By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Editor’s Note: This Facing the Voters feature was originally published in February 2026 and is being republished ahead of the November 3, 2026, general election. The article reflects Eason’s statements and positions during the original interview. Election information has been updated to reflect the results of the March 3 Republican primary. The reporter for this article does not live in the 110th NC House District. Caroline Eason is

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Editor’s Note: This Facing the Voters feature was originally published in February 2026 and is being republished ahead of the November 3, 2026, general election. The article reflects the candidate’s statements and positions at the time of the original interview. Aaron Bridges is the youngest Republican currently on the school board and the second-youngest Republican candidate currently running. (Since two candidates have the last nam

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Photo by Chuck Thompson Editor’s Note: This Facing the Voters feature was originally published in February 2026 and is being republished ahead of the November 3, 2026, general election. The article reflects the candidate’s statements and positions at the time of the original interview. I don’t know if Hell hath frozen over (it was much colder on Monday), but Danny Blanton agreed to sit down with The Shelby Independent to talk about h

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent POLITICS / EDUCATION – Dr. Jenny White does not describe herself as a politician; that is one of the first things she wants voters to understand. White, a retired teacher, coach and administrator with three decades of experience in North Carolina public education, is making her first run for elected office as a Democrat seeking a seat on the Cleveland County Board of Education. For White, the decision to run comes less from a desire

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A vehicle is refueled at a gas pump as evening light reflects off its surface. | Alan Wooten / The Center Square Affects local / State – North Carolinians and others filling up at the state’s pumps for gasoline and diesel fuel are getting a break on the 41 cents per gallon tax. Effective immediately through Nov. 30, Relief at the Pump (House Bill 3 of first extra session) was signed into law on Friday by first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Dr. Chris Bennett speaks from the podium as the Board of Education listens, with Gloria Sherman and Kenneth Ledford pictured. | Chuck Thompson EDUCATION – In a special called 11 a.m. meeting on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, the Cleveland County Board of Education voted 6-3 to hire Dr. Chris Bennett as the new permanent CCS Superintendent. After Chairman Joel Shores called the meeting to order and asked for a motion, Board Member Ron Humphr

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square Michael Whatley, former chairman of the Republican National Committee and Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, left, and Roy Cooper, former North Carolina governor and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina, right. Photo: Gage Skidmore / Flickr / CC BY-SA 4.0, NCDOTcommunications POLITICS – With apologies to Mark Twain, the reported campaign death of Republican Michael Whatley from lack of ongoing cash from

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent President Donald Trump, in red cap, standing under NC state flag, greets those in attendance as he enters the stage at the 'Make America Safe Again' event at the Gastonia Airport on Wednesday. | Chuck Thompson A wider view of the event while President Trump speaks from the podium as the sun sets in the distance. | Chuck Thompson Local, State and National / GASTONIA - President Trump showed up in Gastonia on Wednesday to campaign

Unaffiliated bloc up 179,065, Democrats down 133,642 since Election Day 2024 By Alan Wooten | The Center Square File graphic | The Shelby Independent AFFECT LOCAL – One day shy of a full two weeks sooner than any other state in the nation, North Carolina county boards of elections on Friday will begin sending absentee ballots to any voter having made a request. The nation’s ninth largest state at 11.2 million is at 7,837,065 registrations, down 2,846 from the general election

Republican nominee for the North Carolina Court of Appeals By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent FEATURE — Judge Craig Collins, 54, was driving from the Carolina Coast to the North Carolina mountains when I spoke with him on the phone as he traversed from the eastbound and down area of Brunswick County to the Northwest region of the state, encompassed by the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Alleghany County. (He was not driving at the moment) Collins was traveling from

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square Photo: Phil Roeder / Flickr AFFECTS LOCAL / STATE — Supporters called it a measure of integrity for North Carolina elections. The governor said it was “anti-voter legislation.” Election Law Changes, known also as House Bill 958, was vetoed by first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein late Monday afternoon. The proposal would change early in-person voting periods for primaries, primary runoffs and special elections to 10 days rather than 17. The

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent From left, King's son Noah, his wife Nikki, Lucy and Wayne King at their home in Kings Mountain. | Chuck Thompson FEATURE — Sand squished underneath his shoes. The sound of the crunch with each step was heard as he took one step and then another until he found himself standing next to his wife, Nikki, on the sand of Kure Beach. A simple act that many of us never think twice about, but for Wayne King it was a victory more important

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 Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Chief Financial Officer of CCS, Rob McDaniel, center white shirt, talks about the concerns of operating with $500,000 less than what the county gave CCS last year with state mandated pay raises during the Finance and Personnel committee meeting last Wednesday. However, the state did not supplement more money to the school systems to cover the raises this school year. | Chuck Thompson, Shelby Independent. Education — As summer ends

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 | Exclusive to The Shelby Independent The Justice Center construction rises from behind the current courthouse, still far from completed, on July 20, 2026. | Chuck Thompson Editor’s note: This legal letter dated July 8, 2026 was discovered in a public records request by The Shelby Independent. This is a developing news story about the information within a letter and the information researched from other documents and previous news reports. A second part wi

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square North Carolina could be competing against Nashville, TN for a spot. | graphic by The Shelby Independent. SPORTS – Stopping short of saying spend taxpayer dollars, North Carolina’s legislative upper chamber leader says he favors the General Assembly doing all it can to help land a Major League Baseball expansion franchise. Whether it’s Raleigh or Charlotte, Rockingham County Republican Sen. Phil Berger said he’s “agnostic.” He was also noncom

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A woman helps to complete voter registration paperwork at a polling location | The Center Square and Freepik Affects local – As North Carolina moved less than 12 weeks from mailing absentee ballots, the state’s total voter registrations rose another 5,325 to within less than 16,000 of 7.8 million. Trending consistent to the most recent nearly two decades, and particularly since the pandemic era, voter registrations are swelling the unaffilia

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A sign directs voters to a polling location. Alan Wooten / The Center Square Affects local – For the third time in five weeks, voter registrations increased more in the unaffiliated bloc than overall in North Carolina. Saturday’s seven-day update from the State Board of Elections, just 15 weeks away from absentee ballots going into the mail for the Nov. 3 midterms, rose by 3,513 overall and 3,891 among those choosing independence. Republican