Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – We're all critical of something, whether we admit it or not; sometimes it's warranted and other times it's just biased thought. I’m so biased when it comes to politics, yeah... that’s why none of my Sunday Columns are about politics. – Look in other publications if you want to read political columns on a Sunday. The Shelby Independent is so biased... Well, some like to say so, but they don’t read everything and they only

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Kate Barr Courtesy photo Kate Barr doesn’t hide the fact that she is a Democrat running as a Republican. She has made it clear several times in the past; I even asked her point-blank, “So, you’re a Democrat running as a Republican?” Her response, without hesitation – “Yes,” but then she explained that she feels more like “A woman without a partisan home.” Barr expanded her answer, stating, “I want America to work for everyone;

Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column It's not really a Super Bowl column... All I’ve been seeing and reading, this week, as far as op-eds and columns are concerned, are mostly Super Bowl this or that – and look at me complaining even though I’m reading them. That’s not a bad thing but do you really need one more column about The Patriots or The Seahawks or the halftime shows? No. There’s no more room on that bandwagon. In a post Belichick - Brady world, it’s nice to see New

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Grigg. Calm seas only last but so long in the dramatic ocean of politics. In the ongoing soap opera of the Cleveland County Board of Education, a new plot twist reared its head Friday, the day after the calm and professional school board candidate forum debate – call it a smear campaign, hit piece, attack, or just the truth – the focus was recently shifted onto current school board member, and candidate for the CCS Board of Education

Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – A while back there were a few teenagers or college kids who were asking people in the parking lot of the grocery store if adults were jealous of young people alive today - it was obviously for a social media thing or whatever. They didn’t ask me but the answer I heard was almost exactly what I was going to say: No . And though the woman didn't expand on her answer, I'm sure what she was thinking was along the same lines as

The Board of Education Forum involved eight candidates from the CCGOP By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The board of education candidates before the event began, seated left to right, Robert Queen, Brandon Bridges, Aaron Bridges, Shelia Canipe, Rodney Fitch, Ronnie Grigg, Stephen Self, and Danny Blanton. Sherry Yocum, standing in red shirt, and moderator Dot Cherry on right. Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent Thursday night’s Board of

Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – First, you have to understand that while you’re reading this on Sunday (or later) during Icemegeddon, I am writing this on Friday night, eating all my winter storm snacks and typing away, having no clue more than the weatherman on what would actually happen by Sunday. As a friend mentioned to me today, "Being a weatherman is the only job where you can be wrong most of the time and not get fired." By the time you read this.

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent, Special Saturday News & Weather Column Cleveland County Government has declared a state of Emergency, along with The City of Shelby and the State of North Carolina. SATURDAY, Jan. 24, 2026 — Icemegeddom looms on the horizon. Good morning, it's 5:30 a.m., as of publishing time. Today is the day the winter storm rolls in. Don't eat all your storm snacks before it's over. Today's local high will be in the mid 30's. Cloudy, goes without

Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – The names of restaurant chains have always annoyed me. I don’t know why, that’s just how I’m wired. It doesn’t mean they’re bad names… it’s just some are so obvious I can’t see why they couldn’t be more creative. Others don’t explain what they do at all, but they seem to work. People keep going back. Some have been extremely successful with such basic, obvious, names (like Red Lobster) while others that have no indication

Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR – As English speakers (heirs of the English language, regardless of your ancestry, this is about the language itself) our names technically do not follow the traditional oath of English names, which is fine; we should be all about unique and beautiful names, whatever your parents picked for you should be honored and celebrated; I hope you like your name — but traditionally, we (in the terms of historical usage as English lang

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?