THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent In an exclusive local interview, Congressman Tim Moore, of the 14 District, spoke with the Shelby Independent, discussing issues that affect both the district (especially Cleveland County) and the entire nation. From the the topic of the government shutdown, to the murder of Iryna Zarutska, holding judges and magistrates accountable for allowing violent repeat offenders back on the streets – an issue that can affect any of us here in

By Gabe Whisnant | Special to The Shelby Independent The Historic Mount Harmony Church, located at 131 Mount Harmony Church Rd in Polkville, will hold its annual Christmas Harp Concert on Sunday, November 30, at 3 p.m. Courtesy photo Mount Harmony Church The Historic Mount Harmony Church will hold its annual Christmas Harp Concert on Sunday, Nov. 30, at 3 p.m. Worshipers are invited to come early and fellowship.  Polkville native Lelia Lattimore will be playing the orchestr

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins speaks at the Department of Agriculture in Washington on June 12, 2025. Photo: Tom Witham / U.S. Department of Agriculture via Flickr   (The Center Square) – North Carolinians receiving food assistance benefits from the federal government are yet to learn when and how their reapplication process will work. Or, according to a published report Thursday, if they even will have to reapply. In the interim

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 (The Center Square) – Transportation energy costs for the overwhelming majority of North Carolinians are rising as much as 10 cents in the past month with Thanksgiving travel about to begin. Nearly 82 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles from home between Tuesday and Dec. 1, the time defined by the American

Staff reports | Atrium Health submitted photo More than 30 Atrium Health Cleveland and Atrium Health Kings Mountain teammates volunteered at Washington Outreach Ministry’s drive-thru food pantry event in Shelby earlier this month. The health care professionals — including doctors, nurses and hospital leaders — worked side-by-side with food pantry staffers to combat hunger in Cleveland County. Atrium Health teammates unloaded food trucks, organized donated items and handed out

By David Beasley | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Charlotte has landed its second new corporate headquarters in less than a week, thanks in part to taxpayer incentives. Couple with incentives from North Carolina's Queen City and Mecklenburg County, Danish global logistics company Maersk is in line for up to $9.8 million in taxpayer subsidies. A state board on Tuesday approved $7.9 million in state grants. Maersk plans to invest $16 million to make Charlotte its North

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Josh Queen, standing, shows a video explaining Community Connect, while Chairman Kevin Gordon and Commissioner Deb Hardin watch. Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent Imagine EMS or the fire department arriving to your home for an emergency, they know your security gate code, alarm system code to your house, how many people reside in the home, dogs, cats and even where hazardous materials such as gasoline or spray paint canisters ar

Staff Reports McClain The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported assault involving a firearm and possible kidnapping call on Friday, November 14, 2025, at approximately 5 p.m. at 130 Mariner Drive in Kings Mountain. Deputies were dispatched after receiving a 911 call involving a firearm at the residence. Upon arrival, deputies heard a gunshot fired from inside the home. Deputies made entry and discovered that the suspect, Theodore Angelo McClain, had barric

By Lauren Becatti | The Shelby Independent From left, Bailey, Stella, Jada, Charlette, Sara, Addi, Morgan, Sandy and Kaitlyn of Center City, formerly Hats Off Salon. Submitted courtesy photo To celebrate Charlette Terry's purchase and rebranding of Center City Salon (formerly Hats Off Salon), there will be a ribbon cutting ceremony Nov. 19, at 5:30 p.m. The staff will be present for a meet-and-greet, and there will also be vendors present, along with refreshments and a

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Crime Stoppers Board Member Cheryl Yates assists Michael and Katina with their BBQ order Saturday afternoon. Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent For anyone that says crime solving and BBQ doesn’t go hand-in-hand must have missed out on Crime Stoppers BBQ fundraiser. On Saturday, Cleveland County Crime Stoppers, in association with Black Hat BBQ, at First Presbyterian Church in Uptown Shelby, held their first ever sold-out BBQ pl

By David Beasley | The Center Square The North Carolina state flag is shown flying against a blue sky. Photo: Mark Stebnicki (The Center Square) – With 2025 drawing to a close, the North Carolina Legislature still hasn’t approved a state budget, making it only the state in the nation without a full budget for fiscal 2026, according to the National Association of State Budget officers. This year may seem unusual, but in recent years, operating without an approved budget has b

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent file photo A knife assault on Seattle Street has left one woman dead and a suspect behind bars. In a statement released by the Shelby Police Department, it states, that Saturday morning, Nov. 15, at approximately 6:00 a.m., the Shelby Police Department responded to a report of an assault in the 400 block of Seattle Street. Upon arrival, officers located a female lying in the roadway in front of 401 Seattle Street, suffering from appa

Staff reports | Cleveland County Government File photo courtesy Cleveland County Gov. SHELBY – Cleveland County Animal Services will host a free Rabies Vaccination Clinic on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon at the Cleveland County Health Department, located at 200 S. Post Road in Shelby. This community event is designed to help residents protect their pets and comply with North Carolina’s rabies vaccination requirements. The clinic is free for Cleveland County reside

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The Cleveland County Board of Education during their meeting Monday night, Nov. 10, 2025 as they weighed their decisions on the school calendar for the 2026-27 school year. Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent The Cleveland County Schools Board of Education voted in a contested 5-4 ballot Monday evening to approve the Calendar Option A which is a parent and staff favorite, and violates state law. Cleveland County Schools is jus

Staff Reports | PCA Pinnacle Classical Academy's elementary school and middle school are among the best in the state, according to the newly released  U.S. News Best K-8 Schools Rankings  for 2026. Pinnacle Classical Academy's middle school ranks in the top 3% of middle schools in North Carolina (#31 out of 1,362 middle schools). Pinnacle Classical Academy's elementary school ranks in the top 9% (#192 out of 2,142 elementary schools).  Earlier this year, U.S. News & World Rep

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College SHELBY — Cleveland Community College congratulates its long-standing partner, Greenheck Group, on receiving the Outstanding Employer Award from the North Carolina Work-Based Learning Association (NCWBLA). The award was presented during the Association’s annual conference held in Asheville on November 6. The Outstanding Employer Award recognizes organizations that demonstrate exceptional commitment to workbased learning and make a la

Veterans’ Day salute to my pawpaw

Press release | North Carolina State Government via Cleveland County On Nov. 5, the federal government directed the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) and other states to issue November 2025 Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) benefits at 35% below the maximum allotment levels. This change affects all households receiving FNS (formerly known as SNAP) benefits in North Carolina. What This Means for FNS Recipients" Because of the federal directive, mo

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent courtesy file photo Next year’s school calendar could potentially be decided at the next Cleveland County Schools Board of Education public meeting, Monday, Nov. 10. On the decision block are three different calendars, which vary in start dates, teacher workdays and end of semester before the holiday / winter / Christmas break. Option A, which is the popular choice among parents, violates state law and is considered illegal. A viola

By Annie Dance | From our partners at WCABnews.com Lake Lure Town Commissioners meeting. Courtesy photo | WCABnews.com The long-anticipated restoration of Lake Lure is almost complete, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers expected to finish dredging and repair work by November 20. Town officials say the milestone marks a turning point after years of storm recovery and construction that have reshaped the lakefront. Mayor Carol Pritchett announced during the November coun