THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Multiple-term Board of Education Member Danny Blanton watches the election results at Cleveland Volunteer Fire Department Tuesday night. Several election results surprised Blanton along with everyone else. | Chuck Thompson POLITICS / CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. – Local Republicans emerged victorious in several of Cleveland County’s most closely watched local races Tuesday night, while taking a beating in state and national contests, in

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College EDUCATION – Cleveland Community College’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Bruce Mack, was selected to participate in the 2026 Aspiring Presidents Institute, held September 30 – October 2. “It is truly an honor to be selected to participate in the Aspiring Presidents Institute,” said Mack. “I recognize that this opportunity represents a significant investment in current and future leaders across North Carolina’s Community Col

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent CRIME / AFFECTS LOCAL — North Carolina law enforcement agencies are increasing patrols and conducting sobriety checkpoints through Nov. 1 as part of the state’s annual Halloween impaired-driving enforcement campaign. The Governor’s Highway Safety Program announced the return of its “Booze It & Lose It” campaign ahead of Halloween, reminding motorists to plan ahead and arrange safe transportation before attending celebrations. The enf

By Brandon Bridges | Guest Columnist Bridges OPINION — As a lifelong Cleveland County resident, I'm ashamed to say that this year was a first for me to attend the NC Liver Mush Festival in my hometown of Shelby, North Carolina. From work obligations to other events, the Liver Mush Festival was something that I had always wanted to attend, yet always seemed to be on a weekend that I had already obligated for something else. Waking up at 6:30 on a Saturday was well worth it to

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Dover Baptist Church as seen from the back, Sunday morning. | Photo courtesy of Wendell Leonard. SHELBY, N.C. — Dover Baptist Church, located at 1501 Polkville Road in Shelby, was destroyed by fire Sunday morning, Oct. 18, leaving the congregation facing the loss of its church building. The fire was reported at approximately 8 a.m. Sunday. Images from the scene showed extensive damage to the church, including a burned roof and the

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent POLITICS / EDUCATION – Dr. Jenny White does not describe herself as a politician; that is one of the first things she wants voters to understand. White, a retired teacher, coach and administrator with three decades of experience in North Carolina public education, is making her first run for elected office as a Democrat seeking a seat on the Cleveland County Board of Education. For White, the decision to run comes less from a desire

By Dustin Turner | Cleveland County Agricultural Fair | Press Release Cleveland County Fair — The Southern Steel Demolition Derby brings metal crunching, engine-roaring excitement to the Cleveland County Agricultural Fair for one night only. Be sure to catch the powerful collisions, battered cars, and nonstop thrills as drivers battle to be the last car running. The family-friendly, action-packed derby begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct.10. Demolition derby tickets are $8 for

Record-Breaking Crowd Celebrates Peers, Engages in Professional Development, and Discusses Ways to Prevent Burnout By Chris Cowperthwaite, CAE, APR | North Carolina Nurses Association Christina Liverman, of Lawndale, was among the graduates of NCNA’s Leadership Academy. | Courtesy photo LAWNDALE / RALEIGH – A record-breaking crowd of nurses gathered in Concord last week to celebrate the nursing profession, give valuable continuing education, and map out strategies to prevent

Staff Reports | Pinnacle Classical Academy EDUCATION — Pinnacle Classical Academy's proficiency rate on required state tests in 2025-26 exceeded the proficiency rate of 111 of the state's 115 K-12 local school districts, according to data released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Pinnacle Classical Academy's proficiency rate also exceeded that of all five UNC system laboratory schools. Pinnacle Classical Academy had a higher proficiency rate than every

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent The Shelby City Council hears from both Kristen Boggs Jaeger and CathFord's Bob Englander, Monday night, Sept 21, 2026. | City of Shelby video still The Webbley House, as pictured in June 2025. | Chuck Thompson GOVERNMENT — Bed and breakfast, anyone? At Monday night’s Shelby City Council meeting, the council voted in favor of moving forward with for the CathFord plan, a Virginia based firm, to turn the historic Webbley House in

