotion? Understanding this helps us critically evaluate their mo

By Wayne King | Guest Opinion OPINION — The debate over funding for Cleveland County Schools should not end with the adoption of the county budget. In fact, North Carolina law provides the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners with the authority to revisit and amend the budget if they determine changes are necessary. North Carolina General Statute § 159-15 states that, "Except as otherwise restricted by law, the governing board may amend the budget ordinance at any time aft

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent OPINION — In the wake of a legal letter written by the county, earlier this week the county held a tour of the long-anticipated new Justice Center, the largest and most expensive project ever conceived and constructed by Cleveland County government. However, in its intent to rein in public scrutiny, after having the panel of a local political show first try to cover for an embarrassing reveal of information, the county then published

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION – After the Civil War (a name that incorrectly identifies this pivotal historical event), many of the former Confederate Generals waged a war of ink and paper against each other, many in Northern newspapers, accusing one another of treason (of all things), incompetence, and several other personal traits that go beyond the full measure of battlefield decisions. If only these 19th Century Southern celebrities, who held the populace’

By Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent Christine Hayes waves as others throw candy from the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church wagon float during the Lattimore 4th of July parade OPINION – Lattimore is the small-town place to be. It really is. The 4th of July in Lattimore felt like one of those movie towns. It almost didn’t seem real – but it was, it is. Having just been less than two weeks out since I had a heart attack, I wanted to go to the parade but knew I had to take it easy

By Wayne King | Special Opinion Guest Columnist to The Shelby Independent Wayne King, special guest opinion columnist. Courtesy photo. OPINION – As we gather with family and friends this Independence Day, we celebrate more than fireworks, cookouts, and parades. We celebrate the birth of the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever known. This year carries even greater significance as our nation begins commemorating America's 250th anniversary—a milestone that

By Wes Westmoreland | Special Guest Op-Ed Columnist for The Shelby Independent OPINION – Ink-stained hands methodically distributed lead soldiers into the wooden case. Robert Bell had known tough times in Scotland, and even tougher times in Dublin, but these times were different. It had been only five years since he arrived in Philadelphia and set up a press. In those few years, he had become a widely recognized printer and publisher, creating a market by offering low-cost

By Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent Opinion – Wow! it's been quite a year! The plan was to look back at the most memorable news stories from the past year, but a little thing called a heart attack prevented me from completing that special news story this past week. Maybe it’s best. Maybe I’ll get to it later this month. We’ll see... To say The Shelby Independent almost didn’t make it to its first anniversary is putting it lightly. However, today isn’t about what almost hap

By Wes Westmoreland | Special Guest Columnist for The Sunday Column Wes Westmoreland | The Sunday Column An excited John Adams wrote to his beloved Abigail: “The Second Day of July 1776… ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews (shows), Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever

By Wes Westmoreland | The Sunday Column Wes Westmoreland | The Sunday Column The Sunday Column – There may be nothing that swells the heart with a greater feeling of patriotism and pride than the Stars and Stripes. Immortalized in song and memory, will anyone forget the emotion brought on by the display of flags on September 12, 2001, the sound of the “Stars and Stripes Forever”, or standing for our National Anthem? Some generations ago, the flag that brought about similar pa

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION — Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start to summer, with trips to the beach, a lake, the mountains, or just having friends and family over to your home to grill burgers and hotdogs in the back yard, and while most people seem to forget the 1,200,000 Americans who died while serving during conflicts, but they seem to remember them more than first responders who, while maybe not in combat, definitely in conflict, died protect

By Ron Humphries | Special Guest Op-Ed Columnist for The Shelby Independent OPINION — Every morning, a familiar political ritual plays out. Lawmakers propose sweeping bans on classroom screens, restrictions on Artificial Intelligence, and demand a retreat to the "three R’s." This crusade frames digital technology as an unprecedented monster devouring young minds. Yet, declaring that technology has ruined education is merely the latest repetition of a script society has recite

By Chuck Thompson | OPINION | Shelby Independent OPINION – In something that came across like segment from the novel '1984' The City of Kings Mountain posted on its official Facebook account, Monday, warning the public to only trust official press releases and comments made by The City of Kings Mountain and to disregard untrusted and / or unverified sources. “The City of Kings Mountain would like to address and correct false information that has recently been circulated on so

By Gideon Simmons | Special to The Shelby Independent A bear is seen crossing Westlee Street in Lattimore on May 8, 2026. | Courtesy photo still frame from video. Town of Lattimore Facebook page. Photo credit: Rachael Metcalf. Lattimore — Who would have ever thought that the most viewed post on the Town of Lattimore’s Facebook page would have been about a bear wandering through the Town? Over a week ago, the mayor was sent a picture and a video by two residents that showed a

By Wes Westmoreland | The Sunday Column Wes Westmoreland Listen my children, and you shall hear Of the midnight ride of… Captain Jack? It was late May in 1775 when Captain James Jack left Charlotte Towne, North Carolina, and set out on a long journey on horseback to meet fellow North Carolinians in Philadelphia. The document he carried, dated May 20th, stowed inside his coat for protection, was of the utmost importance. And it was treasonous. By carrying the document, he ca

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION — Happy Typhoid Fever Day! You can thank Typhoid Fever for Mother’s Day. As grim as that sounds, it’s true; to an extent. The holiday, where we honor mothers and grandmothers across the United States, we can trace the origins of the holiday back to a typhoid outbreak during The American Civil War. Ann Jarvis, the mother of Anna Jarvis, who would later be given credit for creating what we know as Mother’s Day, organized Mother's Da