THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

By Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent Christine Hayes waves as others throw candy from the Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church wagon float during the Lattimore 4th of July parade OPINION – Lattimore is the small-town place to be. It really is. The 4th of July in Lattimore felt like one of those movie towns. It almost didn’t seem real – but it was, it is. Having just been less than two weeks out since I had a heart attack, I wanted to go to the parade but knew I had to take it easy

By Chuck Thompson | Shelby Independent and staff reports | Cleveland County Government A tragic accident on Highway 74 on Monday morning claimed the life of a Cleveland County EMS paramedic, who also served as a field training officer. According to reports, the accident happened sometime around 8 a.m. this morning, in Gaston County, near the Gaston-Cleveland County line. Paramedic / Field Training Officer Ashley Moore, 37, was killed in the accident. Cleveland County governme

By Jeff Yates | The Sunday Column | Special Guest Columnist Cleveland County Crime Stoppers Inc is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation serving the residents of Cleveland County through our partnership with all four of our Law Enforcement Agencies: Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, Shelby Police Department, Kings Mountain Police Department and Boiling Springs Police Department. Our partnership is based on technology that allows a person (tipster) to anonymously provide inform

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 Affects local – Lawmakers in North Carolina this week are expected to have a vote on the state budget, a two-year spending plan that was due to be implemented on July 1 of last year. One year late, the proposal is expected to be a compromise of the Senate and House of Representatives. Once appr

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A woman helps to complete voter registration paperwork at a polling location | The Center Square and Freepik Affects local – As North Carolina moved less than 12 weeks from mailing absentee ballots, the state’s total voter registrations rose another 5,325 to within less than 16,000 of 7.8 million. Trending consistent to the most recent nearly two decades, and particularly since the pandemic era, voter registrations are swelling the unaffilia

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

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

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.

Staff reports | Pinnacle Classical Academy Pinnacle Classical Academy Class of 2026 Education – Sixty-eight seniors graduated from Pinnacle Classical Academy on May 30 in a ceremony in the school's gymnasium. Twenty-two of the 68 were part of the school's first kindergarten class in 2013, and 75% of the graduates received an associate's degree or certificate from Cleveland Community College along with their high school diploma. Commencement speaker Jeremy Tate, CEO of the C

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 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

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A vehicle is refueled at a gas pump as evening light reflects off its surface. Photo: Alan Wooten / The Center Square State / Affects local – In the past week for North Carolinians, unleaded gasoline prices are down 22 cents and diesel 28 cents. The statewide average is 38 cents better than the nation’s $4.32, according to AAA. A gallon of regular unleaded is $3.94 and diesel is $5.10 in the state. Diesel’s national average is $5.44. The pai

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square State News / Affects local – Protection of families, small businesses and taxpayers from utility rate increases attached to data center development and energy policy mandates are within changes to North Carolina’s Ratepayer Protection Act. “North Carolinians are already feeling the pinch of higher electricity bills, and we cannot allow massive data centers and unrealistic green energy mandates to make it worse,” said Franklin County Republic

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

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Chief of Police Brad Fraser speaks from the podium in the City of Shelby Council chambers Friday evening. | City of Shelby video still SHELBY – A video circulating social media which shows a police officer using excessive force against a female suspect has caused an uproar across Shelby, which caused the City of Shelby to release statement at 6 p.m., Friday, regarding the event. In the video, which starts with the altercation alre

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A sign directs voters to a polling location. Alan Wooten / The Center Square Affects local – For the third time in five weeks, voter registrations increased more in the unaffiliated bloc than overall in North Carolina. Saturday’s seven-day update from the State Board of Elections, just 15 weeks away from absentee ballots going into the mail for the Nov. 3 midterms, rose by 3,513 overall and 3,891 among those choosing independence. Republican

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Dr. Brian Hunnell, left, shakes hands with CCS Board of Education Chairman Joel Shores Tuesday night. Hunnell will serve as the interim superintendent during the board's search for a permanent replacement. | Chuck Thompson EDUCATION – In a 9-0 decision by the Cleveland County Schools Board of Education, Dr. Brian Hunnell was named Interim Superintendent of CCS Tuesday evening, during a closed session of a public special called meet

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Martha Goodman Bridges stands in front of Warren F. Hoyle's memorial headstone. Hoyle was killed during The Great War, in 1918. His remains were buried in France. | Chuck Thompson MEMORIAL DAY, SUNSET CEMETERY – The sun stayed hidden behind the clouds as the rain stopped for The American Legion Squadron 82 family, made up of the Auxiliary Post 82 and Sons of The American Legion (SAL), which operates out of the Warren F. Hoyle Ameri

By Ron Humphries | Special Guest Op-Ed Columnist for The Shelby Independent OPINION — Every morning, a familiar political ritual plays out. Lawmakers propose sweeping bans on classroom screens, restrictions on Artificial Intelligence, and demand a retreat to the "three R’s." This crusade frames digital technology as an unprecedented monster devouring young minds. Yet, declaring that technology has ruined education is merely the latest repetition of a script society has recite

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College Graduates of Cleveland Community College's largest class at the 2026 Commencement Ceremony. | CCC Cleveland Community College – CCC celebrated its 2026 Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 14, in the Dr. James B. Petty Amphitheater, honoring the largest graduating class in the institution’s history for the fourth consecutive year. This year’s class included 994 graduates, who earned 1,314 credentials. These large numbers are a re