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent From left, Rev. Anita Ware, Bishop Carolyn Briggs, the Rev. Jamaal Edwards, Council Member Andrew Hopper, Sr., City of Shelby Manager Justin Merritt and Council Member the Rev. Dr. Charles Webber applaud the unveiling of the markers Saturday morning, Sept. 19, 2026. | Chuck Thompson SHELBY / SUNSET CEMETERY – “We remember all those people who may not have a grave marker… today we remember them and we will continue to honor them thr

Staff Reports | Shelby Police Department CRIME — On Friday, September 18, 2026, at approximately 8:09 pm, officers with the Shelby Police Department responded to the 2100 block of Green Oak Dr., in reference to reports of an individual being shot. Upon their arrival, officers located a male victim suffering from a single gunshot wound, lying in a driveway. Officers on scene, along with emergency medical personnel from Cleveland County EMS and Shelby Fire & Rescue, attempted

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent President Donald Trump, in red cap, standing under NC state flag, greets those in attendance as he enters the stage at the 'Make America Safe Again' event at the Gastonia Airport on Wednesday. | Chuck Thompson A wider view of the event while President Trump speaks from the podium as the sun sets in the distance. | Chuck Thompson Local, State and National / GASTONIA - President Trump showed up in Gastonia on Wednesday to campaign

By Rod Powell | Guest Opinion OPINION — A young couple trying to buy their first home in Cleveland County already has plenty working against them. Home prices are high. Interest rates are high. Insurance isn't cheap, and saving enough for a down payment can take years. Then they finally find a modest house they can afford and discover they're competing against a large investment company with cash ready to go. That's happening in North Carolina. Around Charlotte, corporate inv

By Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — You might want to pay attention to your speed and slow down traveling through Boiling Springs from now on. A reduction in the speed limit in one part of town has been enacted by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT). On Friday afternoon, The Town of Boiling Springs released a statement noting that the area on N Main Street between Ingles and Ramsgate Drive has been reduced from 35 mph to 25 mph.

Staff Reports | Pinnacle Classical Academy Brooks Education — The board of directors of Pinnacle Classical Academy announces that headmaster Angela Brooks will become the school's leader on Sept. 1, with the retirement of CEO Dr. Shelly Shope. Angela Brooks began her teaching career in 2004 after graduating as a North Carolina Teaching Fellow from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She started in education as a high school social studies teacher at North Gaston Hi

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Shelby police Chief Brad Fraser with some of the dedicated officers of The Shelby Police Department | Photo by Chuck Thompson Shelby City Park – Once again, the rain showed up for National Night Out as it did last year, but that didn't keep first responders and families away from the fun at The Shelby City Park. Less than perfect weather caused vendor and organization booths to be moved indoors, but the rain dwindled to a sprinkle

Staff reports | Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Photo courtesy of The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office. CRIME – Cleveland County is a safer place thanks to the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO). On Aug. 1, 2026, The CCSO Interdiction Team assisted Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) crime, gun and suppression unit with a narcotics investigation involving Walter AJavier Villeda-Ayala. The Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office Community Interdiction Team obse

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent From left, back row, BSPD Officer Fields, Chief DiYorio and Detective Paz, with Sarah, Tucker and Josie, at Scoop-A-Doodle-Doo on Thursday. | Haley Martin, Town of Boiling Springs. BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Despite the rain on Thursday evening, there were no meltdowns at the first Cops and Cones event in Boiling Springs, hosted by The Boiling Springs Police Department and Scoop-A-Doodle-Doo. Kids and cops alike poured out for the fun e

By Chuck Thompson | Exclusive to The Shelby Independent The Justice Center construction rises from behind the current courthouse, still far from completed, on July 20, 2026. | Chuck Thompson Editor’s note: This legal letter dated July 8, 2026 was discovered in a public records request by The Shelby Independent. This is a developing news story about the information within a letter and the information researched from other documents and previous news reports. A second part wi