By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent File photo graphic | The Shelby Independent Kings Mountain – The City Kings Mountain government spoke out on what was potentially the possible, alleged, Scott Neisler censure proceedings currently in motion, but that remains uncertain at this time. This was followed a couple of hours later by another post about the leaking of the agenda for the upcoming April 14 meeting. Around end of business, on Friday April 10, City of Kings Mou

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent City of Kings Mountain City Hall, summer 2025. | Chuck Thompson, Shelby Independent Kings Mountain – As the Tuesday city council meeting creeps closer, so does a possible censure for Council member Scott Neisler. For what reasons exactly, still remains unclear. In the city council meeting agenda for Tuesday, April 14, 2026, under the regular meeting agenda section, it states, "Motion to authorize the Mayor to enter into

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Shelby City Council meeting, April 6, 2026. | Screen grab from City of Shelby video feed A new multi-family senior living complex had a special use permit approved Monday night during the city council meeting. The location of the future development is on E. Grover, in the bend, almost across the street somewhat from the Wyke Road intersection. A public hearing was held where Director of planning for the City of Shelby, Brian

Staff reports | Kings Mountain Hometown Farmers’ Market Kings Mountain – The Kings Mountain Hometown Farmers' Market will kick off the 2026 market season on Saturday, April 25 with a special Grand Opening event. The market will operate at 313 S. Battleground Avenue from 8 am until 12 noon every Saturday morning through September 26. The Grand Opening on April 25 will include an Earth Day celebration that will provide attractions and activities for market shoppers of all ages.

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square file graphic | the Shelby Independent Education – Fifty-four percent of North Carolina public school high school graduates passed at least one-college level course while still in high school, education officials said Thursday. “For those who have been around a moment and have gray hair or less hair, understand the magnitude of that number, that percentage,” first-term Democratic Superintendent Mo Green told members of the state school bo

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column Easter was always a big deal with my family when I was a kid. As a child, until maybe early teenage years, every Easter, my family would gather together in greater numbers than we would at Christmas. Everyone would come to my parents' or my grandparents' for Easter lunch / dinner. Aunts and Uncles, and cousins that we only saw at birthdays or funerals would come for Easter dinner. It was tradition for all the kids to go play outside; We w

Press Release | Kings Mountain Po;ice Department Ahmad Rashad Leggett Jr Kings Mountain, NC — At approximately 4:48 p.m. on April 3, 2026, officers with the Kings Mountain Police Department responded to reports of shots fired at the Silver Express gas station located at 506 E King Street in Kings Mountain. Upon arrival, officers determined that the suspect had fled the scene prior to law enforcement arrival. Detectives with the Kings Mountain Police Department responded and

By Chuck Thompson | Opinion (Not the Sunday Column) OPINION – I’ve covered about a dozen different counties and a plethora of city and town councils in my career, but Thursday night was the first time I left any governing body public meeting so angry that I sent them a bill for my mileage and my time. They don’t have to pay it, it’s only a request, but I sent them one. (see photo below) I can promise you that the city has probably spent $48 on a lot of dumber and more pointl

Staff Reports | Cleveland County Sheriff's Office | Press release Smith is being held at the Cleveland County Detention Center under no bond. SHELBY, NC – On April 2, 2026, the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) concluded a multi-agency narcotics investigation resulting in the arrest of a Spindale man and the seizure of a six ounces of methamphetamine. The operation was a collaborative effort between investigators with the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, the CCSO C

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square The Shelby Independent (The Center Square) – Five county school districts of low wealth in North Carolina have lost the plan for potentially billions of dollars in improvements following Thursday’s vacating of the historic Leandro case by the state Supreme Court. A 2022 decision by the bench, consisting of different justices, authorized funding. The General Assembly, by state statute, has appropriation authority and legislative leaders and t

