THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

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

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 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

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

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

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...

Hastings calls for Brockman's resignation; Eason condemns behavior By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent N.C. Rep. Cecil Brockman...

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square The Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters is seen in Washington, July 29, 2025. Andrew...

David Causby, Ward 3. Shelby City Council. file photo In what seemed like an unexpected shock to some, City Council Member David Causby,...

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Don Brown, pictured at the Fair, with several candidates, some currently in office. From left,...

The Catawba Nation Foundation (CNF) has awarded $800,000 in 2025 grants to nonprofit organizations advancing cultural preservation,...

Stein, former two-term attorney general, said his review of public safety legislation gets one simple test: “Does it make people safer,” he said.

By Lauren Becatti | The Shelby Independent Dog park users can access the new park through the Harmony Trail entrance photos courtesy...

By David Beasley | The Center Square Courtesy photo Auditor.NC.gov | The Center Square (The Center Square) – In an effort to reduce...

The Cleveland County Fair sign with the water tower in the background, near the main entrance where the accident occurred Wednesday...

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent 'the Beast' throws riders up in the air, hanging upside down over the weekend at The Cleveland...

Kings Mountain City Hall Kings Mountain – Walmart, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) plans to open a new fulfillment center in Gaston County. The...