Press release | Cleveland County Gov. SHELBY — The United States Department of Agriculture has ordered a pause on all November SNAP benefits until further notice due to the federal government shutdown. Unless the USDA lifts their suspension in the coming days, November SNAP benefits will not be issued. The NC Department of Health and Human Services is ready to act quickly should the USDA allow North Carolina to resume November SNAP benefits. You can still use your EBT card an

A roundtable discussion with the administrators of Kings Mountain Town Talk By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Kings Mountain Town Talk. From left, Matt Dover, Amanda Smith, Jada Henson and Emily Ruff. Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Kings Mountain Town talk has been a community gathering point on Facebook for a few years now. Recently, with the elections in full swing, it has become as place where people have promoted their candidacy, asked questions, cause

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 Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Blue Crew LEMC Donnie Chapman, Sergeant Mike Lovelace, Deputy Jesse Hollifield, K-9 Deputy Mike Lawrence and his partner K9 Karma, Deputy Alex Granados, Deputy Ryan Jones and V. Pres. Chris Ledbetter at the fundraising event on Saturday. Courtesy photo | Blue Crew LEMC. Cameron Todd Bridal & Formalwear JB Drone Solutions Blue Crew Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club (L.E.M.C.) held their first Paws for Laws fundraiser ride through Cleve

From our partners at WCABnews.com | Annie Dance An after-action report commissioned by North Carolina Emergency Management says Hurricane Helene revealed “critical vulnerabilities”  in the state’s disaster response system, from staffing shortages to communications failures and widespread disinformation. The independent review, conducted by the McChrystal Group, found that the Category 4 storm, which struck in September 2024, “tested North Carolina’s emergency management capa

On the night of Oct. 17, 2025, between 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m., intentional fires were set at two separate churches in Casar, North Carolina. Deputies from the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office responded alongside local fire departments and the Cleveland County Fire Marshal’s Office. The affected churches were Tabernacle Baptist Church on Corinth Church Road and Calvary’s Cross Baptist Church on Mt. Zion Church Road. Both buildings sustained damage believed to be caused by a

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square The North Carolina Legislative Building, home to the General Assembly, stands on Jones Street in Raleigh, N.C. Photo: Alan Wooten / The Center Square (The Center Square) – State budget negotiations have stalled between North Carolina Republican leaders in the General Assembly and the calendar year appears headed to an end without a new two-year spending plan. The budget by state law was due July 1 and Wednesday represented Day 114. Lawmakers

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Rep. Kelly Hastings, N.C. House 110 -R, recently had the honor of being recognized as a 2025 Defender of Public Safety by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. "I am extremely thankful to be recognized as a Defender of Public Safety by the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association," Hasting said. "It is an honor to have leading law enforcement officers in North Carolina trust me in my role as a member of the North Carolina General Ass

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent CCS Board members pictured, from left, Walter Spurling, Danny Blanton, Ron Humphries, Joel Shores, Aaron Bridges and Ronnie Grigg. Not pictured, David Fisher, Gloria Sherman and Kenneth Ledford. Editor’s note: Read carefully. This is only a report of what transpired during the meeting and not to sway anyone to agree or disagree, but to present you with the facts and let you decide for yourself. Ultimately, it was stated that the mone

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The Shelby City Council meeting Oct. 20, 2025 A special presentation was held for the Shelby City Council Monday night during their regularly scheduled public meeting. The nonprofit organization known as Our Stories Project, has been working on identifying an African American graveyard and the Shiloh School, that once educated black children sometime after the Civil War.  Their goal is to place educational markers at the site, to rec

The Cleveland County Board of Commissioners will hold their regularly scheduled meeting, Tuesday, Oct. 21., at 6 p.m., in the county commissioners’ chamber. Items on the agenda range from recognition of Minority Enterprise Development Week to budget amendments. The commissioners will recognize Minority Enterprise Development Week, with Richard Hooker, MED Week President who is slated to be present for the special recognition. Other items on the agenda include the public comme

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By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent A morning school bus accident in Lawndale could have been much worse. Trooper A.J. Osmer responded to the call Friday, at 7:24 a.m., not knowing what to expect when he arrived. Luckily all the children were okay. The school bus was traveling west on E Main St / Stage Coach Trail, in Lawndale, when a red Hyundai Sonata traveling east crossed the center line and struck the school bus head-on. (continued below) There were no reports of

stock photo The Carolina Pottery Festival returns for its 25 th year on Saturday, Nov. 1, at the LeGrand Center, in Shelby. The festival attracts crowds of over 1,000 pottery lovers with close to 100 well-known regional potters showing and selling their work. It is one of the largest “pottery only” festivals in the southeast with a wide range of traditional and contemporary work that is functional, decorative and sculptural. Artists will be available to talk about their ins

stock photo Monday night, around 10:55 p.m., Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office responded to 138 Mallard Dr. regarding a suspicious person call.  The Sheriff's office released a statement on the incident Tuesday afternoon. According to official reports, the homeowner went outside after noticing lights on in an adjacent house under renovation. The homeowner was aware that lights shouldn’t be on and suspected a breaking and entering. After stepping outside he saw a male wearing

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square October municipal elections will hold canvasses Tuesday, early voting for those in November begins Thursday, and North Carolinians continue to trend toward independence of the major parties. Fifty-five weeks away from the 2026 midterms, the unaffiliated bloc gained 4,220 voters in the most recent seven-day period measured ending on Saturday. Republicans added 912 and Democrats lost seven. The more than 7.5 million registered to vote are spli

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Don Brown. U.S. Senate candidate - (R) North Carolina CHARLOTTE — Don Brown, former U.S. Navy JAG officer, author, and Republican candidate for the United States Senate, today issued the following statement in honor of the 250th Birthday of the United States Navy, adding a special word of gratitude for navy veterans and current Sailors from Cleveland County. “On October 13, 1775, the Continental Congress established what would become

Map of the area, courtesy of Apple maps A single vehicle accident Sunday night resulted in the death of a Mooresboro man, near Camp Creek Church Rd on Abe's Mountain Rd. First Sgt. J.R. Crotts, with the North Carolina highway Patrol stated to The Shelby Independent, "The driver was operating a Subaru sedan, which ran off to the left of the road, struck several trees and overturned." The driver was identified as David Richard Hartman, 62, of Mooresboro. While no known factors

U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, District 14 Cleveland County’s U.S. Representative, District 14, Time Moore said he won’t accept his paycheck while...