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 Lori Gordon Hendrick | The Sunday Column | Special to The Independent Opinion – In towns like ours, graduation season is more than a ceremony. It is a turning point that ripples through families, churches, ballfields, classrooms, and Main Street storefronts. We cheer as seniors cross the stage because we know the hard work behind that moment. But as we celebrate them, we should be honest about something too often left unsaid: there is no single right way to build a good li

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

Staff Reports | Cleveland County Sheriff's Office methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine were confiscated. photo provided by CCSO CRIME – Cleveland County streets are a little safer after three different types of illegal drugs and one controlled substance were seized and several were arrested on alleged trafficking charges. On June 16, 2026, investigators with the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division concluded a multi-month conspiracy drug investigation that

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent County Commissioners in session, June 16, 2026. Cleveland County – A swift breeze through the consent agenda filled with budget amendments and other items, along with a recognition for service, a grant for upper Cleveland and an educational historic gift were the focus of Tuesday night’s Cleveland County Board of Commissioner’s meeting. May 2026 collection report, May 2026 abatements and supplements, late applications for exemption /

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent City of Shelby employee Ben Yarboro provides the city council with updates Monday evening, June 15, 2026. | City of Shelby video feed screenshot. Economic viability and a new water line replacement were the main discussion of Monday's city council meeting, with a brief discussion about A.I. use by city employees at the end of the meeting. The City of Shelby City Council meeting started with Mayor Stan Anthony requesting to amend the

Staff Reports | Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Margaret Hager Greene CRIME – Cleveland County is a little safer and a woman is behind bars after a seizure of narcotics this past Friday by the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office Community Interdiction Team (CIT). In a press release sent to media on Monday evening, it stated of a vehicle search which resulted in a reported arrest of Margaret Hager Greene. On Friday, June 12, members of the CIT encountered a suspicious vehicle

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Turner Morris seen here riding in a saddle bronc event. Photo courtesy of Turner Wildman Morris Recovery Facebook, by permission UPPER CLEVELAND / GEORGIA – Saturday night, Burns rising senior Turner Morris was severely injured in a rodeo accident in Conyers, Georgia. Morris rides saddle bronc and bulls. He was air-lifted to Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta for emergency surgery. Turner’s neck was broken in the accident. Currentl

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 Shelby Independent The special called Town of Boiling Springs Council meeting in session, June 9, 2026. | Chuck Thompson BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The meeting was civil Tuesday night as the Town of Boiling Springs Council made a historic change to its insurance carrier after a half-century. Previously, at the June 2 meeting, it was suggested that the town government was allegedly being unethical by springing this upon their current provider, to which C

Staff reports | CCS Board of Education Education – Cleveland County Schools Board of Education released a statement Tuesday evening about the ongoing superintendent search. Dr. Stephen Fisher is scheduled to step down at the end of June and Dr. Brian Hunnell will assume the interim superintendent responsibilities until a permanent hire is found and settled into the position. In the statement, The Cleveland County Schools Board of Education stated it “is pleased to announce th

Staff reports | Cleveland Community College Cleveland Community College’s Small Business Center is proud to announce that local entrepreneur Stacie Norris-Humphries of Boiling Springs has been selected as a finalist in the inaugural SBCN Startup Showdown, a statewide competition hosted by the North Carolina Community College System. Norris-Humphries earned her place among the statewide finalists after working closely with CCC Small Business Center Director Stephen Lancaster,

By Chuck Thompson | the Shelby Independent Dr. Stephen Fisher is awarded the honor of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by Jack Copeland, Executive Director of NC School Superintendents Association. | Chuck Thompson Education – Monday’s Cleveland County Schools (CCS) Board of Education meeting was Dr. Stephen Fisher's last official regular scheduled public meeting as superintendent. At the June 8 meeting Dr. Fisher gave his last superintendent update to the board. On Feb. 27, 2

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Allen Langley, CCC Board of Trustees, wishes Tony Berry a happy birthday before addressing the CC Board of Commissioners Monday night. | The Shelby Independent It was a packed room at the Cleveland County Commissioner public meeting earlier this week as the board voted on the budget package for the upcoming fiscal year. There was the usual business to attend to, which included the consent agenda of budget amendments and resolutions.

Press release | North Carolina Police Benevolent Association The North Carolina Police Benevolent Association, a division of the Southern States Police Benevolent Association, is the largest law enforcement association in the state, representing law enforcement officers through legal, legislative and advocacy services. We are aware of the video circulating regarding the May 29 arrest incident in Shelby, North Carolina. Like many members of the public, we have viewed the vid

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The town of Boiling Springs Mural is composed of 2,000 tiles each printed from hand painted tiles by individuals to create the mural mosaic called "Reflection" BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Boiling Springs unveiled their mural mosaic "Reflection" on Wednesday, June 3, at 11 a.m. to a large crowd of town residents, Boiling Springs Town Council members and other local leaders and elected officials from across Cleveland County. People all t

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent City Manager Justin Merritt addresses the city council and those in attendance and watching online at Monday evening's council meeting. | City of Shelby video feed. SHELBY / Government – It was a packed house Monday evening as Mayor Stan Anthony welcomed everyone at the opening of the Shelby City Council meeting on Monday, June 1. “Glad to see a full house of our citizens,” said Anthony. “We’re always grateful for the opportunity of

Staff reports | Cleveland County Sheriff's Office press release CRIME – On Wednesday, May 27, 2026, a joint criminal interdiction operation conducted by the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office C.I.T. Team and Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office A.C.E. Team resulted in the seizure of more than two kilograms of fentanyl and the arrest of a Charlotte man. During the operation, deputies initiated a traffic stop on Highway 74. After initial contact with law enforcement, the suspect,

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent | SBI staff reports Hyder (Photo from SBI Facebook page) SHELBY – The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has charged former Shelby Police Officer Karson Hyder, 22, with one count of assault inflicting serious injury. In a statement released Monday morning around 11 a.m. on social media, The SBI announced the formal charge. According to the statement, Hyder turned himself in to the Cleveland County Detention Center at

Staff Reports | State Bureau of Investigation SBI logo Shelby – The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has initiated an investigation into an allegation of excessive use of force by an officer with the Shelby Police Department. The request for an independent investigation was made by the Shelby Police Chief and the Cleveland County District Attorney. SBI agents have already begun and will work to complete the investigation as efficiently as possible while ensu