THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

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 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

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 Lauren Becatti | The Shelby Independent Tacos featured on Chipotle's menu OPINION – I heard rumors about a Chipotle coming to Shelby, so I decided to get to the bottom of it. After contacting the Chipotle media relations representative, I have confirmed that the rumor is true. Sometime next year we will be getting a Chipotle! However, the location was not confirmed at this time. Chipotle is a personal favorite of mine (and I certainly prefer it over another notable chain).

Mrs. Sarah Elizabeth Tallent Hafer, 89, of Shelby, NC, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025. She is survived by her husband, Roe Lemmuel Hafer of the home, her children, Tim Tallent and wife Teresa of Shelby, NC, four grandchildren, Ansley Tallent of Raleigh, NC, Matthew Tallent of Asheville, NC, Katelyn Tallent of Raleigh, NC, and Garrett Tallent and wife Emma of Italy, two great grandchildren, Peter Michael Tallent and Walden Tallent, and two treasure

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

Staff reports | Press Release Healthy Together Cleveland logo Cleveland County has made a donation of $10,000 to support the Everyone Eats Emergency Food Fund Drive , spearheaded by Healthy Together Cleveland (HTC) to combat food insecurity in the county. Donations to this effort will be used to support Washington Outreach Ministry (WOM), a local nonprofit organization which serves as the primary food hub for Cleveland County. To date, HTC has raised $80,110 toward its goal

Staff reports | Cleveland County Arts Council Handmade for the Holidays information The Cleveland County Arts Council welcomes back the Handmade for the Holidays arts and crafts show for 2025. The sale will be open from November 14 through December 23, in the Arts Council gallery located at 111 S. Washington St., Shelby, NC. The hours of operation are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. - 4.p.m., December Fridays from 9 a.m. - 8 p.m., and Saturdays from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. There

Staff Reports | Press Release, Cleveland County Government Cleveland County Finance and Purchasing Team. courtesy photo The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Cleveland County for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2024. This award recognizes governments that go beyond the minimum requirements of generally

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Cribb's debut book, 'Attract Don't Recruit' is filled with valuable information for chambers and nonprofits alike. For anyone that doesn’t know Christine Cribb, they’re missing out. Social networker, public speaker, consultant, Chamber of Commerce extraordinaire, book author, Cribb is anything but dull. In fact, The Shelby Independent just met her Friday and is already a fan of Christine Cribb. “Adrenaline on overload” as she de

From our partners at WCABnews.com | Annie Dance McDowell Paid for by Elect Justin Davis campaign Jaquan Nijah McDowell, 18, of Shelby, was arrested on Oct. 25 for alleged attempted first-degree murder, according to the Cleveland County Sheriff's Office Detention Center. According to the court filing reviewed by WCAB News, McDowell is accused of "unlawfully, willfully, and with malice aforethought attempting to kill Brian Spurling." McDowell has waived his right to a perso