Staff Reports | Cleveland County sheriff's Office | Press Release Trenity Glenn Campbell and Angel Lee McManus, both of Bessemer City were arrested for the bomb threats. Two suspects are behind bars after making threats to the clerks office in the Cleveland County Courthouse on Wednesday afternoon. On April 1, 2026, the Cleveland County Clerk’s Office received two bomb threats within approximately one hour of each other. In response, the building was immediately secured

By Ron Humphries | Special guest opinion | Press release Humphries In light of recent public statements and threats regarding my interaction with fellow School Board member Mr. Blanton after the Board meeting on January 12, 2026, I feel it is essential to address the situation with a focus on forgiveness and my desire to move forward. During our verbal exchange, Mr. Blanton angrily approached me closely and gestured towards my face. In a moment of instinctive reaction, I gent

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Philip Steffen | photo provided by Philip Steffen In the wake of the March 2026 County Commissioners’ public meeting, where it was revealed that the county audit was extremely past due, the county finance director has since been terminated from his position.   During the March 17 meeting, the county commissioners seemed surprised to learn from an Local Government Commission (LGC) representative that the audit was past due. The bl

Staff Reports | Cleveland County Sheriff's Office A still-frame from a surveillance camera of the suspects CCSO needs the public's help in identifying or their whereabouts. courtesy photo One of the alleged suspects in question walking into a store. Courtesy photo, CCSO. Another bomb threat plagued Cleveland County Wednesday. On Wednesday afternoon, at approximately 3:04 p.m., the Cleveland County Clerk’s Office received a call stating a bomb was in the courthouse.

Road to Hope and Crime Stoppers' Easter Bunny fundraiser continues this weekend By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The Easter Bunny poses for a photo with road to Hope and Crime Stoppers members. From left to right, Robert Medlin, Zach Stearns, Mr. Bunny, Cheryl Yates, Jeff Yates, and Scott Howell. They will be at the mall again this Friday and Saturday only, for photos and raffle entries. Cleveland Mall – The Easter Bunny was such a big hit this past weekend, that a

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Boiling Springs – A single car accident on Gaffney Road, just south of Boiling Springs, near Broad River, sent one to the hospital on Saturday night. According to North Carolina Highway Patrol reports, around 8 p.m., Saturday, a maroon 2001 Toyota Corolla was traveling south on 150 / Gaffney Road, at unsafe speeds, passing several other vehicles when the driver lost control in a curve, traveled off the right to the right, hit a ditch

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column OPINION / HUMOR — Recently, beaches across America have made the news for their ‘Spring Break’ uncouthness. Rowdy brawling drunk college kids acting a fool, having a great time, and ruining one favorite beach spot after another. It happens every year.   Maybe it’s worse and maybe we’re all just getting older, but after looking back at some old news clips, there has always been news from college spring breaks where coeds who are briefly m

Take a photo with the Easter Bunny, and enter for a chance to win a 70" TV By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Officer Randy Conner, left, and Cleveland County Crime Stoppers Chairman Jeff Yates show one of the two TVs that will be raffled at the Cleveland Mall. | Chuck Thompson Cleveland Mall – The Easter Bunny will be at the Cleveland Mall giving away two 70” televisions in a raffle drawing, thanks to Cleveland County Crime Stoppers and Road to Hope - Shelby. B

Staff Reports | City of Kings Mountain file photo graphic. The Shelby Independent. Kings Mountain, NC — At approximately 7:52 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, a call was received by the Kings Mountain Police Department’s Telecommunications Office reporting motor vehicle accident with a pedestrian struck. Upon arrival at the scene, responding officers determined that a fatality had occurred as the result of a hit-andrun incident. The victim has been identified as “Kenneth Ray Mill

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The Cleveland County Administrative Building | Chuck Thompson An alleged botched protocol after a bomb threat and a late county audit put County Manager David Cotton in the hot seat last Tuesday evening.   The March Cleveland County Commissioners’ meeting was going as expected until during the public comments section, Angelica Haslam spoke to the commissioners about the prank bomb threat made to the county administration building,