THE SHELBY INDEPENDENT

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square Health / Affects Local – In exchange for ending a pricing plan, Atrium Health has been returned to in network for the State Health Plan in North Carolina to resolve a conflict that escalated and generated confusion just as the healthcare open enrollment period was beginning. The move announced jointly by Atrium and first-term Republican state Treasurer Brad Briner on behalf of the nearly 750,000 teachers, state employees, retirees, lawmakers

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square State / affects local — North Carolina has more than enough money to pay its outstanding bills and earned a B grade in the 17th annual Financial State of the States 2025 report. Released Thursday by Truth In Accounting, the analysis for fiscal year 2025 – ending June 30, 2025 – said any state with a taxpayer surplus between $1 and $9,999 gets a B. The report says $76.9 billion is available to pay $49.8 billion worth of bills, generating a $2

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 Affects local / State – North Carolinians and others filling up at the state’s pumps for gasoline and diesel fuel are getting a break on the 41 cents per gallon tax. Effective immediately through Nov. 30, Relief at the Pump (House Bill 3 of first extra session) was signed into law on Friday by first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein

Staff Reports | Cleveland Community College North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein takes a photo with CCC students. | Courtesy photo, CCC SHELBY, N.C. — North Carolina Governor Josh Stein visited Cleveland Community College on July 13 to tour the Careers Electric Summer Electrical Academy, one of only 12 academies being hosted on community college campuses across the state this summer. The governor's visit spotlighted the innovative workforce development program, which provides local

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 Earlier passage of a proposal for a statewide amendment on the midterm ballot in November would give voters a chance to weigh in a levy limit. Affects local / Raleigh – Stopping property tax revaluation changes throughout North Carolina this year and allowing them to happen in 2027 is in a proposal that has reached first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. Reappraisals are required at least once every eight years, and some do so more frequently

By David Beasley | The Center Square Fiber optic cables connect in a network server rack. Photo: Brett Sayles / Pexels State / National / Affects local – North Carolina’s attorney general has asked the state utility commission to create a separate rate for large users of electricity such as data centers, an idea that was also endorsed Tuesday by the state’s governor. “We know that data centers are becoming a large part of the conversation," first-term Democratic Attorney Gene

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 Because construction of the Beam Student Center is fully funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, these private donations will be used to support student scholarships. | Courtesy photo. Cleveland Community College – CCC marked a historic milestone on Friday, May 1, with a ceremonial groundbreaking for its long-awaited student center, a transformative project designed to centralize and enhance services for students across camp

By Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent Video still from the livestream of the public City of Shelby Council Meeting on April 20. While many residents across the state, county and local municipalities have felt the heavy hand of recent high property taxes, The City of Shelby passed a resolution opposing any official property tax reform that may come from the North Carolina General Assembly later this year. At the beginning of the council meeting, a proclamation was made de

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 Affects Local – Forecast to take weeks not days for significant movement, a modicum of relief for traditional transportation energy prices has blown in with North Carolina’s weekend pollen. Monday’s average price statewide for a gallon of unleaded gasoline, according to AAA, was $3.89. That’s down from $3.90 a day earlier, $3.94

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square file graphic | The Shelby Independent AFFECTS LOCAL – North Carolina has joined antitrust litigation filed in California seeking to block Nexstar’s $6.2 billion acquisition of rival Tegna, a move Attorney General Jeff Jackson says will send cable and satellite bills rocketing higher while local newsrooms are gutted. The first-term Democrat says eight northeastern counties, and the markets around Charlotte and Greensboro have 2 million cons

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square (The Center Square) – Angela Hawkins has succeeded Bob Rucho as a Republican member of the North Carolina State Board of Elections, the office of the state auditor says. Rucho tendered his resignation this week. The decision, according to a spokesman in Boliek’s office, “was mutually agreed on and due to reportable candidate contributions.” While Rucho has drawn attention for support of state Sen. Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, in a primary rac

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square file logo The Shelby Independent (The Center Square) – Early in-person voting ended Saturday and primary Election Day finishes the 51-day voting window in North Carolina on Tuesday. Polls close at 7:30 p.m. and winners advancing to the U.S. Senate race are expected to be known quickly – Roy Cooper for Democrats, Michael Whatley for Republicans. Two other congressional primaries are garnering attention: the redrawn 1st Congressional Distric

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square Whatley speaks at The Shelby Cafe in September 2025, with NC House Rep. Paul Scott next to him. Photo by: Chuck Thompson | The Shelby Independent (The Center Square) NORTH CAROLINA – Michael Whatley is favored by 38.3% for U.S. Senate and 80.9% of respondents give approval to the job done by second-term Republican President Donald Trump, a new poll released Thursday says. The sampling of 600 likely Republican primary voters was taken

By David Beasley | The Center Square File graphic photo | The Shelby Independent (The Center Square) – A strong statistical case for home ownership over renting is made in a new analysis from the Office of State Budget and Management in North Carolina. From 2020 to 2024, the cost of rent in North Carolina rose 10% over the previous five years, according to the report's interpretation of newly released U.S. Census numbers. In contrast, the cost for homeowners with mortgage

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) – Stalled recovery in Hurricane Helene is blamed on “stifling bureaucracy utterly lacking in common sense and resourcefulness,” say seven Republican members of the North Carolina House of Representatives in a statement directed at first-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein. This

By David Beasley | The Center Square contributor Courtesy photo The Center Square (The Center Square) – For North Carolina residents struggling to buy homes, it’s not their imagination that prices seem to be going through the roof, according to a newly released study. The state as a whole had an average listing price in North Carolina of about $520,000, which is 20% below the national average of $647,000, the John Locke Foundation study notes. Even so, it can be hard to find

By Alan Wooten | The Center Square A pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution rests on an American flag. Alan Wooten / The Center Square (The Center Square) – Eighty-nine of 100 counties in North Carolina have America 250 NC committees, and more than $2 million in grants have already been distributed to 74 counties by the state Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The first of multiple signature events begins in three weeks at the First in Freedom Festival. “In 20

By Alan Wooten I The Center Square Courtesy file photo (The Center Square) – Answers are being sought for why overall percentage of contributions from the North Carolina Education Lottery to public schools has slid from 23% to 16% in the last three years while total revenues have increased by more than $3 billion. The annual statutorily required audit, delegated to Cherry Bekaert by the state auditor, were found “free from material misstatement.” First-term Republican state